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Ballina Town striker Michael Duffy has been called up to the Irish junior side, the north Mayo hit man has already picked up one international cap in 2008 against the USA, during a period when he was in a rich vein of goal scoring form. But over the past two seasons he has suffered from a number of bad injuries which curtailed his playing time. He did come back last season to help Ballina Town finally claim the Super League title. Duffy has been called up for a quadrangular tournament involving the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man which will take place in County Down from next Wednesday April 21 to Saturday April 24.

With the League of Ireland season now only a week away, Galway United’s preparations are drawing to a close, and tomorrow’s Terryland Park friendly with Hull City offers an ideal opportunity to assess how that process is going.

Ballina Town will be looking to pick themselves up from last weekends defeat at the hands of Ballinasloe Town in the Connacht Cup fourth round at home this Sunday where they have a place in the FAI Junior Cup seventh round at stake. Standing in their way in Beleek are Shangan Athletic from Dublin who overcame the challenge of Straide and Foxford United in the last round of the competition. Ballina came from three goals down before half time last weekend to pull the game back to 3-2 but were not able to find that third goal they needed to force the game level. Mick Duffy and Daniel O’Hara were on the scoreboard for Brendan Kenny’s men and Duffy in particular will be looked for to spearhead their attack on Sunday against the side from Ballymun. Ballina booked their place in this round of the competition thanks to a comprehensive win over Cashel Celtic in the fifth round with Brendan Lavelle scoring a hat trick, the aforementioned Duffy a brace, and Ross Kenny getting himself on the scoreboard before the end of their trouncing of Cashel Celtic. Shanagan Athletic used their home advantage to see of Straide and Foxford United in the last round by 3-1, they went one up before Straide and Foxford levelled through, Chris Downey on the half hour. But the Dublin outfit had enough class to see off the Mayo men to book their date with Ballina.

U9 Freebooters v Ormonde Villa

While Manchester City’s fourth round FA Cup win over Scunthorpe IN Glanford Park may have been grabbed most people’s attention, for the fact that until striker Robinho scored the citizens’ fourth goal of the day, the tie against lowly Scunthorpe was still in the melting pot. But for the soccer community of Galway there was only one thing on their minds, and that was one of their own patrolling the field in the sky blue of City. At half time in the game Roberto Mancini gave 18-year-old Greg Cunningham his senior debut for the side, replacing Nigel de Jong for the final 45 minutes. City manager Mancini, speaking after the game, was full of praise for his young players, including Cunningham, saying: “Our young players did very well, they have shown me what they can do in training and I had no problem in picking them today. They have the right mentality and this was a big test for them. I'm pleased with them and pleased for them.”

Rarely has a defeat at the penultimate stage of a cup competition been received with such contentment, but on a pleasant Monday night in front of a moderate but passionate audience Galway United demonstrated that top flight status can be retained by delivering a smashing performance against League Cup specialists Derry City.

Kilkenny notched up their 14th National Hurling League title after a ding-dong battle with the old enemy Tipperary at Thurles last Sunday. I thought that hurling at intercounty level was becoming a bit boring and predictable but Sunday's epic encounter has given me great hope for the coming championship. It's great to beat Tipperary any time but to beat them in their own backyard on final day is extra special.

The Umbro Galway Cup opened in Drom Soccer Park on Tuesday with four of the elite teams in the first day’s action.

Following a week fraught with continuing tension between protesters and Shell E & P Ireland and the undertaking of a hunger strike by Maura Harrington, a resolve in the contentious issue may have been attained when at lunch time Thursday SEPIL released a statement in which it confirmed that “the Solitaire will leave Killybegs today for a UK port where deep water berthing facilities are available”.

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