Mayo people are cocky people - Galway GAA club manager

In the Connacht intermediate club championship semi-final at Tuam Stadium this Sunday, at 1.30 p.m., Galway champions Monivea-Abbey, without their All-Star Cillian McDaid, are gearing up to face Mayo’s Kilmeena.

Monivea-Abbey secured their place in the semi-final by triumphing over Kilconly in the Galway final on a scoreline of 0-14 to 0-11.

Kilmeena, on the other hand, clinched the Mayo final against Ballinrobe with a tight score of 1-11 to 1-9, earning them a spot in the Mayo senior championship for 2024.

They overcame Annaduff in the Connacht championship quarterfinal to set up Sunday's meeting with Monivea-Abbey.

Despite Kilmeena's reported fearlessness in travelling to Tuam Stadium, Monivea-Abbey's manager, Francis ‘Bunt’ Roche, remains unfazed.

In an interview with Galway Bay FM, he stated: "We’re looking forward to Kilmeena to come to Tuam. They’re a cocky crowd, Mayo people are cocky people, they haven’t been beat, we’re really ready for them, and we’ve no fear of the Mayo champions whatsoever."

Roche's bold words have set the tone for what promises to be an intense encounter.

Kilmeena, having claimed the All-Ireland junior championship in 2022, faced a setback in the Mayo intermediate final in 2022, but overcame tough opposition in Ballinrobe to win the intermediate final this year.