Maughan out of race as pack reduces to three
Fri, Sep 24, 2010
Former Mayo manager John Maughan ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Mayo senior managers job late on Thursday evening. The Crossmolina native who three times guided Mayo the All Ireland senior final confirmed to the Mayo Advertiser that he would not be going forward to the interview stage of the process, he told the Advertiser that he was very interest in the job, but following a discussion with chairman of the county board on Thursday he decided not to pursue his interest in the position any further.
Read more ...All up for grabs on Sunday
Fri, Sep 24, 2010
After what must seem like a never ending hiatus for both Ballina Town and Westport United, the final round of games in the Super League finally rolls around this Sunday, and in one of the most exciting title races in years it is all still up for grabs for both sides. After 17 games only a point separates both sides at the top of the table, with last year’s defending champions in the driving seat ahead of the weekend.
Read more ...Good performances at coastal callenge
Fri, Sep 24, 2010
At the recent Louisburgh to Westport half marathon Mayo ACs top seed John Byrne won the event in 74:25. Byrne was followed by team mate Robert Malseed finishing in 76:35. The next Mayo AC athletes home in excellent times were Brendan Gill and David Conway. The first woman home with an outstanding run was Mayo AC’s Sarah Syron. Syron who was troubled with injury during the summer months put in a fantastic performance against very tough competition to come home in 1:41:09.
Read more ...Supporters can make all the difference as Connacht host Ulster on Saturday
Fri, Sep 24, 2010
After their most successful start to the season, Connacht return to the Galway Sportsground on Saturday (7.30pm) to face Ulster in the first interprovincial of the season. Traditionally Connacht’s closest rivals for Ireland’s third Heineken Cup place, Ulster come west after three wins on the trot and having spent big over the summer in recruitment. Yet coach Eric Elwood believes his side is “in the right frame of mind for this game. The lads know how important the derby matches are, but we are in a different position than in the past and hopefully we can take that confidence forward to Saturday. We would always fancy our chances at home and hopefully history will change itself on Saturday.”
Read more ...Mayo feature in three All-Ireland finals this weekend
Fri, Sep 24, 2010
The next series of All-Ireland finals gets under way at a number of venues this weekend. Amy Corrigan teams up with Newport’s Leona Ryder as they bid for the ladies’ minor doubles title when they take on Cork duo Catriona Casey and Lisa Aisling as the third match at Thurles this Saturday. The opening match is the Connacht v Leinster girls inter provincial team of 10 tie which has an 11.30am start. Much of the defending champions Connacht team is made of up Roscommon and Galway youngsters with Mayo’s Jennifer Fahy playing an important part in the province’s bid to retain the trophy. The winners meet a strong Munster side in the final the same afternoon at Thurles.
Read more ...Sunday showdown for final four
Fri, Sep 24, 2010
The bookmakers have it that it will be a clash of north against south for the Moclair cup come next month, and while that may be where the money is going, it would be a foolish man who is counting out the chances of the men from the west ahead of Sunday.
Read more ...It’s not just in politics that a week is a long time
Fri, Sep 24, 2010
A week, they say, is a long time in politics. A week in football can be an eternity. Wee James McCartan was being championed as the Messiah last week before the final, the man who resurrected the fortunes of a Down side whose season was full of mediocrity up until the back door stage. He was being hailed as the man who re-energised his troops after they were beaten in the Ulster championship by Tyrone. In fairness, his Down side were liberated once they went in through the back door to begin their tour of the country and there was an incremental improvement in each and every performance as they progressed towards last Sunday’s final. This week McCartan’s performance as manager is being scrutinised in great detail with many in his native county questioning some of his decision-making on the line. I can understand why, as a narrow defeat normally means a huge post-mortem of the losing team’s performance. Before last Sunday’s match everyone suggested that the midfield sector was going to be crucial. It was generally perceived that if Down could manage a supply of decent ball into their pacey forwards, they would be in with a mighty chance of success. Last Sunday they were annihilated in this crucial sector. Cork won 70 per cent of the kick outs and the scale of their dominance was key to their triumph. The Down goalkeeper, Brendan McVeigh, on the other hand, never varied his kickouts throughout the afternoon and it does beg the question why he persisted in making heroes out of both Nicholas Murphy and Aidan Walsh. A more puzzling decision was the substitution of Paul McComiskey with 15 minutes remaining on the clock. He was playing brilliantly all afternoon, kicking three points and giving his opponent the run around. That decision left many perplexed.
Read more ...The west should be awake on Saturday
Fri, Sep 24, 2010
The intermediate football championship has been a graveyard for many a man who tried to predict the eventual winners of the competition for many a year. This grade is often so evenly matched that the vast majority of the 16 sides which start off at the beginning of the year could end up with the Sweeney Cup. The final four this year all can lay legitimate claims to being in with a very good shot of claiming the title, and by Saturday at 7pm we should know the final pairing. Things get under way at the county grounds when Burrishoole and Kiltimagh go head to head at 4pm, with Tourmakeady and Belmullet rounding off proceedings at 5.30pm.
Read more ...The end is almost in sight
Fri, Sep 17, 2010
When I got involved managing teams a number of years ago, I was occasionally like a headless chicken running up and down the line, cajoling players, kicking every ball, often shouting at backs and forwards to get out in front, telling players where to kick the ball, etc. I recall coming home from some games totally wrecked. In fact I often came home years earlier having played a match feeling much fresher. Managing a team can milk you dry. Thankfully, and I am sure much to the relief of the players I am involved with, I have calmed down a little in recent years. But for some strange reason, I found myself getting rather excited and agitated on the line last Sunday. Crossmolina are trying to win the senior league in order to take something positive out of our season. We had a home league game against Ballina Stephenites and after the first fifteen minutes I realised that this was a game we were desperately trying to lose. We were playing absolute crap! One of our players had celebrated his 21st the night before and I could see that a number of others had helped him with the celebration. We eventually got our act together though and just about managed to hang on and win the match by two points. It was mediocre stuff, but at this stage of the season, we would be happy to pick up two points from our remaining two matches and win the league.
Read more ...Injuries take their toll was Connacht prepare for Glasgow
Fri, Sep 17, 2010
Struggling with a host of injuries, Connacht head to an inhospitable Firhill for their second successive away fixture, once again determined to get something from this evening’s clash with Glasgow (7pm).
Read more ...Golfer of the year competitions heating up around the county
Fri, Sep 17, 2010
Balla
Last weekend’s Stableford competition sponsored by Abbeybreaffy nursing home was won by Fenton Barrett with a score of 40. Barrett, for winning the competition, also picked up the Joe Leavy memorial trophy. PJ Brett came home in second place with a score of 37 thanks to a strong finish on the back nine, with Stephen Minogue coming home in third place. The category prize was claimed by Pat Kilgallon. The ladies’ competition was won by Mary Brett who just held off the challenge of Geraldine Kilgallon, with Kathleen Minogue in third place. This weekend’s competition is sponsored by Mulroys, Castlebar, and the winner will also claim the Balla Cup.
