Tight and tense affair expected between closely matched teams
The ‘Battle of the N60’ takes place next Sunday as Ballyhaunis hope to ensure they will not be going straight back down to intermediate when they face Claremorris
Mayo SFC Relegation Semi-Final
Sunday, October 1
3pm in Davitts Park, Ballindine
Ballyhaunis v Claremorris
REF: John Walker (Cill Chomain)
The ‘Battle of the N60’ takes place next Sunday as Ballyhaunis hope to ensure they will not be going straight back down to intermediate when they face Claremorris.
The East Mayo side will be hoping that it goes better than the last time the two met in the relegation semi-final playoff back in 2016, where Claremorris came out on top after a replay and Ballyhaunis were sent down at the hands of Ballinrobe.
Their performances in the championship to date have been good but they have not got the rub of the green. Aghamore denied them a win with a point late on, a host of injuries to key men including James Lyons, Eoghan Collins and Keith Higgins left them depleted against Knockmore while they may feel aggrieved over a penalty decision that did not go their way in a one-point loss to Castlebar Mitchels.
Higgins returned for the game against Mitchels and he will boost a teak tough defence that includes Patrick Kiely, Ja Carney, Johnny Cunnane and county star Jack Coyne. Should they maintain the level of performance they have shown so far they are certainly capable of remaining in senior for another year.
The loss of Conor Diskin before the championship began to a cruciate injury has proved critical to Claremorris’ hopes of making it out of the group stages. They performed admirably against Ballaghaderreen and Charlestown but the loss of Diskin is a gaping hole in their attack.
Adam Beirne, Niall and Dara Hurley, Mark Maloney are bright young talents for Claremorris, while Paul Gilmore is another player from their minor ‘A’ winning team to have made the step up along with the Hurley brothers, to support seasoned stars like James McCormack and James Shaughnessy.
This relegation playoff is the tighter of the two, although there will be no replay this time around as a winner on the day must be decided. The experience of Claremorris at this level may well be enough but it will be a close affair.
Verdict: Claremorris
