Castlebar Celtic come out on top in Super League clash with Ballina Town

Mayo Super League 

Ballina Town 1                                

McKee 76

Castlebar Celtic 3

Loftus 43, 78, Flatley 90+3

at Beleek

Castlebar Celtic rounded off a very tough week with a deserved Super League win at Beleek this afternoon.

After the Connacht Cup semi-final win over Salthill Devon eight days previously, and the draw with Westport United on Thursday night, an away contest at Ballina was a tough ask for Celtic.

But they were up for it, and claimed the points with a brace of goals from Jordan Loftus and a strike at the death from substitute Liam Flatley.  

Flatley’s strike was into an empty net after Town ‘keeper, Emmet Peyton, went to the opposite end for a corner. In between Loftus’s goals, Dylan McKee had levelled it for Ballina.

While both sides were missing players - the absence of Benny Lavelle, Andrew Shally and Raff Cretaro had a huge impact on Ballina Town.

While the lads that were brought in were all good, the experience of the missing three was a huge loss.

Celtic were business-like. Loftus played in a more traditional centre-forward role than he did on Thursday night against Westport, and this was crucial in getting the result.

The win, coupled with Westport’s defeat in Ballyheane has put three points of daylight between Celtic and the other two as they face into another busy week with games on Thursday night and Sunday.

Full report, reaction and images will be featured in Tuesday’s Mayo News Sport.