Gaelic Games

Neil Douglas hat-trick delivers title in style for Castlebar

Forward proves the star as Breaffy are swept aside by inspired 14-man Mitchels

Neil Douglas celebrates scoring the second goal for Castlebar Mitchels in the Mayo SFC final against Breaffy at MacHale Park in Castlebar. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Sun Oct 25 2015 - 19:55

Castlebar Mitchels 4-10 Breaffy 0-9

The finalists of two years ago produced the same result in yesterday’s Mayo senior county football final but on this occasion Castlebar Mitchels won in a canter as Breaffy’s bid for their first ever county title was well off the mark.

Most of the talk up to this final centred on how Castlebar would handle Aidan O’Shea who had scored a bagful of goals for Breaffy who had managed 15 in total coming into this final

However, the Mayo powerhouse was held scoreless, and couldn’t break down a rock-solid Castlebar defence in which Tom Cunniffe, Alan Feeney, Eoghan O’Reilly, Donal Newcombe and Paddy Durcan were simply outstanding.

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The hero

Not even the dismissal of Barry Moran, who was adjudged to have tripped Aidan O’Shea, five minutes into the second half, could seriously alter the outcome of this game.

The hero of the hour was hat -trick man Neil Douglas, who hit two crackers and then cheekily flicked the ball over the head of the advancing Breaffy goalkeeper, Robbie Hennelly, for his third goal to seal the deal five minutes from time.

But the signs were ominous for Breaffy who struggled for scores and trailed 2-6 to 0-5 at the break having played with a strong wind. Danny Kirby scrambled home a messy goal after Breaffy failed to clear their lines on 17 minutes before Douglas fired home that screamer after Richie Feeney had put the ball on a plate for him.

Breaffy needed goals to have any chance early in the second half and they nearly had two in the space of a minute.

Tom O’ Reilly, who was playing against his brother Eoghan, who lined out at centre-back for Castlebar, crashed one effort off the woodwork the rebound coming back to Aidan O’Shea who somehow managed to send it over the sideline near the corner flag, while Alan Feeney was on hand to deny Matthew Ruane when he cleared the ball off the line.

Mitchels heeded the warning and moved up the gears, attacking from the back and Douglas was finding acres of space in behind that Breaffy defence.

But the work of Aidan Walsh, Danny Kirby, Neill Lydon, Richie Feeney and that Castlebar defence, notably Ger McDonagh, who did a good man-marking job on Aidan O’Shea, ensured Mitchels would win their 29th title and with a lot greater ease than was widely anticipated prior to this final.

CASTLEBAR MITCHELS : R Byrne; A Feeney, R O'Malley, D Newcombe; P Durcan, E O'Reilly (0-1), G McDonagh; A Walsh (0-3, 3f), B Moran; S Hopkins, N Lydon, N Douglas (3-1, 0-1f); T Cunniffe, R Feeney (0-1), D Kirby (1-3). Subs: J Durcan (0-1) for B Moran BC, 34 mins), C Costello for Hopkins (44 mins), F Durkan for N Lydon (45 mins), R Burke for O'Malley (47 mins), S Conlon for Newcombe (55), M Towey for R Feeney (58).

BREAFFY: R Hennelly (0-1,f); C Jordan, M Jennings, D Morrin; M Hall, C Kelly, D Gavin; R Fadian, S O'Shea (0-1); C O'Shea (0-4, 2f), A O'Shea, K Mulchrone; G Dunne, G Walsh (0-1), T O'Reilly (0-1, f). Subs: D Cannon for Kelly (7 mins), M Ruane for G Dunne (26 mins) , C Costello for Hopkins (44 mins), L Irwin for Walsh, G Jennings for Mulchrone (both 45 mins), P Dravins (0-1) for Fadian (50 mins), D Morrin for Martyn (55 mins).

Referee: L Devenney (Ballina).