Breaking Sports News: Mayo Senior and Intermediate Championship Wrap

Sunday Update: Ballaghaderreen crash out while Ballintubber and Castlebar remain on course for the quarter finals.


Ballaghaderreen are out of the Senior Football Championship with a round still to play after today's defeat to Ballina.
The Stephenites dug deep with their Championship hopes on the line and edged a gripping tussle by 2-4 to 0-8.
They led by three at half time having played with the aide of a strong breeze. Colm Leonard's goal was the key score in that first half but after the break, Ballagh' fought back.
They moved talisman Andy Moran into the full forward line and he instigated a three point come back to leave the score 1-3 to 0-6 with 18 minutes remaining.
However, Ballina had more in the tank in the closing stages and got the game's defining score when a Pat Harte shot was parried into the path of Brian Ruane who fired home to an empty net.
The win leaves Ballina on two points and sets up a winner take's all showdown against Ballinrobe in the concluding round.
It was a busy Sunday for the Club Championship. In section one, Ballintubber stormed to victory over Garrymore to move to the top of the table with a 1-11 to 0-6 victory.
The group is one of the toughest to call after Claremorris and Crossmolina drew last night. All four sides still have a good shot at the last eight heading into the final round.
In Section 2, Castlebar and Shrule/Glencorrib look certain to progress at this point. Peter Forde's Mitchels overwhelmed Moy Davitts on Sunday afternoon winning 3-16 to 0-4 in a landslide.
That leaves the Castlebar men on four points while Shrule bounced back from the opening round defeat to the group leaders to defeat Aghamore by 13 points, 1-17 to 0-7.
They did so despite being down to 14 men for well over a half an hour after Neil Sullivan got his marching orders in the first. half.
Conor Mortimer popped up with 1-7 for the home side with his green flagging coming late on with the game already over as a contest. 
Section three has five teams competing and still plenty of twists and turns ahead. Charlestown top the pile with two wins from two after the recorded a vital one point win away to Breaffy on Sunday afternoon 1-8 to 1-7.
Westport meanwhile are also on four points having played three games. The hauled themselves back in the race for a top two place after they came from behind to beat West Mayo 0-12 to 1-7 today.
The Junior amalgamation side led by 1-5 to 0-5 at half time thanks to a wonder goal from Brian McCormack and were gunning for a second upset in a row.
However, a Damien Keane led revival saw Westport gradually come back into matters.
The dismissal of West Mayo Captain Ollie Feeney for a second yellow turned the tide further and late scores from David Horan and Keane saw the covies home.

Intermediate Championship Wrap

Belmullet top section one after they improved on an opening round draw with Kiltimagh on Sunday by getting the two points from their trip to Mayo Abbey.
Mayo Gael's battled well but failed to offer a genuine scoring threat in a 1-9 to 0-6 defeat.
On Saturday evening, Kiltimagh edged a tight battle with Bonniconlon winning by one point in the end. 0-12 to 1-5.
Mayo Gaels are now out of the running, Bonniconlon must win in Belmullet to get to the last eight.
Tourmakeady top the pile in section 2, they kicked 14 points in Cil Chomain today and the east Mayo side could only muster 1-6 in reply.
Hollymount are back in the hunt for second after they easily defeated Crossmolina B 0-12 to 0-4, however they will need to topple the unbeaten section 2 leaders in the final round to advance.
One of the Championship favourites, Burrishoole, are in control in section two after they recorded a second big win of the campaign on Sunday with a 1-14 to 1-3 victory over winless Swinford.
South Mayo rivals Kilmaine and Davitts lead the way in Section three with both teams on three points but Killala and Achill showed some muscle at the weekend recording draws on the road.
The final round sees the top two meet so the loser of that won't be guaranteed a last eight place.
Kilmaine were held at home by Killala 1-11 to 2-8. Paul Doherty kicked 1-7 of the home side's tally but goals from Marcus Hannick and Alex Quinn helped Killala stay alive in the Championship. 

Sunday Results
Senior Championship (2pm)
Section 1
Ballintubber 1-11, Garrymore 0-6
Section 2
Shrule/Glencorrib 1-17, Aghamore 0-7
Section 3
Breaffy 1-7, Charlestown 1-8

Senior Championship (4pm)
Section 2
West Mayo 1-7, Westport 0-12
Moy Davitts 0-4, Castlebar 3-16
Section 4
Ballina 2-4, Ballaghaderreen 0-8

Intermediate Championship (2pm)
Section 2
Crossmolina B 0-4, Hollymount 0-12
Section 3
Swinford 1-3, Burrishoole 1-14
Section 4
Davitts 1-8, Achill 1-8

Intermediate Championship (4pm)
Section 1
Mayo Gaels 0-6 Belmullet 1-9
Section 2
Cill Chomain 1-6, Tourmakeady 0-14
Section 4
Kilmaine 1-11, Killala 2-8

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Saturday Update: Two Draws in Senior Championship as Kiltimagh clinch a one point win in the Intermediate action


There were two draws in the Senior Championship today while Kiltimagh secured a key win at home to Bonniconlon in the Intermediate Championship.
Crossmolina needed a dramatic second half comeback to draw level with Claremorris 2-10 to 1-13 while Ballinrobe and Knockmore played out a fierce 1-4 to 0-7 draw at Flanagan Park.
The scoreline of the day was in Claremorris where the home side led by nine points in the second half but were pegged back by Crossmolina. That being said, a draw is still a big surprise.
Crossmolina entered the contest as the warmest of favourites as a result of Claremorris' 11 point defeat at the hands of Garrymore in round one. Deel Rovers, meanwhile, had drawn with Ballintubber
However Section 1 has been turned upside down with this result and despite the creditable display and incredible turnaround, Claremorris will surely look back on Saturday with regret having had the two points within their grasp.
Claremorris were missing a raft of frontline players with three having left for the US and had a number of injuries to boot but they seemed a different side than the one we saw in round one and playing with the wind held a slender 0-8 to 1-4 lead at half time.
Crossmolina's goal had come from a Brian Benson effort but it was deflected past the keeper by Padraig Ring.
Against the wind, the home side's task seemed too much at the midway point but in the opening minutes of the second half Clarmorris kicked 1-4 without reply in a stunning spell in the ascendency.
Brian Gallagher got the goal and the lead was eight. The turning point came   not long after with the scoreline at 1-13 to 1-5 when Brian Benson riffled home a penalty to kick start a Crossmolina revival.
Claremorris didn't score in the last quarter as Michael Gaallagher, Ian Rolland,Benson (free) and Rolland again all had scores before midfielder Gabrial Walsh kicked the equalising point.
A cracking game by all accounts which was well contested with both teams having spells in ascendency.
Meanwhile at Flanagan Park, Round one giant-killers Ballinrobe were almost at it again against Knockmore. In a low scoring but keenly contested encounter, the 'robe fought hard to earn an invaluable point that leaves the sides joint top of the Section on three points.
The result makes tomorrows showdown in Ballina at 4pm between the Stephenites and Ballaghaderreen even more intriguing. As both those sides now know that a defeat will end their Championship aspirations.
Knockmore were leading by a point at half time 0-4 to 0-3 but were slightly fortunate to have the edge at that point. The reliable free taking of Kevin O'Neill was proving crucial.
Aidan Kilycoyne was a little rusty as he continues his recuperation from a knee injury. He failed to score on the night with David Kileen a key reason for that in the Ballinrobe defence.
After half time the game turned when Ballinorbe's inspirational midfielder Donal Vaughan dropped a speculative high ball in towards the square and Mark Walkin tapped it into the net.
At that point Ballinrobe led 1-3 to o-5 but O'Neill leveled matters and although the home side went ahead once more a 16 minute free from the veteran Knockmore forward equalized matters for the final time.
The scoreless last quarter provided plenty of thrills all the same with both sides missing good chances to push on for a victory. A draw will keep both camps happy all the same and leaves the Section's other two sides very much playing catch up.


Saturday Scores
Senior Championship
Section 1
Claremorris 1-13 Crossmolina 2-10
Section 4
Ballinrobe 1-4 Knockmore 0-7

Intermediate Championship
Section 1
Kiltimagh 0-12 Bonniconlon 2-5