Westport United F.C.

Westport United Football Club are an amateur football club in Westport, County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1911, they are the oldest football club in County Mayo and they wear red and black stripes. They play their home games at Westport Sports Park and have a large core following in the Westport area, making them the best supported side in the county. The club have two men's teams, one ladies side, two girls teams and twelve boys teams with approx 4 members.

History 1911 - 1980

The club did not come into existence until 1911, though some vague records suggest that the club was founded in 1907 and there was evidence of organized football in Westport dating back to 1889. It is claimed that the club colours were adopted from Bohemians in Dublin, while it is also claimed that Bohemians took their colours from Westport-both teams met in a friendly on January 2 1906 and the game finished 1-1; the picture of the Westport team is displayed in the Heritage Centre, Westport Quay. Draw your own conclusions, but the earliest club flag came from Dublin. The flag is red and black with 1911 written in the centre. This flag was waved at one of the earliest Westport Utd matches. The flag is now displayed in the Heritage Centre, Westport Quay. Part of the early history was the Bohs and Irish international footballer, Harold Sloane, planting a tree at The Mall, Westport.The club entered the Irish Junior Cup, and made a very strong impact by reaching the semi-final. However, due to lack of funds, Westport had to withdraw from the competition. Due to the absence of an area competition, the club relied on local leagues for finance and regular football. Admission was a tanner (6p) and crowds of 1,000 people were a regular occurrence. Teams such as All Blacks, C.B.S., St. Mary's, Quay Hearts and Bohemians would challenge for town supremacy, and the rivalry was intense. The games were played in Westport Demesne, while the club matches would be played in Munster's Field or Coyne's Field (now Fr. Angelus Park).The foundation of Castlebar Celtic in 1924 and the inception of the Connacht Cup in 1922 increased the number of games for the club. Great players at the time included "Bellum" and "Block" McNally, Ned Sammon, Stephen "Stuff" Walsh and Frank Gill. The club got to a Connacht Cup Semi-Final against Sligo Rovers in 1930, only to controversially lose 2-1. The local belief at the time was that Westport would have joined the League of Ireland, had they won the competition. The thirties also saw a game that would have a future bearing on the club. Westport Utd travelled to Athlone Town, then the finest non-city team in Ireland in an F.A.I. Junior Cup game in 1935. The hosts won 2-1 with a certain Tommie Brennan getting the winner. The same player would later become the secretary for the club. The club began to see the emergence of players of the calibre of John Sheridan, Tony Downer, Matt Russell, Broddie Gartland, Josie O'Toole and Pierce Gill.The 1940s were to become a significant point for the club. The club won the Connacht Cup in 1942, 1945 and 1949, with the victory in 1949 being the greatest. Westport Utd travelled to Galway to play Galway Rovers on their home patch. Westport upset the odds by winning 4-1, in front of a large, delirious travelling contingent. Off the pitch, in 1947, in the face of economic depression and little funds, a committee headed by John Staunton voted to develop a bit of waste ground into a football pitch with a ballroom. The site was bought off Lord Sligo, and many locals funded and volunteered to help out on the project. Initially, it was described as the height of insanity, but the perseverance of everybody involved paid off when it was opened on June 27th, 1953. The first game to take place on the pitch was Everton V Jackie Carey XI. The match was played in torrential rain, and there was a fire at the Shoe Factory that afternoon. It also marked the last ever game for Jackie Carey.The 1950s saw the launch of the Mayo League (1954), and the controversial Peter Duke Affair (1956). Also, in 1956, a young teenager called Sean McLoughlin received a cap with the Irish U.16 team against England. New talent included Joe Foy, Peter "Clem" Collins (who has a soccer ground named after him in Long Island, New York), Peter Ryan, Vincent Hopkins, Stephen Walsh, Tony O'Grady and Liam Quinn. The team entered their most successful era at that time, starting with quarter-final appearances in the F.A.I. Junior Cup in 1957 and 1959.The Connacht Cup came back to Westport in 1961, and the famous seven in a row Mayo League Titles followed. Younger players began to be blooded in as the trophies rolled in. The 1968-69 season saw United embark on their best national cup run in over half a century. Following a lucky escape away to Castlerea Celtic, the home team missing a penalty in injury time with the score at 2-2, United exacted retribution with an 11-0 win. After some good wins, United were home to Hoganville in the quarter- final. Westport took the lead through Tony Browne, only for the Dubliners to equalise. The issue was settled in extra-time through Johnny McNally, whose goal undoubtedly created the most thunderous roar in the Sports Park that day. The semi-final draw pitted them at home to another Dublin team, Talbot Utd. Despite their best efforts, it was not to be, as they lost 2-0. The game noted the inclusion of a number of Derry players, notably Stevie Wilkinson and Ivan Parkes. The early seventies posed problems for the club, when the eligibility of the Derry players came into question. Sporting Club was formed, partially in protest over local players being frozen out at the expense of the Northerners. Crusaders and Textiles were formed out of local league sides. The Derry Connection suffered a setback when an objection by Galway Bohemians was upheld. It was finally dismantled in 1972-73, when the Mayo League ordered Westport to field an all-local team for that season. On a brighter note, the side got to the quarter- final, losing to Malahide Utd.The following season saw Westport in scintillating form, winning all before them, except for a 2-1 loss to Ballina Town in the F.A.I. Junior Cup. They won the Connacht Cup in the Sports Park with a 1-0 win over O.L.B.C., Galway, with Martin Halpin getting the winner in extra- time. Goalkeeper, Michael Higgins arrived just in time, from a Connacht Championship match in Tuam, where he lined out for Mayo that day. The club would have another great run the following season, but were beaten in the final. In 1976, the U.18s, better known as Stella Maris, won the Quigley Cup, which was a momentous occasion for the club. Sadly, following United's extra- time exit to Dingle Utd in Dublin, the team broke up with little replacements. Within one year, the Junior Club folded, much to the despair of the die-hards. Without haste, Padraig Kelly, Michael Joe Lavelle, Christy Moran and Martin Keane set up Westport Utd Youths. Their activities were ran from where St. Anne's Boxing Club stands today. The Sports Park was shut down for re- development, and the Pavilion Ballroom sold off. The decline brought some light when Westport Crusaders won the Mayo League in 1980. That summer, a meeting was held between the different clubs in town, and Westport Utd was back in action for the 1980-81 season. The following season, the Mayo League Title came to Westport for the last time before 2002.

History 1980 - Present

On July 23rd, 1983,the Sports Park was re-opened once more. The new-look ground incorporated a running track, and a concrete spectator terrace. The match that evening was between a Connacht Selection and a Manchester United selection. Irish international, Kevin Moran, announced his engagement to local girl, Eleanor Hughes that night. However, the curtain-raiser that evening was a Community Games match between Westport and Ballina. The home side won 4-1 to qualify for the U.12 Connacht semi-final. The underage began to consolidate on the scene, and the following year, the U.15 girls won the national Community Games title in Mosney. In 1985, Joe Mulroy ended a 29 year famine when he won an Irish Youth cap against Northern Ireland. The Republic won the game 6-3.Preparations for the 75th anniversary began with a shutdown of the Sports Park, to improve the pitch. The Committee, under the chairmanship of Noel Duffy, began to commission a book for the occasion. The Club made an ambitious move by appointing former Cork Celtic and Republic of Ireland player, John Herrick. Utd had a good season, with their main performances in the cups. Westport won their 6th Connacht Cup on May 24th 1987 with a 2-1 win over West Utd of Galway. Three weeks later, Utd won the Michael O'Byrne Cup against the same opposition. The club, proud of their achievements, hosted their 75th anniversary game on the 26th July 1987. They played host to Derry City F.C. in the Sports Park. The 1988-89 season saw Westport Utd join the Connacht Senior League, the U.15 and U.18 teams win Connacht Cup titles, and the tragic death of Pat Halpin, one of the best up and coming players at the time.The 1990s began with the U.18s dominant, with great cup runs, and some smashing U.12 teams. The 1992 U.12 Community Games Soccer team won bronze in Mosney, and got to the last 16 in the S.F.A.I. Norton Cup the following February. On the senior side, the reserve team was scrapped; Paul Large took over the senior team, and got them to the Connacht Senior Cup Final on May 26th 1991. Westport were beaten 1-0 by Salthill Devon. Large left that September, and the form from the senior became very erratic. 1992 saw a prestigious friendly arranged against Preston North End. The game was played on August 6th, with the visitors winning 2-0. Ronnie Ring had a goal disallowed for offside. On December 3rd 1992, an E.G.M. was called for the amalgamation of Westport Utd and Westport Utd Youths in the Castlecourt House. The vote for amalgamation was passed, with Michael Rabbett elected Chairman. Success for the club was confined to the underage.The lack of success from the senior team came to a head at the A.G.M. of the club on 26th May 1994, when the incoming chairman, Noel Duffy, announced that Michael McDonagh would take charge of the senior team for the 1994-95 season. The seniors got off to a very good start, and in the F.A.I. Intermediate Cup, they were handed a home tie against Whitehall Rangers. On the morning of the 13 November 1994, club officials were seen clearing water off the pitch as they tried to render it playable in the torrential rain. The game was played and Westport won 2-0. Within days, Rangers lodged an objection, which was upheld. The objection was against the Derry based players on the team. The squad went into disarray, and the club lost a lot of respect. It would take a long time for the club to recover from these events. Westport withdrew from the Connacht Senior League in July 1995, and got promoted to the Mayo League Premier Division on 17th September 1995, as champions.While the club was recovering from one blow, it was dealt with a severe one in 1997, when it got fined £1,400 and deducted 13 points for breaches in registration rules. The situation deteriorated when the standoff resulted in the fine being doubled, and the club suspended. Deputy Michael Ring intervened in the crisis, which resulted in the fine being deducted to £1,000. The points deduction stood, thus Westport Utd were relegated. The U.14s that season did the Mayo double, and got to the quarter final of the S.F.A.I U.14 Goodson Cup. They were beaten 2-0 after extra time by Monaghan Utd on the 29th March 1998. The juniors bounced back by winning the Gill Cup on July 19th and the Division 1 title on October 4th 1998. Underage trophies kept flowing in at U.16 level with back-to-back league titles. The juniors were now competing in the T.S.B. Super League for the first time, after passing important criteria.The millennium arrived with the Quigley Cup going back to Westport for the first time since 1976, plus the U.18 side having their best season since 1991. The U.18s lost the Quigley Cup final to Castlebar Celtic in 2001 and 2002. The U.17s and U.18s had great F.A.I. Cup runs before losing to Home Farm and St. Joseph's Boys in 2001. However, the club had a scare in January 2001, as lack of interest very nearly left the club to fold.The revival of the junior team began under Kevin Cusack, when he transformed a team scraping survival in 2000 to league contenders in 2001, following the introduction of a number of young players. Kevin Cusack took a step back and Noel Moran took the helm in 2002 and Westport United won their first league title in twenty years after a 7-0 rout of Urlaur United on the 1st September 2002.Westport United FC reached the quarter final of the FAI Junior Cup, eventually bowing out to Southend United of Waterford on a penalty shootout. In the Connacht Cup, Westport United reached the semi final for the first time in 16 years before bowing out to Castlebar Celtic 2-0. In 2003, Noel Moran stepped down and Kevin Cusack returned with Padraig Burns, albeit on a caretaker capacity initially, but the post became permanent. United may have let the league slip from their grasp but a 2-1 (AET) win over Snugboro United in the AIB Cup final gave Westport United their first ever Mayo FA Cup success on the 7th September 2003. Westport put in credible performances in the external cup competitions. In the FAI Junior Cup, Westport United exited against St. Kevin’s Boy’s Club in the greatest penalty shootout ever witnessed in the Sports Park.2004-2005 turned out to be a famous season. Westport United played their greatest ever football and turned on an exhibition performance in thrashing Manulla 8-0 at home. Westport went on to regain the Super League, beating S&F United 4-1 in the last game of the season on 19th September 2004. Westport scored 67 goals and conceded 12 over 18 games. A B team was also entered into the Mayo League.Apart from the 4-0 win away to Crossmolina, Westport’s performances in the FAI Junior Cup were nothing to get carried away about and were only seconds away from a penalty shootout away to lowly Inver United before Brian Fahy netted the winner. The Connacht Cup saw Westport reach the quarter final before bowing out 2-0 at home to Mervue United. The FAI Junior Cup saw another lucky escape as Westport sneaked past Tralee Dynamoes 4-3, despite being 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2 up. Westport then travelled to Leeside FC of County Cork and came out with a 3-1 victory and a place in the last 16. Ironically, Westport United were struggling to fill the position of chairman and secretary of the club and both positions were eventually filled by Tom Tarmey and Marie King. This time it was away to tournament favourites, Pike Rovers of Limerick and Westport put in one of their greatest ever performances to win 3-0 against their shell shocked opponents. The quarter final was a trip to Dublin against Killester United and Westport completed a smash and grab to win 1-0. The club were now in the FAI Junior Cup semi final for the first time in 36 years and were pitted against Carew Park in Limerick. Over 1,000 supporters travelled for the game in Jackman Park in Limerick and the performance was rewarded with a lead goal by Gerry McLoughlin just before the break. Disaster struck in the second half when Carew Park were awarded a penalty following a handball by Vinny O’Malley. Westport went down to ten men and Carew equalised. Westport survived the subsequent aerial bombardment but in the penalty shootout, it was another glorious exit, or was it? Westport then lodged an objection over the eligibility of Carew Park’s Denis Whelan. The FAI Junior Council overruled the objection and an appeal was sent to the FAI Senior Council, which was upheld with both Denis Whelan and Vinny O’Malley both not allowed to play. The whole FAI Junior Cup was thrown into turmoil when Carew Park sought a High Court injunction to reverse the ruling of the FAI Senior Council. That was not granted and Carew Park were advised to go into arbitration. An arbitration hearing was held in the Burlington Hotel under the chair of Des Casey, former UEFA Vice President. The FAI Senior Council’s ruling was upheld and the semi final was rescheduled for Jackman Park on May 29th 2005. The run up was pretty tense with threats posted on websites and inflammatory statements on newspapers. The game went ahead in Jackman Park under the biggest security operation ever assembled for a junior match and Westport went into a 2-0 lead through David Hoban and Dessie O’Malley. Things turned ugly near the end as Carew Park players started picking fights and getting sent off. The supporters joined in by firing dinner plates and pint bottles at the Westport supporters. There were no major injuries and all the Westport supporters and players reacted exceptionally to the circumstances. The final was fixed for Buckley Park on 19th June 2005 and supporters travelled by bus, car and a special train that was laid on. Westport created history by beating Waterford Crystal 2-0 to win the FAI Junior Cup with goals from Dessie O’Malley and Man of the Match, David Cameron. Over 2,000 travelled to Kilkenny and the homecoming that night saw 5,000 people turn out to welcome back the team and there was not a single arrest reported by the Gardai.Westport went on to regain the Super League on the 21st August 2005, defeating Ballyheane 3-0 with a few games to spare. In February 2006, Westport United were defeated in the FAI Junior Cup in normal time for the first time in over four years when they were defeated 4-1 at home to Killester United.Westport United were rocked by the shock resignation of Kevin Cusack and Padraig Burns followed shortly after. After a spell as caretaker manager through John Moran, the club made the bold move to appoint former Galway United player, Brendan O’Connor as manager. The performance over the season was largely transitional with the only success in the form of the AIB Cup after a 2-0 win over Castlebar Celtic on the 2nd October 2006. Westport then threw up some mixed performances in the external cup competitions, going from an unlucky 2-1 extra time loss away to Portmarnock FC in the FAI Junior Cup, when Westport were denied a stonecold certain penalty to a very limp exit in the Connacht Cup away to little-known Heatmerchants FC.2007 did see the junior team have a successful season on the pitch, though most of the domestic competition results were ground out. Westport only lost two games over ninety minutes as they completed the Elvery’s Super League (September 23rd) and Westaro Cup September 9th) double. Westport’s hopes for a famous treble were dashed following a 4-3 penalty shootout loss to Castlebar Celtic after a 1-1 draw on September 30th. Four days later, the club parted company with the manager and Dave Lyons and Ronnie Ring were appointed on a caretaker capacity. The Dynamic Duo of Kevin Cusack and Padraig Burns returned to the helm on 30th October, which was met with widespread approval by the local supporters. Westport United were also boosted with the news that Mayo County Council granted Conditional Planning for the club on a new site at Lurvagh, Aughagower. On Sunday 11th November 2007, the club’s B team won the Welcome Inn Hotel Premier League title, the highest trophy that the team could win after a 1-1 draw at home to local neighbours, Fahy Rovers. Westport United, thus, became the first club to win the two top domestic league titles in a concurrent season.The notable success in the underage scene in recent years was the U.12s winning their league and getting to the Mayo Cup final in 2005 and 2007, the U.13s being Mayo Cup runners up in 2007, the U.14s getting to the Connacht Cup semi final in 2006 and league runners up in 2007, the U.14B team three leagues in a row 2005-2007 and the U.16s winning the Mayo Cup in 2006 and League runners up in 2007. 2007 saw success for the girls underage sides with two titles.The new Westport United FC website was launched in the Castlecourt Hotel on Friday 27th April by Deputy Michael Ring TD. Guest of Honour that night was former Westport United manager, John Herrick and the 1987 Connacht Cup winning team.For a pictorial history, why not call into Blousers on James Street, Westport, and relax with a good drink.

External links

Official Website
* [http://www.westportunited.com]