Connacht Gold Cup and Shield bring curtain down on domestic season

Fri, Sep 30, 2011

The final acts of the domestic soccer season will take place in Milebush Park this Sunday with the Connacht Gold Cup and Shield final double header getting under way at 1pm. In the shield final Westport United C will take on Conn Rangers at the home of Mayo football. The men from north Mayo will go in as favourites, having finished the league campaign in fourth place in the second tier of the Mayo League and having seen off the challenge of Westport United B twice in the league. However the United C team had a great season two divisions below picking up 23 points during the league, finishing only three points off the top of the table. Conn Rangers had to overcome Westport United B for a third time this year at the semi final stage and booked their place in the final with a 2-1 win.

Moylette gets World Championship under way today

Fri, Sep 30, 2011

Islandeady’s Ray Moylette will get his World Championships underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, today when he takes on Latvian Aturs Ahmetovs in the last 64 of the competition. Three wins for the St Anne’s club man who claimed the European Light Welterweight title during the summer will book his place in next year’s Olympics in London. Having won the European title Moylette has been ranked fourth by the AIBA in the World Championship, but his place in this week’s competition was only secured a few weeks ago when be defeated Irish champion Ross Hickey in a box off in the National Stadium.

Should Moylette win his fight today he will box again on Sunday against the winner of the bout between Valentio Knowles from the Bahamas, who claimed a bronze in last year’s Commonwealth games, and Manoj Kumar of India, the winner of the gold in those same Commonwealth games. The last 16 of the competition will take place on Tuesday October 4, with the quarter finals the following day, the semi-finals next Friday, and the final on Saturday October 8.

Connacht head to Wales looking to keep up good start

Fri, Sep 30, 2011

Connacht, with 13 points on the RaboDirect Pro 12 table from four outings, face a different and more difficult challenge this evening in Wales. They head to Liberty Stadium knowing the Ospreys are one the strongest and most expensively assembled outfits outside Ireland, at a venue where even achieving a bonus point is always difficult. Still smarting from their bonus-point loss to Edinburgh, which was a missed opportunity, Elwood says there are now bigger challenges ahead. “We have two big games with Ospreys and Leinster away - two very good outfits with big squads so we are under no illusion. We have a tough two weeks before the break.

Ballintubber for the title?

Fri, Sep 30, 2011

It is a big weekend in the local championship with a series of mouthwatering matches in the offing. One could make a valid argument for any of the four teams left in the race to covet this year’s county senior title. If I was pressed to predict a winner, I would possibly give a nod towards Ballintubber on the basis that they are winning all of their league matches, so their form is reasonably good. They are the current county champions and will have come on a lot, particularly in terms of confidence, from last year’s success. However I just would not bet on them beating Ballina this weekend. Crossmolina beat Ballina last Sunday in the league, but I got the impression that they were holding a little in reserve for this Sunday. The Ballina boys would also have been anxious not to pick up any injuries so close to a big game. As it happens, Pat Harte did limp off during the game with some sort of an injury, so he might be a slight concern coming into Sunday’s game. I don’t think Ballina manager John Healy was too concerned at dropping two points as it leaves him a little room to kick ass this week as he gets his team focused for the semi-final. All in all I feel the Stephenites have more in them than I witnessed last Sunday, and therefore I think they have a right good chance of beating the county champions. It promises to be a fascinating contest.

There will be nothing easy in senior showdowns

Fri, Sep 30, 2011

The four sides left in the Treanlaur Catering Senior Football Championship have lifted the Moclair Cup a grand total of 72 times. Ballina Stephenites (36) and Castlebar Mitchels (27) have more than the lion’s share between. But that does not mean that those two sides will make it through their semi-finals over the weekend to set up a traditional classic pairing in the final. In fact the favourites to the make the final in a lot of people’s eyes will probably be the younger pretenders Knockmore and Ballintubber with their eight and one title respectively. While Castlebar won their first title in 1888 and Ballina in 1889, Knockmore did not climb the mountain for the first time until 1973 and Ballintubber did for their only time so far last season.

Time for big guns to shine in intermediate championship

Fri, Sep 30, 2011

Burrishoole started off this year as favourites following last year’s disappointment of losing out to Tourmakeady in the intermediate final. But they were given one hell of a scare by Hollymount-Carramore at the quarter final stage and needed two games to get over the south Mayo men. This Sunday they will not be taking anything for granted when they take on Ballyhaunis at the semi-final stage. Ballyhaunis have been impressive all throughout the championship seeing off fellow semi-finalists Parke in the group stages, along with Achill and Moy Davitts, before they had three points to spare over Belmullet in the last eight. However this is probably where the story will end for this season for Frank Browne’s men. Burrishoole picked themselves up and got back on track in their quarter final replay and they are still smarting from last year’s final defeat. Jason Doherty, Enda McManamon, Shane McDermott, and James Moran will be players that Colm Mac’ will be relying on having a big game on Sunday, and if they do the men from the east will find it very difficult to live with the McGovern Park side.

Mayo clubs in Connacht Junior Cup action

Fri, Sep 23, 2011

A total of 16 Mayo teams will be in action in the Connacht Junior Cup this Sunday with all ties kicking off at 2pm. Bangor Hibs, Clew Bay United, Conn Rangers, Ballyheane, Glenhest Rovers, Snugboro United, Fahy Rovers, Kilmore, Ballyvary Blue Bombers, and Ballyglass will all be in action at home. With Killala, Partry Athletic, Newport Town, Ballina United, Moy Villa, and Straide and Foxford United all hitting out across the province in search of a place in the next round. Charlestown Athletic will make the trip to Ballyheane in a local derby as will Achill Rovers who head to Snugboro United, Mulranny United will go to Fahy Rovers as do Hollister who have a short trip to Kilmore, and Crossmolina who go to south Mayo to face Ballyglass.

Connacht look to get back to winning ways

Fri, Sep 23, 2011

Connacht return to the Galway Sportsground this evening determined to make up for last weekend’s narrow loss to Edinburgh. Having played most of the rugby last weekend, Connacht know they let themselves down when failing to take advantage of their opportunities, and coach Eric Elwood says tomorrow discipline will be the key. “What killed us last weekend was our discipline, the penalty count at one stage was 10 to two. But the best thing about league rugby is you can put it right the following week with four points,” said Elwood. “I think the lads know they didn’t do themselves justice last week so we’re expecting a big performance this week from everybody. We can’t change results, but we can change how we play on Friday.”

Gents’ Golfer of the Year up for decision at Westport Golf Club

Fri, Sep 23, 2011

Balla
Last weekend’s competition sponsored by Shaws, Castlebar, was won by PJ Brett with a score of 53 nett. His scoring on the back nine kept him ahead of Declan Nally who also scored 53 nett. Paraic Cuffe took the gross prize and Mick Mellet came third with a score of 55 nett. The ladies’ competition was won by Breege Jennings, with Delia O’Hara second, and Brenda Cleary finishing in third place.

All-Ireland Gold for Mayo Cyclist

Fri, Sep 23, 2011

Mark Quigley, Western Lakes CC, has landed his second All-Ireland gold after a seven year gap when he won the A3 National road race championships finishing on the Windy gap just outside Castlebar. Mark won it the hard way by attacking with 40km to go, along with four others. In turn he dropped his companions with repeated attacks on the heavy and hilly roads of north Mayo. With 3km to go and the climb of the Windy Gap the only remaining sting in a race that saw heavy rain fall and severe gusts, Mark dropped his one remaining companion Derek Joyce (Galway Bay Cycling Club) with a gradual acceleration. At this stage he didn’t realise that team-mate Barry Holian had attacked the main bunch of riders and was on a solo pursuit to get to the front. The effort was enough to make it a great day for the South Mayo club and its sponsors with Mark winning alone and Barry taking second 26 seconds later, thus securing the first ever one two for the club at National championship level.

Westport look to break Ballyhaunis dominance

Fri, Sep 23, 2011

They will go in as the underdogs on Saturday, having never claimed the senior championship title, but Martin Brennan’s charges from the west coast served fair warning last weekend when toppling one of the two east Mayo giants of the small ball game in the county. The narrowest of margins was all that separated Westport when they saw off Tooreen in McHale Park at the semi-final stage on a scoreline of 1-13 to 1-12. But were it not for a late long range goal from Kenny Feeney for the vanquished side, the gap would have been more comfortable for the former Mayo manager’s side. Stephen Broderick was the main man for Westport, scoring eight points for his side in the semi-final and they will need big performances from him along with the likes of Eoin Madigan, Rory Brennan, and Adrian Connolly if they are to knock Ballyhaunis off their perch.

Final four fight it out for final spots

Fri, Sep 23, 2011

The first semi-finals of the Mayo club championships are down for decision on Sunday with both games throwing in at 3pm in Castlebar and Crossmolina. The meeting of Islandeady and The Neale will take place in the county ground, while Ardnaree and Lahardane will do battle in the home of the Deel Rovers.

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