Another ultra-competitive Mayo Premier League season awaits
WHILE there is plenty of talk about the numerous contenders for the Super League this season, the Premier League is just as difficult to call, writes Cian McNicholas and Stuart Tynan.
Kicking off next Sunday, you could certainly make a case for seven to eight teams who are well placed to win promotion in a league that always throws up a few surprises.
Such is its competitiveness is that teams who have been relegated to the division from the Super League the previous season can find it very difficult go straight back up. Claremorris will look to buck that trend this year and with the majority of the squad from last season still in place and Paul Burke staying on as manager, they will hope to return to Mayo’s top tier in swift fashion.
“We were very disappointed as whole because we were established in the Super League for so long, said Claremorris’s Danny Broderick. “I suppose consistency was the main thing that let us down last season and unfortunately two have to go down and we were just one of them. We are determined this season that we will use that negative and turn it into a positive.
“Pre-season has been very good. It has been very competitive. I think it has been very simple and straight forward within our group and the collective aim for the season ahead is to make sure Claremorris are playing Super League football in 2024. But we understand the challenge that is ahead of us. For me it is probably the most demanding league out of all the leagues because everybody is inspiring to get up to Super League football and we know the likes of the Ballinrobe come into the equation and they just don’t know how to lose at the moment - they have been wining since they have been formed.”
“You have the likes of Ballyglass with Ryan Connolly back there and I know Ryan well, the way he demands standards within a team, so they are going to be absolutely on fire as well.”
“Look we are under no illusion with the task ahead but we are very confident - I am anyway - that we have a group of players that have experience in Super League and if we can iron out the small details, hopefully we can be in a very positive place come the end of the season.”
YOUTH
Another team to watch will be Swinford, who appointed former Ballina Town manager Mark Beattie during the off-season.
Beattie took Ballina to consecutive runners-up finishes in the Super League and knows this division well having taken Ballina Town B to the Premier League title in 2018, going unbeaten in the process.
“I have to take a look at where they finished last year and how it all went, they finished mid-table - closer to the bottom than the top, so we need to build on that,” said Beattie.
“We had a very young team last year, so they have had their year, they have had their bit of experience, so I do expect more from them this year and they are getting that from me in training. They are really answering that call so far.”
Beattie added: “There was a lack of confidence because of some of the games didn’t go their way last year, so we are trying to get that confidence back into them. To also get them playing free-flowing football, there is a new formation for them there this year to try and sure them up but to still be attacking.
There is a lot of young lads there that want to score goals, so we want to keep that football in them and want to keep the same flow of football for the Under 21 set-up as well. I think it’s one of the tougher leagues, it is a league where anyone can take points from anyone. So, we need to focus just game by game and I don’t expect up to start a hundred miles an hour but we build as the season goes on. Cup wise we would love to be in the mix for the cup. I won the Westaro Cup with Ballina Town last year, so that’s always an aim and it’s a great day out.”
MOMENTUM
Like any other league, building momentum will be key as the season progresses and you could argue there is no team who has built that in the past few seasons like Ballinrobe Town.
They have secured back-to-back promotions since their return to the Mayo League – as well as going unbeaten in winning League One, Tonra Cup and Premier Cup and will look to make it a third promotion on the trot.
“We’ve had two great seasons. It couldn’t have been much better,” said Ballinrobe Town manager Pat O’Sullivan. “We’re in the Premier League and it’s where we’ve wanted to be. It’s the progress we wanted to be making. It’s going to be a great challenge.”
The leadership of JP O’Gorman has been a vital ingredient in Ballinrobe’s rise through the ranks. O’Sullivan confirmed that O’Gorman will remain on this year.
“JP’s achievements are well-known and he’s a leader in our team. He’s experienced and a great guy to have around our squad. We’ve very fortunate to have and thankfully, he’s agreed to go for another season. We’ll hold onto him for as long as we can!”
Looking ahead to the new season, the Town manager knows of the challenges that await but are hopeful they will be the mix come the business end of the season.
“We’ve come from divisions where there’s lot of B and C teams and a few A teams. We’re now in a division where it’s primarily A teams. We’re in the top 20 teams in Mayo. The standard is very high. “There’s lots of very good squads. I was looking at a lot of the teams on the new FAI Connect app and you could see there is serious quality in the division. Claremorris, Westport B and Kilmore look very strong. We had great battles with Kilmore last year.
“We’re very confident in our ability. We have a good squad and we’ll give it a right rattle. We’d be hopeful towards the end of the season that we’d be in the mix for those positions and fighting for it.”