1996/99
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Mayo's finest FAI Junior Cup feats
Soccer
4 March 1998
Ballyglass can etch themselves into the history books by overcoming Nenagh Town in Sunday's intriguing FAI Junior Cup clash at home. They have become only the sixth Mayo club in the history of the game in the county to progress to the quarter-finals of the prestigious competition. Westport Town, Castlebar Celtic, Westport United and Urlaur United achieved the distinction of reaching the penultimate round stage, while Ballina Town booked a place in the last eight back in March, 1974.
Here Tom Kelly, who has written a book on the history of Mayo football, chronicles the best achievements by Mayo clubs in the series.
1911/12: Westport Town reached semi-final of FAI Junior Cup (then known as the Free State Cup) after defeating Irvingstown 2-nil in the semi-final away.
The game was played on a Saturday in mid November, 1912, and the Westport scorers were Jim McNally and Paddy 'Pollock' McHale.
However the club could not raise sufficient funds to travel to compete in the semi-final against a Dublin team. Westport Town (v Irvingstown): M. McGreal, P. Gavin, J.D. Gibbons, J. Ruddy, N. Sammon, T. Foley, J. Cox, J. McNally, T. Foantain, D. Shaughnessy, P. McHale.
1946/47: Westport Town were knocked out of the FAI Junior Cup at the quarter-final stage by Clonleigh Athletic of Donegal following a replay. The match ended in a draw at O'Malley's field, Westport, and Clonleigh won the replay 3-2. Westport had led 2-nil at half-time, the goals coming from Joe Higgins and Jackie McNally.
Other stars of the side included Con Cusack, John Sheridan, and Pierce Gill.
OUT TO BELGROVE
1956/57: Westport United were defeated by the eventual champions, Belgrove of Dublin, in the quarter-final of the FAI Junior Cup on March 10th, 1957. United scored an historic win in the previous round, defeating Swilly Rovers 1-nil in a replay at Ramelton. Westport United (v Belgrove): J. Foy, P. Kelly, J. Feeney, T. Browne, T. O'Grady, S. McLoughlin, S. Walsh, C. Collins, P. Duke, V. Hopkins, P. Ryan.
1958/59: Westport United had the misfortune of coming up against the eventual champions, St. Saviour's of Dublin, in the quarter-final of the FAI Junior Cup in January, 1959. They were defeated 3-1 in what is still remembered as one of the finest games ever played at the Sports Park.
United had caused a sensation in the previous round by hammering Buncrana Hibs 5-1 in Donegal. Westport United (v St. Saviour's): J. Brady, J. Feeney, D. Thompson, L. Quinn, T. Brady, S. McLoughlin, S. Walsh, B. McKeown, V. Riordan, D. Dalton, P. Duke.
CELTIC HOPES PIERCED
1959/60: Castlebar Celtic drew one of the biggest crowds ever to the Sports Park, Westport, for their FAI Junior Cup semi-final clash against the eventual champions, Pearse Rangers, Dublin. Celtic lost by 2-1. Castlebar Celtic (v Pearse Rangers): A. Redmond, D. Ainsworth, W. Tighe, V. Feeney, J. Feeney, L. Dykes, N. McCarron, B. O'Loughlin, P. Duke, F. Roach, J. Devanney.
1968/69: Westport United reached the semi-final after defeating Hoganville (Dublin) by 2-1 after extra-time in the quarter-final, the goals coming from Tony Browne and Johnny McNally. United crashed by 2-0 to Talbot United in semi-final at Westport. Talbot were defeated in the final by St. Francis. Westport United (v Talbot): T. Gibbons, N. Duffy, J. Moran, P. McLoughlin, C. Keane, J. McGinley, J. Murphy, F. Campbell, J. Coffey, G. Smith, N. Halpin. Res: J. McNally (for Smith).
* Jim McDermott, Finn Harps, played for Westport against Talbot under an assumed name. The talented player was killed a number of years later in a car accident, and his name is still fondly remembered in Westport.
1972/73: Westport United, fielding an all-local team, reached the seventh round of the FAI Junior Cup before going out 3-1 at the hands of Malahide in Dublin.
United had been removed from the competition the previous season after fielding an illegal player, Stevie Wilkinson of Derry, in the 5th round win over Galway Bohs.
Their decision to field an all-local team in 1972/73 served them well. Westport United (v Malahide): T. Gibbons, J. Glavey, C. Keane, N. Halpin, J. Ring, S. McLoughlin, M. McLoughlin, S. Sheridan, M. Higgins, L. Clarke, M. Halpin. Res: J. Coffey (For Sheridan). 1973/74: Ballina Town had their best even run in the FAI Junior Cup when they reached the quarter-final before going out 5-1 to the eventual champions, St. Michael of Tipperary, at the Sports Park, Westport, on March 9th, 1974.
In the previous round, they scored a tremendous 2-nil win over Lagan Harps of Buncrana following a replay in Belleek. Town had drawn 2-2 in Donegal. Ballina Town (v St. Michael's): J. Foody, R. Norton, G. Knight, N. Thornton, P. Tighe, A. Walsh, G. Kenny, V. Walsh, T. Helly, E. O'Dowd, G. Leonard. Res: P.J. Nash (for Norton).
BALLA CAUSED SENSATION
1974/75: Balla caused a sensation in their first season in football when they reached the sixth round of the FAI Junior leaving such clubs as Ballina Town, Castlebar Celtic, Westport United, and Our Lady's Boy's Club, Galway, in their wake.
They went out to Letterkenny Rovers on February 2, 1975, on a score of 3-2 despite leading by 2-nil after 56 minutes.
That Balla achieved such a marvellous run in their first season deserves to be recognised as one of the best performances by a Mayo club in the FAI Junior Cup.
Balla (v Letterkenny): O. Brennan, S. Walsh, T. Walsh, N. Maloney, G. O'Neill, J.P. Keane, G. Riordan, P. Griffin, T. Higgins, J. Brennan, M. Maloney.
1976/77: Westport United were denied a place in the quarter-final of the FAI Junior Cup when they were defeated 2-1 by Dublin side Dingle United after extra-time at Tolka Park on Sunday, March 6th, 1977.
United went behind, but a 65th minute goal by Mick McLoughlin forced the game into extra-time. Westport's hopes of a replay at the Sports Park were dashed when they conceded the second goal.
An interesting feature of the game was that Sean McLoughin, the United captain, was making his first return to the ground on which he had played for the Irish Schools international team twenty-one years earlier. Westport United (v Dingle United): M. Maloney, C. Keating, N. Halpin, G. Smith, S. McLoughlin, M. Halpin, L. Dyar, J. Cameron, M. McLoughlin, J. Coffey, L. Halpin. Res: P. McLoughlin (for Cameron).
1990/91: Urlaur United breached a 22 years gap when they reached the semi-final of the FAI Junior Cup following a memorable away win against Rosemount in Goatestown, Dublin, with Enda Gurren getting the decisive goal in the 1-nil triumph.
The East-Mayo club stumbled to eventual champions, Cherry
Orchard, in the semi-final 3-nil at the new A.U.L. complex
in Clonshaugh, Co. Dublin. Urlaur (v Cherry Orchard): M.
Brett, S. Jordan, P. Beirne, J. Duffy, T. Moriarty, P.
Jordan, N. Regan, M. Moffatt, J. Marren, G. Rush, E. Gurren.
Res: K. Duffy (for Gurren), T. Moffatt (for
Marren).
Connaught Telegraph - News & Sport - March 1998
