Race for supremacy in Mayo senior championship reaches semi-final stage
Defending champions Ballina Stephenites will have to get by neighbours Knockmore if they hope to reach a fourth successive Connacht Gold Senior Football Championship final.
The semi-final draw has pitted the Stephenites against the team they defeated in last year's final, a game they won convincingly.
No doubt Ray Dempsey's men, back-to-back champions in 2020 and '21, will be looking to exact some revenge on three-in-a-row-seeking Ballina and get back into the county final.
In the other semi-final, the 2022 champions, Westport, will face an exciting Crossmolina Deel Rovers team that has made the step up from intermediate to senior with incredible ease.
The Mayo, Connacht and All-Ireland intermediate champions of last season have hardly put a foot wrong this year and were in flying form in their quarterfinal as they defeated Belmullet by 1-24 to 0-12 in St. Tiernan's Park.
Westport had a much more dramatic encounter with Breaffy, where they recovered from a nine-point deficit and numerical disadvantage to defeat their hosts by a goal, 2-16 to 1-16.
The Stephenites were 1-14 to 2-7 winners in Ballaghaderreen, while Knockmore got the better of Ballintubber on a scoreline of 3-6 to 0-9.
In the Egan Jewellers Intermediate Football Championship quarterfinals, favourites Moy Davitts were given a searching examination by Ballinrobe before prevailing by three points (2-14 to 1-14) in Foxford. The victory sets up a semi-final against Ardnaree, who defeated Parke in a close encounter in Ballina on Saturday evening.
The other semi-final sees Kilmeena take on Kiltane after they defeated Kilmaine and Cill Chomáin respectively in their quarterfinal encounters.
The dates and times for the senior and intermediate semi-finals have yet to be fixed.
In the relegation playoff semi-finals on Sunday, Charlestown secured their senior status with a dramatic late win against Mayo Gaels in Claremorris, while Islandeady and Lahardane prevailed in the intermediate semis against Louisburgh and Burrishoole respectively, both games having their share of drama as well.
On Saturday, Aghamore defeated neighbours Ballyhaunis to maintain their senior status for another year.
Meanwhile, the Treanlaur Catering Exclusive Junior A Football Championship quarterfinal pairings are: Ardagh v Northern Gaels (Saturday, September 27, 4.30 p.m.), Shrule/Glencorrib v Kiltimagh (Saturday, September 27, 4.30 p.m.), Eastern Gaels v Ballycroy (Saturday, September 27, 4.30 p.m.) and Tourmakeady v Bonniconlon (Sunday, September 28, 2 p.m.).
The Junior B semi-finals will both be played at 2 p.m. next Sunday (September 28). The fixtures are: Moygownagh v Achill and Kilmeena v Ballycastle.