Castlebar Celtic crowned Under 21 League Division 1 champions
Castlebar Celtic are the TF Royal Hotel & Theatre Under 21 League Division One champions while Claremorris and Ballina Town will need a play-off to decide the Division Two title race.
TF Royal Hotel & Theatre Division One
Castlebar Celtic are the Under 21 League Champions after an excellent 2-0 win over fellow title contenders Ballyheane in a sun drenched Pat Quigley Park on Sunday morning.
Celtic went into the game knowing that a point would be enough to see them claim their first Under 21 title while a defeat would have seen a three way play-off with Ballyheane and Conn Rangers.
Ballyheane were the better side in the opening fifteen minutes but failed to create any meaningful chances and Celtic grew into the game and were much the stronger side for the rest of the game. On 36 minutes they took the lead when the division’s top scorer Luke Kelly was quickest to react as Ballyheane failed to clear a corner and he fired the ball into the back of the net with a brilliant left foot strike.
Kelly put the result beyond doubt midway through the second half after he tapped the ball into the back of the net at the back post after some brilliant work down the left wing by Paul Walsh.
Celtic never looked back after that and half an hour later captain Stefan Hester was presented with the cup by Mayo League chairman Gerry Sweeney.
Conn Rangers ensured they finished second in the table with a 3-1 win over Manulla who will now need to beat Kiltimagh/Knock United in the only remaining Division One game to stay up.
After a scoreless first half a quick fire double put them two up in the opening fifteen minutes of the second half through goals from Coalan Hopkins and Sean Holmes. Colm Rutledge was instrumental in both goals as his direct play provided the assists. Even though Manulla pulled a goal back with ten minutes remaining but Hopkins added his second of the day in the final minutes.
Straide & Foxford United picked up their second win in four days to ensure their survival in Division One after an 8-3 win over Kiltimagh/Knock United. Before Thursday it looked like Straide & Foxford were odds on to go down as they sat at the bottom of the table but wins over both their relegation rivals has seen them end their league campaign on a high.
Cathal Clarke, Kienan Smyth and Dylan Coleman all struck twice with Adam Boukioud getting the other for Brian Wallace’s side.
TF Royal Hotel & Theatre U21 Division Two
Claremorris and Ballina Town will need a play-off to decide who will be the Under 21 Division Two title after Claremorris had a 6-0 win over Glenhest Rovers to draw level on points with Ballina at the top of the table.
Claremorris led by three goals at the break as Nathan Ring hit a brace after the opening goal was given as an own goal following a deflection in off a Manulla defender from a Jason Murphy strike.
Ring completed his hat trick early in the second half as he struck a spot kick into the top right hand corner of the net before Joe Murray added a further two goals to put a further gloss on the scoreboard.
CastleCourt Hotel Premier Division
In the only junior league game of the weekend Crossmolina moved a step closer to promotion as they once again got the better of Moy Villa with a 3-1 win in Attymass.
Kevin Campbell gave the away side the lead after only two minutes when his low drive from the edge of the area found the bottom right hand corner of the Moy Villa net.
Moy Villa were level just before the break as John Durkan converted a penalty after Tony Loftus was taken down in the box by Stewart Griffin. The next goal was always going to be crucial and it went Crossmolina’s way as Micheal Gill converted at the back post after Niall Coggins initial effort was saved by the Moy Villa keeper. Crossmolina added at third fifteen minutes later when substitute David O’Boyle free kick from more than twenty five yards found the bottom right hand corner of the net.
The win moves Crossmolina three points clear of Moy Villa and only a point behind league leaders Conn Rangers with a game in hand as we enter the final few weeks of the season.
- Report courtesy of the Mayo Football League.
* Full match report & reaction from Ballyheane v Castlebar Celtic in today's print edition.