Southern strongmen look to hold out northern raiders

Fri, Dec 12, 2014

When we previewed the semi-finals of this competition, we said that Ballina were going to have to be on the top of their game to take down an impressive looking Breaffy side, and Ballina were just that. Tough, hard-working, and when it came to the crunch holding their nerve in digging out the win. When it looked like their semi-final was heading towards extra-time sub John Moylette kept his cool and put the ball between the posts to book their deserved spot in the final. This Ballina team coming good at u21 this year really should not be that much of a surprise as in 2011, this crop of players picked up the minor A title.

Sunday show down at convention

Fri, Dec 05, 2014

The annual end of year Mayo GAA County Board convention promises to be one of the more interesting ones with a number of positions up for grabs. The top job as chairman of the board will see current vice-chairman Mike Connelly and former county secretary Sean Feeney battle it out for the top seat in Mayo football. Outgoing chairman Paddy McNicholas has decided to seek a place on the Connacht Council as one of the two Mayo delegates. Outgoing delegate Willie Kelly has served his five year term and cannot run again. His fellow outgoing delegate Padraic Staunton from Moygownagh will be in the race with McNicholas, former Mayo GAA cultural officer Gerry Bourke, and Louisburgh’s Michael O’Malley. The battle among the four men promises to be an intriguing one when the votes are counted.

With Connelly throwing his hat in the ring for the chairman’s position, the vice-chairman’s role is available with Breaffy’s Seamus Tuohy who is currently assistant secretary and Johnny Hopkins in the running.

Ballyhaunis and Iorras hit the road

Fri, Dec 05, 2014

“It’s a long way to Tipperary” the song goes and on Sunday, Iorras Aontaithe will find out just how long that trek is when they make their way to Celtic Park in Clonmel to take on Clonmel Town at 1pm. The Tipperary side booked their place in the fifth round of the competition thanks to a 4-0 win over north Tipperary outfit Borrisokane. Aidan McGrath scored their first and fourth goals that day, with David McGrath and Tony Scully both finding the net also. In the third round they saw off Two Mile Borris 5-0, with Rosgreen Rangers beaten 4-1 in the second round. Clonmel Town are currently seven games into their Tipperary Southern and District League Premier Division campaign and they have picked up four wins, two draws, and one defeat so far, scoring 24 goals in the process. Barry Ryan, Tony Scully, and Dwayne Burns have all been finding the back of the net with regularity for Clonmel Town this season.

Celtic pick up a point at Peamount

Fri, Dec 05, 2014

This weekend sees Castlebar Celtic have a bye in the Continental Tyres Women’s National League. Last Sunday they put their eighth point of the season on the board thanks to a 2-2 draw away to Peamount United. The point sees Celtic remain in fifth place in the table, two points in front of Galway WFC in sixth place, and four ahead of the bottom placed Cork City Women’s FC. While Wexford Youths and UCD Waves are well out in front at the top of the table, Celtic will still be eyeing up the chance to reel in both Raheny United and Peamount United who are currently sitting in the two spots above them in the table over the second half of the season.

Ballina pick up points as Bulls come up short

Fri, Dec 05, 2014

It was another weekend of mixed fortunes for the Mayo sides in the top level of junior rugby in the province with Ballina running out big winners and Westport going down by 21 points on the road.

Connacht’s Sportsground to become bastille for Bayonne

Fri, Dec 05, 2014

Connacht’s unbeaten home record this season is the priority when Pat Lam’s side returns to European rugby on Saturday (5pm).

Castlebar look to double up

Fri, Dec 05, 2014

Castlebar Women’s Rugby are aiming to end 2014 on a high as they contest the Connacht League final this Sunday, December 7, at 1pm in Ballyhaunis against Buccaneers.

Final four in Saturday night showdowns

Fri, Nov 28, 2014

The last of the big titles to be given out in Mayo football will be handed out on Sunday week, all going well, with the final of the MD Roofing Services Mayo u21 football championship pencilled in for that date. Before then tomorrow night, Saturday, November 29 there is the small matter of the two semi-finals in the competition down for decision in Elverys MacHale Park.

Tough end to a great year for Ballintubber

Fri, Nov 28, 2014

I can only imagine that Ballintubber are devastated and disillusioned and as the week wears on the pain becomes more bearable. Ballintubber’s season has so many similarities to Charlestown’s year in ‘09. We went unbeaten in senior football that year in every competition and won the four available trophies within Mayo, similar to what Ballintubber achieved this year.

Footballer of the year up for grabs tomorrow night

Fri, Nov 28, 2014

Who will pick up the coveted Mayo League Player of the Year Award, we will find out tomorrow night when the annual Mayo League Awards take place in the Welcome Inn Hotel in Castlebar. The three players shortlisted for the award are Westport United’s David Cameron, Bangor Hibs’ Brian McHale, and Conn Rangers’ man Owen McNamara.

The Young Footballer of the Year has a six-way shortlist, with Levi Barrett (Glenhest Rovers), Patrick Moran (Westport United), Jason Hunt (Castlebar Celtic), Keelan Horkan (Charlestown Athletic), Ben Freyne (Manulla), and Michael Guilfoyle (Straide and Foxford United) all up for the gong.

Celtic look to continue their move up the table

Fri, Nov 28, 2014

Castlebar Celtic picked up their seventh point of this year’s Continental Tyre’s Women’s National League with a 2-2 draw at home to second placed UCD Waves last Saturday night in Celtic Park.

Bulls and Ballina go down at home

Fri, Nov 28, 2014

Both of the Mayo sides in the top division of junior rugby in the province went down last weekend, with Westport coming up short by three points at home to Ballinasloe and Ballina shipping a 29 point home defeat at the hands of Monivea.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.