Connacht take on Samoa’s warriors without fear

Fri, Nov 05, 2010

Connacht take a welcome break from competitive action to host international side Manu Samoa at the Galway Sportsground on Tuesday (7.05pm). It is the second time Samoa has visited Galway ( in 1988 as Western Samoa) and two years since Connacht played an international XV when they overcame Portugal 27 - 11.

Connacht coach Eric Elwood says to play against an international team is both exciting and challenging. “They are an international team and it a huge challenge for us, but it is a good opportunity for the lads to play against top-quality opposition.”

Parke go for glory while Ballintubber look to book final spot

Fri, Nov 05, 2010

It is a busy weekend of action for both the Mayo senior and junior champions, with Ballintubber fresh from winning their first senior county title looking to book their place in the Connacht final on Sunday against Galway champions Killererin in Tuam Stadium at 2.30pm. When James Horan’s men are getting ready for throw in on Sunday, Frank McHale’s Parke side will be just coming up to half time in their Connacht Junior Final against Leitrim side Eslin in McHale Park, hoping that they are on their way to booking a spot in the All Ireland series.

Carnacon look to keep up good run

Fri, Nov 05, 2010

It all seems so familiar, Carnacon on the cusp of an All Ireland final and while the central Mayo club have been the undisputed Queens of Mayo football for what seems like nigh on forever, they still have the hunger to drive for success year after year. That hunger has once again brought them to the final four in the country and a place in the All Ireland final up for grabs, standing in their way are Laois and Leinster champions Timahoe.

Elwood expects Italians tomake more heavy demands on Connacht

Fri, Oct 29, 2010

Connacht are preparing for their third physical test in as many weeks when they travel to Italy to face Heineken Cup outfit Treviso on Saturday evening (7pm). It is a new challenge for both sides who have never met in any competition previously, but Connacht coach Eric Elwood knows the fixture will be every bit as challenging as last week’s disappointing defeat to Leinster when Connacht were robbed of a bonus point in stoppage time.

Mayo AC well represented in Dublin Marathon

Fri, Oct 29, 2010

Among the thousands of runners competing in the Dublin Marathon last Bank Holiday Monday was a very strong Mayo AC team. In total 21 athletes made up the Mayo AC team which took on the gruelling course across the nationals capital. The senior men’s team consisted of John Byrne, Anthony Devanney, Timmy Glavey, Kevin Mellett, Brendan Gill, Paddy O’Toole and Dave Huane. The men’s o40 team was made up of the trio of Gerry Galvin, Christy O’Malley and Tony Gleeson, while the men’s o50 consisted of PJ Hall, Owen Mongan, Brian Cusack, Tom Hunt and Christy O’Connell. The senior women’s team was made up of Paula Prendergast, Sarah Syron, Anne Fahy, Yvonne Byrne, Anne McDonnell and Anne Shortt. There were a number of excellent performances put in by the Mayo squad and some medals may be wining their way to Mayo once the AAI confirms the team and individual results.

Good scoring in club competitions around the county

Fri, Oct 29, 2010

Balla
The winner of the recent stableford competition was Fenton Barrett who came home with a score of 41, Pat Mahon finished his round in second place with a score of 36 (back 9) with Jim Conlon in third also on a score of 36. In the ladies competition Aine McDonald was the winner finishing the event with a score of 36 (back 9), she just held off Geraldine O’Malley who scored 36 also to come home second. Third place went to Mary Gillard with a score of 33, the category prize was claimed by Mary Brett with Marissa Brett winning the youth section.

Mayo GAA strategic action plan committee takes first steps with announcement of steering groups

Fri, Oct 29, 2010

The make-up of the Mayo GAA Strategic Action Steering Group, and the timetable it will follow, have been announced. The thrust of the Strategic Action Group’s work is to look at 10 headings with a view to producing approximately six concrete recommendations per heading. Sub-committees are currently being established for each of those headings, and the chairpersons have been appointed, contact e-mail address are available on www.mayogaa.com

Keegan and Kennedy denied in US final

Fri, Oct 29, 2010

Dessie Keegan and his Dublin partner Eoin Kennedy had a great run in the US Open of handball tournament at Fountain Valley California last weekend.

Last weekend was not an advertisement for our games

Fri, Oct 29, 2010

If the Irish team management had the good grace to publicly acknowledge in an issued statement that what went on at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, last Saturday evening was unacceptable, it would offer some hope for the future of this International series, not to mention my sanity. I travelled to Limerick, bringing along four very enthusiastic children who were relishing the fact that they were going to see the cream of our GAA stars from all around the country playing for Ireland. What I and they witnessed was a damp squib of an effort, particularly from our own GAA ‘stars’. I am not exaggerating when I suggest that I genuinely yawned my way through this match. I accept that we have witnessed elements of thuggery in the past that even led to calls for the series to be scrapped. This game on Saturday was so poor the devil in me was half hoping there would be a skirmish or two for no other reason than to liven things up a little. The modern version of the game has become completely sanitised, with practically no physicality whatsoever. It would seem from afar that both teams have been well warned not to engage in any tussles that might bring the continuance of the series into question. I can accept that no Irish player wants to get hurt playing this hybrid game, but I certainly would not want to waste my time travelling any distance to see another game like the lacklustre effort on display last weekend. In fact there were times in this match when I began to wonder if both teams were on some sort of a financial incentive if they managed to come through 75 minutes of action without encountering a meaningful tough challenge. I believe now that if there is not a change in attitude from both sides ahead of tomorrow’s encounter in Croke Park, then Mickey Harte will have been proven correct when he suggested a number of years ago that we should never have gone down this road in the first place. In fact if the GAA’s top brass want to showcase the version of the compromise rules we witnessed last Saturday evening as a spectacle, then they should start stockpiling all the footage of this game into a great big bonfire and quickly burn the lot. At the very least they should insist that no ‘highlights’ of this game are shown, because with the exception of Bernard Brogan’s goal near the end, there was none. Handled properly, the GAA can comfortably cope with outside challenges ie, soccer and rugby but most certainly does not need to self – destruct over a compromise rules series that has many problems. Now having said all of that I am travelling up to Croke Park tomorrow with a bus load of first year students from St Gerald’s college, Castlebar, in the knowledge that hopefully both teams will have realised that they did not provide value for money last weekend and will want to do something to make amends.

Tourmakeady and Parke fly Mayo flag this weekend

Fri, Oct 29, 2010

With the Mayo club championships now put to bed following Ballintubber’s victory over Castlebar Mitchels last weekend, all eyes will now be drawn to the Connacht club championship. The action gets underway on Sunday for the winners of both the Mayo Junior and Intermediate championships, when both Tourmakeady and Parke face Galway opposition. The men from the Gaeltacht will have Mayo advantage when they host St James from Galway city on Sunday, in McHale Park. The Galway champions overcame An Spidéal in the Galway final by a single point a fortnight ago, winning out on a score of 0-9 to 0-8. Midfielder Paul Conroy was the top scorer for the St James men in the final kicking four points of their nine point total.

Entries closing for Sea2Summit race

Fri, Oct 29, 2010

The inaugural Westport Sea2Summit adventure race is designed to suit all levels of fitness and interests with a mix of road running, cycling, and a mountain hike, including the challenging terrain of Croagh Patrick with the backdrop of Clew Bay. It will finish with a short sea run and small obstacle challenge before arriving at the Fairgreen. This challenge offers participants a choice of two routes; the supreme event which offers all of the intensity of the ultimate adventure race, or the spirit event which will certainly appeal to those of relative fitness yet wanting to challenge themselves and push their personal fitness levels. The supreme relay event will take place over the same route and at the same time as the solo supreme race. Teams will be of three people and they will share the disciplines in whatever way they wish.

Ballintubber make history

Sun, Oct 24, 2010

Ballintubber 0-8     Castlebar 0-5
As the sun began to set in McHale Park, 'The Boy's from the 'Tubber' was sung with gusto after John Feeney had just collected the Moclair Cup for the first time in the clubs history, by Ballintubber sub Myles Kelly. The game may have been one that won't live long in the memory of the neutral, but it's one that will never be forgotten by anyone from Ballintubber. For a club celebrating it's centenary it was the perfect end to the Mayo championship as they never said die right until the final whistle to hold off the challenge of Castlebar Mitchels and set of celebrations that will go on long into the week ahead.

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