Mayo clubs advance in Connacht Cup 

All but two Mayo soccer teams competing in the Connacht Cup failed to win their respective games this weekend. 

Ballina Town and Ballyheane were the only teams that failed to advance, with Ballyheane losing 3-2 and Ballina Town exiting the competition on penalties. 

Connacht Cup and Mayo Super League holders Castlebar Celtic produced a fine display to see off Sligo visitors Cartron United on a score of 4-2. 

Jason Hunt, Eoghan Hughes, Johnny Cocozza and Paul Walsh hit the goals as Stevie Gavin’s side secured the win one week out from their mouthwatering FAI Junior Cup clash with their old rivals Westport United. 

The latter advanced comfortably at the expense of Carbury in United Park this afternoon, with Dylan O’Malley bagging the first of their three goals from a rebound after a penalty from Cian Halpin was saved. 

Despite this setback, the Sligo-Leitrim league champions were the better team in the first half and a youthful Westport United were lucky to be 1-0 up at the break. 

However, two goals from a substitute Ted Horan were enough to beat a Carbury side who barely threatened in the second half despite having ex-Ballina Town striker Donagh Crown in their ranks.

Aside from veterans Gary Cunningham and Cillian Mc Glade, Westport United fielded a very young team and was captained by Leaving Cert student Jack Dawson.

Their final goal came when the aforementioned Cunningham played a long ball up to Dylan O’Malley, who played in Horan who finished the game off.

Elsewhere, two late red cards weren’t enough to stop Manulla securing a 3-1 home win against Arrow Harps. 

Goals in either half from Sean Corcoran and Odhran O’Connor put the mid-Mayo men 2-0 up before a Corcoran penalty in the 64th minute gave them comfort. 

Darragh McKeown got one back for the Sligo men in the 71st minute of a game that ended with Sean Corcoran and Ben Touhy getting straight red cards. 

Further North, Conn Rangers hosted Moore United from Roscommon and emerged with a 4-2 win. 

A good start was half the battle for Joe Faughnan’s men, with goals from Colm Rutledge (2) and Eoin Prendergast giving them a 3-0 lead at the break. 

Moore United battled on and clawed one back from Charlie Killeen before Charles Nevin made it 3-2 with an 85th-minute penalty. 

Conn Rangers’ Conor Flynn calmed the nerves in injury time with a fourth goal that sent the home team through to the next round. 

Less fortunate were Ballyheane and Ballina Town, particularly the latter, who lost out on penalties to last year’s runners-up Maree/Oranmore in Beleek. 

The north Mayo men went behind after a tenth-minute goal from Colm Whelan before David O’Mahony levelled for the hosts in the second half. 

The sides couldn’t be separated in normal or extra time and the visitors took the spoils after prevailing on spot kicks. 

Ballyheane, like every other Mayo team, enjoyed home advantage but couldn’t make it count as a Shane McGrath hat-trick made the difference for visiting Dunmore Town.

The Mayo lads took the lead initially when Seán Rabettee buried a penalty after 35 minutes. 

However, a 45th-minute goal from McGrath, followed up by a second in the 47th and a hat-trick in the 58th.

Ashley Stevenson’s men missed a chance to make it a one-goal game when Seán Kilcoyne missed a penalty mid-way through the second half. 

Michael Fahy clawed one back in the dying seconds, but six minutes of injury time weren’t enough for the hosts to equalise. 

Further coverage of the Connacht Cup will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News.