Iorras avenge 2024 exit with rout of Town
Cormac Mangan celebrates scoring the opening goal of the game but it was joy short-lived for Castlebar Town who were knocked out of the Mayo FA Premier Cup by Iorras Aontainthe. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Iorras Aontaithe are the last team to book their spot in the next round of the Mayo Premier Cup after comfortably dispatching Castlebar Town in Moneen last Thursday evening.
Town caused a big surprise in last year’s competition when defeating the Barony men by a single goal and they did take the lead again in this contest but once Iorras levelled, the outcome never looked in doubt for Michael McHale’s side.
The visitors received a welcome boost with the return of Oscar Traynor panellist Owen McHale, playing his first game since mid-February following injury, and he dictated matters in the middle of the park. Up front, the pace and power of Dara Padden was too much for the Town backline to deal with all evening, and he netted a hat-trick, while Peter McArthur also scored a brace.
The Premier Division side, operating two divisions above Town who are in League Two, dominated possession from the off. Town goalkeeper Cathal McHale was called into action early to deny Kyle Hefferon and Dara Padden.
Against the run of play, Town went in front on 23 minutes. Iorras made a mess of Shane Quinn’s throw-in and although Cormac Mangan did not get the cleanest of strikes, there was enough on it to get past Nathan Reilly and give Town a shock lead.
Memories of last season’s giant-killing could have begun to haunt Iorras, but they levelled on 27 minutes. Peter McArthur’s free-kick from the right found Padden unmarked and the centre-forward headed home.
Six minutes later, Iorras went in front. It was poor defending again from Town on a set-piece, this time a corner floated in and Oisin Reilly was under no pressure to guide his header past Cathal McHale.
Town could have levelled on 37 minutes following Thomas Gillespie’s inviting ball off the outside of his left boot, but Erris cleared their lines and the away side struck twice in three minutes, on 38 and 41 minutes, to put themselves in a commanding position. Both goals came from Town mistakes, the first when one of the centre-backs gifted the ball to Peter McArthur who shot a low drive from 20 yards into the bottom corner. The second was a breakaway by Iorras, as Town failed to stop McArthur’s run and while his shot came back off the post, Padden was on hand to bundle in the rebound.
The county town had a mountain to climb but they received a lifeline four minutes after the restart. Referee Alan English pointed to the penalty spot after Iorras goalkeeper Nathan Reilly fouled Connor Parsons and Thomas Gillespie tucked his effort away. Town pressed forward for another but Iorras looked a threat each time on the counter through Padden, Hefferon and McArthur. Iorras end the game as a contest on 68 minutes when Kyle Hefferon intercepted a ball across the Town backline, and he then teed up Padden to complete his hat-trick.
Town did almost pull another back when Cillian Reilly nearly diverted a header into his own net, but the Black and Red would find the opposing net twice in the closing moments through McArthur and Nathan Gallagher as Iorras look to go one better than their run in 2023, where they were beaten by Ballyglass in the final.
Castlebar Town: Cathal McHale, Jack McAlinden, Shane Quinn, Willie Joe McHale, Dylan Ralph, Jack Lynn, Thomas Gillespie, Cormac Managan, Connor Parsons, Patrick Mellett, Kevin Walsh. Subs: Aaron Hanley and Sean Fleming (for Mellett and Lynn 55), Kian Flanagan (for Parsons 60), Tyrone Jordan (for Walsh 66), Thomas McGing (for McAlinden 79).
Iorras Aontaithe: Nathan Reilly, Oisin Reilly, Padriac McCafferty, Billy O’Connor, Peter McArthur, Dara Padden, Killian Flannery, Kyle Hefferon. Subs: Nathan Gallagher (for McCafferty 61), Luke McWilliams 64), Tommy Healy (for O Reilly 70).
REF: Alan English
