There are just two Mayo sides left in the FAI Junior Cup as the competition reaches the last 32 stage this weekend, with Super League champions Ballyheane and Westport United both going for spots in the the last 16 of the competition.
Ballyheane will be bringing their undefeated record since the season started to the Galway/Roscommon border to take on Ballinasloe Town from the Roscommon and District League in the Curragh Grounds at 2pm on Sunday afternoon.
Ashley Stevenson's side are still fighting on four fronts since the start of last season, having claimed the league title; the club also took the u21 crown last weekend and are in both the Mayo FA Super Cup and Westaro Cup finals against Westport United and Ballina Town respectively, later this month. They also have a Connacht Cup class against Athenry coming up on their radar in the near future.
But all their focus will be on Ballinasloe Town this weekend, their hosts currently sit in second place in the top flight of the Roscommon and District League, just behind leaders Kilkerrin United after ten games. They won 4-0 away to Moylough 79 last weekend with Gary Egan getting one goal and Liam Lynch bagging a hat-trick.
In the last round of the FAI Junior Cup they were 3-2 winners over Kerry outfit Listowel Celtic, with Lynch, Mark Duffy and Darragh Concannon getting the goals.
For their part, Ballyhane booked their spot in this round of the competition thanks to a 3-1 win on the road to Cork side Douglas Hall, with Nathan Reilly-Doyle, Jack Tuffy and Michael Foley getting the goals. Stevenson will be looking for good showings from those players and the likes of Ben Edeh, Liam Irwin, Paddy Burke and Sean Kilcoyne on Sunday against Ballinasloe Town.
Westport United will have home advantage when Tipperary Southern and District League side Peake Villa come calling to United Park on Sunday at 2pm. The sides have met on a few occasions in recent years in this competition, with one very memorable meeting coming in 2019 when United emerged 6-5 victors on penalties, after trailing in that shoot-out 3-1 at one stage.
The visitors on Sunday are currently in third place in their league division, sitting six points behind league leaders St Michael's with nine wins from 11 to date and having a game in hand on the leaders. They were in league action last weekend where they had a 6-0 win over Glengoole United.
United finished in fourth place in the Mayo Super League race last season, but still have interest in the Mayo FA Super Cup, where they will take on Ballyheane later this month in the final. They are the only Mayo side to ever win this competition, but that win was back in 2005 and it's an altogether different team these days.
They booked their place in this round of the competition with a 1-0 win on the road in Dublin against SVS FC Killester, thanks to goal from Dylan O'Malley. He is one of a number of younger players to come to prominence in recent times at United Park along with the likes of Cillian White and Harrison Quinn. United will be hoping their younger players and the likes of Darren Browne and Jesper Frisch will help them into the last 16 of the competition.
