With just four weeks to go to the start of the club championships in Mayo, the club season will move up a gear this weekend with a number of league quarter-finals taking place across the divisions.
In Division One of the league the eight quarter-finalists are Ballina, Garrymore, Ballinrobe, Westport, Castlebar, Breaffy, Knockmore and Aghamore.
The action will get underway this evening, Friday, August 5, with two quarter-finals down for decision, with both throwing in at 7.30pm. County champions Knockmore will be travelling to Breaffy looking for a place in the final four of the competition. Ray Dempsey's side finished in third place in Division 1A winning four of their seven league games to date, while the side they beat in the 2020 championship final secured second place in Division 1B last weekend, thanks to a late Conor O'Shea goal that got them over the line against Kiltane.
The other Friday night clash in Division One is the meeting of the unbeaten Ballina Stephenites who will host Ballinrobe in James Stephens Park. Niall Heffernan's Stephenites are the only side across the two groups in Division one to be unbeaten so far in the league winning four and drawing three of their seven games in Division 1A. Ballinrobe, who are under the guidance of Peter Ford this year, finished fourth in Division 1B with four wins and three losses so far this season - but for a side operating in the intermediate championship this year, they will have taken plenty from their season so far, no matter the result against a Ballina side who look like they can go deep in the senior championship this year.
On Saturday evening at 7pm it will be the clash of Garrymore and Westport in south Mayo - both sides made it to the final four of the championship last season and will be happy with how their preparations have gone so far in the league. The hosts came second in Division 1A just one point behind Ballina Stephenites when all was said and done in that group with five wins and two losses from their outings to date, while Westport came home in third place in Division 1B, just two points behind the Mitchels and one behind Breaffy - the only two sides to beat them so far in the league.
On Sunday lunch time at 1pm the final quarter-finals will take place in Páirc Josie Munnelly, between Castlebar Mitchels who topped the Division 1B group and will have home advantage against Aghamore. The county town side who are under new management this year with Barry Moran leading that ticket, won six of their seven league games with their only loss coming to Breaffy on the road. Aghamore finished fourth in Division 1A, but were just two points behind Ballina Stephenites who topped the group, picking up four wins and a draw from their seven league games so far.
In Division 2 the final placings were sorted out during the week, when Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin saw off Kilmaine in Division 2A to send The Neale into the last eight where the South Mayo men will take on last year's beaten senior championship finalists, Belmullet.
On Saturday evening, Balla, who topped Division 2A in impressive style with six wins and a draw from their seven outings, will host Hollymount-Carramore, who came fourth in Division 2B with four wins and a draw. Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin will be facing into a kind of local derby when they host Bohola Moy Davitts - the east Mayo side came third in Division 2B with five wins and two losses in their seven games to date. The other quarter-final will be the meeting of last years' beaten intermediate championship finalists Ballyhaunis and Davitts in Ballindine.
The four quarter-finals in Division 3 all take place on Saturday evening at the same time, with the meeting of Bonniconlon and Swinford looking like a game to keep an eye on. The hosts from north Mayo have won six from seven so far, while Swinford have been putting together some good form themselves this year also. Ardagh, who also won six from seven so far, will host Tourmakeady, with the other two quarter-finals seeing Shrule-Glencorrib Hastings Castlebar Mitchels B and Eastern Gaels traveling to Killala.
For the full fixtures for the weekend see: https://mayogaa.com/news-detail/10081313/.
