The second weekend in July is where the hopes and dreams will end for eight teams in both the Mayo senior and intermediate football championships. For those who finish bottom of their groups, the task of dragging themselves back up for a relegation fight lies in store, while those who find themselves in the no-man’s land of third place in their groups will at least know they will be back to have another crack at it next year. In the senior championship this weekend, everything is up for grabs. In group one Castlebar Mitchels are leading the pack with two wins from two, while Breaffy and Crossmolina are both on two points, with the west Mayo men in front on head to head results and Davitts taking up the rear. The county town team will host Crossmolina on Saturday evening, and it is very hard to see anything but a home win for Pat Holmes' side, who put Breaffy to the sword last time out and a serious dent in the blues’ title ambitions. The other game in the group sees Declan Reilly's Breaffy make the tough trip to the borderline to take on Pete Warran's Davitts. This time last year both sides also met in the group stages, with Davitts winning out and sending Breaffy into the relegation play-offs. Apart from the Castlebar game, Breaffy have looked very impressive this year seeing off Ballintubber, Ballina, and Castlebar in the league, and Crossmolina in the opening championship game. They go into the game knowing that a win should see them through, unless Crossmolina better Breaffy’s win by at least six points in beating Castlebar. But getting that win is a big if, and Breaffy know they will have to be on top form on Saturday evening to make that happen. Davitts named Michael Conroy in their squad for their last championship game and if the Mayo sharpshooter is fit to play, he will be a massive boost to Davitts’ chances on Saturday evening. It promises to be a tough and uncompromising battle and if Breaffy do make it through, it will serve them well for later on this summer.
First and last places still to be decided
In group two it is all over at the top bar deciding top spot and seeded quarter final for either Ballintubber or Ballina Stephenites. Both sides have two wins from two so far, and the west Mayo men have looked in very impressive form winning last time out against Shrule-Glencorrib, without the services of Alan Dillon and Cillian O'Connor. Peter Ford will bring his side north to James Stephens Park where John Healy has corrected the ship in the north Mayo capital this year, after the unthinkable almost happening last year, when they had to go to the final day to hold on to their senior status in a relegation final. While Ballina have been good, Ballintubber know how to win, and want to win every game they play, and over the past three years have become more than adept at doing that.
In the other game, it is a real do or die affair for both Claremorris and Shrule-Glencorrib with the loser going into the relegation play-offs after the final whistle in Shrule on Sunday evening. This one throws in late at 6pm, so plenty of interested neutrals will have time to make the trip to south Mayo to see it. Shrule-Glencorrib are getting used to life without the star names who brought them to the county final in the recent enough past, while Claremorris would have been hoping that they would be still battling for a last eight place in this game. The visitors might just have enough to head home with the win on Sunday and be able to start plotting and planning for next year.
In group three, Charlestown have done what has been required of them since coming back up from their brief affair with intermediate football last year. At the start of the championship it looked like any two from the three sides could make the last eight and Charlestown have done their part, beating both the other, two Knockmore and Westport, in their first two games. This weekend Charlestown host Tourmakeady and are the big favourites to condemn Paul Jordan's side to the relegation play-offs. That means that all eyes will be on St Patrick's Park in Westport on Saturday at 7pm, where Westport will be hosting Knockmore. The north Mayo men have history and tradition on their side, but their defeat by Charlestown in the last round has left it all hanging on this game. Tomás Tierney has put together a good side in Westport over the last few years and they will have no fear of taking on their visitors. Lee Keegan and Kevin Keane are two of their stand out players, but others such as Lewis Cawley and Damien Keane are more than capable of being a handful for the Knockmore men. This is the real tough one of the weekend to call, but home advantage may just swing it for Tierney's men.
Time to get the calculators out
In group four, there are all kinds of permutations and combinations still in play as all four sides still have a chance of making the elite-eight of the competition. Defending county champions Ballaghaderreen are in pole position, with three points from their first two games, a draw against Aghamore, and a win over Garrymore. While both Ballinrobe and Garrymore have two points each thanks to Garrymore’s win over Ballinrobe and the south Mayo side seeing off Aghamore in the last round of action. This weekend Ballinrobe will host Ballaghaderreen and Aghamore will travel to Garrymore. How can things play out? Well, like this. If Ballaghaderreen beat Ballinrobe they will go through on top of the group, with second place coming out of whoever wins between Garrymore and Aghamore, a draw would also do the south Mayo men. If Ballinrobe beat Ballaghaderreen they will jump ahead of Ballaghaderreen in the table, and if Garrymore win, they would also leapfrog over Ballaghaderreen in the table, while if Aghamore win, they would be level on points with Ballaghaderreen for the second spot in the table and it would come down to scoring difference, as there would be no head to head result. Even with everyone still having a chance to make it through it is very hard to see Ballaghaderreen not picking up the win, so the real excitement will probably be in Garrymore, where it is all on the line for both sides.
So who will make up this year’s elite eight, with some places already decided, we'll go for Castlebar Mitchels, Breaffy, Ballintubber, Ballina Stephenites, Charlestown, Westport, Ballaghaderreen, and Garrymore. But we would not advise anyone to be putting big wagers on that, with a few of those all or nothing games almost too close to call.
