Stick or twist for Mayo hurlers tomorrow

Fri, Jun 10, 2016

After the historic high of climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand last Saturday afternoon and lifting the Nicky Rackard Cup, it's back to even more serious business tomorrow for the Mayo senior hurlers. Unlike the Christy Ring Cup, winning the competition does not guarantee you promotion to the next level of the senior hurling championship, so it's back on the road again for Mayo and a date with Derry in Ballinamore in Leitrim for the right to have a place in the draw for the Christy Ring Cup next season.

Hurlers' heroics deserve plenty of praise

Fri, Jun 10, 2016

There is so much going on in the sporting world it's hard to keep up. The football championship is in full swing, the Euros are around the corner, the passing of Muhammad Ali has grabbed all the front and back pages and then there is the not so small matter of the Mayo hurling team's fantastic win in the Nicky Rackard Cup last Saturday evening in Croke Park. Things look very rosy in the Mayo GAA world and we are still only in the second week in June and yet we have two national titles in the bag.

Barrett only player definitely out of Galway clash

Fri, Jun 10, 2016

The countdown is well and truly on for Mayo's first championship home game of the season next Saturday night when Galway come to MacHale Park for the semi-final showdown. In the lead-up to the game, Mayo manager Stephen Rochford spoke to the press earlier this week about the contest.

Some parents and coaches need to cop themselves on

Fri, Jun 10, 2016

Answer this honestly; and no hiding here please.
Just look in the mirror — reflect calmly, and ask yourself this simple question:

Juniors championship ready to start with a bang

Fri, Jun 10, 2016

The 16 teams looking to bring the McDonnell Cup home this season will get their championship season under way this weekend when the Mayo GAA Junior Football Championship throws in venues from right across the country. Last year's beaten finalists Killala, will get their 2016 season under way with a tasty local derby against last year's Junior B champions, Ballycastle, in a north Mayo coastal derby. This group three game will also see two of the Mayo junior team's leading lights come face to face with Andrew Farrell the main man for Killala and Micheal Forde the go to guy for Ballycastle. Both sides met in the league earlier with Killala just about taking the win and their greater experience should carry them through again on Saturday evening.

King Feeney and Captain Hunt ecstatic after Rackard win

Sun, Jun 05, 2016

Families beckoned them over to the edge of the stand for photos to remember this day for ever, tears of joy were being wiped from eyes as the Mayo players tried to take in what had just happened on the field of battle.

Mayo hit the high notes when it counts in Croker

Sat, Jun 04, 2016

Mayo started and finished with a bang in Croke Park on Saturday night as the claimed the Nicky Rackard Cup at the first time of asking. At times it looked like it was going away from them in the early stages of the second half, but JP Coen’s men gutted it out and ran out deserved four point winners.

Coen hails victory as “priceless”

Sat, Jun 04, 2016

He was standing arms folded looking up as his team each took their turn lifting the Nicky Rackard Cup high into the sun kissed Croke Park sky on Saturday, but there as a grin from ear to ear on Mayo hurling manager JP Coen. The man known in hurling parts as “the Rock” had just overseen the first senior hurling championship success for a Mayo side in Croke Park.

London job done, now it is back to home affairs

Fri, Jun 03, 2016

The Connacht championship is the most special one in the entire All Ireland championship, with every one of the province's home counties kickstarting their championship adventure on foreign soil in either London or New York twice in a five year cycle. Last weekend it was Mayo's turn to head east to London and while there was a football match to be played, it was as much a social event where old friends and new acquaintances soaked up the sunshine and enjoyed each other's company from early in the morning till well into the evening.

Coen looking to steer Mayo back to where they belong

Fri, Jun 03, 2016

"Once the dust settled on last year, we felt we let the county down and we said we had to dig in and see where we can bring this" Mayo hurling manager JP Coen told the Mayo Advertiser when we sat down to speak ahead of Saturday's Nicky Rackard Cup final. The dust he was speaking about was Mayo's relegation from the Christy Ring Cup last year.

When asked if he ever had any doubts about coming back for a second year in charge, Coen was honest in his appraisal of what happened last year, saying, "Probably, if we didn't get relegated you might have said this isn't for me because we'd done so poorly in the league and championship. Maybe not as bad in the championship where we put up a good account of ourselves the first few days, when we were unlucky against some top teams. Derry we should have won, and against Kildare in Ballina and they went on to get to the semi-final, but after that we didn't do so well."

The outsider’s influence on the run to the final

Fri, Jun 03, 2016

After getting relegated from the Christy Ring Cup for the first time, getting Mayo back up to that competition as soon as possible was the number one objective for the management team. In looking to achieve that goal, JP Coen and his management team looked south of the border and asked former Galway hurling captain Liam Donoghue to get on board as a coach and the Clarinbridge man duly accepted their invitation.

Hunt wants to lead Mayo over the gain line

Fri, Jun 03, 2016

There were only two choices left for the members of the Mayo senior hurling panel last year after they were sent back down to the Nicky Rackard Cup, and they chose the one that has seen them reach tomorrow's All Ireland final in Croke Park, team captain Brian Hunt told the Mayo Advertiser. "When we came back at the start of the year we had two choices, we were either going to sink further or we were going to swim. In fairness to JP [Coen] and the lads they set the targets high at the start of the year that we want to win the Nicky Rackard and go straight back up, because if you're down here for two or three years, this group might not get out of it and no one wants that.

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