Another exciting few days of football in Mayo

Mayo Senior Football Championship Quarter-Finals

Garrymore 0-14 Crossomlina Deel Rovers 0-12

Belmullet 5-13 Claremorris 0-20

Aghamore 1-10 Castlebar Mitchels 0-9

Breaffy 2-18 Westport 0-18

By Colm Gannon

After a weekend of hectic action across Mayo the pairings for the semi-finals of the Mayo GAA Senior Football Championship have been established.

Neighbours Castlebar Mitchels and Breaffy will meet in Charlestown on Saturday week, with Garrymore and Belmullet squaring off the following day in Ballina. The battle to avoid the drop to intermediate football for next year will see Ballaghaderren and Balla meet in Ballyhaunis on Sunday week.

The action in the quarter finals got underway on Saturday afternoon when Castlebar Mitchels made the trek to east Mayo to take on Aghamore and it was Kevin Filan’s men who came out on top in impressive fashion winning 0-19 to 1-10.

Mitchels did the hard work in the first half going in leading 0-13 to 0-5 with two pointers from Joe Forry and James Durcan. Aghamore did get themselves back into the game in the second half when Conal Hession found the back of the net, but Mitchels - driven on by Paddy Durcan, Bob Tuohy, Sean Morahan, John McMonagle, and Donnacha McHugh - were always in the ascendancy.

Aghamore did manage to close the gap back to four points with close to the end thanks to a stunning Fergal Boland two pointer, but they failed to convert a number of other chances.

On Saturday evening in Garrymore, the visit of Crossmolina Deel Rovers had football fans from all over the province making the trip to south Mayo. It was the home side who pulled off a mild surprise, seeing off their guests by two points on a scoreline of 0-14 to 0-12.

This one came right down to the wire, with the game all square at 12 points each with five minutes to go, but late points from Mark Gibbons and Cathal Slattery saw them home and into the final four for the first time in five years.

Kobe McDonald was the star attraction for many and he finished the game with three points including two pointed 45’s and one from play that tied the game up at 0-11 each with less than 10 minutes to go. His duel with fellow Mayo star Eoin McGreal was one of the key battles of the day.

Garrymore started the game on fire with two points from Shane Nally and Andy Glennon, having them 0-5 to 0-1 up inside the opening 11 minutes, but Crossmolina found their groove and the sides went in level at the break at seven points each.

It was tit for tat all through the second half, with the late points from Gibbons and Slattery the decisive scores.

On a scorching late September Sunday lunchtime Breaffy avenged their defeat to Westport at the same stage, in the same venue last year running out six point winners on a score of 2-18 to 0-18. A Robbie Fadden penalty with five minutes to go in normal time gave Breaffy the breathing space they needed to see out the game.

The hosts led by one at half time with Gareth Dunne’s brilliant goal after being picked out by Davitt Neary the pick of the scores. Kevin Keane was excellent for Westport in the first half getting three points, while the ever reliable Killian Kilkelly finished the day with seven points.

Early two pointers in the second half from Neary and Conor O’Shea kept Breaffy’s noses that bit further in front than Westport could reel in, and even with the introduction of the likes of Lee Keegan, Mark Moran and Colm Moran down the home stretch the Breaffy rearguard held firm and they were able to book their spot in the final four.

In the final quarter final, it rained goals in Claremorris much like their game against Westport in the group stages, but this time the south Mayo men were not able to get the win as Belmullet ran out 5-13 to 0-20 winners.

They were leading by 3-4 to 0-6 at the break with Fionn O’Donoghue getting a brace of goals and Seamus Howard their third right on the stroke of half time.

Eamon McAndrew and Anthony Barrett got their goals in the second half - with Ryan O’Donoghue finishing up with eight points to his name, while Niall Hurley chipped in with seven points and Darragh Beirne six for the south Mayo men, who exited the championship for another year.

Mayo SFC Semi-Final fixtures

Saturday October 3

Castlebar Mitchels v Breaffy, Charlestown, 4pm

Sunday October 4

Garrymore v Belmullet, Ballina, 1pm