Western Care has two tickets for Ireland v Italy up for grabs
Fri, Oct 02, 2009
Western Care Association is raffling two Hogan Stand tickets for the Ireland v Italy World Cup Qualifying Match in Croke Park on Saturday, October 10, together with overnight accommodation in the Skylon Hotel, Drumcondra.
Read more ...Rice College TY students tackle Westport GAA 125 project
Fri, Oct 02, 2009
Thirteen students from Westport’s Rice College have launched an ambitious transition year project to research and explore the history and heritage behind Westport GAA club as part of the GAA’s 125 anniversary celebrations.
Read more ...Next leg of Mayo AC road race league coming up fast
Fri, Oct 02, 2009
The Vodafone C& C Cellular Mayo AC Open Road League continues on Sunday October 11 with race seven of the nine race series. The Terry Fox four miler takes place at Ballina and is a one lap course starting and finishing near the track at Belleek Park. The Terry Fox run takes place annually at venues all over the world in support of the Terry Fox Foundation which raises funds for cancer research in memory of a brave young Canadian. The race will not have a prize fund as all money raised on the day will go towards the Terry Fox Foundation. The race starts at 3pm. Entries will be taken from 1.30pm at track clubhouse. Local man Michael Rice and his team of helpers have organised this race at Ballina for the past 17 years. Mayo AC is happy to support the great work done by Michael in his fund-raising effort. Enquiries to Michael Rice 087 6611975; Michael McGrath (Mayo AC) 086 8534729, further details next week.
Read more ...Connacht must follow Cardiff victory with Ulster’s scalp
Fri, Sep 25, 2009
It has the hallmarks of a season-defining fixture, although it is only the fourth fixture. The two sides that are expected to battle for the last of three Heineken Cup places meet in this crunch Magners League fixture at the Galway Sportsground tomorrow (8pm). In the Irish pecking order it has always been Ulster which has grabbed that last place, and after Connacht’s loss in Edinburgh, there was nothing to suggest it would be otherwise. But last weekend’s spirited victory over Cardiff has provided Connacht with a much-needed confidence boost, and now Connacht coach Michael Bradley says it is vital his squad turns over Ulster if his side is to qualify for Europe.
Read more ...Good performance from Mayo AC man in Berlin marathon
Fri, Sep 25, 2009
David Huane from Irishtown went to one of the world's top city marathons in Berlin on Sunday with high hopes of running a sub 2hr 50 pb. He had good reason to be optimistic, having run a 82.23an pb two weeks previously in the National Half Marathon championships as a member of Mayo AC's silver medal winning o35 team. However, like fourth time Berlin winner the legendary Haile Gebreselassie, Huane suffered in the latter stages but still finished in 2.57.18, a great time on the day. “I'm not built for sunny climes,” was his philosophical reaction. The temperature in Berlin increased to the low 20s shortly after the 9am start. Hopefully Huane will recover in suitably cooler conditions in the lead up to the Dublin City Marathon in less than five weeks.
Read more ...Club competitions to the fore around Mayo
Fri, Sep 25, 2009
Balla
The stroke play competition last weekend was sponsored by Marian and Ted Gormally, Hennelly’s Bar, Manulla. The winner of the men’s competition was Pat Walsh with a 52, Oliver Moran came second with a score of 54, and third place went to Joe Monaghan with a score off 55 (back six), the gross prize went to Pat Jordan for his score of 58. The ladies’ competition saw Marie Flanagan come out on top with a score of 52 , she was two ahead of Mary Gillard in second place. The third place prize went to Mary Brett who scored 55, and Audrey Holian won the youths’ section.
Club championships reach pivotal stage
Fri, Sep 25, 2009
This weekend sees the Mayo senior club championships reach the last quarter final stage with all eight sides left in the competition having realistic chances of making the last four of the competition. The action gets under way in the senior championship on Saturday evening in Castlebar, which will host two more games on Sunday, with the fourth clash of the round taking place in Ballina on Sunday afternoon.
Read more ...Still waiting for one side to join the last eight
Fri, Sep 25, 2009
When the play off to decide who came out of the Belmullet, Davitts, and Swinford triple headache was drawn most would have expected the final berth in the last eight to be decided by the time the quarter finals of the competition rolled around. But that is not the case, Swinford managed to come through the first game and book their place, but there has been no separating Belmullet and Davitts over the last two weekends. One hundred and forty minutes of football have not been able to separate them so far and they must do it again on Sunday for a third time in Ballina, with Cill Chomain waiting patiently for the winners. Who will come through between Belmullet and Davitts is really a toss of a coin, both teams know each other inside and out by now and on Sunday you would expect someone to blink or make a mistake that could prove decisive.
While those two are still trying to sort out who will make the last eight, three other quarter finals will be going on Saturday evening. Westport, many people’s favourites to claim the title and move back up to senior football, will take on Mayo Gaels in Clogher on Saturday at 5.30pm. The fact that the Covies are playing football in Division 1A while Mayo Gaels are operating in Division 1D shows the calibre of opposition either side is used to facing week in week out, but Mayo Gaels have shown great heart in making it this far in the championship and were once considered serious contenders to be battling it out to avoid relegation, so they have nothing to lose and everything to gain on Saturday evening. That fact could see Westport come a little unstuck on Saturday evening, all the pressure is on them as everyone expects Martin Connelly’s men to breeze past them and into the last eight. If Mayo Gaels can keep in touch up to the three quarter mark it will make for a very interesting game, but Westport’s overall quality should see them through.
Read more ...We will do it again, because it is what we should do
Fri, Sep 25, 2009
Another journey soaked in sadness, another All-Ireland final that might have given us some cheer. Several Mayo fans came away from headquarters shaking their heads in despair. I met and saw some of them on Jones Road. I wasn’t one of them. Of course I was sad that we lost, particularly in view of the fact that we had a glorious opportunity to win the match. But the reality is we are well used to the heartbreak that besieges our towns and villages in and around the third Sunday in September. We are now losing finals at a rate that is just not funny any more. Our resolve is being tested to the limit, but we’ve been here before and lived to tell the tale! As the saying goes ‘nobody died’ and we will get up, dust ourselves down and go at it again. Because that is what we should do.
Read more ...All Ireland finals left me feeling cheated
Fri, Sep 25, 2009
All-Ireland final day is one of the best days of the year. Well, it should be anyway. Three or four of us either go up Saturday for the Kilmacud Sevens or belt up early on Sunday morning. Last weekend due to family commitments we opted for the Sunday gig and were in Jurys opposite Croke Park well before noon. One of the men we travel with has a terrible fear of being late for games. Especially All-Irelands. He got left behind as a youngster after he missed a plane, and despite huge amounts of counselling, he has never got over it. So there we were. In good form and in good time, all set up for what should have been a most memorable day.
Read more ...All Ireland finals left me feeling cheated
Fri, Sep 25, 2009
All-Ireland final day is one of the best days of the year. Well, it should be anyway. Three or four of us either go up Saturday for the Kilmacud Sevens or belt up early on Sunday morning. Last weekend due to family commitments we opted for the Sunday gig and were in Jurys opposite Croke Park well before noon. One of the men we travel with has a terrible fear of being late for games. Especially All-Irelands. He got left behind as a youngster after he missed a plane, and despite huge amounts of counselling, he has never got over it. So there we were. In good form and in good time, all set up for what should have been a most memorable day.
Read more ...So near, yet so far again
Sun, Sep 20, 2009
Armagh 0-10&nbps;&nbps;&nbps;&nbps;&nbps;Mayo 0-7
It just wasn’t to be for Mayo once again in Croke Park on All Ireland final day, as Armagh ground out a deserved three point victory over Mayo, thanks to a run of four unanswered points in the final six minutes. While Mayo could be faulted for not being clinical enough in front of goal, their effort on the field could not be faulted. Everyman from one to 15 gave their all for the sixty minutes, but it just wasn’t enough on the day as Armagh found that extra gear in the decisive final couple of minutes.
