With the inter-county season all but over (there’s only the trifling matter of the final itself to be played this coming Sunday), thoughts can now turn to the more visceral kind of contests that can often take place at club level. In that regard, last night’s draw for the senior club semi-finals was a cracking one, with favourites Knockmore pitted against Peter Forde’s fast-improving Castlebar Mitchels while James Horan’s Ballintubber were paired against Shrule/Glencorrib who, of course, did for last year’s winners Charlestown in the previous round.
Both semi-finals are down for decision on Sunday week (26th) in what should be a tasty double-header at McHale Park. The Knockmore-Mitchels match throws in at 2 pm, while the Ballintubber-Shrule/Glencorrib clash gets underway at four. I think I’ll be on home soil that weekend and, if so, I might just manage to get to McHale Park to see these ties.
The intermediate and junior semis are also on that weekend, by the way – full details of the draws are available here.
Up here in the metropolis, meanwhile, my own local club St. Vincent’s are beginning to stir themselves again and last weekend they marched impressively into the quarter-finals of the Dublin senior championship. Their opponents last Saturday were St Mary’s of Saggart, who’d knocked Vinnies out of the championship last year, but they were no match for our lads this time round. Vinnies ended up hammering them by 2-15 to 0-5, with a certain Austin O’Malley chipping in with 1-1 of that total from his centre-forward position and they now go into the hat for the quarters with the likes of defending champions Ballyboden, Oliver Plunkett’s and St Brigid’s among others.
Best of luck to Belmullet.. ( the B*%&/s!!).. keeping the erris and north mayo flag flying
Best of luck to Liam Horan on assuming the mantle of chairing the long awaited county review. My only wish for him is that his recommendations are implemented and that the review wasnt a fig leaf for a county board under pressure at the time. Like RogerMilla, can i too wish my old townies the best of luck in their semi-final. Like Mayo, Belmullet has waited too long.
Good luck to James Horan and co in the semi’s. On the big job question hope whoever we get be it Kearney, Mcgrarry or Horan return us to the physical team that we where in days gone by. Also great to see Austy still doing it in his best position, Maybe we havent seen the last of the Louisbergh one in the green and red!
Austin O Malley was given god knows how many chances and never did it when it counted. He could be devastating in the league and remember him playing well againt a Kerry team that were cruising against us in an All Ireland Quarter Final. Nice to see him doing well in Dublin but his Mayo days are well and truly over.
For all those who love the game of Gaelic football, the sad news is filtering through this morning of the death of Fr Oliver (Ollie) Hughes.
For those who don’t know who he was, just google him. For those of us who did, we will always remember him as a man who taught us how the game should really be played. It is safe to say that his influence through St Jarlath’s College, Tuam, on the young footballers of Connaught – particularly of Galway, but also of Mayo – was immense.
The game of Gaelic Football is poorer for his passing.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam.
Just after reading Martin breheny,s piece in indo today, and it makes alot of sense. I wouldn,t agree about appointing micko, but if we get the right man for the job, there isn,t alot wrong with mayo football. Don,t get this bull about 3 year plans, 2011 is year to win all ireland.Down and Cork would love to have our underage record for last few years and look where they are!!!
Thanks for that, Hop it – here’s the piece in case anyone hasn’t seen it. Breheny has gone (as he often does) for the obvious cheap shots but there’s some truth (as there often is too) in what he says.