Search Results for 'James Horan'

At last Monday night’s meeting of the Mayo County Board it was revealed that Mayo manager James Horan will be sitting down with the county board early next week to discuss his future in the role. At the meeting, county board chairman, Paddy McNicholas told the club delegates that “As regards James Horan’s position, we have arranged to meet him next Tuesday. To review the year to see what’s going to happen for the coming year. James has two more years to go as per the contract or agreement he has with the county board. That meeting will take place next Tuesday night.”

Two weeks on from the pain of Croke Park, it's back to playing for the pride of the parish this weekend as the quarter-finals and relegation semi-finals of the Treanlaur Catering Senior Football Championships take place. MacHale Park in Castlebar will host two double headers of last eight action on Saturday and Sunday, with the entertainment getting under way with the meetings of Castlebar Mitchels and Ballina Stepehenites at 3.30pm and Charlestown and Garrymore at 5pm tomorrow. The first game is, on paper, probably the game of the weekend, with the two most successful sides in the history of the competition going toe-to-toe. Pat Holmes' Castlebar men go into the game as favourites after blitzing their way through the group stages, which included a comprehensive win over fellow last eight side Breaffy. Holmes' team have been knocking at the door of winning the Moclair Cup for the first time since the early 90s and this year could be their time. With Barry Moran, Tom Cunniffee (if he is fit after having gone off at half-time in the All Ireland final) and Richie Feeney back in situ, alongside the likes of Danny Kirby, Aidan Walsh, Neil Douglas, Alan Feeney, and Ciaran Naughton, Mitchels have the player power to over-run any team in the grade. Not that Ballina will be any pushovers. John Healy's side will have to do without inspirational goalkeeper David Clarke, who had not recovered enough to take any part in Mayo's All Ireland series campaign. Healy will be able to call on experienced players of the calibre of Ronan McGarrity, Pat Harte, Ger Cafferkey, and Eanna Casey; while Evan Regan could have a major impact up front if he gets going. This time last year Ballina were staring down the barrel of the relegation gun after a horrible season, but they have pulled themselves together this year and will not give up without a fight. But when all is said and done, Castlebar should just have too much for them.

“We had enough ball to win the game.” That was James Horan’s immediate reaction as he attempted to deal with the fall-out of another Croke Park nightmare for Mayo.

It has to end sometime. But not just yet, as Mayo's wait to stand on top of the mountain goes on for another year at least. There were no excuses from James Horan afterwards as he explained: "We had enough ball to win the game today. We just made too many mistakes, too many turnovers. I think it's that straightforward."

“We had enough ball to win the game.” That was James Horan’s immediate reaction as he attempted to deal with the fall-out of another Croke Park nightmare for Mayo.

It has to end sometime. But not just yet, as Mayo's wait to stand on top of the mountain goes on for another year at least. There were no excuses from James Horan afterwards as he explained that "We had enough ball to win the game today. We just made too many mistakes, too many turnovers. I think it's that straightforward."

By the time next week’s issue of the Mayo Advertiser hits the shelves, hopefully we'll be basking in the afterglow of a day to remember for many years ahead. Sunday's games have given the people of this great and proud county something to think about and concentrate on for the past few weeks. The All-Ireland has enabled us to forget about or worries for a few brief flickering weeks, as the hunt for tickets and the build-up of excitement about the games has taken hold and pushed our financial, social, and other concerns to a small corner of the mind. Not that they have gone away or been forgotten about at all, but it has given us something positive to concern ourselves with. It has also created a great sense of community spirit and kinship from the top of Bangor Erris to the bridge in Shrule as we have all rowed in behind James Horan and Enda Gilvarry and their two teams of heroes.

They battled together for Mayo during the 1990s and tasted defeat in All Ireland finals together, Kevin Cahill and John Casey were two of the major men in John Maughan’s first great Mayo team that reached two All Ireland finals in a row in 1996 and 1997, with Kevin missing out on the second final through injury. Earlier this week they met up with this writer to shoot the breeze about their own memories from those days, some fit to print, plenty of others that we were probably better off not printing, and to cast their eye over this year’s Mayo team and their former team-mate whose now the man in the manager’s T-shirt and what they hope to see in the final

With the All Ireland final not to long away now, there’s not much else being talked about around the county. If you’re someone who is looking for some expert opinion on the game over the next week, there’s plenty of opportunities to hear some expert views.

The countdown is on and Mayo’s medical team and Cillian O’Connor are doing all they can to try to get the Ballintubber ace in shape for Sunday fortnight’s showdown with Dublin. James Horan’s honest appraisal of O’Connor’s chances of making the final this week, was that he just did not know. “I don’t know is the answer. He’s with the medical team. He’s rehabbed very well, working with the physios a couple of times a day, we’re just looking to see is he a competitive option for selection. So far so good.”