The ad men for the sponsors of the All Ireland Minor Championships came up in recent years with the tag line 'This is Major' for their advertising campaign - to emphasise how important the minor championship is for its young stars. Well, for each of the teams battling to become Mayo GAA Intermediate champions, there is no tougher competition to call in Mayo football than the intermediate championship, with at least a dozen, if not all 16 sides, having their eyes set on taking the big prize.
In group one on Saturday evening, Davitts who were relegated from the senior championship last year, will face off against a Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin side, who every year put it up to the best in this grade and continue to develop. Ballindine is no easy place to go and the south Mayo men will be hoping to make that advantage count in this one. In the other game in the group, the freshly minted Junior champions from last year, Islandeady, will be hosting a Bonniconlon side, who have been making good strides in recent times - the feel good factor from last year and a good league campaign could tip the balance in the home side's favour.
Group two sees Kilmeena - who almost made the leap straight out of this grade last year at the first attempt only to be beaten by Ballyhaunis in the final - host Ardnaree on Saturday evening. The visitors reached the Division Three league final where they were beaten by Killala a few weeks ago and they have quality to put it up to their hosts, but the Clew Bay boys should have enough to prevail. The game that gets the whole championship season moving is the other game in this group when Kiltimagh and Louisburgh tangle this evening at 8pm in the Connacht COE in Bekan live on Mayo GAA TV. It's been a difficult first half of the season for the east Mayo men, losing all their league games in Division One by hefty margins. It wasn't much better for their visitors from the seaside who just about clung on to their division two place. Tonight's game offers both sides a real shot at having something big to play for for the rest of the season, whoever comes out on top.
McGovern Park will host the meeting of an upwardly mobile Ballinrobe side and Burrishoole on Saturday evening in group three. The south Mayo men seem to be making good strides in getting themselves back up to the top table and will be one of the front runners for the title this year. Their hosts head into this off the back of a poor league where they just about stayed up in Division Two, but home advantage and their durability will put it up to their guests. The other game in the group will see Hollymount-Carramore hit the high road to Bangor Erris to take on Kiltane for what was once a staple of the senior championship. Both sides have had good leagues, with Kiltane holding their own in Division One for the most part and their guests making the knock-out stages in Division Two. No side ever comes out of Bangor in championship with anything easy - and expect no different this weekend.
The fourth and final group in the intermediate championship is one of the most interesting of them all. Things get underway on Saturday evening when Crossmolina Deel Rovers - who on paper should be real contenders - host Kilmaine. The Deel Rovers have plenty of talent and a handful of inter-county players keen to show their stuff; but Kilmaine, if they can get things right, will be up for the fight. The other game sees Castlebar Mitchels B host Bohola Moy Davitts - it will be interesting to see will Mitchels lose any players when their first team plays the night before and how that could affect their chances; while Bohola Moy Davitts will have real designs on claiming the title again this year - but they'll have to get over this tricky encounter first before they can start thinking that far ahead.
Mayo GAA IFC Round One Fixtures
Group One: Davitts v Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin, Saturday, August 19 at 5pm; Islandeady v Bonniconlon, Saturday, August 15 at 5pm
Group Two: Kilmeena v Ardnaree Sarsfields, Saturday August 19 at 5pm; Kiltimagh v Louisburgh, Friday, August 18 at 5pm
Group Three: Burrishoole v Ballinrobe, Saturday, August 19 at 6.30pm; Kiltane v Hollymount-Carramore, Saturday, August 19 at 5pm
Group Four: Crossmolina Deel Rovers v Kilmaine, Saturday, August 19 at 6.30pm; Castlebar Mitchels B v Bohola Moy Davitts, Sunday, August 20 at 2pm
