Mayo Junior Football Championship
| Mayo Junior Football Championship | |
|---|---|
| Irish | Craobh Soisear Peile Co. Muigheo |
| Trophy | McDonnell Cup |
| Title holders | Lahardane MacHales GAA |
| Sponsors | TF Royal Hotel[1] |
The Mayo Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition contested by lower-tier Mayo GAA clubs.
Lahardane are the current title holders (2023)
Honours[edit]
The trophy presented to the winners is the McDonnell Cup.[2][3]
The winners of the Mayo Junior Championship qualify to represent their county in the Connacht Junior Club Football Championship. They often do well there, with the likes of Kilmeena (January 2022, following 2021 Mayo JFC win), Kilmaine (2019), Louisburgh (2016) and Ardnaree Sarsfields (2015) among the clubs from Mayo to win at least one Connacht Championship after winning the Mayo Junior Football Championship.[4][5][6][7]
Former Mayo manager John Maughan was in charge of Lahardane when they won the 2017 Mayo JFC for the first time and then followed it up with a Connacht title, also in 2017.[8]
The winners can, in turn, go on to play in the All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship. In 2022, Kilmeena became the first club from Mayo to win one All-Ireland Junior Football Championship after winning the Connacht and Mayo Junior Football Championships.[9] Previous finalists included Kiltimagh in 2010 and Ardnaree Sarsfields in 2016.[10]
List of finals[edit]
Wins listed by club[edit]
 |
- Crossmolina Deel Rovers (8): 1926, 1931, 1947, 1955, 1962, 1975, 2006
- Achill (7): 1942, 1965, 1983, 1991, 1995, 2007, 2014
- Islandeady (6): 1959, 1974, 1988, 1990, 2011, 2022
- Kilmeena (5): 1977, 1986, 1993, 2002, 2021
- Ardnaree (4): 1952, 1959, 1971, 2015
- Parke (4) :1976,1981,1997,2010
- Westport (3): 1937, 1941, 1970
- Lahardane (2): 2017, 2023
- Tuar Mhic Éadaigh (2): 1979, 1998
- Balla (2): 1980, 2018
- Cill Chomáin (2): 2005, 2012
- Kiltane (1): 1972
- Bonniconlon (1): 1978
- Belmullet (1): 2001
- Kiltimagh (1): 2009
- Louisburgh (1): 2016
- Kilmaine (1): 2020
References[edit]
- ^ "Mayo junior football finalists determined on a day when conditions played their part". The Connaught Telegraph. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ "Intermediate and Junior finals preview – Mayo Football Podcast 2022 E46". 27 October 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ "This weekend's club fixtures". 24 October 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
On Sunday, it's the JFC and SFC football finals. The McDonnell Cup decider gets underway at 12.30pm with Jon Finn in charge and that's between Cill Chomáin and Islandeady. The big one – the Moclair Cup decider – follows at 2.30pm when Ballina Stephenites, aiming for their 37th county title, face Westport, who are looking to win it for the very first time.
- ^ "Kilmeena cruise to Connacht JFC crown". Irish Examiner. 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Connacht club JFC final: Kilmaine stroll to victory". Hogan Stand. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
- ^ "Prendergast delivers crown". Irish Independent. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ "Ardnaree clinch first junior title". Irish Independent. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ "Connacht JFC final: More history for Maughan's men". Irish Independent. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
Lahardane, who are managed by former Mayo boss John Maughan, won their first ever county junior title last month and now have created their own bit of history by adding the Connacht title as well.
- ^ "History for Kilmeena who bring All-Ireland title to Mayo as they overcome Gneeveguilla". Irish Examiner. 6 February 2022.
- ^ "Templenoe reach promised land". Irish Examiner. 8 February 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
- ^ "Mayo junior football finalists determined on a day when conditions played their part". The Connaught Telegraph. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ "Cill Chomáin on a mission but Islandeady stand firmly in their way". The Connaught Telegraph. 29 October 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ Gallagher, Michael. "Junior high for Islandeady as they take title". The Mayo News. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ "Mayo junior football finalists determined on a day when conditions played their part". The Connaught Telegraph. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
The game needed extra-time to find a winner and at the end of it all, Cill Chomáin – last year's beaten finalists – held on to see off their north coast neighbours by 3-12 to 1-15, the goal that settled it being a penalty scored by Derek Moran right at the end of the first period of extra time.
- ^ "Kilmaine crowned champions after epic junior decider". The Connaught Telegraph. 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ O'Malley, Paul (7 October 2019). "Kilmaine set to make sure it's not to 'B' for Mitchels". Western People. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ "Kilmaine crowned champions after epic junior decider". The Connaught Telegraph. 19 September 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
In the end, Kilmaine just about deserved to hold on for a victory that more than made up for last years defeat to Castlebar Mitchels B in the final.
- ^ Henry, Aiden (30 September 2018). "Balla end 38-year wait for second junior crown". The Connaught Telegraph. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ "Connacht JFC final: More history for Maughan's men". Irish Independent. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
Lahardane, who are managed by former Mayo boss John Maughan, won their first ever county junior title last month and now have created their own bit of history by adding the Connacht title as well.
- ^ Henry, Aiden (11 December 2016). "Louisburgh end historic year with more silverware". The Connaught Telegraph. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
After winning the county and Connaught junior titles already, this latest victory brings the curtain down on what has been a magnificent year for the west Mayo club.
- ^ Henry, Aiden (4 September 2016). "Balla and Louisburgh to clash in Mayo decider". The Connaught Telegraph. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ "Ardnaree clinch first junior title". Irish Independent. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ "Connacht club JFC final: Aran wins battle of the islands". Hogan Stand. 16 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
- ^ Gallagher, Michael. "Junior high for Islandeady as they take title". The Mayo News. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ Henry, Aiden (30 September 2018). "Balla end 38-year wait for second junior crown". The Connaught Telegraph. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
It was little wonder there was massive celebrations among the huge Balla after the final whistle as it was way back in 1980 since they last won the title which, in fact, was their first ever county junior championship title.
