•The annual Salthill-Knocknacarra Juvenile Hurling table quiz takes place in Sheridan’s bar, Knocknacarra on March 25 at 8pm. Tables of four cost €40 with prizes for first, second and third places. There will be a raffle on the night and finger food will be provided. All monies will go directly to the Salthill Knocknacarra juvenile hurling fund to assist with travel expenses, the provision of team gear, and the general running of the juvenile hurling club.
For further information and/or to book a table contact Mike Ward 087 -4164373, Ger Mulholland 086-1283674, John Burke 086-8521996 or Niall Murphy 086-8399996.
• Three Salthill Devon players have been included in the Republic of Ireland senior women's side which resumes its FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a testing trip to Tel Aviv where they will face Israel on Sunday, March 21. Included in the squad are Devon’s Julie Ann Russell, Dora Gorman, and Meabh de Burca. The u-19 pairing of Julie Ann Russell and Dora Gorman retain their place following their promotion to the senior squad for the recent France friendly. Noel King's side currently sits in third place in group 6 of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers behind Switzerland and Russia after four games. Niamh Fahey, now with Arsenal, is also on the squad.
• Galway schools are gearing up for the All Ireland Schools Basketball League finals which take place over the next two weeks. First up is Gort Community School on Monday when they face Pobailscoil Dingle in the u-16B final at the National Basketball Arena (12.30pm ). Colaiste Einde contest the u-19C boys’ final against CBS Ennistymon on Thursday (March 25 ), while Calasanctius Oranmore continue their fine tradition in schools’ basketball with three finals on March 26 - the u-16A girls and boys’ finals, and the u-19A girls.
• Athenry Soccer Club’s senior team play the Connacht cup quarter-final away against Ballinalsoe Town on Sunday at 2pm. Athenry go in to the tie undefeated since November and showing outstanding form in all competitions since January. Athenry have won this twice in the last three years and will go in as slight favourites after their excellent performance against Westport in the last round.
• Gary Thornton of Galway City Harriers achieved one of the finest results of his career on Sunday when taking silver in the national inter-clubs cross country championships. Thornton was only 15 seconds behind winner Mark Kenneally, a man who finished inside the top 10 of the European Championships. Thornton started running as a 15-years-old with GCH, immediately showing great promise both on the track and in cross-country. He won the 3,000m at the national championships as a 16,17, and 18-years-old old, and finally as a junior in 1998. He also won a silver medal at the National Junior Championships in 1998 and represented Ireland at both the European junior cross-country in Italy and the World mountain running championships in La Reunion the same year. He won the national intermediate cross-country championships and intervarsity cross-country championships. His greatest senior achievement prior to Sunday was winning the National 10,000m on the track in 2007. His highest finish in the national Senior Cross Country before this was fourth in 2009.
