Search Results for 'Leitrim'

Welcome to my first column as a writer. For the rest of the summer at least, I intend to discuss, analyse and give my opinion on all matters GAA at club and inter-county level. Feel free to e-mail me any comments or opinions you may have. For the week that’s in it my mind in focused on one thing only and there’s no prizes for guessing what that is. Mayo welcome Roscommon to Castlebar on Sunday for the Connacht semi-final and a right to play either London or Leitrim in the Connacht final. It sounds a bit surreal, but yes, London could be in a Connacht final. With the current upheaval in Leitrim and four players designated to the scrapheap for disciplinary reasons I may just fancy a flutter on London to make the final. Leitrim have a small enough panel to pick from without losing players, most notably Wayne McKeon, arguably one of their best players, but that’s for another day.

The total number of vacant commercial units or premises in Mayo is 976, according to figures released by GeoDirectory. The figures represent an average vacancy rate for commercial units in the county of 12 per cent, and are accurate as of June 2012.

The build up to Mayo’s Connacht Senior Football Championship semi-final with the winners of the clash of London and Leitrim this weekend continues on Sunday. James Horan will be turning his microscope on his players again this Sunday in Ballaghaderreen against Westmeath and Sunday will mark the official re-opening of the pitch and clubhouse following their redevelopment of their facilities.

Westmeath medical devices companies were among 80 companies exhibiting at the Enterprise Ireland Med in Ireland Expo at the Convention Centre Dublin last week, gaining exposure to 250 medical technology and healthcare companies from 31 countries. One of the exhibiting companies was Mergon Group Ltd from Castlepollard, County Westmeath.

I have been chatting to a few of my Roscommon friends over recent days and they appear very confident about their team’s chances this Sunday. I can understand why they might feel that way. Former midfielder and current team manager Fergal O’ Donnell has his team putting in good performances these days. I have heard stories of training camps and twice daily sessions being conducted, so it would appear that no stone is being left unturned as he pushes and strives for success. They are extremely fit and well drilled and are a formidable side. In their two games played in this year’s championship they played superbly. OK, the quality of the opposition i.e. New York and Leitrim wouldn’t be ranked very highly in the current ratings of championship contenders, but other teams have struggled in New York and Leitrim have always proved to be formidable opposition in Carrick on Shannon.

With a sell out crowd of 30,000 expected to head to Hyde Park on Sunday, there will be nowhere to hide for Mayo as they aim to dethrone Fergal O’Donnell’s defending Connacht champions on their home patch. Ten years ago O’Donnell was the man who lifted the Nestor Cup in the same venue on a sweltering Sunday evening when a late, late Gerry Lohan goal had primrose and blue ribbons hanging from the old trophy for the year at the end of one of the games of the ages.

All eyes will be on Hyde Park Roscommon this Sunday as Fergal O’Donnell’s men bid to win back to back Connacht championships. James Horan’s Mayo side stand in their way. It has all the ingredients of a cracker in front of a packed house.

Amateur cyclists from all over County Kilkenny and beyond are this week scrambling to sign up and join some of the county’s top GAA stars to ‘Race The Rás’ and help raise money for GOAL and the Irish Cancer Society.

To win a provincial final is always sweet. To do so against all odds is all the sweeter. Fergal O’Donnell’s men tore up the script in Castlebar last Sunday to record a famous victory that will live long in the memory of all primrose and blue supporters.

All roads lead to Castlebar on Sunday as Roscommon bid to win their first Connacht title since 2001. On that occasion they were captained by Fergal O’Donnell, the man who will be patrolling the sideline this time around.