Mayo sides in FAI Junior Cup showdowns

Fri, Dec 02, 2016

Two of the three Mayo sides in FAI Junior Cup action have home advantage this weekend in the fifth round of the FAI Junior Cup, with just Super League champions Westport United hitting the road to take on Swords based outfit Rivervalley Rangers in the nation's capital.

Mayo beat Santry to stay top of the table

Fri, Dec 02, 2016

Mayo Volleyball Club made the journey to north Dublin to face second place Santry in a battle for top spot. Santry who are playing in division two after being relegated from the top tier last season therefore provided an unknown quantity as they benefited from the experience of playing sides in a higher division week in week out.

Strong showing for Mayo AC in Hollymount

Fri, Nov 25, 2016

The familiar setting of Hollymount’s main street was the backdrop to the traditional November road race on Sunday afternoon. Bib numbers were collected at the community centre. Warm-ups along the local arteries got the blood going ahead of the task – lungs and legs engaged and put through their gears.

Boxing is the winner as young fighters are taken out of comfort zone

Fri, Nov 25, 2016

A team selection from Mayo’s Boxing Development Unit clashed with their Donegal counterparts in St Anne’s boxing club Westport. Designed to take our young prospects out of their comfort zone, these inter-county tests produce some extraordinary performances.

Time for Castlebar to take a well earned break

Fri, Nov 25, 2016

Technical problems and a corrupt USB data file meant last week’s column vanished into thin air just before the paper went to print. Obviously for the most part the article was about Castlebar’s agonising defeat to Corofin after extra time. There was another part issuing a slight warning to Westport before they took on Leitrim champions Sean O’Heslin’s, based on the fact that it took Hollymount/Carramore extra time to see off last year’s Leitrim champions Melvin Gaels. I also felt Louisburg were going into the unknown against Creggs in Kiltoom and would need a big performance to emerge victorious.

I have no doubt Castlebar will look back on their defeat to Corofin with regret, the game was there for the taking in normal time, the wide count says it all, 14 for Castlebar and four for Corofin, the majority of these coming in the first half from really good scoring positions. Despite all those wides the Mitchels found themselves only two in arrears at the break, having only scored four themselves, three points from frees from Neil Douglas and, worryingly, only one from play from Mayo star Paddy Durkin.

Disappointment for Mitchels as Corofin come good in extra-time

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

Corofin’s 0-17 to 0-14 triumph over Castlebar Mitchels after extra-time on Sunday in McHale Park sees the club into its seventh Connacht club final in 11 years and searching for a fourth title since 2008.

Land of the Giants Duathlon goes from strength to strength

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

Claremorris will host the Land of the Giants Duathlon for the sixth time on Wednesday December 28. Last year saw a bumper crowd of more than 250 participants, and organisers are expecting even bigger numbers this Christmas.

Westport on the edge of glory

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

This Sunday afternoon Westport will need to be at their best if they are going to claim their first Connacht Intermediate football championship when the Seasiders take on Leitrim outfit Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin's. Westport qualified for the final thanks to a hard-fought win over Galway champions Monivea Abbey by the narrowest of margins thanks to three late points from corner forward Lewis Cawley.

It has been a busy few weeks for the Westport men who faced into three games in the space of seven days, to win the Mayo final, and then had to go out again the following week to see off the Galway champions and book their place in this weekend's provincial showdown. Damien Loftus is the man in charge of that side, but he has plenty of generals on the field too. Fullback Kevin Kane put in a massive shift in their win over Monivea Abbey in the final four encounter, this laid the foundation for their narrow 0-8 to 0-7 victory. Of course the newly crowned footballer of the year Lee Keegan will have to have a massive influence if his side are to have any chance of a victory.

Mayo AC runners do Ireland proud at Masters

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

Mayo AC's four representatives on the Irish team did the club proud competing in the 29th annual British & Irish Masters International in Glasgow on Saturday. Masters athletes in five-year age group categories from 35 up to 75 from Ireland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland competed in three races.

Louisburgh, ready to rock

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

Louisburgh are just 60 minutes away from claiming their first provincial title as they take on Roscommon junior champions Creggs in the Connacht Junior Club Football Championship final deep in enemy territory this Sunday.

Ardagh/Crossmolina host successful tournament

Fri, Nov 11, 2016

Under the guidance of coaches Tony Davis and Lawrence Colhoun the Ardagh/Crossmolina club has become renowned for producing young boxers of high technical calibre. So no surprise when last Friday evening, the north Mayo faithful packed the Lahardane community centre to enjoy the finest boxing fare. Setting the tone and the pattern, young Cathal Davis laid the night’s foundation with his solid performance.

Amy Blake took on a top Tyrone opponent but made it look easy with a mesmerisingly relaxed display, while Jack McHale’s pace blitzed his opponent out of contention. Michaela Murphy against Sienna McAndrew was a closer encounter. The two traded like dockers throughout this contest and both should be credited for tenacity, but it was Murphy’s hand that deserved to be raised. Patrick McAndrew's bout with Sligo’s Cathal Myers was perhaps the toughest fight of the night. McAndrew appeared to be conceding advantages in all departments, age, weight, and certainly experience, but he did not appear to be fazed as he took the fight to Myers with gusto and it made for a terrific spectacle. McAndrew initially found his target easily with his jab and long crosses but midway through the second round the tide turned. Myers adapted and began to use feints to force McAndrew to commit, opening the way for his own backhand and hook combinations. Myers throws a beautiful overhand right and going into the third he began timing McAndrew’s attacks to land some convincing shots. This was not his day but McAndrew has huge heart and should take much from this contest. The best bout of the night was Matthew Davis versus Sligo’s Thomas Myers. There was nothing between them and the judges had their work cut out, but Davis just seemed to have the edge. In the third that was confirmed when, going into the final minute, he found the target with a big right hand that wobbled Myers and let the judges off the hook.

Forty nine Mayo AC athletes make the grade in Dublin marathon

Fri, Nov 11, 2016

Mayo AC had a record 49 finishers in the recent 37th Dublin City Marathon which incorporated the National Marathon Championships. It was a brilliant day for all of them, experiencing the atmosphere generated by large crowds along the course of one of Europe's top city marathons. Sixteen of them completed the 26.2 mile distance for the first time, adding to the excitement of the occasion for the club. It was a perfect day for running with hardly a breeze and temperatures of 12-14C.

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