Mortimer and Parsons miss out on semi showdown Mortimer and Parsons miss out on semi showdown

Fri, Jun 19, 2009

After the pre-season warm up session on the far side of the Atlantic it’s back to more traditional fare, albeit on a Saturday evening for Mayo. And with McHale Park getting the go ahead, it’s all systems go for the welcoming of Roscommon to Castlebar for the first time in five years, and four years after the sides last met in the Connacht Championship.

McGreal the maestro of Mayo Autocross

Fri, Jun 19, 2009

James McGreal did on Sunday what he has been threatening to do for a while — he took overall victory on a round of Mayo and District Motorsport Club’s Loose Surface Autocross. It marks a significant milestone for the popular Foxford man, a long time competitor and Mayo Motorsport Club stalwart, who counts the 2000 Border Rally Championship title among his many achievements. Only last year he had feared that his days of competing might have been over after sustaining a back injury following an accident on the Galway International Rally.

Visiting the well one to many times

Fri, Jun 19, 2009

The talk of the weekend was undoubtedly the replayed Cork v Kerry Munster championship match on Saturday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the match as it had some brilliant passages of play. There was outstanding fielding, score taking, and some of the tackling from players on both sides was technically superb. Cork were fantastic. They are a fit, strong, and powerful side, with quality players in practically every position. They must be the number one choice of many to win this year’s All Ireland such was the quality of their performance. It had been suggested that the momentum may have swung in favour of Kerry after their strong finish the previous weekend, but Cork proved yet again that they could soak up anything Kerry threw at them. They seem really focused and ready this year. The key difference from my observation was their freshness and greater hunger. It is not often we hear that the general mood in the Kingdom is rather sombre as early as mid-June, but there is a feeling out there that there is a somewhat laboured look and feel about Kerry this year. And you can understand why. They have visited the well so many times in recent years, having played in every final since 2004 and let’s be honest, they have taken a fair old battering along the way, particularly from some of the strong northern teams.

Mayo should have too much in the tank for Roscommon

Fri, Jun 19, 2009

Tomorrow (Saturday) in McHale Park in Castlebar at 5pm Mayo will be expected to account for Fergal O’Donnell’s Roscommon and qualify for the 2009 Connacht final on July 19. Mayo have been operating at a higher level then Roscommon over the past few years and it is a steady and consistent Division 1 team facing a Division 3 outfit.

To prove that point, in their respective round seven games in the NFL this year, Roscommon were beaten 0-17 to 0-15 by Down in Hyde Park, whereas Mayo drew with Tyrone 1-11 to 0-14. Team managers and their players learn more about themselves and what needs to happen to improve playing the likes of Tyrone, Kerry, Dublin, and Derry rather than Longford and Limerick. Playing at a the top tier has significant advantages and, notwithstanding Antrim’s wonderful defeat of Donegal and Wicklow putting it up to Westmeath last weekend, a team that plays a few divisions over another should have the players, the ambition, and the experience to advance.

From the bunker

Fri, Jun 12, 2009

Mayo golfer to lead the challenge at 3 Irish Women’s Open Strokeplay

Timekeeping and stopped watches hot topics last weekend

Fri, Jun 12, 2009

Last Sunday’s clash between Cork and Kerry reminded me so much of Mayo’s All-Ireland final versus Meath in 1996. Mayo could and should have won in 1996. Cork could and should have won last Sunday. Cork were ahead by five points with 15 minutes remaining but were clinging on in those final minutes when Kerry came storming back into the game in typical bullish fashion. Cork have only themselves to blame as they should have been out of sight, notwithstanding the fact that referee Maurice Deegan stands accused of leaning very much in favour of Kerry in the closing stages of the match. He had indicated two minutes of additional time to be played in the second half, but left the clock running. Cork managed to edge in front with a converted 45 within those two minutes and appeared to have pulled off a sensational victory. But inexplicably Deegan managed to extend playing time by a further two minutes and, to add insult to injury, advanced the last free awarded to Kerry by 20 metres, giving Bryan Sheehan the easiest of chances to convert and level the game. The additional time played created a lot of debate after the game and Mick Curley, the chairman of the National Referees’ Association, was invited by RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss the matter. Curley, himself a former referee, understandably wasn’t ever going to land his former referee colleagues in the manure and went on to defend Deegan stoutly. I was on the same radio show and decided that I should come to the defence of both Deegan and Marty Duffy (Croke Park referee), reminding listeners that a young Pat McEneaney, who refereed the All Ireland in 1996, had a terrible game and we here in Mayo managed to forgive him for some of his bizarre decisions in both the drawn and replayed final of that year. Mick Curley did go on to suggest that he would be personally in favour of a countdown clock similar to that used so effectively in ladies football, rugby, and basketball, that would make life so much easier for referees. You know I’m not so sure about this at all. I never minded a draw in football, as long as I wasn’t involved in any way with a participating team. A drawn game creates great debate afterwards. Also I am delighted to have the opportunity to see these two teams have another go at progressing to a Munster final tomorrow evening. TV3 has again decided to televise the match at 5pm, and with a live Leinster championship encounter involving Kildare and Wexford also beamed into our living rooms at 7pm, we can have no complaints about our national broadcaster. If Cork do manage to prevail next Saturday evening, they will advance with great confidence and it will take a very good performance to beat them later in the year.

Mickey Harte and Brian Cody publishing their autobiographies

Fri, Jun 12, 2009

Two of the most successful managers of the past decade, Mickey Harte (Tyrone) and Brian Cody (Kilkenny), are to launch their autobiographies in early autumn.

Mizen to Malin preparations underway

Fri, Jun 12, 2009

There is less than a month to go to the Mizen to Malin Head challenge which will cover a distance of 598kms (368miles) in under 20 hours non stop, at an average of 31 kph, starting on Friday June 26.

Clarke to miss Roscommon championship game

Fri, Jun 12, 2009

Mayo more than likely will be missing the services of experienced Ballina goalkeeper David Clarke for next weekend’s Connacht senior football championship semi-final against Roscommon. The shot-stopper pulled up injured during the first half of last Friday night’s challenge game with Louth in Garrymore and had to be replaced by Kenneth O'Malley. Clarke's groin injury will see the Ballinrobe 21-year-old in line for a recall to the senior side after picking up a potentially career ending kidney injury 18 months ago in a Higher Education League game.

Connacht GAA mag now available

Fri, Jun 12, 2009

The second edition of the Connacht GAA magazine Into the West has just been printed, and features a wide-ranging focus on GAA events in the province.

The 68-page magazine will be distributed in print format to GAA club officers around the province, and they, in turn, will pass it onto club members.

Derrywash NS claim national title

Fri, Jun 05, 2009

Derrywash NS boys team won the All-Ireland EA Sports FAI Schools five-a-side (section A), on Wednesday last in Leah Victoria Park Tullamore.

Westport golfer of the year competition heats up

Fri, Jun 05, 2009

Ballyhaunis
The Hazelhills timber stroke competition in Ballyhaunis golf club last weekend was won by Shay Walsh playing off 13 and getting a score of 63. Diarmuid Finnegan came second with a score of 64 playing off six, while Paul Hickey took the bronze medal position with a 66 off 17.

The Hazelhills timber stroke competition in Ballyhaunis golf club last weekend was won by Shay Walsh playing off 13 and getting a score of 63. Diarmuid Finnegan came second with a score of 64 playing off six, while Paul Hickey took the bronze medal position with a 66 off 17.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.