The weekend is already hurtling towards us so here’s a quick run-down of the games involving the county this weekend.
The Connacht Minor Championship starts this week, as its U20 counterpart did yesterday evening, and all the round-robin matches will be played on Friday evenings. Round 1 is on tomorrow night but we’ve a bye in this round and so we won’t be in action there until Friday week.
There are two games to keep an eye on this Saturday, one in hurling and the other in women’s football.
The hurling match starts first, with the county team travelling to Aughrim to play Wicklow in the final round of the NHL Division 3. Throw-in is 1pm and the ticket link for the game is here.
Our lads need to avoid defeat in this game to qualify for the divisional final, which will take place the following weekend. If they manage to do this then they’ll almost sure to face a rematch in the decider with London, to whom they suffered their only defeat in the campaign to date.
A bit later on Saturday afternoon the county’s women footballers are in Lidl NFL Division One action. Their Round 6 match against Kildare takes place at Swinford Amenity Park where throw-in is 3pm. The ticket link for the game is here and it’s also being streamed live (match pass costs €11.99 – link here).
With no points on the board from the five games they’ve played to date, it’s now all but certain that Liam McHale’s charges are facing relegation from the league’s top tier this season. This game is, however, eminently winnable so here’s hoping they get off the mark on Saturday.
Then on Sunday afternoon the focus shifts to Hastings Insurance MacHale Park where the men are in action in the final round of the Allianz Football League. Donegal provide the opposition for a game that throws in at 3.45pm.
The ticket link for the game is here. It’ll also be streamed live by Spórt TG4 on their YouTube channel so, for the first time ever for a men’s senior game, I’ll be able to embed the live stream here on the blog for ease of viewing. Midwest will have live radio commentary on it as well.
I think we all know where we stand ahead of Sunday. We’re not absolutely safe heading into the final round of games but, depending on results elsewhere, even if we lose we could well stay up. A draw will certainly do us and a win could even see us qualify for the final the following weekend. What a mad world we live in.
Club fixtures have started up again too. This coming weekend there are games on Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as earlier on Sunday so if this floats you boat you’ll find match details here.
James Fleming says:
March 20, 2025 at 5:08 pm
Is there tickets for sale in Super valu for the Mayo v Donegal game
Ever the optimist says:
March 20, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Hurtling is right. The time is tearing in altogether. Condensed seasons do not make for great planning. Still, great to see the bright evenings and early sunshine first thing. Clocks forward next weekend.
Supermac says:
March 21, 2025 at 9:20 am
I actually think getting to the final this year would be a good thing, I know people are pointing to derry last year and mayo the previous years as examples of it being a bad thing but everything in context.
Winning a league final and performing well in championship aren't mutually exclusive
We could actually do with another good workout as there are still lads who need the gametime and systems to be worked out, let's be honest we are on the softer side of the draw, sligo without carrabine and a few others haven't kicked on as expected so should be dispatched fairly comfortable and as for poor old leitrim, you could be looking at a record 40+ points thumping there so you're looking at another 6 weeks or so before our next big game in the connacht final.
Can see it from Donegals point of view also though, I fully expect them to throw the game and play the reserves where possible as they have derry the following week, which is ripe for an ambush.
This whole farcical situation could easily be resolved by giving another 2 weeks of a gap between league final and championship 1st round. It was a brilliant competition up til round 5 and the last 2 rounds have descended to farce.
Division 2 will be where its at this weekend for excitement and jeopardy. "All Ireland contenders" roscommon on the brink of blowing it having lost to Meath and Cavan
TsuDhoNim says:
March 21, 2025 at 9:51 am
If anyone hasn't come across it before, An Zón Rua by @GAALeagueTables is essential second screen (or 1st screen if you're at a game) viewing for NFL final game weekend.
The idea of live streaming a spreadsheet probably not something that screams excitement for many, but no better way to make sure you're fully up to date with all the drama across the table(s).
https://x.com/GAALeagueTables/status/1902343739000959332?t=p4WJXbfTMW_iONYwWpSkJg&s=19
Jimbo says:
March 21, 2025 at 10:44 am
@ james fleming. Yes you can get your ticket in supervalue. I would love to get to the league final and have a day out in croke park on Sunday week. We will definitely be in rhe connacht final for sure.
2 hops says:
March 21, 2025 at 2:27 pm
So @Gizmo,do you 'think' we might see Diarmuid making the bench or better this weekend???
Thedarkyfinn says:
March 21, 2025 at 3:30 pm
@2 Hops . In the CT online there is an interview with McStay where he more or less said he could have included DOC on the bench the last day but didn't but indicated he is ready to go. Now he also said 2 of the 3 missing are ready but didn't expand further on it so take it Tommy is ready to go to as it was mentioned on another media outlet Paddy had a little set back. So hopefully all is looking up for those
Cp says:
March 21, 2025 at 3:42 pm
Thedarkyfinn- I’ve heard paddy is back training and tommy won’t be back for a few more weeks.
We will have to wait and see on Sunday at 3.15 when they come onto the pitch
2 hops says:
March 21, 2025 at 3:50 pm
Good to hear@ Thedarkyfinn...Gizmo usually knows stuff,so maybe he will enlighten us further...
Willie Joe says:
March 21, 2025 at 4:20 pm
Kevin McStay stated on the Final Whistle pod after the Derry game that Diarmuid could have been in the 26 for that game but that the decision was taken to let him play with Ballintubber instead. He said that he was one of a few players they released on the same basis for last weekend’s games.
Gizmobobs says:
March 21, 2025 at 4:32 pm
2 hops, wouldn't expect to see them; unless maybe Diarmuid on the bench. I would suspect we will want to try hard to make final as would benefit us more than most given that on paper we have an easier run to a Connacht final, so team likely to be very similar to previous rounds with McHale, Neary and maybe even O'Donoghue possible inclusions to first 15 from last week.
2 hops says:
March 21, 2025 at 4:53 pm
I hear you.... thanks.
Rusty Bridges says:
March 21, 2025 at 5:21 pm
Hopefully we'll see Tommy & Paddy soon, but important not to rush them back. There is plenty time. TBH I'd have been surprised to see Paddy back this season at all, so the fact he's close is hugely positive. Tommy in space could be a weapon with the space created by the 4 v 3
Plunkett says:
March 21, 2025 at 5:49 pm
I think we should name a completely different 15 compared to last week. Just test out as many players as possible. Give Ivers, Akram, Vahey a shot. Staying up really isn’t important. In fact it might be better to be in division 2. Since 21, at least one division 2 team has been in the all ireland final.
24:Armagh division 2 (Champions)
23:Dublin division 2 (Champions)
22:Galway division 2 (runners up)
21:Don’t need to bring up the war
Something to consider at least. Too much emphasis is put on the league by pundits when it really has no meaningful bearing on the championship.
Jr says:
March 21, 2025 at 6:03 pm
I think it is great to have a settled team
Exile says:
March 21, 2025 at 6:06 pm
Ditto Jr - try people as cover for positions / try someone in a different position if it's looking good on the training ground, but getting settled ahead of championship must be worth it.
If it's looking good around 3rd quarter then by all means take a calculated risk and empty bench.
Plunkett says:
March 21, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Do we not have a settled team for the most part?
Knockingabout says:
March 21, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Team Named
https://x.com/MayoGAA/status/1903144748560310492
TsuDhoNim says:
March 21, 2025 at 6:41 pm
@Plunkett: We do. Very much so.
7 players (Reape, Hession, McBrien, Coen, Ruane, McHugh & Irwin) that have started all 6 games & another 3 (Towey, O'Donoghue & Boland) that has featured in all 6.
Then a few more (Flynn, Coyne, Carney & O'Shea) that have played most minutes since they've come back in contention.
We'd be the lowest in Division 1 on overall panel usage (26), joint lowest on number of lads seeing an hour plus of game time (23) & joint lowest on total number of starters (24) (both of those tied with Tyrone). Using few or loads neither good nor bad in itself, as long as lads not playing isn't having a negative impact on squad morale and we're successfully getting enough lads up to Championship pace to handle any/all injuries the absolute figures are fairly meaningless. Especially if we're going to be releasing non-playing panel members to get minutes at club, that'll help a lot keeping match-sharpness & confidence up.
Ever the optimist says:
March 22, 2025 at 6:37 am
Possibly correct to say some of the last two bouts have descended into face but there's a couple of lively encounters still in the pot. Tyrone have to throw the kitchen sink at it in Omagh and I'm not sure Derry will let Armagh run riot either.
Galway will be put to the sword by Kerry, I'd imagine. McGuiness has been vocal regarding the new tweaks but I doubt he's remotely concerned about the match at hand.
Monaghan have really impressed me in div 2 and look a force to be feared in the championship.
It could well be an all Connacht league final. Good times ahead hopefully.