Gaffney tournament success for Eoin Kennedy

Fri, Jan 21, 2011

Mayo was at the centre of the Irish handball world last weekend with not one but two major sporting events attracting large attendances and much to talk about. While the game’s top seniors did battle over two days at the second John Gaffney memorial tournament in Ballaghaderreen, girls of all ages had a weekend event all to themselves with the inaugural Go Handball Tournament at six Mayo venues on Saturday and Sunday.

Connacht prepare for final game in Amlin Challenge Cup

Fri, Jan 21, 2011

Eric Elwood’s Connacht side will bring the curtain down on their interest in the Amlin Challenge Cup for this season in the Sportsground on Saturday evening. Connacht will host Italian newcomers to the competition Cavalieri Prato in Galway and will be looking to pick up their second win in as many weeks in the competition. Last weekend Connacht travelled to France where they completed a double over French top 14 side Arivon Bayonnais in the competition, but it was too little to late to give the province a chance of progressing in a competition they got to the last four in last season. Connacht were also boosted this week with the news that Frank Murphy, Miah Nikora and Ronan Loughney had all signed two year extensions to their contracts which will boost Eric Elwood’s squad ahead of the start of next season.

O'Connor lights up McHale Park

Sat, Jan 15, 2011

Mayo 2-8     GMIT 1-5
A improved second half performance from Mayo saw them get the James Horan era off to a winning start in McHale Park on Saturday night. Last year's minor captain Cillian O'Connor was the main man for Mayo scoring 1-6 on his debut, five of the points coming from placed balls along with a peach of a score in the second half. O'Connor's scoring display will see the Ballintubber teenagers reputation continue to rise in the game. However for another debutant it wasn't as good a night to remember with Tourmakeady's Kevin Dolan having to be carried off after only seven minutes.

Mayo clubs back in junior cup action

Fri, Jan 14, 2011

After the cold weather put paid to most football across the county since the middle of December eight Mayo sides will be back in action in round four of the FAI Junior Cup this Sunday. There are four games down for decision between eight Mayo teams. Super League champions Ballina Town, who after claiming to titles in a row will be looking to make a dent on the national stage, will make the trip to Carnenash to take on Iorras Aontaithe in what should be a tight encounter. While Ballina Town were deserving league champions the men from Erris pushed them all the way along with Westport United finishing only four point behind back in third place. When the sides met back in June Ballina won 4-1 in Belleek and the sides played out a seven goal thriller in Sunday’s venue in August with Brendan Kenny’s side coming out 4-3 winners en route to the title.

Another all top division clash is the meeting of league runners up Westport United and Manulla in the latter’s home ground on Sunday. Westport United have had a love affair with this competition for a number of years now, but they will have to work hard on Sunday if their going to take the win back to the Sportsground with them as Manulla are more than capable of taking a big scalp in a one off game. Manulla did finish a long way off Westport in the league table, but they still finished in a comfortable fourth position. When the teams met in the same venue on July 10, Westport ran out 4-0 winners with ease. It was worse for Manulla in the return fixture with Westport who were chasing the title hard, putting five past them only 12 days later.

No Basque-ing in glory for frustrated Conancht as they head to Bayonne

Fri, Jan 14, 2011

The frustration continues for Connacht after last Thursday week’s one-point loss away to the Dragons. It was yet another tight game which slipped away from the Westerners, who haven’t won in the Magners League since September.

Inter Business League ready to get running

Fri, Jan 14, 2011

It is that time of year again when Mayo Roller Bowl runs the Inter Business League. This league has been running for the past 18 years and has proved very successful with businesses all over Mayo competing. People are invited to enter a team of three players and one sub to compete on a weekly basis against other businesses in the county. It is a very enjoyable league for both new bowlers and experienced bowlers. It does not

All-Ireland senior club joy for Ballaghaderreen

Fri, Jan 14, 2011

Last weekend’s handball action saw Mayo club Ballaghaderreen take an historic sixth All Ireland 40 x 20 inter-club title in a row, defeating Ballydesmond, Co Cork, in the final. An icy Christmas led to huge fixture congestion, warranting both postponed semi-finals and final of the senior club championship be played on the same day. Ballaghaderreen accounted for the up-and-coming Kells, Co Kilkenny, in their semi-final. Ballydesmond came through a tight encounter with Carrickmore, Co Tyrone, to claim their final spot.

Horan’s start put on hold

Fri, Jan 14, 2011

Those souls who made the trip to Ballyhaunis last Sunday were left sorely disappointed when the man in black, TJ Keaveney from Sligo, decided that there would be no action on display because of a frozen pitch. The game which was originally down for Ballinamore in Leitrim was changed only the day before because of a similar problem. But the game being called off only 20 minutes before throw-in time caused a major inconvenience not only for the teams — Mayo had been going through their warm up on the second pitch in Ballyhaunis when it was called off — but to the supporters who had paid in to the ground. Mayo will now get their season underway on Saturday night in McHale Park when they host GMIT under lights in what will be a test run for the county ground ahead of their National League division one opener with Down on February 5 in the same venue. No Mayo starting team has been announced for the game at the time of going to print, but it would be expected to be along the same lines as the one picked for the Leitrim game. However there was one planned change before the game was called off last Sunday, with Castlebar Mitchels’ defender Richie Feeney out of the side after he picked up a foot injury the day before the game. GMIT will have Mayo representation with former Mayo midfielder Pat Fallon in charge of the team and a number of players from Mayo clubs battling for inclusion in his side. Mayo’s game against Leitrim has been refixed by the Connacht Council for January 30 in the original venue in Ballinanmore. The re-fixed game will give Mayo manager James Horan one last chance to run the rule over his side before the opening of their National League opener with Down the next Saturday.

Conway wins Fields of Athenry

Fri, Jan 14, 2011

Mayo AC featured very strongly in the annual Fields of Athenry 10km. The race originally posted for St Stephen’s Day had to be postponed to Bank Holiday Monday January 3. Gerry Ryan (Craughwell AC) won the men’s event while Mayo AC top woman Catherine Conway finished in a magnificent 35:53 and a PB. TJ Mc Hugh was first man home for Mayo AC in fourth place overall in a time of 33:22

Mayo look to get off the mark at second time of asking

Fri, Jan 07, 2011

The ice and snow claimed many victims since before Christmas and with some more severe weather in the offing over the next few days, Mayo League manager Brendan Kenny is hoping that it will not claim his side’s Oscar Traynor Cup clash with the Roscommon and District League for a second time. “Hopefully it will go ahead this weekend, it’s been a long time coming now,” he said. “The weather is the weather and there’s nothing much you can do about it. But on the positive side it has given the lads a break that they would have needed. You have to have a break from the game for a while or lads will get burnt out or lose their appetitive for the game. I suppose you could also say that it has shown well for the Mayo League, with the amount of postponements, their decision to change to summer soccer a few years ago.”

Huge interest in Harlequin Adventure Duathlon

Fri, Jan 07, 2011

Castlebar has now got a unique event of its own its called the Harlequin Adventure Duathlon, it will be held on Saturday March 26 with a start time of 9am. This race is a mix of running, cycling, and mountain running, very much like the famous Gael Force event which has proven to be a big hit in the Leenane/Westport area. Now Castlebar can boast about an event of its own with equally stunning and challenging terrain.

Mayo sailing club to host winter lecture

Fri, Jan 07, 2011

Mayo Sailing Club is hosting a lecture on Sail Trim by Des McWilliam in GMIT on Thursday January 20 at 7.30pm. Des McWilliam is one of Ireland’s best-known sailmakers. He founded his business in Crosshaven in 1978, and has been designing, making and repairing sails there ever since. All sails are custom designed and built to suit the yacht, the owner, and the sailing area in question. Mr McWilliam has a wide range of materials and specifications that he can match to the job in hand. And his team have the experience to do it well. The highest tech carbon, kevlar, and Technora sails are moulded in Florence by his One Sails partners, but even these are completed in Crosshaven. Mr McWilliam is a very accomplished sailor in his own right, having represented Ireland in five Admiral's cups and in regattas from the Southern Cross to the Atlantic Challenge. This talk is aimed at sailors of all craft, from dinghies to ocean-crossing cruisers, and indeed for anybody who wants to get involved in sailing, this could prove to be a very good meeting place.

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