Search Results for 'Alan Moran'

Once again the unpredictable nature of the Mayo intermediate championship raised its head again last weekend after a barnstorming weekend of action in the competition.

The hardest thing to predict before the start of any championship season is who is going to win the intermediate title.

The Neale are heading for the Mayo intermediate final after a 2-15 to 1-14 extra time win over Louisburgh in the first of the semi-finals which took place on Saturday night.

As the day dawned and the mist lifted over the Achill hills the first round of the Sligo Pallets Border Championship kicked off in style last Sunday. The early stages were challenging due to overnight rain but once the sun came out and the stages dried up the drivers got into their own rhythm and their confidence increased as the day went on.

Louisburgh are just 60 minutes away from claiming their first provincial title as they take on Roscommon junior champions Creggs in the Connacht Junior Club Football Championship final deep in enemy territory this Sunday.

They have been playing football on the shores of Clew Bay in Louisburgh for well over 100 years, but in 1929 the club was officially formed and in the 87 years in between they have given their supporters some great days, winning an intermediate title in 2003 to go with junior titles 1950, 1987, and 1994 and most recently four weeks ago when they saw off Balla right at the death, thanks to a Kevin Gibbons belter of an effort when the game was moving into injury time.

When Matthew Flanagan drove the ball over the Louisburgh bar five minutes from time from a free well out beyond the 45m line in MacHale Park on Sunday, it looked like the McDonnell cup would be making the short 11km journey out the road to Balla for the Winter. But Louisburgh hadn’t read that particular script and the seasiders dug deep from there on in and through injury time to rally and hit the final two points of the day to seal a historic win for John Kelly’s outfit.

It is an all West Mayo decider in MacHale Park on Sunday in the county junior final when Louisburgh and Balla meet at 3.30pm. It has a been a long time coming for both sides who are looking to make their way back out of the the junior ranks and into the intermediate grade for next year.

"Some people think I'm mad, facing the car for home on a Friday evening at 4.30pm, but during the summer where else would you rather be than at home in Louisburgh, as long as the weather is good of course." Austin O'Malley has been there and done it all before but he is still making the long trip home from his home on the east coast each weekend to try to help get Louisburgh back over the line in the junior ranks of Mayo football.

Members of Mayo and District Motorsport Club gathered at Hotel Ballina on Sunday last for the annual general meeting of the club. Secretary John Duffy provided a summary of the events run by the club during 2015 and concluded by announcing that he was stepping down as secretary after more than 30 years in this role. Chairman Matthew Murphy thanked John for his trojan work and commitment during this time. Joint treasurer Sinead Mc Hale presented an in depth report on the financial performance of the club and thanked her fellow treasurer Liam Healy for his substantial input. Club chairman Matthew Murphy, in an extensive report, thanked all who assisted the club throughout the year. He also reflected on the sad and untimely death of club member Margaret McGreal earlier in the year. PRO Andy Walsh reported that 2015 had been another successful year for the club and its members. There was continued success on the national scene where the highlights included 18-year-old Oisin Coffey from Ballyhaunis winning the overall National Loose Surface Autocross Junior Championship. Sixteen-year-old Jason Murphy from Shrule finished runner up in the National AutoGrass Championship, and Foxford’s Alan Moran finished runner up in the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Junior Championship. Moran was also crowned 2015 Mayo Young Driver Champion. While Aaron MacHale and Paul McGee were crowned 2015 Group N Irish Tarmac Champions.