Search Results for 'Westmeath'

The shortlist for the sixth “Our World Irish Aid Awards” was announced during the week and St Colman’s NS in Conaghy, Kilkenny is among the shortlisted schools.

Irish Citylink this week launched its Galway to Dublin commuter service, which will serve several of Westmeath’s towns including Athlone, Moate, Kilbeggan, Tyrellspass, Rochfortbridge, Milltownpass, and Kinnegad.

Brought to you by Opera Ireland in association with RTE Lyric fm and The Sunday Times, Donizetti’s Don Pasquale will broadcast live from The New York Metropolitan Opera on 13 November to 18 cinemas around Ireland, including IMC Cinema, Athlone.

Kilkenny’s ladies footballers are getting back into action after the exam break and the county intermediates are preparing for the visit of last year’s All-Ireland junior champions Antrim who travel to face the Cats on July 11.

Mayo continued their preparations ahead of their Connacht championship campaign opener against Sligo on Saturday week last Tuesday night when they played Kildare in a three period challenge behind closed doors in Longwood. It was Mayo’s fourth challenge game in 10 days, having previously beaten Cavan, Westmeath, and Dublin. Mayo went down by a point against the Lillywhites in a contest that was played over three 25 minute periods, with a side starting to look like it was taking shape for Saturday week’s game against Sligo. Tom Cunniffe continued at centre half back, flanked on either side by Peader Gardiner and Kevin McLoughlin. Kenneth O’Malley got a run out between the sticks for Mayo while Alan Dillon, who had been nursing an injury, came on to score a point. Donal Vaughn, another who picked up an injury in recent weeks, also made an appearance from the bench. Andy Moran was Mayo’s top scorer, kicking 1-4, while Conor Mortimer chipped in with five points from frees. The challenge game was the sixth in 10 days that many of the Mayo players had taken part in, including club games. They will get a break from club action ahead of the Sligo game with the club action in Mayo reverting back to the secondary league ahead of their championship clash and the start of the club senior and intermediate championship proper in a fortnight’s time around the county.

Understandably, the mood in the county is somewhat muted after the disappointment of Mayo’s performance in the league final. What the final did tell us is that Cork are the best team in the country right now and their improving style of football over the last two years will almost guarantee that they feature in the latter stages of this year’s championship. In fact, I will be surprised if they don’t win the All-Ireland this year. They have a plethora of big, strong, athletic footballers who are really comfortable on the ball. Mayo on the other hand look particularly small physically, an observation I have heard from more than a few. Also, notwithstanding the fact that Mayo played very poorly, Cork look to have it sussed for 2010. Last year they bubbled over in mid summer, playing their sweetest football in July and August. They will be smarter this year and I think that the Cork management will gather sufficient expertise to ensure that they peak in September.

Contestants of the 4 x 4 challenge arrived at the Carlton Shearwater, Ballinasloe last week to begin their night navigation course in the area.

Last week in this column I let off a bit of steam in relation to the GAA’s treatment of the lesser hurling counties in the country. As far as I was concerned unless you are a leading contender for Liam McCarthy honours you just don’t matter. Last weekend, the quarter-finals of the Nicky Rackard and Christy Ring cups were played and for the counties involved their season hung on the result. I mentioned about how shoddy the arrangements were for the draw for these quarter-finals. While the draw was being made for the qualifiers in the premier competition, the rest of the counties involved in their own championships, were left to hang on with no idea of who their opposition would be. What I didn’t mention though was my surprise that the knockout games in the Ring and Rackard cups would be on a home and away basis.

Three Irish backpackers, including one Galway girl, who were travelling in Australia were viciously assaulted last week during an unprovoked attack which started over a cigarette.

Mayo, as you know, start with a home game against Derry in Ballina on Sunday. While it is true that our preparations haven’t been perfect, with sloppy displays in the FBD league, preparations in the last two weeks have gone really well according to reports! Some of the ‘big guns’ were out last weekend in Kilmallock, where Cork were the opposition. Mayo scored 2-12 in that game against a full Cork outfit. The game ended in a draw and apparently it was a good workout for all concerned. Trevor Mortimer has returned to the fray after a couple of weeks sunning himself in South Africa and Ronan McGarrity was back at midfield having returned from his honeymoon. Mayo were as near full strength as possible, with only the injured Conor Mortimer not featuring as he had minor surgery on a broken nose received a week earlier. After this game and another workout on Sunday morning against a Mayo u21 selection management would more than likely have made their minds up on a starting 15 for Sunday. At the time of writing the Mayo team hasn’t yet been selected but I will be surprised if it isn’t Clarke, Vaughan, Cafferkey, Liam O’Malley, Gardiner, Cunniffe, Pat Kelly, McGarrity, Parsons, Trevor Mortimer, Dillon, Padden, Conor Mortimer, Barry Moran, and Andy Moran. If Conor Mortimer isn’t selected then I expect Mickey Sweeney might get the nod here as he scored a goal and two points from three efforts against Cork. I believe we will get our campaign off to a winning start on Sunday. Derry are missing quite a few of their stars as I believe Mark Lynch, Enda Muldoon, Niall McCusker, Kevin McCloy, Colin Devlin, and Paddy Bradley are not available on Sunday for one reason or another.