The final eight sides looking to claim the Mayo Intermediate Championship will be whittled down to just four by Sunday evening and there are number of exciting encounters in store in the quarter-finals.
Mayo Gaels v Balla
Saturday, August 29 at 3.30pm in Claremorris
You wouldn't want to be the official who gets the short straw to watch the gate for this one. This local derby looks like it could be the game of the weekend in Claremorris and, in normal circumstances, would draw a huge crowd.
As for the action on the field, Mayo Gaels look to be the form team heading into this one - winning three from three in the group stages and having their place in the last eight locked down before last weekend. Even with their place in the quarter finals assured, they still kept the foot down against Burrishoole 3-14 to 0-12 winners with John Gallagher bagging two goals.
Balla did what they had to in their winner-takes-all clash with another local rival, Parke-Kellgoues-Crimlin, last weekend, running out 1-15 to 1-7 with winners Conor Walsh and Rian O'Connor hitting big scores. Ger Butler's side have lots of quality sprinkled throughout - but Gaels look like the form team - it's going to be a close one.
Verdict: Mayo Gaels
Hollymount-Carramore v Bonniconlon
Saturday, August 29 at 4pm in Swinford
The south Mayo men's charge to get back to the top level at the first opportunity moves up another stage on Saturday when they take on Bonniconlon. The north Mayo men had booked their place in the last eight before last weekend's clash with Kiltimagh where the east Mayo men took home the points. But Bonni' will be well up for this one and with the likes of Conor Igoe, Ronan Carolan and David Walsh in their side, they'll give it a good go.
But the one big stumbling block is the side they are facing - Hollymount-Carramore have blitzed their way through the group stages winning three from three and finishing up with a points difference of +29. They saw off Balla and Parke-Keelogues-Crimilin in the first two rounds and then hit Islandeady for 5-12 last weekend with Darren Coen hitting 3-6 of that tally. It's been a season of progress for Bonni' but it'll probably finish here for them this year.
Verdict: Hollymount-Carramore
Kiltimagh v Crossmolina Deel Rovers
Sunday, August 30 at 12pm in Ballina
Kiltimagh will be hoping that James Stephens Park is a lucky venue for them again this weekend. Last Sunday they did what they had to do in dispatching Bonniconlon to seal their place in the last eight in the same venue. For the first 15 minutes of that game they looked like a side on a mission, hitting 1-7 without reply; they did let Bonni' back into it for a while but when the crunch came, they drove home to victory.
Crossmolina Deel Rovers come into this one on the back of their first defeat of the championship last weekend when Ballinrobe edged them out by a single point. Before that, they had seen off Lahardane and Ballyhaunis and they are a team that has plenty of talent with inter-county men like Conor Loftus and Jordan Flynn to call on. This one will be another close encounter and don't discount extra time - but Crossmolina should just shade it, but only just.
Verdict: Crossmolina Deel Rovers
Ballinrobe v Ardnaree Sarsfields
Sunday, August 30 at 2pm
Ballinrobe will be pretty pleased to have maintained their 100 per cent record in the championship this season with their one point win over Crossmolina Deel Rovers. Pete Warren has got them motoring nicely and they will be looking to keep up that progress this weekend as they strive to get back to the big time. Evan O'Brien has been in top form for the south Mayo men and they'll be looking for him to continue that play this weekend.
Ardnaree came out of a tough group just behind Mayo Gaels with their big win in round two away to Burrishoole setting them up for last weekend's clash against Castlebar Mitchels B, where they knew a win would send them into the last eight and they duly delivered with 3-8 to 2-9 win - John Timlin hitting 1-2 for them in a big performance for the north Mayo men.
Verdict: Ballinrobe
