Lots of action on the cycling circut

Fri, Sep 12, 2008

Cycling night out
Western Lakes CC and Covey Wheelers have combined together to have a joint club night out on Friday September 19 at 8pm at the Castlecourt Hotel in Westport. The aim is to get as many cycling enthusiasts as possible to come along and enjoy a fun- packed evening of awards and presentations

Half marathon success for Mayo

Fri, Sep 12, 2008

The AAI National Half Marathon Championships were hosted by Waterford AC at their magnificent base at the Regional Sports centre on Sunday morning. The sun shone, the sky was blue, and the whole county was bedecked in blue and white in a frenzy of anticipation for the hurling final later in the day. Sadly, the white heat of Kilkenny blew them away and the “blues” of disappointment awaited them.. a feeling we know so well.

Mayo sports stars ready to Run to Africa

Fri, Sep 12, 2008

Playing for Life was founded by well-known sportswoman and broadcaster Tracy Piggott following a visit to Ethiopia in 2004. Tracy was determined to set up a project that would use sport as a tool to help young people in some of the world’s poorest places, since sport has always played such a huge part in her own life.

Castlebar ready for season start

Fri, Sep 12, 2008

Training for the U18 team commences on Wednesday September 10 at 7pm in Cloondeash. Training for the U14 team commences on Wednesday September 17 at 7pm in Cloondeash. Subscription for the year is €75 and includes a jacket and polo shirt. New and returning players are welcome.

We can all learn from Kilkenny’s model - if we want to

Fri, Sep 12, 2008

A friend of mine from Ardmore in Waterford had badgered me to try and get a ticket or two for the past few weeks for the All-Ireland hurling final.

Yellow Rose leads the way

Fri, Sep 12, 2008

There's so much more to yawl racing than meets the eye! That's the verdict of people here generally as the annual Cruinniu Badoiri Acla continues to thrill the local population and visitors alike. This weekend past was no exception for great yawl racing despite “feast to famine” weather conditions which ranged from raging storm to midge friendly calm. Saturday's race in Tonragee (which translates as “back to the wind” ) was cancelled due to too much wind.

The manager is always an easy scapegoat

Fri, Sep 12, 2008

Justin McCarthy would have had a wry smile on his face last Sunday afternoon. As you all know he resigned from his post as the county team’s hurling manager a number of months ago after a “heave” from his own players. It had become apparent, in the wake of a heavy defeat to Clare in the Munster championship, that some of the players were unhappy with McCarthy. Much was made of Dan Shanahan storming off the field that day and refusing to shake Justin’s hand when substituted. As in that game big Dan was totally anonymous last Sunday, barely touching the ball, until he was rescued from the action or, should that be non-action! I wasn’t too enamoured with the Waterford players at the time as I felt it was another example of player power being exerted, something that has become quite common this year. Remember it was McCarthy who took Waterford to three Munster titles and also to the brink of All-Ireland glory. It wasn’t his fault the players choked when so near the finishing line. They had the perfect excuse last year. The system militated against them, they said, as they had played three consecutive Sundays in a row. The manager is always the easy scapegoat after failures and these players must have felt the need to apportion blame to someone. Justin is obviously a proud man. He walked before it got ugly and, other than issuing a brief statement at the time, he kept his powder dry. I am not sure if he went along to Croke Park last Sunday, but as the game unfolded he would have felt fully justified in having walked from the job when the players had the audacity to question his methods after seven relatively successful years in charge.

Returning heroes and tight tussles

Fri, Sep 12, 2008

By the time you read this the semi-final pairings for the TF Royal Theatre football championships will have been revealed with the draw taking place late on Thursday evening. But last weekend’s action in the senior championship in McHale Park was an engrosing weekend of football. Saturday started off with Breaffy looking to get one over the experienced heads of Crossmolina in only their second ever quarter final at this grade and ultimately coming up short, while it concluded in a barnstorming game of football, where Ballintubber will be ruing the fact they let a Ballaghaderreen side with posssibly the longest list of mentors ever to grace a programme back into a game.

O’Loughlin to ignite Olympic fever in Mayo

Fri, Aug 08, 2008

Following in the footsteps of the legendary Bohola-born Martin Sheridan, who won five gold medals in the Olympics at the turn of the 20th century and Ballina’s Deirdre Gallagher ,who competed in the walking event to fly the flag for Mayo at the Olympic games will be Cong’s David O’Loughlin. The south Mayo man jetted out to the games last Monday and with him went the best wishes of the county and the country.

New regional tennis centre for Castlebar

Fri, Aug 08, 2008

Over the past number of months, many people have been wondering what exactly has been happening adjacent to Lough Lannagh Holiday Village, with sights of heavy machinery taking away mounds and mounds of earth. The big hill, which once graced the area there, is no longer to be seen, but in its place the brand new Connacht Regional Tennis Centre is being constructed. This is just phase One of a multi million-euro project for Castlebar Tennis Club. Castlebar firm of David O’Malley and Associates has designed the complete project.

Hurling and Football Past and Present GAA Stars Line Up for the Connacht Final of the FBD GAA All-Ir

Fri, Aug 08, 2008

Organisers will be able to start allocating tee off times for the FBD GAA Golf Challenge All-Ireland final from this weekend as the Connacht final takes place on Friday and the provincial stage of the competition draws to a close.

Connacht already has a presence in the final following Roscommon GAA Club’s success in the New York leg. Lismore of Waterford, Cavan Gaels of Ulster and St Brigid’s of Leinster won their respective provincial crowns and the Chicago leg, which takes a match play format, has reached semi-final stage.

Soccer schools buzzing for the summer

Fri, Aug 08, 2008

The Ireland Senior Team Manager, Giovanni Trapattoni, together with his assistants, Liam Brady and Marco Tardelli, dropped in to see the 160 children taking part in the National Irish Bank FAI Summer Soccer School in Milebush Park, Castlebar last month. Also in attendance were National Irish Bank's Castlebar Branch Manager, Michael Dwyer and Austin Sweeney, Head of Personal, North West Region.

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