Action heats up in ladies club championships

The Mayo LGFA senior, intermediate and junior ‘A’ and ‘B’ championship are now at their business ends, following last weekend’s conclusion of the group stages.

Further to the senior reports on pages 10-11, fixture details for the next rounds of games have been released, with many clubs, after playing three weekends in a row, now having to wait almost a month before their next matches.

The senior championship semi-finals will not be played until Sunday, October 12. Knockmore will entertain Castlebar Mitchels at 10.30am while Westport host Burrishoole at 11am. That’s also the weekend that Charlestown Sarsfields will take on local rivals Kilmovee Shamrocks in the Mayo LGFA Senior Shield Final but while date, time and venue are yet to be confirmed for that match, the relegation playoff between Carnacon and Hollymount will go ahead at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence on Sunday, October 12 at 11am.

The intermediate championship is also at its semi-final stage, however, those games will take place next Sunday at 11am. Claremorris host Ballyhaunis while MacHale Rovers entertain Aghamore. Rovers were beaten by Ballyhaunis 3-12 to 2-11 last Sunday but had already done enough to top Group B. Claremorris enjoyed a 5-09 to 1-04 victory away to Kilmoremoy while Aghamore overcame hosts Louisburgh 3-11 to 1-04.

There is some consolation for Louisburgh however, as they have done enough to contest the intermediate shield final against Moy Davitts at the Connacht Centre of Excellence next Sunday. Moy Davitts advanced thanks to a 3-15 to 3-10 win against Davitts at the weekend. The result sends Davitts into a relegation playoff with Kilmoremoy which has been provisionally fixed for 11am on Sunday, October 12 at Connacht CoE.

There were some thrilling games in Round 3 of the junior ‘A’ championship last Sunday. In Group A, The Neale and Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin played out an enthralling draw, 1-6 to 0-9, while there was goals galore in the group’s other fixture as St Brigid’s recorded a ten points win over Kilmeena, 9-07 to 4-12.

In Group B, there was a huge local derby in Breaffy were the hosts were forced to succumb to Balla who booked their spot in the semi-finals with a 2-07 to 0-8 win. Swinford-Killasser were much too good for Westport ‘B’ who they beat 8-20 to 0-5.

The junior ‘A’ semi-finals are scheduled for next Sunday at 11am. Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin’s aforementioned draw has earned them home advantage against Balla while Swinford-Killasser will entertain St Brigid's. For Breaffy and The Neale however, they will have to wait until the weekend of October 11/12 before playing the junior ‘A’ shield final, likewise neighbours Kilmeena and Westport ‘B’ who are to meet in the relegation playoff at Connacht CoE.

The junior ‘B’ championship is different to the others in that a round of quarter-finals is fitted in after the group stage. The identity of those qualifiers became known after an action-packed third round of matches last Sunday.

In Group A, MacHale Rovers ‘B’ beat Islandeady 5-07 to 3-07 and Kiltimagh powered past Eastern Gaels 6-16 to 0-06. Group B saw Belmullet account for Claremorris ‘B’ by 6-09 to 2-03 while Tuar Mhic Éadaigh saw off Castlebar Mitchels ‘B’ by 4-12 to 2-03.

In Group C, Kiltane ran out winners over Shrule-Glencorrib by 2-20 to 0-07 and Kilmaine won their South Mayo derby with Ballinrobe by fifteen points, 4-12 to 0-09. There was a draw in the Group D meeting of Achill and Cil Chomáin, 2-03 to 1-06, with Aghamore ‘B’ receiving a bye.

The last eight games are pencilled in for next Saturday, September 20 and are due to throw-in at 11am: Cill Chomáin v Tuar Mhic Éadaigh, Kilmaine v Aghamore ‘B’, Belmullet v MacHale Rovers ‘B’, Kiltimagh v Kiltane.

The junior ‘B’ shield quarter-finals will take place at the same time: Claremorris ‘B’ v Ballinrobe, Castlebar Mitchels ‘B’ v Islandeady, Achill v Eastern Gaels. Shrule-Glencorrib have a bye into the semi-finals.