Westport and Claremorris share the spoils in league clash

MAYO SENIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1B

WESTPORT 2-11 CLAREMORRIS 1-14

In Westport 

A draw was a fair result in a game where both teams created, converted and spurned roughly the same number of chances. 

Claremorris were the better team in the first half and were well-deserving of their five-point half-time lead. 

The south Mayo men outworked their hosts and had better shooting efficiency in the first half. This allowed them to overcome a ninth-minute setback when Colm Moran stuck home the first of his and Westport’s first two goals. 

A two-pointer from Mark Maloney, followed by efforts from Dara Hurley and Conor Óg Dennedy, had Claremorris in front in the 16th minute, where they remained until Westport levelled in the 51st minute.

A late fisted goal from the impressive David O’Reilly had given Claremorris a 1-8 1-3 lead at the end of a half where Westport wasted several chances. 

The south Mayo men remained steady throughout the second half before Westport brought it back to three points with Colm Moran’s second goal. 

Full-forward Matthew McCormack struck Claremorris’s last point of the game as the west Mayo men hit four without reply in the last quarter to level the game through Colm Moran. 

A scoreless last ten minutes saw both teams leave with a point apiece from a highly competitive league encounter. 

A full report, plus reaction from Westport’s Niall McManamon, will be carried in Tuesday’s Mayo News.