Mayo soccer’s ‘El Clásico’ set to draw big crowds to Castlebar

NEW to Mayo soccer? Well, this is the big enchilada, served on the biggest stage in Irish junior soccer.

They’ve crossed swords in various leagues and cups at all age grades on a multi-annual basis since they were founded over a century ago.

Getting to do in the FAI Junior Cup adds a layer of novelty to a rivalry that rarely ever needed fuel.

“Even since I was Under-18, it was always us and them in Mayo,” Westport United goalkeeper, and veteran of a great many ‘Mayo El Clásico’, Gary Cunningham, told The Mayo News after his side’s Connacht Cup win over Carbury.

“There are many battles no matter what age it is. It’s an old rivalry and it’s a proper derby.

“They’re flying and we’re in good shape as well, it’s going to be a good battle. A lot of people have been talking about this since the draw was made and everyone’s looking forward to it.”

‘Flying’ and ‘in good shape’ perfectly summarise the respective clubs’ fortunes in recent seasons.

Celtic, who underachieved after winning the Super League in 2019, are now back-to-back league champions and playing the soccer of their lives.

2024, their centenary year, was an annus mirabilis. They were unbeaten in the Super League before their jaded legs wobbled against Ballyheane in the second-last round - a result which forced them to wait another three days to lift the league title.

Their success did not end there. Hell, it didn’t even begin there. On August day when the champagne spluttered over in Knock, Celtic were already Westaro Cup and Connacht Cup champions.

A Calor Gas Cup title win followed, completing a clean sweep of domestic trophies for the 100-year-old club. That’s excluding the Touhy Cup won by their second team, who topped the Premier League with ten points to spare. 

GLORY DAYS

NO sign of Bruce Springsteen writing a song about Castlebar Celtic anytime soon then. 

While they may harken back to their Super League-winning ‘Glory Days’, Westport United have kept on Celtic’s tails.

While the veterans of their 2005 FAI Junior Cup have shuffled off the stage, the club has produced an abundance of underage talent.

The Covies have the silverware to prove it too. They’ve secured back-to-back U-18 Quigley Cups and a junior team with several U-21s who rarely tasted defeat at underage level. 

Though still in transition, Westport United still had enough to finish second in last year’s Super League (a jump from fourth the year before).

While still in the spring of their junior soccer careers, players like Harrison Quinn, Kevin Ketterick, the O’Malleys and Jack Dawson are already tried and tested Super League performers.

Where do you even start with Celtic? 

Jordan Loftus, who is said to be ‘on the way back’ after missing their Connacht Cup canter against Catron United, is arguably the best soccer player in Mayo. But when the Hoops play to their potential - as they did several times in 2024 when Loftus was injured or absent - they don’t even need him.

When you’ve flyers like winger/forward Jason Hunt, Mayo News Player of the Year Mark Cunningham at full-back, a rock-solid defence commandeered by their very own Fabio Cannavaro, Ioseph O’Reilly, and eight Oscar Traynor Cup panelists, it’s easy to see why Celtic are at the level they are. 

“In fairness, last year they were very good, we don’t want to remember any of them but years before, it’s always a good battle,” said Gary Cunningham. 

“There’s the old thing of it’s not about the technical it’s about the physical, and it’s about what it means to you so that’s what we’re expecting.”

Expect brains, brawn, panache and physicality feadóg sounds on Sunday.

And noise, lots and lots of noise. 

FIXTURE 

FAI JUNIOR CUP ROUND 5 

CASTLEBAR CELTIC V WESTPORT UNITED 

SUNDAY, JANUARY 19

CELTIC PARK AT 2 PM