Search Results for 'FA Cup'

Like every year in sport in this county there have been a fair share of ups and downs for all those who go out and do their best in the quest to be the best they possibly can be each week. You will find in this week’s sports pages a selection of pictures which capture some of the great moments in sport for those in the county who every year continue to give their all in the pursuit of sporting excellence. And as for excellence, there has been plenty of that on display from Mayo's proud sports people.

THE OLD rivalry and enmity between the amateur and professional football codes in England may have led to a battalion of footballers being raised for the British army in WWI.

The action in the Super League will take a back seat for a couple of weeks as attention focuses on the league cup final this weekend and the outside competitions in the next few weeks.

It is 40 years since Ronnie O'Gorman returned home from London to Galway with a plan to publish Ireland's first free newspaper. But not even he could have imagined the massive success it has become today.

While Manchester City’s fourth round FA Cup win over Scunthorpe IN Glanford Park may have been grabbed most people’s attention, for the fact that until striker Robinho scored the citizens’ fourth goal of the day, the tie against lowly Scunthorpe was still in the melting pot. But for the soccer community of Galway there was only one thing on their minds, and that was one of their own patrolling the field in the sky blue of City. At half time in the game Roberto Mancini gave 18-year-old Greg Cunningham his senior debut for the side, replacing Nigel de Jong for the final 45 minutes. City manager Mancini, speaking after the game, was full of praise for his young players, including Cunningham, saying: “Our young players did very well, they have shown me what they can do in training and I had no problem in picking them today. They have the right mentality and this was a big test for them. I'm pleased with them and pleased for them.”

This year’s Chadwicks Cup final (Mayo League FA Cup) sees the meeting of two Uniteds who have seen their historical positions flipped this year. Straide and Foxford United, one of the blue ribbon names in Mayo soccer saw themselves relegated at the death of the 2007 season to the Premier League, while Snugboro United surrvived and launched an all out assault on the higher reaches of the Super League this season. This assault proved ultimately unsuccessful but Johan Collins’s first year in charge of the side can only be marked out as a success so far. And if he is able to guide his men to pick up the Chadwicks Cup the season will have been an unqualified success.

The closure of the local championship season always concludes with a mixture of feelings. There is an obvious disappointment that another year has passed and for some of the contenders opportunities have been squandered. Still, though, deep down hope hasn't left the hearts.

FOR THE last 25 years, the songs of Paul Heaton - whether in The Housemartins or The Beautiful South - have become the soundtrack to many people’s lives.