Search Results for 'James Horan'

The visit of Connacht champions Roscommon to Ballyhaunis on Sunday gives James Horan another chance to have a look at the cast of hopefuls who are vying to nail down a place in his plans for the coming year. Horan opened up his inter-county management account last Saturday night in McHale Park, with a win over GMIT in the first floodlit game in the county ground. A healthy crowd of some 2,000 turned up for the game which, while it failed to light up the night on the field, was a good dry run for those involved in getting the ground ready for the visit of Down in the National Football League on February 5. However Horan was happy enough with how things went on the night in the most part. “It was a poor enough game, we came through it OK apart from Kevin Dolan who was very unfortunate. He was operated on Tuesday and hopefully he won’t be out for too long. It was good to get out there and see the guys in action on the field, it’s where you’ll learn what you are about and see mistakes that are being made and where you need to work on your game.”

Mayo 2-8     GMIT 1-5

Those souls who made the trip to Ballyhaunis last Sunday were left sorely disappointed when the man in black, TJ Keaveney from Sligo, decided that there would be no action on display because of a frozen pitch. The game which was originally down for Ballinamore in Leitrim was changed only the day before because of a similar problem. But the game being called off only 20 minutes before throw-in time caused a major inconvenience not only for the teams — Mayo had been going through their warm up on the second pitch in Ballyhaunis when it was called off — but to the supporters who had paid in to the ground. Mayo will now get their season underway on Saturday night in McHale Park when they host GMIT under lights in what will be a test run for the county ground ahead of their National League division one opener with Down on February 5 in the same venue. No Mayo starting team has been announced for the game at the time of going to print, but it would be expected to be along the same lines as the one picked for the Leitrim game. However there was one planned change before the game was called off last Sunday, with Castlebar Mitchels’ defender Richie Feeney out of the side after he picked up a foot injury the day before the game. GMIT will have Mayo representation with former Mayo midfielder Pat Fallon in charge of the team and a number of players from Mayo clubs battling for inclusion in his side. Mayo’s game against Leitrim has been refixed by the Connacht Council for January 30 in the original venue in Ballinanmore. The re-fixed game will give Mayo manager James Horan one last chance to run the rule over his side before the opening of their National League opener with Down the next Saturday.

Just over six months since Mayo last played a senior inter-county game the road is opening up in front of them for another year. On Sunday in Ballinamore in Leitrim the newest version of the Mayo senior team will take to the field under the guidance of James Horan for the first time. Since his appointment at the end of September, Horan has only been able to run his eye over his new charges a handful of times, the last time last weekend in a series of inter-squad challenge games and previous to that in a number of trial games in November.

The winter training ban for inter-county footballers and hurlers is officially over, even though some counties did not seem to know it was in place in the first instance; and the first bit of competitive action of 2011 in Connacht kicks off this weekend with the start of the FBD league.

It was a mixed day yesterday for Mayo sides in the AIB Connacht Club Football Championship, with Parke claiming the junior title and Ballintubber losing out to Galway champions Killererin in the senior semi final.

It is a busy weekend of action for both the Mayo senior and junior champions, with Ballintubber fresh from winning their first senior county title looking to book their place in the Connacht final on Sunday against Galway champions Killererin in Tuam Stadium at 2.30pm. When James Horan’s men are getting ready for throw in on Sunday, Frank McHale’s Parke side will be just coming up to half time in their Connacht Junior Final against Leitrim side Eslin in McHale Park, hoping that they are on their way to booking a spot in the All Ireland series.

Ballintubber 0-8     Castlebar 0-5

The showpiece occasion in Mayo football will be tinged with sadness following the recent deaths of Ger Feeney and Donal McEllin. But what better way to honour the memory of the two men than this Sunday’s clash between Castlebar Mitchels and Ballintubber in the county senior final in McHale Park.

Seán Óg Ó hAilpín’s departure from the Cork hurling panel has dominated the sports news this week after Dennis Walsh indicated that he would not be included in Cork’s plans for next season. This was a huge decision to make and in one sense I can understand how difficult it must have been for Walsh to make it. There are two schools of thought at play here. Dennis Walsh could have taken the soft option and waited until his time in charge was over, thereby leaving the tough decision to omit the player to the next manager. Nobody would have complained if Seán Óg was kept on the squad to assist with the task of indoctrinating some new faces into a new Cork squad. I do feel he could have done a fine job in this regard.