We’ve been like the invisible men for the last number of weeks, with everyone else getting to shake their booties in the championship while we’ve had to look on from the sidelines but finally, with just ten days to go until we get underway, some small morsels of information have begun to leak out about our upcoming Connacht semi-final against Leitrim.
First up is the announcement that the ref for the game will be Martin Higgins from Fermanagh. I know, I haven’t heard of him either but he is, apparently, a new name on the list for the championship this year (Indo report here) although he did also feature a few years back. As far as I know, he’s never reffed a match that we’ve been involved in, not in recent years at any rate. I see that Derry’s manager John Brennan had a mickey fit earlier this year over the Fermanagh man’s performance in their league game with Kildare but that’s about all the intelligence I can unearth on him. We’ll take him as we find him, I guess.
Next, the official Mayo GAA site have now posted details on ticket arrangements for the game. It’s €25 for the stand, €20 for the concrete seating and €5 for juveniles. Tickets are available from all the usual sources, full details here.
Sunday week’s card is actually a triple-header, with a Ladies Intermediate Connacht football semi-final between Sligo and Leitrim getting the action going at midday. The minor football semi-final between our lads and Sligo throws in at 1.30pm and then, after Enda Kenny does the official McHale Park re-opening honours, hostilities in the senior match gets underway at 3.30pm.
GAAboard is reporting (mayo v leitrim thread) that we drew with Monaghan last night in Longford, Mayo 3-8 Monaghan 1-14, poor performance the reporter says.
I know nothing about the game but 8 goals in two games is either poor defending from bad opposition or we’re hitting a purple patch.
We’d need to be seeing a few more points along with that though, not to split hairs or anything. No idea of scorers or anything else.
I meant a purple patch on the goal scoring side of things, not in general (although hopefully…)
Whats our minor team like this year?
Westmeath are in disarray even Offaly beat them in a challenge game recently. 3-8 (11 scores) to 1-14 (15) v a side that won’t come close to winning Ulster is a cause for concern.
Minors had mixed results in the league lost to Leitrim,Roscommon beat Galway,Sligo,Longford. They should reach the final which means a quarter final place at least.
Are we the very last team out in the championship this year?
The Rossies beat Leitrim 2-19 to 0.12 in a challenge during the week. Both teams depleted somewhat.
Leitrim are in bad shape even a club team from Dublin comfortably beat them in a challenge game recently & their league form in Div 4 was less than impressive lost to Limerick,Clare,Wiclow,Fermanagh won v London,Kilkenny,Carlow,Waterford