Spur for Mayo club players

CLUB footballers in Mayo have been given a major incentive to play well in this year’s county senior championship - a clash with John Maughan’s senior team.

The Mayo News and O’Neills have launched a new Club Stars concept, along the lines of the long-standing Blue Stars in Dublin.

“At the end of the Mayo senior championship, a team of selectors will select a team of the championship, plus a manager, and this team will take on the Mayo senior team in a challenge game for charity,” said Mayo News Sports Editor Mike Finnerty.

“It is a huge incentive for club players in Mayo. The Mayo club championship is already one of the most competitive in the country - it has produced All-Ireland finalists Crossmolina (twice), Ballina Stephenites (twice), Castlebar Mitchels and Knockmore in the last 15 years. Two of those teams - Crossmolina and Ballina - both won the All-Ireland club title.”

All monies raised will go towards Western Care and the Mayo/ Roscommon Hospice, and Mayo boss Maughan has joked the team selection should “be subject to the same scrutiny as the Mayo senior team!” The selectors will be former Knockmore manager Eamon Clarke, Mayo News columnist Sean Rice, and Sean Feeney, secretary of Mayo county board.

O’Neills, who are represented in the west by Crossmolina, have launched a jersey for the event.