Off the ball incidents sully our games
Fri, Jul 10, 2009
News filtered through to Pearse Stadium in Galway early last Sunday evening that Mayo’s midfielder Ronan McGarrity had suffered a nasty broken jaw in a high profile club game between Crossmolina and Ballina. Initial reports suggested that it was an accidental clash of heads, however that canard was quickly rejected for a more plausible and yet much more disappointing scéal that he had been struck off the ball.Too often in the GAA we hear of broken jaws and on far too many occasions it is a raised fist or a deliberately flailing elbow that does the damage.
Read more ...Cycling - Western Lakes
Fri, Jul 10, 2009
With only one week to go now is your chance to sign up. Online entry is available now, see westernlakescc.com. There are three distances to choose from with the longest and toughest being the 180k event with over 3,000m of climbing packed into the distance. Anyone who is not cycling if you could give a hand on the day, contact Fergal.
Read more ...Show jumping
Fri, Jul 10, 2009
Carl Hanley remains top of the standings in Connaught Grand Prix league after Saturday’s second place finish in Tubber just outside Gort. Hanley tops the standings with his horse Kalipso du Marais thanks to his consistent form in the previous five rounds, finishing in the top four in four out of five events. The Peter Glynn owned horse has now accumulated 28 points for the Claremorrris rider.
Read more ...Show jumping
Fri, Jul 10, 2009
Carl Hanley remains top of the standings in Connaught Grand Prix league after Saturday’s second place finish in Tubber just outside Gort. Hanley tops the standings with his horse Kalipso du Marais thanks to his consistent form in the previous five rounds, finishing in the top four in four out of five events. The Peter Glynn owned horse has now accumulated 28 points for the Claremorrris rider.
Read more ...Shrule-Glencorrib send Breaffy packing
Sun, Jul 05, 2009
Shrule-Glencorrib 0-12
Breaffy 0-9
Mayo will not be fearful of Galway in Connacht final
Fri, Jul 03, 2009
Sometimes there can be no hiding from hard facts. And here are two: Firstly, the Galway senior football team have not won an All-Ireland quarter final since 2001. Secondly, they have not won a single game in Croke Park in the past eight years and on the clear evidence provided last Sunday against Sligo, even if they did beat Mayo in two weeks time, which is a big if, that statistic is unlikely to change.
Read more ...Moving day in intermediate championship
Fri, Jul 03, 2009
The weekend could see things sorted out in section A if Killala and Kilmaine are able to pick up the points on the road leaving both sides to battle it out for top spot in the table on the final day. Last year’s beaten finalists gave Tourmakeady a 10-point trimming in the first round, while Killala had enough to hold of Hollymount by two points in their first game. This weekend sees Killala make their way to Tourmakeady for a do or die battle for the Gaeltacht men. Tourmakeady would have fancied their chances of coming out of Kilmaine with some points on the board last time out and came home with their tail between their legs, so they will be all guns blazing on Saturday to take the points. Despite having a win in the bag already, Tourmakeady should take this one.
Read more ...Win at all costs is doing nothing for our game
Fri, Jul 03, 2009
Gaelic football, played at its brilliant best, excites me. It is a game that provides heroes and role models, moments of glory, and great sporting occasions, with the potential to lift the spirits of whole communities and providing a focus for local loyalty and a real sense of community. Unfortunately this year’s championship hasn’t yet done any of that and has provided only one game of real quality so far, that of Cork v Kerry.
The quality of matches is definitely declining at an alarming rate. The traditional skills of our game are disappearing as managers are under enormous pressure to deliver success at any cost. I heard Damien Cassidy, the Derry manager, suggest on The Sunday Game two weeks ago that he didn’t care if his team failed to entertain the paying supporters. He doesn’t mind how his team plays as long as they win. That to me is wrong, and as one pundit pointed out last Sunday evening, comments like that do a disservice to our game. But that is the way football has gone and in addition to the poor fare on offer we are also witnessing a huge increase in the cynicism that has also become the ‘norm’ of modern football. Pulling and dragging, and players falling to the ground trying to have an opponent sent off is all part and parcel of most matches these days. Tactical fouling is also killing our game. The modern ‘win at all costs’ smart team will ensure that the players receiving yellow cards are spread throughout the 15. In other words a manager doesn’t want to see the same player committing regular fouls. The idea is to have a relay system in operation that will ensure no one gets sent off.
Read more ...Reidy expects a tough test on Sunday
Fri, Jul 03, 2009
Mayo ladies manager Kevin Reidy is expecting a much tougher test for his ladies senior side this Sunday in the Connacht final against Galway than they got in their semi-final. Mayo’s 26 point drubbing of Leitrim wasn’t the ideal preparation for the premier game in Connacht, but everything is moving along nicely on the training field ahead of Sunday’s game in Fr O’Hara Park in Charlestown at 4pm according to the Galway native.
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