Ballina looking good as Mitchels dethrone champions in Mayo SFC
TYNAN'S TAKE
THEN there were four. One of Ballina Stephenites, Ballintubber, Castlebar Mitchels or Westport will lift the Moclair Cup come the end of the month following the quarterfinals of the Mayo senior football championship.
The only one likely not to have a question mark hanging over them is Ballina. Since their draw in the opening group game against Ballaghaderreen, they have been motoring nicely and they absolutely thumped Claremorris in Charlestown.
Even before David O’Reilly’s red card before half-time, Claremorris never got going and once Evan Regan got Ballina’s second goal in the first half, it was all over.
Westport looked mightily impressive in the group stage but were expected to face much stiffer resistance against Garrymore and the south Mayo side will feel they should have won after seeing two huge goal opportunities go abegging. They had enough to see Garrymore off but questions remain whether they can go all the way.
The double header at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park saw two surprises - but merited victors for Castlebar Mitchels and Ballintubber.
While the win for Mitchels was the narrowest of margins, they were full value for it. Knockmore’s bid for the three-in-a-row ends but they have been excellent champions the last two years. While I still feel a senior title may be too soon for Barry Moran’s young side this year, they will push Westport all the way.
From a young side to a very experienced one, Ballintubber showed there is still plenty in the tank yet as they saw off Breaffy. Even despite losing Jason Gibbons to a red card (a harsh one in this columnist’s view), it was another of their experienced men, Cillian O’Connor, who led the way.
They’ll be underdogs for the semi-final against Ballina, but don’t write them off.
SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE
IT starts and ends with your club, and Andy Moran certainly brought the curtain down in style.
He confirmed during the group stages that he was set to hang up his boots following the ned of Ballaghaderreen’s club championship. Every player will have dreams about the winning goal for your side to win a trophy but what about a dream about how your final ever game will go? They won’t be better than what Moran showed against Davitts last weekend.
At 38 years of age, he bowed out still playing at a very high level, scoring 3-3 to save Ballaghaderreen from relegation. All three of his goals were typical Moran but his last one in particular was something to savour, and something Ballaghaderreen and Mayo fans were accustomed to over the years. Out in front of a Davitts defender, Moran turned his man and smashed it into the roof of the net.
Leaving the field for the final time, he received a fitting guard of honour and was presented with a club jersey by the Ballaghaderreen management in what the club said was ‘a little keepsake’ for the years of service he has given, going on to call him a ‘living legend’.
Can’t argue with that.