This is just a quick one – the last few days have seen a frenzy of First Communion-related activity at our place and I’m away again on a work thing from tomorrow until the weekend. Just as well there isn’t that much in the way of football to talk about.
As you’re probably well aware, the juniors won again on Friday night, beating Roscommon by 0-13 to 1-9 in the Connacht semi-final. I can’t locate a report anywhere on this match – the best I can do is point you in the direction of the excellent Mayo GAA Twitter page, where you’ll find a few tweets about the game and where they also provide details of the team that lined out on Friday night.
The juniors now face Sligo in the provincial decider, a match that’s down for decision on June 12th. No venue or time has yet been given for that one but seeing as Aghamore and Ballyhaunis have got a twist already, maybe Charlestown might be a sensible venue for the final, what with its proximity to the land of the Magpies and all. On the topic of Sligo, it’s worth bearing in mind that the side our lads will be facing on June 12th isn’t just any common or garden Sligo team: these gents are the reigning All-Ireland champions at junior level so we’ll be doing well to get past them in the final.
Onto the seniors, where the Challenge Match Season lumbers on, though, it must be said, with precious little in the way of challenge matches. There is a match, though, this coming Saturday (14th) where we’re down to play Offaly in Ballintubber (throw-in 4 pm or a bit after).
This match is being held to mark the official opening of the Ballintubber Resource Centre, GAA Pitch and Astro Turf and will be preceded by the Horan Cup Final between the holders Ballintubber and Kilcock (Co.Kildare) which will get underway at 2 pm. Enda Kenny will do the honours for the official opening of the grounds at 4 pm after which ourselves and the Faithful County are set to lock horns in a senior challenge game. I’m also told that an U8s Go Games exhibition match will take place at half-time in the senior game and that a social night will take place in Corley’s Bar & Restaurant in Ballintubber later on that evening, presumably after all the Go Gamers have been tucked up in their beds for the night.
That’s about all that’s going on at the minute. Take care y’all.
I just heard from a few of the Islandeady lads playing the last night against Roscommon in the Juniors. Lucky is the word they described their victory. Its about time Mayo started getting the rub of the green.
Just read Spailpin’s Mayo prediction. I have to admire his positive attitude and wish I possessed it. Age blunts the old enthusiasm. I can vouch for the craic in Belmullet on the 15th and if God spares me I will be there.
As the song says …I see trouble ahead. The U21 fillip will revitalize Galway and like a poker player a lot of chips will be stacked in Castlebar when we meet. Throw in the disgust Galway felt after their league walloping by us, add in PJ and mix in few U21s and we see the size of the job.
A loss there would be catastrophic for us or them. Unlike Spailpin I see nothing but bear traps in the back door. Definitely in there will be some of Sligo or Roscommon, Limerick, Armagh or Down, Tyrone or Monaghan, Kildare or Meath, Laois/Longford or Dublin, not counting a Fermanagh or Wexford type outfit.. Bearing in mind our difficulty in playing Sligo and Longford last year I wouldn’t be too optimistic.
At the end of the day we aint got a full back, center back, we got maybe one midfielder, no center forward and no free taker. Me? I see the same as last year and back to the drawing board. Maybe its the diet I am on trying to lose a few stone thats making me feel crabby. Again I wish I had the energy of the youth as displayed by the excellent Spailpin and his blog. Truly its no country for older men alright.