Search Results for 'Brendan Kenny'

Coming off the back of a last gasp win over Westport United in the Elverys Sports Super League, Ballina Town were brought crashing back down to earth in Celtic Park on Wednesday night. Brendan Kenny’s men came to Castlebar looking to pick up their first trophy of the season against Salthill Devon, but within 10 seconds that plan had been ripped up by the Galway men. Before anyone could even settle into the game, the side from Drum had the ball in the back of Kieran O’Malley’s net. Chipran Straut swung the ball into Michael Gilmore who hit a snap shot from the right hand side of the penalty box. His effort stung the hands of O’Malley who was not able to hold on to the ball, it fell into the path of Victor Collins who finished it to the back of the net. Salthill were up and running and there was barely 10 seconds gone on the clock.

The penultimate round of games in this year’s Super League sees all roads leading to Erris on Sunday afternoon. Defending champions Ballina Town went back to the top of the Super League last weekend thanks to a late winner from John Mountney against Westport United. Brendan Kenny’s men are one point clear of both Iorras Aontaithe and Westport United but have to make the trip to Erris on Sunday in a must win game for both sides. A draw would give Westport United, who are away to Ballyheane, a chance to move back into first place with only one game left.

The Premiership may be back on Saturday, but for the discerning Mayo soccer supporter there is only one place to be and that is in Belleek at 6.30pm. With three games to go and the title run-in on a knife edge, league leaders Westport United will be making the journey north to face the defending champions Ballina Town, who are breathing down their necks in the title run-in. Westport United stand two points ahead of Ballina after 15 games each; a win for the defending champions would put them back on top of the table ahead of their final two games.

The Super League has been firmly split into two camps for most of the season, and now with only four games to go for the vast majority of the sides the next month will shape the winners and losers. At the top of the table, Westport United, Iorras Aontaithe, and Ballina Town are going at it hammer and tongs for the title, while everyone else from fourth placed Manulla down is battling to beat the drop. It is going to be one hell of an exciting end to the season.

The full concentration of all Mayo League sides will return to league action this weekend after being involved in both league cup and Connacht Gold cup action over the past few weeks. Iorras Aontaithe who are sitting on top of the table after eight games will be looking to shake off last weekend’s defeat at the hands of Swinford in the Westaro Cup when they host third place Westport United in Carne on Saturday evening. The Covies themselves were knocked out of the Westaro Cup last weekend by Straide and Foxford United, but both sides’ real designs this year are on the Super League title. A win for Westport would see them leapfrog Iorras in the table and still have a game in hand on the Barony men. Defending champions Ballina Town, who ran through Fahy Rovers for a short cut by a score of 6-1 in cup action last weekend, will have another trip to west Mayo on Saturday when they take on Manulla in Carramore. Brendan Kenny’s side hit a rocky patch in the league recently and a win on Saturday evening would be a huge boost to their chances of retaining their title. They have however played a game more than Iorras who are a point ahead of them in the table, and they have played two games more than third placed Westport United who are a point behind them.

Iorras Aontaithe stayed top of the Mayo Super League last weekend after they came from two goals down to beat Snugboro United in Carne last weekend, while champions Ballina Town were surprisingly overturned by Castlebar Celtic in Celtic Park. Iorras have a 100 per cent record from their six games so far and are now four points clear of Ballina and have a game in hand. But they had to do it the hard way last weekend; Sean Curry put the visitors one up earlier on and they doubled their lead shortly after when David Colleran headed home their second.

Ballina Town's defence of their Mayo Super League title took another blow on Saturday night when they slipped to their first defeat of the season after they were surprisingly overturned by Castlebar Celtic in Celtic Park. It's the third time in as many games that Brendan Kenny's side have failed to register a win and Iorras Aontaithe didn't let the chance to open up a gap a the top slip in Carne. Despite trailing to bottom of the table Snugboro United, Michael S Togher's men dug out a hard fought 3-2 win to leave them four points clear at the top with maximum points from their six games. Westport United now only trial Ballina by a single point and have two games in hand on the champions thanks to a 2-1 win over Straide and Foxford United in the Sportspark on Sunday. Ballyheane did their chances of survival this season a big boost on Saturday evening with a 2-0 win over Fahy Rovers in Quigley Park. Swinford's good start to the season continued when they beat a struggling Manulla side 3-1 on Saturday night to leave them in fourth place in the table.

Castlebar Celtic are facing into a their opening game of the Newstalk A League this weekend with a injury crisis on their hands. Celtic will be without the services of Shane Hynes, Gary Price, Stevie Gavin, Ashley Stevenson, and Pat Fitzgerald on Saturday due to injury. But more importantly it looks like they will be without goalkeepers Danny O’Leary who has a groin injury and Robert Hennelly leaving them without a recognised number one between the posts. Castlebar Celtic manager Declan Kilkelly told the Mayo Advertiser this week, “ Danny had a great game last weekend against Carlow, but he played with a groin injury, he’s seeing a specialist, but we don’t know if he’ll be able to play any part in the game.” With no recognised goalkeeper available, Kilkelly could be in line for a place between the sticks himself for Celtic. “At the moment it looks like it could be me or an outfield player, but I’d prefer not to have to play, we just have to wait and see for now.”

Mullagh had an impressive 1-17 to 1-8 win over Castlegar in Loughrea on Saturday. Cashel had won their first two games, but they can have no complaints with this result as they played second fiddle to the Mullagh men in the final quarter of the game as the East Galway men hit 1-06 on the trot.

While the Super League continues apace this weekend, from the Premier Division down all the clubs are out in cup action. Claremorris currently sit on top of the Premier Division, with two wins from two, and have a long trek to Kilmore to contend with on Sunday afternoon. Claremorris manager Michael Hutton is not looking forward to the trip. “It’s a long two hour journey from here, so it’s going to be a long day on Sunday to go up there and come back home.” The Claremorris manager has seen his side start the new season with two wins out of two which leaves them top of the table. Last weekend they saw off second placed Ballinrobe Town 6-1 away from home marking them out as early season potential promotion candidates. “One swallow doesn’t make a summer and all that, it’s very early days yet in the season and we’re not getting carried away. Our first aim is to ensure that we don’t end up in relegation trouble and push on from there, it’s a very tough league that will be very tight at both the top and bottom,” was Hutton’s assessment of the league.”