It's (oddly) a triple header on Saturday, with Divisions 4, 2 & 1 all on the one day. Fingers crossed the pitch hasn't cut up too much by the time the Division 1 final happens late in the evening.

Division 3 set on its own for the Sunday.

Can’t wait until club championship starts. It’s great getting in 2-3 games over a weekend. Leagues under the new rules were great to watch. I also believe the coverage our local radio/papers and podcasts give to our clubs championships is second to none.

Still very early days but Breaffy moving well, has Irwin got much playing time since his return. If he got back anyway close to the player he promised to be he’s exactly what they are missing

TsuDhoNim: I believe the Sunday game standalone Division 3 Ardagh V Aghamore B is due because Aghamore first team are playing a Division 2 final on the Saturday.

Supermac: Liam Irwin played a few minutes in a win away V Charlestown a few weeks back.
He didn't play any minutes in last Saturday night game V Belmullet maybe still working on his fitness.
Wonderful left foot on his day.

Looking forward to the club championship!

Cross only had about 6 players that started the all Ireland playing against Claremorris in the last league game so hopefully get a few more back to be able to stick somewhat with Breaffy and to be able to get them up to speed before the championship. Nice evening of football ahead on Saturday.

CDR, most of those missing players from the final last year won't be starters this year sure. Last year's minors will be starting ahead of them.
Great free shot at Moclair this year. With so many present and past senior county players like Flynn, Loftus, Duffy and Carolan in with them ex county minors they serious contenders. Age profile good as well. Knockmore and Ballina when won their recent titles would be of similar average age, and less county experience in their ranks.

Great value in McHale Park on Saturday. Three games for a tenner though I’d imagine not too many will turn up for the div4 final.
Hope Aghamore can have a good run in championship but the odds look stacked against them. Got a feeling Castlebar could be a big threat to everyone.

Agree JoeG, teams with strong midfield will go a long way, so likes of Breaffy, Ballina, Castlebar, Crossmolina will have a big say. Not sure how Westport are fixed in midfield currently as not seen much of them this year and they've a lot of players out/away.

Ballina lots of big men out around the middle but if Regan is kept quiet have they enough scoring power? I suppose they managed the last 2 years so won’t be far off again.

Thanks for the update WJ. It's a great distraction from the management appointment. Will we see clubs exploiting the new rules, I think we will. Is James Carr playing with Ardagh?

Have a feeling Breaffy will win the Moclair this year. Their squad is phenomenal! Have guys not getting much game time that would walk into any other teams in the county and country like Liam Irwin. Young Mark Ward tore Belmullet a sunder the last day he was kicking points to bate the band from wing back. They’ve a couple of guys who just have a constant engine and make serious telling contributions all over the field. Livingstone in Goal, Dervan, Conor Beirne, Fadden, Conor O’Shea and they’ve plenty more but these are the standout stand up guys for Breaffy. I just feel they will have a right cut at it and finally lift it aloft the steps in McHale Park come October. They’ve absolute dogs of war all over the park and I feel this is their time. I’ll put a punt on them and hopefully it comes good but looking forward to the football over the next few weeks

Unusual trend in Westport the last ten years that they haven't brought through one ptotyoe midfielder?
6'3" more than 85kg.
You'd think there'd have been one?

Typo Prototype midfielder.
A ptotyoe I guess would be talented with farm machinery and too busy in summer :)

Didn’t play against Kilmovee the last game re James Carr . So I was told anyway .

Hope it’s a better championship than recent years , personally found it a right borefest with poor quality games if I’m honest the senior club has been poor for half a dozen yrs at least . Were Mitchell’s the last good outfit , they won Connacht maybe 2014/15ish ?

Sean Burke: Yes, that the last time Mitchell’s won the Connaught championship. I remember Big Bird gave Mike Farragher a roasting that day and he done an awful lot of sweeping in front of the half back line/full back line. Not a fear of Mitchell’s winning anything this year, an awful lot of lads are over the hill and they are starting for Mitchell’s. Who is favourites for Champo? I watched a lot of League Games but Knockmore were very poor, very slow and laboured so can’t see them winning it. I think it will be Breaffy for Senior, Lahardane in the intermediate and Junior I feel Kilalla will have a right cut at it.

The annoying thing with the senior championship is that it has been very weather dependant. We miss good weeks of weather starting late.

Johnny Patrick Gilger, in games i Seen Mitchels were going with much younger team so will be right in the Mix. Youth and good midfield are two key components.

Knockmore have issue around middle as no experienced big midfielders like other teams, although not a midfielder Pearse Rutledge is continuing his excellent form, really surprised he was not given a trial at county as far ahead of several panelists
Breaffy, Ballina, Crossmolina, winner should come from one of those 3 or Mitchels. Westport have not had the team altogether all year and lads still away and likes of McLaughlin injured will be hard for them to gel in time.

Breaffys defence in games i seen was not hectic though, that could prove costly.

We've been here before many times with breaffy though where they have been on form and on paper strong moclair candidates but they invariably fall short on the big day (a lot like the county team).

Would have them amongst the contenders still but in a 1 off knockout championship game i think a ballina/knockmore would have their number. Westport strengths and weaknesses seem to be same as recent years, bags of talent and speed but all players very samey and still not producing those big middle 8 players they need.

Crossmolina are the big wildcard, supplementing the momentum of being all Ireland winners with a generational group of exciting minors makes them serious dark horses. Might be a year too soon for them but they will be regulars at the top table soon enough again

I agree with Patrick Gilger Breaffy are looking good and given where there at with a lot of new players added to the squad over the league campaign players like Liam Lrwin and John Deane (just to name two ) also there younger players who would have a year more experience then last year will stand well.to them.The pressure will be on the three County players in Aidan, Matthew and Davitt to play well and help the younger players along and if they can all gel they'd be hard stopped.to win there first County Championship..

Knockmore are nowhere near it this year. I have seen a few of their lads and they can barely run. I cannot see them anywhere near the top table. For me, it’s Breaffy, Castlebar, Ballina, Westport, and Ballintubber. A lot have written Ballintubber off but they could be waiting in the long grass and ready to ambush! If I had to take a punt on anyone I’d pick Breaffy. They have been very strong in defence all year with Mark Ward a constant engine and terrier like with the bit between the teeth. Up top, they’ve young Josie Mellet and Ben Murphy kicking two pointers to bate the band. Will be interesting to see anyways but I’ve stuck a punt on them to go and lift it

Johnny Patrick Gilger, agree with some of that but Knockmore Less several starters really tested that defence as did parke and few others. Only for the lucky Breaffy goal where a clothesline tackle by Breaffy on Knockmore defender went unpunished for a tap in to level it before break wasn't much on it.
They have all the players to win, but have went full Mayo many many times now. Until they actually do it there is always a Caveat over them.

I think you could be on the money Johnny Patrick. As always very hard to see past Breffey. Given the development of Devitt Neary, the infulance of Ruane and O’Shea and the fact they have so many players back, including Irwin, you really would be expecting them to win the championship this year. Not to mention the Sean Deane effect, which everyone speaks so highly about.

The way I look at it, challenges clubs face at present moment;
Ballina - a few injured men and the hunger challenge could be a problem. We saw it happen Knockmore and Tubber in the past. 3 in a row so hard done.
Castlebar - young exciting team but lacking a bit of physicality and experience. Could catch them out.
Knockmore - seem to have a lot of men injured. Same trend as last year for them.
Westport - just have not got going at all this year.
Tubber - lethal score options in Cillian, Gavin and others but maybe the speed of the game could be too much for the team in general.
Cross - going really well but they will be a full 2 years on the road come back end of championship. Worse weather too won’t suit the younger more energetic lads.
Garrymore - unfortunately that teams age profile isn’t where it would like to be but still capable of causing an upset.

Really is made for Breffey this year tbh. No excuses if they don’t get over the line!

Is this the year Claremorris finally "arrive" on the big stage. Perennial underachievers that flatter to deceive and surely with their plethora of underage starlets now in the first team it's time to perform. As I stated before I believe Mitchells might do it this year but it would be encouraging from a county perspective to see big showings from the younger brigade.

Until Breaffy actually go and win it I’d have major doubts about them. They are like the “Mayo” of the Mayo senior club championship. I would like to see them do it though. Claremorris are an enigma and yes have very talented footballers coming through but they might be a bit young yet. Amazing that the 4th largest town in the county have waited so long for a county title and it’s 1994 since a south Mayo club won the Moclair!

New pod up on Patreon now, with a freebie taster as well. This is the first episode in a major podcast series, which we're calling "We need to talk about Mayo."

Over the coming weeks we're aiming to discuss issues relating to the current standing of and future prospects for football in Mayo and it's a discussion we want everyone who's interested in these issues involved in. The four broad themes we'll be looking at are coaching, infrastructure, governance and culture and obviously sitting under these four headings are a multiplicity of other issues.

In this first pod of the series we kick-start the discussion, which will then continue over the coming weeks.

In saying that Mayo club football is not in a good place and that’s reflected in the county standard. It’s way below what it used to be! We haven’t won a Connacht club Championship since Mitchell’s in 14/15. Whoever wins Mayo this year, I don’t see them going near the Connaught title! Westport were embarrassing that day against Moycullen so that says it all really and Ballina have been very very poor the last while in Connaught! I can’t see any Mayo team contesting Connacht unfortunately. Mayo football needs open heart surgery

@Johnny Patrick Gilger

Yes Ballina have been poor in Connacht . They have massive regrets especially over last years showing v Sligo though we lost that one ourselves. Sligo are up and coming though in club & intercounty .

With Breafy as others said until they win the moclaor I'd be weary of them .

Belmullet have been missing 6 to 7 shoe in starters all throughout the league including 5 involved with Mayo U20 / senior. They have 3 big men around the centre in Fionnan Ryan, Evan Ivers and Seamus Howard and if Ryan OD is on form I think they will be tricky opposition for any team

I think that Breaffy, Ballaghadreen, Ardagh and Kiltane B will all win their respective finals. Will be interesting to see how Breaffy fair in McHale Park, I don’t think they have ever played to well on that sod of turf, might be the big stage or something. You’d expect the like of Breaffy and Ballaghadreen to put in real statement victories today and performances because if they can’t do it today then they only just pretenders for the Moclair. Both, really should be swathing outside their opposition by 7/8 points or more given all the hype. Will be a good weekend of football and I have stuck a punt on the 4 teams mentioned, looking forward to it all the way from Boofenaun to Ballaghadreen, from Crossmolina to Castlebar! Let the games begin!

@Johnny Patrick Gilger says

That's a bit harsh on Belmullet sure you could say the same about Breafy !

Ryan O D is a class act and any team with him on it always have a chance wouldn't write them off .

As we all know to our cost , league and champo are worlds apart, even at club level.
Breaffy 'may' be just good enough to win this league final,as their need for a trophy is probably greater.
Come championship every team will feel they have a chance, eventhough some obviously won't.
Like others have said a great sprinkling of youth throughout a lot of teams and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Crossmolina young brigade perform ,same with the likes of Howard from Belmullet, PKC and Claremorris youngsters to mention just a few.
This has the makings of one of the most interesting campaigns in years imo,due mainly to age profile of teams and new rules.

Are there any teamsheets available online for the club games?

@Johnny Pat.

I have found the teamsheets on Mayo GAA Twitter.
Wouldn't have a clue how to post a link!
Jordan is not listed to start.

Link here lads https://mayogaa.com/2025/07/18/abbvie-league-division-123-4-final-match-programmes/

Jordan flynn needs a well rested break and a reset.

I'd imagine some players are not available as they've probably gone to America to play football or on hols .

Say could be holidays or something on, don't think I've seen any team tog in league that weren't down several starters.

I'd say you have the winners of the weekend picked there J P Gilger.

Looks like u picked the first one wrong in fact haha, looking forward to the division 1 final and seeing some of these minor lads for cross, it's mad that moyes, McDonald and Deane all playing central positions considering they are still play minor club football shows u the talent they have

I'm really intrigued to see how Cross do this year went to secondary in Cross so I wouldn't begrudge them at all ! Fair play to them .

Regards Ballina I don't see them being able to do 3 in a row. Mitchell's might do it with Durcan back ..

Killala hope they win the juniors !

Ontheroad, if I was from Crossmolina/keenagh I wouldn't be worried about the minor lads.
In some other positions they could get caught out.

deelrovers Management pulled wool over eyes of Sean Deane as it looks like Flynn and Coggins start.
The teamsheet espionage has won many a game....

Oisìn Deane has been the best player on the field by a distance. A poor enough game though so far.

Oisin is excellent. Think will have change my mind on Breaffys chances for championship. Even if come back today to win, they just not at it I'm afraid.
Aidan O'Shea trying hard to drag them on in fairness to him.

The craic in the clayton hotel with the hurling crowd when here for drinks I really miss us being in the business end !

I hope Tipp do it ..

One from Cork goes to ne get you lying don't want Sonegalbdoing it not wrong from my view anyways...!

Quality entertainment in div 1 final . Really enjoyable . Extra time now for good measure

Turned into a right cracker in the division 1 final.

Great to have crossmolina back up around the top table, they always add so much to it

Sorry @willie joe to many pints with the Cork ones there!

Was a cracker super Mac . Future is bright for crossmolina with so many quality players so young . Breaffy has a bit more muscle and it’s probably where you’d imagine will catch cross this year but who knows as they definitely have the skill set in their locker

Enjoyable match, surprised with amount of technical breaches this late in year.

The last free was brought up because the breaffy selector toe poked the ball away after it had gone over the sideline he must be really relieved.

Ballagh v Aghamore was a top class game. Minimum lateral uncontested stuff and good scoretaking. Imo Aghamore were more inventive and exciting but Ballagh's well taken goals kept them in it.
Dissappointed in the Breaffy v Crossmolina game and feel the latter have more potential.

Breaffy did well to dig it out and it should be a shot in the arm going in to championship for them,but agree the future is bright for Cross too,and these two could have to battle it out again a bit later in the year.

Good tight game, Cross a lot of missed chances and could have won but Breaffy did well with a man less in extra time. Really impressed with Livingstones ( apologies if spelt wrong) kicking. Stroked over a few similar to Beggan. Surely worth a look for Mayo.
Niall Coggins deadly when through on goal.

Agree CDR, just home, Livingstone def worth a while with Mayo, really enjoyed both games this evening in Castlebar. Crossmolina has great young players coming through, even though they lost, they have a bright future. I won’t want to start any AFL discussion, but we just cannot lose emerging serious talent, would be so disappointing, but I’m very afraid!!

Not long in the door either and really enjoyed the games tonight. Great value and the new rules are a tonic. Livingstone definitely worth a shot. Great flight on the ball. I know there is more to goal keeping that 45's but it's a good start

I was at both games. The referee in the Division 1 game was very good. The referee in the Division 2 game was just ok. He made a major mistake when Boland was pulled down, it should have been a black card. The referee chose to ignore it even though everyone in the stand saw it as did the linesman and Ballaghaderreen scored a goal. Little margins, big referee mistakes changes the course of a game.

I was at both games. The referee in the Division 1 game was very good. The referee in the Division 2 game was just ok. He made a major mistake when Boland was pulled down, it should have been a black card. The referee chose to ignore it even though everyone in the stand saw it as did the linesman and Ballaghaderreen scored a goal. Little margins, big referee mistakes changes the course of the game

You can say that again

@Johnny Patrick,

Since when did the Breffey mgmt team employ a PR person. You’re going all in on them! They did well to win the game today against a team with I’d guess an average age of 22.

If I was leaving mchale park today I’d much rather be a Crossmolina man. I’m not sure I’d class Breffey as “dogs of war” especially when you criticise Belmullet so much. I’m not even sure what “dogs of war” even means. I’m guessing it’s to do with never say die attuide

As a few have said already league and championship are miles apart. If Breffey win the championship then absolutely fair play to them, they deserve all the credit they can get, but a ball hasn’t even been thrown in yet and some people are already handing out medals.

If I remember right both teams in the League final last year did not make the county final.

Just home from a very enjoyable evening two great games Ballaghaderren got a bit lucky with the referee didn't give a black card for a Boland pulled down which came at important time in the game.
I must congratulate Breaffy on a fantastic performance. On others occasions they would have lost this encounter but they really showed there fighting spirit when it mattered most.Sean Deane and his management team has brought a toughness and never Say Die attitude to the group that fight for eash other.
Have to say Crossmolina are a great side that will be at the top table for a good few years to come.

Don't think it means that Green&Red as they've said die a good few times at this stage!
I'd be in your camp, I genuinely thought Breaffy were favourites this year with the new rules and big men. But I was quite disappointed with them, even the basic tactical errors like repeated technical infringements, then the simple missed frees. Crossmolina cut through then quite easily at times.

I'd definitely be happier if I was in the Deelrovers corner.

What happened the Sean Deane interview on Patreon

Actually none of the after match interviews could be heard?

I'd hazard a guess that he meant that comment only in jest, I would like to say, but I've removed it in any event in light of the offence it has caused.

Thoroughly enjoyed the two games I was in attendance at and while congratulating both winners, it could so easily have been Aghamore and Crossmolina celebrating. As others have said I think Breaffy keeper Livingstone is a serious option for county with his dead ball kicking. Great to see Conor Loftus too playing well. Aidan as always leading by example but he also showed how absolutely vital it is to have an accurate left footed free taker on board and good as Aido is that's not him. A bunch of youngsters really stood up and fair play to managements for trusting them. All in all it was a nice appetiser for the club championship.

What's great now is that all young forwards get to ply their trade with teams that are not overly defensive.
The last five years almost all teams were very defensive. It's going to take a season to break free of this. Developing the kickpassing from defense and middle sector.
Another aspect is little attacking plays..
I'm looking to win ball and lay off to a young forward with raw pace to break in on goal. That's just so much more on now as a play.

Anyone else unable to get the Patreon pod?

All - we’re aware of the issues with the pod and are working on them. Apologies for this, we’ll have it sorted soon.

I think when we look back at the year in total our back line, once settled was superior to most in the country.
A good basis to build on.

Those issues with the pod have now been sorted. Post-game audio bits are now in it as well so it’s a nice chunky listen.

Thanks Willie Joe.

Can you play the bodhràn Johnny?
We need to harness that enthusiasm for big match days 😜

Johnny Patrick - you might be a less happy man to learn you’ve picked up your first yellow card here. Trash-talking players isn’t the done thing on the blog - criticising aspects of a particular performance by a player in a game is okay (assuming you can back it up with facts) but cheaply dissing someone and their character most definitely is not. Please bear in mind for future reference.

@Johnny Patrick Gilger is a very humble sort of a buck, very neutral, and clearly harbours no bitterness towards any Crossmolina players.

A troll ? A rage baiter? Well i’ve most certainly taken the bait @Willie Joe

@Johnny Patrick Gilger is the type of buck that could fall into a barrel of nipples and come out sucking his thumb just to annoy you.

I’m not from Mayo but as a true neutral I can appreciate Jordan’s merit on the mayo team, albeit not a great year from him. This public mocking of county players by fellow mayo men is pathetic and effeminate.

Apologies @ Willie Joe, didn’t realise you’d already addressed him.

[Deleted].

Johnny Patrick - you and I are about to fall out properly now.

I had hoped you might take the hint at the first time of asking but clearly that didn't work. Okay, then, it's time for a different approach.

There are rules about posting comments here on the blog. You'll find them at this link: https://www.mft.ie/house-rules-for-posting-comments/. Please take the time to read them before attempting to post another comment here. When/if you do post another comment, you'll find that it has been routed to moderation, which means that I'll need to okay it before it's published. This will remain the case for all further comments from you until such time as I can be sure you're not going to cause further trouble.

A few further pointers are called for as well. Lose all those exclamation marks. Breaffy being dogs of war need not be asserted yet again. And, please, stop bigging yourself up - did your mother never tell you that self-praise is no praise?

That johnny fella is a rage baiter looking for a reaction, he literally named every breaffy player and they all had absolutely amazing games including the lads who where subbed inside the first 5 mins of the 2nd half.

Great games of football. Will be interesting to see how things play out over the next few weeks. Who will win it? I’ve absolutely no clue, it is the most open championship in a long long time.

Westport gave Claremorris a good trimming in the junior semifinal earlier. Both with strong teams with likes of McGraynor, Keane, Lambert, Doyle and Moran.
Claremorris with McCormack, Stretton, Byrne, Hurley and Maloney.
https://x.com/westportgaa/status/1946883005571817565?t=l4jT5S_elEptn5y4Znsqrw&s=19

Full Time
Claremorris 0-14
Westport 2-17

The 2nd half meltdown is not just a football thing this year then! Unbelievable.

Wow. That is some implosion from cork. So bad that I think mayo will no longer be the punchline for final meltdowns.

They were unbackable favourites literally everywhere all week, couldn't believe some of the arrogance I was hearing in the media, and they collapsed entirely from the 40th minute on

A junior B would score more than two points in a second half. Some performance from Tipp.

Congratulations to cork, officially the Mayo of hurling. Huge credit to Tipp, delighted for them. Cork arrogance came back to bite them badly. When the heat was turned up in the kitchen the Tipp men stood up and absolutely ripped cork apart. That’s twice now in the last two years that Cork have shown a lack of fight. Really happy for Tipp and Liam Cahill, took a lot of heat the last 18 months. I genuinely feel for Pat Ryan, his players let him down big time today. I’d say only 2 points in a half of hurling must be a record low??

Thank you Willie Joe for removing the Johnny Patrick Gilger comments, such comments are unwanted , on an otherwise enjoyable forum

After all the shite Mayo and Mayo fans have had to put up with over the years about losing and bottling finals it's actually worse reading our fans now doing the same to a County that's hurting after losing a final. Of all the counties int the country we should know better. Congratulations Tipperary and hard luck Cork.

Any chance Willie Joe do a review on each team in mayo senior championship, could be interesting getting peoples thoughts on how they will do

I think you mean a preview Toad Ted! We'll be covering that on the pod as we look ahead to the club championship.

Willie Joe: Could you also maybe go through who impressed you at the weekend in the preview or who are the lads who deserve a punt with the county panel. I thought young Cunningham made serious telling contributions at the weekend, he kicked two pointers to bate the band at vital points in the game and one of them he had a lovely jink dummy for it. Overall I thought it was a good weekend of football but some felt the quality was lacking. Will be interesting few weeks, I genuinely have not a snowballs clue in hell of who is going to win it but it will make for entertaining football.

Martin Mulvey - I won't be doing that for the simple reason that I wasn't at the matches at the weekend and I didn't see them online either.

I'd also caution against watching every club match through a prism of who might have the capability to play at inter-county level. We need new players on the county panel for sure (and, as a result, we also need to lose some of the ones we currently have) but club football exists in its own environment and it deserves to be seen and enjoyed in that way.

That said, we'll be keeping an eye out on the pod for players who stand out from week to week in the club championships. We've had for some years now a light-hearted 'Bring Him In' segment on the pod which highlights players who we feel may be worth a look from an inter-county perspective and we'll be doing something similar this year.

As this seems to be request hour, here's another one Willie Joe. When you do your polls for upcoming county matches next year, how about one for travel intentions: 'are you going to next weekend's match, yes/no'?

Might have the effect of tempering the negativity (?). I say this because, second half collapse apart, the Cork hurling supporters are phenomenal. Sunday was a sea of red, and raised the question, where were Tipp? Believe me they were there in huge numbers, but it seems everyone dons the blood and bandages and by God it's impressive and creates the effect of a Cork only show. Same last year against Limerick and Clare in the final games. We are a million miles away from that kind of statement support at the moment.

Good idea, Catcol. It’s one to keep in mind. We’re a long way alright from the huge support we used to muster, especially the 2016 and 2017 finals when we outnumbered the Dubs. Them were the days.

Mayonaze (and Sam Og) - thanks for the proposal to include in the podcast series some discussion on schools football, which we’ll aim to do. This is an important angle for sure.

Catcol, worth remembering the colours that stick out best help exaggerate attendances, our own green is quite dark so 4 or 5 in a row perceptually wouldn't stick out as well as a red Cork or Yellow Rossie jersey.

A Tipp fan I work alongside at times is still in shock from their win. Last time I met him he said Cork will annihilate whoever they meet in the final. I'd say plenty of his countyfolk didn't think it was worth the trip. Not easy to get tickets for any final either.

Good point Gizmo, but they seemed to far outnumber Clare last year also. If there are enough of us we too can make a statement, but we're a bit of a no show at present.