It was all hugs and smiles last Sunday evening when Mayo saw off the limp challenge from Galway in McHale Park. This weekend those friendships and bonds will be put on the sideboard as the second round of action in the Treanlaur Catering Senior Championship gets down to business across the county.
This weekend will offer each side an opportunity to carry out a reconnaissance mission on their opponents for the final round of games with the action in each group evenly split over Saturday and Sunday. Crossmolina Deel Rovers, who escaped from Garrymore with a late victory, will host Westport on Saturday evening in a game that should book John Maughan’s sides place in the last eight. The other game in the group sees Garrymore make the trip to the defending champions Ballintubber. Anthony McGarry’s men looked very impressive last time out defeating Westport, while Garrymore were heartbroken after they fell at the final fence to Crossmolina.
The home side should have just too much for the south Mayo men on Sunday. In section two, it’s the meeting of the two sides who lost out on day one. Knockmore will welcome the Ballinrobe to their stomping ground on Saturday evening. A defeat for either side would see them looking at a relegation play off, while a victory will leave them within the shake up for a last eight spot. Knockmore’s defeat to Kiltaine was the big shock of the opening weekend, and the Knockmore should have enough to win and leave it all to play for in their final game against Breaffy. The west Mayo men will have a late throw in on Sunday afternoon when Kiltaine come to visit on Sunday at 4pm. Breaffy hit Ballinrobe hard in their first game going into a big lead early on. But they took their foot off the gas after and left the door open for Ballinrobe after that. On Sunday they know that they will not be able to do the same thing against a Kiltaine side who showed their worth defeating Knockmore previously. A win for either side will have them en route to the last eight, while a defeat will make for an uncomfortable final afternoon of action.
One of the games of the weekend should throw in on Saturday evening when Charlestown make their way to the county town to face the Mitchels. In the wind and rain in Aghamore, Castlebar looked very good, but Aghamore offered little resistance to the Castlebar challenge. Charlestown lost out in a ding dong battle against Ballaghaderreen first day out. The 2009 county champions will come to Castlebar with all guns blazing looking to ensure that their interest in the championship is not over by the start of July. The other game sees Ballaghaderreen welcome Aghamore to their new pitch. If any game over the course of the weekend looks like a dead cert it’s this one. Aghamore were pitiful at home against Castlebar, while Ballaghaderreen have serious designs on reaching the business end of the championship. In group four Ballina Stephenites will make the long trek to the west Mayo Gaeltacht to take on Tourmakeady. Ballina will be looking to shake off their defeat in an ultra low scoring opener against Shrule Glencorrib, but they will not get anything too easy in Tourmakeady. The other game in the group on Sunday afternoon pits the two winners on opening day in a south Mayo derby down on the border. Claremorris will make the journey to take on Shrule Glencorrib and a win for either side would be a big step in making the last eight. The Border men with home advantage may just have enough.
Full round of action in the other grades
There will also be plenty of action across both the intermediate and junior grades over the weekend. In the intermediate championship Swinford will host Kilmaine on Saturday evening, with Burrishoole making the journey to Bonniconlon on Sunday. In group two it is an all south Mayo meeting on Saturday when Hollymount-Carramore host Davitts, with Kiltimagh and Killala squaring up in the other game in the group on Sunday. A tough battle in north Mayo promises to be in store on Saturday night when Cill Chomain host Belmullet in group three, with Kilmeena and Mayo Gaels the other action in the group on Sunday. The final group pitches together the pairing of Ballyhaunis and Bohola Moy Davitts on Sunday, with Parke heading off the mainland to take on Achill on Sunday.
