East Mayo rivals go at it once again for county title

Fri, Oct 08, 2010

They have been here before so often, and while familiarity can lead to things becoming stale, there will be nothing stale about the action on the field on Sunday when Ballyhaunis and Torreen get to grips with each other in the Mayo senior hurling final. The game which throws in at 3pm in Ballyhaunis has the makings of another classic, both of these giants of Mayo hurling have been the standard bearers for the small game in the county for decades now.

James Horan takes up the challenge

Fri, Oct 01, 2010

The future of Mayo football was given a new direction on Wednesday night when James Horan was appointed as the new manager of the Mayo senior football team for a term of three years. The Ballintubber manager who this year guided his club to their first senior county final was put forward by the five man interview committee and ratified by the county board delegates at a county board meeting. Horan won two All Stars during his playing career for the county, lining out 57 times for Mayo between his debut in 1995 in the national football league and his last game in 2002 against Cork in the All Ireland quarter final. He scored 4-83 for Mayo over his seven year inter county career. Horan’s back room team will be made up of James Nallen, Martin Connolly and Paul Jordan, Tom Prendergast, Dr Sean Moffatt, Paul O’Grady, Joe Dawson, Liam Moffatt, and Ed Coughlan.

Ballina AC man runs personal best at Berlin marathon

Fri, Oct 01, 2010

Ballina AC runner Scott Walkin completed the Berlin marathon last weekend in a personal best time of three hours three minutes and three seconds. It marks the culmination of many months’ preparation that paid off on the day. Scott is an integral member of the collective training sessions on Belleek track that have contributed in no small way to the improvement in running times for many club members. These training sessions continue every Thursday starting at 7pm, even in the dark winter months when the track lights come into operation. With Scott having achieved the qualifying time for the world famous Boston marathon with this run, there could be a sizeable contingent from the club travelling to Boston next April.

All-Ireland joy at last for Macken but Mayo girls lose out

Fri, Oct 01, 2010

The good news story of the week came by way of Ballinrobe handballer Frank Macken, who finally got his hands on a richly deserved All-Ireland medal. Williamstown on Saturday afternoon last was the setting for Frank’s finest hour as he and a fine attendance settled in for the All-Ireland golden masters B singles final against the well-regarded Pat Donnellan for Clare. Macken started well and was never really troubled in the opening game and he secured this one impressively 21 aces to 12. The second was a much tougher affair as Donnellan began to find his feet and the Clare man was making life difficult for the Galway based garda. Macken trailed for much of the game but his superior fitness and determination saw him take the lead at 17 aces to 16 although this on went down to the wire, as a relieved Macken added the second on a 21 aces to 17 scoreline. The win was well deserved and hard-earned but the hours of work put in yielded the desired result on the day. Macken has a decent chance of a second title this weekend as he teams up with Claremorris native Aidan Bell in the doubles final against Donnellan and Stephen McInerney once again at Williamstown this Saturday from 3pm.

Macken was the only Mayo winner of the weekend however, as the reigning All-Ireland champions, Amy Corrigan and Leona Ryder, were beaten by Cork duo Catriona Casey and Aisling O’Keeffe in three games in the ladies’ minor doubles final at Thurles the same afternoon. The Ballaghaderreen-Newport partnership were desperately unlucky to lose the opening game on a narrow 21 aces to 18 scoreline but they made a real match of it when they impressively won the second 21-8. However they could not repeat that performance in the deciding third which they lost 21-8 as Casey and O’Keeffe ran out easy winners in the end.

Test yourself at Westport Sea2Summit

Fri, Oct 01, 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 finishing 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.

Newport's Francis Sheridan wins cycling club league

Fri, Oct 01, 2010

The 2010 club league organised by Western Lakes CC and Covey Wheelers Westport was another resounding success, with 105 participating over 10 rounds; this year the Tri Lakes triathlon club took part and added to the racing. Under-16 cyclist Francis Sheridan, who is having a brilliant year on the bike, won the overall league title with two impressive performances in the final rounds. Francis lives in Shramoor and usually has the longest drive to get to races but this didn’t deter him from travelling or winning. This is the third year of the league and the first time a Westport cycling club member won.

Team Loftus Recycling get ready for season tip-off

Fri, Oct 01, 2010

The new basketball season gets under way on Saturday night in Ballina Sports and Leisure Centre (tip-off 7.30pm) when the home team, Loftus Recycling, host Blue Demons, Cork, in the opening round of division one in the National Basketball League. The Ballina side also have their second and third round fixtures at home as they entertain Garvey’s St Mary’s (Tralee) on Saturday week, October 9, and Ballon (Carlow) the following Saturday night, October 16.

Golfer of the year comes right down to the wire in Westport

Fri, Oct 01, 2010

Balla
Last weekend a rumble competition sponsored by Hurst Heating and Plumbing was won by the team of Kitty O’Connor, Carmel Henry, and Marie Flanagan with a score of 78 winning out. Their scoring on the back three was just enough for them to see off the challenge of Dermot MacMahon, Martin Moylette, and Michael Neary. This weekend’s competition is a scramble sponsored by The Sheebeen golf society. A total of 28 players took part in the club outing to Mulranny, the winning team on the day was Fenton Barrett, Vinnie Gibbons, and Imelda Flatley, with the trio of Sean Kelly, Nora O’Reilly, and Aine MacSuibhne coming second.

Friends made on the field can last a lifetime

Fri, Oct 01, 2010

My school, Carmelite College, Moate, won back to back All- Ireland Hogan Cup titles in 1980 and ’81. I was on the 1980 team. A couple of lads decided it would be a good idea (and it was) to organise a 30 year reunion last Saturday in Moate for both squads. I didn’t make it up in time for the golf or the walking tour of our old school (now closed), which started around 2 o’clock that afternoon. I arrived at the hotel at about 7.30pm and walked straight into a crowd of about 50 lads who, at that stage of the evening, were in right good form. They had the benefit of five or six hours in each other’s company and had managed, in that time, to reacquaint themselves, many not having met throughout the 30 years. It was a mortifying moment for me as I didn’t recognise half of my school mates initially. Many had, let’s just say, that wintered look about them. Two of the lads had emigrated to the US after leaving school. One of those two is now a policeman in New York, the other a successful business man in San Francisco. It was good to meet up with those lads after so many years. Val Daly was another member of the side. He arrived later than I, as he was in Tuam watching his native Mountbellew lose the county semi final to Killererin earlier that evening. The boys from the 1981 winning team had invited a couple of the lads from the beaten finalists of that year. So, in fact, the first faces I recognised when I went in the door were Sean Maher, John Finn, Seamus O’Brien and Ollie Kelly, all members of the Claremorris school team beaten by Moate. It was a wonderful night and highlighted for me the fact that friends made on the football field can last a life time.

James Horan is the new Mayo manager

Wed, Sep 29, 2010

The beginning of the end or the end of the beginning it's hard to tell exactly which it was, but after a long drawn out saga James Horan was the last man left standing when decision was finally made. After months of talk, chatter, sure things and favorites it was the Ballintubber man who came through after the chase rounded the last corner. The guessing game was finally over when the white smoke puffed out from the new stand in McHale Park and the two time All Star was unveiled as the man to lead Mayo into the future and towards what everyone hopes will be a bright new direction.

The west was awake this weekend

Sun, Sep 26, 2010

Castlebar Mitchels booked their place in the county senior final thanks to a solitary point victory over Knockmore in McHale Park semi-final. The Mitchels were put to the pin of their collar late on when Knockmore drew level through Aidan Kilcoyne point. Mitchels sub Kevin Filan kicked a fine score from near the end line on the stand side of the field. The Mitchels man was red carded for an off the ball incident seconds later. Richie Feeney broke though on the kick out from Filan's score and landed a huge point to put Castlebar two clear. Kevin O'Neill who didn't start the game due to an injury had a late chance for a goal from 25 yards out from a free but he could only blaze it over the bar to cut the gap to one before final whistle.

Ballina retain title

Sun, Sep 26, 2010

Ballina Town retained the Elverys Sports Mayo Super League title on Sunday afternoon in Belleek Park. Brendan Kenny's men went into the game knowing that they had their fate in their own hands, a win and they took the title. Ballina Town duly delivered seeing off the challenge of Swinford 4-0. Ballina Town's nearest challengers Westport United were waiting to pounce if Ballina slipped up, however it was the west Mayo men who slipped up and were held to a 2-2 draw by Castlebar Celtic in Celtic Park.

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