The first of many hard decisions for Holmes and Connolly

Fri, Feb 27, 2015

Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly had to make the first big decisions of their tenure as Mayo joint managers when culling the panel after a recent challenge game against Clare. The two biggest and most talked about casualties are Gavin Duffy and Enda Varley. Duffy’s inclusion in the panel last year certainly gave the county a lift with his professional athletic background and obvious experience of big match days. However as the year went on and there was no sight of him in a Mayo jersey his much anticipated return to a Mayo jersey became more of a fascination with “what was the point in having him in the panel”. I was at every Mayo match last year and on every occasion his whereabouts was discussed by media men and women from all over the country.

Despite his ineligibility to play for Mayo in 2014 which only came to light last month, I don’t think Duffy was considered for a place in James Horan’s match day panel until the replay against Kerry in Limerick, where he was probably being considered as an alternative to curb the threat of Kieran Donaghy, only for Horan to find out about his ineligibility a few days before the replay. I have said this on many occasions, with the exceptional condition and physicality of the modern GAA player, a rugby international back like Duffy would not stand out physically in a GAA dressing room.

Farney army come calling to Castlebar

Fri, Feb 27, 2015

The last time Mayo faced Monaghan in the National Football League was four years ago, they lost out to the Ulster men by two points in the village of Inniskeen. Mayo’s visit back then to the home of Patrick Kavanagh gave them plenty of food for thought and set them off on an adventure that would see them reach two All Ireland finals and two All Ireland semi-finals over the next four summers.

Early goal glut kills off Mayo

Mon, Feb 23, 2015

A waterlogged pitch in Elverys MacHale Park saw this second round game in division 2b in the National Hurling League switched to the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan on Sunday morning. Mayo decked out in their new black change jersey were slow to get to the pitch of the game and found themselves trailing by 2-2 to 0-0 with less than ten minutes gone, a gap they were never able to bridge over the remaining hours play.

Cora hits her stride as Mayo take down the Dubs

Mon, Feb 23, 2015

Mayo moved into second place on the league table on Sunday, when they pulled off a five point win away to Dublin in the DCU Sports Grounds.

Royal challenge next up for hurlers

Fri, Feb 20, 2015

The Mayo senior hurling team will be looking to make it two wins from two in Elverys MacHale Park when Meath come to town. Last Sunday Mayo got their National Hurling League Division 2B campaign off to a winning start when they had eight points to spare over Donegal in Letterkenny, while Meath went down by 10 points to Kildare in Trim on a scoreline of 0-24 to 0-14.

Time to work out the kinks

Fri, Feb 20, 2015

The three week break in the National league came at a good time for the Mayo footballers and for joint managers Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly. It will give them time to work on certain issues that were so badly exposed by the Tyrone blanket defence, however it still did not detract the doubters and the critics from expressing their obvious concerns.

Marsden kills off St Colman’s dreams

Fri, Feb 20, 2015

A stunning second-half performance from St Jarlath’s College, Tuam, saw the famous old football nursery book their place in the last four of the Connacht Colleges A Senior Football Championship on Tuesday in a windswept Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Beakan.

Gerald’s win Mayo battle to book semi-final spot

Fri, Feb 20, 2015

St Gerald’s College, Castlebar booked their place in this years Connacht Colleges Senior A Football Championship semi-final with a hard fought four point win over their north Mayo opponents in the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence on Thursday lunch-time.

Connacht look to get back to winning ways

Fri, Feb 20, 2015

Connacht's run of "cup finals" in their quest for Champions Cup qualification continues with the second successive Guinness Pro 12 fixture in Wales on Sunday.

This time round it is the Newport Gwent Dragons, that side that just downed Leinster in their own back yard, ending the Irish province's 21-game unbeaten run at the RDS in the Pro 12.

Heery takes Ballinrobe Duathlon crown

Fri, Feb 20, 2015

Duathlon
The Ballinrobe Duathlon took place in bright and breezy spring conditions last weekend and was a great event. Leading the fray from the start was Galway’s Hurt Locker supremo John Greaney, he held this lead from Killian Heery from Emyvale, with John Lyons from Longford in third leading the relay section. In the ladies’ section it was neck and neck among four women, Lorraine Carey from Ballina, Marie Boyle (Spiddal), Siobhan Murtagh (Carrick on Shannon), and Michelle Lannon (Boyle) who were all stuck together.

Spring Leagues bring out the best around Mayo

Fri, Feb 20, 2015

Balla
PJ Brett was the winner of the gents’ competition last weekend with a score of 39pts. He finished one point in front of Matt Leonard who came home in second place. Third spot went to Lorcan Cribben, who also came home with a score of 38pts. The ladies’ competition was won by Carmel Henry who scored 39pts, Louise McMahon finished in second place three points further back, with Pauline O’Connor taking third place.

Mayo Community Games prepare for new season

Fri, Feb 20, 2015

Community Games
Mayo Community Games are making preparations for the year ahead with the hope that all of last year’s registered areas, and a number of new areas will join up this year. Affiliation forms and fees are now due to be returned to the county secretary. Entries for the following competitions are now required in order to get the competitions started: badminton, basketball, chess, draughts, futsal, indoor soccer, and spike ball.

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