Castlebar Mitchels outlast stubborn Ballyhaunis to reach championship quarter-finals

Castlebar Mitchels 2-09

Ballyhaunis 1-08

In Hollymount

Castlebar Mitchels made it through to the quarter-finals despite being pushed hard by Ballyhaunis this weekend. 

This was a captivating game from start to finish, keeping everyone in attendance on edge.

The decisive moment came with just ten minutes remaining. Castlebar trailed by a point when Paddy Heneghan scored a crucial goal, sparking a dominant spell during which the Mitchels outscored Ballyhaunis 1-4 to 0-1, sealing the victory for Mitchels in a match that had been tightly contested up to that point.

The first big moment of the game came when Paddy Heneghan finished off a well-constructed move involving Gavin Durcan and John McMonagle, tapping the ball into the net. 

This helped Mitchels to a 1-4 to 0-5 at the break, after which they emerged with determination.

However, Ballyhaunis fought back when Brian O’Neill palmed in a goal after Rory Byrne had brilliantly saved an earlier effort. 

But Castlebar fought back, bagging a second goal when John McMonagle forced a crucial turnover that led to Heneghan’s second goal of the match.

Despite Ballyhaunis' best efforts, they could only manage one more score from goalkeeper Phillips. Meanwhile, Castlebar finished strongly with late points from Sean Morahan and Gibbons, sealing a four-point victory.

A full report will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News Sport.