There was more club action on within the county this weekend but, for the middle of August at a time when many other counties are moving ahead with their respective Championships, what there is to report on constitutes slim enough pickings.
One Championship that is underway is the Senior Hurling one, with the first game to be played in the quest for possession of the the TJ Tyrell Cup taking place on Friday evening. In it, defending champions Tooreen were far too strong for Castlebar Mitchels at Josie Munnelly Park, where they came out on top by 5-22 to 0-6.
There were also two matches in the Junior A Hurling Championship this weekend. Two close contests they were too, in which Westport edged out Tooreen by 2-12 to 0-14, while Ballina Stephenites beat Moytura by 3-8 to 0-15. In Junior B, Claremorris beat Caiseal Gaels by 2-9 to 1-6.
Onto the football, where the destination of League honours remains to be decided, though the various divisional titles are now all close to getting sorted.
In Division 1, the final will be contested by Knockmore and Castlebar Mitchels. The county champions saw off neighbours Ballina Stephenites at James Stephens Park this afternoon by 2-12 to 0-14 while yesterday evening at Munnelly Park Castlebar Mitchels got the better of Garrymore on a scoreline of 2-14 to 2-9.
In the Division 1 relegation play-off, Kiltimagh had two points to spare over hosts Ballaghaderreen in a high-scoring encounter yesterday evening. Kiltimagh won that one by 5-13 to 3-17.
In Division 2, Davitts beat Hollymount/Carramore yesterday evening by 2-15 to 2-14, while today Parke dispatched Belmullet by 0-11 to 0-8. In the Division 2 relegation play-offs, Cill Chomain beat Ardnaree by 3-12 to 1-11 yesterday evening while this afternoon Crossmolina beat neighbours Lahardane by 2-15 to 0-11. The above photo, by the way, was taken at that game played today at Bofeenaun.
In Division 3, Bonniconlon beat Castlebar Mitchels by 4-7 to 0-8, while Killala beat Ardagh by 1-13 to 1-9.
Finally, in Division 4, Charlestown beat Ballintubber by 1-15 to 0-11, while Breaffy edged out Balla by 1-14 to 2-9.
Thanks WJ for the update. It is the middle of August. Mayo have been out of the championship for months. Not a sign of a club championship game. The weather has been excellent and not a game to go to or talk about. Yet the split season we were told was going to be for the benefit of everyone. No wonder people are getting worked up over Ryan v Cillian, McStay v Solan, v Dempsey v Shaw and the Co Board v everyone. At the time of the year where we should really be enjoying our gaa games, there are none to enjoy.
@to win just once. Totally agree. I stated in a previous thread that the championship should be up and running and anyone who wants to travel let them off and enjoy themselves and not to be keeping the majority of club players kicking their heels waiting for September. Absolutely ridiculous
Managed to get to both Div1 semi finals over the weekend. Two very good and quick games. Castlebar look impressive. Can play both a running and kicking game. And the young lads coming into their team are very quick and clever attacking players. A dangerous combo for any defender. I thought castlebar deserved their win, had more legs in the last 15 minutes when Garrymore seemed to run out of gas. The other match on Sunday was a cracker too. There is some rivalry between ballina and Knockmore. Plenty of hard hits and some great scores. Knockmore very efficient in front of goal, made all the difference in the end. Would be another very impressive result if Knockmore were to win their second league in 2 years considering they hadn’t won one for 20 before that.
Green&Red – Castlebar have looked very good so far in the league and they have plenty of youth and pace in the squad.
Did ballina and knockmore have near full strength teams out ?
JKEL88 – Castlebar dark horses for the championship. However I did think the Knockmore Ballina game was played at a higher intensity. But castlebar still look good. I’d fear a wet October day could be their downfall in the championship. Hard surface suits them down to the ground. A small bit like Westport. Regarding the ballina and Knockmore game, both teams down 2-3 key starting players I would say.
3 of them 4 teams to make championship semi’s if kept apart I’d predict. . Anyone any interest in a last man standing for the club championship? Pick a senior intermediate and a junior team each week. 10 euro a head . Buy back in in group stage if you want. Did 1 last year with 15 others in a WhatsApp group with revoult payments. Was savage craic. Keeps you interested in all the game’s . Willing to do the donkey work with a bit of help if anyone interested . Hope you don’t mind me putting this up wj. If enough interested we’ll sort something or the next week or so.
I listened to Ger Flanagan on the Mayo news podcast defending this absolute farce of a situation the other day and couldn’t believe some of what I was hearing really.
Talking to a lot of club players around the county in recent weeks and they are disgusted with this setup. A lot of lads have been saying why couldn’t we have started the championship this weekend just past? Ten weeks of the best weather of the year wasted for a club league that is now so compromised it’s almost meaningless. As a lad said to me last week – we will probably be playing our county semi finals and finals in cold rain and mud in early October now. The Michael Walsh competition is something that half the counties clubs couldnt care less about yet it took until June to finish it. Some teams didn’t even bother entering a team in it.
Important to look after the number one priority in Mayo gaa right now – McBrides gaa club in Chicago. As long as they have access to the best players in Mayo gaa in July and august, nothing else matters really.
Was at the Ballina v Knockmore game yesterday which was an entertaining affair. Leaving the game it struck me, that over half the adult players in both clubs, those that dont make their championship 20 let’s say, will play no more matches in August, September, October, November, December, January 23 and February 23. That seems like a ridiculous situation. Why should these lads even bother to show up at training. It must be so disheartening for them.
Crazy that championship isn’t up and going yet, mayo have been out of the championship a long time now and still we won’t see championship action til September.
Every other county a couple of rounds into championship already, including galway and kerry who competed in the AI final
Club players constantly being around at the alter of the county team.
Not to mention the fact you have the farcical scenario of next county manager having to find new forwards in the muck and winter football in low scoring games in late October
This has been a major misstep. We should be well into the Mayo championship. Perilous to repeat a situation like this next year. Kill off the club, kill off the Mayo seniors, become a place where football is not sacred.
Keep messing about with club and that’s where we’ll end up.
The major benefactors of this scenario has been clubs stateside.
Well at least McStay, Solan, Dempsey, and Shaw have not been blindsided, and should be able to catch up with the action, whichever of them is appointed.
catcol – In fairness to Dempsey, Solan and Shaw they’re well involved in the club scene so may not need too much of a catch up.
Great game Sunday. 2 young sides well coached. A bit of shadow boxing before championship? Castlebar ticking along nicely. And a good win for my own parish too against a good Lahardane side. North Mayo back on the up!
A rule should be brought in that the club championship should start 4 or 6 weeks after Mayo exit the county championship. That would give a decent break to County prayers to travel or have a break but give momentum to club scene aswell.
Lahanman – The leagues is the real issue this year. Started far too late and with new structure meant 3 rounds needed to be played even after the league itself finished. The structure is excellent, just too late.
Great opportunity for the US to strengthen its summer championship by enticing good young student footballers over. Lucrative for students too. But i dont think it should be at expensive of holding our championship up.
Two Yellows, McStays ticket well involved in the club scene also with McHale and Mulligan.
Lahanman sounds good in theory but how to players manage family holidays etc if Mayo are knocked out early in the championship. Players need a definite date at the start of the year when the club championship will start. All Ireland is a definite date so all club championships should start on a time period after that date, say for example 3 weeks. then every county is accommodated and players know for sure when they play.
I think a review of Mayo club competions is needed after this year. I am a big supporter of split season but believe we need to change.
Firstly, the league. Each division split into A and B – eight teams in each. The league finishes and then goes to knockout. Assuming same outcome from each group the remianing games split as follows – Two teams have no further game (5th and 6th). 4 teams have one further game (bottom 2 teams and 2 losing quarters), 1 has 2 further game (losing semi) and 1 has 3 more (finalist). In my mind that is ridiculous. Some teams have no further footbal whereas some go on for three more games. For those with no game or one game that is not a great lead in to championship. If decision is to remain with A and B then at most should be semi final and final or just final, plus relegation. Then a week off and into championship. My preference would be to do away with A and B and the league winner/ relagation/promotion is just decided by top/bottom.
As for championship – start it the week after all Ireland final, exception is if Mayo play in final then it is put off two weeks. Last round of league (or playoffs) is two weeks before chamionship.
Really looking forward to championship. Was at both league semi finals. the four teams on display are going to be in the mix this year. Garrymore/Castlebar are in same group as are Ballina/Knockmore so two tough groups and they will battle to top.
There’s one other major point. One team relegated and one team promoted is not good for our club scene.
Intermediate teams face a win every game in knockout scenario to get promoted.
Senior teams have a win just one game in relegation semi and final to stay up.
I don`t see any issue with starting the club championship later if it is still wrapped up in advance of the provincial rounds.
It`s all good and well to say we should have be through a few rounds already but it is more important that lads can get out and enjoy themselves and be happy outside football.
The majority of players who are travelling and playing abroad for the summer have had restrictions on themselves for the past 2/3 summers due to covid and intercounty commitments. We all need a break in life and it is good that they get to go out and enjoy themselves with their friends.
Every player who will be playing in the club championship in 3 weeks time knew well in advance when the games would be so could also plan their holidays accordingly.
I stand to be corrected, because I don’t really know the club scene, but I imagine a new manager/team would be scouring everything that moves from September onwards, which would include intermediate and junior. I doubt if senior club managers would have time to do that as part of their normal remit, even though they would be well versed in the club scene.
Nothing stopping lads going away as much as they please.. amazing that this hasn’t held up basically every other county though (Tyrone and Fermanagh the only 2 in both codes starting after Mayo)
Another cracking weekend’s weather for club matches, great to see so many great games played over the weekend – an absolute joy for players to be playing championship ball at this time of year.
Followed the Galway games again, Rob Finnerty put on an exhibition scoring 1-5 from play for Salthill. From other county players, Damien Comer scored 1-3 from play also for Annaghdown, and Owen Gallagher, Dessie Conneely and Sean Kelly (Moycullen), Conor Campbell, Jack Glynn (Claregalway) and Dylan McHugh, Tony Gill, Dylan Canney (Corofin) really stood out, and Niall Daly for Kilconly in intermediate.
From non county panelists – Barry McHugh, Matthew Barrett (Mountbellew), Cian Folan (Killannin), Ronan Steede and Martin farragher (Corofin) – to name a few – all were very impressive
Slightly off the topic but are there too many past managers in some of the proposed backroom teams ? we all know that it’s very hard to be taking orders rather that dishing out chores to others.
If the provincial club championships were starting one month earlier and finishing one month earlier – which they should be doing with the split season – then Mayo would have to start their championship a month earlier.
Now we will have clubs waiting all year and starting and in some cases finishing their club championship in 7 days in September. If you lose your first two championship games your season is effectively over. Looks like our show case county finals will be played at the end of October again- more than likely in the wind and rain and club players sitting around these weekends waiting for games.
Southmayo Exile most teams don’t want to be relegated so how could there season be over in 7 days
no manager yet , they are gone very quite . as nora batty would say they are up to something
It’s a joke. Second round of club football championships in Meath next weekend.
People looking for 4 to 6 weeks to start a championship campaign are having a laugh.
Premier league professional soccer players don’t have that much of a preseason.
The championship should be scheduled to start the week after the all Ireland senior football final.
If Mayo are in it, which they wont be most years, let’s be realistic, then push it back 2 weeks. It takes 7 weekends of football to play off a championship. It should be all over by the 15th of September for 95% of the club players in Mayo, with a showcase final in McHale park in mid September where the sod is dry and there’s a reasonable chance of decent weather.
October to January is off season for all apart from clubs involved in Connacht championship campaigns. If you don’t win a county title like 43 of the 46 clubs in Mayo each year, you will enjoy a good closed season from Oct to Jan with no games in the dark and cold.
If you are one of the lucky 3 who do, the buzz and spark around your local club will keep you going through a Connacht campaign that will be a once in a lifetime experience for most players that get to do it, apart from a small handful of big senior clubs that repeatedly win county titles.
Play the club league before and during the intercounty season.
Give all clubs a good program of regular games from April to July. If county players are around, play them. If not, still play the games.
Some close results from the games at the weekend, Davitts seem to be going well! Any standout performances from the weekend.