There is no let up on the GAA front as winter creeps in with the A finals in the minor and u21 championships down for decision this weekend. First up is the meeting of the newly crowned senior champions Castlebar Mitchels and Bohola Moy Davitts in the u21 A final in the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Ballyhaunis this evening at 8.30pm.
Castlebar are backboned by a number of players who won senior medals last Sunday, such as Danny Kirby, brothers Patrick and James Durcan, Fergal Durcan, and Cian Costello. They saw off the challenge of Aghamore a fortnight ago in the same venue comprehensively on a score of 4-13 to 0-7 and will go into the game as warm favourites. Moy Davitts will not be fearing them and will be looking to the likes of this year’s Mayo u21 panellist Sean Kelly, along with Anthony Jordan and All Ireland minor winner Conor Byrne, to go toe to toe with the Mitchels.
On Saturday at 2pm the minor A final will see Breaffy try to shake off their disappointment of losing last week’s senior final when they take on Claremorris in Ballinrobe. Breaffy breezed through the west seeing off Louisburgh in the divisional final, before accounting for Knockmore in the semi-final. Big things will be expected from the likes of Liam Irwin, Michael Hall, and Matthew Ruane, and with other players like the teak tough Paddy Burke in defence will need to be on top of their game. Claremorris needed extra time to see off Ballaghaderreen in their semi-final win and after beating the same opposition in the u16 decider they will be hoping to do the double over Breaffy. The likes of Ronan Finn, Ciaran Walsh, Mark Killeen, and Stephen Donnellan will be expected to do their stuff for Mick Walsh’s team.
Garrymore will be the venue for the high noon battle between Aghamore and Tourmakeady to retain their senior status on Sunday. The Aghamore men will go into the game as slight favourites, but the Tourmakeady men will not leave anything behind them on Sunday and will make it very difficult for Aghamore. In the intermediate championship relegation play off it is the meeting of Bonniconlon and Achill on Sunday in Islandeady at noon. This battle to avoid the drop to the bottom level of championship football will surely go to the wire.
