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The Mayo hurlers will face a long trip to Crossmaglen on Sunday afternoon where they will be looking to keep their unbeaten record intact against the Ulster men. Murt Connolly’s side followed up their win over Roscommon in Athleague on the opening day with a spirited draw against a fancied Meath side in McHale Park. The draw has kept Mayo in second place in the league table behind leaders Kildare and the 3-28 that Mayo have scored so far this year is a more than encouraging sign. The fact that Mayo managed to rack up 3-12 last weekend without Keith Higgins who was on football duty is another major plus for Connolly’s Mayo side.

Following a hectic weekend of football action last Saturday and Sunday, three of the county football quarter-finals are down for decision this Sunday. There is a double header in Pearse Stadium with Carraroe taking on Milltown at 3.45pm and Salthill/Knocknacarra facing Moycullen at 5.30pm. Claregalway, who saw off NUIG last weekend, take on championship favourites Corofin in Tuam at 5.30pm. The outstanding quarter-final between Tuam Stars and either Cortoon Shamrocks or Mountbellew/Moylough and Micheal Breathnachs could not be fixed due to the ongoing shenanigans with Mountbellew/Moylough’s appeal.

I recall watching the Irish rugby team playing a Triple Crown match in 1985 against England. The match was very much in the balance with minutes left on the clock. It was at a critical juncture in the game that team captain Ciaran Fitzgerald demanded his team step up to the plate with his by now (in) famous line “where’s your f***ing pride?” The team responded and delivered a magnificent final few minutes to beat England on that day. I have no doubt that Fitzgerald’s leadership was crucial to that victory. Mayo football is, to some extent, at a similar juncture right now. We need leadership both on and off the field and, more than anything else, we need to display a bit of f***ing pride and heart. After last year’s championship defeats to Sligo and Longford we need to resurrect our reputation before we slip into a downward spiral of mediocrity that could prove difficult to shake off were it to continue. Mayo looked very sluggish and tired last year and some critics even suggested that they did not appear to be playing for one another. This season, however, we retained our division one status with some credible gutsy performances but appeared to hit a dip again a few weeks before the London match.

“There is a very thin line between winning and losing,” said a shattered McIntyre after the final whistle.

The Cats may have been one of the last counties out of the blocks in this year’s championship, but when the time arose last Sunday they sent out a severe message to the rest of the contenders that they mean business again this year.

Mountbellew 0-10

Ireland play England in a vital ESB u20 Six Nations rugby championship match at Dubarry Park, Athlone, on Friday evening, February 27 in what is likely to be the decisive game in this year’s championship.