Ups and downs of another bumper season
The Killala team who were crowned 2024 Killeen Sports Ground League One champions.
Looking across the three divisions outside the Mayo Super League, drama was in short supply in the Premier League and League Two where there were runaway winners, but League One more than made up for it.
Even before the season began, it was clear that this was going to be the tightest division to call. The pairing of Fahy Rovers, relegated from Premier in 2023, and Partry Athletic were both tipped to be there or thereabouts, so too League Two champions Iorras Aontaithe.
One club that was not spoken about, however, was Killala, and it was the North Mayo side who came out of the blue (and yellow) to win the league after a dramatic play-off decider against Iorras.
In the early stages of the campaign, Partry fell away quickly but Killala had an inconsistent start too, as Fahy and Iorras look best placed. But after Killala’s defeat to Conn Rangers ‘B’, Killala would go on to win 12 of their 14 remaining games, drawing the other two. Fahy would win one of their last four games as they slipped to third while the general consistency of Iorras saw them always at or near the top of the table, although a goalless draw against bottom side Crossmolina ‘B’ would eventually cost them dearly. There was some compensation when they won the Tonra Cup in the summer, defeating Swinford in the final.
A league playoff was required in Milebush to decide the destination of the title, and Stephen Morrell’s extra-time winner meant Killala go up to the Premier League as champions for 2025 in what will be a milestone year for the club, celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Speaking of the half-century, Glenhest Rovers were celebrating that anniversary in style as they romped home to the Premier League title, returning to the Super League at the first time of asking.
The signing of former FC United of Manchester, Southport and Telford United strike Conno McCarthy was the acquisition of the year as the Beltra club almost completed a perfect league campaign, only to draw their final match against Castlebar Celtic ‘B’, who also beat Glenhest in the Tuohy Cup on their way to winning the cup.
McCarthy and Pat Mulchrone formed a lethal partnership in attack, a place where Glenhest’s main issues have been for the past few years, in what turned out to be memorable year. While the side have received a blow following an injury to McCarthy that will keep him out for the first few games of the Super League season, expect Glenhest to be a thorn in the side of many a Super League team again.
Going up alongside Glenhest are Ballyhaunis Town, who return to the Super League despite finishing fourth behind Celtic ‘B’ and Westport United ‘B’ (B teams cannot be promoted to the Super League). Ballyglass badly faltered down the stretch and a 4-0 win for Ballyhaunis over the Candystripes secured promotion for the Town.
It was a disappointing year for Kiltimagh/Knock United ‘B’, who were relegated, while Straide & Foxford United needed a big resurgence in the second half of the season after a nightmare start. The signings of Paul Moran and Luke Ruane helped a side in desperate need of goals as they retained their spot in the Premier League with a bit to spare in the end.
League Two also saw runaway success as Ballina Town ‘B’ won the title as part of a memorable unbeaten treble season, winning the McDonnell Cup and Premier Cup in the process.
The strike partnership of Ryan Moran and John Durkan would cause problems for even the best teams in the Super League and they laid waste to all in the division. Coupled with some of the club’s best young talent in Marcus Lacuesta, Ted Rowe, Orin Canavan and Cathal Finnerty, Town ‘B’ would drop only two points all season in a surprise draw with Conn Rangers ‘C’ while defeating Bangor Hibs in the McDonnell Cup Final and Castlebar Celtic ‘B’ in the Premier Cup decider.
League Two also saw the return of Snugboro United and Bangor Hibs to the Mayo League after a long absence and both were very competitive, finishing second and third respectively and both will be looking for a strong second season in League One.
