Home comforts to be crucial for Tourmak'
Tourmakeady manager Shane Moran will hope their strong home form continues for their Mayo junior 'A' quarter-final. Picture: Conor McKeown
One of the favourites for the junior A championship and last year winners of junior ‘B’ meet this Saturday and while Tourmakeady are rightly the favourites, Killala will hold high hopes of causing an upset.
Killala started their championship well with victory over Achill but defeats to north Mayo rivals Ardagh and Northern Gaels left them teetering on the brink of dropping back into junior ‘B’ again. A straight shootout was needed against Ballycroy but Killala saw their place into the quarter-finals with some ease in the end.
Much of their hopes will lie with Mattie Keane, who across the four group games has scored 1-44, with his successful two-point attempts into double digits (10). With Sean Gildea, Sean Walsh, Ben Stowe and Gavin Walsh all capable on their day, Tourmakeady’s backline will need to be disciplined and, with Keane in particular, not give away cheap fouls in or around the arc.
Tourmakeady have been amongst the most impressive performers in the group stages. Along with Ardagh, they won all their group games and the manner of their victory over last year’s runners-up Eastern Gaels in Round 1 had all sit up and take notice.
Michael Prendergast, Luke Lydon, Eugene Shaughnessy form half of an impressive front six for Shane Moran’s side, while Darragh McConnell, Shane Staunton and Máirtín Carr have all chipped in with scores at crucial times.
Enda Gilvarry’s men will travel without fear, but they have lost their two games on the road to Ardagh and Northern Gaels, and it will take an almighty effort to prevent Tourmakeady from reaching the final four.
