Mayo minors aim to collect first All Ireland since 1985
Fri, Sep 18, 2009
Often the best game on All-Ireland final Sunday is the minor contest, rather than the senior joust. Last year was no exception and Mayo and Tyrone played out a real thriller in Croke Park that had to go to a replay before Tyrone just about collected the silverware.
Twelve months later, Mayo with Ray Dempsey still in charge, are back in the decider this weekend when they face a fancied Armagh outfit. Mayo have not won the All-Ireland minor football final for 24 years, back in 1985, and amazingly they have lost five All-Ireland minor finals since that triumph.
Read more ...The men behind the main man
Fri, Sep 18, 2009
The focus on Sunday will be on the team and Ray Dempsey and whatever changes he makes, but behind the Knockmore man there are three other men who might not be the focus of attention, but have played as important a role in Mayo’s progress to the All Ireland final as anyone. Stephen Healy, Tomás O’Grady, and Kevin Beirne are all vital cogs in the Mayo brains trust that has mapped out Mayo’s route to a second All Ireland minor final in a row, and it is all about getting over that final inch this time and bringing home the first All Ireland minor title since 1985, according to Healy.
Read more ...This year’s crop from the Orchard
Fri, Sep 18, 2009
The thing about the minor grade is that it’s over for the players at this level nearly as soon as it starts, most players get one year at this level, the lucky ones get two. It doesn’t really allow for rivalries to build up over the years outside the natural provincial domain so going into Sunday’s All Ireland final the only rivalry to be sorted out on the field will be who want’s it more.
Read more ...Readying the troops for battle
Fri, Sep 18, 2009
The week before the All Ireland minor final, the Mayo Advertiser had an opportunity to sit down with Mayo manager Ray Dempsey to see how the Knockmore man felt about the impending All Ireland final, how his side have performed this year, and getting the best of his players in the biggest 60 minutes of their lives so far.
Read more ...Mayo look to clear out the orchard
Fri, Sep 18, 2009
Twelve months on and Ray Dempsey and his management team and only a handful of their side from last year are back in an All Ireland final and are once again going in as underdogs against the Ulster champions. But that tag won’t faze either the management team or the players who are sent out onto the field in an attempt to claim the ultimate prize in this grade. Over the season the Mayo minors have adapted to many challenges through the Connacht championship and the All Ireland series and any time a question has been asked of them they have found the answer. Starting off against Galway in Sligo as underdogs, Mayo gave a tour de force in the second half blowing Galway off the pitch and sending them into the Connacht final as favourites. A tag that did not rest well on them, and they struggled against a very physical Roscommon side and were lucky to get a second bite at the cherry, but they learned their lesson from that game in Salthill and despite having to go to Hyde Park for the replay, they were able to up their game and change it around enough to see off Roscommon with ease in the end.
Read more ...New junior league season kicks off
Fri, Sep 18, 2009
With the summer over it’s time to get back to the cut and thrust of the action on the rugby paddocks across the province as the Connacht Junior League crashes back into action. With four Mayo based clubs and Corrib crossing into south Mayo, there will be plenty of interest around the county as the season progressed. While the defending champions Corinthians and Monivea will be the favourites to pick up the title at the end of the season, that won’t deter the Mayo sides launching a bid for the title, while getting a place inside the top four exclusive junior clubs will be the initial aim for most of the Mayo sides with that place in the All Ireland Junior Cup up for grabs.
The season will kick off in style with an all Mayo clash on Sunday at 2pm when Castlebar take on Westport in Cloondesh. Both sides have gone through a number of changes since last season, with the hosts on Sunday seeing Johnny McCormack and Pete Kearney taking over the coaching roles this season. The former assistants will be looking to get off to a good start over the Bulls, who themselves are in the early stages of a rebuilding programme as a number of players who have served them down through the years have hung up their boots. Eddie Walsh is back in charge of the side this year; with Kevin Corcoran being lost to the All Ireland League it will be a tough year for the Bulls who try to regain their status as the top Mayo club in the competition, while Castlebar will be looking for inspiration from their captain Ruairí Hughes on the field when battle commences.
Read more ...Claremorris win FBD All Ireland golf challenge
Fri, Sep 18, 2009
Balla
The stableford competition last weekend was won by Seamus Holian with a good score of 39. Vinnie Gibbons took second place with a 37 (back nine) to come second while Joe Monaghan came third also on 37. The ladies’ competition was won by Breege Jennings with a score of 37, one shot ahead of second placed Geraldine Kilgallon who herself was only one ahead of Mary Conlon in third with a 35. The youth competition was won by Audrey Holian who hit a 31.
Ballina Town make it back to the top
Fri, Sep 18, 2009
Ballina Town went back to the top of the Elverys Sports Super League last weekend thanks to a 4-2 win over Snugboro United in Conway Park. Brendan Kenny, who also took over the management position of the Mayo Oscar Traynor Cup team late last week, has now got his side in poll position to push on and win the title with only five games left in the league. They are now sitting one point clear of champions Westport United as both sides race to the finishing post.
Read more ...Big turn out at Ballina 10k
Fri, Sep 18, 2009
On a sunny Sunday afternoon some 100 runners lined up for the 20th annual Fr Peter O'Brien Ballina 10k. It was also the sixth race in the Mayo AC 2009 C&C Cellular Road League. Winners of the previous five races made up the top three finishers. Gerry Ryan (GCH) who holds the course record, had an easy win in a fast 30.59 to record his third league race victory. Robert Malseed, winner at Carramore was second, and Robbie Matthews who won at Balla and Swinford was third.
Read more ...Westport go back to the top, and big weekend for Killala girls
Fri, Sep 11, 2009
Westport United made the most of Ballina Town’s slip up at the weekend to regain poll position in the Elverys Sports Super League. Westport saw off Fahy Rovers 4-3, while the men from north Mayo were held to a 1-1 draw by a Ballyheane side who ran into their own problems this week when the Mayo league awarded the points from a postponed game against them.
Read more ...President’s prizes see the summer season come to close
Fri, Sep 11, 2009
Balla
Last weekend’s stableford competition was won by Joe Monaghan, in second place was Ray Mannion with Seamus Holian in third. The ladies’ stableford saw Mary Lavin take top spot with Carmel Costello in second place and Aine McDonald in the bronze position.
