League One title fight is too close to call

Many managers and players that were interviewed at last Thursday’s Mayo Football League launch called Killeen Sports Ground League One the most competitive of the lot, and it is hard to argue.

Ballina Town, Swinford, Snugboro United and Fahy Rovers were a cut above the rest last season, with all but Fahy getting promoted. With Fahy expecting a tough year ahead, trying to pick two teams to get promoted is a challenging task.

Bangor Hibs were many people’s favourites to get relegated last year but comfortably finished mid-table. They have strengthened in the off-season with the signing of former Iorras Aontaithe player Kyle Heffron to bolster their tanks, a push further up the table is not out of the question.

“A lot of people had Bangor Hibs to get relegated, but we held our own,” said team manager Johnny Nicholls. “We finished fifth and had a very good season. Really looking forward to the season to start. I think it’ll be the most competitive league across all the leagues.

Three excellent sides, Ballina, Swinford and Snugboro, have gone up to Premier and I think now, the top two [In League One] could beat the bottom two.

With how open it is, it may be an opportunity for a team like Bangor, who returned to the league in 2024 after a five-year absence, to make the jump up to the Premier League.

“When we go up to Premier, we want to make sure that we are competitive to stay in it. I see teams that rush up leagues and then in a couple of seasons, they come crashing down. We want to build step-by-step, but I do think we have a very good squad, and we’d be thereabouts.” Hoping to replicate what Bangor did last year is Achill Rovers and Castlebar Town, both promoted from League Two last year. Indeed, Town were promoted to League One two seasons ago, despite finishing fourth a year previously, and it looked clear it was too much too soon for a club who until 2024 were out of the Mayo League for close to fifteen years.

Town were relegated back to League Two, but it had done them no harm, getting promoted on merit this time around, and forward Connor Parsons said they will be ready for it this time around.

“If we had that extra year in League Two, it probably would have done us a bit better. The experience we had in League One, we got thrown in the deep end too soon. This year, I think we’ll be competitive. We’re well able.

“When we played Achill at the end of last season, they were champions and we were already promoted. We just didn’t want them to get that 100% record. A lot of people are fancying Achill [this year]. If they fancy Achill, they have to fancy us a little bit. We can beat anyone in the league on our day.” Given how competitive this year could be, it looks set to be a massive test for Kilmore and Killala to see if they can get back into the Premier League after relegation. Despite being 4-1 ahead at half-time, Killala were beaten by Straide & Foxford United in a relegation playoff.

“We had a good team on the day, but they hadn’t really played together all season,” said Killala defender Aidan Ferguson. “Had we sat in a little bit, we wouldn’t have conceded four goals in the second half.

“We’re a little bit better [in the pre-season]. We’ve lost a few to Gaelic. We’ve got a few of the under-18s through. Some players from the Masters League have signed up.

“I think it’ll be a very tight league. If you stay thereabouts until June, you can kick on and look to go up.” Kilmore’s Mark Gilbert hopes their home ground in Drum, a notoriously difficult ground for away teams, can become a fortress again.

“It’ll be important this year. We’re at home to Claremorris ‘B’ on the first day and we hope to lay down a marker.” One of the first fixtures Kilmore were looking for is the Erris derby against Bangor Hibs. James Kelly, a former member of the Belmullet Gaelic footballers and All-Ireland U21 winner with Mayo, has signed up for Kilmore this season after a year in Australia and is looking forward to the derbies in Drum and Ballybeg.

“We’ll be welcoming them with opening arms and a gale force breeze back there to send them up their way back!

“It was tough year for club, players and management. We have to try and focus on a strong start to the season.”