Draws made for the championship knockout stages
The draws for the knockout stages of Mayo senior, intermediate and junior championships were made this evening following an exciting final round of group games.
Defending senior champions Ballintubber face a tough quarterfinal next weekend when they take on Knockmore in their last eight encounter.
Last year's beaten finalists in the Connacht Golf SFC, Ballaghaderreen, take on a Breaffy team that emerged from the 'group of death' to take their place in the last eight.
The winners of that group, Westport, face this year's surprise quarterfinalists, The Neale, who made the knockout stages by the skin of their teeth this afternoon at Belmullet's expense.
The final last eight game in the senior championship sees Ballina Stephenites take on an Aghamore team that drew with Ballintubber in the first round of group games.
Should both Aghamore and Ballintubber win, it will set up a repeat of that group encounter in the semi-final. If Ballina and Knockmore come through those games, however, it would result in a massive north Mayo derby in the last four and a repeat of their group game yesterday evening.
The second semi-final will be between the winners of the Ballaghaderreen v Breaffy and Westport v The Neale games. Again there is the potential for replays of earlier group games, as Ballagh' and The Neale were Group 1 rivals and Westport and Breaffy locked horns in Group 4.
In the relegation playoffs, Bohola-Moy Davitts take on Garrymore and Charlestown play Claremorris.
There's a cracker of a local derby in store in the Egan Jewellers intermediate championship quarterfinals as Mayo Gaels face Balla in the final eight. The other matches see Kiltimagh face Crossmolina, Hollymount/Carramore take on Bonniconlon, and Ballinrobe play Ardnaree.
The winners of Kiltimagh v Crossmolina and Hollymount/Carramore v Bonniconlon will play each other in the first semi-final, while the second semi will be between the winners of the Ballinrobe v Ardnaree and Mayo Gaels v Balla games.
The relegation playoff games are: Ballyhaunis v Islandeady and Burrishoole v Swinford.
In the TF Royal Theatre Exclusive JFC, the quarterfinals pairings are: Eastern Gaels v Cill Chomáin, Kilmeena v Achill, Shrule/Glencorrib v Killala and Kilmaine v Ardagh. The first semi-finals will be between the winners of the Eastern Gaels v Cill Chomáin and Kilmaine v Ardagh games, while the second will feature the victors in the Kilmeena v Achill and Shrule/Glencorrib v Killala contests.
*Pictured above, a dispute in the Balla v Parke game yesterday evening. Balla's reward for victory in that match is a quarterfinal against Mayo Gaels – which should a cracking local derby. Photo: Tom Hunt