The future is bright despite defeat

Fri, Apr 24, 2009

Standing in the broad sunshine in Pearse Park, Longford, last Saturday as evening began to creep across the midlands a disappointed but still positive Pat Holmes picked his way through the questions that followed his side’s third consecutive defeat in an All Ireland u21 semi-final. “Of course you are disappointed, that you didn't get another step when you come out of your province. But some very fine players have emerged for Mayo. The group of players that we had, you couldn't fault any of them for attitude for commitment, and I believe that they all gave to their full potential, but what more can you ask for?” Despite tasting defeat Holmes is confident that the players who have now passed on from his tutelage at this grade and some who are still under-age next year will have a big say in the future fortunes of Mayo football.

Five Mayo teams in national 10k road race

Fri, Apr 24, 2009

The Woodie's DIY AAI National 10k Road Race Championship of Ireland takes place on Sunday April 26, in Navan, Co Meath. Club athletes from every county will be there hoping to win individual and team medals in what is usually a very competitive race. Mayo AC will be among them and is sending a strong squad, some with plenty of experience and some new to championship racing.

Castlebar cycling club moves into gear for Rás

Fri, Apr 24, 2009

May 22 will see the FBD Insurance Rás finish its sixth stage on the streets of Castlebar. A team from Castlebar Cycling Club will be among the pack chasing the yellow jersey for the first time. The five strong team from the club will be following in the footsteps of the like of Seamus Neary, who raced in the Rás over 40 years ago, and Kevin Dunleavy and Billy Burke who competed in the 1980s.

Societal violence all to obvious in sport too

Fri, Apr 24, 2009

A few weeks ago myself and Mike Finnerty — the GAA commentator for Setanta Ireland and TV3 for the coming championship — were staying over in Omagh after the Tyrone v Derry game. We were having a few beers and were chilling the beans after the long road, the game and the commentary in the Silverbirch hotel, just off Gortin Road, down from Healy Park. We had itchy feet and wanted to head into town to check out the local hostelries, have a bit of a laugh with the locals, and enjoy the night. However we were a tad reticent due to being in unfamiliar surroundings and not knowing the lay of the land.

Was the right panel picked?

Fri, Apr 24, 2009

Mayo senior management announced their championship panel of 30 this week. Apparently they deliberated on the topic for all of last week and arrived at Pearse Park, Longford, last Saturday for the All-Ireland u21 semi-final with one or two places still up for grabs. On the evidence they witnessed there they filled the final few places before releasing it to the press. In my opinion the panel selected seems to have plenty of strength in depth both for defence and midfield. However I am more than a little concerned about the true quality of Mayo’s attack heading into championship football. We had one of the lowest scoring averages throughout the National League campaign which gives some cause for concern.

Mayo GAA Results

Fri, Apr 24, 2009

Welcome Inn Senior Football League Division 1A:
Ballaghadereen 0-11, Crossmolina Deel Rovers 1-12;

Celtic go down twice in opening week

Fri, Apr 17, 2009

EA Sports League of Ireland Cup
Castlebar Celtic 0

Castlebar Celtic 0

News and views from around the county

Fri, Apr 17, 2009

Ballyhaunis Golf Club
In the April 5 competition Padraic Cunnane won the junior section with a score of 34 playing off 19. Mage Hierons won the ladies section with a score of 35 off 15, with Ann Greenway coming home a shot behind with a handicap of 32. The men’s competition was won by Dave Hierons who shot a 47 off 21, five points back in second place with a 42 was Ivan Freeley and John Doyle came second with a 41 off seven.

Mayo athletes perform well in Clare

Fri, Apr 17, 2009

Kilnaboy AC in Co Clare have built a great tradition around their annual Michael 'Sonny' Murphy Memorial 10 mile road race. It is rightly recognised as one of the classic races in the country over this distance. In the unique landscape of the Burren the race has retained its charm and friendliness, with a distinctive warm welcome for every runner and walker.

The league and all that

Fri, Apr 17, 2009

It’s often said that a week is a long time in politics. Can I suggest then that three weeks is an absolute eternity in football? Just a few short weeks ago, all the talk around these parts was that Galway would be a shoe in to retain their Connacht championship. The fact that they would be playing the Connacht final (assuming it is Mayo) in Pearse Stadium added to that theory because the general perception is that the seaside venue is definitely worth a few scores to the Galway men. But the pendulum has very definitely shifted in the last two matches of the national league. Galway were the form team of the league for the first five rounds, getting standing ovations from their ecstatic home supporters on a number of occasions such was the quality of their play. But after a rather slow start by Mayo in their opening rounds, they have very definitely come thundering into the equation again as serious provincial contenders after their impressive one-point victory over the up to then unbeaten Galwegians in Tuam a couple of weeks ago. Mayo followed up on that victory with a very creditable performance against the All Ireland champions in McHale Park last Sunday, where both sides took a share of the spoils.

Championship panel to be picked soon

Fri, Apr 17, 2009

Seven games, two wins, three draws and two defeats and after seeing his side wrap up fourth place in the table and ensure their division one status for another year, John O’Mahony was in positive form after last Sunday’s draw with Tyrone. The Ballaghaderreen club man admitted that his side could have killed off the All Ireland champions when they went two points clear, but was happy with the way his side performed over the 70minutes. “It was a tough game, for the first twenty minutes we took the game to them. We were playing against a stiff breeze, but probably should have got a few more scores. We lost that high intensity and that's where the scores came from. The second half, we eventually started playing more direct and it started to pay off. But I have to give credit to Tyrone for the way they came back after we went two points ahead. We would have loved to have killed them off and probably should have killed them off. Like true champions they came back at us, we have a lot to learn, but thankfully at any stage we didn't drop the head and the lads were ready to battle.”

Putting in a good showing and maintaining division one status was a must for Mayo in the league this year after a disappointing 2008 and on the whole O’Mahony was pleased the way the league panned out for his side. “From my point of view, the last four games I'd like to look at it as a package, there were lots of good points and some mistakes. But what was there was a huge effort in training and in the games. That was pleasing. We have a developed more of a target like approach, but in the first half we had to adjust our game a bit because of the conditions and carry the ball a bit more. It doesn't really suit that game playing it against Tyrone to do that, that happened a few times, the players had shots blocked down or turn over of the ball because of it. We adjusted that in the second half. It was a great league in many respects for blooding a lot of players and a good preparation for championship. We had only seven of the players that started against Tyrone in the championship in the last qualifier round. That is an indication that we have blooded a few new people and maybe filled some of the central positions.”

Mayo under 21s look for final berth

Fri, Apr 17, 2009

Sixty minutes is all that stands in the way of the Mayo under 21s and a place in this year’s All Ireland final. Pat Holmes collected his fourth consecutive Connacht title after a comprehensive win over Sligo which wrapped up the provincial honours following tough wins over Galway and Roscommon earlier in the competition. Standing in their way are Downwho claimed the Ulster title on Wednesday evening following a one-point win over Armagh.

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