Win over Leinster puts pep in the step as Connacht face Scottish trailblazers

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

Connacht Rugby, with little time to enjoy their “massive” win over Leinster, now head to Glasgow knowing the Scottish trailblazers are a different proposition, particularly at Scotstoun, in this evening’s Guinness Pro 12 fixture (7.35pm).  Connacht’s perfect start to the season has been matched by Glasgow and current table-toppers Ospreys, and tomorrow evening represents a huge challenge for Pat Lam’s improving side.   Last year’s league finalists, Glasgow have been beaten only once in the last 13 outings as coach Gregor Townsend has developed a brand of rugby that is both powerful and pacey. All Connacht’s resources, both physical and mental, will be tested to the hilt against a side that can mix relentless offloading with kicking prowess and backs with pace.

Mayo in the headlines for the wrong reasons

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

It has been a strange week in GAA circles, no more so than here in Mayo. I am lost for words about the way our new management team of Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes have being appointed. Instead of being a joyous and enormously proud day for both men it has been steeped in controversy. It is embarrassing that the story has achieved national media coverage for all the wrong reasons, more on that again in the coming weeks. But first off may I wish them the best of luck with the job in hand, it is one of the biggest in the GAA.

Getting back to the action on the field, the club intermediate semi-finals did not set the world on fire last Saturday evening, tournament favourites Hollymount-Carramore failing to put away a stubborn Belmullet team despite being four points up in the second half. Jonathan Donohue, the Belmullet full forward, no doubt will get extra attention from Noel Connelly’s men for the replay after a superb exhibition of scoring. Mayo physio Martin McIntyre, playing in a very deep role, did not half get stuck in, and along with Chris Barrett and Donohue helped the Erris men claim a well deserved draw. Next Saturday will be their fourth weekend in a row playing championship and may a bit too much to take on. Ballyhaunis completely outplayed The Neale in the other semi final. The favouritism tag did not weigh well with the south Mayo team who simply did not turn up and were well beaten all over the field. Keith Higgins and Niall Prenty to the fore for Ballyhaunis now have an Intermediate final to look forward to.

Mayo kickboxers perform well in World Championship

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

After five days of competition, the Irish Cadet and Junior Kickboxing Team returned with 45 medals from the WAKO World Championships in Rimini, Italy, and among them was a bronze medal coming home to Mayo with Davitt Neary.

Ballina Athletic Club to host an exciting new cross-country event for teenagers

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

The Ballina Athletic Club will host a post primary schools cross country challenge for the 12 schools in its surrounding area on Wednesday week, October 8. The event will take place in Belleek, Ballina, and it is hoped it will give all participants the opportunity to discover a talent for cross country running.  The primary aim of this event is to promote and support participation in athletics among post-primary pupils. Ballina Athletic Club has a comprehensive underage development structure with the expertise of dedicated and knowledgeable coaches who are immersed in athletics. However the club has noticed a decline in recent years in the participation levels among teenagers and young adults, and rather than accepting this, it is determined to get teenagers back on track and bring the ‘X-Factor’ into cross-country running. It is a gateway discipline for so many other sports. This unique cross-country event promises to do just that with an exciting line up of shorter than usual cross-country races which will have all the teenagers vying for overall prizes for the pride and glory of their respective schools.

The club is very fortunate to have Ballina Beverages on board as event sponsor. It will be awarding a €500 sports bursary to the best overall girls’ school and best overall boys’ school on the day. This will be determined by the collective team finishing positions in the boys’ and girls’ categories. The purpose of the sports bursary is specifically to develop an athletics programme in the successful schools. It is hoped that the benefit of the sports bursaries should be two-fold. It should increase interest and participation in athletics at school level and also greatly assist in the development of sport in the successful schools.  It is also hoped that the awarding of a bursary will be an added incentive to schools to prepare and participate in the event in a spirit of friendly rivalry.

Judge lands hole-in-one in Balla

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

By Colm Gannon
Balla

United and unbeaten to the end

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

No-one can deny that Westport United have been the best team in the Mayo League and they capped a remarkable league season last weekend when they went through the whole campaign unbeaten. Dropping just two points over the whole season is a remarkable achievement, but knowing the hunger there is in that Westport United side their draw against Straide and Foxford in the middle of July will be something they will look back on with a tinge of regret over the winter.

Podium for Duffy in Cyprus

Fri, Sep 26, 2014

A majestic weekend of rallying came to an end on Sunday as Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and Killian Duffy claimed a very impressive third place finish on the 2014 Cyprus Rally. In what was a one-of-a-kind event, two sanctioned FIA rounds ran side by side with the ninth round of the ERC and the fifth round of the MERC both taking place on the same weekend.

Mayo teams drop points in top division

Fri, Sep 19, 2014

The second round of games in the Connacht Rugby Junior A League last weekend saw both of the Mayo teams in the top division go down to defeats. After grabbing a late win in round one the previous week against Ballinasloe, Ballina went down 33-17 away to Monivea last Sunday afternoon. The north Mayo men were trailing by 11 at the break and did manage to haul themselves to within a converted try at one stage in the second half, but they were not able to pull themselves back on terms.

Westport went down to their second defeat of the season when they lost by just two points away to Ballinasloe. The Galway men ran out 11-9 winners, with Seán Tobin kicking the scores for Westport. This weekend Westport will host Monivea at 1.30pm on Sunday, with Ballina on the road in Galway where they will face OLBC at 2.30pm.

Connacht’s winning form to be tested by Leinster

Fri, Sep 19, 2014

Connacht’s new-found confidence and recent winning form will be tested by back-to-back champions Leinster in their Guinness Pro 12 meeting at the Galway Sportsground this evening (7.45pm).

Donegal’s defensive system can see off the Kingdom

Fri, Sep 19, 2014

Kerry, the aristocrats of Gaelic football, have struggled badly against the top Ulster teams in vital games over the past 12 years and it is very plausible that trend will continue this Sunday.

Saturday evening showdown for final spots

Fri, Sep 19, 2014

The final pairing of this years Eagan Jewellers Mayo intermediate football championship should be known come sundown on Saturday evening after an exciting double header of action in Elverys MacHale Park. Belmullet were the last team to book their place in the final four last weekend when they finally saw off the challenge of Mayo Gaels following a replay in Ballina last Saturday evening. The north Mayo men had three points to spare over the Gaels in a 0-12 to 0-9 win, with Jonathan O'Donoghue's seven points playing a major role in their gallop towards the last four over the closing stages of the contest.

Last chance to go up or avoid the drop

Fri, Sep 19, 2014

It is all or nothing this weekend for a number of clubs as the final round of action in the Mayo League gets down to action. As it stands, we know that in the Super League Westport United are the champions, Fahy Rovers have been relegated with either Moy Villa or Iorras Aontaithe joining them in the Premier A next year. In the second tier Ballyglass and Conn Rangers have been promoted, but Westport United B could pip them to the title yet. At the bottom Urlar United are gone, with Snugboro United and Killala battling it out to avoid the drop, with the odds very much favouring the north Mayo men. In the Premier B, Kiltimagh/Knock United are the champions, Castlebar Celtic C and Iorras Aontaithe B are relegated, with Glenhest Rovers and Ballyhaunis Town battling it out for the last promotion place. The action in League One will also come down to the last day, with a winner takes all showdown on Sunday, while League Two was finished off a few weeks ago.

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