Connacht sign off 16-week run with Pro 12 and European targets ticked

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

Connacht players are taking a well deserved holiday this week after a perfect finish to an exhaustive run of 16 games on the trot. A bonus-point victory over top-of-the-table Scarlets ensured Connacht remain in the Guinness Pro 12 top four, and are level on points with Scarlets, who continue to hold pole position due to a superior win count.

It is has been something of a journey for Pat Lam's squad since Matt Healy, who is currently undergoing return-to-play protocols for concussion in Saturday's fixture, marked his 50th appearance in Connacht's five-try bonus win over Zebre in October. Since then Connacht achieved a milestone victory at Liberty Stadium, home wins over Edinburgh and Treviso, an historic trek into Siberia for a first European fixture in sub zero temperatures, a first Thomond Park victory over Munster in 29 years, and qualification for the Challenge Cup quarter-finals. It has not been all plain sailing - disappointing defeats to Cardiff, erratic away performances against Leinster, Scarlets and Brive, while an injury-ravaged squad of just 22 fit players lost to Newcastle in England.

Mayo GAA National Football League Podcast #2

Fri, Feb 05, 2016

It was a harsh lesson for Mayo last Sunday as an understrength side were thought a lesson by a hungrier Cork side in round one of the National Football League. In this weeks www.advertiser.ie Mayo GAA podcast, Mayo Advertiser Sports Editor Colm Gannon and former Mayo player and www.advertiser.ie columnist John Casey look back over that defeat on Leeside and look forward to the visit of Dublin to MacHale Park on Saturday night. 

Red wave crushes Mayo on Leeside

Sun, Jan 31, 2016

There’s nothing won on the last day of January of note, but Mayo will hope that this will be the worst day they have this year as Cork ran riot on Leeside. Every game is different and Mayo came into it shorn of a number of key men that will surely be big players later on this year, but it still must be taken on its merits as a contest over 70 minutes and in this contest Mayo were so far second best that they game was never a contest from as early as the 20th minute when Cork put themselves three points clear.

Keegan injury leaves cloud on an already gloomy day for Mayo

Sun, Jan 31, 2016

The long road home from Cork gave Stephen Rochford plenty time to think over what had just happened in his first game on the road in charge of Mayo after he watched his side get beaten out the gate by nine points in their league opener.

O'Shea back as Mayo head to Cork

Sat, Jan 30, 2016

Aidan O’Shea will play his first football in Mayo colours since last years All Ireland semi-final replay defeat to Dublin when Mayo take on Cork in Páirc Ui Rinn on Sunday. The Breaffy man has been picked at centre-half-forward in Rochford’s first National Football League team.

Time to get down to business for Mayo

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

Mayo get their National Football League campaign under way on Sunday away to Cork in Páirc Uí Rinn, and for new manager Stephen Rochford it is going to the first major test of his side's credentials in the new season. Rochford will be dealing from a slightly rigged deck when he makes his first team selection, with no players from Castlebar Mitchels available to him, or from Hollymout-Carramore and Ardnaree who have booked their places in their respective All Ireland club finals.

Connacht aim to consolidate top four position against leaders Scarlets

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

Connacht wrap up a tough run of 16 games on the trot this weekend with high hopes of remaining in the Guinness Pro 12 top four. Top-of-the-table Scarlets are the visitors to the Sportsground on Saturday (3pm), and Pat Lam will be urging his squad for one big push before they can take a well-earned break after this unprecedented four months of non-stop competitive action.

Big guns enter the action

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

The first round proper of the Connacht Junior Cup kicks off this weekend, with all the big guns getting their first outing in the competition. The preliminary round of the competition took place last weekend and Ballinrobe exited the competition by the narrowest of margins going down 5-3 to Dunmore on the road.

Seamus O'Toole's men came up just short against the the Galway men, with each side only registering one score over the 80 minutes plus additional time, but unfortunately for the south Mayo men, it was Dunmore who touched down for a try, while his side could only muster a penalty in reply from the boot of Dave Reilly and they were not able to make other chances count on the scoreboard. Also exiting the competition on Friday night were Claremorris who went down 14-0 on the road to Tuam in their preliminary round contest.

Entries open for Mayo Stages Rally

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

With just over six weeks to go until the 2016 Mayo Stages Rally on Sunday March 6, preparations are in full swing. Mayo and District Motorsport Club are delighted to welcome on board again. Hotel Ballina and Kennedy Motors as joint main sponsors of the popular west of Ireland event and thank them for their support in this, the 40th year since the establishment of the club.

2016 sees Mayo host the opening round of the National Rally Championship and for the first time welcomes Triton Showers, which commenced as title championship sponsor in 2015. In addition, Mayo and District Motorsport Club also welcome back to Mayo, Triton Showers' MD Kevin Barrett, who is a former winner of the Mayo Stages Rally. The rally will also be round one of the very popular Border Rally Championship, which in 2016 celebrates its 25th year. Sligo Pallets has played a massive role as title sponsor in this championship and 2016 will be its sixth year in the role. The stage is firmly set for many top rally drivers and co-drivers to battle it out for honours in north Mayo.

League of Ireland football for Mayo?

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

The possibility of having a Mayo League team in action in the League of Ireland in the next few years is one of the major aims of the new five year plan for the league that was launched last Saturday. The plan's executive summary outlined the steps to such a possability happening, stating: "We want to provide a pathway for our elite players and coaches to progress to the top of the domestic game. The Mayo Football League believes that a Mayo representative team should play in the SSE Airtricity U17 League by 2017, the U19 League by 2019, and shortly afterwards the Mayo Football League will apply to join the First Division of SSE Airtricity League."

Davitt go down in ten goal thriller

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

Having lost a two goal advantage in the opening half when enjoying the favour of the considerable elements, matters looked like they would be very difficult for Convent of Mercy on the resumption, but in a terrific turnaround, they outplayed the Mayo side to clinch the Bank of Ireland FAI Schools Senior Girls Connacht title on Wednesday afternoon in Mervue United.

It all started so well also for the Roscommon outfit, as Grainne White fired them ahead on eight minutes, before setting up the second for Rachel Fitzmaurice to make it 2-0 on the quarter hour mark. Now while generally outplayed in the early stages, Davitt College were producing some rapid counter attacks and after Clare McDonagh was upended in the box on 21 minutes, the striker picked herself up to knock the resulting penalty past Marie Kelly to pull one back.

Mayo athletes bring back medals from Masters Cross Country

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

Six Mayo AC athletes travelled to Dundalk on Sunday to compete in the National Masters Cross Country Championships in the grounds of the institute of technology. They lined up in a competitive field of 220 from clubs nationwide. The 4k race was for all women athletes and was run over a testing two lap course in tough conditions.

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