Balla 10k celebrates its twenty first birthday
Fri, Jul 26, 2013
The 21st Balla 10k takes place tomorrow, Saturday, July 27 at 7pm. This event has been organised by the same committee led by Brendan Conwell since its inception. The Balla 10k is the first of six races in the 15th Mayo AC C & C Cellular Road League. The Balla 10k has attracted hundreds of runners, joggers, and walkers to the village from all over Ireland over the past 21 years, many of them raising funds for various worthy causes in the process. The course is over a testing one lap AAI measured and permitted circuit. The start and finish line is just a few metres away from race headquarters which is located in the community centre in the middle of the village.
Read more ...Tough battle in Mayo cycling championships
Fri, Jul 26, 2013
Westport was the venue recently for the second ever Mayo Cycling Championship. The event attracted the best cyclists that Mayo has to offer with in-form riders such as Patrick Clarke from Castlebar and professional rider Charles Prendergast from Louisburgh taking their place on the starting line along with 51 other cyclists from the nine cycling clubs in Mayo.
Read more ...Casey's Call
Fri, Jul 26, 2013
What a wonderful occasion last Sunday’s Connacht finals day was in McHale Park. I arrived in Castlebar at 11am and already could feel the buzz and anticipation as many supporters were parking miles out the Charlestown road at that early hour. The day was not as sunny as expected but it was very humid and extremely energy sapping for the players, and even the well prepared Mayo players who did not have to get out of second gear were down on all fours at the end gasping for air.
It was unique to see the camera men wrestle for places where the teams arrive onto the pitch, I thought there was a mini-scuffle until I realised they wanted a good camera angle to catch the London team arriving to the field for this historic Connacht final. The majority of the huge crowd stood to applaud London’s arrival, however that was as good as it got for them. I was wondering whether my co-commentator Noel Dunning (former London manager) was serious or taking the mick when he suggested to me before we went on air that he hoped London would do it. They were completely outclassed and outplayed by a somewhat complacent Mayo team. I did mention last week Mayo would score a few from dispossessing the London defence, and in the first quarter after great tackling by Alan Dillon and Alan Freeman - Freeman coolly rounded the last defender and side footed the ball to the back of the net. Aiden O’Shea had a blinder at midfield from general play, however his radar was a little off and after one particular back pass to Rob Hennelly in the second half I am sure his ears were burning as James Horan removed his cap with annoyance and berated the ground in front of him. On a day that Mayo did not scare the lights out of any potential opponents because of their wayward passing and poor shooting resulting in 10 first half wides, they still went in comfortably at half time.
Read more ...Historic big two meet in last eight showdown
Fri, Jul 26, 2013
The draw for the quarter-finals of the Treanlaur Catering Senior Football Championships have pitted the historic big two of the game in the county against each other for a place in the semi-final. Pat Holmes’ Castlebar Mitchels’ reward for topping their group including Breaffy, Crossmolina, and Davitts is a meeting with John Healy’s Ballina Stephenites, whenever the games get around to being played. Both sides are far and away the top dogs in the role of honour in the championship with Ballina Stephenites having claimed the title on 36 previous occasions and Castlebar Mitchels winning 27 titles.
Read more ...All roads lead to Croke Park next weekend
Fri, Jul 26, 2013
In the immediate aftermath of Mayo’s win over London last Sunday, as the celebrations died down, the only thing that Alan Dillon was getting ready for was whoever comes out of the hat tomorrow night in the All Ireland quarter-final draw. “Our focus is the All Ireland series, we’ll be keeping the heads down for the next few weeks and focusing.” The Ballintubber clubman was honest in his appraisal of how his side performed on the day saying: “We made it difficult at times for ourselves, our use of the ball at some stages in the game wasn’t as clinical as it should have been. We’ve a lot to work on, it’s a short period now until the next game and it was good to see some of the lads get game time on the pitch, we’ll really put a huge effort in over the next two weeks and all roads lead to Croke Park. We let it drop for periods today, which is disappointing and when we got our chances we took the goals.”
The two-time All Star was also happy to have got another full game under his belt heading into the business end of the season. “Personally, I felt good out there today, it’s the first time since the Roscommon game that I got the lungs up to top pace and I finished out the game as well, which I was happy with. It’s good to be back, I’m getting there.”
Read more ...Three of the best from O'Connor seals it for Mayo
Sun, Jul 21, 2013
Mayo 5-11
London 0-10
Mayo drivers put the foot down in Sligo
Fri, Jul 19, 2013
Donegal driver Declan Boyle and his cousin Brian increased their stranglehold on this year's Dunlop National Rally Championship by taking their Subaru Impreza to their fourth win from five rounds on the Sligo Park Hotel Stages Rally. They were the clear winners, finishing more than a minute ahead of Niall Maguire and co-driver Enda Sherry despite the rally being shortened from nine stages to six when the extreme heat caused problems with the road surface in places.
The Moffett brothers, Sam and Josh, took the top two places in the Group N class and finished third and fourth overall, while Jonathan Pringle's Escort took fifth position and was the highest placed two-wheel-drive car home.
Read more ...Westport cycling challenge takes to the road this weekend
Fri, Jul 19, 2013
The Westport cycling challenge is bringing two days of great cycling to Mayo in two weeks time, where there is something for everyone.
Read more ...Summer 5k series comes to an end in Ballyhaunis
Fri, Jul 19, 2013
Mayo AC celebrated the end of another successful and enjoyable Summer 5k Series at Ballyhaunis on Tuesday evening with a grand after party courtesy of the facilities at Ballyhaunis rugby club. The local meet and train group led by Martin Fitzmaurice put on a well organised event, they also provided welcome sustenance with a tasty hot meal and the usual runner's popular post race delights.
Read more ...Hole in ones hit in a number of clubs last weekend
Fri, Jul 19, 2013
Balla
Last weekend’s stableford competition in the club was sponsored by Lavins Foods and Oliver Moran took home the honours in the gents section with a score of 41pts. Stephen Barrett finished in second with Fintan Barrett in third place. The ladies section win was claimed by Breege Moran on 40pts while Mary Brett finished in second place and Mary Conlon came home in third place. Noel Hoban hit a hole in one on the sixth hole in the competition, to round out a nice weekend of golf in Balla.
Last weekend’s stableford competition in the club was sponsored by Lavins Foods and Oliver Moran took home the honours in the gents section with a score of 41pts. Stephen Barrett finished in second with Fintan Barrett in third place. The ladies section win was claimed by Breege Moran on 40pts while Mary Brett finished in second place and Mary Conlon came home in third place. Noel Hoban hit a hole in one on the sixth hole in the competition, to round out a nice weekend of golf in Balla.
Read more ...Dillon is back and hungry for more
Fri, Jul 19, 2013
It was a frustrating start to the year for two-time All Star Alan Dillon, he had been sidelined by injury since the All Ireland final last year and his return to action was stop-start until his late inclusion in the starting line up in Pearse Stadium against Galway in May. It was a long hard road to recovery, but he hasn’t looked back since. “It was a rough national league and spring, but since the Galway game, I’ve got a lot of individual and group sessions in along with a couple of club championship games, it’s full steam ahead for the past few weeks.” Dillon, who made his championship debut ten seasons ago back in 2003, has been to three All Ireland senior finals, picked up two All Stars and five Connacht senior medals in his decorated senior career so far, but he is had to slow the pace down this year to ensure he is in top shape. “It’s a injury that you’d have some questions for, it’s just one of those that thankfully I’ve put to bed now. As a guy who is going in fifth gear and 100 miles an hour most of the time, it took a bit of discipline and education by myself to learn how to manage things and I’ve it now under control. It was a groin problem, it’s common enough amongst a lot of footballers, it’s about managing it. Recovery is a big thing it’s about ensuring that you do your rehab as best you can after sessions.”
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