It was inevitable, I guess, that this cursed summer would refuse to produce the kind of weather needed for fast, flowing opening round club Championship clashes this weekend. But, of course, it did even better than that, visiting a storm across the country over the last few days, with many Round 1 matches played with near gale-force winds blowing.
It was no surprise, then, that Round 1 of the club Championships produced a raft of low-scoring contests. I made it to Aghamore myself this afternoon, an elevated venue where a howling wind blew across the pitch and where the home side and neighbours Ballyhaunis played out a tense 0-9 to 1-6 draw.
That game was tied at just three points apiece at half-time and, with both sides struggling to cope with the conditions and both keen on maintaining possession where possible, it looked like the contest would never catch fire properly. It did, though, with both teams firing over impressive second half points in the swirling conditions before Ballyhaunis struck for what looked like a decisive goal three minutes from the end of normal time.
Aghamore battled back well, however, with Fergal Boland driving through the middle and pointing but it looked like their chance was gone when Liam Lavin’s injury time penalty was saved and he was penalised for something (I’ve no idea what) while in the process of banging the ball to the net on the rebound. The home side did, however, get one final chance, when will-o-the-wisp wing forward Tom O’Flaherty knocked over an outrageous score from out on the wing to claim a share of the spoils.
That result, coupled with Knockmore’s 0-9 apiece draw with Castlebar Mitchels yesterday evening, means that it’s all-square in Group 4 after the opening round of matches. The big two will, of course, be heavily fancied to advance to the knockout stages so in that sense both Aghamore and Ballyhaunis will be ruing the missed opportunity that today’s draw represents for both of them. That said, it’s still all to play for in the group.
In Group 1, meanwhile, Ballina Stephenites and Mayo Gaels are in the driving seat, as both enjoyed opening round wins today. Stephenites’ televised tussle with Breaffy was tight all the way through but they managed to prevail at the finish by 0-12 to 0-11. Mayo Gaels had an easier time of it in their derby clash with Balla, winning that one this afternoon at Mayo Abbey by 0-16 to 0-10.
In Group 2, defending county champions Westport were the big winners, their 3-20 to 0-6 thumping of Charlestown yesterday sending out the clearest of signals that they intend to defend the Moclair Cup with everything they’ve got. Ballaghaderreen were the other winners in that group, edging out Claremorris yesterday by 0-13 to 0-11.
Ballintubber and Belmullet got the start they both wanted in Group 3. The Tubbermen finished with fourteen players, as Cillian O’Connor saw red, while The Neale were reduced to thirteen in a game that finished 1-12 to 0-5 today. Belmullet, meanwhile, beat Garrymore 1-7 to 1-6, clinching victory right at the finish of a dramatic contest at Tallagh this afternoon.
This is how the Round 1 ties in the Intermediate Championship finished this weekend:
- GROUP 1: Islandeady 2-11 Bonniconlon 1-7; Davitts 1-11 Parke/Keelogues/Crimlin 1-13
- GROUP 2: Kiltimagh 0-5 Louisburgh 1-10; Kilmeena 1-13 Ardnaree Sarsfields 0-7
- GROUP 3: Kiltane 0-8 Hollymount/Carramore 2-13; Burrsihoole 0-9 Ballinrobe 6-9
- GROUP 4: Crossmolina Deel Rovers 1-11 Kilmaine 0-9; Castlebar B 1-8 Bohola Moy Davitts 2-16
The Junior Championship Round 1 results were as follows:
- GROUP 1: Tourmakeady 0-6 Shrule/Glencorrib 0-8; Northern Gaels 1-9 Balycastle 2-6
- GROUP 2: Cill Chomain 0-11 Ardagh 0-8
- GROUP 3: Eastern Gaels 0-9 Kilmovee Shamrocks 1-6
- GROUP 4: Moygownagh 0-7 Lahardane MacHales 1-18; Ballycroy 0-5 Swinford 1-8
I was very impressed with Mikey Murray yesterday , he scored some outrageous points for Ballina Stephenites yesterday in their win over Breaffy , surely he needs to be brought onto the Mayo Panel ,we need a scoring forward like him to complement the other fine forwards we have for Mayo .
Keep up the good work WJ.
I believe he was on the panel this year James Patrick Fleming.
I was at Mayo Gaels and Balla yesterday.Good entertaining game, Balla will kick themselves with the amount of bad wides they had.I thought Jack Fallon of Mayo Gaels is worth a look at by McStay very comfortable on the ball ,athletic and quick for a big man, looks about 6 foot 3.
I think its clear after yesterday Padraig O’Hora should never play in the full back line again for Mayo, his game is made for Centre back.
I see James Horan is on Peader gardiner s ticket for under 20 job . Interesting if true
James Patrick Fleming – that’s good to know. I saw second half only and thought him fairly quiet; he hit one bad wide. Judging a game on seeing only one half is a dangerous pastime – one, mind you, that doesn’t bother a lot of people I know who regularly knock Aido on the basis of some idiotic highlights that they have seen, or ten minutes they have caught somewhere.
I’m going to post a Mayo thirds shortly – a team of players who I think should be knock, knock, knocking on Kevin’s door; indeed some of them might sail in to the firsts, but I’m going on the first thirty that are in situ at present.
My Mayo thirds – the club matches may confirm these or push through others, who shine as the series progresses.
Hennelly
Harrison
Brickenden
Plunkett
Kelly (Fenton)
King (injury issue?)
MacLaughlin (Oisin)
Murray
The other Tuohy lad
Walsh
Hanley
Boland
Moran, Colm
Callaghan
Diskin
Lot of good players there and some ‘whispering’ might improve them further.
Not seeing the hype around some of the ballina players being name checked above .
The only two players in that game who looked even close to county standard yesterday was Aidan O`Shea and Evan Regan in the last 5 minutes.
It was a dour affair and the weather did not help.
The players are there just pick the right ones in the right positions. Anyone who plays Keegan, Mullen and O Hora in a fullback line dont know much about players or football
Good list catcol. All good players. I hope mikey murray stays injury free and pushes fir mayo. He looks stronger now. Not great off left foot but that could be worked on. It all depends on what mayos game plan is. In my opinion we have panel tailor made for a jim mcguinness style structure. We have men that can run all day long. A blind man can see this. If it was implemented over the years we would very likely have won more tight games.
I thought ten,twelve and fifteen for Ballina might be worth a look at
Amazing how people view games, didn’t think Mikie Murray was even in the top 5 Ballina players on the field, let alone an option for Mayo really.
He looked completely out of position at 15. Evan Regan at 14 was far better, kicked 4 points from play and we know all about what he brings at the top level.
Frank Irwin showed some nice flashes of class and is comfortable in possession, he needs some league starts next year. Callinan is improving but not the finished article either but he should get there.
Dylan Thornton was probably the only player on the field not involved in the Mayo panel that could be worth a look, but maybe a year too soon yet. Conor McStay never shoots he just passes the ball back and over across the opposition 45.
If we were to look at the ballina Breffey game really only AOS and Regan stood out. Frank Irwin wasn’t to bad either but what is the standard or bar to be considered a good enough county footballer?
If we were from Wicklow you could say 20 of the players looked county standard there yesterday. If you were from Kerry Dublin or Derry you wouldn’t look past 2/3 lads at a push.
Callainan was good at 3 for Ballina. Irwin was ok without knocking the lights out. Didn’t see anything from McStay to suggest he should be in the county setup. Regan the main forward for ballian though. Other than Aidan, no one stood out for Breffey. Mattie looks low on confidence and out of sorts. Needs to take the winter off, reset and be given clear instructions on what’s wanted from him next year.
You’d imagine senior club football even an All Ireland club final level or a Sigerson final level should be quite comfortable for a division one or division two standard of county player.
I think that’s a reasonable bar of expected performance.
What age is Regan, never quite made it with Mayo, I know he is involved in the setup, but we have precedent for that Billy Fitz I think a selector in 81 and also played.
I think Evan is the team nutritionist so wouldn’t have a selector role. He obviously looks after himself well and if there aren’t 10/12 better forwards in the county,he would deserve to be involved as a player imo.
Suffered a few injuries at crucial times which would have hampered his involvement before I’m sure.
The Regan one is strange, he is by far Ballinas most important player and best forward. Is there a stipulation when being paid to work for the CB you cannot play? I would be surprised if that was the case.
Maybe he just does not want to be involved as a player, and extra commitment that involves.
Jack Coyne got a great score at crucial stage for Ballyhaunis yesterday as well. Himself and Callinan are two great young prospects at the back.
https://mayogaa.com/news-detail/10087459/ 4 games being televised in round 2 of the championship. the Intermediate one looks the tastiest as contenders clash in BMD and Crossmolina Deel Rovers
Regan aint bad in slow conditions but lacked pace for intercounty
Why don’t the county board play the second round on the intermediate and junior next weekend – or have started it last weekend. That way there would be football every weekend. Senior one weekend snd intermediate and junior the following weekend. Now we are going from a glut of football one weekend to no football at all the following weekend.
https://westernpeople.ie/2023/08/20/future-success-for-rural-clubs-in-jeopardy/ a great piece by Aonghus Ó Maicín in the western people on rural decline.
Even the stronger rural clubs like Knockmore, Garrymore and Aghamore are likely to struggle to compete v the larger urban areas of Ballina, Westport, Castlebar and Claremorris sooner rather than later.
It is not like years ago either, populations are dwindling and planning permission is against one off houses in rural settings. Combined with smaller families it is the perfect storm, and not like in decades past where immigration was the issue.
Can see it in the club membership numbers going down year on year at younger age groups, National schools closing or losing teacher numbers. Sad to see.
@ South Mayo exile,common sense is not very common.
I have just seen that JAMES HORAN is going to be part of Peaders Gardiners backroom team. This is great news for Mayo football. together with a brillant management team for the MAYO minor team . The future is looking bright.
I would say Evan Regan was and is fine for pace for intercounty. Not fast, not slow.
Anecdotal and this is where we lack true performance data his shooting % for Ballina is higher now than back in the day.
The other noticeable thing is he has a few kg of muscle put on.
But, he seems to have made that decision. No, we don’t have three better forwards than him for the 13 jersey and we have no mark or freetaker from that side.
He’s still plenty young enough if we did want him involved.
Looks like a very heavy backroom team that Gardiner has for the U20 job.
Some great experienced names in there. Horan seems to be down as selector/advisor. Not sure what exactly that means. You would just hope that his name isn’t being used for the sake of it. Interesting to see Keith Higgins name there too, I could be wrong but I believe he was down as a selector for one of the candidates for the senior job last year?
All in you would expect that management team to get the nod, but I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if the county board go off on a different path.
Would be delighted if Horan is involved in underage. He certainly knows how to spot talent and bring players on.
Evan Regan is and was a very tasty footballer . I agree he didn’t take his chances when given game time albeit he wasn’t that bad either . He was a biteen light/soft at the time and I can specifically remember him been targeted by opposition perhaps because of this (Galway corner back was it kearns his name thumping the head off him in castlebar one year , a Monaghan league game in clones spring to mind ). I’ll not ever forget his performance v Ros in a league game in The Hyde , there was twenty minute spell in that game where I thought yes yes he’s come of age . Think he took Seanie Mac for 1-3 that day . Beautiful footballer when his confidence is up . Just never fulfilled his potential imo .
JP
I think Aidan Orme is the best all round right corner forward in the County.All round hes better than Regan, can win his own ball and take on his man , is way more evasive than Regan, can beat his man, his shooting has let him down abit with County. But he needs time and plenty of games , James O’Donoghue has spoken how a player really needs 2 championship seasons behind him before he can get up to the standard expected.
The underage appointments will be out tonight you’d imagine after the CB meeting. Be interesting see the appointments.
Very interesting replies to my post on the game between Ballina and Breaffy regarding Mickey Murray .He can only improve on his scoring ability on the Mayo panel .
Evan Regan has loads of pace and has bulked up in fairness he is constantly working on himself and improving. He more or less announced his retirement a few years ago. My own opinion is he suffered a lot of horrific injuries playing for Mayo and probably thought he’d be better off just playing club. Definetly a talented footballer
Sam Callinan and AOS I thought were the standouts for Breaffy and Ballina.
Was at the Aghamore/Haunis game which was ruined by the wind. I have watched the disallowed Aghamore goal several times since and still can’t see why it was not given.
Regan is definitely a panel option. Impact sub late in a game he would have lots to offer. I like the way he can kick from distance. He was very impressive in the county final last year.
Cluxton is 41 going on 42!
I wonder though as others have said regarding Evan Regan want to commit to inter County? He’s such a good prospect I’d be so surprised if management haven’t considered him previously there must be a reason why.
Calinan is a great young future star ..great to see o hora back on form to come on ballina ha yes got some poor wides but still think be right up there!
Be interesting to see how Tommy conroys club do this year with him back in full swing…
Clare they didn’t score in second half the weekend, have had retirements and will struggle unfortunately.
Sure look it, Peadar and Horan are back:
https://twitter.com/mayonewssport/status/1693710242121457773?t=LPTdeqjpvxH1_AK-IRBx-A&s=19
https://twitter.com/mayonewssport/status/1693711584915234839?t=Xj9G1Kufr4GdlWgtz9r3kw&s=08
Heanet and Reilly U17
@gizmobobs I know haha I would be going for killala over ballina but no hope thee haha
Gardiner got the u20 gig, all the very best to him and his backroom team. Interesting to see why they only got a 2 year term. Surely you give a 3 year term. Is that not standard? Considering we gave our senior management a 4 year term.
@Green& red maybe only giving 2 year to see how they go .
Wonder how horan will go yes he’s been really good with brining new players through so maybe minor role will suit him better .
Best of luck to them
This has to be good. So many former county players involved in U20 and minor.
Great under 17 management team, expect All Ireland from them
Will be down to players Culmore. Management can coach and facilitate but if the players are not good enough the cups won’t be won