Breaffy's firepower too hot for Westport

Breaffy 0-15 

Westport 0-13 

Mike Finnerty, MacHale Park 

Mayo SFC semi-final

A flying start proved crucial for Breaffy as they qualified for the Mayo SFC final for the fourth time in eight seasons after grinding out a narrow semi-final win over Westport at a rain-soaked Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar on Saturday.

The conditions suited Breaffy’s physical power and they made all their experience count too, as they weathered a late Westport rally and held on for a deserved victory.

Breaffy’s success was all the more noteworthy because it was achieved without the services of Mayo star Seamie O’Shea, who was attending the birth of his first child in Dublin.

However, in his absence, Longford native Colm Flynn turned in a man of the match performance and shot seven points, including four crucial frees, while Aidan O’Shea had a mighty tussle with his Mayo team-mate Lee Keegan.

Breaffy, who have never won the Moclair Cup, led from pillar to post and they were in front at half-time by 0-8 to 0-5.

The team managed by Peter Ford and Shane Conway had come flying out of the blocks and were 0-5 to no score up after only ten minutes.

Mayo goalkeeper Rob Hennelly got the ball rolling with a long-range free, before Colm Flynn (2) and Aidan O’Shea also hit the target. The dead-eyed Flynn then tacked on a free to round off an impressive purple patch by the pre-match favourites.

Westport then came roaring back into contention with four quickfire points in the space of six minutes from Kevin Keane (2) and Colm Moran (2).

But Breaffy reasserted their authority in the last ten minutes of the half with Conor O’Shea and Tommy Reilly nailing points before Hennelly drilled over a ‘45m kick.

The sides traded points repeatedly during the third quarter as the outcome hung in the balance, and Breaffy were still three points ahead (0-13 to 0-10) heading into the second half water break.

Crucially that was as close as Westport could get until the match ticked into injury-time as Breaffy’s defence kept their neighbours at bay. Colm Flynn’s accuracy was crucial while substitute Ben Murphy also landed a vital point late on with Westport subs Pat Lambert (2) and Alan Kennedy responding for the valiant losers.

BREAFFY: R Hennelly (0-2, 1f, ‘45); D Cannon, M Dervan, J Minogue; D Morrin (0-1), M Hall, K Mulchrone; M Ruane, C O’Shea (0-1); R Fadden, T O’Reilly (0-2), R Martyn; G Dunne, A O’Shea (0-1), C Flynn (0-7, 4fs).

Subs: K McDermott, B Murphy (0-1), S McDermott. J Deane.

WESTPORT: P O’Malley; B Doyle, R Brickenden, B McDermott; Paul Lambert, L Keegan, N McManamon; B O’Malley, E McLaughlin; F McDonagh, M Moran, O McLaughlin; K Kilkelly (0-4, 4fs), K Keane (0-2), C Moran (0-4).

Subs: Pat Lambert (0-2), A Kennedy (0-1), S Scott.

Referee: L Devenney (Ballina Stephenites)