Champions look too strong to doubt in western showdown

Sunday, October 1 

3.30pm in Islandeady 

WESTPORT v BREAFFY

Ref: Liam Devenney (Ballina) 

Of the four senior quarter-finals down for decision, this appears to be going in one direction only.

The trajectories of these two clubs since they met in the semi-finals in 2020, where Breaffy beat Westport, would attest to that and there is a real case of what-might-have been for the winners of that encounter three years ago.

They were not able to build on that victory and lost the decider to Knockmore, their fourth senior final defeat. The last two years have seen back-to-back quarter-final exits at hands of Ballintubber, last year, and Belmullet in 2021, and Breaffy have fallen behind the leading pack. It would be hard to argue at this stage against the fact that their best chance to win a maiden Moclair Cup looks to have passed them by.

Performances in this championship to date will not fill Breaffy supporters with hope that they have a chance of beating the reigning champions. Outside of Aidan O’Shea, a lack of scoring power among the rest of the forwards continues to be an issue and the likes of Davitt Neary, Robbie Fadden, Tommy O’Reilly and Rory Martyn will need to up their output considerably if Breaffy are to have any chance of knocking their West Mayo rivals out.

At the back they’ve conceded 2-26 in the group stages, the third highest tally of the quarter-finalists, and against a confident Westport forward line you may fear the worst if Breaffy are unable to come out of the blocks quickly.

That’s not to say Breaffy have no chance. The midfield pairing of Conor O’Shea and Matthew Ruane are up there with anything in the county. As undoubted underdogs, Breaffy will relish the chance to prove everyone wrong and if the aforementioned Aidan O’Shea continues his current form there will be hope of a major upset.

Where Breaffy have failed, Westport have succeeded. They have barely looked back since that loss in MacHale Park in 2020 and while a defeat to Belmullet in the semi-final a year later may have begun to raise doubts, all questions were answered as they won a maiden Mayo SFC title last year.

Their squad is one that will be looked at with envy across the county and the returns of Eoghan McLaughlin, who missed the final due to injury last year, and Colm Moran, who played no part at all, mean Westport look even stronger this season.

They are also not reliant on any particular individual. Lee Keegan is still among the best but a strong supporting cast including Alan Kennedy, Killian Kilkelly, Rory Brickenden, Paul and Pat Lambert, Niall McManamon, Brian O’Malley, Kevin Keane, Mark Moran and Fionn McDonagh means Westport have as much at their disposal to punish you in front of the posts as well as deny you at the back.

They sauntered to wins over Charlestown and Claremorris and while they were asked questions by Ballaghaderreen, the champions had the solution with a powerful second-half display.

Breaffy will ask questions also, but Westport will likely have the answers again.

Verdict: Westport