Coveys stay in the hunt ‘four’ runners-up finish
Bernie Burke (centre) from Castledermot in Co Kildare and a regular visitor to Kiladoon Louisburgh, was the lucky winner of €10,600 in the Westport United lotto draw having bought her ticket in the Castlecourt Hotel on July 7. At the presentation were, from left: Donal Fahy, club coordinator; Liz Conway, Castlecourt duty manager; Paul Kelly, club treasurer; Bernie Burke, Padraic Burns, ticket seller; Tom Burke, Anna Marie Corcoran, Castlecourt Hotel; Laura Feeney, club member and Anne Corcoran, Castlecourt Hotel. Picture: Frank Dolan
Westport United moved into second spot in the Super League table after a convincing win over Ballyheane last Saturday evening.
You could not have ask for better conditions for a game of football as the sun shone down in Carrowbeg and while the football on show did not always match the weather, United had more than enough to dispose of a Ballyheane team who looked understandably jaded having played only 48 hours previously. Eight of the eleven starters from that game against Manulla on Thursday were on show also.
For United, it’s now four wins on the spin, and a sixth in seven in all competitions. The victory will be all the more sweeter given United’s recent troubles against Ballyheane, having not beaten them since the 2021 Super Cup final.
Having struggled to make a breakthrough in the opening 20 minutes, the trio of Kevin Kitterick and brothers Dan and Dylan O’Malley began to make a breakthrough and forced centre-back Sean Rabbette into action to stop Kitterick’s strike from finding the net.
Four minutes later, United went in front. Aaron Cannon, Harrison Quinn and Evan Durkan were all involved in the buildup before Kitterick thundered a shot into the roof of the net.
Kitterick was in again on 29 minutes and he had the goal at his mercy after rounding John Vahey, but the combination of Jack Tuffy and Rory Morris stopped the forward netting a second.
United were very unfortunate not to extend their lead shortly before the break. Dylan O’Malley’s free-kick was knocked across by Noah Massey and the ball sat up beautifully for an overhead kick by Dan O’Malley only for his brilliant effort to be denied by Vahey.
It remained all United early in the second period and on 52 minutes, they got their second after a delightful through ball by Dylan O’Malley found the onrushing Massey and he slotted it into the corner.
Massey’s fellow full-back Harrison Quinn would be the provider for United’s third on 69 minutes as he squared the ball to Dylan O’Malley to fire in and Quinn was involved for the fourth on 80 minutes when he released substitute Darren Browne, who cut it back to fellow sub Cian Halpin to finish.
United have a favourable fixture list to secure second place and goalkeeper Gary Cunningham hopes they can finish the season strongly ahead of the external competitions later this year.
“The performance was good, it was solid. Where we are at this stage of the season, we want good performances and clean sheets at the back. To be honest, I think it's four years since we beat them in the league so it’s nice to turn them over.
“We have good talent within the team. A lot of lads have made their choice whether they are playing soccer or Gaelic; I know some of them are playing minor but they are committed to us and always available. It is good we have rotation, we need it, the games are quite intense this season, there is not much of a break. You have to be able to rest the lads and give other lads game-time then as well.
“Second place is our target now, and it shows improvement on last year. We are where we are in the league. We are going one game at a time and looking to win every game, so to come second in the league would be a nice result for us.” Cunningham added: “To catch up with Celtic is the target. They have sat the standard they're on a crest of a wave at the moment. We will look to develop over the winter months, hopefully a run in the Connacht Cup and we will see how we go in the FAI Cup, and then the target is to catch (Celtic), they have set the standard.”
