Mayo Super League title blown wide open
Kiltimagh/Knock United blow the title race wide open as Jack O'Connor hits a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Ballyheane while Moy Villa go top in the Premier Division after a 4-2 win over Killala.
Elverys Sports Super League
Claremorris moved out of the relegation zone for the first time this season as they came from a goal down at half-time to earn a 3-1 win over Glenhest Rovers in Beltra. Glenhest’s goal came four minutes before the break when ex-Castlebar Celtic striker Bryan Mannion netted his first goal for the club.
The game turned on a three minute period midway through the second half as Claremorris scored two goals in three minutes through Joe Slevin and Cathal Walsh to give Paul Burke’s side the lead.
Glenhest pushed for an equaliser but couldn’t find a way through a stubborn Claremorris defence and it was the away side that got the next goal when Conor O’Keeffe became one of if not the oldest scorer in the top division with a clever finish in injury time.
Ballyhaunis Town picked up another point on Saturday evening as they came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with ten man Manulla at Station Rise.
Aiden Dunleavy and David McCracken gave them the two goal start but Ben Freyne’s sending off changed the complexion of the game and Ballyhaunis pulled a goal back before half-time through Andy Cunnane.
Ballyhaunis went in search of an equaliser in the second half and it duly arrived after only a few minutes when Cunnane got his second of the day.
The goal came from an unfortunate mistake from the Manulla keeper who slipped when taking a goal kick and touched the ball a second time to prevent a goal but it was all in vain as Cunnane found the net with the resulting free kick to earn his side a point.
Castlebar Celtic will be looking at the possibility of a title challenge after a 3-0 win over Westport United on Sunday morning and the result that followed later in the day, which sees them lie nine points behind Ballyheane with two games in hand.
They were full value for them win today with an excellent performance and they never looked back after Luke Kelly gave them an early lead. Jordan Loftus pounced on an uncharacteristic mistake from Joe Lawless to set Jason Hunt away down the left wing and the tricky winger turned Lawless inside the box before firing a low ball across the six yard box and Kelly arrived to finish to an empty net.
Celtic had to wait until nearly the hour mark to add a second but it was a goal worth waiting for as Jason Hunt finished off a brilliant move involving four Celtic players which Hunt finished to the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Hunt turned provider for the third goal as he set up Eoghan Hughes to turn the ball home from eight yards and Celtic saw out the game with little difficulty especially after Adam Diamond-Keane was sent off with twenty minutes remaining.
In the late kick-off in the top division Kiltimagh/Knock United showed that their high league position is no fluke as a superb hat-trick from Jack O’Connor earned them a 3-1 win away to leaders and current Super League Champions Ballyheane.
At half-time it looked like Ballyheane would stretch their lead at the top of the table thanks to a goal from Nathan Reilly-Doyle after only five minutes but an excellent second half performance from James Costello’s side has thrown the title race wide open.
O’Connor’s first goal arrived midway through the half when he slotted home a penalty after James McGrath was taken down in the area before he gave his side the lead fifteen minutes later with a great finish after a superb cross from Cormac Caulfield.
O’Connor then completed his hat-trick to put the game beyond doubt with a contender for goal of the month as he chipped the keeper from about ten yards inside the Ballyheane half.
CastleCourt Hotel Premier Division
Westport United B kept their title hopes alive with a 6-2 win over Swinford at United Park on Saturday evening.
They took the lead after just eight minutes when Padraig Folan arrived unmarked at the back post to head in a left wing cross from Brandon Scahill. The lead only lasted three minutes as Swinford hit back when Jack Murphy fired the ball into an empty net after his initial effort was saved by Micheal Gibbons in the Westport goal.
Westport took full control of the game with two goals in few minutes with Brandon Scahill playing a big part in both goals. The first arrived on thirty-five minutes when Swinford failed to clear a corner and Scahill found himself in space just inside the area and his low shot went under the Swinford keeper to find the back of the net.
Scahill then teed up Vinny Foy to make it three a couple of minutes later with a beautiful bit of skill down the left wing seen him slip the ball to Foy who had very little to do as he guided the ball into the empty net from eight yards out.
Swinford got back into the game from the penalty spot just after the hour mark as Kasper Gawalkiewicz slotted home a penalty but that was as good as it got for the east Mayo side as Westport restored their two goal advantage minutes later through PJ Calvey as Scahill provided another assist.
Joe Sweet then made it five as he bundled in the ball from another corner before Colin McDonagh got the final goal of the game when his left foot shot flew into the top left hand corner of the net with fifteen minutes to go.
Crossmolina went level on points with Conn Rangers in the Premier Division as they got the better of them for the second week in a row with a 3-2 win in Mount Falcon.
They had to do it the hard way as they went a goal down after twenty minutes when Adam Gallagher gave Rangers the lead after a he got on the end of a right wing cross to guide the ball past Sean Gallagher in the Crossmolina net.
The away side levelled just before half-time when Niall Coggins side footed a tackle inside the area before guiding the ball into the bottom corner of the net after David O’Boyle set him up with a cross from the left wing. Rangers had chances to go back in front but it was Crossmolina who got the next goal as Stewart Griffin pounced on a poor pass out of defence by the Rangers keeper to roll the ball into an empty net from thirty yards with twenty-five minutes remaining.
Ian Gordon then scored a contender for goal of the month with a brilliant half volley from the edge of the area after a corner from the left was punched into his path by the Rangers keeper and the midfielder returned the ball first time to find the back of the net.
Substitute Sean Holmes did make it a nervous last five minutes for Crossmolina when he pulled a goal back but Michael Canavan’s side held on to record an important win over their promotion rivals.
Fahy Rovers picked up their third win in four league games as they ran out 3-1 winners against Ballyglass in Fahy on Saturday evening. There was no surprise at the goal scorers for the home side as John Kelly, Simon Duffy and Gary Concannon were on target for John Creaby’s side.
Moy Villa took advantage of Crossmolina’s win over Conn Rangers on Saturday evening as they came from behind on two occasions to take all three points with a 4-2 win over Killala in The Courthouse on Sunday morning.
Killala took an early lead through Kyle Mcloughlin before Jason Murray tapped home a wonderful Tony Loftus delivery from the wing to equalise before Loftus himself should have put the visitors in front as he miss a guilt edged chance after he got on the end of a cross from John Durkan.
Killala regained the lead five minutes into the second half through a very fortuitous goal. A clearance from Kevin Langdon struck Rory Gallagher on the back and found its way into the goal.
Killala looked like they were going to hold on before Connor Hanahoe was introduced from the bench to make a significant impact. Moy Villa equalized through brilliant play down the right wing where Luke Ruane’s low delivery across the box was bundled home by Tommy Forde and a minute later, Hanahoe’s deflected effort was turned around for a corner where Luke Ruane’s inswinger was met by Kevin Langdon to make it 3-2 to Villa.
Luke Ruane wrapped up the scoring when he got on the end of a Hanahoe through ball to ensure Mick Duffy’s side moved to the top of the table for the first time this season.
Killeen Sports Ground League One
Conn Rangers B dented Kilmore’s promotion hopes as they grabbed a 2-2 draw in Mount Falcon on Sunday afternoon.
Both teams were missing some key players but it was the away side who started the better and took an early lead when Owen McHale chased down a ball over the top and took his time before picking out Ryan Ruddy who’s first time finish from five yards left the keeper with no chance.
Rangers had more of the ball and did create a few chances of their own but Kilmore will be wondering how they didn’t increase their lead as Ruddy, Conor Togher and Sean Brogan all had decent chances to double their advantage.
Ronan Holmes also came close to an equaliser at the other end on the half hour mark but his effort was pushed onto the bar by Kian Gallagher but it was Holmes who played a big part when their opening goal arrived as he was fouled in the box by Dylan McAndrew. New signing PJ Gilmartin stepped up and he made no mistake as he sent Gallagher the wrong way with a lovely finish into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Kilmore started strongly in the second half and could have gone back in front but they couldn’t find a way past the excellent Damien Hughes in the Rangers goal. It was the home side though that got the next goal when a cross from the right bounced into the path of Ronan Holmes and he tapped the ball into an empty net from three yards.
Kilmore threw caution to the wind as they pushed forward and they were rewarded when Owen McHale got on the end of a cross from Brian Keane to finish past Hughes with a lovely cushioned finish at the back post to earn a point for Sean Ruane’s side.
Achill Rovers are right back in the race for promotion after a 3-1 win over Westport United C at United Park. Two goals from Fionnbharr Gallagher and an own goal off a Westport defender was enough for the islanders to claim all three points and move to within a win of second place Kilmore. Sam Walsh was on target for Westport.
Manulla B also took advantage of Kilmore dropping two points as two late goals from substitute Jack Cunningham earned all three points for Damien Joyce’s side as they recorded a 3-1 win away against Hollister.
Paddy Canavan had levelled matters after Hollister took the lead but it was Cunningham who was the match winner as he struck two goals in the dying minutes to move his side to within four points of the top two.
McDonnell Construction League Two
Ballyvary Blue Bombers had a good 5-2 win over Conn Rangers C in Mount Falcon on Sunday morning as Pat Lynch was once again to the fore for Alan Campbell’s side as he struck a hat-trick for the boys in blue. Mark Kilgallon fired home a penalty and Cillian O’Brien was also on the scoresheet for the Bombers while Kevin Breslin and Jim Kelly got the goals for Rangers.
Crossmolina B picked up another win in League Two with a 4-1 defeat of Fahy Rovers B on Sunday afternoon.
A double from Jason Murphy and a strike from Ger Haran gave them a three goal lead at the break and despite Fahy pulling a goal back early in the second half Ciaran Traynor added a fourth for the home side to seal the points for Anthony Timoney’s side.
- Report provided by the Mayo Football League
*Full match reports from Ballyheane v Kiltimagh/Knock Utd, Castlebar Celtic v Westport Utd and Glenhest Rovers v Claremorris in tomorrow's print edition.