No heroes for Hoops as Villains dump out Connacht champions
Villa's Conor Whittle, wearing 8, opened the scoring for the hosts against Castlebar Celtic. Picture: Noel Browne
Castlebar Celtic crashed out of the last 16 of the FAI Junior Cup at the hands of cup favourites and former champions Villa FC as the Waterford side had too much experience for their opponents.
After their last 32 win at home against Westport United, Celtic made the long trip to the southeast aware of the daunting challenge that lay in store. Goals from Conor Whittle, Tony Ebhonuaye and Dean Walsh gave the 2022 champions success in this encounter.
In terms of chances, it was the hosts that dictated matters despite Celtic starting the game on the front foot with some good football. Despite their bright start, they failed to trouble goalkeeper Craig Dunphy.
With Luke Walsh and Aaron O’Connor gaining the upper hand in the middle of the park for Villa, the breakthrough came with 20 minutes on the clock. Dylan Stickel picked out the run of Dean Walsh, who stepped over the ball to allow James Kennedy gain control. The right full-back did well to pull the ball back from the endline for Conor Whittle where the midfielder was on hand to smash the ball home past Stefan Hester.
The home side went close to doubling their lead seven minutes. Dean Walsh found space for himself on the right-side before crossing for Conor Kilgannon, but his first-time volley flew just wide of the far post.
John Tamen was denied a second goal for the hosts on 34 minutes when he got on the end of a Conor Whittle free-kick, but Castlebar netminder Stefan Hester got in a diving save to keep the header from the full-back out.
Tamen had another chance to extend the Villa advantage on the stroke of the half-time whistle when he got on the end of James Kennedy’s right-wing cross, but he was unable to trouble the Celtic keeper.
The Mayo outfit had a chance to draw level with the first chance of the second half on the hour mark when Jason Hunt got behind the Villa defence and his cross found Eoghan Hughes, forcing defender Dylan Stickel to make a goal saving tackle.
The home side doubled their lead on the 67-minute mark. Aaron O’Connor sent a corner kick to the far post and Tony Ebhonuaye out jumped the Celtic defence to plant a header into the far corner of the net to leave Castlebar with a mountain to climb.
The home side put the game to bed with their third goal ten minutes before the finish when O’Connor fired in one of his trademark deliveries that saw Dean Walsh lose his marker beautifully before powering a header into the roof of the net.
