Five Mayo players to watch out for in the Sigerson Cup

WITH everything going on in January, the Sigerson Cup can often fly under the radar.

The University of Ulster currently hold third-level football’s premier chalice, defeating UCD in last year’s final.

The competition throws in on Tuesday (January 7), and a total of 31 Mayo players are listed in the squads of nine of the 16 competing colleges. The new rules will not apply to this year’s competition.
Here are five Mayo players to watch out for:

Ryan O’Donoghue

College: University of Galway
Club: Belmullet
Position: Forward
Studying: Masters in Education

WHAT need we say? Well here’s one fact that speaks for itself. Ryan O’Donoghue topped the scoring chart in the 2024 All-Ireland championship with 3-48 - despite Mayo being eliminated at the preliminary quarter-final stage. That’s 0-11 more than the next highest scorer (Sam Mulroy from Louth, in case you’re wondering).

The buck didn’t do too badly with his club either, kicking 1-16 in five games to save Belmullet from relegation and finish as the eighth-highest scorer in the Mayo senior club championship.

The Erris sniper scored a goal in last year’s Sigerson Cup quarter-final when the University of Galway were sent packing in Dangan by Rory Brickenden’s UCD - who eventually reached the final.
With Tommy Conroy now graduated, Maurice Sheridan will rely more on O’Donoghue than ever before.

Sam Callinan

College: University College Dublin
Club: Ballina Stephenites
Position: Defender
Studying: Economics and Finance

NO longer a foal, but a full-on thoroughbred from a Mayo stud farm that has produced attacking half-back nobility such as Paddy Durcan, Lee Keegan and Colm Boyle.

Still only 21, Callinan has become a lynchpin for club and county after co-captaining Ballina Stephenites to their second Moclair Cup in a row.

After testing his wits in the full-back line in a number of Mayo games in 2024, Callinan has found a more natural home in the kingdom that Boyler, Leeroy and Paddy Durcan ruled with an iron fist for so long.
Callinan is next in line for the throne.

Cian McHale

Club: Moy Davitts
Position: Forward
College: University of Limerick
Studying: Primary Education

THE best forward in the 2024 Mayo Intermediate Football Championship. Hands down.

After scoring 2-33 in seven games for his club, McHale received a well-earned call-up to the Mayo senior squad in the back end of 2024.

McHale’s college will open their account against an ATU Galway team with six Mayo players in their ranks on Wednesday evening.

With a knack for kicking long-distance worldies, he will no doubt be sorry that the newly-introduced extra point for shots beyond the 45-metre arc does not apply to this year’s Sigerson Cup.

Frank Irwin

College: University of Limerick
Club: Ballina Stephenites
Position: Midfielder
Studying: Criminal Justice

ONE of ten Mayo men on this year’s University of Limerick team, Irwin’s been knocking on the door of the Mayo senior team since making his National League debut in 2022.

Though plagued by injuries and unable to find a natural position for Mayo, Irwin has become a star man in the green and red of Ballina.

No midfield could match him and fellow midfield general Mikey Murray as the Stephenites strode past Knockmore to retain the Moclair Cup back in October.

Tall, pacy, dynamic and a good all-rounder, Irwin could do a job for you anywhere from 8 to 15.
Where exactly he is best utilised is certainly a matter for debate.

John McMonagle

College: University of Galway
Club: Castlebar Mitchels
Position: Defender
Studying: Mathematics

ANOTHER who has played with a maturity beyond his years in the past twelve months or so.

At times, he looked too good for Castlebar Mitchels’ second team during the 2023 intermediate championship. To say he made the transition to senior football like a duck to water is an understatement.

In a Mitchels team without the great Paddy Durcan, McMonagle did not simply stand in, he stood out, making The Mayo News Team of the Week three times during the 2024 senior championship and slotting into the centre-back slot in our Senior Team of The Year.

A leader both on the field who defends with both brain and brawn, McMonagle could well captain Mayo in future, based on his current trajectory.The full list of Mayo players listed to in squads for then 2025 Sigerson Cup is as follows: University of Limerick: Conal Dawson (Westport), Jack Fallon (Mayo Gaels), Joseph Grady (Westport), Frank Irwin (Ballina Stephenites), Cathal Joyce (Claremorris), Fenton Kelly (Davitts) Jack Melvin (Davitts), Cian McHale (Moy Davitts), Seán Morahan (Castlebar Mitchels), Luke Jennings (Ballinrobe). University of Galway: Tom O’Flaherty (Aghamore), John McMonagle (Castlebar Mitchels), Ciaran Boland (Ballina Stephenites), Ryan O’Donoghue (Belmullet). TUS Midlands: Mark Gibbons (Garrymore). DCU DE: Darragh Joyce (Claremorris), Finbar McLoughlin (Westport). TU Dublin: Cian Hanley (Ballaghaderreen). ATU Galway: Jason Crean (Ardnaree Sarsfields), Ethan Owens (Eastern Gaels), Conor Reid (Moy Davitts), Jack Livingstone (Breaffy), Seán Keane (Mayo Gaels), Dylan Toner (Swinford). ATU Sligo: Jim Kelly (Knockmore), Fionnán Ryan (Belmullet), Darragh Syron (Crossmolina), Dylan Thornton (Ballina Stephenites). University College Dublin: Diarmuid Duffy (Ballinrobe), Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites), Darragh Reilly (Parke/Keelogues/Crimlin). ATU Donegal: Owen Doherty (Kiltane).