Mayo athletes come to the fore at half marathon championships
Fri, Sep 07, 2012
There were great scenes of celebration at Athenry on Sunday as Mayo AC's National Half Marathon team had huge success winning medals in three team categories and eight individual medals. The club brought a record 31 runners to the race and 13 of them came home with medals - a great result. For once AAI came up with the results on the day and a delighted Michael McGrath was able to present most of the booty at the team's HQ.
Read more ..."It's no good winning semi-final's, it's the final we want” - Conroy
Sun, Sep 02, 2012
He was one of the last to make his way from the dressing room and throw his bag under the bus, and only a couple of years ago he might have been one of the last people that you would have expected to have been part of a Mayo side booking their place in an All Ireland final. But in the last two years Michael Conroy has worked himself not only back into the minds of the Mayo football public but back into their hearts too. He's veteran of the 2004 (where he scored 1-1 from the bench) and 2006 All Ireland finals and an All Ireland u21 winner six years ago also, yet until this year he was off the Mayo radar for a couple of years. His form and drive in captaining Davitts to last years intermediate championship in Mayo, then Connacht and then on to the the All Ireland final itself gave the Ballindine man a way back into the Mayo set up and he hasn't really looked back since.
Read more ...O'Connor and O'Shea happy with their parts in the drama
Sun, Sep 02, 2012
It is sometimes hard to remember that Cillian O'Connor is only in his second year out of minor football. Last years national young footballer of the year, stepped up in front of the Hill on Sunday and slotted free's and 45's over the bar like he was just out practicing shooting by himself in his native Ballintubber. Right from the off, O'Connor showed no sign of nerves effecting him at all when he stood up to take his first effort at a 45 early on. “Yeah, they’re not ideal, they’re not as easy as 14 yard frees but if you don’t love kicking ‘45s into the Hill on a sunny day in Croker, you’re playing the wrong game. I was excited, I couldn’t wait to get out there, I suppose they were two difficult ones but you have to want to take them and thank God they went over. I suppose they set me up then for the rest of the game, gave me a bit of confidence”
Read more ...Connacht open season at home to Cardiff tomorrow
Fri, Aug 31, 2012
After a best place finish in last season’s RaboDirect Pro 12, greater expectation surrounds Connacht Rugby’s new campaign which opens at the Galway Sportsground on Saturday (5pm). The addition of four experienced campaigners in Dan Parks, Nathan White, Danie Poolman, and Willie Faloon, allied to some up-and-coming youngsters, has ensured Connacht boasts a bigger squad than previous seasons, and coach Eric Elwood believes Connacht are in a “good place”.
Read more ...Castlebar mini rugby registration Registration
Fri, Aug 31, 2012
for the upcoming mini rugby season will take place at the clubhouse from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Thursday next September 6. All parents signing up children are asked to bring a completed registration form and the membership fee. Log on to www.castlebarrdc.com where full details on the registration form can be found. Age groups catered for are u8 (born before 2005), u9 (born before 2004), u10 (born before 2003), u11 (born before 2002), u12 (born before 2001). Further information or any queries contact Fred Flynn, mini rugby co-ordinator, on 086 8263972. Training will start on Saturday, September 8 from 10.30am to 12 noon.
Read more ...Keegan and McCann lose out to Royal duo
Fri, Aug 31, 2012
Dessie Keegan and Joe McCann’s long held dream of a senior softball title was well and truly shattered once again as the Ballaghaderreen duo had to give second best to the impressive Tom Sheridan and Brian Carroll of Meath in the senior decider at Abbeylara on Saturday last.
Read more ...Connacht Gold semi-finals take centre stage this weekend
Fri, Aug 31, 2012
With the Super League title wrapped up a couple of weeks ago and the FCS Cup also in the bag following a tight win over Ballina Town a couple of weeks ago, Westport United look to further cement their dominance in the game in Mayo by booking their place in the final of the Connacht Gold Cup on Saturday evening. Tomorrow evening’s meeting of the two sides separated by only a few miles, should have a real cup tie feel to it. Westport United will be the hot favourites, while the Clew Bay neighbours will be coming in as complete underdogs looking to upset the apple-cart. Clew Bay United this year have failed to challenge for the top spots in the Premier A (the division below Westport United) and are instead currently tied in on 10 points with three games left with Bangor Hibs and find themselves only two places off the bottom. However, bottom placed Swinford are only two points behind them and both sides have to meet again on the final day in the league. Tomorrow evening’s clash should be a forgone conclusion, but Clew Bay United will be relishing the chance to put their league problems behind them and go out and have a go at the best in the county.
Read more ...Large Mayo field in national half marathon
Fri, Aug 31, 2012
The national half marathon takes place next Sunday, September 2 at Athenry at 1pm. Mayo AC will have 38 athletes in the field competing in all categories as individuals and teams. This represents their largest team ever at a national championships. All Mayo AC team members are asked to be at Race HQ in the Presentation College beside the arch at Athenry by 11.30am to enable team declaration and registration. Members not running are encouraged to go along in support.
Read more ...Ten reasons why we can win on Sunday and ten for us to worry about
Fri, Aug 31, 2012
I think Mayo have a great chance of beating the Dubs on Sunday. Luke Dempsey called earlier in the week to discuss Mayo’s chances. He too believes Mayo will win. He suggested that the Dubs need twice as much possession as most teams to manage a victory. He believes many of their players are lacking in some of the fundamental skills of the game. I too have suggested that many of the Dublin footballers appear to be manufactured footballers, ie, many are not naturally talented. Of course they are much better than the three teams we have played in this year’s campaign so far, but are the Dubs that good? I do not think so.
Read more ...Dublin to have too much for Mayo
Fri, Aug 31, 2012
Having watched Donegal in the flesh last weekend in their awe-inspiring victory over Cork, it is difficult to see either Mayo or Dublin stopping them taking Sam back to the hills for the first time in 20 years.
Their second-half performance and the displays of Karl Lacey, Neil Gallagher, Frank McGlynn and Mark McHugh were stunning. Their conditioning and fitness was sensationally high. Has there ever been a fitter team in Gaelic football?
Read more ...Metropolitans stand in Mayo’s way
Fri, Aug 31, 2012
It has taken a little over 210 minutes of championship football to get here. Leitrim, Sligo and Down all stood in the way, but were not up to the challenge. On Sunday things get very real, but this is what Mayo have been preparing for ever since the final whistle blew in the same venue in last year’s All Ireland semi-final against Kerry. They are back to where they want to be, their fourth championship game in a five game series they hope will end in victory and a place in the All Ireland final for the first time in six years and another crack at bringing Sam Maguire back to Mayo. But that is another battle to be fought at a later date, and all that will be on Mayo minds on Sunday is the game ahead of them.
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