Westport’s Rice College are kings of Connacht after thrilling win over St Muredach’s

FAIS Connacht U-17 ‘A’ Final

Rice College Westport 3

J O’Malley ‘15 ‘78 S Popov ‘55 

St Muredach’s College Ballina 1

C Lavery ‘9

Oisín McGovern in Milebush

RICE College’s U-17 soccer team sit proudly atop the summit of Connacht after overcoming St Muredach’s of Ballina in a raucous four-goal thriller in Milebush this afternoon.

Two second-half goals from the Westport students cooked Muredach’s goose on a day when the Ballina side struggled to get serious shots away.

Tight at the back, solid at midfield and adventurous up front, Rice’ clicked as a unit all afternoon.

Cajoled by hundreds of blue and red partisans on either side, Darragh Connolly’s boys set the game’s break-neck tempo straight away.

Nine minutes in, Rice College’s defence had its first and only major failure with the concession of the game’s first goal. Full-back Sean Casey failed to clear a long ball, which then fell to Corey Lavery who buried it past Michael McDonnell.

‘The ‘Dachs’ were now in full voice. However, the Ballina brigade soon had their cough softened when the excellent Rian Durkan sent an immaculately weighted cross to Jack O’Malley, who executed a wicked header to equalise after 15 minutes.

The sides were locked as tight as two tectonic plates until the second half, when Rice College’s Simeon Popov put the earth shaking with a header to make it 2-1.

Ballina were now on the back foot against a Rice College side that impeded every single attack.

Their supporters were on edge until the Jack O’Malley got on the end of a clever ball from Sean Casey.

O’Malley delivered the winner, Rice College danced with delight, and the silverware went west down the new N5.

There will be a full report plus reaction from the Rice College camp in Tuesday’s Mayo News.