Plenty of spills and thrills in Mayo GAA football championships

The five Friday games played in the Mayo GAA senior and intermediate football championships proved critical in their own way.

The big game was in Group 2 of the Connacht Gold Senior Football Championship as defending champions Ballina Stephenites were defeated by Castlebar Mitchels at a packed Josie Munnelly Park, the county town side winning by 1-17 to 1-10.

The outcome means the Stephenites, Moclair Cup winners for the last three years, are out of this year's series with one group match still remaining having lost at home to Garrymore in the opening round.

They now face Balla in a bottom-of-the-table playoff, while Mitchels and Garrymore will battle it out to see who tops the group. The south Mayo team defeated Balla by 1-12 to 0-10 in a game that was also played on Friday evening.

There was one other senior championship game played as Aghamore and Crossmolina Deel Rovers played out an entertaining draw in Group 3.

A late Adam Byrne free ensured a share of the spoils for home side Aghamore, who made the brighter start to the encounter and quickly established an early advantage.

Early pressure was rewarded when Derry Óg Cox found the back of the net, giving the east Mayo men an eight-point cushion with 12 minutes left in the first half.

Crossmolina worked their way back into the contest, James Mahedy proving particularly effective from placed balls, and at half time the gap was at five points (Aghamore 1-6, Crossmolina 0-4).

The Deel Rovers emerged from the break with renewed purpose and took control for long periods of the second half.

With the sides locked together in the closing stages, tensions boiled over and Crossmolina substitute Patrick Leddy was shown a red card following an off-the-ball incident involving Brendan Harrison.

Despite being reduced to 14 men, Crossmolina appeared to have done enough to hold on for victory with an Oisin Deane fisted effort.

Aghamore, though, were handed one final opportunity and Byrne took full advantage. With the clock running down, he held his nerve to split the posts with a superb free against the wind.

The late score ensured the points were shared, with both sides taking something from an absorbing contest.

The second game in Group 3 will be played tomorrow (Sunday) as Ballintubber host Mayo Gaels, both teams having been beaten in round one.

One more senior game will be played tomorrow as Belmullet host Breaffy, while three are down for decision today – the Group 1 games between Charlestown and Kilmeena and Claremorris and Westport, as well as the Group 4 meeting of Ballaghadereen and Knockmore.

Meanwhile, in the Egan Jewellers Intermediate Football Championship, Moy Davitts – beaten finalists last year – were 0-19 to 1-10 winners over Davitts in their Group 3 clash at Green Road, Foxford.

Conor Ryder landed crucial back-to-back scores in the first half to give the home side momentum, and they were 0-10 to 0-4 ahead at the break. Davitts were back in the game when Cian Melvin converted from the penalty spot in the second half but the hosts pulled clear towards the end, Conor Reid with an important score just as the visitors were attempting to claw their way into contention.

Elsewhere, in Group 2, Ballinrobe got their campaign back on track after they defeated The Neale 0-19 to 0-12 in Cong.

The visitors were the happier at the interval as they held a slender 0-9 to 0-7 lead and, aided by a strong breeze during the second half, they gradually pulled clear, aided hugely by four points on the spin.

A Kevin Quinn two-pointer mustered a commanding 0-17 to 0-11 lead for Ballinrobe on 49 minutes, and they closed out the game impressively to win by seven points in the end (0-19 to 0-12).

Two more intermediate games will be played today – the Group 1 meeting of Cill Chomáin and Parke and the Group 4 clash between Kilmaine and Kiltimagh. There are four games down for decision tomorrow, as follows: Group 1 – Kiltane v Hollymount/Carramore; Group 2 – Ballyhaunis v Castlebar Mitchels B; Group 3 – Lahardane v Louisburgh; Group 4 – Islandeady v Ardnaree.

In the Treanlaur Catering Exclusive Junior Championship today, there are two games in Group 2, as follows: Burrishoole v Bonniconlon and Shrule/Glencorrib v Moygownagh.

Tomorrow, the games in Group 1 are: Ardagh v Killala and Ballycroy v Achill. In Group 3, Eastern Gaels host Swinford and Ballycastle welcome Kilmovee Shamrocks.