Red letter day for St Gerald’s and St Joseph’s
Fri, Apr 02, 2010
It will be long remembered as a red letter day for badminton in Mayo – the first gold at the All Ireland schools final for a boys team from Mayo and a silver for St Joseph’s girls at the same outing. The girls from St Joseph’s have won gold on two occasions previously but St Gerald’s has never come back with any medals from the finals. The day began for St Gerald’s with the team of Kevin Keena, Mark Jennings, Alan Flynn, Niall Fahey, and sub Cathal Lavelle, playing St Peter’s College Wexford and winning 4-2.
Read more ...Booster put boost in Duathlon race
Fri, Apr 02, 2010
The Days Duathlon race was a big success for Castlebar, good field, lovely weather, and a tough course were all the ingredients that served up an event that many will want to participate in in the years to come. As expected the run up to the Glenisland booster station proved to be decisive as hot favourite Rory Geraghty from Galway tri club turned on the gas to open a big lead by the top of the 1,450 feet climb, his time of 22min 24sec for the 4k up hill run is an unbelievable bench mark to try to beat. Geraghty set all the fastest splits along the way but it was young Constaine Doherty from Westport who showed the real talent, at only 14 years of age he pushed Dublin’s experienced tri-athlete Neil Bolger all the way to the line and just missed out on second place, his result of third overall was a real surprise and he looks like a real champion for the future.
Read more ...All-Ireland champions guests at Beaten Path event
Fri, Apr 02, 2010
The Beaten Path will play host to a special men’s and ladies’ singles darts competition on Sunday April 11. Appearing on the night will be special guests the Mayo youths darts squad who were crowned All-Ireland champions earlier this year.
Read more ...Charity Shield kicks off new Mayo League season
Fri, Apr 02, 2010
Sunday sees the Mayo league kick off the season with the Charity Shield meeting of Elvery’s Super League champions Ballina Town and Chadwick’s Cup winners Manulla in Milebush Park at 3pm. With the league ready to get back into the swing of things for the new season, Sunday will offer Ballina Town manager Brendan Kenny and the Manulla management duo of Sean Kavanagh and Damien Ansbro a chance to run the rule over their sides ahead of the league kick off. Ballina, who won the title last season after coming close a number of times in the previous seasons, will be looking to put back to back titles together to stamp their authority on the Super League, while Manulla rounded off a good 2009 after they claimed the Chadwicks Cup with a 1-0 over Swinford back in December. However they will be striving to improve on the fourth place in the Super League last year where they finished a full 12 points behind their opponents in the final standings.
Read more ...GAA
Fri, Apr 02, 2010
The Michael Walsh league has been up and running for the past number of weeks, giving the club players plenty game time while Mayo were in national league action. This weekend the league proper as we know it gets under way with 28 games in seven divisions over Saturday and Sunday spread all over the county, in places from Shrule Glencorrib where their B team will take on The Neale B in division 1F to Belmullet, where they will host Burrishoole in division 1B.
The one team starting off the year with a target on their backs is Charlestown who claimed both the division one and senior championship titles last year; every side in senior football will have them in their sights for 2010. Charlestown manager Ciaran McBrien knows that everyone is gunning for them but is looking forward to the challenge. “We’re coming at it from the other side this year, we’re there to be knocked and every team will be looking to have a go at us. But something like that will be a motivational factor for the lads, because come the end of the year they are going to want to have put two championship titles back to back. We’ve had the hunger the past three years, losing two finals in a row before winning last year, so it’s to go for two in a row now. Because that in itself is a great achievement that not many sides get to do, I think Crossmolina back at the start of the last decade were the last team to do it.” Charlestown will open up their league campaign this Saturday evening with a tricky encounter away to Ballina in James Stephen’s Park in what will be a tough test for the defending double champions. “Well we only started training properly last Tuesday week, and had a few games in the Michael Walsh league. But the lads needed a rest after last year, when we only finished going at full speed in November after the Connacht final. Ballina will be tough, they’ve got a new manager in John Healy since the end of last year and would have put in a lot of work already. I’d say they’re approaching every game this year in league and championship as a knock out championship game, like we did the last few years. They’re looking to come back after a few disappointing years. It’ll a very tough game.” Charlestown will be without the services of inspirational veteran midfielder David Tiernan for the forthcoming few weeks also, McBrien said. “David Tiernan had to have an operation, so he’ll be out for at least six to eight weeks also so we’ll have to deal with that loss too.”
Read more ...
Mayo look to keep top spot as Monaghan visit Castlebar
Fri, Mar 26, 2010
In Kerry last weekend, a wise man said that it only matters what happens on the third Sunday in September and seeing that his county has more All Ireland titles than most could dream of, it’s very sage advice. Mayo had just picked up their fourth win in this year’s national football league which left them top of the pile with two rounds of the competition to go, but in the grand scheme of things what does making it to the latter stages of the competition really effect in the long run? In 2007, Mayo reached the final against Donegal only to bow out of the Connacht championship a month later in the preliminary round to Galway. The last time that Mayo won the national league back in 2001 under Pat Holmes they bowed out of the Connacht championship to Roscommon in a nail biting encounter. Mayo have been one of the best league sides over the past decade or so reaching semi finals in 2002, 2005, and 2006 along with the finals in 2001 and 2007, but it has failed to see them push on to the biggest prize. Only in 2006 did they go on reach the All Ireland final where Kerry ended the dream once again.
Read more ...Western Lakes Cyclists to the fore
Fri, Mar 26, 2010
The cycling season has only just started in Mayo and already Western Lakes CC cyclists have got results in the four races to date.
The Mayo league got the cycling season underway on Sunday March 14 with a 75k handicap race in Ballinrobe. A big field signed on, with 66 riders taking to the start line, split into four groups based on ability, with the strongest riders having to overcome a handicap of 16 minutes. In the sprint to the line outside the Racecourse Ballinrobe, Joe Marrey of Western Lakes CC won the bunch gallop, taking his first win of the season in fine style, Gerhard Hack also of Western Lakes was fifth. The club had 13 cyclists taking part, showing how strong the club has become as a racing club.
Read more ...Mayo and Roscommon face fines following half time incident
Fri, Mar 26, 2010
Both the Mayo and Roscommon county boards could be facing fines from the Connacht Council following an incident that happened at half time in the under 21 Connacht semi-final between the sides on St Patrick’s Day. Secretary of the Connacht Council, John Prenty told the Mayo Advertiser, “I can’t confirm what fines have or will be issued to both counties in relation to the incident, but there have been fines proposed for them. Both counties have up until Friday (March 26) to seek a hearing in relation to the proposals.”
Read more ...Gerald’s go in quest of All Ireland final spot
Fri, Mar 26, 2010
Thirteen years after St Gerald’s College, Castlebar, made their only appearance in a Hogan Cup final, this weekend the Castlebar school go in search their second appearance in the showpiece occasion of colleges’ football. Joe McCabe’s side easily saw off the challenge of Sligo’s Summerhill in the Connacht final where they had the game wrapped up by half time and survived the mistake of entering a sixth sub into the fray with time almost up to book this weekend’s clash. Standing in their way is the formidable challenge of St Colman’s, Newry, who beat Omagh CBS in the MacRory Cup final this year by 1-14 to 1-8 bridging a 12 year gap between their last Ulster titles.
Read more ...Connacht title for Roger Barrett
Fri, Mar 26, 2010
Fresh from his third place finish at the Tubbercurry 10K on St Patrick's Day Roger Barrett, Ballina AC, travelled to Sligo for the Connacht senior cross country championships last weekend. Barrett was further rewarded for the hard work he gives to training when he ran a fantastic race and beat off all contenders to secure the senior title. He was followed closely behind by Liam Feeley of north Leitrim in second place and Tommy Kelly, north Sligo, in third. The only other Mayo athlete to compete was Sean Gallagher, Ballina AC, who finished in eighth place overall.
Read more ...Summer of good golf expected as captain’s drive in around the county
Fri, Mar 26, 2010
Balla
The winners of the captain’s drive in scramble held last weekend were the team of Stephen and Kathleen Minogue and Elaine O’Hora with a score of 45. In second place were Chris Mannion, Bernie O’Connor, and Michael Gannon with a score of 45.8, and in third place finished the side of Michael Neary, Dermot MacMahon, and Martin Moylette with a score of 46.8.
