Search Results for 'Ray Connelly'

The dust has just about settled on the group stages of the Mayo championship and there is never a weekend that goes by that you are not intrigued or partly shocked by some of the results. I’m not quite the expert tipster I thought I was- our east Mayo friends in Aughamore let me down (Jimmy Killeen- the lethal Garrymore forward bagging himself eight points) along with Tomas Tierney’s Westport who failed to deliver on their promising victory in Tourmakeady.

Fresh off the back of their trouncing of Roscommon last Sunday, the best that Mayo have will be back in the colours of their clubs as round two of the Mayo senior and intermediate championships take centre stage this weekend.

The third round of the Breaffy House Senior Football League will take place across the top divisions of the league this weekend. At the top of division 1a after two rounds, Ballina Stephenites, Davitts, and Breaffy are all locked at the top with the maximum four points each after the two opening games. One of Breaffy or Ballina will lose their 100 per cent record this weekend when the sides meet in James Stephens Park on Sunday at 3.30pm. Last weekend Breaffy made it two from two against their neighbours with a come from behind win against Ballintubber at home. Tommy O’Reilly’s goal with a minute left in normal time was the critical score bringing his side back into the game, with fellow sub Liam Irwin levelling the game shortly after, before Alan Durcan won the game with a late, late free. The other talking point in the game was the return to action of Alan Dillon who came on as first half sub for Ballintubber and he will continue his return to full fitness this weekend against Charlestown.

Both Breaffy and Ballina will do it again on Saturday evening as both sides battle it out for the last remaining place in this year’s Treanlaur Catering Mayo Senior Football Championship semi-finals. The sides finished level in McHale Park last Saturday evening thanks to a late equalising point from Breaffy wing-forward Matthew Conroy. Ballina looked to have the game theirs for the taking on a couple of occasions in both the first and second halves when they opened out big leads. But Breaffy pulled the Stephenites back in on both occasions to leave the game level at 1-11 to 0-14 at the end. Mayo minor Evan Regan was the main man for the north Mayo side, scoring 1-6 over the hour and caused the Breaffy defence a number of problems. Jim O’Shea and his management team will have been thinking hard all week what is the best way to counteract Regan’s threat tomorrow.

Everyone is still recovering from the great escape in Ruislip last Sunday, when Mayo were put to the pin of their collar by London in the Connacht Senior Championship. This Friday offers a welcome distraction in the form of the Connacht Junior Championship final in Charlestown which will throw in at 7.30pm. This evening’s game will offer Mayo the chance to dethrone the current All Ireland champions from the Yeats County, who will be under the guidance once again of their senior inter-county manager Kevin Walsh. Mayo for their part have John Kelly running the line for them, with Ray Connelly, Jarlath Cunningham and Vinny Gavin also on sideline duties. In the quarter final Mayo saw off the challenge of a tough Leitrim side after Mickey Moran’s side pushed into an early lead, while in the last four of the competition Roscommon were defeated in Ballyhaunis.

The last four teams left standing in the Claregalway Hotel Senior Football Championship take centre stage this Sunday in an attractive double header at Tuam stadium.

Barna had a splendid and well-deserved 1-13 to 2-07 victory over Annaghdown last Saturday evening in Pearse Stadium.

Of the four championship games that I saw last weekend the best game by far with the best standard of football and fitness from both teams was Tuam Stars against Micheal Beathnach’s.