Castlebar Mitchels - disappointed but ready to regroup
Fri, Mar 21, 2014
Castlebar Mitchels came up just short in Croke Park last Monday when a Diarmuid Connolly inspired St Vincent's team had too much for them in the AIB All Ireland Senior Club Football Championship final.
Read more ...Connolly crushes Castlebar dream
Mon, Mar 17, 2014
When 42 minutes into the contest Danny Kirby reacted quickest to a Neil Douglas shot coming back off the post and he drove the ball past Michael Savage from close range, Castlebar Mitchels believed it was going to be their day in Croke Park. Kirby's goal put his side into a 1-11 to 2-7 lead and looked to have Vincent's rattled. But less than a minute later, the Dublin side won a free out on the Cusack Stand side of the field. Tomas Quinn was making his way over to have a crack at the posts, but his team-mate Tiernan Diamond decided to launch a quick one into the the Mitchels penalty area the ball bounced and evaded the grasp of Ciarán Dorney, but unfortunately for Castlebar, Diarmuid Connolly was following in behind and was able to palm the ball past the reach of Ciaran Naughton in the Mitchels goal, to put Vincent's back in front and take the wind out of the Mitchels sails. It wasn't the knock-out punch, but it was the one that left Castlebar unsteady on their feet and needing the end of the round to come quickly for them to recover, but it never came and the Marino team and Connolly in particular kept piling on the blows over the next ten minutes. Over that period Connolly kicked another 1-3, which went unanswered by the Mitchels. The Dublin stars second goal saw him run through the heart of the Mitchels defence, get dispossessed yet he was still able to flick the ball back up into his hands with his right boot and in a continuous movement drop the ball to his left boot and fire it past Ciaran Naughton. That was the knock out blow and it was plain sailing for Vincent's from then on to the final whistle even if Danny Kirby did manage to get a second goal for Castlebar just before the end to close the gap a bit.
Read more ...The future's bright for Mitchels -Feeney
Mon, Mar 17, 2014
Castlebar Mitchels defender Alan Feeney was full of praise for victors in Monday's All Ireland club final, but at the same time said he believed he and his team-mates didn't live up to their abilities on the day. “Gutted, I don't think we preformed to our full potential today which is kinda disappointing, but at the same time Vincent's we're very strong and on the day they were the better team and the better team won, so we can't make any gripes about it.”
Read more ...Moran disappointed but proud
Mon, Mar 17, 2014
Barry Moran has been in this position, too many times than he'd care to remember. But the big Castlebar man still took the time to pick over what had happened after another All Ireland final defeat in Croke Park on Monday evening. "We're bitterly disappointed. Going in at half-time we were in a good position. We felt that we could have pushed on and we had a great opportunity to win the game. We didn't. It was Vincent's who pushed on and in the end they were the better team and deservedly champions.”
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Gerald's claim Connacht crown with late goal blitz
Sat, Mar 15, 2014
St Gerald's 3-11
St Attracta's 3-7
St Attracta's 3-7
Read more ...Mayo League side bow out of EA Sports Cup
Fri, Mar 14, 2014
The Mayo League representative side made the short trip to Eamon Deacy Park in Terryland on Tuesday night for this first round EA Sports Cup tie. But unfortunately they came up short against the SSE Airtricity League side after holding them at bay for more than 75 minutes of the contest. Galway FC had been pushing for a goal all night, but Mayo League goalkeeper Gary Cunningham had been in fantastic form. When he was finally beaten it came from the boot of Marty Owens who fired home at the back post from close range after being set up by Jake Keegan. The hosts doubled their lead seven minutes before the end when Keegan riffled the ball past Cunningham from out on the right hand side after some neat footwork to create the space for the shot.
Read more ...Rice College makes history
Fri, Mar 14, 2014
Rice College Westport has made history in becoming the first team from Connacht, not just Mayo, to win the Aviva All Ireland Schools Cross Country Senior Team Title.
Read more ...Crazy games and crazy results
Fri, Mar 14, 2014
Round four of the Allianz football league threw up a host of bizarre results last weekend. Form went out the window in many games and I am sure many punters were left scratching their heads while the bookmakers laughed all the way to the bank. I expected Tyrone to get the better of Kerry after watching the Kingdom fail miserably the previous week in Castlebar, such a hiding Tyrone got losing by 15 points in the end, James O’Donohue grabbing a hat trick for Kerry. I expected Galway having been hammered by Laois to be doomed to division three, taking on an in-form Down, Galway were comfortable 7 point winners. Cork almost coughed up a nine point lead against Derry and clung on by the skin of their teeth. Donegal were meant to cruise home against Meath in Ballybofey, (1/5 in the bookies before throw in) a late Michael Murphy point securing a draw for them. In the lower divisions Carlow turned over Antrim who were overwhelming favourites, how on earth can you try to pick winners for round five? Cheltenham may be a little easier and I know nothing about horses.
Read more ...Mayo look for third win in a row
Fri, Mar 14, 2014
It wasn’t convincing and James Horan wasn’t pleased after it but Mayo picked up their second win in a row last weekend in Mullingar to get a bit of momentum build behind the team. This Sunday in Elvery’s MacHale Park a far sterner test will be given to Mayo when an unbeaten Cork team arrive in Castlebar under new manager Brian Cuthbert. The Rebels boss whose side have so far beaten Dublin, Kildare, Derry and Westmeath in the league has made eight changes to the team that beat the Oak Leaf county last Sunday, with Eoghan Cadogan, Aidan Walsh, Donncha O’Connor and Colm O’Neill just some of the star names that Cuthbert has drafted in for the game.
Read more ...Rossies’ run riot under the lights
Fri, Mar 14, 2014
The Mayo u21s came up short against Roscommon once again at the u21 grade in Elvery’s MacHale Park on Wednesday night, with the visitors running out 11 point winners at the end of the hour. Mayo couldn’t have asked for a better start when Evan Regan drove the back of the net from close range after two minutes putting Mayo 1-0 to 0-1 in front. Mayo held on to the lead until the 17th minute with Conor O’Shea kicking a huge score and Regan adding a point from a free after the Breaffy man had been fouled. Diarmuid Murtagh who finished up with 1-5 kicked Roscommon’s first two points of the game and had a hand in Mark Nally’s goal 17 minutes in that levelled the game up. From then on it was all Roscommon and they added on two more goals before the break with Murtagh finishing to the net after the Mayo defence had been broken far to easily and Donnie Smith added a penalty right on half time after Matthew Flanagan (whose still a minor) gave away the spot kick. That goal left Roscommon leading 3-5 to 1-3 at the break and had the large travelling faithful inside MacHale Park in full voice before at the break.
Read more ...Gerald’s looking provincial crown
Fri, Mar 14, 2014
Tomorrow afternoon in Ballina the latest crop of St Gerald’s College, Castlebar, footballers will attempt to claim another Connacht senior title for the school. Last year saw the school claim the last ‘colleges’ only crown, before the separate colleges and vocational schools championships were blended together into one.
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