League football was first established in Achill by Fr Vincent O’Brien and his committee during the summer of 1974 when Achill United was one of ten new teams to join the Mayo League of the 1974/75 season. Achill United’s first season of league football was one of mixed fortunes.
Their first league match was played in Dugort against Liscarney on August 25th 1974 where they went down by four goals to one. Padraic Carr became the first player to score for Achill United in league competition. In the following weeks Achill played Travenol, Ballinrobe, Newport & Shrule losing all four games.
On 6th October they gained revenge for their opening day defeat and picked up their first points in Division 2A by defeating Liscarny 6-0 away from home. That same season Achill also played their first match in the FAI Cup against Conn Rangers which they lost 3-2.
Achill United - Mayo 2nd Division Champions 1982 ( Fr Vincent O'Brien far left standing )
During the 1975/76 Season Achill United became a force to be reckoned with. Their opening league game was again against Liscarney however this time Achill emerged victorious winning by three goals to one. Next they beat Ballina Rovers 5-1 but lost the following week in their first away match to Westport by the same score. In the Connaught Cup Achill became giant killers by beating Castlebar Celtic 5-1 with goals from Pascal Weir, Michael Gielty and Brian McNeil.
Opposing defences were finding it difficult to deal with the speed of United’s two wingers, John Lavelle and Pascal Weir. John Lavelle and Gerald Lavelle were both selected for the Mayo side that season. In the semi-final of the Travenol Shield, Achill United repeated their giant killing act, knocking Castlebar Celtic out of a competition for the second time that season with goals from Denis Fadian, Tony Grealis and Pascal Weir.
In the 1976 Final of the Travenol Shield, Achill United met Westport Textiles who had inflicted United’s heaviest defeat that season. Despite this Achill United went into the game with high hopes. The Mayo News of February 14th described the game as “keenly fought” and that “it lived up to all pre match expectations”.
Achill opened the scoring in the eighth minute, when Tommy McHugh tapped a cross to Anthony Lavelle from a free kick and Lavelle crashed the ball into the net from 25 yards. Westport Textiles equalised on the half hour and grabbed the lead just before the interval. In the second half the large contingent of Achill supporters kept urging their team on. In the 70th minute Achill levelled the score with a brilliantly executed over head flick by Brian McNeil. A controversial penalty in the dying moments gave Achill their first silverware.
The 1976/77 season proved to be even more successful. On St Patrick’s Day 1977, a John Lavelle goal was enough to beat Westport Crusaders and Achill United retaining the Travenol Shield. In April United claimed their first league honours by wrapping up the Division 2 title.
It was another five years before Achill United saw silverware again by winning the 1981/82 season Second Division Championship for the second time. The 80s were a lean period and a major decision would be made in 1986 concerning United's relationship with local rivals Achill Eagles.
