Search Results for 'sweeper'

As a year of potentially enormous political significance begins, Insider has decided to look at the prospects for each party, both on a national and local level. Insider will look at Galway West today, and return to Galway East in the coming weeks. Insider cannot recall a time of more political uncertainty, and he firmly believes that the result of the election could also differ considerably depending on the date it is held. Is the 'Gilmore Gale' still blowing? Will Brian Cowen even lead FF into battle? Has Enda Kenny put the questions over his capacity for the job of Taoiseach to bed? Will the disaffected members of the public support SF in unprecedented numbers? How many more sitting TD's will opt out? Are the Greens already a spent force? So much uncertainty, and so much anger. So much to lose, and so much to win. Insider has decided to sum up the reasons he would vote 'for' or 'against' each party.

Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney loves his football and, particularly it would seem, managing football teams. I heard it said that a number of years ago when Banty was managing a local club side in Monaghan, he would often leave his bar in the early hours of the morning, and rather than go home and risk a sleep in, he would drive to the training ground, have a few hours’ kip in the car, before taking an early morning session with his charges. There can be no doubting his commitment to the cause.

Fine Gael has been regularly referred to as the “Family at War”, and with the party’s election selection convention for candidates to contest the General Election in Galway West imminent, it has really pushed the boat out to live up to this billing.

Ballintubber 0-8     Castlebar 0-5

The showpiece occasion in Mayo football will be tinged with sadness following the recent deaths of Ger Feeney and Donal McEllin. But what better way to honour the memory of the two men than this Sunday’s clash between Castlebar Mitchels and Ballintubber in the county senior final in McHale Park.

Seán Óg Ó hAilpín’s departure from the Cork hurling panel has dominated the sports news this week after Dennis Walsh indicated that he would not be included in Cork’s plans for next season. This was a huge decision to make and in one sense I can understand how difficult it must have been for Walsh to make it. There are two schools of thought at play here. Dennis Walsh could have taken the soft option and waited until his time in charge was over, thereby leaving the tough decision to omit the player to the next manager. Nobody would have complained if Seán Óg was kept on the squad to assist with the task of indoctrinating some new faces into a new Cork squad. I do feel he could have done a fine job in this regard.

Galway have been warned.

Mayo 0-13

Greenfields Hockey Club were crowned Connacht Senior League champions in Dangan on Tuesday night after seeing off local rivals Galway by 2 - 1 in a superb game played in heavy rain.

Those wondering if Fine Gael’s Pádraic McCormack would be standing at the next election may have received their answer as the long serving Galway West TD has been elected chairperson of the FG Parliamentary Party.