Search Results for 'Barry Kelly'

Mayo 0-12

While they might not have the glamour of the championship or the expectation of the national league, Mayo and Galway games are always somthing to savour. And only a fortnight after they came together in the opening round of the league, Mayo and Galway will lock horns again on Sunday afternoon in McHale Park in the final of the FBD League with the prize of an away final against New York later in the year in the offing. Galway will be gunning for Mayo after they were comprehensively beaten in the league opener. Mayo picked up their second win of the campaign last weekend with a 1-12 to 1-11 win over Tyrone in Healy Park. Mayo hung on to come out on top by the most slender of margins, after hitting six points without reply to put them four points up midway through the second half, before the homeside rallied in the final 10 minutes to cut the gap to one as time ticked down. Mark Ronaldson had his scoring boots on again as he continued to carry on the good form he has shown since the turn of the year, bagging 1-6 last Sunday, with four of his points coming from play. Donal Vaughan was another who impressed over the course of the game as the young Ballinrobe man continues to develop well in the early stages of his inter-county career. John O’Mahony also used last weeks game to give a number of players some game time off the bench, with Barry Kelly, Kieran Conroy, Neil Douglas, and Mikey Sweeney all getting their first game time of the national league this term.

While they might not have the glamour of the championship or the expectation of the national league, Mayo and Galway games are always somthing to savour. And only a fortnight after they came together in the opening round of the league, Mayo and Galway will lock horns again on Sunday afternoon in McHale Park in the final of the FBD League with the prize of an away final against New York later in the year in the offing. Galway will be gunning for Mayo after they were comprehensively beaten in the league opener. Mayo picked up their second win of the campaign last weekend with a 1-12 to 1-11 win over Tyrone in Healy Park. Mayo hung on to come out on top by the most slender of margins, after hitting six points without reply to put them four points up midway through the second half, before the homeside rallied in the final 10 minutes to cut the gap to one as time ticked down. Mark Ronaldson had his scoring boots on again as he continued to carry on the good form he has shown since the turn of the year, bagging 1-6 last Sunday, with four of his points coming from play. Donal Vaughan was another who impressed over the course of the game as the young Ballinrobe man continues to develop well in the early stages of his inter-county career. John O’Mahony also used last weeks game to give a number of players some game time off the bench, with Barry Kelly, Kieran Conroy, Neil Douglas, and Mikey Sweeney all getting their first game time of the national league this term.

Ever since Joe McQuillian blew his final whistle in Croke Park last August and brought Mayo’s 2009 season to a shuddering end at the hands of Meath, all minds have been set firmly on the start of the national league and Mayo’s next crack at an All-Ireland run. The FBD league has run its course to a final spot against Galway at the end of the month, but Sunday’s game against the old enemy is where it all really begins again. While the lights may have been extinguished on this fixture by planning issues, there should still be plenty of fireworks on the field when the sides go head to head on Sunday in a game where both sides have a lot of questions to answer about each other.

The next two weekends of action for the Mayo senior footballers have a more challenging and appealing look to them than the previous two weekends fare against the students from Galway and Sligo. Games against Roscommon this Sunday, and Galway the following week, in the opening round of the national league is the early season competition for which Mayo supporters have been waiting.

Since my last column two weeks ago, Tipp have reclaimed the Munster title after a solid performance against Clare in the final. They, like Kilkenny, can sit back and watch the remaining contenders battle it out for the remaining two semi-final spots.

“Ara shut up ya auld teapot” the young voice shouted down at the older man sitting next to me last Sunday. The older man and his wife were at McHale Park supporting Killala and had earlier remonstrated with the crowd of Neale supporters behind them. The Neale boys were beginning to realise that the game was slipping away from them and I can understand why they were getting a little frustrated. In such a scenario every refereeing decision can be criticised and this time was no different. Every time a Killala player went to ground the ref was derided and goaded by the boys, very often in not too flowery tones! The craic was good and, in a selfish way, I was kind of enjoying the exchange of words. For a start I had never heard anyone referred to as a “teapot” before! Despite The Neale throwing the kitchen sink at Killala in the final quarter Killala held out for the victory that had the man beside me delirious with excitement. He let a roar out of him at the final whistle that, mostly, was an expression of great satisfaction at seeing his team win, but, also a sign of the none-too-little pleasure he took in giving the figurative two-finger salute to the young cubs behind him! He was having the last laugh today. His wife was also beaming from ear to ear after the final whistle and it was a joy to witness both taking flight onto the McHale Park pitch to embrace neighbours’ children who had guaranteed a night or two of fun for all in the town of Killala. I am sure there was no place under heaven as good as Killala last Sunday night or indeed Monday as I hear the celebrations continued for a day or two!

The time to make amends for disappointments in the past is fast approaching for both Charlestown and Ballaghaderreen. This year’s TF Royal Theatre senior football championship final pits the losing finalists from the 2006 and 2007 final together in Sunday’s showdown for the Moclair Cup. Ballaghaderreen booked their place in the final two last Sunday thanks to a 3-7 to 0-10 win over Crossmolina, the side who denied them twice at the death in the 2006 final (the game went to a replay). After shaking the Deel Rovers monkey off their back with thanks to a three-goal salvo at the three-quarter mark, they have their eyes set on another border side.

I only got to see one game last weekend and that was the much anticipated replay between Ballaghadereen and Ballintubber on Sunday. The previous encounter was a right rip-roaring clash with Ballintubber denied a famous victory when Andy Moran scored a goal for Ballaghadereen almost at the death, to put his team in front with time almost up. Ballintubber did manage an equaliser deep into injury time and set up the opportunity to witness these two do battle again. The weather was perfect for football and I was really looking forward to a good game. I parked myself with a few of the Crossmolina boys, who were there keeping an eye on proceedings, as they play the winners this Sunday. No note taking required by these boys as Liam Moffett, the Crossmolina manager, was videoing the game from behind us, obviously for closer scrutiny later in the week in his effort to try and orchestrate another county title for the Deel Rovers. Sadly the game never really caught fire and once Ballaghadereen started getting ball into their forwards there was never going to be anything other than a decisive victory for the boys from the east. Andy Moran, who was having a really quiet championship campaign up until last weekend, played like an inter-county footballer and proved to be a right handful for the three defenders who tried to curtail his scoring threat. Andy has perfected the knack of shoving off his marker with his hand and demonstrated this tactic several times throughout Sunday’s encounter.

Castledaly 0-10