Casey's Call
Fri, Jul 05, 2013
Wow, can you believe it, London are in the Connacht final after one of the most enthralling and entertaining games the province has produced in a long while. Game over at half time with London being an unassailable 14 points ahead, or so you thought.
Read more ...Mayo Leagues reach the half-way stage
Fri, Jul 05, 2013
By the time the action comes to a conclusion this weekend across all the divisions the half way point of the league season will have been reached. In the Elverys Sports Super League last night Westport United and Iorras Aontaithe will have played the final catch up game, to leave all sides having played six games going into this weekend’s round of games. If Westport United pick up the points in that game they will have pushed themselves into second place in the table, while an Iorras win would see them move ahead of Westport into third place in the table, jumping from their current position of third bottom in the table.
Read more ...Half a dozen quarter-final spots still to be sorted out
Fri, Jul 05, 2013
It is all to play for on paper and on the field in group one of the intermediate championship, Kilmaine head the table at the moment with two wins from their games against Bonniconlon and The Neale, with Hollymount-Carramore and The Neale on two points each, with last year’s junior champions in front courtesy of seeing off their more famed fellow south-Mayo men in the last round. This weekend The Neale will host Bonniconlon in their first home game in this year’s championship, and first at this grade, knowing a win could see them into the last eight at their first attempt. In the other contest Kilmaine are hosting Hollymount-Carramore. By all accounts, Kilmaine have been moving well in this year’s championship, while Hollymount-Carramore will be ruing their loss to The Neale in the previous round. The current table toppers should have enough in the bag to make it three from three so far this year in the championship, with the Neale following them through. Group two also still has not been sorted out, with it all to play for this weekend. Killala are top at the moment with four points, from two games with Burrishoole and Swinford behind them with two points each and Burrishoole leading on the head to head rule, with Mayo Gaels rock bottom and pointless. This Sunday Burrishoole will host Mayo Gaels in McGovern Park and will be confident of picking up the win that should see them through. In the other tie Swinford will host Killala, where a win for the hosts, along with Burrishoole win, would force a three way tie and see Killala harshly miss out on the last eight despite having won their opening two game. It really could all come down to who wins out in Swinford to make the quarter-finals. In group three, Moy Davitts top the table with two wins from two over both Parke and Belmullet, and on Saturday evening are favourites to make it three from three when they take on Islandeady. The west Mayo men left their qualification ambitions hanging by a thread when they were caught by Parke at home last time out, and with Parke taking on a Belmullet side who are rock bottom in the other game it looks like a solid two points in the bag for the black and amber men. It would take big turn up for Islandeady to turn over Moy Davitts and force a three way play-off and hope their better scoring difference than Parke comes into play. In group four, both Kiltane and Kiltimagh are going through already, so it is only a matter of who takes top spot when both sides meet on Saturday evening. The real action is in Achill on Sunday afternoon where Ballyhaunis host Achill, both sides are winless and it is a battle to avoid the relegation play-offs. Achill's difficulty with getting the numbers needed to compete at this level is well known and it will take an almighty performance for them to pull this one out of the bag away from home in east Mayo on Sunday.
Read more ...No room left for error this weekend in final group games
Fri, Jul 05, 2013
The second weekend in July is where the hopes and dreams will end for eight teams in both the Mayo senior and intermediate football championships. For those who finish bottom of their groups, the task of dragging themselves back up for a relegation fight lies in store, while those who find themselves in the no-man’s land of third place in their groups will at least know they will be back to have another crack at it next year. In the senior championship this weekend, everything is up for grabs. In group one Castlebar Mitchels are leading the pack with two wins from two, while Breaffy and Crossmolina are both on two points, with the west Mayo men in front on head to head results and Davitts taking up the rear. The county town team will host Crossmolina on Saturday evening, and it is very hard to see anything but a home win for Pat Holmes' side, who put Breaffy to the sword last time out and a serious dent in the blues’ title ambitions. The other game in the group sees Declan Reilly's Breaffy make the tough trip to the borderline to take on Pete Warran's Davitts. This time last year both sides also met in the group stages, with Davitts winning out and sending Breaffy into the relegation play-offs. Apart from the Castlebar game, Breaffy have looked very impressive this year seeing off Ballintubber, Ballina, and Castlebar in the league, and Crossmolina in the opening championship game. They go into the game knowing that a win should see them through, unless Crossmolina better Breaffy’s win by at least six points in beating Castlebar. But getting that win is a big if, and Breaffy know they will have to be on top form on Saturday evening to make that happen. Davitts named Michael Conroy in their squad for their last championship game and if the Mayo sharpshooter is fit to play, he will be a massive boost to Davitts’ chances on Saturday evening. It promises to be a tough and uncompromising battle and if Breaffy do make it through, it will serve them well for later on this summer.
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Mayo girls go for European glory
Fri, Jun 28, 2013
Mayo’s talented young boxers will be out in force in European competition over the next five weeks. Mayo will have six boxers participating in the Women’s European Union Senior and Youth Championships in Keszthely, Hungary, next month. Seven time national champion Jacqui Lynch (Golden Gloves BC) will be in action in the championships. Lynch won double National titles this season and is having a fantastic season. The Belmullet boxer won the National title and two weeks later was victorious in the Girl 15, (48 kg) division.
Read more ...Early start for golfing insomniacs in Westport
Fri, Jun 28, 2013
Balla
Last weekend’s competition sponsored by Cox’s Bar and Restaurant was won by the duo of Aodan McSuibhnie and Mary B O’Donnell, with John Nally and Burt Eagleton in second place, and Margaret Walsh and Geraldine Kilgallon finishing in third.
Summer series gets off to a flyer
Fri, Jun 28, 2013
Mayo AC's Summer 5k Series got off to a successful, bright, and colourful start at Lough Lannagh last week with the Castlebar 5k. Over 200 runners gathered in warm evening sunshine. The winner was James Ryan, who got away from a four man group after the first circuit to finish in 17:30. Second was Joe Hastings 17:49, and third went to Peter Tuohy 17:59. The first woman was Colette Sweeney 20:56, second Edel Reilly 21:29, and third Pauline Moran 22:00. There were many runners from Fit4Life groups who had a good test over this scenic course. The series will continue over the coming weeks around the county.
Read more ...Hurling on the Green is back
Fri, Jun 28, 2013
Castlebar Mitchels hurling club’s Hurling on the Green starts on Monday July 1 and will run for six weeks. The main sponsor is Deely Opticians and the club would like to thank Mark and Denise for their continued support of this fine project. Hurling on the Green is a fun hurling coaching camp for youth members of Castlebar Mitchels Hurling Club. New members are most welcome to join the club. Hurling equipment will be available for sale at subsidised rates for members. The coaching programme is designed to suit all age groups from six to 12. Hurling on the Green will commence on Monday July 1 and run for six weeks on The Mall, Castlebar, every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and Friday from 10am to 1pm. This year’s main coaches are Barry Lane and Alan Gavin and Cathal Walsh.
Read more ...Duffy keeps podium position
Fri, Jun 28, 2013
Five rounds into his maiden WRC season, Mayo man Killian Duffy heads the WRC-2 co-driver standings by 15 points after wins in Argentina and Mexico and, most recently, a podium at Rally Italy.
But with the competition likely to intensify in the second half of the season, which features the most popular European-based rallies and the arrival of the first R5 specification cars, Duffy was happy to have made his lead in the standings more comfortable, following his second place in Sardinia. “This is our first time in WRC-2, and our plan at the start of the year was top five, now we’re leading the championship just past the halfway point, it’s like a dream,” Duffy said.
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