Juniors get Croke Park date

Fri, Jul 31, 2015

The Mayo juniors will get their big day in the sun when they take on Kerry in the All Ireland junior final on Saturday week, after the GAA confirmed the showpiece in the grade will be on the under card of Mayo's senior All Ireland quarter-final in GAA headquarters. Mayo booked their place in the final of the competition last Saturday with a 1-12 to 0-8 win over Kilkenny in Tullamore, and sets up a repeat of the 2012 final meeting between the two sides.

Westport stay top after weekend of big results

Fri, Jul 31, 2015

When the league seasons comes to a conclusion last weekend's round of action in the Elverys Sports Super League could well be seen as one of the pivotal rounds of action. Champions Westport United were held to 0-0 draw by Ballyheane on Saturday night, that left Ballina Town knowing that if they could see off Castlebar Celtic at home the following day, they would move to within two points of the champions at the top of the table and still have a game in hand.

But that was not how things transpired in Belleek on Sunday afternoon when Castlebar Celtic somehow managed to turn a two goal deficit after half an hour into a 4-3 win. Celtic have been far from hitting top form for much of the season, but they have now moved themselves to within two points of both Ballyglass and Ballina Town who are currently sitting in second and third place respectively in the league.

Mayo go looking to skin the cats

Fri, Jul 24, 2015

While they are far better known for their small ball game, the black and amber Cats from Kilkenny are standing in Mayo's way of reaching the All Ireland Junior Football Championship final tomorrow afternoon in Tullamore. Kilkenny who only field a football team at junior level have progressed to this stage of the competition after winning the British junior crown, travelling over and back to Great Britain for all their games this summer so far. In the final of that championship they saw off the challenge of Scotland to book their final four spot.

Priests, party buses and some football

Fri, Jul 24, 2015

I’m not sure if it’s the wisest thing I have ever done but I joined up with the 'Charlestown party bus' after Mayo’s drive for five became a reality last Sunday in Hyde Park. I felt it was important to celebrate such a milestone and such an emphatic victory in the Connacht final. I did suffer for it on Monday.

Who can stop O'Shea?

Fri, Jul 24, 2015

On the field of play, last weekend provided further evidence that Mayo are one of the teams to beat this year. They have a better balance up front with Aidan O'Shea in at full-forward, and they carry much more penetration in their inside forward line with the Breaffy man in there. What county defender can stop the Breaffy man in one-on-one combat?

Ten minute blitz sees off Sligo

Fri, Jul 24, 2015

By the time Niall Murphy had put Sligo's first score on the board, just before the 10 minute mark, Mayo had their 46th Connacht title well under wraps, having scored 2-4 of their own. Mayo's frantic work rate and total domination of Sligo's own kick-out was the foundation to that start. They never gave Sligo an inch to breathe in the early exchanges and forced Aidan Devaney into a risky kick-out strategy that was ultimately fatal for the game. We take a look at where those scores came from below.

Rovers look to topple the town

Fri, Jul 24, 2015

It would be a brave man who would predict the outcome of the Tonra Cup on Sunday afternoon in Milebush Park. Both Achill Rovers and Ballyhaunis Town have only picked up one defeat all season and they remain in the hunt for promotion to Premier A. Off the field Achill Rovers have been creating headlines as they captured the prestigious FAI Club of the Year on Friday at the awards ceremony in the Clarion Hotel in  Sligo.

Battle at the top heats up

Fri, Jul 24, 2015

Straide and Foxford United v Charlestown Athletic
Saturday, July 25 at 7pm

Westport push ahead while Conn continue revival

Fri, Jul 24, 2015

As a result of the torrential rain all weekend a number of games were pulled for the safety of the players. However, those that did go ahead threw up some cracking ties amid the shocking conditions. In the Elverys Sports Super League, Castlebar Celtic had gone into an early lead thanks to a Jordan Loftus goal after only 20 seconds, but with the rain getting heavier and the surface water in Celtic Park causing problems, referee Jimmy Cawley called both sets of players aside and abandoned the game after only nine minutes. Westport Utd were pushed all the way by Iorrais Aontaithe on Saturday night in what can only be described as a thriller. And the star of the show most definitely was Phil Keegan who bagged a hat-trick in a stunning display. Deadlocked at 2-2 at the break the Covies found something extra after the break with Keegan grabbing the late winner. Dave Cameron also got in on the act for Westport, with Ivan Barrett (two) and Kyle O’Reilly on target for Iorrais Aontaithe.

Good results in tough conditions

Fri, Jul 24, 2015

Mayo AC runners were in action at various events over the weekend and had top three finishers at Roscommon, Killarney, and Crossmolina. John Byrne finished second in Roscommon Harriers' 10 mile race on Saturday. His 53:53 finish was a great time over this classic distance given his career span, it was just 45 seconds outside his 2010 Craughwell 10 mile personal best of 53:08. A tough windy stretch mid-race cost finishers a good few seconds. Mark Kirwan (Raheny Shamrock AC) was the winner in 52:32. Well done too to Brendan Hession who had a great run to finish 16th overall with a  personal best in 62:15.

Paula Prendergast was third woman home in the Killarney Half Marathon in a time of 88:29. That is a fine return to form for her and a great confidence boost ahead of the National Half Marathon Championhsip in two weeks where she will be part of the club's senior women's team. Prendergast will be joined on the East Wall start line by Sarah Syron who came through another test following return from injury, and was happy with her win in 41:15 on home terrain in the Crossmolina Festival 10k.  It was Syron's first 10k race since Balla last year where she was third in 40:52. The Crossmolina men's race was won by Robert Malseed (Westport AC), second place went to David Sands (Liquid Motion), and third place to Ray McNamara (Ballina AC) in a new personal best of 36:59.

Captain's Day excitement in Mulranny and Westport this weekend

Fri, Jul 24, 2015

Balla
Last weekend's rumble competition was won by the trio of Aine MhicSuibhne, Aodan MacSuibhne, and Mary B O'Donnell who scored a combined total of 83pts, second place went to the duo of Adrian O'Connell and Pat Mohan. Another trio came home in third place, with that prize going to Julie Loftus, Mary Lavin, and Aisling Prendergast. This weekend's competition is a stableford event. The club open week will commence on Monday July 27 and will run until Monday August 3, a great week with a number of competitions lies in store.

Connelly looks forward to the next challenge

Mon, Jul 20, 2015

For a number of Mayo players it was their fifth Connacht title in a row on Sunday in Hyde Park, but for the Mayo management team of Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes it was their first in the senior job. Speaking after the game Noel Connelly said that, “We were pleased with the performance, everybody worked hard and that’s all you can ask of them going out and they delivered in fairness to them and now it’s about moving on to three weeks time.”

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