Mayo Football League round-up
Swinford’s first half display is enough to see off Castlebar Celtic while Kiltimagh/Knock United B and Castlebar Celtic B knock out higher division opposition
In the Calor Gas Super Cup, Swinford caused the shock of the round as they reached the semi-finals of the Super Cup with a 3-2 win over Castlebar Celtic at James McEvaddy Park on Sunday morning. After last weekend’s heavy defeat to Claremorris the home side would have been huge outsiders going into this game against the Super League Champions, but by half time they led three nil thanks to a hat trick from Joe Slevin. Slevin gave them an early lead from the penalty spot and had doubled their lead on twenty minutes before he got his third with his second spot kick ten minutes before the break. Celtic came out rejuvenated for the second half and a Jason Hunt double got them right back in this cup tie. His first arrived on twenty minutes and his second arrived minutes later from the penalty spot and at this stage it looked like a matter of time before the away side levelled the tie. Despite going down to ten men Swinford repelled everything that Celtic could throw at them and held out to record a famous victory for the men in blue.
Manulla needed extra-time to see of the challenge of Claremorris in a pulsating seven goal thriller at Carramore on Sunday morning. Anyone that arrived late to the game will have missed an amazing start to the game as Claremorris led twice only for Manulla to equalise quickly on both occasions inside the opening ten minutes. Mark Maloney scored a brace for Claremorris while Aiden Dunleavy was also on target twice for Manulla as he equalised for the home side on both occasions. There were to be no more goals until just before the break when Manulla took the lead for the first time thanks to a goal from David McCracken. The second half was not as exciting in terms of goals but the only one did go the way of the away side as Andrew Peters finished from eight yards out after good work from Calvin Joyce on the right wing. It stayed this way until the second half of extra-time when sub Cian Benson headed home the winner on his debut for Declan Kilkelly’s side
Ballyheane are also in the semi final draw after a convincing win over Premier Division side Iorras Aontaithe. Ashley Stephenson’s side have started the season in great form, and this continued on Sunday afternoon as they put six past Iorras Aontaithe without reply. Nathan Reilly Doyle hit a hat-trick while Ben Edeh hot a brace and the final goal coming from Matthew Fox.
Calor Gas Premier Cup
Westport United B continued their excellent goalscoring start to the season with another big win as they progressed to the Quarter Finals of the Premier Cup. Having knocked out Claremorris B in the first round they travelled to Concannon Park to take on Claremorris C on Saturday evening. By half-time they were four goals up and in control of the tie and they added another four after the break as Joe Kelly’s side have now scored twenty-two goals in their opening three games. Mark McNally gave them the lead just before the quarter hour mark finishing at the second attempt after getting on the end of a through ball from Niall Quinn. McNally then turned provider as he set up Aaron O’Toole for their second on the half hour mark. The third arrived on thirty seven minutes when O’Toole crossed for PJ Calvey to score and Ciaran Cuddy got the fourth minutes before half-time as he bundled the ball home after Claremorris failed to clear a corner from the left. PJ Calvey got his second of the day to make it five as he headed home a cross from Cian Gill on the hour mark and four minutes later it was six as Adam Diamond Keane slotted home into the empty net after his first attempt was saved by the Claremorris keeper. Niall Quinn got the next one as he beautifully found the top corner of the net as with an exquisite finish from the edge of the area. PJ Calvey rounded of the scoring as he completed his hat-trick as he calmly found the back of the net after James Brennan found him unmarked at the edge of the area.
An understrength Kilmore side were seconds away from getting their name in the hat for the Quarter Finals draw but it was League Two side Castlebar Celtic B that made it through as Terry Maughan’s late penalty sent the game to extra-time where Celtic substitute Jack Mahon hit the winner in the 105th minute. Celtic took the lead on thirty-two minutes as Kevin Quinn headed in a cross from Alan Quinn, but it was Kilmore who lead at the break as Padraig Doherty
slotted home a penalty on forty one minutes after Eamon Fallon was fouled in the box and Shane Kennedy then gave the away side the lead when his stunning effort from the edge of the area found the top left hand corner of Derek O’Sullivan’s goal. Celtic dominated the second half as Kilmore defended in numbers and they finally broke their resistance in the dying seconds when Mahon was taken down in the area and Terry Maughan stepped up to send the game into extra time. The winning goal arrived midway through the second period as Mahon found space in the penalty area and his clever shot found it’s way to the net to send Stephen Moran’s side into the Quarter finals.
On Sunday afternoon League One side Kiltimagh/Knock United B added to Premier Division side Killala’s recent woes with a 3-0 win over the North Mayo side at CMS Park. Thomas Gillespie gave them a half-time lead and the in-form striker Gavin Groarke added a second half brace to seal an impressive win for James Costello’s side.
Fahy were the final side into the Quarter Finals after they came out on the right side of a ten-goal thriller with Crossmolina in Fahy on Sunday afternoon. In a game that swung one way and then the other it was Fahy that finished the strongest to turn things around after been 3-2 behind at one stage.
Simon Duffy continued the form he has shown in recent seasons as he got another hat-trick for the club while Tomas Keane got two and the other goal coming from Leon Hadden. The Crossmolina goals came from Niall Coggins, Michael Maughan, Adam Gordon and Johnny Murtagh.
-Report by the Mayo Football League.
*Full match reports from Swinford v Castlebar Celtic and Manulla v Claremorris in tomorrow's print edition.