You can only admire what Jimmy is doing

Fri, Sep 19, 2014

In the last number of weeks a few big GAA stories have escaped inches in my column because of the drama in the drawn All-Ireland semi final between Mayo and Kerry, the subsequent replay, and last but by no means least, the performance of the referee in that replay. I am putting that to bed now. You have to take your hat off to Jim McGuinness, his philosophies, and his way of thinking. He has his team so well fine tuned it borders on professionalism. He had a five day training camp prior to the Dublin game and the same again in the lead up to Sunday’s All-Ireland final. This all comes at a considerable cost, and along with some players being flown from Dublin to Donegal by helicopter for training it must mean some very generous individual or individuals are bank rolling it (that is of course if it is all true).

Knockmore stand tall as semi-final picture becomes clear

Sun, Sep 14, 2014

It was a hectic weekend of action in the Mayo GAA Senior Football Championship, with four quarter-finals and one relegation semi-final down for decision, along with a reply in the intermediate championship quarter-finals.

Some of the big calls that went against us

Fri, Sep 12, 2014

Last May between four and five thousand Mayo supporters descended on the Big Apple for the first round of the Connacht Championship, excited, anxious, expectant, is this going to be the year? Mayo supporters are a rare breed; they keep on supporting despite so many setbacks. I bet the New York GAA board and the pubs in Mid Manhattan wish Mayo had to travel every year. The performance levels grew as the tests became stiffer and Mayo found themselves in an All- Ireland semi final replay in Limerick above all places. I find this defeat particularly hard to take because we simply did not deserve to lose to Kerry. What is even more challenging to accept is that a team we were five points up against with three minutes left on the clock or a team we gave a hiding to by 16 points last year are going to be All- Ireland champions, will anything break for us to claim back the Holy Grail?

Ballina get off to winning ways

Fri, Sep 12, 2014

In round one of the Connacht Junior League 1A, Ballina got off to a winning start with a 22-21 win at home to Ballinasloe last Sunday. Ballina picked up the win thanks to a last minute converted try from Aidan McNulty with James Coppen kicking the extra points. This weekend Ballina will be on the road against Monivea who had an impressive 36-11 win over OLBC on the road last Sunday. The other Mayo side in the top division, Westport, went down to the Connemara All Blacks in Carrowholly on a score of 14-3, this weekend Westport will look to get things back up and running when they travel to face a Ballinasloe team who picked up a losing bonus point from their tight defeat to Ballina.

Byrne takes victory in Charlestown 10k

Fri, Sep 12, 2014

There was an excellent turnout for the third annual Charlestown 10k on Saturday. It was also the fourth race in Mayo AC's 2014 Move2Improve Series. The field of 194 was over 80 up on 2013, testament to great work by an enthusiastic local organising team led by Christina Duffy, who was ably assisted by Kilmovee 10k supremo John Roddy, and supported by a host of local sponsors.

Semi-final spots up for grabs this weekend

Fri, Sep 12, 2014

Elvery’s MacHale Park is the place to be this weekend, when the best eight senior club teams in the county do battle for a place in the semi-finals of this year’s club championship.

It’s a long way from there to here

Fri, Sep 05, 2014

It started in a grey concrete room at the back of the stand in MacHale Park on a cold Wednesday night at the end of September in 2010, and the journey ended in a kitchen under the Mackey Stand in the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

Westport claimed the title in style

Fri, Sep 05, 2014

There were only two games to go when they finally claimed the Super League title, but the inevitable was officially confirmed in some style in The Sportspark last Sunday when Westport United ran out 8-2 winners over Manulla. With two games to go, United have the title wrapped up and are just 180 minutes away from going the whole league season without defeat. No mean feat at all. In their 16 league games so far Westport United have hit the back of the net 66 times on average, just over four goals a game. They also have the meanest defence in the league conceding only 14 times, less than one a game on their march to the title.

Cup classics in store

Win or bust for super six in intermediate

Fri, Sep 05, 2014

There was no let up in the action on the club scene last weekend, even after Mayo’s elimination from the All Ireland championship.

Five things we learnt last weekend

Fri, Sep 05, 2014

Physicality and power of inter-county GAA teams at a new high

Big wins for Castlebar teams in Connacht competitions

Fri, Sep 05, 2014

Balla
Last weekend’s stableford competition, sponsored by Shaw’s Castlebar, was won by Michael Clesham with a score of 40pts. He held off the challenge of Adrian O’Connell, who finished in second place thanks to his back nine scoring, with Bert Eagleton finishing in third. The ladies’ competition was won by Louise McMahon with a score of 38pts, with Gabrielle Clesham finishing second, and Sheila Coughlan coming home in third.