The 72 hour turn around from their semi-final win over Shurle-Glenncorrib did Westport no harm in MacHale Park on Saturday night as they booked their return to the senior ranks for next year with a comprehensive win over Kiltimagh by six points.
In truth if Westport had managed to take half of the chances they missed it wouldn’t have been an unfair reflection on the scoreboard. They bossed the game from the early stages, hassling and harrying the Kiltimagh attack and breaking at speed from their own defence.
Wing forward Fionn McDonagh was the man of the match, kicking five points over the hour and being a general positive influence on the game when ever he managed to get his hands on the ball out around the middle of the park.
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Man of the Match: Fionn McDonagh. Photo: Mayo GAA
It was an entertaining game, despite the face that nine of the 15 scores came from placed balls over the 60 minutes. The east Mayo men were first to strike with corner back Donovan Cosgrove spotting a gap and driving through it after two minutes, that was followed by Lewis Cawley free to level it up 11 minutes later. Westport edged in front not long after through a fine point from play by McDonagh, before a Ronan Malee free made it all square again.
But from then on in, it was all Westport with Cawely landing one from play and a free and Colm Moran adding on another to leave the score 0-5 to 0-2 at the break in favour of the Covies.
The second half opened up with Westport adding on two more scores to go five clear thanks to a Patrick O’Malley free from beyond the 45 and McDonagh adding another from play. Kiltimagh tagged on their third point from a Malee free from close range, but the goal they really needed to get back into the game didn’t come with Westport turning them over a few times close in on the target.
Malee kicked Kiltimagh’s final score 18 minutes from time, but two more scores from McDonagh sealed the deal for the seasiders who now go back up to senior for 2017.
Scores
Westport: F McDonagh (0-5,3f ), L Cawley (0-3, 2f ), C Moran (0-1 ), P O’Malley (0-1, 1f )
Kiltimagh: R Malee (0-3, 3f ), D Cosgrove (0-1 )
Westport: P O’Malley; N McManamon, K Keane; L Kettrick; K Dever, J Walsh, B McDermott; L Keegan, S Scott; F McDonagh, P Keegan, P Lambert, C Moran, L Staunton, L Cawley. Subs: D Horan, O McLaughlin, C Higgins
Kiltimagh: D Gallagher; M Cummins, K Mulderrig, D Cosgrove; J Forkan, S Moran, C Heneghan; P Kelly, S Walsh; B Gallgher, C Charlton, S McDonnell; D Lydon, TJ Byrne, R Malee. Subs: S Forkan, J Mulhern, P McDonnell, L Lydon, J Carroll.
