Search Results for 'National Football League'

The writing was on the wall for quite some time now, but last weekend’s home defeat to Donegal confirmed Westmeath’s return to division two of the National Football League for 2010. Meanwhile a disappointing defeat to Carlow last weekend means that our hurlers face an uphill battle to remain in division two, with two games remaining.

Kilkenny ladies faced an uphill battle on Sunday last when they hosted Roscommon at Jenkinstown in the quarter final of the Bord Gais Energy national football league.

Last weekend will live long in the memory of all Irish sports fans. First our grand-slam rugby heroes and then Bernard Dunne wrote their names into the history books. In doing so they gave the whole nation a timely lift. Unfortunately things didn’t run as smoothly for the football fraternity in both Westmeath and Roscommon, with both counties crashing out of their respective u21 championships, and both senior sides also being turned over.

McHale Park will get its first airing this season on Sunday when the All Ireland champions Tyrone come to town for the final round of the Allianz National Football League. Mayo will be looking to pick up where they left off against Galway in Tuam Stadium a fortnight ago, where a stunning second half performance saw John O’Mahony’s side overturn a six point half time deficit to squeeze past Galway by a single point and secure a one point win. The win leaves O’Mahony’s side in fourth place in the division one table on six points, equal on points with Mickey Harte’s side. A draw on Sunday would ensure both sides’ status in division one for next season, but a defeat coupled with a high scoring win by Dublin over an already relegated Westmeath and a win by Donegal over Derry could drag either side back into the bottom two of a very tight division one table.

Saturday

Spoils shared on the final day

Mayo senior management announced their championship panel of 30 this week. Apparently they deliberated on the topic for all of last week and arrived at Pearse Park, Longford, last Saturday for the All-Ireland u21 semi-final with one or two places still up for grabs. On the evidence they witnessed there they filled the final few places before releasing it to the press. In my opinion the panel selected seems to have plenty of strength in depth both for defence and midfield. However I am more than a little concerned about the true quality of Mayo’s attack heading into championship football. We had one of the lowest scoring averages throughout the National League campaign which gives some cause for concern.

1. Adrian Faherty – Claregalway

Thankfully I know I am not alone in this one; just ask any second level teacher who teaches lads.

Tomorrow (Saturday) in McHale Park in Castlebar at 5pm Mayo will be expected to account for Fergal O’Donnell’s Roscommon and qualify for the 2009 Connacht final on July 19. Mayo have been operating at a higher level then Roscommon over the past few years and it is a steady and consistent Division 1 team facing a Division 3 outfit.