Old Mayo rivals take us back to the future

There’s a strong hint of nostalgia in the air following the outcomes of last weekend’s quarter-final ties in the Connacht Gold Mayo SFC.

It’s 30 years since Crossmolina lifted the Moclair Cup for the first of six wins in a twelve year period. However, their appearance in that 1995 county final also marked the beginning of an incredible run that saw either they or their North Mayo neighbours Ballina Stephenites and Knockmore win the Mayo SFC in twelve out of thirteen consecutive seasons. Six times during that period the final was even contested by two of three teams – Ballina Stephenites v Crossmolina (1998, 1999 and 2003), Ballina Stephenites v Knockmore (1996 and 2004) and Crossmolina v Knockmore (2002).

It was one thing that either one of Ballina Stephenites and Knockmore had appeared in each of the past five senior football finals, with the pair even meeting in the decider last year, but for Crossmolina Deel Rovers to have now marched all the way to the semi-finals in this their maiden season back in the senior ranks, where they are joined by back-to-back champions Ballina and Knockmore, has brought a delectable déjà vu to the 2025 edition of the championship.

The fly in the ointment are Westport, but even they are managed by a man born and reared in the bosom of North Mayo – and there’s nothing more that Pat Holmes from Moygownagh would love than to disrupt the title ambitions of the northern triumvirate.

His side performed a miracle of sorts on Saturday when down to fourteen players away from home, Westport somehow clawed back a nine points second-half deficit to knock Breaffy out of the race for Moclair Cup honours. Their reward is to play a semi-final against a Crossmolina team that keeps on defying the Alan Hansen theory that you can’t win anything with kids. In fact, the fifteen points win by Deel Rovers over Belmullet, inspired by a 1-5 contribution from 17-year-old midfielder Kobe McDonald, was the standout result of the weekend and means the possibility of Deel Rovers becoming the first team in 53 years to win county intermediate and senior titles in consecutive seasons now deserves some serious consideration.

According to midfielder Jordan Flynn, Crossmolina entered last Sunday’s match with a point to prove.

“A lot of people were saying we’re too young, that we’re relying on talent and there’s no work in us, but that’s quite insulting when you go through so much,” said Flynn afterwards on TG4, the broadcaster having picked that match as its live offering of the day.

“This isn’t novelty. We want to go on and win it. We’re not cocky or anything like that, but you don’t want to be going this long unless you want to win it,” the Mayo player added. And given that they have already beaten the defending champions Ballina Stephenites this year, who at this stage would be brave enough to bet against Brian Benson’s side?

Then again, who at this stage would be brave enough to bet against any of the four semi-finalists? That Westport trailed in Breaffy by 1-16 to 1-7 after 39 minutes of their quarter-final, and now had to play the remainder of the match with a player less following the dismissal of up goalkeeper Paddy O’Malley, yet still ended up in the bowl for Sunday night’s semi-final draw, speaks volumes about the spirit within a squad that also shared the spoils away to fellow semi-finalists Knockmore in an earlier round.

“I’m very proud of that group, I’m lucky enough to be captain of them and you can see what we did for the last 25 minutes, it was pretty special,” beamed Lee Keegan afterwards.

“It’s funny, when you’re in a game and you’re down to fourteen men, sometimes you just throw the shackles off, you stop worrying about everything. We stopped respecting Breaffy, we went at them in their face, we got turnovers, we pushed them back, we got on the breaking ball – the dirty things that we weren’t doing in the first half. And before you knew it, Breaffy were the ones giving out.

“They probably got a little bit comfortable when they were nine points up but it’s funny when a game goes into chaos how things can spiral,” explained Keegan.

Adding extra sweetness to the win was that Westport had exited the past two championships at the hands of their opponents.

“To put that Breaffy thing to bed as well, that’s a proud moment. But for me and thins Breaffy group it’s only game four. We’ll need to look at the first-half from a performance point of view and what we didn’t do well. We came with a game plan and nothing seemed to work for us at all,” he admitted.

The other semi-final will be a repeat of last year’s final, with Knockmore seeking revenge on a Ballina Stephenites team that this year is bidding for the rarity of winning the Moclair Cup three years in-a row.

“It was probably our best performance of the year,” said Stephenites midfielder Frank Irwin after his side’s 1-14 to 2-07 victory away to Ballaghaderreen. “In the group stage we were slogging along and we had a loss (Crossmolina) which kind of got us back on track.” 

There was a conviction about Niall Heffernan’s side from the outset, with five unanswered points by five different players inside the opening eleven minutes giving the Green and Red a lead that they were never to relinquish.

“I’m delighted that we have come away to Ballaghaderreen who have been flying all year and got the win,” admitted Heffernan afterwards. “I thought we controlled the game very well. It was tight in the end but I think we were always in control. I always felt there was another gear in us if needed.” 

Knockmore secured their place in the last four with a 3-6 to 0-9 home win against a Ballintubber side that relied on Cillian O’Connor for six points and defenders for the remainder. Two goals by Darren McHale – at the beginning of the first-half and the end of the second – were the major difference between the teams.

“It was a very difficult game. It probably wasn’t the best spectacle overall, low scoring, especially with the new rules, but conditions were quite hard out there with the breeze – it’s a very open pitch,” reasoned Darren McHale, who had added a pair of points from play for good measure.

“I’m happy with how we ground it out, how we fought through the game.

There’s lots and lots of things to improve on for two weeks’ time, but the important thing is that we’re there in two weeks’ time.

“We showed a lot of character today and got scores when we needed them, so a lot of positives but a lot to build on.” 

The semi-final line up for the Egan Jewellers Mayo Intermediate Football Championship was also completed at the weekend, with Ardnaree Sarsfields advancing to the penultimate round for the first time since 1972 thanks to a narrow victory over Parke-Keelogues-Crimlin. They now face last year’s beaten finalists Moy Davitts while Kiltane take on Kilmeena having come through the so-called ‘Battle of Bangor’ against Cill Chomáin last Sunday evening.

Next on the list… 

Saturday, October 4 

Connacht Gold Mayo SFC Semi-Final:

Crossmolina Deel Rovers v Westport, 4pm in Charlestown.

Egan Jewellers Mayo IFC Semi-Final:

Kiltane v Kilmeena, 2.30pm in Knockmore.

Sunday, October 5 

Connacht Gold Mayo SFC Semi-Final:

Ballina Stephenites v Knockmore, 1:30pm in Crossmolina.

Connacht Gold Mayo SFC Relegation Final:

Ballyhaunis v Mayo Gaels, 12pm in Ballindine.

Egan Jewellers Mayo IFC Semi-Final:

Ardnaree Sarsfields v Moy Davitts, 4pm in Ballina.

Egan Jewellers Mayo IFC Relegation Final:

Burrishoole v Louisburgh, 12pm in Islandeady.