Any dark horses for junior this year???

mayo4sam09 (Mayo) - Posts: 28 - 27/04/2009 14:41:09    269063

cannot think of any dark horses but the contenders seem to be, islandeady, the neale, parke, kiltimagh, ardnaree, lahardane and kilfian. topping the favourites of these would prob be Kiltimagh, the neale and islandeady with parke not far off the top three

ironman (Mayo) - Posts: 131 - 27/04/2009 15:14:10    269096

I agree with ya ironman with regard to kilfian, they've beaten a few of the teams in divisions above them during their winter league campaign and are unbeaten in the league, think they've a few lads back from australia and america as opposed to the team they had last year, they also seem to have picked up a decent keeper.Time will tell, I've aslo seen a bit of Ballycastle lately and Micheal Collins is training them, they're top of their division and playing reasonably well, if they could entice Forde, Mclean and Tighe back they'd have an ok go at it as well, esp as alot of their lads are in Oz atm.......Either I think would give the likes of Lahardane or ardnaree a game on their day but Parke or Kiltimagh could prove a step too far......

northmayo09 (Mayo) - Posts: 29 - 27/04/2009 16:01:33    269172

Good to hear kilfian and ballycastle are doing better as both are relatively small parishes. Hopefully they will push each other, because its a shame to see teams having to amalgamate in order to survive. have either played any strong teams yet, how have they got on???

mayo4sam09 (Mayo) - Posts: 28 - 27/04/2009 16:37:05    269215

Kilfian played Bonniconlon and Ballycastle off the field in their Winter League group, also beat Belmullet and Knockmore and Killala, although in theory alot of these sides were B teams they'd still have 5 players regraded so that would be the spine of a team. Ballycastle have beaten Balla and Ardmoy as well as Ballintubber B in their league so far......It's true though that alot of clubs are staring down the barrel of amalgamation and any sort of progress by small parishes should be applauded, there's no way the likes of ballycastle lacken or kilfian (or indeed moygownagh or ardagh before they joined) have the same pick of players as kiltimagh, ardnaree or lahardane but are still holding their own ...

northmayo09 (Mayo) - Posts: 29 - 27/04/2009 17:39:19    269324

A lot depends on the draw after the ``group``stages.It will be very interesting to see the path that Kiltimagh must navigate after they qualify from a very weak group.They are odds on to win title.It will be interesting to see will the big guns like Kiltimagh and Parke ``avoid`` each other in the early knockout stages.They both consider themselves too big for Junior.Both will be in a hurry back to Intermediate.The big challenge from North Mayo will surely come from a very solid Lahardane outfit.

Brinsley Swartz (Mayo) - Posts: 2225 - 27/04/2009 18:19:37    269388

I'd agree with Trixy that Kiltimagh and Parke would consider themselves too big for Junior, but this might be their very downfall. Just look at Balla and how they have fallen in the last 10 years and dont seem to be any closer to getting out of the grade.Its getting harder and harder to win the junior championship. Small parish clubs like Ballycastle(7th on the all time list of senior championships(3)and now stuck in junior for eternity) may get out of their group but after that it will depend on the draw.Lahardane are the kings of north mayo and the others have a long way to make up the gap.

peile (Mayo) - Posts: 180 - 27/04/2009 21:36:59    269619

peile trixy

lahardane kings of north mayo,what rubbish peile, what about ardnaree they won north last year,trixy, give it a break its not the first time u hav been on blowin up mchales,both in same group,the big challenge in north mayo will cum from lahardane,wiped off the field last year by killala,lucky againest ballina b,where as the ree were very unlucky againest islandeady,losing by asingle point,its all set up 4 the ree this year,going well this year already beat knockmore b and killala totally out played both sides all over the field ,its not many teams that wil do that 2 killala.

villamoy (Sligo) - Posts: 206 - 28/04/2009 14:32:31    270238

peile you hit the nail on the head there with your comment about lahardane no team will get near them this year, so everyone else are wasting there time, great goalie, very strong down the middle and a great management team.

Tomlangan (Mayo) - Posts: 406 - 29/04/2009 17:07:10    271440

Tomlangan, I' d say your tongue is firmly planted in your cheek with the above comments???

northmayo09 (Mayo) - Posts: 29 - 29/04/2009 19:53:33    271637

i think kiltimagh have a serious chance. forget bout parke and lahardane.... watch out for some of the b teams of the senior clubs. ballintubber have alot of u21 on their team that won county a last yr. good players besides them too. claremorris are going well in most grades and their b team have quality along with moy davitts

don492 (Mayo) - Posts: 165 - 03/05/2009 12:45:08    274162

plain and simple its ardnarees year...

new comer (Mayo) - Posts: 121 - 05/05/2009 05:20:53    274901

After watching ballycastle playing the weekend. If they keep playing like that they well give any junior team a match and they have forde back playing after a few years in dublin and it showed. He ran the game. I see mclean was at the match too. I hear he might be on his way back. if we get him back it ballycastle too win the junior

ballycastle (Mayo) - Posts: 2 - 05/05/2009 11:23:36    275010

Agree with ya Ballycastle, McLean and Forde are serious additions to any junior team and if ye get a few back from Oz ye'll match most in north mayo

northmayo09 (Mayo) - Posts: 29 - 05/05/2009 14:47:43    275247

Lahardane will clean up

maigheogodeo (Kildare) - Posts: 113 - 05/05/2009 14:58:45    275260

well 'ballycastle', that a very objective and unbiased view you have there! Is this based on league form? Arent Islandeady second in the third tier? (2 divisions above ballycastle) Two players never won much in my time

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 05/05/2009 18:22:23    275491

BALLYCASTLE

IT MUST B AWHILE SINCE U SAW AGAME OUTSIDE BALLYCASTLE,YE WOULD NOT HAV PLAYED ANY JUNIOR CLUB THAT WILL B ABOUT CUM BUSINESS END OF SEASON,THE GAME U SAW WAS AGAINEST AN AVERAGE B TEAM,HOW DID YE DO IN WINTER LEAGUE,THESE PLAYERS U SPEAK OF WERE ALL THERE BEFORE WITHOUT,WITHOUT MUCH GLORY

villamoy (Sligo) - Posts: 206 - 06/05/2009 09:41:44    275887

Ballycastle are you having us on. Its great to see you doing so well in division five but get real. You must have a very poor team if one man was able to run the show and your talking about another that wasn't even playing. Lahardane or Ardnaree to give the only realistic challenge from north mayo, but its hard to look past Kiltimagh, Parke, Islandeady for the county

peile (Mayo) - Posts: 180 - 06/05/2009 11:23:01    275980

So what your saying villamoy is that a tournament thats treated as a warm up for the league (giving younger lads a chance to prove them selfs) defines a season if your right your club ardnaree are in the same boat as ballycastle (did ye win the winter league? and kilfian are the best junior club in north mayo( great to see kilfian win it ). As for the 0ne player who has come back to ballycastle when he left the club he was very young and the few years playing senior football in dublin has stood to him.as i see it one swallow does'nt make a summer but ballycastle and kilfian topping there respective leagues is great to see. and as a fellow noth mayo man they have my full support, so villamoy get behind some of the other junior clubs in north mayo, there's more junior clubs in north mayo than in BALLINA

Tomlangan (Mayo) - Posts: 406 - 06/05/2009 11:37:37    275996

Kiltimagh, Islandeady, Neale, Ardnaree, Charlestown B, Carrowmore, Claremorris B, Lahardane ( in that order) are only teams with any chance in junior championship. If the winner doesn't come from this group I will be shocked.

clocked (Mayo) - Posts: 87 - 06/05/2009 21:46:25    276718