Galway will hope to continue their recent dominance over Mayo at all levels when they face each other in McHale Park this Sunday afternoon at 4pm.
With just the two teams in the Connacht senior championship, the first round every year is the Connacht final. Galway will be hopeful that they can claim their seventh title in eight years. Timmy Rabbitte's teams early season performances would suggest that it is a strong possibility.
With the Leonard cousins, Tracey and Roisin, in fine form up front and one of the meanest defences in the country, Galway will go at Mayo with all guns blazing and really test themselves in championship football. What has been most notable about this Galway team throughout the league was their fitness levels and immense work rate. The team is incredibly organised which will go a long way in any competitive fixture. Olivia Divilly has been in flying form all season, with her driving runs from deep causing all kinds of issues for every defence she has come up against.
Galway may not have put up massive scores during the league campaign but the forwards were extremely efficient kicking very few wides. Having defeated Mayo in the league this year and playing each other in the Connacht final every year there is very little that these two teams do not know about one another. Galway have held the upper hand over the last few years but Mayo will be keen to bring the Connacht title back home again. A big performance will be needed from the away side if they are to retain their title. Any result will be taken as long as they come out on the right side but Galway will not be focusing on results or on Mayo. They will be fully focused on playing their own game and giving the right performance which in turn should give the right result.
One niggling issue with how this Ladies' Championship is run is how Mayo are guaranteed home advantage every year for the one game in the championship. Surely something could or should be done to change where the game is held every second year and allow it to be taken in turns on where to hold the game. The venue has not been an issue for Galway with their strike rate in McHale Park almost immaculate in recent times. Galway will not be complaining too much where the game is played if they can again come out with the cup.
