Tuesday, 14 May 2013 15:04

Joe Lawless ..... thrilled to finally get his day in the provincial sun after missing out on last year's COnnaught Cup final success due to injuryTHERE is a growing debate within Mayo football in regard to whether or not Westport United play better away from home than at the Sports Park.
Given the fact that joint managers James Fahy and Kieran Mulchrone have a strong preference for selecting a 4- 5-1 formation, it’s not exactly ideal on a pitch where space is particularly tight.
It’s hardly a surprise, consequently, that United’s best performances in the Connaught Cup over the past two years have taken place at Milebush Park, the Castlebar facility they use when the Sports Park is closed, and Terryland Park, the venue where they won the crown last season at the expense of Athenry.
It will come as welcome news to Westport United supporters to learn that the venue for the 2013 Connaught Cup final against Ballinasloe Town on Sunday (k.o. 3 p.m.) is also a pretty big pitch.
Lecarrow is the headquarters of the Roscommon & District League and is located just off the N61 route between Knockcroghery and Athlone.
It was the brainchild of Roscommon officials in the calibre of the late John Sherlock, who lost his life in a car accident on August 22, 2010, Martin Conboy, Brendan Fahy and others.
While the stadium may not yet have spectator facilities to cater for the large contingent of United followers who will descend on the grounds on Sunday, the pitch should be to the liking of the Westport players in the same way as Milebush Park and Terryland Park are.
It’s the first time the Connaught Junior Cup final is being staged at the venue and United will be proud to be part of such an occasion.
It is fitting, too, that Ballinasloe Town complete the pairing as the late John Sherlock had a particularly close affection for the club.

Tuesday, 14 May 2013 13:43

Mayo Manager James HoranWHILE Andy Moran and Alan Dillon are on the verge of returning to the Mayo senior team, they are unlikely to play any part in Sunday’s Connaught  championship quarterfinal against Galway at Salthill.
Both players have been training regularly with the squad but the belief is that Mayo manager James Horan won’t gamble with Moran in particular when he sits down to name his team today (Tuesday).
The Ballaghaderreen man, who was team captain last year before he damaged a cruciate in the All-Ireland quarterfinal against Down, has been nine months without a competitive game but he has been training regularly and is likely to make an appearance against Roscommon should Mayo beat Galway.
A return on Sunday may also be too early for Alan Dillon and a risk too great as the Ballintubber man has been in and out of his club team and is making slow but steady progress.
“Alan still has a bit of a niggle but Andy is going well in training and we will see how things develop over the week,” said the manager.

Tuesday, 14 May 2013 14:48

FOR a team that has become accustomed to winning match after match and, consequently, trophy after trophy, Westport United were faced with the unusual scenario of having to dig deep to ensure they didn’t lose just their second 2013 league game at home to Ballyheane last Saturday week.
As preparations go for another big final – the Connaught Cup decider against Ballinalsoe Town of the Roscommon & District League is coming up on Sunday – it would hardly seem ideal. But that wasn’t how Westport joint manager Kieran Mulchrone saw it.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better game – it was a serious wake-up call,” he said. “They (Ballyheane) were really good. They wanted it more than we wanted it. One or two of our fellas were relaxed and thought it was going to be an easy game, but they weren’t long finding out that it wasn’t going to be. All credit to Ballyheane – they played very well.”
And even though that game – their last before the provincial decider – didn’t quite go according to plan, it hasn’t dampened down hopes of claiming back to back Connaught titles for the first time in the club’s history, according to Mulchrone.
“We’re confident enough going into the final. The lads are all up for it. It’s not often you get the opportunity to play in a Connaught Cup final after winning it, so we’re hoping we can go on and do it again.
“We know Ballinasloe are going to be awful hard. They’ll be well up for it. We played them last year and we know the type of team they are, and they’ll be looking for revenge for last season.

Tuesday, 14 May 2013 13:35

NOTHING quite whets the appetite for a big championship feast than the starter comprising of a meeting between Mayo and Galway.
Whether these two ancient rivals can serve up a feast of football in Salthill on Sunday (throw-in 4 p.m.) won’t matter a whit to the respective managers, but whether he likes it or not, the pressure will be on James Horan and his team to get their championship up and running and kick-start the defence of their Connaught title on a positive note.
The good, or the bad, news for Mayo is most experts are tipping them to retain their Connaught title and, in fairness, the formbook would support those opinions.
Okay, the formbook is often torn up when it comes to the championship but I don’t think there will be any major shocks on the road through Connaught.
I expect and believe Mayo will win. The statistics are fairly clear. Not only have Mayo retained their division one status but they have qualified for a league semi-final in 2013 and a league final in 2012.
They are back-to-back winners of the Connaught championship and are fancied to do the three-in-a-row.
Those who see it otherwise can correctly point to Galway as always being a side that seems to come to life in the championship but they have fared poorly in division two of the league, losing to Laois and Louth, and it is generally accepted that they are in what is regarded as the transition period.
They also crashed to Sligo last year having beaten Roscommon to make the semifinal and have lost one of their most influential players in Padraig Joyce, who has finally retired.

Tuesday, 07 May 2013 13:45

Cora Staunton and Sonia O'Sullivan pictured with Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the Mayor of Castlebar, COuncillor Brendan Heneghan, and Marie Crowley, town clerk, after being accorded a civic reception by Castlebar Town Council at Lough Lannagh Hooliday Village. Pic Tom CampbellTWO icons of women’s sport have been feted in Mayo for their exceptional achievements.

Former world athletics champion Sonia O’Sullivan and legendary Carnacon Gaelic footballer Cora Staunton, the holder of eight All Stars, were jointly extended a civic reception by Castlebar Town Council at Lough Lannagh Holiday Village.

The unique occasion was attended by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, who took time out from his busy schedule to pay his own personal tribute to the duo.

The Mayor of Castlebar, Councillor Brendan Henaghan, who presided at the ceremony, said the two recipients had many traits in common that set them apart from the rest.

“They both possess extraordinary talent, skill and singlemindedness as well as having good people around them who support them as they strive to achieve their goals.

“But I believe the secret to them reaching their potential in their respective fields has been their hard work and dedication.

“They have the capacity, like all great sports people do, to put disappointments behind them, pick themselves up and get back in the race. They know that getting back up is what really counts when you get knocked down.

“Most importantly, however, they have put women’s sport in the spotlight and have been responsible for empowering women and girls of all ages and abilities to put their fears and prejudices aside and get involved in sport.”

Councillor Henaghan also paid separate tributes to O’Sullivan and Staunton.

Tuesday, 14 May 2013 14:40

BEFORE ever kicking a ball against Peamount of Dublin in next Sunday’s Bus Eireann FAI Women’s National League cup final at Milebush Park (k.o. 3 p.m.), Castlebar Celtic FC has created history.
It marks the first time the club is represented in a FAI decider at senior level, a case of ‘women’s first’ in the best of sporting contexts.

Although the Hoops completed their league campaign at the weekend by slipping to their 10th defeat in finishing fourth overall, the penultimate round victory over newly crowned champions Raheny United has fuelled Johnny Morris-Burke’s charges with a great deal of optimism.
There is also an advantage to be gained by having the final in Castlebar, a welcome rest from the squad’s punishing travel schedule over the course of the season.
It won’t do Celtic any harm either to be deemed as underdogs against a Peamount side that missed out narrowly on the league title after winning 14 of their 18 fixtures with an outstanding scoring statistic of 80 goals.
Peamount’s striking proficiency will occupy the thoughts of Morris-Burke and his squad over the coming days but the pre-match emphasis will surely focus on his own side’s strengths.
The emergence of Republic of Ireland Under 19 international Sarah Rowe as the inspirational figure in the Celtic team is the big story as far as the Mayo protagonists are concerned.
Whenever she plays, the Hoops are a formidable proposition, such is her quality, skill and willingness to work hard.

Tuesday, 14 May 2013 13:24

THE biggest problem for Mayo junior team manager Michael Moyles is knowing what players will be available to him ahead of Sunday’s Connaught final meeting with Sligo in Salthill (2 p.m.).
The former Mayo player, who is also managing the Crossmolina senior team, is straight in at the deep end in this his first year at the helm of the Mayo junior side.
With Roscommon, Galway and Leitrim declining to enter the competition, both these teams are straight into Sunday’s final without a serious test, although Moyles has played a few decent challenge games against Corofin, Salthill and Garrymore and is happy things are developing nicely.
However, injury has ruled out a few players and a number of players have been forced to cancel due to work commitments or having to come home from  abroad.
Tom Parsons is a case in point. The Charlestown player has been travelling over and back from Wales for club commitments but was unable to give the manager his full commitment for Sunday’s final as he may have a problem with getting time off.
On his current form, and given his experience at senior level, he would be a huge asset to his county.