Castlebar Celtic too strong for Sligo visitors
Connacht champions keep title chase on course
CONNACHT JUNIOR CUP
Castlebar Celtic 4
Cartron United 2
Celtic Park
THERE certainly was no Christmas hangover in Castlebar today when Celtic started 2025 as they finished 2024 – winning football matches.
The provincial champions out-played and outscored their Sligo opponents and progressed to the next round of the Connacht Junior Cup as they look to retain their hard-won crown.
Cartron United are unbeaten in the Sligo-Leitrim Super League but they were no match for Celtic who moved the ball well and cut the guests open time after time.
Mark Cunningham and Jason Hunt were outstanding down the right while Oran Groarke, Niall Brennan and Johnnie Cocozza were dynamic in the middle. Up front, Eoghan Hughes caused Cartron all sorts of problems and the invention and creativity of Dylan Edwards caught the eye every time the ball came his way.
At the back, Ioseph O'Reilly and Brian Walsh were excellent and left back Mark Howley was tireless – defending strongly and attacking at every opportunity.
A strike from Hunt's lethal left foot after 21 minutes gave Celtic a deserved lead and they could have added to it on numerous occasions before the break, particularly when Edwards sent an effort just over the top on the stroke of half-time.
Cartron tried hard to get back into it and looked to pick out striker Steven Patton when the opportunities arose, but Stefan Hester was rarely troubled between the Celtic sticks and the goalkeeper's use of the ball was excellent.
Celtic doubled the lead nine minutes into the second half when Eoghan Hughes finished smartly and went 3-0 up after 57 minutes when Cocozza scored a stunner after a great team move.
Cartron seemed dead and buried at that stage but substitute Clive Brennan was about to make an impact. He siezed on some slack Celtic defending and pulled one back for the chasers after 65 minutes and closed the gap even further 12 minutes from the end.
Celtic needed a reply and got it when Hunt raided down the right and Paul Walsh sent the ball to the net to make it 4-2 and secure the champions progress to the next round of the Connacht Junior Cup.
Now, all eyes turn to next weekend's FAI Junior Cup clash between Celtic and Westport United in Castlebar.
A full report and after-match reaction will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.