Last weekend's round of action in the Elverys Sports Super League saw the top division reach the half way point with Manulla still holding on to their lead at the top of the table, they sit two points in front of Westport United, with both Castlebar Celtic and Straide and Foxford United three points further back, making for what looks to be an exciting second half at the top of the table. At the bottom of the table there are three sides separated by just three points, with Achill Rovers, Ballyheane, and Glenhest all battling it out to avoid the drop at this stage, but a run of form from any of those sides could see those placed above the bottom three dragged into the dogfight at the bottom.
This weekend promises to be a big weekend of action with the top four sides meeting each other on Sunday afternoon, league leaders Manulla will host Straide and Foxford United in a high noon showdown, while later that afternoon. Castlebar Celtic will be travelling to Westport to take on the defending champions. Manulla picked up their seventh win of the season last weekend when they saw off Claremorris 2-0 on the road thanks to a strike in either half from Anthony Elding, those goals now put him on seven for the season and he's proving to be a real force in the league. Their opponents on Sunday went down 2-1 to Castlebar Celtic. Anthony Johnston struck twice for Celtic, putting them into a 2-0 lead, before Alan McDonnell pulled one back for the Moysiders with 10 minutes to go, but Celtic were able to hold on for their fifth win of the season.
Westport United briefly went top of the table on Saturday night last weekend thanks to their 4-0 win over Glenhest Rovers (Manulla - played the following day ) thanks to first half goals from Mark McNally and Danny Scahill, with Jack Murphy and David Hoban adding one each in the second half to make it win number six this season for the champions.
Ballina Town continued their improving run with a 3-0 win away to bottom placed Achill Rovers, thanks to goals from Luke Honan, Daniel Gorman, and Stephen Myles. That win has seen Town move into seventh place in the table, they are just one point off their opponents this weekend, Claremorris, and they could find themselves in a comfortable midtable position by Sunday evening. Fifth placed Ballyglass whose game against Ballyheane was postponed last week will be confident of picking up their fourth win of the season when they take on bottom placed Achill Rovers on Sunday afternoon. The Islanders have won just once so far in the league and have conceded 34 goals in their nine games to date. The final Super League game of the weekend is the meeting of Ballyheane and Glenhest Rovers in what is a must win game for both sides. Currently Glenhest have two point advantage over their opponents, but Ballyheane have a game in hand and if they pick up the win at home this weekend it will see them leapfrog their visitors out of the relegation zone.
Race tightening up in Premier League
Iorras Aontiathe are still out in front at the top of the Premier Division after it passed the half-way mark last weekend, the north Mayo men have a three point lead at the top of the table - but they were held to a 2-2 draw by third placed Swinford last Saturday evening. Jason Boylan and Ryan Ruddy hit the back of the net for the league leaders, with Joe Slevin and Darragh Price striking back for Swinford. Iorras are still unbeaten in the league this season with five wins and four draws. This weekend they will fancy making it six wins when they host bottom of the table Westport United B, who were also due to play Killala in a catch up game yesterday evening. Kiltimagh-Knock United took advantage of Iorras' draw to close the gap at the top thanks to a 5-1 win over Fahy Rovers last weekend with John Mullarkey (2 ), Gavin Groarke, Stephen Wallace and Simon Jordan all finding the net. This weekend Kiltimagh-Knock United will face a tough test when they take on fifth placed Conn Rangers who are themselves just four points behind the second placed outfit.
Neck and neck in League One
The race for the title in the Solar 21 League One looks like it is going to be another exciting one, with both Ballyglass B and Snugboro United locked together at the top of the table on 18 points each after seven games. Last weekend Ballyglass B came out on the right side of a five goal thriller against Ballina Town B, thanks to a John Walsh first half hat-trick, but the north Mayo men struck twice through Martin Maughan and Jordan Delaney to bring the gap back to just one, but the central Mayo outfit were able to hold out and record their sixth win of the season. This weekend Ballyglass B will face fifth placed Patry Atheltic at home. In their game last weekend, Sungboro United recorded a 1-0 win on the road against third placed Mulranny United, the seasiders are still well in contention just three points off the top two at the minute. Sean Curry got the decisive goal in that one and they will meet a winless and pointless Conn Rangers B this weekend. Mulranny will be looking to keep up their push when they face a second bottom Ballyvary Blue Bombers on Sunday.
Three way battle at the top of League Two
The top two in League Two will take on the bottom two in the division this weekend, meaning that Holliser will get the weekend off in this five team league. Castlebar Celtic B are currently sitting top of the table on 12 points from their five games after the two games in the division all finished 1-1 last weekend, to leave Kilmore one point behind them after their draw with third placed Hollister, and Kiltimagh-Knock United B got their first point of the season following a 1-1 draw with Newport Town. This weekend Celtic B will face Kiltimagh-Knock United B on Saturday evening and on Sunday afternoon Kilmore will host Newport Town.
