Tough conditions for bog week cycle

Fri, May 27, 2011

Strong winds and heavy rain made the going really tough in Tully Cross for the first Bog Week two-day stage race. JJ Flaherty of Western Lakes CC was the race director for the weekend. A smaller than usual turnout from the Connacht cycling clubs didn't dampen the racing even if the rain did.

Horan shuffles the deck as half a dozen make debut

Fri, May 27, 2011

Mayo manager James Horan has named six players who will make their championship debut on Sunday in London. The game against the exiles will be Horan’s maiden championship contest in the Bainisteoir’s bib. The half dozen who will make their first championship starts are Robert Hennelly in goal, full back Alan Feeney, and his brother Richie Feeney at wing back. The midfield pairing of Jason Gibbons and James Kilcullen will also be making their first championship start, while Jason Doherty, whose goal-getting ability lit up Mayo’s National Football League campaign, has unsurprisingly been given the number 15 shirt for the championship opener.

From Mayo to London, via Toronto

Fri, May 27, 2011

“I’ll be supporting London, which will be strange because normally I’d be backing Mayo.” London GAA PRO Yvonne Morley is steeped in the tradition of Mayo GAA, despite being born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Her parents John and Kathleen Morley are from Knock and Claremorris respectively and will be making the trip to Ruislip on Sunday to support the green and red, while Yvonne will be squarely behind the exiles’ charge to knock Mayo out of the Connacht Championship. “They’re making the trip to the game, my dad is a football fanatic and was massively involved in the GAA in Toronto and we used to make the trip to New York for the game over there when Mayo came over, but I’ll have to be supporting London this time around.”

Strategic plan passes, but steering committee goes in a different direction

Fri, May 20, 2011

On Wednesday night the revised Mayo GAA Strategic Plan was passed at a county board meeting bringing to an end a messy week inside of Mayo GAA. On Monday morning the Mayo GAA Strategic Action Plan committee, who had been brought in last year to steer the direction of the plan, released a statement disassociating themselves from the draft plan published by the county board which was passed on Wednesday night. The committee, which was chaired by Liam Horan, produced their report last February and it has been a hot topic of debate ever since in Mayo GAA circles.

Interfims and society competition in Ballina this weekend

Fri, May 20, 2011

Balla
In the men’s competition sponsored by Roche’s, Balla, last weekend, Richard Murphy was the winner with a score of 52. He finished three ahead of PJ Brett in second place with Bob Leggett taking third spot. In the ladies’ competition Mary Conlon was the winner finishing with a score of 51. She was closely followed by Catherine McNulty and Mary Brett. The gross prize winner on the day was Dermot McMahon with a score of 64. With two rounds of the golfer of the year competition gone, Richard Murphy leads the gents’ section with Aine McDonald out in front in the ladies’. The next club presentation night will take place on Friday week, May 27 in Mannions Bar, Balla, at 9.30pm all prize winners are asked to attend.

Lap of the Mask a big success

Fri, May 20, 2011

A large group of leisure cyclists took on the 64k lap around Lough Mask last Saturday. This was the fifth annual running of Western Lakes Cycling Club’s Lap of the Mask, which raised funds for the Cystic Fibrosis West Building Fund.

Croagh Patrick world record climb attempt

Fri, May 20, 2011

Friday July 1 could be remembered as the day Croagh Patrick broke all records. A group of hardy souls have been in training for the past four months and are now ready to set a few records straight. The group aim to climb up and down the mountain 12 times with three objectives in mind. The first is a Guinness World record attempt for the highest metres ascended and descended in a 24 hour period. The second is to break the national record of nine climbs on the holy mountain in one day, and thirdly to climb more metres than Everest, and go beyond the endurance required climbing the highest mountain in the world, and to achieve it without leaving the country.

The current World record stands at 17,011.5 vertical ascent/descent metres (55,812.01 feet) the aim of the group is to climb the mountain 12 times. Each lap of the climb up is 764m and down, 1,530m total metres climbed and descended. After 12 climbs this will amount to 18,360m (60,240ft).

All eyes on Carramore this weekend

Fri, May 20, 2011

The Carramore race is a traditional 10k race ran over a fast flat rural one lap course. The Carramore 10k has been organised by Christy Heneghan and his local committee for the past 10 years or so. There is also a four mile walk over a separate course. Both events start at 6pm on Saturday May 21 and both are in support of Mayo Roscommon Hospice. This is the second race in the 2011 Mayo AC Road Race League. Gerry Ryan, John Byrne, and Robert Malseed are previous Carramore 10k winners and Catherine Conway, Mary Gleeson, and Regina Casey have won the women's race.

Slow start to the championship, but better days are coming

Fri, May 20, 2011

I walked into Maughan’s bar last Sunday evening in Crossmolina and noticed that the Donegal v Antrim Ulster Championship match was still on. It was showing on the big screen, but to be honest it was a match that would have been more appropriate for a small black and white monitor such was the poor quality of football. Maybe it is too early in the year? I am not sure what the reason is, but it was awful stuff. I turned away after a few minutes of watching for no other reason than the fact that I lost complete interest in it. From what I could see there weren’t too many other patrons that interested either. Maybe people are not quite into championship mode yet.

Sports Shorts

Fri, May 20, 2011

Ballina Braves AGM
The AGM of Ballina Braves Basketball Club will be held in the Sean Duffy Community Centre, Ardnaree, on Monday, May 30 at 9pm. All interested in the future of Ballina basketball are asked to attend including players, parents and supporters. Items for decision include the question of participation in the senior National League for the forthcoming season as well as competition for under age players.

Steering committee disassociates itself from final GAA strategic review

Mon, May 16, 2011

The steering committee set up to draft the Strategic Action Plan for Mayo GAA have disassociated themselves from the final draft plan which was released by the County Board this week. In a strongly worded statement from the steering committee chairman, Liam Horan, released on Monday, May 16 the committee hit out at the official draft plan. He said: “The final plan now produced ticks a box, but does no more than that. Somewhere, an entry can now be made: ‘Yes, Mayo now has a strategic plan.’ But it is a dry document without any soul or heart.

Ballintubber to host last challenge before championship

Fri, May 13, 2011

It’s a sort of homecoming on Saturday evening for Mayo manager James Horan and his captain Alan Dillon. Mayo will take on Offaly in their last challenge game ahead of the championship throw in on Sunday fortnight in Ruislip against London. The challenge game has been organised to mark the official opening of the new €1 million development by Ballintubber GAA Club which has redeveloped the pitch and installed an Astroturf pitch along with redevelopment of the resource centre. Mayo will face down against Offaly at 5pm, and the game will be proceeded by the Horan Cup final between Ballintubber and Kilcock from Kildare at 2pm. An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, is expected to be on hand to perform the official opening at 4pm.

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