Mayo League Under 21 semi-finals take centre stage

The TF Royal Theatre & Hotel Under 21 League semi-finals take place this evening (Thursday) and all four games are expected to draw a crowd in what promises to be an exciting evening of football in the last of the summer sun.

Here's a preview of all four games down for decision this evening. All games set to kick-off at 6.30 p.m.

DIVISION 1 SEMI-FINALS

Ballyheane v Castlebar Celtic

A week after these two sides met in the final Division One league game, they are set to meet again in the semi finals at Pat Quigley Park on Thursday evening. Celtic were beaten 4-1 in last week and face the daunting task of playing the only unbeaten side from the league series and the heavy favourites to end up as champions later in the year.

Ballyheane’s side is made up of several players who have helped their senior side make an unbeaten start in the Super League where players like Jack Rochford, Nathan Reilly-Doyle, Cillian Redmond, Michael Fahy and Ben Edeh are regular starters for the current league leaders. Former Celtic youth player Edeh is their star man and the Super League player of the month for June/July has nine goals to his name in the Under 21 League so far.

Ashley Stevenson has them playing an attractive brand of football and it would be a huge surprise if they were to taste defeat at this stage.

Celtic’s path to this stage has not been as impressive as they picked up seven points from six games to qualify ahead of Kiltimagh/Knock United on a better head-to-head record over the East Mayo side. Despite this Celtic will feel they can cause problems for their neighbours as their side possess a lot of quality players including the likes of Brian and Paul Walsh, Ruairi Nevin and Liam Whyte.

Winger Paul Walsh has the potential to be one of the best players in the division but Celtic will be hoping that he has recovered from the injury that kept him out of last week’s game with Ballyheane.

Others like James Basquille, Dylan Howley and Davitt Neary have been getting minutes in their Super League side of late and Basquille was on target in their win over Glenhest on Sunday with a good strike from the edge of the box and the word coming out of Celtic is that they feel they can really push Ballyheane if they have their full squad available on Thursday evening.

Manulla v Conn Rangers

With seventeen minutes to go in Conn Rangers final league game the North Mayo side were heading out of the competition as they trailed Castlebar Celtic 3-1 in a must win game but Tadgh O’Sullivan, Eoin Prendergast and a wonder strike from Conor Flynn in the final five minute meant that Rangers made it through to set up a semi final clash with Manulla.

Rangers will have been very disappointed with their League campaign but will believe that they have a squad capable of reaching the final especially with the duo of Evan Reape and Eoin Prendergast in attack. Behind them Flynn, Liam Durkan, Lorcan Towey and Sean Holmes are all players that are no strangers to Nigel Reape’s senior squad and will need to be at their best if they are to make it to the final.

Manulla, like their neighbours Ballyheane, have a side that provide the backbone of their senior side and will be favourites to progress especially as they have home advantage. Aiden Dunleavy is at the top of the goal scoring charts and the young striker is in superb form for both the Under 21 and senior side with eighteen goals in total. Padraig Beirne, Ruairi Henry,Joshua Webb and Darragh Byrne are also important players for Declan Kilkelly’s Super League side and it’s no surprise to see that these players have been the top performers in their Under 21 campaign.

They have only suffered one defeat and that came at the hands of Ballyheane and their 2-0 win away to Rangers in the league stage came thanks to goals from Dunleavy and Webb.

Manulla will be favourites to make the final but don’t be surprised if Rangers cause an upset in what is sure to be a close encounter between two top sides.

DIVISION 2 SEMI-FINALS

Swinford v Ballinrobe Town

Ballinrobe Town will go into this game as huge underdogs having finished nine points behind Swinford in the league table but the south Mayo side will relish the opportunity of knocking out the favourites at the semi-final stage.

Their reintroduction to Mayo League junior soccer has been very positive so far with their senior side picking up several wins in League Two and this Under 21 side making it through to the knockout stages.

Some of the young players have gained some valuable experience at senior level with James Marrey, Adam Walsh, Gillen Jennings and Connor Ryan showing that they are more than capable of making the step up and they are probably the four players that Swinford will need to nullify if they are to avoid a shock defeat.

Marrey is a pacy central defender who leads the line at the back, and he is flanked by Walsh on the right who is a player that is always looking to get forward to cause problems for the opposition at the other end of the pitch. In midfield Jennings is the heartbeat of everything that is good about his side as the tireless youngster is known for the energy he brings to a crucial area of the field. Connor Ryan is their main dangerman and he can usually be found on the right wing but has also been used as a striker for both sides where he has amassed fourteen goals so far this season.

Swinford though came through their league campaign unbeaten and the top scorers in the division have been in frightening form so far this season. Callum Cairns, Conor Devaney, Adorn Biju are three attackers that know where the goal is but Cairns availability could be key after he picked up an injury recently that has kept him out of football for a few weeks but the young attacker is expected to make a return tomorrow evening as is Joe Brennan who has also been out injured recently.

Another player that Ballinrobe will need to look out for is Martin Murphy who is not only a star for this Under 21 side but has been one of the key players in Swinford’s recent rise to the Super League. Murphy is a versatile player that can play in several position and looks just as comfortable in defence as he does in attack.

These two sides met on the opening day of the league where Swinford came away with the points after a 5-2 win and Chris McHale Roe’s side will be expected to make it through to the final and keep their unbeaten run going.

Killala v Straide & Foxford United

Less than a month ago these two sides met in their final league game, and it was Killala that ensured they finished second in the table with a 3-0 win over their North Mayo rivals.

Killala’s league campaign has been built on a strong defence as they kept four clean sheets in their five league outings. Goalkeeper Sean McAndrew has been in excellent form when called upon while senior player Tommy Loftus has been a rock at centre back.

Further up the field the Mayo League Under 21 player of the month for July Matthew Langdon-Long is a well-seasoned player having been involved with the senior side for the past three years and his experience at that level has come to the fore in recent matches. Connor Barrett partners him in the middle of the pitch and these two players will need to be at their best if they are to progress to the final.

Cian Donnelly adds a lot of pace to the side and the winger is their top scorer with five goals and has been at the heart of all their good performances in attack.

Straide & Foxford like Killala have a lot of players that are regulars in the senior squad with Eoghan Rainey, Cormac Turnbull, Kienan Smyth, Kian Walsh and Nathan Boukioud all regular starters for Aiden Flatley’s side. They may not be as solid at the back as Killala have been but in attack they look to be one of the most dangerous sides in the division.

Boujioud is their top scorer on nine goals, but Walsh has probably been one of their star performers while others like Smyth, Conor Hanahoe, Enda Burke and Sean Ruane have all chipped in with their fair share of goals. This is a very tough game to call, and it would not be a surprise to see the sides needing extra-time or even penalties to decide on a winner.

-Preview by Mayo Football League PRO, Kieran Gallagher.