The Mayo senior footballers will welcome Kerry to McHale Park for their second game in the 2011 National Football League on Sunday. The visit of Jack O’Connor’s side will pose another difficult examination of James Horan’s early tenure in charge of the green and red. Last weekend Horan picked up his first piece of silverware in the Mayo bainisteoir’s bib when they saw off the challenge of John Maughan’s NUIG by 1-14 to 0-11. Horan would have surely preferred a sterner test from the students who failed to fire for long periods of the game as Mayo cruised to victory with ease.
The game did give Horan an opportunity to have a look at a number of players who are on the fringes of the side at the moment, with Aidan Kilcoyne, who missed out on making the match day 26 for the league opener against Down, impressing in spurts and finished off the 60 minutes with 1-3 to his name. David Killeen, Chris Barrett, Lee Keegan, and Ruaidhri O’Connor were all given opportunities to show their worth, but in reality they weren’t really tested that much in a game that was played at training ground pace for a lot of the time. Aidan Campbell and Andrew Farrell were two others who got the nod for the game, and while both finished off the day with a point each they didn’t assert themselves to much on the game either. For the students, who had a very large Mayo contingent, Jason Doherty’s free taking kept them in the contest with the Burrishoole man finishing off the game with six points from placed balls. Neil Douglas and Alan Dillon were both also in the front six for the third level side and neither man really got to the pace of the game. Peader Gardiner kicked two points from wing back with Kieran Conroy manning the middle of the half back line for Maughan’s side.
One man who continued to impress in the green and red was Ballintubber’s Jason Gibbons who was a late call up to the starting 15 in the middle of the park, while it is still early days in the inter-county game Gibbons seems to have settled in well. Enda Varley joined the list of the walking wounded last weekend when he damaged his shoulder in the game and could be ruled out for a month. Varley is following the likes of Alan Freeman, who broke a bone in his hand in the league opener against Down, while Seamus O’Shea and David Clarke are all still absent. Conor Mortimer will also be missing in action for the whole season as he recovers from a knee operation.
The Kingdom will pose a very serious test to Horan’s side on Sunday, they only went down by the narrowest of margins to All Ireland champions Cork in the league opener a fortnight ago and will be eyeing up this game as one they can win to get their league campaign back on track. The Mayo v Kerry game will be the second part of a double header in McHale Park on Sunday with the Mayo senior hurlers
Connolly’s men look to make it two out of two
The Mayo senior hurling team got off to a winning start last Sunday in the splendid surroundings of Tooreen in the belly of east Mayo. Mayo, who are operating out of Division 3B of the league, saw off the challenge of neighbours Roscommon fairly comfortably by 0-17 to 1-5. Keith Higgins was the tormentor in chief of the Roscommon men, finishing off the game with nine points, eight of them from frees. Higgins was not the only man to impress on the field, with Eoin Madigan a constant threat on the half forward line. On Sunday Murt Connolly will be hoping his side can make it two out of two when Fingal come to visit in this second round clash. The Dublin side had a comprehensive 4-18 to 0-13 win at home over Monaghan in their season opener last Sunday and won’t be an easy pushover for Mayo. At stages last weekend Mayo showed some good flashes of play, with Brian Higgins and Keith Higgins dominant in the middle of the park. The game throws in at 1pm on Sunday and the double header offers a great opportunity for all Mayo supporters to support the hurlers before Mayo’s clash with Kerry in the football.
Launch of Mayo GAA Strategic Action Plan
The launch of the Mayo GAA Strategic Action Plan will take place in McHale Park tomorrow (Saturday ) at 8pm. An invitation to attend is extended to all members of Mayo county board, club officers, and county board delegates, and members of the Mayo GAA Strategic Action Plan steering committee and sub-committees. The media are also invited along, as are members and supporters of the GAA in Mayo.
The Mayo GAA Strategic Action steering committee and sub-committees have been working on the plan for the past five months. The plan will go before a forthcoming meeting of Mayo county board for ratification. Members of the steering committee and sub-committees will be in McHale Park again on Sunday afternoon to hand out copies of the plan to supporters attending the Mayo v Kerry NFL clash.
Ladies look to get first win
The Mayo senior ladies’ team are looking to make it second time lucky this Sunday when they host Laois in Ballyheane in the third round of the National Football League. After having their opening round game against Cork called off the Mayo ladies’ side got their league campaign off to a start last weekend but were well beaten by 3-13 to 1-8 by Monaghan in Claremorris. Sunday’s clash offers Mayo a chance to get a win against the side who are currently sitting at the bottom of the table with two defeats from two games.
Breaffy registration evening
Breaffy GAA Club will hold its annual registration evening this Saturday from 6.30pm to 8.30pm in the clubhouse. All members are asked to attend to for registration for the coming year including players, general club members, and social members. The Bord na nÓg will hold its presentation evening on the evening also.
