Westport waltz to first league title in 49 years

SENIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1 FINAL

Westport 1-18

Castlebar Mitchels 0-10

MACHALE PARK

WHAT’S rare is beautiful. Westport won the Division 1 league title tonight, their first since 1975.THIS was billed as a blockbuster between two evenly-matched sides who would spare nothing in their pursuit of league glory. The reality was a very different. Westport blew their neighbours out of the water and the scoreline was kind on Castlebar, who were very poor on the night.

In truth the result was decided before half-time when the boys in blue were 0-13 to 0-3 clear. They finished the game out with a goal from Rory Brickenden, to copperfasten a comprehensive and deserved win.

Westport absolutely savaged their neighbours in the opening half. They seemed to be operating at a different level and it was a case of boys against men as the team in blue ravaged a timid-looking home side.

The Clew Bay men were dominant all over the pitch and goalkeeper Paddy O'Malley was the star of the show early on with five sweetly-struck points from placed balls. He was unerring, as was every Westport shooter – their only wide arriving with the final kick of the half from impressive wing-back Paul Lambert.

Mitchels were poor in the extreme in the first 30 minutes and only wing-back James Cunningham emerged from the opening period with any credits after his name. He blocked a goal-bound effort from Niall McManamon after six minutes and was generally impressive.

Finbar McLaughlin, Colm Moran and their colleagues were clear and worthy leaders when the teams went to the dressingroom with ten points separating them, 0-13 to 0-3, and Castlebar could count themselves lucky to be that close.

The Castlebar men improved somewhat after the resumption with substitute Paddy Heneghan bringing energy to their attack, and they landed three points in succession from James Durcan, Ethan Gibbons and Conor Stenson, but any hope of a revival was short-lived.

Westport closed up shop and although they weren't as impressive as they had been in the first 30 minutes, their tackling and running off the shoulder was a joy to behold.

Mitchels almost had a goal when Johnny Maughan sent Neil Douglas through, but his screamer was tipped onto the angle of bar and post by O'Malley.

That was as good as it got for the Castlebar men and Westport won as they pleased and they looked as hungry and energised at the end as they had at the first whistle.

A full report and aftermatch reaction will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.