Westport overpower Mitchels to claim Division 1 League title
Westport's Paddy O'Malley kicked five superb efforts from placed balls as the club won a first Senior League title since 1975. Picture: Sportsfile
Westport ended the three-in-a-row Division 1 League hopes for Castlebar Mitchels after sauntering to a 1-18 to 0-10 win this evening.
All across the field, Mitchels were second best throughout and the game was as good as over by half-time as Westport led 0-13 to 0-3. Finbarr McLaughlin and Colm Moran were prominent scorers in that half but none more so than goalkeeper Paddy O'Malley, who hit five stunning points through two 45s and three frees, the latter all from over 50 metres out.
In contrast, Mitchels were shooting blanks and needed Johnny Maughan and James Cunningham to bail them out at the other end to stop Westport raising green flags.
Barry Moran and Neil Lydon's side were much improved in the second half and kicked three of the first four points, with substitute Paddy Heneghan giving the Mitchels side a much needed inject of pace. Neil Douglas was very unfortunate not to find the net in the early stages, his strike beating Paddy O'Malley but coming back off the upright
Westport did not reach the heights of their first half display but there was more than enough to pull away in the end as Killian Kilkelly, Rory Brickenden, Joe Grady and McLaughlin all kept the scoreboard ticking over before Brickenden netted in injury-time.
