‘This Mayo side have a real professional set up right now’

Fri, Jun 22, 2012

In recent decades there have been a number of inter-county teams that have made real eye catching progress. Dublin, Tyrone, Armagh, Kerry and Cork are the obvious selection in this regard and they, more than most, have brought a new dimension to the whole area of team sacrifice and all year round physical preparation. In fairness, Mayo football has also moved up a gear or two and if nothing else we are a team that few will ever take for granted. But I get the impression that we are just about hanging on to the coat tails of the top three or four teams in the country right now. On the evidence of the matches I have witnessed so far this year, I need some convincing from Sundays encounter with Leitrim that we deserve to be talked about in the same breath as Dublin, Cork and, believe it or not, Donegal. I watched the Ulster champions play Derry last Saturday and those of you who saw Derry’s inept performance will agree that they (Derry) are a team in serious decline. But it was the performance of Donegal that was the main talking point of the encounter. They played a terrific brand of open flowing football that suggests they have stepped up a level from last year. It should be a fascinating Ulster semi-final between themselves and Tyrone in a week’s time. But I am digressing!

Back to Mayo this Sunday. I am conscious of being as respectful as I possibly can to Leitrim, but, in all honestly, they really have no chance of beating Mayo here in McHale Park. Yes, they are brave and spirited and will put up a challenge to Mayo for a period, but the reality is that Mayo are at a different level than Leitrim. This Mayo side have a real professional set up right now. I was in the Mayo dressing room last Sunday evening and noticed a large photograph of the entire squad and back room team on the wall which was taken during their recent training camp in Portugal. I did manage eventually, and with some assistance, to identify all the Mayo footballers in the picture, but I genuinely could not identify half of the back room team. I am not exaggerating when I suggest that there would be an issue packing the entire entourage onto a 52 seater bus if the team had to travel for a match. Now don’t get me wrong here, I have no truck with any of these people, I am just making the point that the likes of the Leitrim’s of this world just do not have the same kind of resources to put into the preparation of their senior team. On this point I read an article recently where Kildare manager, Kieran McGeeney, suggested that, now more than ever, success and silverware have become the preserve of the elite as preparation costs mean the poorer counties cannot compete on a level playing field. Bearing all this in mind it seems that there can only be one winner come Sunday. Allied to that, you also have to recognise that Leitrim’s football playing population is so much smaller than Mayo’s. While a recent spate of injuries and retirements has taken its toll, the spectre of emigration has haunted Leitrim more than most counties, not to mention the fact that several of the players have been forced to different parts of the country in search of work.

Club Mayo Sports – a new initiative to fund sports in Mayo

Fri, Jun 22, 2012

Club Mayo Sports was launched last week with the aim of generating funding for sports in Mayo. At the launch, Deputy John O’Mahony explained that the funding available to sports is limited in these difficult financial times and volunteer groups such as Club Mayo Sports can help. He encouraged Mayo people, wherever they may live or work, to “get involved in the network that Club Mayo Sports has in place and to tap into that network for their benefit”.

Carne Course record broken but still not enough to win Corrib Natural Gas Pro-Am

Fri, Jun 22, 2012

Two under-par rounds secured the Corrib Natural Gas/Carne Golf Club Pro-Am crown for Down golfer Barrie Trainor at the scenic north County Mayo links course at the weekend.

Sweltering Conditions for second Great Western Greenway 10K

Fri, Jun 15, 2012

The second Great Western Greenway 10k run/walk, co-organised by Mayo Sports Partnership, Westport Leisure Park and Westport Town Council, took place on Saturday May 26 last with more than 300 participants lining up for a 2pm start on the Newport side of the Greenway. According to Mayo Sports Partnership, the event which took place in fantastic weather conditions mainly attracted first time runners of this distance and was an off road trail run/walk.

Series ready for the off this Tuesday

Fri, Jun 15, 2012

Places are filling up fast for the third annual Mayo AC 5k Summer Series Run and Walk which starts next Tuesday evening, June 19 in Lough Lannagh in Castlebar at 8pm. This popular annual event which is open to all who wish to run jog or walk is limited to 300 approx. You can enter online at www.runireland.com, but it will close at noon this Saturday June 17.

Low scores in big competitions across Mayo

Fri, Jun 15, 2012

Balla
Last weekends competitions were sponsored by Albany Paints, Castlebar and Noel Healy was the winner of the gents’ section with a score of 40pts, Pat Walsh came second on 39pts, with Eamon Keane third on 38pts. The ladies’ competition was won by Mary B Prendergast on 41pts, with Kitty O’Connor second on 39pts, with Carmel Costello third on 38pts. The men’s category prize was claimed by Gus Heraty on 37pts.

Connacht find out Heineken Cup opponents

Fri, Jun 15, 2012

There will be new challenges and old rivalries renewed as Connacht embark on their second Heineken Cup campaign in October. The draw for the 2012/13 tournament was made this morning in the Aviva stadium under the tutelage of ERC president Jean Pierre Lux and chief executive Derek McGrath. Connacht have been drawn in Pool 3 along with Amlin Challenge Cup winners Biarritz, Aviva Premiership Champions Harlequins and new Italian franchise Zebre.

McCullagh wins again on Mayo Autocross

Fri, Jun 15, 2012

Peter McCullagh is rapidly gaining a reputation as Master of Mayo Autocross. On Sunday the Maynooth driver extended his winning streak on Mayo and District Motorsport Club’s challenging circuit to three, with a dominant performance in his Mitsubishi Evo 9. On current form it will take a determined effort from his rivals to prevent back-to-back Mayo Autocross titles heading back to Kildare.

After the cold and blustery conditions experienced on last month’s opening round of Mayo Motorsport Club’s four round series held at Harrington’s Quarry near Swinford, more clement weather was the order of the day as a healthy field gathered to battle for overall and class honours on round two. With the top three finishers from round one of McCullagh, Derek Deane and James Lannon all back in action, a close contest was eagerly anticipated.

Junior sailing courses at Rosmoney

Fri, Jun 15, 2012

Junior sailing courses will take place during July and August at Rosmoney. This year, Mayo Sailing Club is running the following courses: Start sailing, basic skills, improving skills, advanced boat handling and kites and wires and possibly some other advanced modules depending on demand and instructor availability. A brief outline of the various modules is given below. Noelle Doran will also be running some instructor training courses in the club, with the dinghy instructor course from June 18 to 22 next up.

Limerick army man outguns local opposition in Holian cup

Fri, Jun 15, 2012

Limerick man Paul O’Connell (not the rugby player) used his army training and the handicap to outgun the big hitters of Connacht cycling.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing

Fri, Jun 15, 2012

I noticed in a post match interview that Sligo’s wing back, Charlie Harrison is credited with saying that they (Sligo) had no doubt whatsoever that they were going to win last weekends game in Salthill. I didn’t believe they would. In fact few did. I did, however, chat in the press room prior to the game with a few former Sligo players and they really did believe they were in with a great chance of pulling off a coup! It was quite remarkable because after the opening 20 minutes Galway were so much in control all over the field that I had a feeling then that they would stroll into a Connacht final largely untested after two games. Ha, how foolish of me! I completely underestimated the mindset of Charlie Harrison and the rest of his team mates. And consequently I had greatly overestimated the mindset of the Galway team after their first round victory over Roscommon.

Westport to entertain Sligo in celebratory challenge game

Fri, Jun 15, 2012

Sligo Rovers are expected to bring a strong squad with them to Westport on Saturday evening when they play Westport United in a special challenge match to mark Westport United’s recent victory in the Connacht Cup. Both teams are currently in the middle of a mid-season break, to accommodate the 2012 European Championships, and this game is being viewed in both camps as ideal preparation for the second half of the season.

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