There is a definite Mayo influence in evidence this weekend as the Gaelic football action goes up a notch in the Masita GAA All Ireland Post Primary Schools series.

Three Mayo colleges are pushing hard for honours in their various competitions, reflecting the massive development work that has been undertaken by the county at grass roots level.

The Br. Edmund Ignatius Rice Cup (Senior 'D' Football) Final takes place on Saturday at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada at 2pm featuring Our Lady`s College Belmullet and Oaklands Community College.

Our Lady’s have always a proud tradition in Gaelic games with their players plucked from four different GAA clubs in the Erris area; Kiltane, Belmullet, Cill Chomain and Ballycroy.

"We have had a number of students who have progressed during their time here and played for numerous Mayo underage teams," says school mentor Sean Lavelle. "Chris Barrett is a past pupil of our school who is a current member of Mayo Senior team and ex-Mayo Minor Tommy ‘Goals’ Conroy graduated recently as well.

"In 2014, the senior team created history by capturing the school’s first national crown, when they defeated Crossmaglen Community College."

They play Oaklands Community College of Edenderry in the final. Shane Cummins and Anthony Kilmurray have been instrumental in the Offaly school's excellent performances to-date.

HOGAN CUP REACHES FEVER PITCH

******The Masita GAA All Ireland Post Primary Schools Hogan Cup (Senior 'A' Football) semi-finals also take place on Saturday.

At Cusack Park, Ennis, St Colmans, Claremorris take on the fabled and in-form St Brendan's Killarney.

There are strong family ties within the Colman's set-up with brothers Pat and Enda Hession being part of the Claremorris squad.

They beat St Attracta’s, Tubbercurry, to win the Connacht title at the start of the year and it's clear that the tie that binds current and past players from the school remains healthy.

Current Mayo senior footballers Colm Boyle, Shane Nally, Stephen Coen and Caolan Crowe, all of whom have worn the famous red of Colman’s in the recent past, have been helping the side that currently fields five Mayo minors.

It's clear that 'Colman’s joint managers Vinnie Walsh and Gareth Duggan have left no stone unturned in their preparations this season as they bid to bring the Hogan Cup back to Claremorris.

The Mayo school has won the provincial ‘A’ senior championship five times in the history of the competition: 1970, 1977, 1981, 2009 and 2017. For a school with such a rich history and great tradition of producing wonderful footballers and fine teams, it seems remarkable that their trophy cabinet hasn’t been packed even fuller.

They will meet a really strong St Brendan's side, however. The Kerry side are reigning Hogan Cup champions and ended a long wait without national success last season.

In that final David Clifford contributed a massive 2-5 to help secure a first Hogan Cup success since 1992, and third in all. Dara Moynihan was also superb as St Brendan’s finished with a flourish to deny St Pat’s Maghera a sixth title, and erase the memories of most recent final defeats in 2010 and 2008.

The defending champions blew Tralee CBS away in the Munster Colleges SFC final at Austin Stacks Park, putting in a thrilling second half performance to claim a 22nd provincial title.

Their big guns really showed up that day with Billy Courtney outstanding in the middle of the field and Donnchadh O’Sullivan flying it too.

AFL trialist David Shaw is also at the heart of their push and is capable of putting on an exhibition of score-taking at any time.

Indeed the entire St Brendan’s forward line could yet carry too much potency for St Colman's, but it should be a great battle.

DRUMMOND CUP SEMI-FINAL

******Meanwhile, the first Masita GAA All Ireland Post Primary Schools Paddy Drummond Cup (Senior B' Football) semi-final takes place at Tulla on 2pm and features Ballinrobe Community School and Coachford College.

Coachford College are on a roll at the moment and recently won their first ever Munster Senior 'B' FC final.

The Cork side have fine players in the impressive David Thompson, and look strong at midfield where John Cooper and Conor Smith have played well.