‘Westport will still be hard bet’ - Barry Moran

THEY may have retained the Mayo Senior League Division 1 title after a dramatic extra-time victory over county champions, Westport, but Castlebar Mitchels’ ‘priority’ is the upcoming start of the club championship. 

That’s according to Castlebar’s co-manager, Barry Moran, who says it’s ‘all about championship’ for the Mitchels this season who ‘are under no illusions’ about the prospect of taking on Knockmore in the first round on Saturday week next.

“We’re in development here, we’re 18 months in, we’ve won back-to-back league titles, before that we weren’t competing for the league or the championship,” explained Moran last weekend. “So it’s important for us to get used to trying to win and to win.

“I know people will say, ‘It’s the league, it’s not the championship’. But for a young team like us, it’s great to be able to come out and experience these type of games.

“Hopefully that will stand to them in a few weeks’ time.

“It was great two weeks out from championship to get a game like that, and just very good to win it,” he added. “The one positive from our point of view was that we never gave up.

“I think the team that we finished with, we had a lot of young fella in there that are getting blooded at this level.

“We probably stole it a little bit, to be honest with you. Three points down, and what a finish from Bob Tuohy [for the equalising goal].

“But any day you win a league title is a good day, but our priority now is championship at this stage.”

Mitchels ground out last weekend’s win without Mayo duo Rory Byrne and Donnacha McHugh, as well as the likes of Ger McDonagh and James Durcan.

Barry Moran admitted that he and Niall Lydon are in a ‘development’ phase with this squad, and that they learned a lot from last year’s championship exit against Westport.

“You have to give Westport credit, they won that game [county semi-final].

“I went in and spoke to them afterwards, and I meant this. . Westport reminded me of where we were 10 or 15 years ago. They’re a super team, they won one [Moclair Cup] and they’re going to be hard bet now.

“Westport are probably five or six years knocking on the door, and they’re favourites for the championship. We have to get to that level. We’re not there yet.”

The former Mayo midfielder concluded by turning his attention to Mitchels’ mouth-watering trip to Knockmore in less than a fortnight, using this League Final victory for context.

“I think it just shows that the team, if we have our heads right, and we’re playing right, and we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, that we can beat anyone,” he said.

“But the flip-side of that is, [when] you’re six points, champions will grind that out.

“We’re not there yet.

“Going to Knockmore is never easy, and I know they’re hurting over two weeks ago when we beat them on penalties. So we’re going to be under no illusions about what’s ahead of us going down to Knockmore in two weeks’ time.

“I think it’s the hardest game out of the whole championship and we have to be prepared for that. So everything from now on is Knockmore, Knockmore, Knockmore.”