As this paper went to print last night (Thursday ) Castlebar Celtic will have been in action looking to keep up their 100 per cent record in the Super League when they hosted local rivals Manulla in Celtic Park. There were three games in the top flight last night, that will affect the look of the division at both the top and bottom of the table.
Along with the aforementioned Castlebar Celtic and Manulla game, there was a meeting between Ballyglass and Snugboro United in Keavney Park, and Straide and Foxford United - who picked up their first win of the league season last weekend against Ballyhaunis Town will host Ballyheane in Green Road.
There is no rest for the sides this weekend with a full round of action taking place over Saturday evening and Sunday morning as the season moves into the second half for most sides.
On Saturday evening Ballina Town will host Ballyhaunis Town in Belleek with both sides badly needing to pick up the three points for very different reasons. The home side's title defence took a serious dent last weekend when Castlebar Celtic headed to north Mayo and went home with the three points - while Ballyhaunis Town saw their hopes of staying in the top flight for more than a season take a serious blow when Straide and Foxford United picked up their first league win of the season against the east Mayo side on their home patch in Station Rise.
Ballina looked like they were on course to pick up the points in their meeting with Celtic last weekend with Jamie Cawley putting them into an early lead, however the Hoops were not going to let their 100 per cent record go without a fight and Ger O'Boyle brought them back into the game, before a late Jordan Loftus strike saw Celtic take all three points home with them.
For Ballyhaunis Town, last weekend's meeting with Straide and Foxford United would have been marked out since the start of the season as a must win, but it was a rejuvenated visiting side whose performances have seen an upward trajectory in recent weeks who claimed the points thanks to a Paul Moran goal five minutes from the end of normal time.
Celtic face the second of two local derbies in four days on Sunday morning when Snugboro United make the short trip into Celtic Park. The Hoops are flying at the minute and if they got over what on paper looks like a tricky tie against Manulla last night, they will be hot favourites to pick up win number 10 of league season and move on to 30 points on the table.
The aforementioned Manulla face another testing road game on Sunday morning when they head to Concannon Park to take on Claremorris. The home side had a 5-1 win over Snugboro United last weekend with five different players hitting the back of the net in that one for Mark Peters' side, while Manulla saw a last minute penalty save by Niall Gallagher deny them three points on the road against Ballyglass in a hard battling local derby.
For their part this weekend, Ballyglass will be at home on Sunday with Ballyheane calling to visit them. The homeside were expected to have picked up the points against the Boro last night, while the Hane were favourites to have taken home the points from their trip to Green Road last night. Ballyheane lost of 3-1 to Westport United last weekend at home.
On Sunday, Westport United will host Straide and Foxford United in United Park, the Covies will be looking to follow up on their wins over Ballyheane and Sungboro United to keep pace with Celtic at the top of the table.
Mayo League Fixtures
Saturday, June 22
Elverys Sports Super League at 7pm
Ballina Town v Ballyhaunis Town
Castlecourt Hotel Premier League at 7pm
Manulla B v Glenhest Rovers
Achill Rovers v Conn Rangers
Iorras Aontaithe v Fahy Rovers
Tonra Cup semi-final at 7pm
Claremorris B v Partry Athletic
Calor Gas League Two at 7pm
Ballina United v Snugboro United B
Sunday, June 23
Elverys Sports Super League at 11am
Castlebar Celtic v Snugboro United
Claremorris v Manulla
Ballyglass v Ballyheane
Westport United v Straide and Foxford United at 2.30pm
Castlecourt Hotel Premier League
Ballina Town B v Swinford at 11am
Kiltimagh-Knock United v Bangor Hibs at 2.30pm
Tonra Cup semi-final at 2.30pm
Castlebar Celtic B v Crossmolina
Calor Gas League Two
Moy Villa Ballyvary Blue Bombers at 11am
Kilmore v Newport-Mulranny Wanders at 2.30pm
