Celtic on the chase for cup glory

Fri, May 03, 2013

Six years on since the class of 2007 claimed the FAI Youth Cup, Castlebar Celtic will make the long trip to Turners Cross in Cork tomorrow with hopes of writing their names front and centre in the already long and imposing history of their club. Seven games on from when they saw off the challenge of Roscommon 3-0 in the first round, they have score 24 goals and conceded only five on a trip that has brought them to Galway, Tullamore, and Cork already, and back to the Rebel county tomorrow to face down Castleview with kick off at 3pm.

The latest batch of Celtic stars booked their place in the final a couple of weeks ago with 3-2 win over Castlebridge Celtic in Fermoy. The main man on the day was striker Liam Flatley who bagged all three goals for Celtic to book their place in the final. Flatley’s form over the past year has also been recognised at international level for Ireland. But this Celtic side are no one man team, with players like Gerry Hunt and Colm Nevin also making a name for themselves as they have moved through the different underage ranks with Celtic up to this side and tomorrow’s national showdown.

Connacht aim for Italian success

Fri, Apr 26, 2013

With European rugby taking centre stage this weekend, Connacht and Treviso are locked into a battle of their own in their refixed RaboDirect Pro 12 clash in Italy this evening. Both sides are still looking for their best league finish and, on this occasion, Treviso have the upper hand. They are currently in seventh place with 43 points, while Connacht are in ninth with 36 points. A win for Connacht would ensure they cannot be caught by Edinburgh, who, just four points behind, host the Dragons next week, while Eric Elwood’s side host a Glasgow outfit looking for a home-semi. “This is a huge game for both sides,” says Elwood. “ Treviso are going for their best finish and we can still improve on our league standing for a third year in a row, so there is a lot riding on this game. A win for either side would ensure we go into the last match with a huge incentive.”

Rice College secure green pennant

Fri, Apr 26, 2013

Having secured their place in the All Ireland Senior Colleges final at Balmoral Golf Club; Rice College under the stewardship of local teacher Joe Cuddy, clinched the first national golfing pennant for Westport in more than 30 years. Jack Healy, Matthew Golden, Sam Gillivan, Joe Hastings, and Jack O'Donnell overcame tournament favourites Ulster with some determined play in the morning semi-finals and went on to defeat De La Salle, Waterford, in the final. With every player contributing a crucial point over the two matches the result could not have been any sweeter. All five team members play golf locally at Westport Golf Club and shortly after news came through from Belfast, Westport junior convenor Joe Carty congratulated all those involved in this tremendous victory for Rice College.

Two out of three ain’t bad for Mayo boxers

Fri, Apr 26, 2013

Mayo boxers won two out of three contests in the Senior Cadet Championships last weekend. Two boxers from St Anne’s BC and one from Ballyhaunis BC had qualified for the semi-finals of the championships. Martin Collins St Anne’s was in the 54kg division and obtained a walkover in the semi finals as his opponent Kalum Mc Conville (Dealgan BC) had obtained a hand injury during the week. Sean Conroy was boxing in the 75kg class and was the first Mayo boxer between the ropes, his opponent was Keelon Sexton (Ennis BC). This was Conroy’s final as Sexton has a big reputation and the Ballyhaunis boxer put on a magnificent performance of strength and speed in the opening round finishing on double scores of 6-3. In what was an all action contest Conroy piled on the big blows for the next two minutes finishing round two 12-5 ahead. Both boys tired nearing the final bell and the Mayo boxer finished on a very comfortable score of 18-8. Francis Carr from St Anne’s was the next Mayo boxer into the ring on Saturday evening and the current boy four national champion lost the contest in the first round. Carr came back to the corner after the first bell 3-1 down and that was the beginning of the end for the St Anne’s boy. Carr lifted his performance in round two and equalled his opponent Gary Maughan (Cavan BC) punch for punch. The Mayo boxer held his own in round two and maintained the two point deficit he had mounted at the end of round one, finishing the round 7-5. It was all on the final round and two points was not an impossible task for the strong St Anne’s boy. Carr just did enough in round three to equal Maughan’s scoring and after three gruelling rounds the Mayo boxer was knocked out of the competition on a score of 8-10. On the final day’s boxing on Sunday, Mayo had two contestants in action in the finals and both boys did themselves and club proud. Martin Collins (St Anne’s) won his first national title defeating Vlad Kamarcshuchuk (Wexford CBS) having to come from behind to accomplish this great feat. Down 3-4 after the first bell Collins dug deep into his reserves and overturned the score in his favour in the next two minutes to 6-5. Collins kept his opponent scoreless in the final round with a tight defence and lifted the National Senior Cadet 54kg title on a score of 8-5. Sean Conroy (Ballyhaunis BC) made it 18 national titles so far this season for Mayo boxers and his seventh personal title and second this season. Conroy is a former European Schoolboy bronze medallist and this showed in his splendid performance against Ryan Devine (Immaculata BC). The Ballyhaunis boxer stopped Devine in round two with powerful punching to the head and body.

Polkadot cycle looks to attract all class of riders

Fri, Apr 26, 2013

The annual Polkadot Cycle Challenge, promoted by the Western Lakes Cycling Club, takes place this year on Saturday May 11. This event has become established as a major event in the leisure cycling calendar, and over the past number of years has attracted cyclists from every corner of the country. This year the club has revamped the routes to attract the ever growing numbers of newcomers taking to the roads, while taking in the breath-taking scenery around the beautiful Lough Mask.

Ballyheane make their return to the top table

Fri, Apr 26, 2013

Ballyheane will make their return to action in the Elverys Super League on Sunday and will face into a 100 mile plus round trip to Carenash to take on a Iorras Aontaithe side who were well turned over on the opening day by Manulla in Carramore. The side from Quigley Park were one of the Super League’s permanent fixtures for years, before they finally slipped out of the division a couple of years ago, but they regrouped last year and aided by a good winter in provincial competition where they won the Connacht Shield they kept their foot down and won the Premier A title by the narrowest of margins. On Sunday, Ballyheane will be hoping their experienced players like Peter Burke, John Kelly, Theron Coghill, David Sheridan, along with Terry and Chris Maughan will supply the solid foundation they are looking for to start the season well. As teams have found out at the bottom and the top of this eight team Super League in the past, you can be out of contention for either the title or safety before you are even up to full speed.

Medal haul for Mayo athletes in national 10k championships

Fri, Apr 26, 2013

Mayo AC had 21 runners competing in the National 10k Championships held in the Phoenix Park on Sunday, April 14 in their efforts to pick up gold, silver, and bronze medals. They faced tough conditions as a gusty wind swept over the country and swirling showers added to the task. The race was incorporated in the Spar Great Ireland Run with 6,200 finishers. On a blustery day that made a tough course even tougher, Dublin based Geesala native Seamus Gaughan ran a great race and had a ding dong battle all the way with track record holder Joe Gough (West Waterford). Gaughan won by two seconds in 39:09, retaining the M60 title he won last year. There were other excellent performances in the conditions, book-ended from senior woman Ann Marie Staunton in her first championship race to Tom Waldron who also won gold in his M70 category.

Early season top of the table clashes

Fri, Apr 26, 2013

The third round of the Breaffy House Senior Football League will take place across the top divisions of the league this weekend. At the top of division 1a after two rounds, Ballina Stephenites, Davitts, and Breaffy are all locked at the top with the maximum four points each after the two opening games. One of Breaffy or Ballina will lose their 100 per cent record this weekend when the sides meet in James Stephens Park on Sunday at 3.30pm. Last weekend Breaffy made it two from two against their neighbours with a come from behind win against Ballintubber at home. Tommy O’Reilly’s goal with a minute left in normal time was the critical score bringing his side back into the game, with fellow sub Liam Irwin levelling the game shortly after, before Alan Durcan won the game with a late, late free. The other talking point in the game was the return to action of Alan Dillon who came on as first half sub for Ballintubber and he will continue his return to full fitness this weekend against Charlestown.

Old rivalries to be rekindled in league semi-final

Fri, Apr 26, 2013

Mayo will face a familiar foe on Sunday when they renew their acquaintance with Monaghan in the Tesco Homegrown National Football League division one semi-final. The girls from the Farney county are going into the game with a 100 per cent record from their seven league games so far this season, which includes a win over Mayo back in March in Aughnamullen where they came out 1-15 to 2-6 winners in a re-fixed game from earlier in the spring.

Club action back to the fore this weekend

Fri, Apr 19, 2013

The members of the Mayo senior football team will be putting last Sunday's disappointment to one side this weekend as the second round of games in the Breaffy House Senior Football League throws in across all the divisions. In the top division the local derby meeting between Breaffy and Ballintubber is one of the stand out fixtures. Breaffy, under new manager Declan Reilly, picked up a hard fought win over their other local rivals Castlebar Mitchels in round one, thanks to big performances from Aidan and Seamus O’Shea along with Alan Durcan in their full forward line, and will be hoping to have the same result against the 2010 and 2011 county champions. Ballintubber also picked up the points in their opening league game, seeing off Ballinrobe by six points, and Peter Ford’s men will be relishing this challenge that awaits them in Breaffy on Sunday.

Last year’s intermediate champions Charlestown Sarsfields will be hosting Castlebar Mitchels in another interesting looking encounter. The east Mayo men picked up a win away to Crossmolina Deel Rovers in round one and with Castlebar Mitchels shorn of the services of Barry Moran and Tom Cunniffe they will fancy their chances of making it two wins from two. Michael Moyles’ Crossmolina side will be travelling to the south Mayo border to take on a confident Davitts’ side. Pete Warren’s men have two points in the bag already thanks to a single point win on the road against Knockmore on the opening day on a score of 2-7 to 1-9. Knockmore will also be heading to south Mayo where they will be entertained by Claremorris who are coming into the game on the back of an opening day win away in the Gaeltacht against Tourmakeady. Paul Jordan’s Gaeltacht men will themselves be on the road and will face last year’s county champions Ballaghaderreen who have stared out this year’s league with a defeat away to John Healy’s Ballina Stephenites. The 2005 All Ireland club champions will be in south Mayo looking for their second win of the season when they take on Ballinrobe who shipped a six point defeat in their first game away to Ballintubber.

Large number of Mayo boxers take part in cadet championships

Fri, Apr 19, 2013

Eight clubs in Mayo entered 17 boxers into the National Senior Cadet championships for 14-year-old and 15-year-old boxers. The competition was held in the National Stadium over three days last weekend. The IABA will be using these championships as part of their selection process for the European Junior Championships in Russia this summer.

Windy weather causes havoc around the county

Fri, Apr 19, 2013

Balla
The team of Marion Gormally, Aodan McSuibhne, and Aine McSuibhne won the Waltz competition sponsored by Gilvarry and Associates last weekend, with the trio of Cath McNulty, Kathleen Minogue, and Geraldine O’Malley in second place.

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