Garrymore v Charlestown
Sunday July 5 at 4.30pm
Ref: V Neary
This one should be a no brainier with Charlestown having a win in the bag already having seen off Castlebar last time out and currently sitting on top of division 1A in the league. Allied with the fact that Ciaran McBrien’s men have lost the last two county finals at the hands of Ballina and Ballaghaderreen and look like a team with a point to prove this year. While they may be missing long term injured pair Enda Casey and David Caffrey they should have to much for Johnny Monaghan’s men in Fr O’Hara park.
As for the south Mayo men, the departure of Enda Varley and Trevor Nally will leave a big hole in their side. Last time out they were beaten by Aghamore and despite the best of preparation, facing a Charlestown side that are in good form should be a bridge to far for them and see the east Mayo men book their place in the knockout stages of the competition.
Verdict: Charlestown
Castlebar v Aghamore
Saturday July 4 at 7.30pm
Ref: M Murphy
This is a must-win game for a side that is brimming with potential and underage titles but have failed to bring it forward to senior success in the past few years. Peter Ford and his back room team will be going all guns blazing to try and avoid defeat on Saturday which would leave them out of the championship for another season.
Aghamore finally made the break up to senior after claiming the intermediate title last season and acquitted themselves quite well on their first day out against Garrymore, but they will need to up their performance at the weekend if they are to take the points away from McHale Park. Their chances were dealt a serious blow when Cathal Freeman picked up a serious leg break in league action last weekend against Claremorris. His loss could be a major factor in swinging this game in favour of the hosts.
Verdict: Castlebar
SFC Group 2
Ballina v Crossmolina
Sunday July 5 at 2pm
Ref: J Hughes
This is where everybody would like to be if their own club aren’t involved in action at the same time. John Maughan will come face to face with one time ally on the field Liam McHale in James Stephen’s park. Crossmolina will visit their near neighbours with only a point in the bag after their draw with Knockmore the first day out, while Ballina saw off Ballinrobe without too much difficulty. A win for the home side would get them through and leave Crossmolina in dangerous country if, as expected, Knockmore see off Ballinrobe. Crossmolina will be missing the services yet again of Ciaran McDonald, but John Maughan and his sidekick Stephen Rochford will have their side in good shape with Peadar Gardiner, James Nallen, Brian Benson and Cathal Carolan all ready to do their bit. While their opponents will be hoping that Liam Brady will shoot the lights out again like he did in the opening half against Ballinrobe and Ronan McGarrity and Pat Harte will be called on to have big games.
Verdict: Crossmolina
Knockmore v Ballinrobe
Saturday July 4 at 7.30pm
Ref: D Harrington
This is a must-win game for both sides. Ballinrobe who started their season so well in the league never got out of the blocks in their opening game against Ballina. If they lose on Saturday, they’re out of the championship running and looking at a place at the bottom of the group and a relegation play-off awaits.
Knockmore went to Crossmolina in their first game and headed back home with a hard fought point, made all the more impressive by the fact that that Kevin O’Neill was red carded (which has since been overturned ) early in his first championship game back with Knockmore. With the likes of Aidan Kilcoyne, Trevor Howley and Kevin McLoughlin all lining out for Knockmore, it could be a torrid evening for the south Mayo men.
Verdict: Knockmore
SFC Group 3
Burrishoole v Ballaghaderreen
Sunday July 5 at 2pm
Ref: C Collins
Ballaghaderreen will roll into McGovern Park more than confident that they will be able to roll over the home side and head home with the points. Ballagh’ ran through Breaffy for fun in the opening round of the championship scoring an impressive 4-12 in the process and last year’s county champions will be hoping to have their progress to the next round wrapped up before the last game of the group stages.
Burrishoole will need the likes of veteran Colm McManamon along with Jason Doherty and Liam O’Malley to pull something big out of the fire if they are going to be in with a shot in this one. With Barry Regan, Barry Solan, Andy Moran and David Kilcullen all in flying form in the last round, the west Mayo men will have to be on top of their game from beginning to end if they are going to have any chance of stopping the current champions.
Verdict: Ballaghaderreen
Breaffy v Shrule-Glencorrib
Sunday July 5 at 2pm
Ref: R Gurren
Anyone reading the form going into this one will be putting the house on Shrule Glencorrib picking up the win they need to go into last eight on Sunday. Breaffy haven’t won a league or championship game all season, some turn around from a side who only lost two games all last season, both of them to Crossmolina and picked up the league title. This year Jim O’Shea’s side haven’t been able to buy a win and their 18 point hammering at the hands of Ballaghaderreen in the last round was the culmination of everything that had gone wrong all year. But there have been some green shoots of late, with vastly improved performances in the league against both Crossmolina and Ballaghaderreen last weekend showing signs of a fight back beginning.
Shrule-Glencorrib saw off Breaffy by a point in the league earlier in the year and had enough to beat Burrishoole by three points without both Trevor and Conor Mortimer and beating Breaffy and putting them out of the championship would be sweet revenge for them for last season. When only a late Colum Lyons score saw Breaffy draw level with Ballaghaderreen and knock out Shrule who managed to knock up the cricket score they needed against Kiltaine to put them in with a chance of making the last eight.
Verdict: Shrule-Glencorrib
SFC Group 4
Kiltaine v Claremorris
Saturday July 4 at 7.30pm
Ref: M Kenny
Last year’s surprise challengers for the title Claremorris were fairly brought back down to earth by Ballintubber in the opening round and will not be looking forward to having to make the long distance trip to Kiltaine to try and salvage their championship hopes for the year. Bangor Erris is no easy place to go to and with the home side themselves still smarting over getting a clipping from Moy Davitts in the last round this should be one hell for leather battle in north Mayo.
Claremorris will know that they can do much better than the last time and should have enough for the home side setting up a possible do or die final day battle against Moy Davitts, but Kiltaine will not be making things easy for them and could sneak past them.
Verdict: Claremorris
Ballintubber v Moy Davitts
Sunday July 5 at 4.30pm
Ref: R Gurren
Simple maths for both sides on Sunday, win and you’re through, lose and you have to sweat it out on the final day of the group stages. Home advantage should be a big plus for the west Mayo men along with Alan Dillon’s suspension being overturned coming as a big plus for Ballintubber. The ruthless way they went about dismantling Claremorris a side many fancied to be dark horses for the title this year sent out a warning shot to the rest of the county and a win on Sunday would cement that message.
But Moy Davitts will be no easy pushovers on Sunday, they have only lost twice this year having won two league games and drawn three more along with their championship win over Kiltaine signalling their intentions for the year. It should be tough game with both sides looking to seal an early progression to that last eight.
Verdict: Ballintubber
