The battle to be the next intermediate champions heats up on Sunday as the championship reaches the quarterfinal stage, with eight teams left battling it out to follow in the footsteps of last year's champions Westport.
The action throws in at 1.30pm in Islandeady when last year's junior winners Louisburgh take on Mayo Gaels for a spot in the last four. John Kelly's side had three points to spare over Burrishoole last weekend and topped their group with two wins and a draw, and with Kevin Gibbons hitting six points last weekend they will look to him to lead the line again. Mayo Gaels finished in second place behind Islandeady and booked their spot in this round with a big 2-15 to 0-10 win over Swinford last weekend, Adam Gallagher kicked 12 points in that win, eight of them from play. There will not be much in this one come the full time whistle you would imagine.
There is a double header in Bekan on Sunday, with the first game the meeting of Parke and Moy Davitts, the west Mayo men were turned over in style by Ardnaree last weekend, going down 4-14 to 0-11, and now face the high flying Moy Davitts who put nine past Castlebar Mitchels B as they topped their group with three wins from three. Moy Davitts could be a real coming force, but Parke are a hard battling team and will dig in against the Riverside men, but the greater scoring threat from the likes of Brian Reape should see them home in this one.
The second game in Bekan on Sunday sees Ardanree meet last year's beaten finalists Kiltimagh. The east Mayo men will be most people's favourites, but following their big win over Parke Raymond Dempsey's men will feel they have a big say in this one. Kiltimagh have been flying it in the league this year too and their only loss in the championship was in a thriller against Moy Davitts in round one, and they will be set on making up for last year's defeat in the final and having another crack at winning the title.
The last game of the day is the meeting of near neighbours Islandeady and Burrishoole in Westport at 4pm, the sides met at this stage last year with Burrishoole winning out. But this year Islandeady have the look of a side who will have real cut at winning the title. They topped a group with Mayo Gaels, Shrule-Glencorrib, and Swinford, and Declan Conway's team look like they really mean business. Burrishoole will be looking to Alan Ryder and Jason Doherty to drive them on to victory, but in Darragh Joyce, Ollie Feeney, and Peter Collins, Islandeady have quality to lead their challenge too. It should be close, but Islandeady might just get revenge for last year.
