Was it really a 'super' Mayo League?

THE season just ended was less exciting than others in many ways.
The destination of the three most coveted prizes were all obvious from early on.
Celtic were always going to win the Super League. They had the biggest squad of top quality players. As the season progressed the only question arising was, ‘Would any team take points off them?’ Ballina Town (who were the second best team) did so in Celtic Park in June, when Jordan Loftus and Jamie Cawley traded goals. Perhaps Kiltimagh/Knock United will get something in the remaining fixture this coming Sunday.
Straide & Foxford United and Glenhest Rovers claimed their relegation early, meaning that there was little to play for for much of the season.
None of that is the clubs’ fault of course, nor is it the fault of the Mayo League.
It’s just the way it was.
What does need attention, as called for in these pages last year, is for the soccer league season to be completed before the GAA championship season starts.
Soccer is the second choice of sports (after GAA) for many players. So if the Mayo League are serious about protecting and developing their game, which I believe they are, they must act. There are numerous weekends when no league matches are played for a variety of reasons. There are free weekends at Bank Holidays.
All this needs to be looked at, and clubs must communicate to the League what they are communicating to me on a weekly basis. Nearly every Super League club is affected by the GAA championship. And it all seems unnecessary to me.
Meanwhile, here are some of the talking points from my season spent covering the league for The Mayo News.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON
THIS goes to Dylan Stevenson for Ballyheane against Castlebar Celtic on July 8.
The Ballyheane substitute curled a superb free-kick over the wall and into the top left hand corner of Stefan Hester’s net. It was an outstandingly accurate strike from distance for the youngster.

GOAL OF THE SEASON
THIS goes to Dylan Stevenson for Ballyheane against Castlebar Celtic on July 8.
The Ballyheane substitute curled a superb free-kick over the wall and into the top left hand corner of Stefan Hester’s net. It was an outstandingly accurate strike from distance for the youngster.

BEST KIT
THIS season’s Glenhest Rovers kit is simple and classy.

SURPRISE PACKETS
CONN RANGERS were better than I expected. They acquitted themselves well and got some surprising results.
Their March night-time hammering of Ballyheane under the new lights at Pat Quigley Park, was an example. (I haven’t heard mention of playing under the lights again from Ballyheane people since. Indeed, such was the electric shock of that spectacular home defeat, it is unlikely Ballyheane players switched on the lights in their homes since).
Rangers won in Manulla too (not that big a shock, I suppose) and beat Westport at home.
I thought they’d struggle and drop down again. But they proved me wrong.
I also thought S&F would get enough points to stay up. And I thought Glenhest Rovers, would pull off a few wins, especially when least expected, as is their style.
But 2023 was a season too many for Glenhest in the Super League.

PRESS SHELTER
WHILE it doesn’t always matter to photographers, a shelter for the press is something clubs should consider. Manulla have great facilities and even photographers can operate from the stand. Kiltimagh/Knock United has a shelter, but I haven’t ventured into it yet.
If it is raining when you cover matches at Ballina Town, Ballyheane, Conn Rangers, Crossmolina, Glenhest, S&F or Westport United you get wet.
Castlebar Celtic have their clubhouse but it’s not ideal for covering a game.
A small investment in coverage of the press (perhaps another dug-out?) would give clubs more press coverage given that, on a wet day, a decision has to be made which ground to go to. Ones with shelter have a clear advantage as the reporter looks ahead through the swishing of the windscreen wipers.

UNITED PARK TO GO GREEN?
NOW that Westport United have come into money, investment in a medium-sized pot of green paint and a 100mm brush, would be a good investment. I am not suggesting that they should paint the colours of arch-rivals, Castlebar Celtic, on their clubhouse, or anything drastic like that.
But the goalposts on their second pitch are situated right behind the town goal, of their main pitch. As you look towards the goal, you are faced with the back of the goal on the second pitch, as well as the one on the main pitch. The conflicting vista spoils action photographs of the Westport town goal.
Painting the back of the goal posts and crossbar, green, on the goal on the second pitch would solve this. (This is commonly done on council pitches in the UK where there might be twenty pitches on a single piece of ground.)

PRESSURE ON YOUNG PLAYERS
THE pressure on young players in Mayo is enormous.
There are a number of players playing Under-18, Under 21 and Junior for their clubs. (Many are doing something similar for their local GAA club at the same time.) I don’t know how they keep up. Super League teams seem to be getting younger and older at the same time. There’s a big gap in the middle of the two extremes. Where are the 21 to 29 year-olds disappearing to? Are they burnt-out from playing too much?
Where does the welfare of the individual come in? And who manages it?
I believe there needs to be a discussion around this.