The county’s hurlers will contest the Nicky Rackard Cup final on Saturday week (the same day, incidentally, as the footballers play Tyrone), with this all-Connacht title decider against Roscommon getting underway in Croke Park at 1pm that afternoon.
The hurlers are enjoying a very fruitful season, having earlier this year won the NHL Division 3 title and promotion to Division 2 for next year. Now they’re aiming to do the same in the Championship.
Mayo have twice before won the Rackard Cup – in 2016 and 2021 – and while further silverware at this level will be welcomed, the promotion back up to the Christy Ring Cup level for next year is arguably the bigger prize on offer at Croke Park on Saturday week.
Ahead of the big game, the county’s hurlers are holding an open meet and greet session after finishing their training this coming Sunday. The location for this is the hurlers’ spiritual home, Adrian Freeman Park in Tooreen, and the open session will get underway at midday on Sunday.
The playing panel and management would love to see plenty of adults and kids at the event on Sunday, where the players will be available for photos, signing of jerseys, hurls and sliotars. A few well-wishes on the day to the lads who are representing the county with distinction this year wouldn’t, I’m sure, go amiss either.
Kids who are planning to come along (or, more precisely, parents who will are planning to take their kids to the event) should have their hurls with them to get the opportunity for a puck around with the players and the chance to pick up a few tips.
Hopefully, there’ll be a big gathering in Tooreen on Sunday for this event, which will give the lads a good send-off before they head for Croker the weekend after for this important title decider.
2 hops says:
May 21, 2025 at 10:41 am
Best of luck to the lads in the final.
They show a great level of consistency in fairness to them.
Maybe Fergie chose the wrong horse this year..
It Means Nothing to Me says:
May 21, 2025 at 5:11 pm
Best of luck to the hurlers at the weekend.
Would be great to see a bit of a turnout for them, as well as that other forgotten GAA code, handball, which surprisingly has turned out a few All-Ireland champions from these here parts over the years.
Kick the Ball says:
May 21, 2025 at 5:29 pm
Maybe we should all park Omagh and support the hurlers given it's our only chance of seeing the inside of Croker this year
James Fleming says:
May 21, 2025 at 5:57 pm
I totally agree
Harry the hurler says:
May 21, 2025 at 6:11 pm
Maybe the County Board they should invest more in the hurlers And they not be treated like 2nd class citizens. The game can't grow without out looking after the existing players.
Clare says:
May 21, 2025 at 6:47 pm
Fair play to the hurlers . They've been consistant and have clearly improved since last year . Hope they do it .
James Fleming says:
May 21, 2025 at 6:55 pm
Hope they do it
Mo-Díreach says:
May 21, 2025 at 7:17 pm
Well done to ye lads. It's been uplifting to hear, week after week that you were coming out on top in your games.
Best of luck to you in the Nicky Rackard cup final. Hope you show your class and bring it home.
Yes, it would be nice to see hurling getting more support too from County board. They've been the most consistent team in Mayo in recent years.
Go Mayo.
Glorydays says:
May 21, 2025 at 9:47 pm
Im ashamed and embarrased to say I dont know much about the hurlers and its a few years since I attended a hurling match but I wish the very best of luck to the team and managent and everyone involved in keeping hurling alive in a football mad county fair play to ye I hope ye bring home the cup
Kjz says:
May 21, 2025 at 11:53 pm
Glorydays, same as that, I went to their last final in Croke Park I think, and before that I'm not sure when was at a Mayo hurling game last.
But in fairness to John Walker he has done great job giving coverage to the hurlers on the social media pages.
We just need to try and get into mindset to go support the lads more where possible.
to win just one says:
May 22, 2025 at 8:32 pm
Best of luck to the hurlers. Keep going at it year after year with few days out in the limelight. A bit like the footballers in Waterford, Limerick at times and Tipp and of course Kilkenny where they don’t even field a team in the league. Yet these guys put in a huge effort for little recognition
Anne-Marie says:
May 23, 2025 at 12:18 pm
Would absolutely love to be heading to Croker to support the lads but am otherwise engaged for most of the day in educational matters, and at this stage even managing a 7pm throw-in Omagh might be a stretch.
They really do deserve a crowd there to support them - they have brought home more national silverware than anyone in recent years with very little fanfare, so I hope they will get some recognition of their efforts. Best of luck lads.