Why not join Men on the Move this autumn

Fri, Oct 03, 2014

Are you aged 30 and over, male and not very physically active? Do you want to feel fitter, have fun, have more energy, and meet new people? If you do why not get involved in the Men on the Move at the nearest location to you in Mayo.

Sunday triple header as finals season arrives

Fri, Oct 03, 2014

Come Sunday evening shortly after 5pm, they’ll be building bonfires on the way into Hollymount and Carramore or Ballyhaunis to celebrate either the amalgamation from south Mayo or the east Mayo men returning home with the Mayo intermediate title in their arms and a return to senior football.

Not our proudest few weeks, but it is time to let the lads at it

Fri, Oct 03, 2014

The widely anticipated County Board meeting passed off relatively peacefully last Thursday night with a few members of the board resigning over the process in which the new Mayo managers were appointed. The story had gained national headlines for all the wrong reasons and certainly it was a little embarrassing the way matters were conducted in appointing Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly. An apology was offered as there were and still are a lot of disgruntled people in the county. I am sure Kevin McStay and Liam McHale are bitterly disappointed at what happened, and some gesture or apology to both men should be offered as both are true Mayo Gaels who gave an awful lot to the green and red and they deserved at the very least an interview before been told they did not have the job. I am sure anyone reading this has heard the vile rumours about players not wanting McHale, which I am told could not be further from the truth. It is amazing how widespread the rumours went and pretty much to the point that people started to actually believe them. Liam McHale suffered a severe character assassination over the last few weeks and did not deserve it. Good luck to Pat and Noel; it is time to let them at it. The new management team along with selector Michael Collins and strength and conditioning coach Barry Solan from Ballaghaderreen were deep in discussion and taking lots of notes during the senior semi finals last Sunday. I am a little surprised a forward coach/selector was not incorporated in the set up, I guess they will be basing their team on a strong defence. I feel someone like Kevin O’Neill would have been a great addition to offer some insight into good forward play. I am delighted Barry Solan has finally been given a chance with his own county. Apart from working with Laois and Kildare he has also done a lot of work with Katie Taylor so there is obviously good pedigree there. If Hollymount/Carramore win the intermediate title on Sunday and get a good run in the Connacht championship, Noel Connelly’s wife Valerie and their children may not be seeing a lot of him for the next few months.

Shock and awe from Ballintubber

Mitchels come out on top in red-top battle

Sun, Sep 28, 2014

It's not to often that you see a team come out for the second half of a game in different coloured jerseys from the ones the started the contest in, but that's what happened in MacHale Park on Sunday afternoon. Both Castlebar Mitchels and Garrymore were allowed to start the county semi-final in their home red jerseys, despite the only defining difference between the strips, being the yellow piping on the county towns shirts.

The Fantastic Four O'Connors lead Ballintubber home

Sun, Sep 28, 2014

What can anyone say about this game, apart from praising Ballintubber for the demolition job they did on Knockmore in MacHale Park on Sunday afternoon. Of the two semi-finals down for decision on the day, this was expected to be the closest game. Last year Knockmore put Ballintubber out at the quarter-final stage, but this was a totally different game. The Ballintubber management duo of Peter Ford and Tony Duffy had their homework done on their opponents and their charges hit the ground running and in some style.

Ballina avoid the drop, while Hollymount-Carramore book final spot

Sat, Sep 27, 2014

It's been some week for Noel Connelly, the former Mayo captain was appointed as the new joint manager of the Mayo senior football team alongside his old running mate Pat Holmes. While the whole appointment process and the wrongs and rights of it were played out in the public spotlight, Connelly also had to be preparing his Hollymount-Carramore team for Saturday afternoon's Egan Jewelers Intermediate Championship semi-final replay against Belmullet. Last weekends meeting between the sides wasn't anything to write home about as Belmullet played to their strengths and packed their defence and hit Hollymount-Carramore on the break and used the sharp-shooting of Jonathon Donoghue to keep themselves in the game.

Chairman regrets statement said interview committee met with executive

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

Thursday nights meeting of the Mayo county board saw Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes ratified as the new Mayo senior management team for a three year term. The pair were given the unanimous support of the club delegates at the meeting when the proposal was put before them.

Managerial appointment hits the headlines

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

Last night’s county board meeting of Mayo GAA took centre stage both nationally and locally following the recommendation of Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes as the new senior football managerial team last Saturday night. The handling of the appointment has been the hot topic of discussion around the country since it was announced on Saturday night.

Mayo SFC semi-finals Can the northern and southern invaders topple the best of the west?

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

There were 16 teams when it started out, but only four remain as the semi-finals of the Mayo GAA senior football championship are down for decision in Elverys MacHale Park on Sunday afternoon.

Win over Leinster puts pep in the step as Connacht face Scottish trailblazers

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

Connacht Rugby, with little time to enjoy their “massive” win over Leinster, now head to Glasgow knowing the Scottish trailblazers are a different proposition, particularly at Scotstoun, in this evening’s Guinness Pro 12 fixture (7.35pm).  Connacht’s perfect start to the season has been matched by Glasgow and current table-toppers Ospreys, and tomorrow evening represents a huge challenge for Pat Lam’s improving side.   Last year’s league finalists, Glasgow have been beaten only once in the last 13 outings as coach Gregor Townsend has developed a brand of rugby that is both powerful and pacey. All Connacht’s resources, both physical and mental, will be tested to the hilt against a side that can mix relentless offloading with kicking prowess and backs with pace.

Mayo in the headlines for the wrong reasons

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

It has been a strange week in GAA circles, no more so than here in Mayo. I am lost for words about the way our new management team of Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes have being appointed. Instead of being a joyous and enormously proud day for both men it has been steeped in controversy. It is embarrassing that the story has achieved national media coverage for all the wrong reasons, more on that again in the coming weeks. But first off may I wish them the best of luck with the job in hand, it is one of the biggest in the GAA.

Getting back to the action on the field, the club intermediate semi-finals did not set the world on fire last Saturday evening, tournament favourites Hollymount-Carramore failing to put away a stubborn Belmullet team despite being four points up in the second half. Jonathan Donohue, the Belmullet full forward, no doubt will get extra attention from Noel Connelly’s men for the replay after a superb exhibition of scoring. Mayo physio Martin McIntyre, playing in a very deep role, did not half get stuck in, and along with Chris Barrett and Donohue helped the Erris men claim a well deserved draw. Next Saturday will be their fourth weekend in a row playing championship and may a bit too much to take on. Ballyhaunis completely outplayed The Neale in the other semi final. The favouritism tag did not weigh well with the south Mayo team who simply did not turn up and were well beaten all over the field. Keith Higgins and Niall Prenty to the fore for Ballyhaunis now have an Intermediate final to look forward to.

Mayo kickboxers perform well in World Championship

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

After five days of competition, the Irish Cadet and Junior Kickboxing Team returned with 45 medals from the WAKO World Championships in Rimini, Italy, and among them was a bronze medal coming home to Mayo with Davitt Neary.

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