Size does matter as Mayo champions are dumped from title race

On a weekend of contrasting weather conditions, there was a seismic shift in the battle for the Moclair Cup as Breaffy lodged their papers for a shot at the title by dumping Westport, the favourites and holders, out of the competition.

The beautiful weather and magnificent setting at St. Aiden’s Park in Islandeady disguised the explosive nature of the final 10 minutes of this game as Westport finished with 13 players, Breaffy grinding out a fully deserved 1-8 to 0-9 win to put them in with a serious shot at their first ever senior title, writes John Melvin.

Restless Westport supporters were waiting to see their team finally take off but it never really happened, and that was simply down to their inability to handle the sheer size and strength that Breaffy had down the spine of the team.

The big men stood up for sure, but so too did many of the smaller men in Breaffy’s defensive cover, leaving Westport frustrated. And that frustration into a straight red card for Fionn McDonagh, and he was followed just before the final whistle by Colm Moran who picked up a second yellow followed by a red.

Breaffy picked up a fair share of cards themselves but when the pressure was on they held their nerve, Westport chasing a two-point deficit which they had opportunities to reduce but both Cillian Kilkelly and Alan Kennedy failed to find the target.

The big score in this game came 15 minhutes into the first half when Robbie Fadden fired home from the penalty spot after a clumsy challenge by Kevin Keane on Oisin Tunney.

It shot Breaffy into a 1-2 to 0-4 lead, but more importantly for Breaffy, Keane picked up a black card for the foul, and it was during his absence tht Breaffy managed to go two points up, a lead they took with them into the second half (1-5 to 0-6).

Kilkelly reduced the deficit with an early second-half free but 10 minutes into the second half Breaffy had kicked on to lead four and the champions could feel their crown slowly slipping from their grasp.

The closest Westport could get was within two points but despite going through a bad patch early in that second half, when they turned over a lot of ball, Breaffy held their nerve, their command of the middle very much a factor in ensuring they are back in the title race.

Earlier, in Crossmolina, it took Ballina Stephenites – last year's beaten finalists – some time to break down a defence-minded Belmullet team, but once they found the back of the net in the third quarter, there was no coming back for the Erris men.

Ballina were actually playing with 14 men at the time due to Padraig O'Hora serving 10 minutes in the sin bin and the gap was just three points (0-6 to 0-3) at that stage, but a devastating move involving Sam Callinan, Luke Feeney, Conor McStay and Sean Regan was given the finish it deserved by Frank Irwin, who had the relatively simple task of finding the net from a few metres out, though admittedly from a tight angle.

This was a game that never really sparked to life and Belmullet would have been happy enough trailing by just three at the break (0-2 to 0-5).

With O'Hora having been shown the yellow card and still just three points in it, the 2021 finalists might have been thinking they had been presented with a great chance to make a decisive move.

However, the goal changed everything and Ballina were able to pick off a number of fine points from there until the end, Belmullet by contrast finding headway difficult at the other end. In fact, all of their four points came from Ryan O'Donoghue frees, and they rarely threatened David Clarke in the Stephenites goal.

Elsewhere in the senior grade, Balla and Claremorris ended fears of relegation with victories over The Neale and Ballyhaunis respectively.

There was just one semi-final left to play in the Egan Jewellers Intermediate Football Championship but few could have predicted a relatively easy victory for Castlebar Mitchels B over Louisburgh, the county town team winning by 1-13 to 0-7.

Meanwhile, the intermediate relegation final will be between Bonniconlon and Kiltimagh as they were beaten by Burrishoole and Kilmaine respectively.

In the TF Royal Hotel & Theatre Junior Football Championship, Lahardane won the north Mayo battle against Killala with a 1-12 to 0-10 victory in Kilfian to join Shrule/Glencorrib, Cill Chomáin and Eastern Gaels in the last four.

Finally, Tourmakeady enjoyed a narrow victory over Moygownagh in the Exclusive Junior B Championship, earning their place in the semi-finals with a 0-12 to 1-6 victory.

The draw for the senior semi-finals threw up two local derbies, with Breaffy facing Castlebar Mitchels and Ballina Stephenites taking on Knockmore.

The intermediate semi-finals pair Castlebar Mitchel B with Ballinrobe and Bohola Moy Davitts with Kilmeena.

The junior A semi-finals are Shrule/Glencorrib v Cill Chomáin and Lahardane v Eastern Gaels, while the juior B last four pairings are Tourmakeady v Achill and Ballycastle v Kilmovee.

All championship semi-finals and relegation finals will be played in two weeks' time.