COLUMN: Westport United's big win needs to be backed up to secure Mayo soccer glory

THE 2026 soccer season in Mayo has not started smoothly.

With FAI Junior Cup interruptions and match postponements due to unplayable pitches, causing disruptions to fixtures, League Secretary John Durkan was forced to send out a circular last week, announcing the return of ‘catch up’ fixtures for Thursday nights, starting later this month.

Thursday night games are hated by most clubs.

College and work commitments often mean that clubs have to field weaker teams than they might on the weekend, and managers often complain that players who pick up knocks on a Thursday night, have little time to recover for the weekend match, two or three days later.

This has been a particularly wet spring, and many pitches are in poor condition exacerbating the situation. Further investment in astro facilities seems one solution, but this is an expensive option.

To quote an example, Claremorris recently spent over €100,000 resurfacing their astro, and it is not full size.

Despite the fixture disruption, there have been a number of revealing results already this season.

The eye-catching win for Westport United over their old rivals, Castlebar Celtic, in the Super League just over a week ago, came on the back of a win for Celtic over the same opponents on the same ground, a week previously, in the FAI Junior Cup.

Celtic were understrength last week, but Westport have faced them in similar circumstances in previous seasons without being able to capitalise on the shortages.

What was striking on Sunday week was that Westport should have scored about four more from the chances they created, while their hosts – the three time champions, didn’t create much.

But to win a match you only have to score one more that your opponents. Westport did better than that, getting two.

INTERESTING TIMES

While Westport’s win was significant, what is even more significant for both sides is, what happens next. Westport’s win will be of little impactful significance unless they can beat everybody else along the way.

They managed to do that last year, except for their opening day draw with a stubborn Manulla side, and will need to do it again, because Celtic are not going to implode on the back of a single defeat. But if Westport can do that, they will be champions. The return fixtures should be interesting.

It will be interesting to see if manager Jason McCartney can deliver on his observation that “It’s time this team started winning things now.”

They did win a cup last season, and they have a very settled side, but the “thing” they want to win most, is the league title.

They can really play ball, but sometimes their lack of steel in midfield and a big centre forward has cost them. McCartney’s job will be devise ways of playing to minimise these occasional shortcomings.

Another result that caught the eye was Celtic’s win over Glenhest Rovers on a shocking day on the shores of Beltra Lake in March.

Glenhest finished third last season and if they were going to go a step further this season, this was a match they needed to win.

They weren’t far off that day, losing 2-1, but Celtic know how to win tight games – an expression that is easier to write than define. Whatever it is anyway, Celtic have it.

I’m not sure Glenhest can break into the top two, however. They had their best ever season of their 50-year existence, last year.

Only Westport and Celtic finished ahead of them. And while nobody in Glenhest or the surrounding parishes, is claiming that they will win the Super League this season, improving teams want to continue to do just that.

Their biggest battle might not be getting into the top two. With Ballyheane and Ballina Town improving, and Conn Rangers and Manulla getting important early results, repeating last season’s impressive finish might be a sufficient battle for the Rovers.

POSITIONAL SWITCHES

Of the others in the Super League, Claremorris seem a couple of players short to do anything much more than survive.

Their defeat to Conn Rangers last Saturday week was a significant indicator of where they are at. The game was played on the artificial surface of Milebush, with Conor Gorman for Conn Rangers and Mark Maloney for Claremorris being the standout players.

Claremorris boss, James Kavanagh, has been deploying Maloney, their most creative player, as a centre back for the first hour of each match, before switching him up top, for the final third of the game.

Against Conn, Maloney scored twice from this attacking position. It’s hard not to think that had he been played up front from the off, Claremorris would be out the gate by the 60th minute.

But managers know what they are doing better than scribes on the sideline, who just get to see what’s on the surface.

Over the road from Claremorris, Ballinrobe look to be struggling. They rose through the divisions in successive seasons and survived in the top flight by their fingernails the past couple of years.

On the early evidence, this season could be a tough ask for them. But there’s no shame in that. They always give it a go, but the Super League is a big step up from the other divisions.

The split season might save them, when the table divides into two separate leagues at the half way point.