Players are afraid to tackle -Horan

Sun, Feb 02, 2014

Fresh from seeing a game where his side engaged in a shootout more reminiscent of something you'd see in the latter stages of the hurling championship, than the first round of the football league on a chilly first Sunday in February, Mayo manager James Horan admitted he was still scratching his head when it came to the black card rule and how it's implement. The Ballintubber club man spelt out his unease saying. “I don't know, I'm still struggling with when it is and when it isn't. If I say that the Kildare one was a black card and ours wasn't you'd think I'm biased, but that's the way I actually saw it. Aido's one I wasn't sure if it was, I thought it was a yellow card.” Horan said he believed that the new rule was stopping players tackling because of the fear of picking up a black card. “Players out there are afraid to tackle at the moment, with the uncertainty that's there. If you want a game full of running, and tackling is one of the best skills in the game, that's where were going I would say. We just need to be careful and make sure that black cards are implement the right way and everyones clear on them and I don't think that's the case at the moment.”

Andy looks to the positives after dramatic loss

Sun, Feb 02, 2014

After a not your normal league opener in Newbridge on Sunday, Mayo captain Andy Moran was left scratching his head a bit, how exactly his team ended up loosing after kicking 2-18 over the 70 minutes. “I thought we did quite well to be honest, scoring 2-18 in a league game at the start of February, you'd expect to win to be honest, but it wasn't to be. We'd probably three chances to kill off the game and we never did. I think in the first half, we went 0-10 to 0-7 up and then they hit a purple patch and hit 1-3 or 1-4 that was vital in terms of the game. In the second half then we got goals and we went a head, then they went down and got a goal and went ahead. It was a very unusual game, usually in these games you see them ending up 1-8 to 1-9 or something like that” was his initial reaction to the game that had just unfolded.

Mayo fall short at the end in high scoring opener

Sun, Feb 02, 2014

Kildare 2-19
Mayo 2-18

Back to the future with ten team divisions

Fri, Jan 31, 2014

The Mayo League announced late last week that they will be scrapping the eight-team divisions from the league, following a three-year experiment with the smaller divisions and moving back to ten-team divisions.

Ulster boxers take the honours in Swinford

Fri, Jan 31, 2014

The visiting boxers from Ulster took the majority of the contests in the inter-provincal tournament held in the Conway Gym and Fitness Centre in Swinford last Friday night. The opening four contests on the night involved eight Mayo boxers as support bouts for the main contests. The best contest of the night was awarded to the meeting of Vicky Harraghy (Swinford/Connacht) and Grainne Gallagher (Twin Towns/Ulster) with the visiting girl taking the girl two, 46kg contest 3-0. There were wins on the night for Chloe Moore (Swinford/Connacht) in the girl two 42kg grade, Shannon Sweeney (St Anne’s/Connacht), and Aoife Hennigan (Swinford/Connacht) in the intermediate 63kg grade.

Kiltane are on the march

Fri, Jan 31, 2014

Oh to have a crystal ball to see what fortunes lie ahead for Mayo football in 2014. One thing for sure, one Mayo club — Kiltane have a superb chance to claim one of the early pieces of silverware when they take on Truagh of Monaghan in the All-Ireland intermediate final in Croke Park on February 9, a feat my own club Charlestown should have accomplished last season but for some calamitous decisions when they were coasting against eventual winners Cookstown of Tyrone in the All- Ireland semi final. Kiltane were simply brilliant last Sunday. If you were to tell me before the game that star attacker Mikey Sweeney and Tommy “Goals” Conroy were not going to score against Clyda Rovers, I would have re-mortgaged the house on Clyda.

Mayo throw-in against the Lillywhites

Fri, Jan 31, 2014

If all 2,500 of Mayo’s season ticket holders make the trip to St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge, they will take over almost half the capacity of the Lillywhites home ground on Sunday. While it is not expected Mayo supporters in that number will make the trek east on Sunday a very healthy number of supporters will be on hand to see the latest update of James Horan’s Mayo make their proper competitive debut of the year, after the shadow boxing of the FBD League. Horan has given two players their Allainz Football League debuts with Aghamore’s Brendan Harrison getting the nod to start in the half-back line alongside Shane McHale and Lee Keegan. While Mayo Gaels’ Adam Gallagher will come into the team in the number 12 shirt in a half-forward line anchored by Keith Higgins and with Cathal Carolan on the other wing,

Moyles signs on with ladies’ team

Fri, Jan 31, 2014

IT Sligo manager and former Mayo junior team manager, Michael Moyles has joined up as part of the Mayo ladies management team for this year. The Crossmolina native will be coming on board with Peter Clarke’s current management team who are going into their second year in charge of Mayo.

Mayo get their league campaign under way on Sunday when they travel to Mallow to take on Cork in a repeat of last year’s league final. They will be on the road again the following Sunday when they face Tyrone (the Mayo men’s team are also away to Tyrone on the same day). They will the have two home games in a row against Dublin and Laois on February 16 and March 2, before hitting the road again on March 9 to Donegal and Kerry on March 30, before rounding off their league campaign at home to Monaghan on April 6.

Draw throws up plenty of interesting contests

Tue, Jan 28, 2014

While the first round of the action in this year’s Trenalaur Catering Mayo GAA Senior Football Championship may be a good few months away, there was lots of interest in the draws held in Elvery's MacHale Park last night for the group stages. Following the draw for each group, a separate draw was made between the four sides to determine their order in the group to ensure there was a random factor in deciding which teams got two home games in the group stages.

Croke Park beware, Kiltane are on the way!

Sun, Jan 26, 2014

Kiltane 2-9
Clyda Rovers 0-9

Clyda Rovers 0-9

Three more competitions this weekend for Mayo boxe

Fri, Jan 24, 2014

Following last weekend’s three events held by Ardagh/Crossmolina BC, Geesala BC, and Charlestown BC, the action moves to Swinford tonight, Friday January 24, in the Conway Fitness Centre at 8pm. Then to the Wyatt Hotel Westport for the Eagle BC tournament tomorrow at 8pm and the weekend’s action will wrap up with the sixth annual Vincy James Memorial tournament in Foxford Sports and Leisure Centre this Sunday, January 26 at 3pm.

Mayo athletes to be honoured at the C and C Cellular/Vodafone Mayo Athletic Awards

Fri, Jan 24, 2014

Mayo A/C is this year hosting the 2013 C and C Cellular/Vodafone Mayo Athletic Awards which will be held at a gala function in Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar, this Sunday January 26. Athletes from all over Mayo will be honoured for their contribution to athletics during the past year. Certificates or awards will be presented to all athletes who won national and international medals in 2013. On the night some 100 awards will be presented.

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