The main focus at the minute is, I know, squarely on the county finals this coming weekend. While the titles that are set to be won then are huge achievements in their own right, the victorious clubs won’t have long to rest on their laurels as their provincial club campaigns will be getting underway very soon.
Let’s start with three teams who are already top of the pile in Mayo and so who know who’ll they be facing in the Connacht club Championship.
In that regard, it’s only right to start with Knockmore’s LGFA team who ended Carnacon’s long, long reign as Mayo champions a few weeks back. The North Mayo club have a tough assignment on Saturday when they travel to Clonberne to take on Galway champions Kilkerrin/Clonberne in the quarter-finals of the Connacht LGFA Championship. That game throws in at 2pm.
Staying with the women, Mayo camogie champions Na Brídeoga are in Connacht final action on Sunday week, 28th November. In that Connacht Junior B final they’re up against Oran of Roscommon with the game fixed for Oran’s home ground at Rockfield where throw-in is 12pm.
Staying with the small ball game but shifting over to the men, Tooreen – who reclaimed the TJ Tyrell Cup last weekend – are once again contesting the Connacht Intermediate hurling Championship. They begin their campaign with a quarter-final tie against Roscommon’s Athleague and that tie is fixed for Dr Hyde Park on Saturday, 27th November where throw-in is 1.30pm.
Onto the football and starting with the Senior Championship, the winners of the Knockmore/Belmullet decider will start their provincial campaign with a semi-final tie on the weekend of 4th/5th December. That will be against the winners of the Tourlestrane/St Kiernan’s quarter-final – that tie between the Sligo and London champions is on this Saturday – and it’s set to be played at a Mayo venue. The Connacht final will be played in the New Year, either on the weekend of 8th/9th January or the weekend after that.
In the Intermediate football Championship the winners of Saturday’s decider between Ballyhaunis and Mayo Gaels also go through to the Connacht semi-final. There, on the weekend of 4th/5th December, they’ll face the winners of the Dromohair/Leitirmór quarter-final, with that meeting between the Leitrim and Galway IFC champions taking place the weekend after next. Depending on which of them win that quarter-final, the semi-final will be played at either a Galway or mayo venue.
At Junior level, the winners of the Kilmeena/Cill Chomain decider will face Galway opposition, in the form of Athenry or Renvyle, in the Connacht semi-final. That game will also be played on the weekend of 4th/5th December, at a Mayo venue.
Mayos NFL fixtures (source the Irish indo.
At home to Donegal, Armagh, Kildare (all games to be played in other Connacht venues)
Away to Kerry, Tyrone, Dublin, Monaghan
Great stuff Willie Joe. A lot to look forward to.Mayos fixtures for the NFL next year couldn’t be any tougher.. It will be a tough ask to stay in Division 1.
@mayomagic. Monaghan game at home in 1st round.
Surely there is a case to bring Kildare west to a home venue. Ballina, Bangor or Belmullet. Capacity is not a concern for them.
Let’s play all our home games in Ballina if at all possible. The financial gain for the town is of paramount importance even though the capacity will be reduced!
Best of luck to teams playing in County finals this weekend. Hope Beal ath Muirhead will prevail!
Mhuigeo Abu!
@No doubt you must be looking at the fake fixtures that was posted up online a few days ago that was basically a screenshot of Wikipedia.
The official fixtures was sent to the county board last night as has been widely reported. The Irish Examiner says talks are ongoing to get at least one of Mayos home games played in Croke Park.
Educated guess Kildare in Croke Park, Donegal in Sligo and Armagh in Carrick on Shannon or Hyde Park.
Why are people still going on about Ballina as a home ground its not deemed up to standard for Inter County Division 1 League games, the County board have said they can’t hold games here. I am sure they would have games here if they were let. I can see us having to play Monaghan under lights in Croke Park as there is no County ground in Connacht with floodlights. Donegal and Armagh games will probably be in Markievicz Park in Sligo and the Kildare game in Tuam Stadium.
The way Covid cases are going, no one might be attending any game unfortunately. With that in mind, the Mayo CB could look at playing the games in a variety of Mayo venues.
@mayomagic. I stand corrected
Anyone have the rest of the 2022 NFL fixtures please? Be great to start booking accommodation up for next year. Up Mayo!!
Mayo home games should be played in Mayo full stop. Would Charlestown or Ballina not hold nearly as many as Sligo ?. If there is bad wet weather on the day the crowd might only be a thousand or two anyway. Remember Newbridge or Nowhere and the result there. Support our own Towns and Businesses first.
Does anyone have the full league fixtures list for next year? I can’t find them anywhere
Does anyone know if season tickets will be available for next year?
I hope so Done Deal, I don’t want to spend another €150+ on raffle tickets for next years All Ireland
Why would any games be played in Sligo?
Jan 29 v Monaghan…home
Feb 6 v kerry… away
Feb 13 v Kildare…home
Feb 26 v Dublin… away
Mar 8 v Armagh… home
Mar 22 v Tyrone… away
Mar 29 v Donegal…home
That’s the fake news one John+McHale.
Thanks Justin…I was amazed how quickly the fixtures were posted alright. ?
Counties have received a “Provisional” league fixture list and have until next week to make any comments on them in case any amendments need to be made so the fixtures haven’t been set in stone yet.
What is the capacity for supporters attending games in the Bekan complex ?
Why is the Mayo Senior club final not being played there ?
Seriously Mayo88? Two North Mayo teams travelling to Bekan when Ballina is available.
@Justin Morgan, my question is out of curiosity, what is maximum attendance available in Bekan ?, why spend big money to build this complex if its not fully utilised, not only for club matches but for Mayo home league games also.
Do other Connacht teams train there ?
Mayo88 – 800 seats indoors
Justin Healy of Kilcommon should definitely be getting a phone call from James Horan after that junior final. He has the attributes to become a very useful forward at a higher level. That ability to win ball and run at pace at defenders to create the opportunity to kick a score is rare enough on the Mayo club scene. Kilmeena literally had 3 or 4 men marking him at the end there.
Congrats to Kilmeena – just about deserved the victory today. Jack Carney is a nice rangy athletic type player – typical Horan project player actually. Looking forward to seeing how he develops too next year. Could become a hard-running type midfielder.
Congrats to kilmeena
I have to say the county board and local media have really upped their game this year with the coverage, lots of coverage and exposure for all finalists. Great to see
County team is not the be all and end all
I wouldn’t call those provisional League fixtures fake news. Generally the provisional list is confirmed without amendment so these most likely are the real fixtures, though in our case the home venues have yet to be confirmed.
Congratulations to Mayo Gaels
Well done to all teams. I really think we should switch to two relegated and two promoted. It’s holding back clubs and county.
Larry Duff, by all means have a look ar those guys but there is a big difference between junior and senior and club and intercounty.
A real game of two halves in Charlestown. At half time I’d have bet any money that Ballyhaunis would win, with Mayo Gaels only clinging on due to a fortuitous enough goal.
Ballyhaunis ran out of steam mid way through the second half I felt. Higgins had a man of the match first half, but the legs were clearly gone in second half. Ballyhaunis also missed two fairly straightforward frees in second half that allowed Mayo Gaels back in. That said, Mayo Gaels were fantastic after that, getting some super scores and thoroughly deserved the win. A great match for the neutral.
Totally agree JP.. very difficult to win every game to get promoted and yet all you have to do is win one game to stay up! Congrats to Mayo Gaels.. they were the most in-form team at intermediate.
JP has it in one.. 2 up 2 down the only way
Not sure that teams who lose their final would be all that keen going up a level. Would Ballyhaunis like to be going up to senior and Kilcommon to intermediate after losing today.
Agree with JP. Two up and two down makes a more dynamic championship and gets rid of more deadwood at the bottom of senior and intermediate.
Teams are absolutely never going to sign up for that, not in a million years. No player wants to be promoted without a cup and memorable victory to show for it. Championship victories at any level are to be cherished and a parish may not get the chance to experience it again
@supermac that’s the same way it was for years before 2005. Shrule went from junior B to senior in early 2000s despite never winning a championship match.
Absolute joke really that you can have junior teams playing division 1 football.
*apologies I meant a championship title for Shrule not match!
I agree of course that winning the cup is hugely important and it is the ultimate goal of any player across the different divisions. I still think there should be more opportunity for movement up and down through the divisions. Only using this as an example but what would be wrong with Balla playing Ballyhaunis to see who is more deserving of playing senior.. a wild card play off spot. Two teams go up and down at inter-county league and seems to work fine. I think the clubs and players should be asked at least to see what they say.
One up and one down results in way too many Aston Villa clubs. Their main aim is to simply be better than the worst two or three teams.
With two up and down they need to be better than 5 or 6 teams in preparation.
Really looking forward to to the senior final today. I think whoever comes out on top in the battle of the knockmore half forward line Vs the belmullet half back line will win.
Belmullet have been really strong there all year with James Kelly, Owen McHale, Shea Donoghue and led by Eoin o Donoghue. Going to be an absolute war of attrition. Belmullet by the smallest of margins I feel.
Belmullet will be foaming at the mouth for this one and I expect us to bring a controlled aggression to the game which Knockmore may find hard to match. Knockmore have plenty of quality though which may get them over the line.
Good luck all and may the best team win.
I just feel Knockmore typically beat Belmullet and can win surprising comfortable. I’ll say Knockmore by 6pts.
Very poor game so far. Both teams playing very defensive – especially Belmullet.
Hopefully both teams will come and play football in second half. Can’t blame the pitch or conditions