Kobe McDonald returned to the Mayo senior football championship as Crossmolina Deel Rovers just did enough to qualify for the quarter-finals.
McDonald, who departed for St Kilda in the AFL in the wake of Mayo’s seismic All-Ireland victory, has been granted permission to feature in the club championship back home and he kicked 0-03 as his Crossmolina side held on for a draw against Mayo Gaels and advanced to the last-eight at Ballintubber’s expense.
It was a nervier affair than expected for the 2001 All-Ireland champions against the group’s bottom-placed team. McDonald scored the first point of the game, adding two from placed balls after half-time. But they needed a late equaliser for Jordan Flynn to snatch a 0-16 to 2-10 draw and progress in second place.
Ryan O’Donoghue’s Beal an Mhuirthead dispatched Ballaghaderreen 4-17 to 2-13 to advance to an away quarter-final in second place, with Breaffy’s comfortable victory over Knockmore condemning the latter to a group stage exit.
There will be new champions in Mayo as four-in-a-row chasing Ballina Stephenites had already been eliminated with a round to spare, with Garrymore and Castlebar Mitchels progressing from a fraught Group 2.
In the Dublin SFC, Kilmacud Crokes narrowly survived the group stage after their five-point win over Ballinteer St John’s was just about sufficient to book their spot in the quarters.
The three-time All-Ireland champions had lost their opener to Clontarf, the latter subsequently losing to Ballinteer in Round 2.
Craig Dias claims a kickout for Kilmacud Crokes against Ballinteer
In the wake of Clontarf’s win over group whipping boys Whitehall Colmcille’s, the group was finely poised, in which a four-point win for Crokes would have left three teams deadlocked in score difference.
In the end, they won by five, with Paul Mannion to the fore, landing 1-13 of their 1-19 tally. Ballinteer will rue several missed chances in the closing stages as they bowed out in third position.
Last year’s beaten finalists Na Fianna weren’t so fortunate and were eliminated at the group stage after losing by a point in a do-or-die game against Skerries, who advanced in second place behind group winners Thomas Davis.
Kilmacud will face Castleknock in the last-eight, while defending champions Ballyboden St Enda’s – unassailable in the group phase – will play Clontarf. Skerries face 2025 All-Ireland champions Cuala, while Thomas Davis host Ballymun Kickhams in the other quarter-final.
In the Armagh senior football championship, aristocrats Crossmaglen Rangers demonstrated their credentials with an extraordinary 5-27 to 0-13 rout over Clan na Gael in a game which had been perceived as a dangerous one beforehand.
Aaron O’Neill and Cian McConville hit a brace of goals apiece while Rian O’Neill lobbed over 0-05, which included two two-pointers, as the six-time All-Ireland champions made light of their recent struggles to advance to the quarter-finals.
In the Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship, Blackrock started the day in the automatic semi-final spot and ended it out of the championship after suffering an 11-point loss to Kanturk.
Glen Rovers overcame Fr O’Neill’s by six points in the same group to advance in runners-up spot at their city rivals’ expense.
Patrick Horgan hit 0-10 for Glen Rovers
Reigning champions Sarsfields defeated Douglas by nine points to progress to the next round, alongside Charleville.
Midleton finished the day in the automatic semi-final spot as the group winners with the best score difference, beating Bride Rovers by two points in their last group game. St Finbarr’s drew their their game Newcestown to take second spot in the group.
The Barrs’ will face divisional kingpins Imokilly in their quarter-final, with Kanturk facing Sarsfields and Charleville at home to Glen Rovers in the other. Midelton await in the semis.
There was drama in the Tyrone SFC on Saturday – which still operates as a straight knockout – as Dungannon hit a remarkable four goals in the final quarter to force a replay with reigning champions Loughmacrory.
The holders still led by three in the final seconds only for Dungannon to work a 45 short, with Dálaigh Jones side-footing a well placed shot into the top corner to leave the final score at 1-19 to 4-10.
In the Galway SHC, defending champions and last year’s All-Ireland finalists Loughrea advanced but have to navigate a preliminary quarter-final against Castlegar.
Their surprise defeat to Tommy Larkin’s saw the latter claim top spot in the group and an automatic QF spot. The champions did win an entertaining encounter against Gort to ensure a home prelimary quarter-final spot.
Gort are away to modern kingpins St Thomas’ in their preliminary quarter-finals, the latter being deposed from top spot in their group after a four-point loss to two-time All-Ireland champions Sarsfields this afternoon.