Search Results for 'Johnny Doyle'

Kildare 1-11

Both Mayo and their visitors from Kildare tomorrow night could badly do with getting a win under their belts. Mayo are coming off the back of three losses on the bounce, while Kieran McGeeney’s men are heading west after a morale sapping mauling by a rampant Dublin side last Sunday. It was their first defeat of the league, but a number of questions had been hanging over them, especially after a winless and roundly agreed out of sorts Kerry side nearly turned them over in Newbridge a fortnight before.

Galway corner back Kieran McGrath had more reason than most to be disappointed with how Kildare pinched promotion from Alan Mulholland’s team last Sunday afternoon.

If you like sporting drama, then Pearse Stadium was the place to be last Sunday afternoon.

Last week I suggested that home advantage might prove decisive in deciding who would advance to play Roscommon in the Connacht final on July 17. I was wrong. Having witnessed the display from Galway last Sunday I am now of the opinion that if Mayo had played the first half of last Sunday’s encounter in Pearse Stadium and the second half in Tuam we still would have won in a canter. I have never in my lifetime witnessed such an inept performance from a Galway senior side. They were spiritless and soft when it came to putting up any sort of a challenge to Mayo last Sunday. In fact the game, particularly the first half, ranks as one of the worst of this year’s championship. (I would rank the first game played in this year’s championship, Donegal v Antrim as the worst.) I accept that the second half did improve but that improvement came from Mayo as a single point from play by Galway in the entire second half tells its own story. At no point did Galway radiate the belief that they had the measure of Mayo. When a team plays without any semblance of a pattern as Galway did last weekend, it suggests that there is little synchronisation between management and players.

The Coláiste Mhuire’s first year football team retained the Kilkenny VEC Cup after a hard fought but deserved victory over Grennan College Thomastown. The wind, however, was to turn this fixture into the proverbial game of two halves.

I was walking to Mass last Sunday morning when a friend stopped me in my tracks to give me the dreadful news of the untimely and tragic deaths of Ger Feeney and Donal McEllin. It was news that left me devastated and for a moment I wasn’t sure whether I would carry on to Mass or not. But I did and it offered me an opportunity to reflect and think about both men. This undoubtedly was one of Castlebar’s saddest weeks in a long time, and God knows we have had a few sad occasions in recent times. Both men possessed big personalities and were hugely popular locally and throughout the county. They were also influential figures in the daily happenings of the Castlebar Mitchell’s GAA club, Ger as a coach/ manager of several teams down through the years and Donal as a do-gooder whenever required. Time spent in the company of either man was always memorable, usually enlightening and occasionally full of incident! Throughout this past week we have gathered at different times and locations to reminisce about both men. Judging by the enormous crowds witnessed at both men’s funerals it is remarkable how their sudden passing resonated with so many. Ger was also revered in the history of Ballintubber football and I have heard many these past few days talk about his incredible strength, energy, fearlessness and manliness when donning the colours of Ballintubber. Of course he lined out with Mayo and is one of a few who has the distinction of winning All -Ireland medals at both minor and under- 21 level. It was well known that Ger idolised his family and was enormously proud of their many achievements. He was particularly proud of the fact that both Castlebar Mitchell’s and Ballintubber had made it through to this year’s senior final. In his house he couldn’t lose as both Alan and Richard are playing with the Mitchels and nephew John is lining out with Ballintubber. Also, Alan and cousin John are both captains on their respective teams. In fact Ger even had a specially commissioned jersey made of both teams’ colours for the final.

I get an odd gig doing commentary for RTE Radio One and last week I was given my choice of four games. I opted for the Down v Sligo match in Cavan as it was the nearest to home. I left in good time and had the luxury of arriving at Breffni Park with time to spare. I enjoyed the company of Joe O’Connor from Ballintubber (Cillian’s uncle) for the best part of an hour before the game. Joe is a garda based in Ballinagh and understands the nuances of Cavan football inside out. We chatted about the Cavan football scene, as like us here in Mayo, Cavan are on the look out for a new manager after the departure of Tom Carr. Tom Reilly from Belmullet is the County chairman up there and has the onerous task of selecting a new man to take charge. The word is that there aren’t too many jumping out of the woodwork looking for it.

Clonmore 3-11

For the second year in a row, Clonmore will contest the intermediate football championship final after they overcame the Fighting Cocks by 2-5 to 0-10 in an epic battle on Saturday last in Dr Cullen Park.