The Green and Red of Meigh Eo

 The Green and Red of Meigh Eo 

This article originally appeared on the Non League Chronicles Facebook page in July. 

A week in County Mayo with the family saw the chance of some football action, originally two matches, but with Mayo being in the All Ireland Gaelic Football Final on the Sunday all ‘soccer’ games that weekend were cancelled! 

As it turned out Mayo won the final for the first time in 75 years, which included 13 losses in the final itself! It’s fair to say the County was in a very good move all week. 

To give people outside of Ireland an idea of just how big a thing this is, it would be like winning the FA Cup and Premier League in one. 

The Green and Red of Maigh Eo song could be heard everywhere around the county. All the towns were decked out in the colours and the home coming parades in various Mayo towns were massively attended. 

The GAA games of hurling and football are by far the most popular sports in Ireland, with football third, but there is still a healthy scene in Mayo. 

New to men’s senior football Mayo FC are about to start their debut season in the newly formed National League, the third tier of Irish football in the Republic. Sadly for me their first ever friendly was scheduled for the afternoon I flew home. Mayo wear the green and red colours of the county and have a really nice kit. The National League is for aspiring League of Ireland sides and those who were once there and aiming to get back like Dublin sides Home Farm and St Francis. Still in it’s experimental state, the season is only going to be played over the second half of the LoI campaign finishing in November. 

Mayo play at Umbro Park in Castlebar, which is already home to Mayo League sides Castlebar Celtic and Castlebar Town. Celtic themselves had a spell in the A League which was another attempt at a third tier of football back in the late 2010s, but are now in the top division of the Mayo League. The league itself has four senior men’s divisions, an extensive under age league and a women’s league with two divisions, which is pretty impressive for a county the size of Mayo. 

We were staying in Westport so decided to go and watch the local side take on Ballyheane on the Thursday night. The fixtures aren’t always that easy to pin down, but the fixtures secretary at Westport Utd was really helpful and confirmed it was a 7pm kick off. Having previously seen game at Crossmolina and Castlebar Celtic on Honeymoon back in 2009, (yes my wife is amazing) it was nice to get to see another game in the county with my wife and also this time our son and niece. 

Col. 

Westport Utd V Ballyheane

The teams sitting in second and third place in the Mayo Super League met at United Park in Westport on Thursday night, both looking to keep in touch with leaders and near neighbours Castlebar Celtic, with all three teams on 25points. 

United Park sits on the edge of the Westport House Estate about a mile outside the town, it boasts four full size pitches, two floodlight 4Gs with cover along the side and two grass pitches with hard standing along one side. There were hundreds of local kids finishing up their training when we arrived, with the first team game being played on the grass pitch by the main entrance. The clubhouse is still under construction, but you can see that this is a very special facility for football in the area. Loads of local businesses have provided sponsorship on the shirts and around the ground with advertising boards. 

There was no charge to get, which seems to be the usual thing below the FAI divisions. 

On to the game, Westport playing in their blue and white striped away kit made the early movements and took the lead inside 5minutes against a Ballyheane side, in white shirts and black shorts, who took a while to get going. Halfway through the half it was 2-0 when the keeper spilled a cross and the loose ball was smashed home from six yards out. The young custodian had been superb before and after this one slip. Ballyheane did hit the crossbar and have a few half chances, but Westport definitely had the best of things with the score at the break reflecting that. The Ref handled the game brilliantly, it was physical, but never over the top and he got it spot on for the majority of the match. The only card shown was for the Ballyheane coach for remonstrating a bit too much over the award of a free kick. 

One thing to note is that there wasn’t anywhere to get a drink or a snack at half time, so come prepared for that, although that may change when the building work is done and as yet there is mo seated accommodation. 

The second half followed the pattern of the first. Westport made the best chances and hit the woodwork twice. When United played the ball out wide Ballyheane struggled to cope with the pace and crosses from either wing. Westport notched a third with a deep cross and header midway through, before the visitors scrambled one back to ignite a little hope with just over ten to go. That wqs quashed though late on as Westport added a fourth with an expansive moving ending in an emphatic finish to make it 4-1. 

With Castlebar Celtic also winning that night both sides moved on to 28 points as the ens of the season run in hots up. 

The game was a really entertaining watch and both sides gave everything to it. 

If you ever find yourself in the area, I would strongly recommend a visit to United Park. 

HT 2-0 FT 4-1 

Att: 120 approx

Entry: free. 

Col.