This coming weekend is a massive one for men’s football in the county, with quarter-final ties set to be decided in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior Championships and with relegation play-off clashes taking place too as those involved strive desperately to retain their Senior or Intermediate status for next year.
All that’s discussed in serious depth, by the way, in the latest episode of the podcast, in which Mike gets into detailed conversation with Ed McGreal and Stephen Drake about where things stand in the three Championships and where they might be headed to after the coming weekend.
The pod, a bumper one that’s just shy of two hours, is online now for club members on Patreon. A slightly shorter version, shorn of all that fascinating clubhouse chat at the end that’s reserved for club members, will be available for everyone else on all the usual platforms tomorrow.
Away from all the chatter, meanwhile, the women are a step ahead of their male counterparts coming into this weekend. That’s because the LGFA Senior football Championship has reached the semi-final stage, with both penultimate round ties taking place on Sunday morning.
For the first time in over two decades, Carnacon are playing a knockout Championship tie not as the Mayo Senior champions but as challengers. Their opponents on Sunday are the current county champions, Knockmore, who, of course, beat Carnacon in last year’s county final. This rematch tie throws in at Clogher on Sunday at 11am.
The second semi-final is a derby encounter between West Mayo rivals Westport and Burrishoole. They’re also set to face off on Sunday at 11am and the venue for that is St Patrick’s Park in Westport. Michael Gallagher has a great preview piece on that game in this week’s Mayo News – that’s here.
Other Mayo LGFA Championship games down for decision this weekend (also on Sunday at 11am) are as follows:
- Senior Shield semi-finals: Hollymount v Kilmovee Shamrocks; Castlebar Mitchels v Moy Davitts
- Junior A semi-finals: Ballyhaunis v Breaffy; Aghamore v St Brigid’s
- Junior A Shield semi-final: The Neale v Kiltane
Thanks Willie Joe.
Anyone know who(if any) was the last non amalgamated team that done the senior double before Knockmore last year?
Would Hollymount have won in the 1990’s/ They dominated for a number of years pre the Carnacom dominance and won two senior mens titles in the 1990’s so could have managed the double?
Thanks WJ,
Having played against all 4 of the semi finalists it’s difficult to call as each of the 4 have very different strengths and weaknesses.
Westport and Burrishoole are both very physical, push the boundaries of what’s considered a tackle and know how to handle themselves off the ball. Burrishoole have picked up 1 or 2 yellows in every game so far and that indiscipline could cost them because they’ll need all 15 on the field to beat Westport. They play a lovely fast, foot passing attacking style when in possession and get numbers back very quickly when out of possession. They’re very fit and powerful.
Westport on the other hand have a very well balanced 1 to 15 but there’s huge pressure on them to win a county title, considering all the minor and senior county panelists in their squad. Having a Burrishoole man as their manager will add extra spice to this one. Westport make great angled runs off the ball and carry a serior goal threat, and are happy to employ a double sweeper when they need to.
Carnacon are probably the oldest and least athletic of the 4 but they have serious muscle memory and game management intelligence. They know how to control the tempo of the game and in what areas of the field it gets played in. Almost impossible to counter attack against and as cute as hell.
Knockmore have a very structured attack in that they want to spread the play very wide and open up space down the central channel for runners coming through. A smart defensive structure on kick outs also and I feel they have another gear to click into. Last years experience will be a huge boost to them and with 5 or 6 county panelists in their ranks they’ll be more than capable of winning it all.
Too close to call for me.