Keegan and Keane star as Westport claim first-ever Mayo title
THUMBS UP: Kevin Keane, left, and Lee Keegan of Westport celebrate after their historic title win. Picture: Conor McKeown/Sportsfile
The long wait is finally over for Westport after they produced a match-winning performance to land their first ever Mayo SFC title on Sunday.
With veterans Lee Keegan and Kevin Keane playing leading roles, and Killian Kilkelly marking his first start of the campaign with a man-of-the-match display, Westport proved just too good for the pre-match favourites, Ballina Stephenites, at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar.
A crowd of 7,187 spectators turned out to watch a novel final that never really caught the imagination, but it was tight, tense and tactical from start to finish.
In the end, the destination of the Moclair Cup was decided by Westport’s flying finish as they outscored Ballina by 0-4 to 0-1 in the last 15 minutes with the match-winning scores coming from goalkeeper Paddy O’Malley (free), joint captain Niall McManamon and impact substitute Alan Kennedy, who nailed two superb points.
The Stephenites never looked like getting the goal they needed to send the game to a replay, and their only score in the last quarter came from a free from Evan Regan.
Westport’s defence was outstanding all through with Luke Tunney, Rory Brickenden, Niall McManamon, Louth native Liam Shevlin, Brian McDermott and Paul Lambert making life difficult for Ballina’s marquee forwards.
The decision of Westport manager Martin Connolly to start Killian Kilkelly proved to be an inspired decision. The 24 year-old forward, whose father Brian played in the 1989 All-Ireland Final for Mayo, led the line brilliantly and finished with a tally of 1-4 on a day when scores were very hard to come by.
Kilkelly’s goal from a penalty on 43 minutes propelled Westport ahead by 1-5 to 0-5 and looked like it might be a momentum-changer.
But instead it was cancelled out just seven minutes later when Mayo defender Padraig O’Hora poked in an equalising goal in the 50th minute after the ball broke in the Westport square.
The Moclair Cup was there for the taking at that stage, but Westport finished like a train with four unanswered points to mark their first County Senior Final appearance since 1991 in style.
The sides were level four times in the opening half before Conor McStay fired over a brilliant score on the stroke of half-time to send Ballina in ahead by 0-5 to 0-4 at the break.
Kilkelly then slotted over the equaliser after the restart to maintain the status quo.
The game finally sparked to life midway through the second half when the aforementioned Kilkelly beat two-time All Star winner, David Clarke with a well-struck penalty before Ballina’s Padraig O’Hora netted minutes later to level the match for the sixth time.
At that stage a replay looked to be on the cards but Westport got their second wind heading into the home straight, and picked off the scores that won the day.
A 55m free from former Roscommon panellist, Paddy O’Malley, got the ball rolling on 52 minutes before Niall McManamon came raiding from defence to double the Westport lead moments later.
Alan Kennedy then converted a free before firing over an inspirational score in the 61st minute to push the West Mayo lads ahead by 1-9 to 1-5.
Westport managed the closing stages excellently with five-time All Star Lee Keegan and joint captain Oisin McLaughlin playing leading roles in this landmark success.
P O’Malley (0-1, 1f); L Tunney, R Brickenden, N McManamon (0-1); L Shevlin, B McDermott, Paul Lambert; L Keegan, B O’Malley; C Dawson, F McDonagh, O McLaughlin; K Keane (0-1), M Moran, K Kilkelly (1-4, 3fs).
Subs used: Pat Lambert for Dawson; A Kennedy (0-2, 1f) for Keane; S Scott for Shevlin; R Geraghty for Kilkelly (inj).
D Clarke; R Tighe, D Tighe, J Doherty; C Boland, P O’Hora (1-0), K Tighe; S Callinan (0-1), F Irwin; D Thornton, C McStay (0-1), J Irwin; M Murray (0-1), E Regan (0-3, 1f), M Birrane.
Subs used: L Doherty for Thornton (inj); N Feeney for Birrane; B Collins for Boland; C Treacy for Murray; Rory Morrin for J Irwin.
: P Lydon (Kiltimagh)
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