Five-star Castlebar Celtic leave Ballina Town title hopes on the brink
Castlebar Celtic's Luke Kelly, centre, netted a brace on his return to the starting lineup against Ballina Town. Picture: Castlebar Celticw F.C.
The Tom Kelly Cup will either remain in Celtic Park or head the direction of AbbVie United Park if last Thursday evening’s action is anything to go by in the Elverys Sports Super League title race.
While Westport United enjoyed a 4-1 win over Ballyheane, the current Super League champions – chasing a fourth title in a row – inflicted what may be a fatal blow on the hopes of Ballina Town with a scintillating first half display, where they scored four goals and effectively ended the game as a contest.
The win leaves Celtic and Westport locked on 28 points after 12 games with five left to play. Ballyheane are on 25 points having played a game more and Ballina are on 23 points. Mick Duffy’s side still have a chance of getting themselves back into contention but anything less than a win at home against Westport next weekend will see their hopes all but ended.
What will worry Celtic’s rivals was they were without Brian Walsh and captain Ioseph O’Reilly in defence while in-form striker Dylan Felle is on the injured list. However, Celtic did not miss a beat as Kian Redmond slotted in alongside Cathal Coyne in a makeshift pairing at centre-back and Luke Kelly’s return to Celtic’s starting lineup at centre-forward saw his bag two goals.
Off the bench, Niall Brennan made his first appearance from a cruciate injury while 2024 Mayo League Footballer of the Year Dylan Edwards made his first appearance since he rejoined the club in the July transfer window. With a hectic schedule incoming, including next weekend’s FAI Junior Cup last 16 home tie against Tulla, Stevie Gavin’s options at his disposal are getting stronger by the week.
It was a frantic start to the game, and Ballina goalkeeper Emmet Peyton was called into action to deny Jason Hunt inside a minute. Almost immediately at the other end, Jamie Cawley’s cross into the six-yard box needed the slightest of connections from Brendan Lavelle, but he failed to do so.
Ballina, who were missing David Cawley and Jesse Devers, were pinned in for much of the first half but they will have been disappointed for how they conceded the first goal on seven minutes for most of the first half. Aidan McHale’s shot from outside the area was not dealt with by Peyton and Kelly fired home the rebound to put the Hoops in front.
Ballina equalised on 13 minutes after Dylan McKee’s delightful ball over the top picked out PJ Gilmartin, and he smashed an unstoppable shot past Hester. Two minutes later, Celtic went back in front. A free kick to the back post was crossed back low by Hunt. Peyton was again unconvincing in clearing away and Kelly had another simple tap-in The Ballina goalkeeper could do nothing about Celtic’s third on 19 minutes. Hunt and Johhny Cocozza combined and the latter’s cross was unfortunately deflected in by Daire O’Connor through the legs of Peyton into his own net.
Mark Cunningham thought he had made it 4-1 with a spectacular volley but his effort was ruled out for offside. Lavelle had a chance to pull one back for Ballina but blazed his shot over.
Celtic all but wrapped up the three points on the stroke of half-time when a Cocozza shot was deflected into the path of McHale on the edge of the area and hi fired home.
The game lost much of its intensity in the second half but Celtic still had chances to extend their lead. McHale saw two strikes well saved by Peyton while Cunningham hit the bar from a header on the hour. Five minutes before the end, Celtic got their fifth when Cunningham cut it back to Cocozza and he finished past the helpless Peyton.
Celtic's Super League commitents will be on the back-burner for the next couple of weeks as they look to progression in the FAI Junior Cup this weekend with a last-16 home tie against Clare side Tulla United, followed by a huge FAI Senior Cup game a week later against away to League of Ireland Premier Division side Dundalk.
Castlebar Celtic: Stefan Hester, Mark Cunningham, Paul McDermott, Kian Redmond, Cathal Coyne, Ben Murphy, Johnny Cocozza, Oran Murphy, Luke Kelly, Jason Hunt, Aidan McHale. Subs: Niall Brennan and Daniel Ajenipa (for O Murphy and Kelly 63), Dylan Edwards and Oisin Tighe (for McHale and Hunt 78).
Ballina Town: Emmet Peyton, Martin Delaney, Tommy Forde, Chris Maughan, Daire O’Connor, Oran Canavan, Raff Cretaro, Dylan McKee, Brendan Lavelle, PJ Gilmartin, Jamie Cawley. Subs: Dan Gorman (for Canavan ht), Jamie Moyles (for Lavelle 61), Joseph Siegman (for Forde 77), Matthew Traynor (for Gilmartin 89).
REF: Damien McGrath.
