Darkhorses Ballaghderreen upset the odds yesterday to book their place in a first Mayo SFC final since 2012 when they beat Castlebar Mitchels at MacHale Park.

Limerick’s team spirt proved key as the Munster champions beat Courtown to set up the chance of All Ireland glory at Knightsbrook Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort today.

Last year’s beaten finalists Breaffy crashed out of the Mayo SFC over the weekend as the four semi-finalists in this season’s competition were decided.

All-Ireland pennants are very hard to come by so Charleville were overjoyed when they claimed their second win in the AIG Pierce Purcell Shield since 2006 with a heart-stopping 3-2 over Castlebar at a wet and windy Westport.

Leinster retained the IRFU Women’s Interprovincial Championship with a 25-12 win over Connacht at Energia Park - the first time they have won back-to-back titles.

Two key members of past Mayo football management teams have painted a revealing portrait of a ‘phenomenal’ group of men whose crucial attributes are their ordinariness and thirst for information.

Managing at the top level now a largely thankless task

The group-deciding Super 8 encounter this evening in Castlebar has the potential to be explosive, a real old-style knockout championship game. There is no love lost between Mayo and Donegal dating back to the now infamous challenge game in 2012 and there are a lot of ifs, buts, and maybes making it a hard game to call.

Former Mayo selector Tony McEntee insists tomorrow’s Super 8 decider is not personal for Stephen Rochford - but claims Donegal are in difficulty going to Castlebar.

Patience will be a virtue for Mayo against Donegal in their Super 8 encounter at MacHale Park on Saturday evening, according to Alan Dillon.

Two first-half goals inside 60 seconds from Paul Walsh were the vital scores that sent Mayo into the Connacht MFC final against Galway as they saw off Sligo in Castlebar.

A rip-roaring TG4 Connacht SFC Final gave the Castlebar crowd everything they craved and more when a ferocious Mayo team put Galway to the pin of their collar on Sunday afternoon.

Two-time All-Star Alan Dillon has called on Mayo’s big players to ‘step up and show leadership’ in next Saturday night’s All-Ireland SFC Qualifier against Down in Newry.

Roscommon manager Anthony Cunningham has called on his side to cast off their Castlebar hoodoo and overcome league champions Mayo tomorrow.

Mayo manager James Horan has made three changes for their Connacht Senior Football Championship semi-final against Roscommon on Saturday.

Mayo captain Diarmuid O'Connor has missed out on the Mayo team for their Championship opener in New York.

Former Mayo captain Cillian O’Connor made his first appearance in almost five months when he lined out for Ballintubber in the first round of the Mayo SFC on Saturday evening.

Last Sunday saw the curtain come down on what was one of the more enjoyable and competitive national football league campaigns in recent memory.

Before they all gathered for lunch in the Dromhall Hotel yesterday to move on from the All-Ireland final evisceration by Corofin in Croke Park, a handful of Dr Crokes players and stalwarts happened upon company in the clubhouse on Lewis Road.

Were Corofin to prevail on Saturday, Ciarán McGrath will accept the Andy Merrigan Cup from new GAA president John Horan. But there’s no guarantee the Corofin captain will be part of their starting line-up.

Like much of last season, there was an element of farce to the FAI’s launch of the women’s league yesterday ahead of the first series of games this weekend, writes John Fallon.

Any time is a great time to beat Mayo but Michéal Lundy is not reading too much into Galway’s win over their neighbours.

The IRFU Women’s Interprovincial Championship goes down to the wire this afternoon when Munster host champions Leinster in a top of the table clash at Thomond Park (2.30pm).

Corofin (Galway) 2-13 Castlebar Mitchels (Mayo) 1-12 (AET): These Corofin lads have a tendency to make life needlessly difficult for themselves. Rarely, though, do they fail to get the job done.

Two of the best and most consistent club sides in Connacht, went toe to toe in Tuam Stadium yesterday. Corofin produced the best and stylish football, yet they once again had to go extra-time to finish the job. Why do they make it hard on themselves, asks John Divilly.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since Castlebar Mitchels ended the wait for their 28th Mayo SFC title.

Gerry Burke, father of All-Star Galway hurler Daithí, was 39 years young when Corofin landed the All-Ireland club title in 1998. Kieran Fitzgerald turns 37 in January. Fitzgerald is unsure if the legs will allow him match the longevity of that other Corofin stalwart. As it is, he’s plenty mileage on the clock.

Connacht Club SFC quarter-final: Castlebar Mitchels (Mayo) 0-16 - Mohill (Leitrim) 0-11 - Seven points without reply in the final quarter propelled Mayo champions Castlebar Mitchels into a provincial semi-final against Sligo’s Tourlestrane next weekend.

Castlebar Mitchels 0-15 Ballintubber 0-13: It was no surprise to hear the Castlebar Mitchels squad described as a “phenomenal bunch of men” after winning their third successive Mayo SFC title yesterday on home ground at MacHale Park.

History was made in today’s Mayo SFC Final as Castlebar Mitchels retained their title and claimed the Moclair Cup for the third season in a row.

All of the day's county finals have now finished up around the country.

There was relief as much as joy for Galway Golf Club at Carton House as the pain of a third successive Barton Shield final defeat was erased with victory in the blue riband event at the AIG Cups and Shields on Saturday.

Warrenpoint moved a step closer to a rare AIG Cups and Shields double when they progressed to today’s Jimmy Bruen Shield decider at Carton House.

After a series of outstanding matches throughout the provinces, the way has now been largely paved for the national finals of the AIG Irish Cups and Shields at the O’Meara Course, Carton House, Kildare next month, (September 20-23).

For more than a century, the Bourke family have worked for Ford in Ireland in some way — four generations since 1910.

Colm Cooper met with Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice yesterday to discuss a Kerry return or retirement from the inter-county game at 33. Tony Leen examines the possible issues at play.

Gardaí are continuing to appeal for the public's help in tracing a man missing from Castlebar in Co Mayo.

Castlebar Mitchels 3-13 Knockmore 0-10: Their failure to perform in the All-Ireland club final last March was a major driving force for Castlebar Mitchels as they retained their Mayo SFC title on Saturday night at MacHale Park.