New Mayo manager James Horan is the toast of Ballintubber after leading the club to their first Moclair Cup success at the expense of favourites Castlebar Mitchels at McHale Park.

Ballintubber 0-8
Castlebar Mitchels 0-5

Played before an 8,000-strong attendance, the final was a disappointing spectacle, but this won't matter one iota to first-time finalists Ballintubber who marked their centenary with an historic win. County star Alan Dillon pulled the strings for the winners, setting up vital second half scores for the likes of Cillian O'Connor and Alan Plunkett.

The build-up to the game was overshadowed by the recent tragic death of former Mayo star Ger Feeney, who had strong family connections with both clubs, and this may have contributed to a lacklustre first half which produced just five scores. Ballintubber led by 0-3 to 0-2 at the break with Dillon converting two frees and the impressive Plunkett also on target.

Thanks largely to the dominance of Jason Gibbons and Danny Geraghty at midfield, Ballintubber resumed with points from Mayo minor captain Cillian O'Connor (two), Padraic O'Connor and substitute Damien Coleman to extend their lead to 0-7 to 0-3 with five minutes remaining.

Castlebar clawed back scores from Ronan Burke and Neil Douglas before Plunkett pointed deep in injury-time to seal a famous success for 'The Boys from the Tubber'.

Ballintubber - N Gibbons; G Loftus, C Hallinan, P Earley; T Earley J Feeney R O'Connor; D Geraghty, J Gibbons; G Dillon, A Dillon (0-2), A Plunkett (0-2) ; M Nestor, P O'Connor (0-1), C O'Connor (0-3). Subs - B Walsh for N Gibbons, D Larkin for J Feeney, D Coleman for P O'Connor, D McGing for G Dillon, T Kilcoyne for A Plunkett.

Castlebar Mitchells - C Naughton; R Feeney A Feeney, E Reilly; D Newcombe, P Kelly, R Burke (0-1); S Fitzmaurice, D Sloyan; D Kirby, N Lydon T Cunnifee; A Walsh (0-1) , B Moran, N Douglas (0-3). Subs - G McDonagh for Sloyan, E Tiernan for S Fitzmaurice, E Kennedy for D Kirby, F Durkan for N Lydon. Tweet

Most Read Stories