Third time the charm for Kilmaine?

MAYO JUNIOR FOOTBALL FINAL VERDICT: Stuart Tynan

A BUSY weekend of county football finals in the Mayo club championships will kick off this Saturday evening in Elvery MacHale Park, Castlebar, as Kilmaine and Kilmeena go to battle in the TF Royal Hotel & Theatre Exclusive junior decider, with a place in next year's intermediate championship up for grabs.

Throw-in is at 5 p.m.

Before this championship began it was expected that these sides were likely to meet in the final, barring any major shocks, and both sides have enjoyed near-faultless campaigns up to this stage.

Kilmaine, under the management of David O'Loughlin, are no doubt a team on a mission.

Many observers had already expected them to make the jump back to the intermediate grade quickly following relegation in 2016 but two final defeats (against Lahardane in 2017 and Castlebar Mitchels B last year) and a surprise quarterfinal loss to Achill two years ago put paid to those aspirations.

Despite last year's heartbreaking defeat, 2019 was a historic year for Kilmaine.

They cruised to a maiden Connaught club title (Mitchels B were not eligible to progress beyond Mayo due to being the club's second string side) and were desperately unfortunate not to add an All-Ireland junior title also, suffering a narrow one-point defeat to Kerry's Na Gaeil in the semi-finals.

While there is plenty of focus on star player Oisin Mullin, they boast an exciting young team with the likes of Jarlath Mullin, Michael Hession, Adam Barrett and Tomás Fahey all capable of doing serious damage to the very best.

They haven't been really tested up this point, although Cill Chomáin asked some questions in the semi-final, so they go into the final very much the favourites.

But standing in their way are another exciting up and coming young team, Kilmeena.

Under the stewardship of John Reilly and possessing the talents of Mayo Under 20 star Jack Carney as well as Keith Joyce, John Ryan, Conor Madden and Sean Ryder, Kilmeena also enjoyed near serene progress in the group stages.

They were, however, forced to battle hard in the quarterfinal and semi-finals against Achill and Shrule/Glencorrib respecively.

Kilmeena will also take heart from their last meeting with Kilmaine in their junior championship semi-final classic last year.

While they eventually lost by two points, they were the better side for long periods and Kilmaine were forced to draw on all their reserves late on to seal their place in the final.

This year's encounter is expected to be nothing different and it will come as no surprise to anyone in the coming years to see both not only competing in the intermediate championship, but eventually in the senior championship also.

Kilmaine have been mostly unchallenged up to this stage and it might count against them if they are brought into another tight game.

But you just feel, after so many near-misses, now is the right time for Kilmaine to claim the Pete McDonnell Cup and win their place back in the intermediate scene.

Verdict: Kilmaine.