Fadden is hat-trick hero for Hoops
Castlebar Celtic players celebrate their win over Ballina Town. Picture: Michael Donnelly
CMR Fire & Security Mayo U21 Cup Final
Castlebar Celtic 4
Ballina Town 0
Stuart Tynan at Umbro Park, Milebush
Castlebar Celtic's centenary year may be drawing to a close, but they still had time to add another trophy to their collection after a deserved win over Ballina Town in the Mayo U21 Cup last Friday evening.
Five of Celtic's starting 11 for this final, Peter Basquille, Adam Diamond-Keane, Eoghan Hughes, Ryan Fadden and Conor Joyce, were playing their final game at this level, while another two, Luke Kelly and Matthew Lydon, made appearances off the bench. Three other stalwarts of this U21 team, Stefan Hester, Oran Groarke and Mark Cunningham, made no appearances at all – the latter missing the game due to suspension – with manager Stevie Gavin having one eye on their FAI Junior Cup tie away to Aisling Annacotty less than 48 hours later. But they still had more than enough to take down their opponents from North Mayo, who were full of heart and endeavour throughout but rarely troubled goalkeeper Basquille.
On the opposite end, only two of Ballina Town's starting 11 in Jack Casey and Matthew Cowan were in their final bow at U21 level, and their youthful side paid the price against an 'experienced' Hoops but will take heart from their run to the final after a disappointing league phase.
But in a year where the Hoops have won trophy after trophy from the U12s to their men’s ‘A’ team winning a 10th Connacht Cup, perhaps it is fitting that the last silverware of the 2024 Mayo League season goes the way of Celtic. A glimpse of their future at this level – and perhaps the junior team also – was on display in the shape of Cian Walsh, Gavin Forry and Daniel Ajenipa. Forry was a dominant presence in midfield. Cian Walsh, after a quiet opening, scored one and assisted Fadden’s first two goals while Ajenipa was a menace down Ballina’s right side in the first-half, forcing them to substitute Jack Casey on the half hour mark after he picked up an early yellow.
The Green and White dominated possession from the off but a final ball was lacking. Walsh and Fadden called Ballina goalkeeper Daniel Cowan into action while Ballina’s only shot to test Basquille in the opening 30 minutes was a strike from distance by Tiernan Tighe which Basquille was comfortable in saving.
On 36 minutes, Celtic got that final pass just right. Cian Walsh’s defence splitter found Fadden and despite the narrow gap, his powerful strike went through Daniel Cowan and into the net.
The Hoops got a crucial second goal just before half-time. Oran Canavan fouled Forry around 25 yards from goal and Cian Walsh stepped up to take the free-kick. The Ballina wall jumped early and Walsh struck low. Cowen spilled the strike and Fadden doubled his tally and Celtic’s lead.
It was all over eight minutes into the second-half as Fadden completed his hat-trick in style. Eoghan Hughes went route one to pick out Fadden and the ball bounced perfectly for him to smash a strike past the helpless Cowan.
To Ballina’s credit, they kept battling. Substitute Oisin Mullarkey almost pulled a goal back with a great strike that cannoned back off the crossbar while Basquille was called into action to tip over Matthew Quinn’s rasper from the edge of the box. But Celtic’s defence held firm and when Conor Gorman got his feet tangled after a brilliant darting run to get on the end of Matthew Leonard’s pass, one knew Ballina were not going to get a look in.
But there was still time for Celtic to get a fourth goal late on, with Cian Walsh finishing off a sweeping move the pitch on 85 minutes to put the icing on the cake of a sweet display.
The centenary year will soon conclude but the Castlebar Celtic juggernaut on the field shows no signs of slowing down as the next generation take centre stage.
Castlebar Celtic: Peter Basquille, Brian McDonnell, Adam Diamond-Keane, Eoghan Hughes, Shane Cunningham, Fionn Mahon, Gavin Forry, Ryan Fadden, Conor Joyce, Cian Walsh, Daniel Ajenipa. Subs: Luke Kelly (for Joyce 56), Declan Ruane (for Ajenipa 66), Matthew Lydon (for Fadden 84), Rhys Saville and Oisin Quinn (for Walsh and Mahon 84).
Ballina Town: Deniel Cowan, Jack Casey, Alex Monaghan, Daire O’Connor, Matthew Quinn, Oran Canavan, Sam Monaghan, Oisin Tighe, Matthew Cowan, Tiernan Tighe, Matthew Leonard. Subs: Conor Gorman (for Casey 31), Cathair Tighe and Patrick Carr (for S Monaghan and Canavan 50), Oisin Mullarkey and Jack O’Brien (for A Monaghan and O Tighe 71).
REF: Alan English
