2.30pm 9 July 2023
Mayo League, Tuohy Cup Final at Milebush Park, Castlebar
Claremorris 3 Ballyhaunis Town 2 (att 250)
Sunday was divisional cup finals day for the Mayo League, with the conclusion of the McDonnell Cup, for clubs in league two, and the Tuohy Cup, for sides in its second tier premier division.
I arrived at the Mayo League's Milebush Park ground in time for the second match, which pitted promotion-chasing Claremorris against a Ballyhaunis side who could yet be relegated.
A Claremorris win looked likely, and that's what happened. But they didn't have an easy afternoon, having to battle stubborn opponents and, in the first half, challenging weather.
The game kick off with dark clouds threatening. Eventually the rain came, sending all but the most hardy spectators into the sizable seated stand. It was while heavy rain was falling that Claremorris opened the scoring, about 10 minutes before half time.
Their lead was still 1-0 at the break, although they could have been further ahead. They finally got a second goal with an hour gone, but 10 minutes later Ballyhaunis hit back.
They had half-chances to level but a third Claremorris goal, in the 90th minute, put the outcome beyond them. Ballyhaunis did pull back another goal, from a free kick deep into a lengthy period of stoppage time, but it was just a consolation.
Milebush Park (currently also known as Solar 21 Park for sponsorship reasons) stages the Mayo League's cup finals and representative fixtures. There's talk of Mayo following Kerry into the League of Ireland, in which case it'd be the most likely home ground for such a team.
The pitch looks immaculate. There's a large stand on the far side while the rest of the pitch is surrounded by a path. Surprisingly there's no floodlights for the main pitch, although a notice in the ground says planning permission for those has been applied for.
Comments
Post a Comment