The meeting room of Elverys McHale Park was the setting for Monday’s draw for this year’s Mayo football club championships. A cold Monday night in early March is a long way from the white-heat of battle that will be engaged in by the 16 teams in the senior, intermediate, and junior B championships with 24 teams going to battle for the junior crown come summer time.
The first draw has set up a number of really interesting looking battles in all of the groups, none more so than in group one of the senior championship, which is once again sponsored by Treanlaur Catering. This group has pitted local rivals Castlebar Mitchels and Breaffy in with the always dangerous Crossmolina Deel Rovers and the steadily improving Davitts. Group two has pitted a Ballina Stephenites side who will be looking to show that last year’s brush with relegation was a blip, last year’s beaten finalists, and the winners of the two previous championships, Ballintubber, together. They will be joined by south Mayo rivals Claremorris and Shrule-Glenncorrib who will be keen to show they are not there to make up the numbers against the perceived heavyweights in their group.
In Group 3 last year’s intermediate champions Charlestown have been pitted against old rivals Knockmore and a coming Westport side, and the always tough nut to crack Tourmakeady. Defending champions Ballaghaderreen will be the hot favourites to come out of Group 4 in pole position, but who will follow them promises to be one of the most intriguing battles of all the groups, with Ballinrobe, Garrymore, and Aghamore all having valid reasons to believe they can make it into the last eight
Treanlaur SFC Group 1
Castlebar Mitchels, Breaffy, Crossmolina, Davitts.
Round 1: Davitts v Castlebar Mitchels, Breaffy v Crossmolina
Round 2: Crossmolina v Davitts, Breaffy Castlebar
Round 3: Castlebar v Crossmolina, Davitts v Breaffy
Treanlaur SFC Group 2
Ballintubber, Shrule-Glencorrib, Claremorris, Ballina
Round 1: Ballina v Shrule-Glenncorrib, Ballintubber v Claremorris
Round 2: Claremorris v Ballina, Ballintubber v Shrule-Glenncorrib
Round 3: Shrule-Glencorrib v Claremorris, Ballina v Ballintubber
Treanlaur SFC Group 3
Westport, Knockmore, Charlestown, Tourmakeady
Round 1: Charlestown v Westport, Tourmakeady v Knockmore
Round 2 :Knockmore v Charlestown, Tourmakeady v Westport
Round 3: Westport v Knockmore, Charlestown v Tourmakeady
Treanlaur SFC Group 4
Garrymore, Ballinrobe, Aghamore, Ballaghaderreen
Round 1: Garrymore v Ballinrobe, Aghamore v Ballaghaderreen
Round 2: Ballaghaderreen v Garrymore, Aghamore v Ballinrobe
Round 3: Ballinrobe v Ballaghaderreen, Garrymore v Aghamore
Egan Jewellers IFC Group 1
Kilmaine, Neale, Hollymount-Carramore, Bonniconlon
Round 1: Kilmaine v Neale, Hollymount-Carramore v Bonniconlon
Round 2: Bonniconlon v Kilmaine, Hollymount-Carramore v The Neale
Round 3: Neale v Bonniconlon, Kilmaine v Hollymount-Carramore
Egan Jewellers IFC Group 2
Swinford, Burrishoole, Killala, Mayo Gaels
Round 1: Swinford v Burrishoole, Killala v Mayo Gaels
Round 2: Mayo Gaels v Swinford, Killala v Burrishoole
Round 3: Burrishoole v Mayo Gaels, Swinford v Killala
Egan Jewellers IFC Group 3
Belmullet, Moy Davitts, Islandeady, Parke
Round 1: Moy Davitts v Parke, Islandeady v Belmullet
Round 2: Mayo Gaels v Swinford, Killala v Islandeady
Round 3: Parke v Belmullet, Moy Davitts v Islandeady
Egan Jewellers IFC Group 4
Ballyhaunis, Achill, Kiltimagh, Kiltane
Round 1: Kiltimagh v Ballyhaunis, Kiltane v Achill
Round 2: Achill v Kiltimagh, Kiltane v Ballyhaunis
Round 3: Ballyhaunis v Achill, Kiltimagh v Kiltane
Breaffy House JFC Group 1
Ardagh, Claremorris, Cill Chomain, Ballina Stephenites, Crossmolina, Hollymount-Carramore
Breaffy House JFC Group 2
Louisburgh, Balla, Ballycroy, Castlebar, Shrule-Glenncorrib, Lacken
Breaffy House JFC Group 3
Eastern Gaels, Charlestown, Kilmeena, Lahardane, Ballaghaderreen, Moygownagh
Breaffy House JFC Group 4
Kilmovee Shamrocks, Ardnaree, Knockmore, Ballycastle, Kilfian, Ballintubber.
