Dazzling Westport United complete Mayo football double

Westport United have completed a memorable double in Mayo Youths (Under-18) football.

They lifted the Quigley Cup at Solar 21 Milebush Park yesterday with a 2-0 win over Ballyheane.

The club was also crowned the Mayo Under-18 (Helen Johnson) Cup champions a number of weeks ago.

United went into the yesterday's game as favourites and always looked like the likely winners even though Ballyheane did have a few chances themselves throughout the game.

Westport controlled the game early on and took the lead on 13 minutes when Daniel O’Malley bullet header beat Euan McGowan at his near post.

It was a dazzling move down the right wing and Simeon Popov was the provider when his excellent cross was met by O’Malley from eight yards out and he left McGowan with no chance as his header found the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Westport had a few decent chances to double their lead before the break but it was Ballyheane that had the best chance a minute before half-time when Adam Blake sent Jude Lavin clear on goal but his low shot went just wide of Peter McNally’s right hand post.

Westport pushed forward in search of the second goal and it arrived midway through the second half when substitute Evan Durkan fierce effort from the edge of the area found the bottom right hand corner of McGowan’s net.

From then on Ballyheane never gave up but Westport were so strong at the back that they never really looked like conceding as Westport kept another clean sheet.

They had a few chances to increase their lead at the other end of the pitch but overall were happy to see out the game to get their hands on the Quigley Cup for the first time since 2000.