Search Results for 'Declan Reilly'

With just two league games under their belts for the 16 senior clubs in the county, the race for the Moclair Cup gets under way this weekend with eight games across the four groups in the Treanlaur Catering Mayo GAA senior football championship getting going to the whistle over Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

All roads lead to Castlebar on Sunday for Mayo’s showcase football final. The proximity of the two clubs with brothers and cousins being on opposite teams makes it intriguing to say the least. Barry Moran being fit for the Mitchels is a must to combat the power of the O’Shea brothers. I expect Castlebar to have the resources to shut out the threat of Alan Durcan, Liam Irwin, and co, and don’t expect them to get the same freedom they were afforded in the semi-final win over Charlestown. However Breaffy have a mean back line themselves and a very hard working half forward line to boot. I still think Castlebar hold the aces up front, and in Neil Douglas, Neil Lydon, and Richie Feeney they have three top drawer forwards. It is simple, the mid field battle decides who wins the game. If Castlebar break even in the middle their superior forward line will see them through. The bookies see this as a foregone conclusion, I am not so sure it’s that straightforward. Castlebar at 10/11 to start at -2 is the bet of the weekend.

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.

The hard yards put in on the muddy fields from Belmullet to Shrule over the wild winter and soaking spring will be put to the test this weekend when the first ball is thrown-in in this year’s Mayo club championships. From Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon, across 16 games in the senior and intermediate championships the shape the summer will take for 32 clubs will start to form.

The hard yards put in on the muddy fields from Belmullet to Shrule over the wild winter and soaking spring will be put to the test this weekend when the first ball is thrown-in in this year’s Mayo club championships. From Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon, across 16 games in the senior and intermediate championships the shape the summer will take for 32 clubs will start to form.

The members of the Mayo senior football team will be putting last Sunday's disappointment to one side this weekend as the second round of games in the Breaffy House Senior Football League throws in across all the divisions. In the top division the local derby meeting between Breaffy and Ballintubber is one of the stand out fixtures. Breaffy, under new manager Declan Reilly, picked up a hard fought win over their other local rivals Castlebar Mitchels in round one, thanks to big performances from Aidan and Seamus O’Shea along with Alan Durcan in their full forward line, and will be hoping to have the same result against the 2010 and 2011 county champions. Ballintubber also picked up the points in their opening league game, seeing off Ballinrobe by six points, and Peter Ford’s men will be relishing this challenge that awaits them in Breaffy on Sunday.

Éire Óg senior footballers are still in the Leinster championship when they drew level with Colmcille of Longford after extra time in Dr Cullen Park on Sunday.

It all starts here on Sunday at 3pm local time (8pm at home), the All Ireland senior football championship in its celebratory 125th year gets under way with the footballers of Mayo taking to the field in Gaelic Park, roughly 3,047 miles from home in McHale Park, Castlebar.