The battle to see who will follow in the footsteps of Kilmeena and become the Mayo Junior Football Championship winners, begins in earnest this weekend.
There are 15 teams in this year's competition with three groups of four and one group of three getting underway in what promises to be a hard fought championship in the grade.
Last year's beaten finalists, Cill Chomain, will be heading to Brickens in their opener to take on an Eastern Gaels side who are looking to make a bit of a dent at this grade this year. It's an all north Mayo derby in the same group when Ballycastle head south from the coastline to take on Moygownagh on Sunday at lunch time in what should be an interesting affair.
In group two, Swinford, who dropped through the trapdoor of relegation last year after being beaten by Lahardane in the intermediate relegation play-off, will get their campaign underway on Saturday when they host Kilfian, while it's an all north Mayo tussle in the other game in that group where Ballycroy travel to Ardagh on Sunday afternoon.
In group three, Islandeady, who looked like real contenders last year until they were dismantled by Kilmeena in the semi-final stages of the competition, will be looking to get their campaign off to a winning start when they host a Killala side coming off the back of a loss in the division three league final on Saturday evening. This is the three team group with Kilmovee Shamrocks sitting out round one of the competition.
The fourth and final group will see Shrule-Glencorrib make the long trip to north Mayo to face Lacken on Sunday afternoon, the south Mayo men will be one of the favourites to have a good go at winning the title this year and and will be looking for a win to get up and running in what will be a tight group. The other game in the group is the all-Gaeltacht west Mayo derby where Tourmakeady will be heading to the seaside to take on Achill. The winner of this one should set themselves up nicely for a place in the last eight while for the loser, it will be a tough road out of the group.
Mayo GAA Junior Football Championship Round One
Group One: Eastern Gaels v Cill Chomain, Saturday, September 3 at 6pm in Brickens; Moygownagh v Ballycastle, Sunday, September 4 at 1pm in Moygownagh;
Group Two: Swinford v Kilfian, Saturday, September 3 at 4pm in Swinford, Ardagh v Ballycroy, Sunday, September 4 at 3pm in Ardagh;
Group Three: Islandeady v Killala, Saturday, September 3 at 6pm in Islandeady;
Group Four: Lacken v Shrule-Glencorrib, Sunday, September 4 at 2pm in Lacken, Achill v Tourmakeady, Sunday, September 4 at 2pm in Achill.
