Mitchels finish as strongly as they start to regain minor crown

Homeland Minor ‘A’ Football Championship Final 

Castlebar Mitchels 3-11 

Westport 2-9 

Stuart Tynan at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park 

Castlebar Mitchels regained the county minor ‘A’ football championship crown after upping the gears in the second-half to see off a gallant Westport in MacHale Park last Tuesday evening.

After last year’s comprehensive defeat to a wonderful Claremorris team, this group were eager to make amends, with eight of the starting 15 from 2024 also starting on this occasion.

That experience counted as Ryan Gibbons, Cian Walsh and Gavin Forry were electric in attack, Shane Cunningham and Seanie O’Reilly excelled in midfield while Fionán O’Reilly, and Conall Durcan were solid at the back.

Westport can hold their heads high despite the defeat. Rian Durkin was outstanding, scoring 2-4, while Tom Lambert and Mayo minor Jack O’Malley also impressed for the Covies, but as the game went into the melting pot, Mitchels found another gear to power on to victory.

Playing with the breeze in the first-half, Cian Walsh hit the ground running and pointed the first two scores for Castlebar Mitchels, followed by a first for Ryan Gibbons. Tom Lambert and Gavin Forry traded frees before Forry sailed another placed balls between the posts to continue the local side’s excellent start.

Moments before Lambert’s opener, Westport missed a golden chance to cancel out Mitchels’ lead when they intercepted a pass inside the opposition’s 20 metre line but Darragh Corrigan’s shot was saved by Oranne Burke.

Westport began to claw them back with two monster scores against the wind, kicked by Rian Durkin and Jack O’Malley, but where Westport fluffed their lines in front of goal, Mitchels made no mistake as Shane Cunningham played in Gary Filan for the Red and Yellow’s opening goal of the evening.

Two quickfire points by Rian Durkin kept Westport in touch but further scores by Cian Walsh and Ryan Gibbons, a free, saw the county town team lead 1-7 to 0-5 at the break.

That gap was reduced to two when Rian Durkan blasted a penalty into the net after Joey Holmes was brought down, and the corner-forward followed that up with his fourth point to bring it back to a one point game. Westport captain Holmes almost raised another green flag after a mishap in the Mitchels backline but the ball was eventually cleared to safety.

Shance Cunningham, Gavin Forry and Ryan Gibbons settled some Mitchels nerves but Jack O’Malley and Evan Durkin, a free, hit points for Westport to keep the gap to the minimum coming into the final quarter.

Castlebar Mitchels brought on Joe Forry to help stem the tide and he made an instant impact to return the momentum back in his side’s favour. After splitting the posts on 47 minutes, Forry saw a shot on goal saved by Malachi Forde before Ryan Gibbons gathered the rebound and netted Mitchels’ second goal.

Matters were compounded for Westport when Evan Durkin was black carded on 52 minutes and Mitchels put the game beyond doubt when Fionán O’Reilly tapped home the rebound after Cian Walsh’s strike on goal was parried away by Forde.

Rian Durkin netted a brilliant second goal in stoppage time for Westport, blasting into the roof of the net from 20 metres despite a host of Mitchels players on the line, but it would be scant consolation as the Castlebar crew claimed another minor ‘A’ championship.

Scorers - Castlebar Mitchels: Ryan Gibbons 1-3 (0-1f), Fionán O’Reilly and Gary Filan 1-0 each, Cian Walsh and Gavin Forry (f) 0-3 each, Shane Cunningham and Joe Forry 0-1 each.

Westport: Rian Durkin 2-4 (1-0 pen, 1-0f), Tom Lambert (2f) and Jack O’Malley 0-2 each, Evan Durkin 0-1f.

Castlebar Mitchels: Oranne Burke; Brian McDonnell, Conall Durcan, Niall Monaghan; Davy McManamon, Fionán O’Reilly, Joe Reilly; Shane Cunningham, Seanie O’Reilly; Cian Walsh, Joshua Concannon, Gavin Forry; Matthew Flannelly, Ryan Gibbons, Gary Filan. Subs: Harry McHale (for Concannon ht), Joe Forry (for Filan 40), Fionn McHale (for Reilly 48), Oisín Mulroy (for Fibbons 57), Rhys Saville (for Monaghan 60).

Westport: Malachi Forde; Conor Ketterick, Kyle O’Malley, Michael Garaghty; Tom McGeough, Cian Sheridan, Cillian McKeown; Michael McDonnell, Jack O’Malley; Darragh Corrigan, Tom Lambert, Joey Holmes; Killian Conway, Evan Durkin, Rian Durkin. Subs: Jack Dawson (for Ketterick 30+3, inj), Elcmar O’Toole (for McKeown ht), Peter McNally (for Corrigan 57), Eoghan Johnson (for McGeough 58), Conor Meaney (for E Durkin 60+3).

REF: John Glavey (Aghamore)