Search Results for 'Kevin McLoughlin'

Mayo 1-11

Mayo 3-14

It was generally felt that the Mayo u21s would not be prevented from winning their fourth Connacht title in a row at Markievicz Park last Saturday evening, having disposed of the two big heavy weights; Galway and Roscommon in earlier rounds. After 15 minutes of the match in Sligo it was very evident that Sligo were in the ‘also ran’ category! It was only a question of the margin of victory, and as it transpired Mayo ran out very comfortably on a final score line that flattered them a little. In fairness to Sligo they battled bravely right to the end, but they just didn’t have anything like the quality of players that Mayo possessed. Mayo scored 3-11 from play over the 60 or so minutes of the game and right from the throw in it was evident that management had their troops focused on the task at hand. Unfortunately, from a spectator point of view, this match didn’t represent great value for money as Sligo really had no answer to the slick mobility of the opposition. This Mayo team have already provided sufficient entertainment in two brilliant performances against Galway and Roscommon. It was difficult enough to select a man of the match as practically every Mayo player had his moments. Billy Fitzpatrick who had this task for Mid West Radio selected Jason Doherty, and it would be hard to disagree with him as Jason has improved with every outing so far this year and is playing with great confidence and authority. Aidan O’ Shea has been very good at every level this year and I thought that he in particular produced a flawless display from start to finish last Saturday. Kevin McLoughlin is another who has caught the eye and having watched him up close on three occasions I have to say this guy is the real deal. He kicked a magnificent point off his left foot from the left wing in the first half that was as fine a score as you will witness this year. Cathal Carolan got through his customary truck load of toil in another performance of relentless intensity. Tom Parsons has returned to the form that we witnessed a year or two ago and there must surely be no one doubting his talent at this stage. Eoghan Reilly, son of Tom (Monaghan and Castlebar) is another I would suggest can step up to the next level. His labour is rarely high profile (most defenders fall into this category) but he just toils away selflessly, always alert to imminent danger like a smart defender should be. I mentioned last week the immense contribution of Noel Connelly, Pat Holmes, and Mícheál Collins who have managed Mayo u21s for the last four years. They deserve a lot of credit for producing a team that are always well drilled, well disciplined, and keen to play the game as it is meant to be played.

The rapid fire nature of the u21 championship means it’s all over from start to finish in little under two months. So there is no rest for Mayo this weekend, who seven days on from their nail biting win over Galway last Saturday in Charlestown will host Roscommon in the same venue tomorrow. The 2-6 to 0-11 win over Galway last weekend was a lot closer on the scoreboard than in it was in general play on the field, an issue Mayo manager Pat Holmes hopes will be rectified this weekend. “We were delighted to get over last weekend, it was a tough battle at the end, which we knew it would be but we came out on top. We are going to have to be even better this Saturday as this Roscommon side won the All Ireland minor title three years ago and will be a tough task on the field.” Mayo’s lack of proficiency in front of the posts against Galway is something that needs to be rectified before Roscommon cross over the border, and Holmes has faith that his side will be able to do it. “We have to take our chances against Roscommon, because we won’t get as many against them as we did against Galway. The frees didn’t go as well as we would have liked last weekend, and we have to up our accuracy on that if we are going to make the Connacht final.”

Fixture pile ups usually occur for club sides in Mayo in late summer, if the senior inter-county team are involved in championship action at the business end of the season. But last weekend, as it will again this weekend, it came to a log jam for both the senior inter-county side and u21 side. Normally before inter-county games the senior team management announce their team on a Thursday evening, bar any niggling injuries that may be hanging around. But last week, John O’Mahony informed the press and public through county PRO Kevin O’Toole that there would be no side named until Sunday morning due to the involvement of the u21s in Connacht Championship action.

After the speeches and the euphoria had died down in the home dressing room, following Mayo's thrill-a-minute win over Roscommon in the Connacht under 21 semi-final, Pat Holmes was a happy man as his walking wounded were given treatment for injuries picked up over the course of 80 minutes of breakneck football.

For the 10th year in a row, Mayo will contest the Connacht u-21 football final. In the past nine years the JJ Fahy Cup has been presented to a Mayo captain on six occasions and Mayo captain Tom Parsons will be hoping that he becomes the seventh man in a decade to lift the trophy. Mayo have won the competition 22 times already while their opponents on Sunday have yet to claim the title.

John O'Mahony reveled his starting 15 for Mayo's crunch tie with Tyrone in McHale Park on Sunday. For the second game in a row Shrule-Glencorrib sharpshooter Conor Mortimer has been left out of the side, following on from his omission from side who started against Galway in the last round of the competition. Aidan O'Shea will continue in his role at full forward, the Breaffy teenager and Knockmore's Kevin McLoughlin are the only u21 players in the starting 15. The starting 15 also see's Billy Joe Padden come into the side at top of the left in the place of Mikey Sweeney, while McLoughlin will replace Kieran Conroy at left corner back.

Spoils shared on the final day

The senior club championship kicks off this weekend and to be honest I am getting excited and a little nervous because of it. All the dreaming, planning, and orchestrating for a crack at winning the title will be put to its first big test on Sunday. The weather forecast is good and the fact that it is a long weekend should guarantee a bumper crowd at the games, which will surely bring a smile to the face of what is normally a very serious looking county treasurer! The real secret of the GAA's success is that it is so fervently supported at community level, and this weekend will see thousands turning out to support their respective clubs all over the county. You don't have to be interested in football — everyone goes to support their parish or their club. Gaelic is easy to watch. It is free flowing and robust with a lot of scores, and that's attractive for punters who are used to watching soccer where there is maybe one goal in the space of 90 minutes (Wednesday’s European cup final being an exception, when we could sit back and marvel at the flamboyant skills of Barcelona). There are very few things in life that create the excitement of a good club championship match and I personally love the build up to championship Sundays.