Action turns to divisional cups this weekend

Fri, May 10, 2013

With two rounds of the league under their belts, the action across the all divisions of the Mayo League this weekend turns towards the divisional cups. Last weekend’s only game in the Super League was the round one catch-up game between Westport United and Ballyheane in Westport. The visitors were the ones who went home happiest, having secured a 2-2 draw after coming from one down to go into a 2-1 lead thanks to goals from Alan Tuffy and Arek Tobiasz in the 71st and 78th minute of the contest. But Westport levelled it up near the end thanks to a Darren Browne strike. Ballyheane, who have always been a notoriously tough opponent for the Coveys have two points on the board from their opening two games after last weekend’s draw and their draw in round one against Iorras Aontaithe. It’s the sort of good start to the season that the Quigley Park outfit will have been dreaming about. For Westport it’s a dent to their defence of the title, but with the Connacht Junior Cup final coming up the scare given to them by Ballyheane will have been a timely reminder that nothing comes too easy in this game. Last weekend’s game leaves Ballina Town on top of the table with six points, on goal difference from Manulla who also have two wins under their belt, while Westport United sit in third place on four points.

Duffy survives last minute scare to win on Argentine debut

Fri, May 10, 2013

Killian Duffy and Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari were fastest on eight of the 10 stages and took a commanding lead of over 10 minutes into Saturday’s final leg of the WRC 2 category of Rally Argentina. With such an advantage over the rest of the field, the biggest challenge facing the pair was avoiding the hazards that had caught out so many of their WRC 2 rivals.

Mayo footballers go head to head at Polkadot cycle challenge tomorrow

Fri, May 10, 2013

Four well-known local footballers are on their bikes training for Western Lakes CC promotion of the Polkadot cycle Challenge. Pat Kelly and Brian Maloney from Kilmaine, Ciaran Kelly from Sligo Rovers and Padraic Costello from Ballinrobe will challenge each other on the cycle. The hill to the top of the Partry mountains known as Maam Trasna mountain will be the battle ground and the aim is to see which of these gifted footballers/soccer players has retained enough fitness to conquer the stiff climb.

Mayo Centra sponsors Western Lakes CC for Rás bid

Fri, May 10, 2013

For the second year running Mayo Centra will enter a team in the An Post 8 day Rás; this year the riders are all members from the Western Lakes Cycling Club. The five-man squad consists of a mixture of highly experienced cyclists and late vocations to the sport, which epitomises the focus on rider development at the Ballinrobe-based club. The racing group at the club is going from strength to strength with a record number of racers registered in 2013, making for fierce competition on training spins as well as hard-fought club league races.

The Magnificent 14 bring home national titles to Mayo

Fri, May 10, 2013

The national female championships for 11-year-old to 16-year-old boxers were held in the National Stadium last Friday and Saturday with a fantastic total 24 Mayo boxers weighing in for the championships. On Friday evening it was the girl one and girl two boxers that stepped into the ring and Mayo girls won seven out of the ten contests they were involved in.

Megan Sweeny (St Anne’s) got things going in the girl one 27kg event, seeing off her opponent 13/8 over the three rounds. In the process picking up the eighth title of the year for her club.

It’s not how fast you get there, but how much fun you have on the way!

Fri, May 10, 2013

Westport Triathlon Club is hosting the Westport Triathlon on Saturday, June 15. This spectacular route has become one of the most popular triathlon courses for newcomers and experienced triathletes alike. The sport of triathlon is growing rapidly in Ireland and is no longer deemed to be for just the elite or super fit athletes. Race director Anthony Chappat says: “This distance is a perfect introduction to triathlon and Westport is the perfect location for such a race. We think we have found an ideal course and expect our race will grow significantly in future years to come.”

Emotions on hold as Elwood bids farewell after twenty-four years

Fri, May 03, 2013

Connacht close their 2012/13 season this evening in what is expected to an emotional farewell to the province’s most significant personality of the last 24 years, coach Eric Elwood.

Two dozen Mayo girls in national finals

Fri, May 03, 2013

A squad of 24 female boxers from 10 clubs in Mayo will attempt to add additional titles to the 18 national titles won by various boxers from the county so far this season. The action will commence this evening (Friday) continuing tomorrow in the National Stadium in Dublin. Geesala BC will have the biggest contingent with six boxers in the finals. Golden Gloves and St Anne’s each has four boxers in the finals, with Castlebar sending forward three, Ballinrobe two, and one each from Ardagh/Crossmolina, Swinford, Ballyhaunis, Ballina, and Knockmore.

Achill Half Marathon launched

Fri, May 03, 2013

The popular Achill Half Marathon, with a new 10K race added for 2013, was officially launched last Friday April 26, in Pieta House, Dublin. “Pieta House is our charity partner for this year,” explained Pauric Corrigan of Achill Events Management, the organisers of the event “and we are delighted to be able to raise awareness of the vital service the voluntary organisation provides for its clients.”

Bank holiday competitions to take centre stage

Fri, May 03, 2013

Balla
Last weekend’s stroke play competition was won by PJ Brett on a score of 53pts, Bernie O’Connor finished second two points behind and in the process scored a hole-in-one on the 17th. Jimmy Walsh took third place with Conor Holian winning the junior prize scoring 54pts. The ladies’ competition was won by Mary B Prendergast on 52pts, Breege Moran finished in second place on 54pts, Mary B O’Donnell took third spot with Carmel Costello claiming the gross win. The golfer of the year table is currently being lead by Aodan McSuibhnie on 19pts in the gents’ section, with Mary B O’Donnell heading up the ladies’ table.

Keane looking forward to holding Galway at bay

Fri, May 03, 2013

Five years ago, Kevin Keane was looking forward to hopefully a long summer of minor football in the green and red of Mayo. That summer brought him all the way to Croke Park on All Ireland final day and ultimately a heartbreaking defeat to Tyrone in a final replay in Longford. Since then Keane has worked his way though the ranks of the u21s and up to a starting spot in the senior final against Donegal last September. The Westport native and Sligo IT student was in McHale Park this week to launch this year’s Electric Ireland All Ireland minor championships, and he puts what he learned playing in the minor championship five years ago as one of the major reasons he is where he is today in the game. “Back in 2008, it was a great honour to represent your county first and foremost and then to go on to where we got, was just amazing. It was a huge stepping stone looking back on it now, getting to represent Mayo as a senior footballer. It was a great level to learn your trade as a footballer, which is what it’s all about really in developing you as a footballer. I was lucky enough to win a Connacht title and get to an All Ireland final in Croke Park, which at 18 years of age is one of the most amazing things you can ever do as a footballer, especially when you’re only 18.”

Ballina and Westport lay down big markers

Fri, May 03, 2013

There might be only two rounds completed in the Mayo League, but both Ballina Town and Westport United laid down serious markers of their intentions for the season. While Westport have been pressing success on a number of fronts over the winter Ballina were left to plot for the new season. Ballina Town backed up their tight win over Castlebar Celtic in round one with a 9-1 demolition of Snugboro United in Conway Park last weekend. John Durkan bagged a hat-trick as Ballina Town put the newly promoted side to the sword and did their own goal difference no harm in the process. It was never likely that anyone was going to come close to the nine goal haul Ballina put on the scoreboard, but Westport United gave it a good go as they beat Claremorris 6-0 in Concannon Park in Claremorris. J P O’Gorman scored half of his side’s total as they hit the whole half-dozen from the 27th minute to the 70th of this one sided contest. Westport will play their second league of the season this weekend when they take on Ballyheane in the Sportspark tomorrow at 6.30pm in a catch up game. The men from outside Castlebar got their league campaign off to a start last weekend with a 1-1 draw away to Iorras Aontaithe in Carnenash, thanks to an injury time equaliser from Arek Tobiasz after David Reilly had put the home side into the lead on the hour mark from the penalty spot.

The other game in the top division last weekend saw Castlebar Celtic’s title ambitions take another massive hit when Manulla made the short trip into Celtic Park and went home with the points following a 3-2 win. The home side went into a first minute lead when Ioseph O’Reilly scored from close range. Manulla levelled the game up when Paddy Canavan finished from close range following a scramble in the box three minutes later to get the game off to a blistering start. Ollie Cunningham’s drive from the edge of the area put Celtic into the lead, but three minutes later Gary Durkan put the sides level again. That was the way it remained until injury time when Canavan headed home from close range to give Manulla a 3-2 win and send them home with the points.

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