Half-time review for Mayo rugby clubs

We are halfway through a fascinating season for the Mayo junior rugby. We have seen dramatic wins with the last kick of the ball, we have witnessed bruising encounters and seen some exhilarating back play.

With the local junior rugby season now at the halfway mark, we run the rule over the Mayo teams competing in the Connacht Junior 1A and 1B League.

CONNACHT JUNIOR 1A LEAGUE

BALLINA

Where are they now? Dramatically relegated from the All-Ireland League last season, Ballina haven’t fully settled in the Connacht Junior 1A League yet. A balanced record with three wins and as many losses means the Moysiders find themselves in a difficult position.

How has the season been going? “We are where we expected to be”, says Ray Sheehan, Director of Rugby for Ballina. “We are in the rebuilding phase after losing 12 players.”

Many young players are getting big game minutes. But with youth comes inexperience: “We need consistency. It’s been frustrating that we have been inconsistent in our performances”, admits Sheehan.

Ballina have shown some real potential this season, particularly in the development of promising forward Brian Donoghue. The 18-year-old came through the youth ranks playing back row, but has now transitioned to the tight-head position.

Donoghue, who is also an exciting basketball player for his school St Muredach's and Merry Monk Ballina, is definitely a talent to watch in the future.

“He has done exceptionally well, playing full games against Dunmore and Connemara. He is a super guy,” Sheehan says.

How will they fare for the rest of the season? “It’s all to play for. We have Castlebar in the last match, on January 25. It’s like a cup game in the league” explains Sheehan. Whoever wins this Mayo derby will end up in the top four and compete in the promotion play-offs. Sheehan is aware of the challenge ahead when Castlebar come to town. “They have a strong consistent team. It will be a real battle.”

CASTLEBAR

Where are they now? With four wins from six games, Castlebar are currently fifth in Division 1A of the Connacht Junior League, leaving them level on points with Ballina who sit in fourth due to scoring difference.

How are they doing? “We are where we want to be,” says Castlebar head coach Alan Bane. “And we still haven’t had our full team out. We had some injuries at the start of the season and then the injury later on of second-row Keepa Cherrington from New Zealand was a big blow.”  But Cherrington is expected back in the new year in time for the Connacht Junior Cup. Castlebar have shown glimpses of excellence and good defensive efforts, particularly against Dunmore, when they refused to back down against waves of attacks in the final minutes to grind out a narrow victory.  But with league defeats recorded against Connemara and Creggs, Bane insists: “We haven’t played our best rugby yet.”

How will they fare for the rest of the season? The new year starts with the Junior Cup, where Castlebar face a tricky encounter with league rivals Dunmore. That will be followed by the final round of the league, where an intriguing Mayo derby with Ballina lies in on January 25. A win by the Moy would see Castlebar secure a coveted place in the top four, thus avoiding the dreaded relegation play-offs. “That has been the goal from the beginning of the season,” admits Bane.

CONNACHT JUNIOR 1B LEAGUE

BALLINROBE

Where are they now? The Robe are top of the table in the Connacht Junior 1B League. After a 22-30 opening round away defeat to Westport, Ballinrobe started an impressive run with five wins in a row. The men in red and black have conceded the fewest points in the league and they have racked up the best points difference by far.

How are they doing? “It’s great to be where we are. That one loss against Westport was unfortunate,” says Damien Burke, Ballinrobe head coach. “I’m not surprised we’re doing well. The players may be young but they have a lot of rugby experience. The younger ones are bringing the best out of the older guys. They give us a new lease of life. It energises everyone.” There is no secret recipe, maintained Burke. He cited youth and hunger as the main factors behind their current success. “Captain Séan Mullin has moved into the pack this season and is a true leader on and off the pitch,” he explained. “In the back line you have Dylan and Daniel Keane and the really experienced Tom Staunton”.

To prepare for the new year, the forwards will work a lot on their set-piece, scrums and line-outs, to give their dangerous backs a better platform for attack.

How will they fare for the rest of the season? The local derby against Westport in the first round of the Junior Cup is already whetting the appetite for the new year. “Any time you take to the field against them, there is an enjoyment in playing them. There’s a great rivalry,” says Burke.  Ballinrobe may sit on top for now, but anything can happen in the four-team round-robin promotion battle.

WESTPORT

Where are they now? Relegated into Connacht J1B League at the end of last season, Westport are up in the mix for a play-off spot. ‘The Bulls’ have won four out of six and with one game to go, they are in an excellent position to make the promotion play-offs.

How are they doing? One thing is for sure: Westport are always exciting to watch. They have scored 24 tries so far, which is the highest number of any team in the Connacht Junior 1B League. Conversely, they have conceded 21 tries.

“In general, the lads are doing well,” says Eddie Walsh, director of rugby in the club. “The loss against Ballinasloe was a disappointment though. They played really well.”

A against Ballinasloe would have seen Westport on top at Christmas. But the boys from Carrowholly find themselves only a point off the top position. Their long injury list has been an ongoing issue, with approximately ten players currently sidelined.

“One or two might be missed for a bit longer,” adds Walsh. “Including cup games, we have played ten matches this season and we have never had the same team starting.”

How will they fare for the rest of the season? Westport need to sort out their defensive issues in order to make a case for promotion. The big one coming up for The Bulls is the meeting with Ballinrobe in the first round of the Connacht Junior Cup on January 12. “We are really looking forward to that,” says Walsh.

BALLYHAUNIS

Where are they now? It has been tough for Ballyhaunis so far. They have lost all six of their games and have the weakest offence and worst defence. With about ten points scored per game and 36 points conceded on average, Ballyhaunis are seriously struggling.

How are they doing? Since they got promoted two years ago, Ballyhaunis would have been known as a mid-table Junior 1B League team. Last season a couple of results did not go their way and they just avoided relegation. And then three prominent players left in the summer to play for the Sligo senior rugby team, which may well have contributed to Ballyhaunis’s current slide.

How will they fare for the rest of the season? With just one point from six league games, it will be a huge challenge for Ballyhaunis to avoid the drop this year. With a challenging meeting with Ballinasloe coming up in their final league game, Ballyhaunis will have to make good use of the break now to regroup to try and avoid the drop to the Junior 1C League.

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