Mike Finnerty
MAYO could be without their captain Ronan McGarrity for their Round 3 All-Ireland Qualifier on either Saturday or Sunday week (August 2/3).
The Ballina midfielder pulled his hamstring in the closing stages of last Saturday evening’s Mayo senior football championship match against Claremorris, and left the field immediately.
Mayo manager John O’Mahony confirmed on Monday night that both McGarrity and Trevor Mortimer were being treated for their respective hamstring injuries. “Our medical team will be working around the clock to try and have them both ready for the Qualifiers,” he said.
On a much more positive note, Knockmore’s Trevor Howley played the full sixty minutes in his club’s victory over Ballinrobe on Sunday last. John O’Mahony was there to see Howley’s return and the centre half-back showed no ill-effects after a two month lay-off with torn ankle ligaments.
MEANWHILE, most of the quarter-final places in the Mayo Senior and Intermediate championships were decided last weekend.
Charlestown, Crossmolina, Ballaghaderreen and Claremorris all qualified for the last eight as group winners in the senior championship with Ballintubber, Knockmore, Breaffy and Castlebar nailing down the runners-up spots.
In the Intermediate championship, Westport, Cill Chomáin and Aghamore all progress to the quarter-finals as group winners. However, the five-team Section D is yet to be decided with Kilmaine, Tourmakeady and Davitts all in contention for the two quarter-final places.
Ballyhaunis, Crossmolina B and Belmullet all finished in second place in their respective groups after a weekend of high drama. Achill and Parke were particularly unlucky not to sneak into the knock-out stages.
Elsewhere, in the Junior championship, Knockmore B, Balla, Crossmolina C, Aghamore B, Carramore, Lahardane all emerged as group winners. There are a number of groups still to be decided but among the runners-up already through to the last eight are Castlebar Mitchels B, Ballina B, Eastern Gaels, Charlestown B and Islandeady.
THE draws for the quarter-finals of the Mayo Senior, Intermediate and Junior championships will take place after the August Bank Holiday weekend (August 2/3).
Speaking to The Mayo News last night, Mayo GAA Secretary Sean Feeney confirmed that all the group winners will be kept apart in the quarter-final draw. “A ‘seeding system’ will apply so all the group winners will be in one pot and all the runners-up in the other,” he explained.
“All the quarter-finals will be played at a neutral venue but the dates for the games will be dependent on Mayo’s progress in the All-Ireland series.”
If Mayo were to reach an All-Ireland semi-final, then the club championship could be on hold until early September.
