PREDICTIONS: All to play for in Mayo LGFA Championships

Gameweek Two will prove to be a monstrous one in the Mayo LGFA Club Championships.

The first instalment of what promises to be an enthralling season threw up plenty of excellent results. Now, the fat is in the fire, and some sides risk their aspirations of silverware being over in one fell swoop.

Here, we'll run the rule over all 12 games of the Senior, Intermediate, and Junior Championships and do our best to predict who'll come out on top. Every fixture throws in on Sunday morning (September 7) at 11 am.

SENIOR:

GROUP A

CARNACON V WESTPORT

The former All-Ireland kingpins had to show a sense of doggedness and resilience to outgun Charlestown last Sunday, and Louise Dowling showed her sharpshooting skills to great effect.

The Green and Red held a stranglehold for what seemed like an eternity, but they'll be coming up against, in my opinion, the premier side in the land in the form of Pop Geraghty's sky-blue sisters.

They may have lost a few to the injury rooms against Mitchels, with Saoirse Ludden and Aoife Kennedy joining Sherin El Massry and Nicola O'Malley in sick-bay. Even still, you'd back them to all-but-secure top spot this weekend.

VERDICT: WESTPORT

CASTLEBAR MITCHELS V CHARLESTOWN 

This is a massive tie, as the losers can kiss their semi-final hopes goodbye.

This is absolutely massive for Charlestown. If they lose this, their chances of evading the relegation playoffs look slim with a final-day clash with Westport on the horizon.

Castlebar got a rude reintroduction to life in the top grade of Mayo football when they faced Westport last Sunday, but they have plenty of talent in their ranks, including inter-county skipper Danielle Caldwell and impressive attacker Gráinne Flynn. However, I'd just about back the visitors to Josie Munnelly Park to pip this one.

VERDICT: CHARLESTOWN

GROUP B

KNOCKMORE V KILMOVEE

Knockmore were in nothing short of stupendous form as they put Kilmovee to the sword, and they'll be looking for more of the same as they welcome Kilmovee to Saint Joseph's Park.

Kilmovee did get the points on the table against Hollymount on Day One, but they were looking over their shoulders as their opponents last Sunday looked like they would reel them in.

Knockmore represent a step up, and you'd expect Kilmovee to struggle in this one.

VERDICT: KNOCKMORE

BURRISHOOLE V HOLLYMOUNT

Burrishoole had a nightmare start to their campaign, and will need to regroup fast if they're to get one over Hollymount in this one.

It was tight and frenetic last Sunday in Kilmovee for Pat Doocey's girls, and captain Ava Keane almost sparked a remarkable comeback after they fell behind.

If Hollymount can bring what they their best form to this one, you'd have to give them the nod here.

VERDICT: HOLLYMOUNT

INTERMEDIATE:

GROUP A

LOUISBURGH V KILMOREMOY

Both of these sides had a difficult day at the office last Sunday, making this a potentially season-deciding game already.

The Black and Amber put in a solid showing against Claremorris, making life difficult for the Division Two finalists early on, and the Needham sisters can shine on their day.

Kilmoremoy have talent all over the field, but they'll be hard-pressed to win this one.

I think the home side will come up trumps on the banks of Clew Bay, despite the pedigree in the Kilmoremoy ranks.

VERDICT: LOUISBURGH

AGHAMORE V CLAREMORRIS

Siobhan and Niamh Mooney were on tip-top form as the ladies in red found their groove against Kilmoremoy in the opening round, but they'll find locking horns with Claremorris a different prospect altogether.

Both of these sides will have aspirations of making the step up to senior level for 2026. The talent flows through both teams, but Claremorris are a coming force for whom senior football is seems to be an inevitability in the future.

There won't be much in this one, but the visitors are likely to shade the game.

VERDICT: CLAREMORRIS

GROUP B

MACHALE ROVERS V DAVITTS

Sinéad Walsh and company will welcome the women from the borderline with aspirations of wrapping up their semi-final berth as early as possible.

Davitts were second-best when Ballyhaunis made the short trip to Ballindine last weekend, and couldn't really put a glove on their fellow East Mayo women.

Division Two champions MacHale Rovers have high hopes to make their stint in intermediate football a short one, and they look primed to take the next step towards their goal on home turf.

VERDICT: MACHALE ROVERS

MOY DAVITTS V BALLYHAUNIS

This is a clash of two big guns in this grade. Ballyhaunis, with the likes of Sandra Hall, will make the journey to Foxford with a bit of a swagger after they ran riot against Davitts.

However, they're coming up against a Moy Davitts team who are smarting after MacHale Rovers got the edge in a tight-run race only last weekend.

This could go right down to the wire, but one would suspect that the fact that Moy Davitts need this win to stand a chance of progression, will see them over the line.

VERDICT: MOY DAVITTS

JUNIOR:

GROUP A

ST BRIGID'S V PARKE

This pairing brings together two of the sides gunning for glory this season, and fireworks are guaranteed in Ballycastle when they go toe-to-toe.

The home side, last year's finalists, were emphatic as they ran out 7-15 to 5-8 winners against The Neale, with Ava McDonnell and Alva Munnelly on fire.

That said, having your net breached five times isn't great, and they'll have to tighten up when the free-flowing attacking footballers from Parke come to town.

VERDICT: ST BRIGID'S

KILMEENA V THE NEALE

Kilmeena found life difficult when faced with Parke last time out, and have it all to do when The Neale wind their way north-west from Cong on Sunday morning.

While Kieran Hughes may have seen his side lose out to St Brigid's, there can be some consolidation from multiple facets of how his troops applied themselves, including their propensity for raising the green flag.

If they can shut down Kilmeena's threats, I can see them having a different result to set them up for a showdown with Parke on Matchday Three.

VERDICT: THE NEALE

GROUP B

BALLA V WESTPORT 'B'

It's always tricky to know what to expect from a club's 'B' side, but Westport's women couldn't get much of a foothold against Breaffy on their first day out.

Meanwhile, although Balla didn't manage to get close to Swinford-Killasser, they showed green shoots which could bode well for them one week on.

In fact, you'd back them to take those positive signs to Westport and pick up the championship points.

VERDICT: BALLA

BREAFFY V SWINFORD KILLASSER

Both of these sides enjoyed healthy victories in their first run out and will be looking to build momentum with their sights set on MacHale Park and finals day.

Breaffy will take plenty from how they put Westport to the sword, and Amy Golden will be walking on clouds after her exploits in front of goal.

However, last year's relegated side have the tools to swat aside almost every side in the division. They won't quite do that here, but they do have the goods to get the result.

VERDICT: SWINFORD-KILLASSER