Captain’s and President’s days keep competition up around the county
Fri, Aug 20, 2010
It was captain’s prize day last Sunday in Balla and Richie Murphy was the big winner on the day, a second round which saw Murphy come home in eight shots less than his first was enough for him to seal the prize. His two round total of 112 was enough to see him hold off the challenge of Joe Monaghan in second place, with Padraic Cuffe coming home in third place. Dermot MacMahon finished in fourth with PJ Brett in fifth, Fenton Barrett sixth, Seamus Holian seventh, and Padraig Martin eighth. The gross prize was won by Thomas Walsh, with Vinnie Gibbons taking the win for the first 18 and Seamus Cleary the second 18 over the two days. The beginners’ section was won by Sean Kelly, with Mick Murray winning the visitors’ competition and Ian Walsh second in that section. The youths’ prize was won by Dara Cawley with John Cunnane second. Junior Prendergast took the past captain’s prize with Ray Mannion winning the nearest the pin.
Read more ...Big battle in Erris will swing direction of the title
Fri, Aug 20, 2010
The penultimate round of games in this year’s Super League sees all roads leading to Erris on Sunday afternoon. Defending champions Ballina Town went back to the top of the Super League last weekend thanks to a late winner from John Mountney against Westport United. Brendan Kenny’s men are one point clear of both Iorras Aontaithe and Westport United but have to make the trip to Erris on Sunday in a must win game for both sides. A draw would give Westport United, who are away to Ballyheane, a chance to move back into first place with only one game left.
Read more ...Ballina fall to magnificent seven from Salthill Devon
Fri, Aug 20, 2010
Coming off the back of a last gasp win over Westport United in the Elverys Sports Super League, Ballina Town were brought crashing back down to earth in Celtic Park on Wednesday night. Brendan Kenny’s men came to Castlebar looking to pick up their first trophy of the season against Salthill Devon, but within 10 seconds that plan had been ripped up by the Galway men. Before anyone could even settle into the game, the side from Drum had the ball in the back of Kieran O’Malley’s net. Chipran Straut swung the ball into Michael Gilmore who hit a snap shot from the right hand side of the penalty box. His effort stung the hands of O’Malley who was not able to hold on to the ball, it fell into the path of Victor Collins who finished it to the back of the net. Salthill were up and running and there was barely 10 seconds gone on the clock.
Read more ...No easy game following club championship draw
Fri, Aug 20, 2010
The draws have been made for the senior club quarter-finals and they have thrown up some novel pairings. Neighbours Castlebar and Breaffy come together in what should be a very interesting local derby, that should generate plenty of banter. However Castlebar are a better team at the moment and, in my opinion, should prevail. Ballina and Ballintubber go head to head and the outcome is a tougher one to predict. Pat Harte picked up what looked like a serious knee injury last Saturday playing for his club against Castlebar in the Michael Walsh tournament final and l would be surprised if he is fit to play next week. His loss would be significant, and for that reason I will opt for Ballintubber. Charlestown are wily old campaigners and probably too experienced to be toppled by Shrule/Glencorrib. That leaves Crossmolina v Knockmore. Now this is a tough one for me to call. What I do know is that both teams will go at it hammer and tongs as there are plenty of young aspiring footballers on each side to ensure we have a cracking game of football. Personally, I would not mind if it was a poor one, if we were guaranteed a safe passage into the semi-finals!
Read more ...Luck of the draw sees a number of big battles ahead
Fri, Aug 20, 2010
There was plenty of anticipation in the Café Bar of the Royal Theatre last Tuesday night as the winners and losers of the senior, intermediate, and junior championship group stages gathered to find out their fates for the last weekend in August. Only those sides in the senior and intermediate championship which finished in the no-man’s-land of third place in their group had no interest in the draw, with quarter final and relegation pairings to be decided by the luck of draw from the hat (or Pyrex glass bowl in this case). With the draw about to begin, the unmistakable theme tune from the 1980s classic TV show and 2010 summer blockbuster flop The A-Team pierced the ears of those in attendance, but the errant ringing phone was quickly silenced as there was important business to be taken care of.
Read more ...Mayo name unchanged side, but injury doubts hang over some players
Fri, Aug 20, 2010
Mayo have named an unchanged starting 15 for their All Ireland semi final against Tyrone, however manager Tony Duffy will be sweating on the fitness of two of his starters ahead of the big game. Both centre half back Conor Walsh and corner back Brendan Harrison are doubts for the game. “We might not be able to get our full strength starting 15 out on to the field for Sunday but we will be giving the lads every opportunity to make Sunday's game,” Duffy told the Mayo Advertiser earlier this week. Even if the two defenders do not make it Duffy is more than confident in the players he has in reserve. “We’ve got a great panel of 32 lads now and every one of them is working as hard as they can to put themselves in contention for a spot on the field, if the lads don't make it I'm fully confident in they guys we have to come in being more than capable of filling the gaps.”
Read more ...Two names in the hat for the senior job so far
Fri, Aug 20, 2010
There had been two nominations made by clubs to fill the role of Mayo senior football manager at the time that this paper went to print on Thursday evening.
“We’ve had two nominations in from clubs so far, but the process is still open to clubs to make nominations untill tomorrow evening and I expect that we will get more in on Friday that’s the way it usually works,” Mayo county board secretary Séan Feeney told the Mayo Advertiser yesterday. As to the identity of the two men who have been nominated for the job and who nominated them, Feeney said he was unable to say who they were or which clubs made the nominations. “We’ve got two nominees in as I said, but we have to cross check with those who were nominated that they are interested in the job. The nominations said that there would be a letter following from the nominee to say they wanted to be considered. We have to receive those yet.” Feeney went on to say that he didn’t expect any major movement on the situation until the end of next week at the earliest.
Read more ...Triple header of senior quarter finals for McHale Park
Fri, Aug 20, 2010
Sunday week will see a triple header of quarter finals in the Mayo senior championship in McHale Park. The action in the senior championship will get underway on Saturday August 28 at 6.30pm when Ballintubber and Ballina go toe to toe in the county grounds. On Sunday August 29 things will get off to a rip roaring start when Castlebar Mitchels and Breaffy square off at 2pm in a local derby, they will be followed by Charlestown and Shrule Glencorrib ant 3.30pm. The final action of the day will be the north Mayo giants of Knockmore and Crossmolina Deel Rovers going head to head.
Read more ...Mayo minor team for All Ireland semi final
Wed, Aug 18, 2010
Mayo manager Tony Duffy has named his side for this Sunday's clash with Tyrone in the All Ireland semi-final in Croke Park. Duffy has named the same 15 as started the All Ireland quarter final win over Offaly in Hyde Park at the start of the month. However there are injury doubts over both Brendan Harrison and Conor Walsh ahead of the game.
Read more ...Competition for club prizes heats up
Fri, Aug 13, 2010
Balla
Dermot MacMahon, Finola Moylette, Pat Mohan, and Martin Moylette who won the first prize in the annual open golf classic in Balla recently with a score of 123. In second place were James Lavin, Mary Lavin, Mary Brett, and Pat Walsh with a score of 120. Third were Padraic McVann, Patsy Noone, Mary Neary, and Maureen Noone with 119. Fourth went to Bernie O’Connor, Tommy Walsh, Marie Flanagan, and Geraldine Kilgallon with 119. Fifth prize winners were Mary Lavin, James Lavin, Neil McNeil, and Brian Lynch with a score of 115.
Keegan reaches senior singles quarter-final
Fri, Aug 13, 2010
Mayo’s Dessie Keegan remains Connacht’s only senior softball singles quarter-finalist after the third round matches were decided over the weekend. Keegan had the expected victory over Limerick’s Seamus O’Carroll in two games at Roscommon on Sunday. Always quick out of the blocks, the Ballaghaderreen club man won the first game impressively 21 aces to 3 and added the second 21-13 to advance to a quarter-final meeting with Wexford’s Gavin Buggy this weekend. However it was a different story for Keegan’s club mates, Joe McCann and Vinnie Moran, as they lost out heavily to Barry Goff (Wexford) and Eoin Kennedy (Dublin) respectively at the weekend. Pauline Gallagher recorded a hard-earned win over Cork’s Aisling O’Keeffe in her senior singles match at Ballina on Saturday last. The Swinford star showed a lot of determination to win out on a 8-21, 21-6, 21-19 scoreline.
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