Celtic edge old rivals in Junior Cup nailbiter
Castlebar Celtic’s Jason Hunt races away after scoring his side’s opening goal against Westport United in the FAI National Junior Cup at Celtic Park, Castlebar, last Sunday. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Mayo soccer has not had many days like this. Celtic Park was packed to the rafters last Sunday for the ‘Mayo El Clasico’: Castlebar Celtic v Westport United. Over the past 100 years, they have faced each other in every competition possible and they wrote a new chapter in the most prestigious junior competition in Irish soccer.
Even before kick-off, the atmosphere was red hot. United fans let off flares and boisterously sang ‘Champions of Ireland, you’ll never sing that’, a reminder of the Black and Red’s greatest day when winning the competition in 2005, the only Mayo team to do so. That’s the only target this Celtic team have left to aim for, winning every other trophy available to them, this all-conquering side winning four trophies last year in a relentless showing of domestic and provincial dominance.
But in Mayo, the FAI Junior Cup has remained United’s competition, rising their performance level above their normal, and they did so again in the opening 30 minutes of this game. They pressed and pinned Celtic in their own half and were the better side in this first half.
Celtic’s best outlet when the pressure eased was Jason Hunt, as he and Dylan Edwards looked to break down their respective wings and find Eoghan Hughes (in for the injured Jordan Loftus) and oncoming Johnnie Cocozza breaking from midfield. Each time in that 30 minutes, Cillian McGlade and Harrison Quinn had an answer.
The pressure from United continued to mount and on 32 minutes, it eventually told. Referee Damien McGrath pointed to the spot as a Celtic defender handled the ball in the penalty area. Up stepped Darren Browne and he sent Hester the wrong way to put United ahead, the noise from the travelling support likely to be heard back in United Park.
Wesstport will have felt they should have gone in at the break in front, and Celtic could have had few complaints if so. The Hoops, however, have shown the character needed on many occasions over the past two years to show why they are currently the best and they were back level before the break.
Edwards and Hunt were the keys to unlock the Westport defence and they did so on 42 minutes. A cross from Edwards to the near post was blocked down but Edwards had another crack, this time floating one to the back and Hunt arrived unmarked to smash in a volley.
As the second half got underway, Celtic smelled blood and they went ahead four minutes after the restart. Edwards, whose influence on the left was growing by the minute, floated in another perfect delivery, this time to Eoghan Hughes who finished it past Gary Cunningham.
Kevin Kitterick had a chance moments later to equalize but, under pressure from Celtic captain Ioseph O’Reilly, he blazed his shot over.
Just before the hour mark, Celtic had a third. Dylan Edwards once again with a perfect pass into the penalty area and Hughes bundled home the rebound after his initial shot was saved by Cunningham. Hughes had a chance to complete his hat trick on 70 minutes but his thunderous strike cannoned back off the crossbar.
From there, the belief began to seep away from United and it appeared that Celtic were going to win this one comfortably in the end but they got a lifeline with two minutes of normal time remaining when Dan O’Malley’s free kick took a deflection off Mark Cunningham and left Stefan Hester with no chance to set up a nervy finale.
As over seven minutes of injury time ticked away, on what must have felt like an eternity for all connect to Celtic, Westport pumped in ball after ball but Celtic knocked back all attempts and the final whistle was greeted with elation and relief from the Celtic players and supporters.
United remain the only Mayo winners of this competition but on a weekend of big hitters going out, including Letterkenny Rovers and reigning champions Cockhill Celtic, maybe Castlebar Celtic can start believing they can join that exclusive club.
