Cup action takes over this weekend
Fri, Jul 20, 2012
Bar three catch up games that took place last night after this paper went to print, it’s all about knock-out cup and shield action this weekend in Mayo — the Connacht Gold Cup and Shield to be precise. The catch up games that took place last night included what potentially looked like a cracker of a game between Claremorris and Castlebar Celtic in Concannon Park in the Super League. The game is one of two that Celtic have in hand over league leaders Westport United who they are trying to chase down — and if they manage to pick up wins in both they will close the gap at the top to seven points.
Read more ...Coyle returns to Castlebar to defend his world title
Fri, Jul 13, 2012
Henry ‘The Western Warrior’ Coyle this week announced his return to the ring in the Royal Theatre, Castlebar, next month where he will defend his WBF Light Middleweight title against Marcelo Alejandro Rodriguez from Argentina. The details of Coyle’s first defence of the title he won in the same venue, when he stopped Italian Elio Cotena, were announced in a press conference in Elvery’s McHale Park, Castlebar, last Monday. Coyle had flown in from his training base in Chicago to announce the fight. Sitting at the top table he was flanked on either side by his father, Gerry Coyle, and his promoter, Brian Peters, who is once again bringing another night of top class professional boxing to Mayo. Peters even revealed in the conference that Coyle’s fight on August 17 would be the first professional card of boxing in Ireland this year.
Read more ...Big performances in Achill Half Marathon
Fri, Jul 13, 2012
The Achill Half Marathon took place in breezy conditions with more than 1,000 finishers. The excitement was tangible and Keel was awash with colour and crowds last Saturday. Congratulations go to Michael Shannon, who set a new course record at 1 hour, 11 minutes, 56 seconds in breezy conditions. The first woman to cross the finish line, and this was not her first win in Achill, was Fionnuala Doherty in 1 hour, 29 minutes, 43 seconds.
Read more ...Tee times for insomniacs this Saturday morning in Westport
Fri, Jul 13, 2012
Balla
Breege Moran was the winner of the lady captain’s prize in Balla last weekend with a score of 111 in total. She was followed home in second place by Mary B O’Donnell who finished on a total of 112, with Geraldine O’Malley third on 132. The gross prize was won by Maria Flanagan who scored 132 over the competition. Mary Conlon was fourth, with Carmel Henry fifth, Imelda Flatley sixth, and Breege Jennings seventh. The first 18 prize went to Geraldine Evans with 56 and Helen Carey won the second 18 prize also with 56. The men’s competition was won by Dermot MacMahon with a score of 54pts, Padraic Cuffe took second place, with Joe Healy taking third, Frank Larkin fourth, and Mike Neary fifth. The gross went to John Parsons.
Mortimer’s decision “did not take me by surprise”
Fri, Jul 13, 2012
The big news of Conor Mortimer’s withdrawal from the Mayo squad earlier this week did not take me by surprise.
Read more ...Duffy’s minors look to dethrone champions
Fri, Jul 13, 2012
Tony Duffy is in his third year as Mayo minor manager and on Sunday he’s looking for his latest batch of minors to pick up a second provincial crown in those three years. This year Mayo will have to do it the hard way by going to the their opponents backyard to win the title.
Read more ...Mort bows out before the century
Fri, Jul 13, 2012
On Wednesday the Mayo GAA rumour mill was at full steam with talk that Conor Mortimer had decided to leave the Mayo senior panel, only a matter of days before Sunday’s Connacht Final. The former Shrule-Glencorrib man, who along with being Mayo’s all time leading scorers, has been one of the most colourful and charismatic players to every wear the green and red for Mayo.
Read more ...Mayo need to keep their eye on the prize
Fri, Jul 13, 2012
The distraction of Wednesday’s news that Conor Mortimer has decided to leave the Mayo senior panel is the last thing that Mayo manager James Horan will have wanted ahead of Sunday’s Connacht final showdown with Sligo in Hyde Park. Horan’s side had only just been announced by the county board online and through traditional methods a matter of hours when news broke of Mortimer’s decision to leave the panel, bringing the eye of the national and local media on Mayo ahead of Sunday for reasons other than what happens on the field. Mortimer being the second member of the panel to make themselves unavailable for Mayo in a matter of weeks, following Robert Hennelly’s decision leave the panel due to work commitments a few weeks ago.
Read more ...Mayo sides get ready for Féile and Connacht competitions
Fri, Jul 06, 2012
The National u14 Feile na nGael championships this year will see two hurling sides from Mayo taking part in Dublin from July 5 to 7. Tooreen will represent Mayo in division four, as they are hosted by the Naomh Mearnog Club in Portmarnock. The side are also grouped with Tomas Davis in Tallaght and Dungannon (Tyrone). The Tooreen side go to the festival in high hopes of progressing out of their group, with one eye also on the division four final in Croke Park. Tooreen’s last national title was in 2004, as they overcame Middletown of Armagh in the division three final in Navan to claim the Michael Cusack Trophy. Many of that Feile na nGael winning side are now members of the Tooreen and Mayo Senior Hurling teams.
Read more ...Action on the sideline as intriguing as the game itself
Fri, Jul 06, 2012
Having been involved in team management for so long, I find myself drawn towards the action on the sideline as well as the football game itself. I am intrigued by the body language and the general dynamics of the managers who patrol the sidelines.
Read more ...Funding distributed to 41 sports and recreation groups by Mayo Sports Partnership
Fri, Jul 06, 2012
At a recent Mayo Sports Partnership Board meeting almost €18,000 was allocated to 41 clubs / organisations in Mayo through both the Partnerships 2012 special participation and Bike Week grant schemes. In announcing the funding chairman of the Sports Partnership Cllr Henry Kenny complimented the work being done on the ground by many volunteers in tough times. “Volunteers are the lifeblood of sport across this county and I would like to put on the record our appreciation for all their hard work. While amounts in this funding scheme are not huge, it’s amazing what can be done with little resources.” The aim of the Sports Partnership is to increase participation in sport / physical activity and it is envisaged that all projects will help to do just that particularly in disadvantaged sectors of the population. This year the Partnership was able to distribute €5,000, through funding from the Department of Transport, for recreational Bike Week events which took place from the 16th – 24th June.
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