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These are heady days indeed in Ballyhaunis GAA circles, the east Mayo outfit already have their hurling team in the Connacht Intermediate Championship final thanks to a 2-10 to 1-10 win over Roscommon champions Four Roads last Monday. This Sunday, their intermediate footballers have the chance to join them in the Connacht final when they take on Roscommon side St Croan’s in the home of Rossie football, Dr Hyde Park.

There is not much time to rest in the east Mayo town of Ballyhaunis these days, fresh off the back of county title success for the intermediate footballers and senior hurlers the small matter of Connacht success is up for grabs for both teams over the next few weeks.

Twelve months ago, the blue devils from Tooreen ended a 10 year famine, with an unexpected and devastating victory over Ballyhaunis in the Mayo Senior Hurling Championship final. Their 4-10 to 1-6 win over their near rivals ended a decade of hurt, where for eight of the previous nine years the TJ Tyrrell Cup spent the winter with their near neighbours. It was an emotional victory for the men from Tooreen, with Kenny Feeney leading the way scoring 3-6 over the 60 minutes, with man-of-the-match, Cathal Freeman, chipping in with three points from midfield.

Twelve months ago, the blue devils from Tooreen ended a 10 year famine, with an unexpected and devastating victory over Ballyhaunis in the Mayo Senior Hurling Championship final. Their 4-10 to 1-6 win over their near rivals ended a decade of hurt, where for eight of the previous nine years the TJ Tyrrell Cup spent the winter with their near neighbours. It was an emotional victory for the men from Tooreen, with Kenny Feeney leading the way scoring 3-6 over the 60 minutes, with man-of-the-match, Cathal Freeman, chipping in with three points from midfield.

Mayo will still go into the quarter-finals of the Christy Ring Cup in a few weeks despite their narrow defeat at the hands of Meath on Saturday afternoon in a blustery MacHale Park. A late free from Meath captain Stephen Clynch at the end of normal time was the difference between the two sides on the day. The Royals number six showed nerves of steel to stroke the ball right over the black spot under pressure to send Meath straight into the semi-finals of the competition. Mayo did have a chance right at the death, but Sean Regan was unable to direct his sideline cut from 21 meters out under the stand over the bar.

GAA: National Hurling League

The Mayo senior hurlers have their first league outing of the season with a home game to Fingal on Sunday at 2pm in Elverys MacHale Park against Fingal. This is the second season in charge for Limerick native Christy Phillips who is hoping to start the League campaign will continue on the success his team have had recently in the Kehoe Shield. Phillips and his backroom team of Leo Connor (Limerick) Austin Kenny (Tooreen) and Karen Lacey (Westport) have been fine-tuning their preparations for the League since the first week in January. The hurlers received a major boost over the past few days with the return of Tooreen’s Cathal Freeman to the panel. Mayo will be looking for strong performances from seasoned campaigners Donal O’Brien, Padraig O’Flynn, Derek McDonnell, Kenny Feeney and Brian Hunt. Relative newcomers to the panel David Kenny, Kieran Kiely and Fergal Boland will also be hoping to impress.

Mayo 0-18

The Mayo senior hurlers have their first competitive outing of the season with a home game to near neighbours Roscommon this Sunday, February 24, at 2pm in Elverys McHale Park. This is their first game under recently appointed manager Christy Phillips who is hoping to start the League campaign with a win. Phillips and his backroom team of Ciaran Hynes (Westport), Austin Kenny (Tooreen), and Sean Malee (Kiltimagh) have been fine-tuning their preparations for the League since the first week in January, training three times a week at the 3G Connacht Centre of Excellence in Bekan and playing a number of challenge games. The hurlers received a major boost over the past few weeks with the return of Westport’s Aiden Connolly to the panel. Connolly was Mayo’s stand out player last season and his arrival will be a major boost to Mayo’s full backline. Mayo will be looking for strong performances from seasoned campaigners Donal O’Brien, Pa Connell, Shane Morley, Derek McDonnell, Kenny Feeney, and Brian Hunt. Relative newcomers to the panel Ciaran Finn, David Kenny, Adrian Guiry, and Colin Staunton will also be hoping to impress. The match day panel will also be bolstered by the return of All-Star Keith Higgins and football panellist Cathal Freeman.

The Mayo senior hurling team got off to a winning start last weekend in their first game under newly appointed manager, Christy Philips. The Limerick native had previously acted as a selector under previous manager Murt Connolly during his two years in charge of the side. Last Sunday afternoon in the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Bekan, Mayo faced Donegal in Philips’ first game in charge of the team. Despite having to play without a number of regular starters from the last few years Philips’ side managed to see off the challenge of their Ulster opponents by a single point on a scoreline of 3-7 to 1-12.