Ballyheane make their return to the top table
Fri, Apr 26, 2013
Ballyheane will make their return to action in the Elverys Super League on Sunday and will face into a 100 mile plus round trip to Carenash to take on a Iorras Aontaithe side who were well turned over on the opening day by Manulla in Carramore. The side from Quigley Park were one of the Super League’s permanent fixtures for years, before they finally slipped out of the division a couple of years ago, but they regrouped last year and aided by a good winter in provincial competition where they won the Connacht Shield they kept their foot down and won the Premier A title by the narrowest of margins. On Sunday, Ballyheane will be hoping their experienced players like Peter Burke, John Kelly, Theron Coghill, David Sheridan, along with Terry and Chris Maughan will supply the solid foundation they are looking for to start the season well. As teams have found out at the bottom and the top of this eight team Super League in the past, you can be out of contention for either the title or safety before you are even up to full speed.
Read more ...Medal haul for Mayo athletes in national 10k championships
Fri, Apr 26, 2013
Mayo AC had 21 runners competing in the National 10k Championships held in the Phoenix Park on Sunday, April 14 in their efforts to pick up gold, silver, and bronze medals. They faced tough conditions as a gusty wind swept over the country and swirling showers added to the task. The race was incorporated in the Spar Great Ireland Run with 6,200 finishers. On a blustery day that made a tough course even tougher, Dublin based Geesala native Seamus Gaughan ran a great race and had a ding dong battle all the way with track record holder Joe Gough (West Waterford). Gaughan won by two seconds in 39:09, retaining the M60 title he won last year. There were other excellent performances in the conditions, book-ended from senior woman Ann Marie Staunton in her first championship race to Tom Waldron who also won gold in his M70 category.
Read more ...Early season top of the table clashes
Fri, Apr 26, 2013
The third round of the Breaffy House Senior Football League will take place across the top divisions of the league this weekend. At the top of division 1a after two rounds, Ballina Stephenites, Davitts, and Breaffy are all locked at the top with the maximum four points each after the two opening games. One of Breaffy or Ballina will lose their 100 per cent record this weekend when the sides meet in James Stephens Park on Sunday at 3.30pm. Last weekend Breaffy made it two from two against their neighbours with a come from behind win against Ballintubber at home. Tommy O’Reilly’s goal with a minute left in normal time was the critical score bringing his side back into the game, with fellow sub Liam Irwin levelling the game shortly after, before Alan Durcan won the game with a late, late free. The other talking point in the game was the return to action of Alan Dillon who came on as first half sub for Ballintubber and he will continue his return to full fitness this weekend against Charlestown.
Meanwhile Breaffy’s opponents Ballina Stephenites saw off Ballinrobe by a scoreline of 3-7 to 0-9 in Flanagan Park thanks to two first half goals from Evan Regan and Eanna Casey, putting them into a seven point lead at the turnaround that the hosts were never able to really pull back. Ballina grabbed their third goal through Sean Regan who has been making a name for himself with the Mayo hurlers this spring in the league. Evan Regan was the main man on the day for Ballina, grabbing 1-5 over the hour for Ballina, and his fellow county panellist Alan Murphy kicked 0-7 for Ballinrobe. The south Mayo men who are under the guidance of Ray Connelly this year will be looking to pick up their first win in the league this Sunday when they travel to Ballaghaderreen to take on last years senior county champions. The Ballagh boys were made to work last Sunday by Tourmakeady to come out on the rightside of 2-12 to 2-9 scoreline, Gavin Conway and Barry Solan were the main men for Ballagh’s kicking 1-6 and 1-4 for them respectively. Tourmakeady got off to a good start in both halves, but Ballaghaderreen came back strong in the tail end of both halves and a second half spree where they hit 1-5 without reply was key to seeing them over the line. Tourmakeady scored their goals through Kevin Dolan (who hit 1-4 over the hour) and Brian Naughton, this Sunday the Gaeltacht men will host Knockmore in their west Mayo heartland.
Read more ...Old rivalries to be rekindled in league semi-final
Fri, Apr 26, 2013
Mayo will face a familiar foe on Sunday when they renew their acquaintance with Monaghan in the Tesco Homegrown National Football League division one semi-final. The girls from the Farney county are going into the game with a 100 per cent record from their seven league games so far this season, which includes a win over Mayo back in March in Aughnamullen where they came out 1-15 to 2-6 winners in a re-fixed game from earlier in the spring.
Read more ...Club action back to the fore this weekend
Fri, Apr 19, 2013
The members of the Mayo senior football team will be putting last Sunday's disappointment to one side this weekend as the second round of games in the Breaffy House Senior Football League throws in across all the divisions. In the top division the local derby meeting between Breaffy and Ballintubber is one of the stand out fixtures. Breaffy, under new manager Declan Reilly, picked up a hard fought win over their other local rivals Castlebar Mitchels in round one, thanks to big performances from Aidan and Seamus O’Shea along with Alan Durcan in their full forward line, and will be hoping to have the same result against the 2010 and 2011 county champions. Ballintubber also picked up the points in their opening league game, seeing off Ballinrobe by six points, and Peter Ford’s men will be relishing this challenge that awaits them in Breaffy on Sunday.
Read more ...Large number of Mayo boxers take part in cadet championships
Fri, Apr 19, 2013
Eight clubs in Mayo entered 17 boxers into the National Senior Cadet championships for 14-year-old and 15-year-old boxers. The competition was held in the National Stadium over three days last weekend. The IABA will be using these championships as part of their selection process for the European Junior Championships in Russia this summer.
Read more ...Windy weather causes havoc around the county
Fri, Apr 19, 2013
Balla
The team of Marion Gormally, Aodan McSuibhne, and Aine McSuibhne won the Waltz competition sponsored by Gilvarry and Associates last weekend, with the trio of Cath McNulty, Kathleen Minogue, and Geraldine O’Malley in second place.
New season, new faces, new challengers?
Fri, Apr 19, 2013
April showers and summer soccer have been familiar friends over the past two decades in Mayo since the Mayo League introduced summer soccer for the junior sides in the league. This weekend will see the 20th instalment of summer football kicking off across the now five divisions from Super League down to League Two. The top division features the names you would expect with Westport United once again leading the pack as defending champions, with Castlebar Celtic, Ballina Town, Iorras Aontaithe, Manulla, and Claremorris all chasing after them like last season. Making the step up from the Premier A from last year are champions Ballyheane and runners up Snugboro United. Both sides have had plenty of experience in the top division over recent years, but will be severely put to the pin of their collars this season to remain in the top division. But with two other sides in the division which can be considered local derbies, there are plenty of games where form can be put aside for a while.
Read more ...Best finish still the target as Elwood’s men head to Murrayfield
Fri, Apr 12, 2013
After an unexpected three week break from action, Connacht head to Edinburgh for a crucial clash in their bid to finish this season’s campaign on a high. Both sides are neck and neck on championship points, and if Connacht want to maintain their ambition for a highest finish in the league, a victory at Murrayfield is essential.
Read more ...Another trio of titles for St Anne’s at the national championships
Fri, Apr 12, 2013
It was the renowned St Anne’s club that stood head and shoulders above other clubs at the national championships for male boxers age 11, 12, and 13 years last weekend in the National Stadium. Three additional titles for the club in addition to the previous three secured two weeks ago in the Boy 4/Youth 1 division showed the strength of the club throughout all age groups.
There was great delight from all Mayo and even the Connacht clubs when Declan McDonagh won the first juvenile national title for Claremorris club since 1999 . McDonagh won the Boy 1, 42kg title defeating name sake Edward McDonagh from Clonoe on a score of 12-7.
Read more ...Spring competitions bring out the best around Mayo
Fri, Apr 12, 2013
Balla
In last weekend’s stroke play which also doubled up as a Golfer of the Year competition Mick Mellett was the winner with a score of 49, Pat Kilgallon finished in second place on 51, Richie Murphy came home in third with 54, and James Lavin won the gross prize. The ladies’ section was headed home by Patricia Conwell, with Mary B O’Donnell in second place, Breda Cleary finished in third place, and Marie Flanagan won the gross prize. The current golfer of the year table has Aodan McSuibhnie out in front in the gents’ table on 15pts and Patricia Conwell tops the ladies’ table. The club Wednesday evening scramble started this week and will continue on each Wednesday afternoon from 4.30pm onwards.
