The group stage of the Senior club Championship is now over, with the quarter-finals set to be decided the weekend after next. It seems an opportune time, then, to test the waters on who is fancied to go all the way this year.
Have Ballina Stephenites what it takes to land the three-in-a-row? This feat was most recently achieved by Castlebar Mitchels in 2017 but it’s a rarity in modern times, Garrymore’s hat-trick of titles back in the Seventies being the last threesome before Castlebar did it in the last decade.
Ballaghaderreen, who look an improved team compared to last year when they very nearly took out the champions at the semi-final stage and who now bar their way again, will surely fancy their chances of landing a fourth Moclair Cup success. If they did it, it will be their first one since 2012.
There’s plenty of chatter about Crossmolina Deel Rovers, who have made a very impressive return to the Senior ranks this year and who already have a win over Ballina in this year’s competition. Can their youthful team now go on and claim the crown for the first time since 2006?
Belmullet will have a bit to say about that, in what’s set to be a mouth-watering North Mayo quarter-final clash. Having come through the ‘Group of Death’, helping to eliminate Mitchels in the process, Belmullet – who have yet to win the county title but who contested the final as recently as 2021 – are definitely in the hunt this year.
Breaffy – Mayo in microcosm or so it seems – are still plugging away, still hoping finally to reach the Promised Land, having come so close so often over the past decade and more. Westport, their quarter-final opponents, know what Nirvana feels like, having claimed a breakthrough first county title in 2022.
Ballintubber and Knockmore, champions most recently in 2018 and 2021 respectively, have both come through the group stage with little fuss. Whichever of them emerges from their last eight meeting will surely have realistic hopes of competing for silverware this year.
So, those are the last eight clubs left standing in this year’s Senior Championship. Which one of them do you think will have the Moclair Cup in their trophy room this year? Let’s end with a vote on that.
Who'll win the Moclair Cup?
- Crossmolina Deel Rovers (31%, 267 Votes)
- Ballaghaderreen (18%, 157 Votes)
- Ballina Stephenites (16%, 137 Votes)
- Knockmore (11%, 95 Votes)
- Belmullet (8%, 72 Votes)
- Ballintubber (6%, 50 Votes)
- Westport (5%, 45 Votes)
- Breaffy (5%, 42 Votes)
Total Voters: 865
Supermac says:
September 10, 2025 at 11:22 am
Went with Ballagh, just have a feeling about them this year, putting up big scores and plenty of experience and size...
But in all honesty, anyone of 6 teams can win it, with a bit of luck. Of that 8 im ruling out Westport and Belmullet, just think Westport seem to have gone back on recent years and missing a few matchwinners, Belmullet are warriors and could sicken a big gun yet but cant see them going all the way and EOD looks to be injured.
2 hops says:
September 10, 2025 at 12:22 pm
Went for Crossmolina.
I think they have a sprinkling of the X factor in their ranks.
It could be argued that if they fall behind to a more experienced team such as Knockmore or Ballina they may not have the experienced leaders to bring them through but they found that resolve when needed against Ballina in the group stages and they have the experience of last year's run fresh in the memory so no reason they can't win a county senior, and more.
Mayo Man for Life says:
September 10, 2025 at 12:28 pm
The winners of the Ballagh Ballina game in my view...which is very hard to call but i will give it to Ballagh with the home advantage in the Qfinal
Willie Joe says:
September 10, 2025 at 1:08 pm
New pods incoming! Three of them, with free tasters included for all three of them.
Mind the House says:
September 10, 2025 at 1:23 pm
TG4 covering the Crossmolina v Belmullet game which is brilliant for those of us across the water.
Mind the House says:
September 10, 2025 at 1:25 pm
Although in all fairness we could see the game on Mayo GAA TV anyway,
The fact it is on TG4 brings the pub into play.
Jordan Kearns says:
September 10, 2025 at 5:54 pm
I want Ballintubber to win it for the 6th time they will beat Knockmore by 3 points but I still think Ballina Stephenites will win 3 in a row Westport to beat Breaffy by 1 point Crossmolina to win by 3 points over Belmullet
Winners Ballina Stephenites of 3 in a row because they will remain the team to beat
Still Dreamin says:
September 10, 2025 at 8:45 pm
Keith Higgins named u20 Manager. Very good appointment 👏
Gizmobobs says:
September 10, 2025 at 8:59 pm
The Connaught Telegraph are some craic "Higgins appointed Mayo Under-20 boss as 'dream team' by-passed"
Some headline, they full of jokes.
The west awake says:
September 10, 2025 at 9:12 pm
I want wish Keith Higgins the best of luck in his appointment in becoming the mayo under 20s manager.
He was one of mayo all time greatest players but I have to question why he got the job without having managerial experience at club level.
We did the same thing with the last appointment at under 20s level in appointing Gardener and we know how that work out
I would have preferred a manager with club management experience to take on a very important rjpb as the under 20s manager.
There be no one more happier than me if Keith Higgins turns out to be a brilliant appointment by the county board..
Clare says:
September 10, 2025 at 9:25 pm
Best of luck to Keith Higgins .
I never trust the Connaught telegraph . Ridiculous articles they bring out .
Rusty Bridges says:
September 10, 2025 at 9:26 pm
Best of luck to Keith & management team. A lot of people wanted some joined up thinking between the u20s & senior management. Well here you have it.
Who will win the Moclair Cup? Hoping Crossmolina do it. They have no fear. And they have a little bit of tradition outside of Mayo. A big ask of course to push on to that level but you just never know.
Their relative lack of experience at the top level may be their undoing when it comes to the crunch, but it will take a good team to beat them
Mo435 says:
September 11, 2025 at 1:38 am
One error on the above, Belmullet did not top the 'Group of Death'. Breaffy did
Willie Joe says:
September 11, 2025 at 6:47 am
Thanks for that Mo435 - I’ve corrected that mistake now.
Sean Burke says:
September 11, 2025 at 5:17 pm
Is it rare or often that a club would win intermediate and than senior the next year ?
Martin Mulvey says:
September 11, 2025 at 10:25 pm
I went with Breaffy to win it out. They have been dogs of war this year and winning games when not playing well. I would be surprised if a few of them were not called into the Mayo Senior Football Panel if they do win it, the likes of Livingstone, Dervan, Beirne, Coghill, Morrin, Minogue, Fadden, Conor O'Shea, Deane, Cunningham and Irwin all at least deserve a punt as they have been outstanding for them so far. I just don't see anyone matching them physically and they absolutely bullied Belmullet the last day, it was literally men against boys and they tossed them around like rag dolls!! Crossmolina I think will get to the final and I would like to see all their young lads called into the panel along with Leddy and their full back line. Really looking forward to the next few weeks but I have a feeling Breaffy and Crossmolina will get to the final with hard work and will be a great final.
2 hops says:
September 11, 2025 at 10:59 pm
I feel bad for the 4 Breaffy lads you are leaving out Martin.
Gizmobobs says:
September 11, 2025 at 11:09 pm
Andy already meant have panel of 42. Be closer to 102 if he brings in the Crossmolina and Breaffy panel :)
Martin Mulvey says:
September 11, 2025 at 11:42 pm
Any idea on the full panel at this time? I think he needs to have an A and B panel of 80 players and then cut it down week on week and have trial games.
Gizmo who have you put a punt on to win it?
Just a thought says:
September 12, 2025 at 9:40 am
4 north mayo teams in the top 5 according to the poll.
Supermac says:
September 12, 2025 at 11:50 am
Good man Martin, better to give every single breaffy player the county callup so just to be on the safe side. Lol
Martin Mulvey says:
September 12, 2025 at 6:25 pm
Well I think on paper squad wise it is themselves and Westport who always have the best players so to speak! A squad of superstars but Westport delivered in 2022 but a lot of them have left the panel, I heard everything is not all good with the Westport camp. With Breaffy they have something about them this year that I think will mean they will win Moclair. Either way it is the most open Championship that I have seen.
My predictions for QF are Knockmore, Ballaghadreen, Breaffy, Crossmolina.
Interested to see how Belmullet get on because they were bullied in Ballina by Breaffy so lets see if Crossmolina can bully them or will it be the other way around.
A SF of Knockmore and Crossmolina would be something else.
Martin Mulvey says:
September 14, 2025 at 8:58 pm
Does anyone know the players of Andy's Panel? I'd love to get a full list. I heard Eoin McLoughlin and Goggins were dropped but I do not know if it is true or not.