League Cup semi-finals take centre stage

Fri, Jul 08, 2016

With the league action in the top division off this weekend, for the most part, bar the refixed clash between Westport United and Ballina Town in Belleek on Saturday night, despite the attempts of Westport to seek a postponement which was refused by the league, the main focus of action moves to the Westaro Cup semifinals where two tasty clashes are coming up.

Victory for Kathy Gleeson in Irishtown 8k

Fri, Jul 08, 2016

Kathy Gleeson (Claremorris) was the winner of the fourth annual Padraig Cullina Memorial Irishtown 8k. The race was also a Mayo AC 2016 Vodafone C&C Cellular Club League race and the first of five upcoming Club League 8ks/5mile target races or bonus events, with points to be won by competing Mayo AC club members. The course is one lap starting and finishing near the community centre and has some tough stretches, particularly over the final two kilometres.

24th Balla 10k run and walk coming up

Fri, Jul 08, 2016

“How time flies” was the comment of Brendan Conwell as he took a break from organising the 24th edition of the famous Balla 10K which is fixed for Saturday evening July 23 at 7pm. The man behind the event since its inception in the early 90s looks back fondly on the many enjoyable but sometimes stressful moments associated with organising a highly successful annual fixture like this.

No second chances any more

Fri, Jul 08, 2016

There's no more room for error for the Mayo seniors of 2016, after five successive Connacht titles, rather than looking forward to a Sunday afternoon showdown for the Nestor Cup, they are back on the chicken and chips circuit of the qualifiers for the first time in six years looking to rebuild their fortunes on the backstreets of the championship. The first step in moving from those backstreets to the main streets is tomorrow afternoon when they host a dangerous visitor from Ulster at 3.30pm

Minors face stiff test against fancied Tribesmen

Fri, Jul 08, 2016

Enda Gilvarry's Mayo minors face their own "high noon" on Sunday when they take on Galway in the Connacht Minor Football Championship final in Pearse Stadium in Salthill. Mayo booked their place in the showdown with an impressive win over Leitrim nine days ago, but this challenge will be an all together tougher one for this years crop of minors.

Ernesiders a tricky test for Mayo

Fri, Jul 08, 2016

They may be one of only two counties to have never claimed a provincial title alongside Wicklow in the football championship, and their pedigree may not be as strong as other counties, but as they showed on their route to the All Ireland quarterfinal stages last year, this Fermanagh side are only worried about writing their own history. The man on the sideline guiding them, Pete McGrath, has been there and done it all before, guiding his native Down to two senior and one minor All Ireland titles in the past. In his last meeting with a Mayo side he was in charge of a Down u21 team that saw off Mayo in an All Ireland semifinal in 2009 in Longford, there are plenty familiar Mayo faces from that team no part of this year's set up and they do not want to see McGrath smiling at full time again at the end of a championship encounter.

Not so familiar foes

Fri, Jul 08, 2016

Meetings between Mayo and Fermanagh have not been the most regular of clashes down through the years, you have to go back nine years for the last time the sides met in serious competition, and four years further for their last meeting in the qualifiers. The last time that Mayo tussled with Fermanagh in competitive action was way back in March 2007, when they squared off in the league in March of that year in Clones. Mayo ran out 0-12 to 0-7 winners that day, of the team that started for Mayo nine years ago, only three of them survive in the panel now, with Keith Higgins the only one who started in Clones on the starting 15 for Mayo's last game against Galway. Higgins lined out at corner back in that game, while both Alan Dillon and Andy Moran were in the full-foward line for a John O'Mahony managed team that was guided home to victory due in no small part to a six point return from Conor Mortimer over the hour.

Magic Mayo hit their stride against Galway

Sun, Jul 03, 2016

If you want to know why Mayo ran out 13 point winners over Galway in the Connacht Ladies Football Final in MacHale Park on Sunday evening, Mayo manger Frank Browne spelt it out as clear as could be after the full time whistle. “Character always wins in sport and we’d often say that. Martha Carter broke her hand in the first ten minutes and that’s character, that’s fight and that’s exactly what you need and that’s what they all gave, so we said at half time, when your legs are tired just look at Martha, her hand is broken what you’re doing is only minor.”

Hard work wins the day for Mayo

Sun, Jul 03, 2016

Hard work, determination and belief along with a fair chunk of skill was what won the day for Mayo in MacHale Park on Sunday afternoon as they claimed their first Connacht senior title in six years with a stunning display against Galway. Mayo manager Frank Browne couldn’t hide the delight with the effort his side put in speaking after the game he told us “It was probably a fair result it was probably touch and go there, early in the first ten to 15 minutes in the first half it took us a while to settle, but then our power and our physicality, our tackling and our hunger took over. But you know what after being beaten four years in a row if you’re not hungry today, you’re coming to the wrong place, all the 50/50 balls all the really tight ones we won. I’d love the people to know just how good a group of people these people are, they are good honest, decent Mayo people and they just so, so wanted this. They ran their legs to stumps out there you know, we got very tired in the last ten minutes you can enjoy it.”

Mayo look to stop Galway's drive for five

Fri, Jul 01, 2016

This Sunday afternoon, MacHale Park will play host to the classic Connacht final pairing of Mayo and Galway in the Connacht Ladies Gaelic Football Championship. For Mayo they will be looking to turn over Galway at this stage for the first time in four years, while the Tribeswomen are on a "drive for five" in the province.

Now it's time to get back to business

Fri, Jul 01, 2016

Mayo have been drawn to play Fermanagh on July 9 in their first qualifier appearance since 2010. It does pose the toughest draw they could have got however home advantage should make them overwhelming favourites. Fermanagh  have two seriously good forwards in Tomas Corrigan and Sean Quigley, and their midfielder and captain Eoin Donnelly is an inspirational player for his county but we  are dealing with a seasoned Mayo team who should be more than capable of dealing with their threat, Naturally Fermanagh folk are gutted as an away trip to Mayo was the last thing they wanted. It really was the nightmare draw for the Ernesiders. Incidentally Mayo are priced at 1/12 to prevail while you can get 7/1 on Fermanagh. I’m mystified at such short odds on Mayo.

O'Donoghue the hat-trick hero for Mayo

Fri, Jul 01, 2016

Mayo booked their place in next weekend's Connacht Minor Football Championship final against Galway with a goal glut in Carrick-on-Shannon on Wednesday night. It was a night to remember for young Belmullet man Ryan O'Dongohue who headed home from the game with the man of the match award for hitting an amazing 3-4 over the hour's action. 

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