Moyturna make the break through
Mon, May 04, 2009
O'Reilly Goals send Moytura to Midlands
Sending off sees Celtic let two goal lead slip
Mon, May 04, 2009
Castlebar Celtic 2
Finn Harps 5
Finn Harps 5
Read more ...Big winners all over the county
Fri, May 01, 2009
Balla
Steve Walsh was the big winner in the men’s competition last weekend coming home first with a score of 49, Pat Jordan took second place with score of 51 and Dave McHale came third with 54 on the back nine. The ladies competition was won by Nora Heraty with a 55, Geraldine O’Malley came second one shot behind with a 55 on the back nine and Áine McDonald was third with a 56. The youths prize went to Michael Miller with a 54 and Thomas Walsh won the gross prize with a 57.
Celtic look to run rings around Harps
Fri, May 01, 2009
Life as a league of Ireland club has had it’s ups and downs for Castlebar Celtic so far this season. Declan Kilkelly’s men have won one of their first two league games away to Drogheda United a much needed win after loosing their first two games of the season. Celtic entered the A League with much fanfare against Derry City a few weeks ago only to go down 2-1 to the Ulster men and they followed that game up with another defeat in the League Cup three days later. The defeat in the league cup was at the hands of this weekends opponents Finn Harps. The Donegal outfit ran out comfortable 4-0 winners after Celtic let them off the hook on two occasions in the first half. That time out Celtic faced the clubs first team while this weekend, it will be the Harps A side that make their way to Celtic Park.
Read more ...Ambition off the field, to match it on the field
Fri, May 01, 2009
McHale Park has been a home away from home for all those who have ever been involved in covering sports for local media in Mayo since the Castlebar grounds opened its doors in 1931, when Mayo took on Kildare at the grounds official opening. With the rain spilling down from an overcast spring afternoon last Friday the current day members of the local press corps were given a guided tour of the ambitious new development that has been undertaken at the famous old grounds. Led by Mayo GAA Board chairman James Waldron, the sheer size and ambition of the project became apparent. The old stand offered seating for 4,482 people with only 2,500 of those fully covered, had bad sight lines, and was far from the standards that you would expect from a modern ground. The new stand will see the capacity of the stadium go from an existing capacity of 35,482 up to 41,217, with the new stand offering 9,685 fully covered seats, the stand will stretch the full length of the pitch on the Sportlann side.
Read more ...Start of road race league nears
Fri, May 01, 2009
The Carramore 10k is the first race in Mayo AC's 2009 Road Race League, which is sponsored by Vodafone C & C Cellular and supported by Mayo Sports Partnership.
The race is on Saturday May 16 at 6pm - AAI permit granted. This will the first chance for participants to pick up league points for the new season.
Read more ...Higgins for the hurlers
Fri, May 01, 2009
John O’Mahony and his senior management team are more than likely disappointed with Keith Higgins’ decision to play hurling for Mayo rather than travel to NY for Mayo’s championship opener on Sunday week. The Mayo hurlers will play Kerry in their championship opener on the same weekend. The talented corner- back has just returned to Ireland having spent a number of months in Australia. Keith did however line out last week in Mayo’s challenge match against Kildare in Kiltoom. I expect that the Mayo management are delighted to have their ace defender back in plenty of time for the bigger challenges ahead, but would have liked if he could have travelled to the Big Apple for the weekend. However it should not have come as a huge surprise that he declared for the hurlers as Keith has always declared his love of hurling and it is no secret that it is his preferred game. This is the first time that both codes have clashed on a championship weekend, which is unfortunate as it has forced Keith to declare his preference. Coincidentally, I met with Martin Brennan, the Mayo county senior hurling manager, during the week who told me that he was thrilled that Keith opted to play in Mayo’s Christy Ring Championship encounter with Kerry. It was not a total surprise to him either as he had been in touch with Keith frequently over the last number of weeks once he was aware of the imminent clash of fixtures.
Read more ...Champions league nights will take their toll on young men’s grades in the 2009 Leaving Cert
Fri, May 01, 2009
Thankfully I know I am not alone in this one; just ask any second level teacher who teaches lads.
Every single night there is a champion’s league game on this year, and you can include last Tuesday and Wednesday night in this, you may forget about the vast majority of young males in this country doing much, if any, homework at all.
Read more ...The chosen ones
Fri, Apr 24, 2009
We are officially up and running now, with the championship opening in 16 days on another continent all that we were waiting for was the 30 names who would make up the championship panel for 2009. When the list was announced on Sunday evening there were no major surprises as John O’Mahony and his backroom team set out their stall for the summer. As was widely expected James Nallen, Keith Higgins, David Heany, and Trevor Howley were all included in the panel despite none of them taking part in the league campaign. In total 22 of those picked for last year’s squad at the same stage of the year were selected again this year, with the likes of Colm Boyle, James Gill, and Michael Mullins all not making the cut this time around. While the veterans Nallen and Heany were included Aidan Higgins, whom many thought might have got the nod, was not selected despite lining out in a recent challenge match against Offaly in Castlebar.
Read more ...Reidy ready for league final
Fri, Apr 24, 2009
A couple of months into his reign as manager of the Mayo ladies’ senior side, Tuam native Kevin Reidy is looking forward to his side’s National League division one final against Cork on Saturday May 9. “I’m looking forward to the final, it was a very tough game last Sunday against a very physical Laois side.” Reidy’s ladies’ side came out on the right side of a 3-10 to 0-13 win in Aghamore thanks in no small part to a player of the game display from Kilmaine sharp shooter Emma Mullin. She hit 3-4 for Mayo from play, while Cora Staunton landed five points on the day, four of them coming from frees as she was shackled by the Laois defence.
While the experienced players have all stood up to be counted once again this year, the input of the younger players in the panel is something that Reidy has been really impressed with. “We’ve been building towards the championship since the start of the year so we tried to give a number of the younger players a run during he league and we managed do that, and they have all stepped up when given the chance, which is great to see and good for the future of the game.”
Read more ...The future is bright despite defeat
Fri, Apr 24, 2009
Standing in the broad sunshine in Pearse Park, Longford, last Saturday as evening began to creep across the midlands a disappointed but still positive Pat Holmes picked his way through the questions that followed his side’s third consecutive defeat in an All Ireland u21 semi-final. “Of course you are disappointed, that you didn't get another step when you come out of your province. But some very fine players have emerged for Mayo. The group of players that we had, you couldn't fault any of them for attitude for commitment, and I believe that they all gave to their full potential, but what more can you ask for?” Despite tasting defeat Holmes is confident that the players who have now passed on from his tutelage at this grade and some who are still under-age next year will have a big say in the future fortunes of Mayo football.
Read more ...