March may only be a few days old, but for one Mayo team it is do or die in the championship as soon as next Wednesday. Ray Dempsey’s u21 side will entertain Galway under lights in McHale Park at 7.30pm in the preliminary round of the competition. The Tribesmen are the defending All Ireland champions after beating Cavan in last year’s final. Many of this year’s crop of Mayo u21s will have had their own All Ireland final experience, being part of a Mayo minor side that went down to Armagh in the All Ireland minor final three years ago. Cillian O’Connor will be Mayo’s stand out man in attack, while Danny Kirby of whom there big things are expected will be another man to look out for on Wednesday night. If Mayo come out of next Wednesday’s game with a win, they will be in action the following Wednesday night against Roscommon in the Connacht semi-final.
League fixtures follow hot on the footsteps of championship details
The fixture diary for the this years action across all the league divisions in Mayo will be sponsored by Breaffy House Hotel. The action in the top two divisions is scheduled to get under way on the weekend of April 15, but that round of games could be postponed yet because of a possible National League semi-final if Mayo progress that far. The second round of action in divisions 1A and 1B have also been slotted in for the weekend of April 28/29 but could also have to be played later in the year if Mayo reach the National League Final which is down for decision on Sunday April 29.
If Mayo fail to make the top four of the National Football league a number of tasty encounters in the top division will see the league season kick off in style. There will be plenty of bite when Breaffy entertain Castlebar Mitchels in a local derby, while defending champions Ballintubber will go south to Ballinrobe. Charlestown who will be playing in the intermediate championship this year will host Crossmolina Deel Rovers and Ballaghaderreen will get to grips with Ballina Stephenites. Shrule Glencorrib will host Westport in their opening game.
