Mayo will be aiming to compete in the LGFA All-Ireland Senior Championship. Pic: Sportsfile
The Mayo race for All-Ireland Ladies' Football Championship glory has come into further focus following the draw for the group stages.
The Green and Red, under the tutelage of Diane O'Hora, could end up in two groups depending on their fortunes in the Connacht series.
Last year, with Liam McHale at the helm, Mayo fell to defeat against a first-rate Galway side in MacHale Park.
They suffered fouler fortunes in the All-Ireland series, and required victory over Leitrim in Tubbercurry to stave off relegation to Intermediate.
A new year, however, brings new opportunities, and Mayo will be aiming to reclaim provincial silverware.
Should they do that, they will find themselves drawn in a group with the runners-up from Ulster, as well as the third-placed team from Leinster.
Were they to lose the Connacht decider, though, they would end up alongside the Leinster champion and Ulster's third-placed team in Group Three.
Two sides from each three-team group will progress to the quarter-finals, while the bottom side will fall into the odious relegation play-offs.
The first round throws in on the weekend of June 6/7, with the group stages being run off week on week.
The last-eight takes place on Saturday, July 5/Sunday, July 6, with the semis on Saturday, July 18, and the ultimate battle for the Brendan Martin Cup pencilled in for Sunday, August 2.
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