Search Results for 'Mark Duffy'

After this weekends final round of action in the group stages of the Mayo GAA Senior Football Championship we now know the eight sides who’ll be contesting the knock-out stages. Breaffy, Castlebar Mitchels, Ballintubber and Kiltane all won their groups and Knockmore, Ballina Stephenites, Aghamore and Garrymore joined them after finishing in second place in their respective groups.

Ballina Town left it late on Saturday evening to claim their third win on the bounce in the Elverys Sports Super League, but they were full deserving of their 2-1 win away to Castlebar Celtic in Celtic Park. The game was delayed for just under 45 minutes early in the first half when Ballina Town full-back Dara O’Boyle twisted his leg badly on the clubhouse side of the ground and had to be removed by ambulance from the pitch. The game was further held up when referee Martin Regan wasn’t happy with the pressure in the match balls on a number of occasions in the first half, which ended just 25 seconds shy of an hour and a half after it kicked off.

After 110 minutes of hard work, sheer will and effort Castlebar Celtic saw their dreams of a tenth Connacht Junior Cup come cracking apart in the most heartbreaking of ways in a penalty shoot-out. The Hoops will feel hard done by, having made most of the running during a game played in wild and wet conditions in Milebush Stadium. But Ballinasloe were the ones to get their hands on the old trophy thanks to a 4-2 win from the spot kicks. Jason Hunt slammed home the first kick of the shoot-out for Celtic, with Ballinasloe Town captain Peter Keighery responding in kind. Both sides also converted their next kicks, with Ronan O'Boyle doing the necessary for the Castlebar men and Gary Egan for the Roscommon League side. Gerry Hunt tried to replicate his brothers effort with Celtic's third penalty, but his effort was scooped over Aidan Fallon's bar, Mark Duffy saw his effort just about get past Stephen Cafferkey to hand the advantage to Ballinasloe Town. Up next was Celtic full-back Stephen Walsh, who had been excellent all day. But when it came to the crunch his effort clipped the top of the bar and cleared the target, leaving David Cullen with the chance to win the cup. The Ballinasloe Town full back took the route one option and drove it down the middle of the goal and past Cafferkey to ensure his team retained the title they won last year.

Ballina Town got their title defence off to a winning start in Attymass on Saturday night thanks to early goal from ace marksman Brendan Lavelle against a tough battling Moy Villa side. The champions made all the running early on in the contest, but were made to sweat at the end as Moy Villa threw everything at them to try and salvage an equaliser at the death.

Sunday morning will see a mass exodus of football supporters from Westport, but rather than heading south to Galway they’ll be pointing their wagons east, in the direction of the small Roscommon village of Lecarrow about 17km west of Athlone to the home of the Roscommon and District Football League. It’s there that Westport United will be looking to put together a historic back-to-back pair of Connacht Junior Cup victories. Last years rain-sodden penalty shootout victory over Athenry in Terryland Park will go down in history as one of the great days in the famous junior club’s history, but if they manage on Sunday to bring the trophy home for the second time in as many years, they’ll be telling tales of this side for many, many years to come around the town.

The thousand or so souls who turned out in Flanagan Park in Ballinrobe on Wednesday evening will have left the south Mayo venue none the wiser as to what 2013 will hold in store for the Mayo senior footballers.

This is an event which promises to be great fun and a great culinary experience while helping four worthy charities. The charities to benefit are Console, Down Syndrome Ireland, Cancer Care West and The Galway Lions Club. The event will take place in The Salthill Hotel on Wednesday November 16. Tickets cost €50 and are available from The Salthill Hotel on 091 548808, and also from the designated charities above.

The Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Loyola Hearn visited the Midlands this week and spent some time visiting projects associated with the development agency Atlantic Corridor. The agency has links in Canada through the Ireland-Canada Chamber.

The Fahey Sales Showjumping League is poised for a most dramatic final next weekend in Claregalway.

There was good news for businesses yesterday when it was announced that Bank of Scotland Ireland has said it will lend €1 billion to consumers and businesses in 2009.