With the New Year celebrations behind us we’re back at base, having once again made it as far as Clare Island to see out the old and welcome in the new. The above photo of the GAA pitch on the island was, by the way, taken earlier on today before we took to the seas to return to the mainland.
Now that January has begun so too has the football and earlier on today it was the county’s U21s who got our 2016 football season underway. They did so with a win too, beating Fermanagh by 1-11 to 0-8 in Belleek in the opening round of the North-West Cup. Next up for Mike Solan’s charges is a second round fixture in the same competition against Sligo next Saturday.
Tomorrow it’s the turn of the seniors, who face NUIG in the first round of the FBD League. This match throws in at MacHale Park at 2pm.
Although we passed by the ground today on the way back to Dublin, I won’t be there tomorrow to see for myself the start of the Stephen Rochford era. Mike Kelly has, however, kindly agreed to provide a report on the game and that’ll be available on the site later on tomorrow evening.
And so it begins again.
A positive start to the year. Jeez man, you’ve had no rest with the site, one season leads right into another I suppose and with Mayo there’s always plenty to talk about. Happy new year WJ.
Happy new year everyone.
I hope 2016 brings you health wealth and happiness and maybe Sam as well
Roger
At my age the prospects of health or wealth in 2016 are decidedly slim but I would gladly settle for Sam!
I sourced the lineups and scorers from the Western this morning:
SCORERS – Mayo: Fionan Duffy 0-4 (1f), Sharoize Akram 1-0, Brian Reape 0-3, Matthew Ruane 0-2, Barry Duffy and Jason Forkan 0-1 each.
MAYO: Matthew Ruane; Eddie Doran, Seamus Cunniffe, Ciaran Harrison; James Kelly, Sharoize Akram, Jason Forkan; Matthew Ruane, Val Roughneen; Fergal Boland, Michael Plunkett, Barry Duffy; Cathal Barrett, Brian Reape, Fionan Duffy. Subs: James Lyons (for
Barrett 40), James Carr (for Reape 49), Conor Kilkenny (for Doran 50 – inj), Ronan Carolan (for F Duffy 52), Colm Reape (for Roughneen 52), Ryan Lynch (for Plunkett 52)
Should that be Matthew Flanagan in goal.Thanks for that was interested in who lined out for the U21s.