All to play for after opening weekend of Mayo club championships
TYNAN'S TAKE: By Stuart Tynan
So the first weekend of the Mayo club championships is over and done with. While there were no major shocks in terms of results, the manner in which several matches played out will have taken many of us back.
There is a long way to go, of course, and you can't guarantee a place in the knockouts after the opening round. But you can certainly make life difficult for yourself and the margin for error this weekend becomes minute for any teams who lost their opening fixtures.
In the senior championship, you could not make a better statement of your credentials than Ballintubber as they swept Ballina Stephenites aside in Clogher. While Ger Cafferkey was out due to injury and Padraig O'Hora came on a substitute later in the game, it shouldn't take away how dominant Ballintubber were and considering they are without talisman Cillian O'Connor, their performance will send a strong message.
Ballina now have a big game at home to Claremorris, who edged out Davitts in a derby. They will need to bounce back or else there could be a major casualty in the group stages
Defending champions Knockmore disposed of an Aghamore side who look very reliant on Fergal Boland to get them out of trouble. But with Charlestown and Belmullet playing out a stalemate, they still have a chance of reaching the quarter-finals should they overcome their east Mayo rivals Charlestown under the Friday night lights.
One of the tougher groups to call is Group 3. Westport and Castlebar Mitchels both recorded victories over Ballaghaderreen and Balla respectively, but both sides had their shaky periods. With those two set for battle on Saturday evening in Castlebar, Ballaghaderreen and Balla know a win could give them an outside chance of upsetting the odds.
In the final group, Breaffy looked mightily impressive over The Neale, although Tommy Conroy was simply outstanding for the visitors. The Neale's encounter with Garrymore, who put last year's poor campaign behind them with a win over Kiltane, in Cong on Sunday has all the makings of a winner takes all clash in the hope of joining Breaffy in the quarter-finals.
INTERMEDIATE WIDE OPEN
As many have spoken about, the intermediate championship is once again wide open, with a number of contenders making some strong statements.
The biggest of them all was Parke/Keelogues/Crimlin, who tore Bonniconlon to pieces in a 21-point mauling. I don't believe even their most optimistic supporters could have expected that. I saw an update at half-time and I honestly thought the scoreline of 2-7 to 0-1 during the interval was a typo.
They will more than likely get a tougher test away to Bohola Moy Davitts but should they produce anything like they did in Parke, we could be talking about them as the clear favourites come the knockouts.
I was in Bofeenaun for the game between Lahardane and Burrishoole on Saturday evening (side note: if you can tell me of a more a picturesque ground anywhere in GAA club football than Lahardane's in the country, you're wrong).
Unfortunately, the home side's performance didn't match the scenery as they were wasteful in front of the posts. That said, Burrishoole's display was good, and with Jason Doherty to come back and a real star in the making in Ryan Baynes, they will be quietly confident.
But they face a stiff challenge at home this Saturday when they take on Mayo Gaels, who were outstanding in beating Hollymount/Carramore.
Last year's junior champions Kilmaine look another major contender after beat last year's intermediate runners-up Kiltimagh, and their game against Louisburgh, following their convincing win over Ardnaree, has all the makings of real humdinger.
In the final group, Crossmolina produced a wonderful comeback as Fionan Duffy's late goal sealed a memorable win away at Ballyhaunis. But the best comeback of the lot took place in Castlebar on Sunday lunchtime.
Seven points down to Ballinrobe at half-time in atrocious conditions, Castlebar Mitchels B looked in real trouble. However, spearheaded by Ray O'Malley, David Stenson and Mark Cunningham, they turned the tide and well and truly earned their thee-point win.