Westport United lay down a marker

Westport lay down a marker


Claremorris 0
Westport United  6
Joyce 27 (pen), O’Gorman 45, 50, 70, Kitching 48 (OG), Browne 66

Neill O’Neill
Claremorris

CONTENDERS for Mayo soccer’s haul of silverware will be advised to take note. Not only did Westport United get their 2013 Super League campaign off to a thundering start with a routine 6-0 disposal of Claremorris on Sunday, but – ominously for other sides – they did so with an almost experimental side, but one brimming with young, emerging and eager talent.
These are heady days for this Westport United team. A tough fixture against Ballinasloe Town on May 19 stands between them and a place in Connacht Cup folklore, while only a fool would bet against them repeating their Mayo League masterclass and clean sweep of ‘domestic’ tournaments in the county from last year. Joint managers Kieran Mulchrone and James Fahy will have the most considerable of selection headaches if their squad strengthens any further – the club now possesses an embarrassment of riches in terms of on-field personnel.
Gary Cunningham, Kevin Joyce, Shaun Tagg and David Cameron were the only players from last week’s Connacht Cup semi-final that started on Sunday, while JP O’Gorman, in his first competitive start since January, and with a point to prove after recent omissions, responded emphatically with a hat-trick.
The headaches didn’t end there. Kevin Joyce played 90 minutes on the right wing, well away from his usual left back position, but in his more natural one some would contend, and had his most accomplished performance in some time. There was plenty of upcoming talent on show too in Patrick Moran and Killian Browne, both of whom impressed in midfield and at right back respectively.
The goals seemed slow coming on Sunday, but Westport remained the dominant side throughout. Claremorris’s best performance came from goalkeeper David Grant, who saved well from Cameron after ten minutes, and made several fine stops over the 90 minutes. Phil Keegan then rattled the bar, before Simon Butler saw his side’s best chance of the half trickle wide with just Cunningham to beat.
Five minutes before the break, a handball saw a penalty awarded, with Kevin Joyce stepping up to dispatch brilliantly from the spot. United then went 2-0 ahead before half-time, after O’Gorman lifted the ball to the roof of the net from close range, following good work from Phil Keegan.
The second half was just three minutes old when Kitching turned the ball into his own net after a twisting run by Kevin Joyce, who will try to claim the glory, though it is not even worth a referral to the dubious goals panel. Two minutes later he was the architect of O’Gorman’s second when a clever one-two saw last season’s joint golden boot winner apply a simple finish to an unguarded net.
Both players then had chances saved by Grant before Darren Browne rounded the frustrated Claremorris custodian to finish for 5-0. O’Gorman firmly announced his comeback, and secured his hat-trick, when again Grant was rounded, along with a defender this time, for Westport’s sixth, after just 70 minutes.

Claremorris
D Grant, M Reapy, C Heffernan, N Kitching, P Burke, P Ryan, D Grant, P Maloney, M Dobie, S Butler, M Mullee.
Subs used: S Collins for Mullee; J Oates for Maloney; K Duggan for Burke.

Westport United
G Cunningham, S Higgins, S Tagg, J Lawless, K Browne, K Joyce, P Moran, D Browne, D Cameron,P Keegan, JP O’Gorman.
Subs used: G McLoughlin for Cameron, C Keane for Keegan, B Mulchrone for Tagg.

Referee: M Halligan