No excuses for Gavin as Castlebar Celtic face tough away trip

IF you’re good enough and fit enough, you’ll get through to the next round.

That’s the view of Castlebar Celtic manager Stevie Gavin, who rubbishes the notion of Mayo teams going undercooked against opposition from other counties who are right in the middle of their local leagues.

Gavin’s Super League champions could hardly have gotten a tougher draw; a trip away to face reigning Limerick District League Premier Division champions Pike Rovers tomorrow afternoon.

With six wins and a draw from seven games in this season's Premier Division, the Southill side are going to test The Hoops to their limit this weekend.

After a facile 5-0 win over Sligo outfit Carbery, Gavin says Celtic are facing ‘the real deal’ this weekend.

“I think sometimes you can go through a cup run and have a good cup run but you’re playing makeweights and teams that aren’t of a great standard, so we know for sure that these guys are the real deal,” Gavin tells The Mayo News.

With wingers Paul Walsh and Basho Hay still coming back from injuries, Celtic can still call upon the cream of a Super League-winning squad this weekend.

Gavin's not for one second entertaining the notion that Pike Rovers are at any great advantage due to their ongoing league campaign.

“I have a bugbear about this. I think it’s an excuse. I think if you are good enough you can progress in the Connacht Cup and FAI Junior Cups,” says Gavin.

“I think guys have to keep themselves in shape. There’s ways of doing that, and if the players are determined enough and management and the group are determined enough to be in shape for the games they can be. Being out of season, if they were in season, it’d be the same story. It’s about quality I think.”

Meanwhile, Manulla face a home tie against North Dublin side Malahide United, who are currently in fifth place in the Leinster Senior League with three wins and two draws from seven games.