Search Results for 'Ulster GAA'

All-Ireland intermediate final replay (Croke Park, Sunday 4.15pm)

Connacht ladies have been crowned the u-18 Gaynor Cup 2011 champions.

In Kerry last weekend, a wise man said that it only matters what happens on the third Sunday in September and seeing that his county has more All Ireland titles than most could dream of, it’s very sage advice. Mayo had just picked up their fourth win in this year’s national football league which left them top of the pile with two rounds of the competition to go, but in the grand scheme of things what does making it to the latter stages of the competition really effect in the long run? In 2007, Mayo reached the final against Donegal only to bow out of the Connacht championship a month later in the preliminary round to Galway. The last time that Mayo won the national league back in 2001 under Pat Holmes they bowed out of the Connacht championship to Roscommon in a nail biting encounter. Mayo have been one of the best league sides over the past decade or so reaching semi finals in 2002, 2005, and 2006 along with the finals in 2001 and 2007, but it has failed to see them push on to the biggest prize. Only in 2006 did they go on reach the All Ireland final where Kerry ended the dream once again.

The thing about the minor grade is that it’s over for the players at this level nearly as soon as it starts, most players get one year at this level, the lucky ones get two. It doesn’t really allow for rivalries to build up over the years outside the natural provincial domain so going into Sunday’s All Ireland final the only rivalry to be sorted out on the field will be who want’s it more.