It is a case of trying to put things right this Sunday for the two sides who were defeated in the two most recent instalments of the Mayo Junior Football Championship final. Last year’s beaten finalists Islandeady will do battle with the beaten finalists from 2009, Ardnaree, in McHale Park on Sunday afternoon. While both sides will be flying high right now ahead of the game, it will be a testing 60 minutes as they will be playing their third consecutive hard fought championship match on the trot over three weekends. Last weekend Islandeady had only two points to spare over The Neale in McHale Park where they had to do it the hard way after going behind to a goal from the south Mayo men with a few minutes to go. But they dug out the win thanks to points from Vinny Feeney, Martin Feeney, and Cormac Gordon in the closing stages, to keep the side, who have been the nearly men of this grade for the past couple of years, on course to finally reclaim the Pete McDonnell Cup. Last year Islandeady were beaten by Parke in the final of this grade and they will be hoping that this year they can put that right.
It was even closer for Ardnaree in their semi-final in Knockmore against Lahardane with the bare minimum separating the sides on a scoreline of 2-6 to 0-10 when Mel Kenny blew the final whistle at the end of this semi-final replay. Goals from Chris Walsh and one from the penalty spot from the boot of Eoin McCormack were the major difference at the end in putting Declan O’Dea’s side into the final. Just like their opponents on Sunday, Ardnaree know the pain of defeat at the final hurdle having lost to Kiltimagh in the 2009 final by two points. Eoin McCormack landed 1-3 for his side (half of their total ) the last day, and the full forward, along with Chris Walsh and Ronan Doherty, will be a key man for their side if they are to go home as champions and up to intermediate next year.
Both sides have plenty of experience at this grade and plenty of hurt from the past few years to draw on from final defeats, but Islandeady who have been operating in Division 1B of the senior league and holding their own with the big boys may just have enough to finally make the step back to intermediate football for next season.
