2.30pm 23 June 2024
Mayo Super League
Westport United 0 Castlebar Celtic 3 (att 175)
This was the weekend's big game in the Mayo Super League. A local derby between two of the league's established clubs, and with Castlebar Celtic threatening to run away with the title.
They'd dropped points just once in the league ahead of this fixture, which was a potentially tricky hurdle. In the end they cleared that hurdle with ease, but it took them until the second half to win it.
Pre-game Westport had given Celtic a guard of honour as they entered the pitch, in recognition of their visitors' Connacht Cup win last weekend.
The first half ended goalless. Celtic had looked more threatening but there was little between the sides. They took the lead early in the second half, and doubled their lead soon after.
Just a couple of minutes later, with half-an-hour still to play, Westport had hope when a straight red card for a bad challenge reduced Castlebar to 10 men.
But the home side's numerical advantage counted for little. A third away goal put the result beyond doubt, and if you hadn't counted the players on the pitch you wouldn't have known Celtic had a man fewer.
Westport's United Park home is a relatively new development, and still feels like a work in progress. The first phase is complete, with changing rooms and a pair of grass pitches.
This match was played on the pitch furthest from the entrance, which was fenced off on two sides but with no spectator access on the other two. A third grass pitch and a full-size artificial pitch, both floodlit, look to be nearing completion. I may yet return to United Park for some pitch-hopping.
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