Plenty to whet the appetite of Mayo sports fans this weekend
WITH another major sporting weekend almost upon us, which includes Lahardane in the Connaught junior championship final, Carnacon involved in the All-Ireland ladies senior club semi-final, and three Mayo senior team members involved in Ireland's bid to overturn a 10-point deficit against Aussies in the International Rules series, there is plenty to whet the appetite for Mayo sports fans.
Lahardane hope to make more history by claiming their first ever Connaught title.
John Maughan's men face Sligo champions Ballymote in the Connught junior club football championship final in Elverys MacHale, Park, Castlebar, on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Only a short few weeks ago Lahardane won their first ever Mayo junior football title. It was an historic occasion for the north Mayo club.
They now have a magnificent chance of emulating that feat by claiming the Connaught crown as well. If they do come out on top, which I think they will, it will bring the curtain down on what has been a fairytale season for the club.
Meanwhile, at the same time on Sunday but at a different venue - Augher, County Tyrone - Carnacon will bid to qualify for another All-Ireland senior club championship final, when play local side St. Macartans.
Having to play the Ulster champions on their own patch will not make it easy for Carnacon. However, they have been down that road before and produced many memorable victories.
For their opponents, St. Macartans, it is a very special occasion as it will be the first time they have ever contested an All-Ireland semi-final.
Playing it on their home soil is a massive bonus which was eluded to by one of their star players Cathy Maguire during the week.
Speaking ahead of the game the former Tyrone star stated that it was the biggest game ever for the club and that there is a massive buzz around the entire community.
Indeed, all the talk all week is about the semi-final and the fact that Cora (Staunton) is coming to town.
She said: “Everyone knows all about Carnacon's great achievements and especially those of Cora Staunnton. Now, this is our biggest game yet. People are coming up to us and talking about ladies football and St Macartan’s. They’re all talking about Cora coming to town and it’s created a massive buzz and massive talk about ladies football and the club in general.
“While everybody’s talking about Cora, but we know Carnacon as a team, we’re under no illusions that there’s more than Cora. They have Claire Egan, Fiona McHale, Martha Carter, the McGings.
“There’s nine or ten we have to worry about but home advantage is massive and we’re going in with nothing to lose.”
It should prove a most interesting game and hopefully Mayo wil lbe celebrating another great Carnacon win.
Down under in Australia the Irish team are preparing for their second game against the Aussies in the International Rules series.
Ten points down from the first game, the Aidan O'Shea led Irish team, which also includes Mayo's Chris Barrett and Brendan Harrison, will be hoping to claw back this lead and go on and win the series tomorrow morning.