Battle will commence this weekend

Fri, Apr 10, 2015

Garrymore picked up the first piece of senior silverware on Easter Monday, when they saw off Castlebar Mitchels to claim the Michael Walsh Cup in Ballinrobe, but this weekend the action proper gets under way with the first rounds of games in the Breaffy House Senior Football Leagues. The action in Division 1A, 1B, and 1C will throw in on Saturday evening, with Division 1E, 1D, and 1F getting under way on Sunday afternoon.

Ifs, buts, and maybes after last Sunday

Fri, Apr 10, 2015

I am sure many of you felt as deflated as I did last Sunday. After leaving Elverys MacHale Park deflated I went home to watch the game again on TG4, and just in case I missed anything on second viewing I had to watch Sunday Sport later on that evening to see what the pundits said about the game. The reality is Mayo should be playing in Croke Park this Sunday against Cork in the semifinal of the National League. They threw away the game against Donegal or should I say kicked away. Some wayward shooting late on cost us a place in the semifinal.

The rumour mill was in full swing in Castlebar before the game, as everyone reckoned Donegal were there to make up the numbers and were more concerned with their first round championship game against Tyrone in six weeks. How could they compete against Mayo without inspirational players Michael Murphy and Neil Gallagher anyway?

Long wait now in store for Mayo

Fri, Apr 10, 2015

The Connacht Championship will throw-in, in three weeks time when Galway cross the Atlantic to take on New York, but Mayo are now in a holding pattern for the next nine weekends, until they in all probability take on Galway in Pearse Stadium in the Connacht semi-final. By that stage the Tribesmen should have two wins under their belts as they are down to face Leitrim a fortnight after their Big Apple adventure.

Mayo miss out on the semi-final at the death

Sun, Apr 05, 2015

Stephen Griffen’s injury time point stole a draw for his side and sent them into the semi-finals next weekend, while Mayo have nine weeks to get things right before they start the championship in summer time.

A lot learned, but Holmes is disappointed not to have closed it out

Sun, Apr 05, 2015

After seeing his side fail to hold on for a win in the dieing stages of a game for a second week in a row, joint Mayo manager Pat Holmes expressed his disappointment after the game, but still was happy with what his side have gotten out of the league. “You’d always like to be in a league semi-final. Today we came to put in a performance, the same as every game we’ve played. In fairness to the lads they worked very hard today. We just didn’t get over the line.

Historic big two kick off the season tomorrow

Fri, Apr 03, 2015

The action in the Mayo League proper will get under way next Saturday evening, April 11, when the four divisions in the league kick off for the 2015 season.

But on Saturday evening treble winners, Westport United, will take on Castlebar Celtic in the now annual season curtain raiser, the Mayo League Charity Shield. Both sides were last in action three weeks ago when they both exited the Connacht Junior Cup at the fourth round stage, with Celtic losing on penalties to Galway Hibs after a 1-1 draw, while Westport United lost 3-2 to Sligo outfit City United in Sligo. Those losses brought both side’s long seasons to an end. It was also the last game in which James Fahy and Kieran Mulchrone took charge of Westport United, with the duo stepping down from the position after the game after four seasons in the hot-seat. In those four seasons Westport United picked up two Super League titles, three Mayo FA Cups, three divisional cups, and one Connacht Junior Cup, leaving two very big pairs of shoes to fill for whoever takes over the side. The team are currently being looked after on a temporary basis by former players Vinny O’Malley and Alan McLoughlin. On Saturday evening they will get a chance to show it is business as usual when they take on Stevie Gavin’s Celtic side who will be looking to get some early season bragging rights over their near neighbours at the start of the new Mayo League season.

Buckley top Mayo finisher in Roscommon

Fri, Apr 03, 2015

Donegal’s Donagh Kelly and Kevin Flanagan recorded a dramatic victory in the second round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship as they brought their Ford Focus WRC home in first place in the Midland Motor Rally in Roscommon.

Club competitions spring into life

Fri, Apr 03, 2015

Balla
Last weekend’s stableford competition which was sponsored by Castlebar Credit Union was won by Alo Filan who scored 38pts, his back nine play saw him hold off the challenge of Sean Canny in second place with Aodan McSuibhnie in third place. The ladies’ competition was won by Mary B O’Donnell who scored 38pts, with Aine MhicSuibne in second place and Patricia Conwell coming home in third spot. The midweek scramble will get going on Wednesday April 8, and the first 50/50 club draw will take place in the clubhouse.

Quigley not re-elected to League management committee

Fri, Apr 03, 2015

Former FAI president Pat Quigley was not re-elected to the Mayo League management committee at its AGM on Tuesday night. The end of the long standing football official’s involvement in the day-to-day running of the game in the county will have come as surprise to many after he failed to be elected to the 10 person committee at the AGM.

The election of the committee at the meeting saw outgoing members Donal Benson, Tom McDaniel, Martin Kielty, James Larkin, Padraig McHale, Gerry Sweeney, and Kieran Gallagher re-elected along with league secretary John Durkan (who automatically fills one of the positions). The two new members elected to the committee were Sean Molloy from Achill Rovers and Seamus Hughes from Kiltimagh/Knock United.

Bulls ready to break down Monivea

Fri, Apr 03, 2015

It is a year of anniversaries for Westport Rugby Club, 90 years since it was founded way back in 1925 and 40 years since their last Connacht Junior Cup win back in 1975, and a victory on Sunday in the Connacht Junior Cup final would round off this year of anniversaries quite well. The odds are stacked against Westport, but that is not going to bother JP Walsh and Danny O’Toole’s charges who go into the game as underdogs with everything to gain.

Ballina see off Castlebar to stay up

Fri, Apr 03, 2015

Ballina secured their status as a top division side in Connacht junior rugby last Sunday when they saw off the challenge of Castlebar in Ballyhaunis in a nail-biting promotion-relegation play-off.

Henshaw returns to spearhead Connacht attack against cup favourites Gloucester

Fri, Apr 03, 2015

Ireland international centre Robbie Henshaw is back with Connacht for this evening's Challenge Cup quarter-final fixture with English premiership favourites Gloucester.

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