Mike Finnerty
LOCAL rivals Castlebar Mitchels and Westport will meet in the third round of the Mayo SFC the weekend after next to battle it out for a place in the quarter-finals of the competition.
Mitchels’ defeat to Breaffy, allied to Westport’s draw with Charlestown, means that all four teams are still in the running for a place in the knock-out stages.
And Westport manager Martin Calvey’s plans looks set to be boosted by the news that former Mayo defender Kevin Keane, who is playing at full-forward for the Covies this season, is likely to be fit to line out.
Keane missed last Saturday’s draw with Charlestown due to an ankle injury but he expects to have recovered in time for the make-or-break clash with the Mitchels at a neutral venue.
“I had a small little tear in the ligament on my ankle but it’s already healing,” he told Mayo GAA TV last weekend. “I’m in a good place. I’m already back on the bike and doing bits of rehab work. Two weeks’ time is my aim obviously, I don’t think I’ll be fit for next week, but it’s one day at a time.
“These injuries take time, especially at this stage of the year with games coming thick and fast. There’s no point rushing things,” he explained.
Ballina to appeal Treacy’s red card
BALLINA STEPHENITES look set to appeal the red card received by Ciaran Treacy in last Sunday’s Mayo SFC second round win over Claremorris.
The Mayo panellist, who had been brought on as a substitute midway through the second half, was only on the field for a few minutes before he was dismissed by referee Ronan Gurren after challenging a Claremorris player who was in possession of the ball.
It is believed that Treacy was sent off for an alleged striking offence by the Aghamore official, but The Mayo News understands that the player and the Stephenites intend to appeal the decision.
Treacy had scored a long-range point moments after being introduced, but watched the concluding stages of the game from the sideline.
Claremorris star set for spell on the sidelines
CLAREMORRIS are almost certain to be without Mayo panellist James McCormack for their crucial third round Mayo SFC clash with Kiltane in two weeks’ time.
McCormack was stretchered off early in the second half of last Sunday’s heavy defeat to Ballina Stephenites with a shin injury after an accidental collision.
He was taken to Mayo University Hospital for an x-ray and looks set to be unavailable as Claremorris chase their first win of a disappointing campaign.
Ciaran Finn was also forced off with a leg injury during the second half of Sunday’s game.
Cillian cleared to line out
BALLINTUBBER received a huge boost ahead of last weekend’s second round win over Moy Davitts with the news that Cillian O’Connor had been cleared to play after a successful appeal against the red card he received against Aghamore a week earlier.
The former Mayo captain contributed 1-5, including a brilliantly-taken penalty, as the county champions clocked up their first win of the campaign.
Aghamore’s David Kenny, who had also been red carded by referee Kevin Connelly in the same incident with O’Connor in the first round game, was also cleared to line out in round two against Davitts last Saturday evening.
The Mayo News understands that O’Connor and Kenny — who had both appealed the proposed suspensions arising from their sending-offs — were cleared due to a technicality.
