It will be a hectic day of action on Sunday, with 16 games across four divisions taking place in the Mayo League. The league pulled the Saturday evening games and rearranged all the action for Sunday, following Mayo's draw with Kerry in the All Ireland semifinal last Sunday.
In the top division, Manulla will be looking to have pulled level on points with the champions by the time Westport United's coastal derby with Achill Rovers kicks off in The Valley. Manulla will travel to Glenhest Rovers in one of three early kick-offs in the top division looking to pick up their 12th win of the season, the Carramore outfit had last weekend off - as they were not involved in cup action, while Glenhest booked a semifinal spot in the Super Cup, thanks to a 2-0 win away to Achill Rovers thanks to goals from Shane Loftus and Kevin Ward.
The other early kick offs see the four sides who are currently sitting from third to sixth in the table face off. Third placed Castlebar Celtic will entertain sixth placed Ballyglass in Celtic Park at 12.30pm. The visitors head into the game on the back of a 4-0 cup quarter-final defeat to Westport United last weekend, while Celtic were 2-0 winners in the same competition against Straide and Foxford United, with Imoh Atoi and Jason Hunt finding the back of the net for the Hoops. The final 12.30pm kick-off is the meeting of fifth place Claremorris and fourth placed Straide and Foxford United in Concannon Park. The sides are locked level on 24 points each at the moment and whoever wins this one will take a big step to obtaining that third place finish in the table, with only two rounds of action to go after this one. When these two met in May the game ended in a 3-3 draw in Green Road.
The afternoon kick-offs in the top division see Westport United firm favourites to move one step closer to the title when they take on an Achill Rovers side rooted to the bottom of the table and heading for relegation back down to the Premier Division, just a year after coming up to the top flight. The other afternoon game is the meeting of Ballyheane and Ballina Town in Quigley Park. The home-side badly need a win, sitting in the last relegation place, four points off safety and if they fail to get a result and Glenhest Rovers manage to see off Manulla they are also for the drop to the Premier Division for next season.
Iorras look to wrap up the crown
Having been promoted a few weeks ago, it was only a matter of time before Iorras Aointaithe would be crowned the Premier Division champions. With three games to go they are nine points clear of second placed Kiltimagh-Knock United, and any sort of positive result this weekend will see them crowned champions. On Sunday they will face seventh placed Fahy Rovers at 3.30pm in Fahy, and come full time it should be time for celebration for the men from Erris. Second placed Kiltimagh-Knock United will be hoping they can seal their promotion to the top flight also on Sunday, they are seven points in front of both Swinford and Conn Rangers at the minute and if they can pick up full points from their visit to sixth placed Ballyhaunis Town, they will go up to the Super League next season.
The battle at the bottom of the table is where it is all still to play for really going into the last three games. Just six points separate bottom of the table Crossmolina and fifth placed Westport United ahead of this weekend's fixtures, while it looks like it might be too late for Crossmolina, second bottom Killala are only three points off fifth place and two off sixth placed Ballyhaunis Town, one off seventh placed Fahy Rovers, and are level on points with eighth placed and currently safe Bangor Hibs. With both Fahy Rovers and Ballyhaunis Town facing the top two this weekend, the whole look of the bottom of the table could change dramatically by Sunday evening. Killala will host Conn Rangers, Bangor Hibs will travel to Westport United B, and Crossmolina will be on the road to Swinford. Interesting times ahead for sure in this one.
