Search Results for 'Mayo Super League'

The last Mayo League side standing the Connacht Junior Cup will be looking to take a big scalp when they head to Galway on Sunday afternoon. Iorras Aontaithe will take on Mervue United in the quarter-final stages of the competition and look to do what fellow Super League side Ballyheane were unable to do in the last round, knock out the Galway city outfit. Mervue are currently sitting in second place in the Premier Division in Galway, five points behind leaders Athenry, with one game left to go in the league and are one of five Galway sides to make the last eight of the Connacht Junior Cup.

It is back to action after the winter break for most of the teams in the Mayo League with a full round of fixtures in the third round of the Connacht Cup down for decision this Sunday. There are 16 Mayo sides still in contention in the cup proper with five sides in the shield competition.

“It’s a long way to Tipperary” the song goes and on Sunday, Iorras Aontaithe will find out just how long that trek is when they make their way to Celtic Park in Clonmel to take on Clonmel Town at 1pm. The Tipperary side booked their place in the fifth round of the competition thanks to a 4-0 win over north Tipperary outfit Borrisokane. Aidan McGrath scored their first and fourth goals that day, with David McGrath and Tony Scully both finding the net also. In the third round they saw off Two Mile Borris 5-0, with Rosgreen Rangers beaten 4-1 in the second round. Clonmel Town are currently seven games into their Tipperary Southern and District League Premier Division campaign and they have picked up four wins, two draws, and one defeat so far, scoring 24 goals in the process. Barry Ryan, Tony Scully, and Dwayne Burns have all been finding the back of the net with regularity for Clonmel Town this season.

Sligo Rovers are expected to bring a strong squad with them to Westport on Saturday evening when they play Westport United in a special challenge match to mark Westport United’s recent victory in the Connacht Cup. Both teams are currently in the middle of a mid-season break, to accommodate the 2012 European Championships, and this game is being viewed in both camps as ideal preparation for the second half of the season.

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.

Castlebar Celtic will be hoping to cut their nearest challengers off at the pass on Sunday evening as the Mayo Super League season comes up near its midway point for the year. Declan Kilkelly’s charges go into their sixth game with four wins out of five so far on Sunday. Their nearest challengers are Super League newboys Claremorris who are hot on their heels, only one point behind the leaders. Celtic dropped two points when they drew with Swinford in round two, while Claremorris’s only blotch on their copy book so far came when they lost by the odd goal in five to Manulla in the same round.

Iorras Aontaithe stayed top of the Mayo Super League last weekend after they came from two goals down to beat Snugboro United in Carne last weekend, while champions Ballina Town were surprisingly overturned by Castlebar Celtic in Celtic Park. Iorras have a 100 per cent record from their six games so far and are now four points clear of Ballina and have a game in hand. But they had to do it the hard way last weekend; Sean Curry put the visitors one up earlier on and they doubled their lead shortly after when David Colleran headed home their second.

Ballina Town's defence of their Mayo Super League title took another blow on Saturday night when they slipped to their first defeat of the season after they were surprisingly overturned by Castlebar Celtic in Celtic Park. It's the third time in as many games that Brendan Kenny's side have failed to register a win and Iorras Aontaithe didn't let the chance to open up a gap a the top slip in Carne. Despite trailing to bottom of the table Snugboro United, Michael S Togher's men dug out a hard fought 3-2 win to leave them four points clear at the top with maximum points from their six games. Westport United now only trial Ballina by a single point and have two games in hand on the champions thanks to a 2-1 win over Straide and Foxford United in the Sportspark on Sunday. Ballyheane did their chances of survival this season a big boost on Saturday evening with a 2-0 win over Fahy Rovers in Quigley Park. Swinford's good start to the season continued when they beat a struggling Manulla side 3-1 on Saturday night to leave them in fourth place in the table.

Ballina Town will be looking to pick themselves up from last weekends defeat at the hands of Ballinasloe Town in the Connacht Cup fourth round at home this Sunday where they have a place in the FAI Junior Cup seventh round at stake. Standing in their way in Beleek are Shangan Athletic from Dublin who overcame the challenge of Straide and Foxford United in the last round of the competition. Ballina came from three goals down before half time last weekend to pull the game back to 3-2 but were not able to find that third goal they needed to force the game level. Mick Duffy and Daniel O’Hara were on the scoreboard for Brendan Kenny’s men and Duffy in particular will be looked for to spearhead their attack on Sunday against the side from Ballymun. Ballina booked their place in this round of the competition thanks to a comprehensive win over Cashel Celtic in the fifth round with Brendan Lavelle scoring a hat trick, the aforementioned Duffy a brace, and Ross Kenny getting himself on the scoreboard before the end of their trouncing of Cashel Celtic. Shanagan Athletic used their home advantage to see of Straide and Foxford United in the last round by 3-1, they went one up before Straide and Foxford levelled through, Chris Downey on the half hour. But the Dublin outfit had enough class to see off the Mayo men to book their date with Ballina.

It’s back to the day job in the Mayo Super League this weekend, and with four games to go Ballina Town sit three points clear at the top of the table. Brendan Kenny’s side have a very winnable game this weekend when they make the short trip to Green Road to take on a Straide and Foxford United side who are bouncing around in the bottom two of the league. After last year’s highs of a cup double and claiming the Premier Division title the Green Road side have struggled to make an impact in the Super League. But with their survival at stake they will put it up to Ballina on Sunday, but the visitors’ desire and greater need should see them through.