Search Results for 'soccer'

The GAA has lots of quirky things in its make-up. Topics and questions that make people quiz themselves and smile and wonder aloud.

The senior club championship kicks off this weekend and to be honest I am getting excited and a little nervous because of it. All the dreaming, planning, and orchestrating for a crack at winning the title will be put to its first big test on Sunday. The weather forecast is good and the fact that it is a long weekend should guarantee a bumper crowd at the games, which will surely bring a smile to the face of what is normally a very serious looking county treasurer! The real secret of the GAA's success is that it is so fervently supported at community level, and this weekend will see thousands turning out to support their respective clubs all over the county. You don't have to be interested in football — everyone goes to support their parish or their club. Gaelic is easy to watch. It is free flowing and robust with a lot of scores, and that's attractive for punters who are used to watching soccer where there is maybe one goal in the space of 90 minutes (Wednesday’s European cup final being an exception, when we could sit back and marvel at the flamboyant skills of Barcelona). There are very few things in life that create the excitement of a good club championship match and I personally love the build up to championship Sundays.

I think it’s fair to say that there has been a lot of doom and gloom over this past year due to the state of the nation’s economy. For many folk sport has become their one saving grace in these tough times. As weekends go the one just past you could say was just what the doctor had ordered.

Sport must continue to be top of the agenda in Westmeath. This was the message legendary Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Packie Bonner was keen to drive home to our county councillors this week.

Badminton

The Ardilaun Leisure Club is the perfect choice for getting fit, and should be top of everyone’s list to join. Now in its 10th year, The Ardilaun Leisure Club in leafy Taylor’s Hill goes from strength to strength and offers its members and guests even more facilities and activities to choose from.

Castlebar Celtic’s brave step into the Newstalk FAI League of Ireland A league is ready to roll this weekend when Derry City make the trip south to Celtic Park. Last Friday night Celtic launched their campaign in the TF Royal Hotel and Theatre. Declan Kilkelly, manager of the side, praised the club’s decision to enter the competition when he was called on to speak at the launch. “This is a brave, brave, decision by the club to enter this competition. The decision was proved right by just looking at the number of lads we have got back from clubs like Galway United, Mervue United, and Sligo Rovers who are ready to do their part for the club in this exciting venture. Any players, whoever they are, want to play at the highest level they can and now we can offer our players who have come through our own underage system this chance to play League of Ireland football for Castlebar Celtic.” Kilkelly was in charge of the Celtic youth side who claimed the FAI Youth Cup in 2006, took over the club’s senior side midway through last season after the departure of former manager Gavin Dykes who had brought them to an FAI junior cup semi-final, and guided them in their first adventure in the FAI u20 league side in 2007 only to see the club excluded from the 2008 competition because they did not have an A league side. The decision of the club to throw their hat in the ring for the 2009 A league and try to emulate Mervue United which went from junior soccer in Galway to the A league in 2008, and is now a League of Ireland first division club, is a positive one for soccer in Mayo according to chairman of the Mayo League Pat Quigley who said: “I wish Celtic all the best in this challenge, it’s a great step for the club and a very positive one for soccer in Mayo in general. We have played a very small part in this in the Mayo league and we will continue to do whatever we can to help the club in this challenge. This decision offers every lad who starts off playing football with Celtic something to aim for, to play in the League of Ireland.”

Galway hosted the Connaught finals of the HSE Community Games team events recently with all five counties represented.

A soccer fun week will take place for boys and girls aged seven to 15 years.

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