You can't beat winning on the double
Fri, Aug 30, 2013
A certain brand of Danish lager does not do GAA weekends but if they did it would not be a patch on what unfolded in Croke Park last Sunday (as long as you’re from Mayo). I had a dream last week that we had two teams in Croke Park for All-Ireland final day- that dream is now a reality. Not since 2008 did any county have teams in both minor and senior finals when Tyrone were successful on both occasions. I sat beside Barney Rock for most of the minor game and at full-time he and Oisin McConville could not have heaped any more praise on our minor team when both described them as a serious outfit. Mayo ripped Monaghan apart, scoring goals at crucial times, culminating in a very impressive total of 3-19 and they had contenders for man of the match all over the field, I opted for wing back Michael Hall who seems to be trying to emulate another number five on our senior team. On a day that had mixed emotions for the minor camp, may I wish Cian Hanley a speedy recovery from his very unfortunate injury.
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Mayo shake off early jitters to book final berth
Sun, Aug 25, 2013
Mayo 1-16
Tyrone 0-13
Gilvarry praises work-rate in minor victory
Sun, Aug 25, 2013
With the cheers ringing for the introduction of the Mayo senior team as they took to the field, Mayo minor manager Enda Gilvarry was able to reflect on a job well done safe in the knowledge that his minor team had already held up their side of the bargain.
Read more ...Horan's not getting carried away with semi-final win
Sun, Aug 25, 2013
They say winning ugly is a sign of a good team. Well that is exactly what Mayo managed to do on Sunday but manager James Horan wasn’t getting carried away after leading his side to a second successive All-Ireland final.
Read more ...Conroy's buzzing to be back in the mix
Sun, Aug 25, 2013
Bedevilled by injuries for most of the summer Michael Conroy served a timely reminder of just what Mayo have been missing with a superb cameo when introduced on Sunday. Playing his part in several crucial scores in the final quarter, the corner forward certainly put his hand up for a starting berth in September. He admitted that the way the starting Mayo forwards have been playing this season he knew he needed to make an impact when he got his chance against Tyrone.
Read more ...The unstoppable force meets the immovable object
Fri, Aug 23, 2013
They have been there and done it three times in the past decade, while we are still waiting to do it for the first time in over 60 years, and on Sunday in Croke Park the Mayo juggernaught will collide with the Tyrone colossus for a place in the All Ireland final in four weeks’ time. Mayo have breezed through Connacht and swatted aside the challenge of the reining All Ireland champions en route to this showdown, while Tyrone have taken the scenic route that has taken them from defeat in May in Ballybofey, on to Tullamore, Roscommon, Newbridge, and Croke Park to get to the semi-final. James Horan named an unchanged side from the one that beat Donegal in the quarter-final on Thursday afternoon, with Tom Cunniffe getting the nod despite limping out of the Donegal game.
Read more ...From back to front, Higgins is ready for anything
Fri, Aug 23, 2013
Keith Higgins had his fair share of ups and downs with Mayo in the eight years he has been on the scene with the senior team, but the move up the field to the half-foward line from corner back was one that took most people by surprise before throw in for the All Ireland quarter final at the start of the month. But it was something that the Ballyhaunis man enjoyed, even if it did not last that long with Tom Cunniffe’s injury forcing him back into the full-back line before the half-time break. “As I said it was a new experience, but the fact the game went so well, it made it easier for the 20 minutes it lasted,” he laughed at last week’s press night.
Read more ...Minors have answered every challenge put in front of them
Fri, Aug 23, 2013
“Whatever hurdle I put in front of them and as much as I push them, they seem to get stronger with each hurdle I put in front of them.” Is what has most impressed James Mitchell, the Mayo minor trainer and selector about this years crop of minors. Mitchell’s training and input to the side has been signposted by his manager Enda Gilvarry as one of the key reasons that Mayo will be throwing down against Monaghan on Sunday lunchtime in Croke Park.
Their four wins so far in this years championship, have seen two very tough examinations against Galway and Roscommon sandwiched between two very impressive victories over Leitrim and Westmeath.
Read more ...No minor matter for the players on Sunday
Fri, Aug 23, 2013
Getting put up at the top table at a press conference can be a daunting and painful enough task for professional sports people, never mind the senior players in Gaelic games, so it must be even more of a shock to the system for a handful of 17 and 18-year-olds to do so. But three of Mayo’s rising stars put their fears behind them last week in Breaffy House and were very much focused on the challenge ahead that is Sunday’s meeting with Monaghan in Croke Park.
Read more ...Mayo international cup is back for its second outing
Fri, Aug 23, 2013
The second Mayo International Cup 2013 is an elite soccer tournament, taking place across Mayo this weekend kicking off today, August 23 and running until Sunday and it will see five teams taking part. The five teams are the Castlebar FAI Regional Centre of Excellence u15s, Republic of Ireland u15s, Millwall FC, Bradford District Metropolitan (UK schools champions 2013), and Glentoran FC from Northern Ireland.
Read more ...Keegan bids to reach senior final
Fri, Aug 23, 2013
It was a good week for Ballaghaderreen handballer Dessie Keegan who partnered Joe McCann to reach the last four of the all-Ireland senior doubles championship with a comfortable 21-8, 21-7 victory over Munster’s only challengers, C J Fitzpatrick and Paul Hedderman of Limerick.
Roscommon duo Damian Martin and Ricky O’Gara defeated the other Mayo quarter-finalists, Campbell Brennan and Vincent Moran, by a similar margin to book their place in the semi-final at Broadford, Limerick, on September 14.
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