Castlebar Celtic 2
G Burke 70, R Gibbons 75
Westport United 1
J O’Brien 39
Neill O’Neill
IN the bigger picture of the overall season this game may well be one of the most significant to remember - or forget in the case of Westport United - who allowed Ballina Town to stretch their lead at the top of the Super League to six points last weekend.
Though the destination of the league trophy is far from decided Castlebar Celtic did their old rivals no favours in their quest to take the title of champions from them when the teams met on Sunday.
The game wasn’t the most memorable encounter between these sides and the result can simply be explained by stating that Castlebar Celtic had less chances than Westport but took more of them.
Even the most myopic Celtic fan would admit that they were far from the best team on the day but you don’t have to play sexy football or dominate a game to win and ultimately it’s the three points, regardless of how they’re won, that count.
The first half was dominated by Westport though Celtic did come to close to scoring and it took goal line clearances from Martin Geraghty and Austin O’Malley to prevent them from doing so. Kevin Curry shot over from range and Declan Flynn glanced a header wide but in the main Mozmir Klocka in the Westport goal had a quiet 45 minutes.
At the other end Mick Wallace, who only a few months ago was a Westport United player, was having a busy afternoon. As the game wore on he became the main reason Celtic were still chasing the points, pulling off some brilliant saves to deny and frustrate Joe Lawless.
Dessie O’Malley had the ball in the net for Westport within three minutes but this was ruled out for off-side, a decision that was a close call though it wasn’t protested by United.
Dessie and his namesake Vinny were playing well and Celtic had to be on their toes as the ball remained in their area for the vast majority of the first period. They were holding out well when six minutes from half time came the breakthrough for the visitors.
A United free was cleared and found its way back to Klocka who thumped it up into the Celtic area. The whole Celtic defence were deceived by the flight of the ball and Dessie O’Malley collected it on the right inside the box and switched it to Colm Keane on the left. His cross found Vinny O’Malley who controlled the ball and shot from seven yards only to see his effort blocked down. However, the ball bounced kindly in front of Johnny O’Brien who headed home to an empty net.
With momentum in their legs Westport then pressed for a second. In injury time Vinny O’Malley was one on one with Wallace but opted to curl around him on the outside of the right. For the position he was in and for a striker of his ability, the shot went horribly wide. Less than a minute later Joe Lawless found himself in the same position. He opted to shoot for the near post but Wallace saved brilliantly with his foot when the odds were stacked heavily against him. These would become key moments in the game.
The second half saw Westport start with more chances. Lawless had two efforts, one an overhead kick, go narrowly wide while Wallace saved a third brilliantly, diving low to his left to turn his header around the post.
Westport had a shout for a penalty when Vinny O’Malley was bundled over in the area after breaking free of everyone, but referee Liam McEntee waved it on. He then decided not to do the same on 70 minutes when Celtic substitute Ger O’Boyle went over in the Westport box having collected a through ball after Austin O’Malley was dispossessed in midfield.
Again it was a hard call to make as Lawless appeared to have cleared the ball away prior to O’Boyle going down. Gerry Burke didn’t care either way and slotted the ball past Klocka to draw the teams level.
Less than five minutes later the Celtic comeback was complete when Russell Gibbons rose highest to connect with Andy Neary’s cross to the back post and sent the ball looping around everyone to the far corner of the net.
