West lack sparkle to bridge 27 year gap

Date Published: 12-May-2009

THE match programme listed four West United players as electricians, but on Sunday at Terryland Park there was no spark to be seen as the hosts capitulated in alarming fashion as their Connacht Junior Cup challenge never got off the ground and by the end they were just working on automatic pilot in their quest to stage some sort of recovery.

The Dyke Road venue was like a home from home for all ex West personnel to mark the occasion as the Murphys, Heaneys, Flahertys, Lallys, Deacys and O’Tooles amongst many others gathered to mark what they hoped would be their first win in the provincial decider since 1982.

Two down at the break, the talk at half time was of a potential recovery, but even that was optimistic for despite some changes on the park their inability to get at the Roscommon side was pretty alarming.

As they say, it takes two to tango and Castlerea certainly did as they gathered a first ever Connacht crown. They were not exceptional by any means, but any side that beats the likes of Boyle Celtic, Carbury, Manulla and Castlebar Celtic on the way to the final cannot be overlooked and two goals were a fair return for their opening half efforts.

Indeed, they had other opportunities to increase their margin and while…