Gaelic Football: St Louis Vs Ballinrobe, 5/10/14

Connacht Senior B league

St Louis 3 -12

Ballinrobe 1-3

Anyone that was in Gilmartin Park last Wednesday saw a very one sided game off football between the home team St Louis and Ballinrobe.

Louis started the game as they meant to go on with their opening point coming after a barnstorming run from midfielder Colin Gill. Full forward Liam Byrne then buried the ball into the back of the net. Ballinrobe played a Donegal esq sort of game brining a lot of their players behind the ball. This style of play ay was not very effective because Louis moved the ball so quick. Centre forward Conor Byrne then slotted over a free for Louis. Full Forward Byrne slotted another point from play. Ballinrobe then got their solitary 1st half point from Centre forward Eoin Mullin.  L Byrne then slotted another one over from play before Ballinrobe full forward James Duffy kicked out at Louis wing back S Glynn resulting in a straight red card for the Ballinrobe player. With the man advantage Louis pushed on towards the end of the 1st half scoring three more points. Two from C Byrne one from a free and one from play before midfielder wandered his way up the pitch to score another point before the end of the half. Leaving it 1-6 to 0-1 at the break in favor of the home team.

The second half started off much like the 1st with Louis pressing up on Ballinrobe. This resulted in C Byrne putting over another free. Louis wing forward Justin Kelly then got in on the act getting a point from play before L Byrne buried another shot into the Ballinrobe net. Roaming Ballinrobe wing back Kevin Quinn sauntered up the field unmarked before blasting a great shot into the Louis net. J Kelly and L Byrne both got scores from play. Quinn then scored Ballinrobe last point after another run up the wing. Louis then got their 3rd goal through great tackling from Corner forward Cillian Finn who dislodged the ball from a Ballinrobe player before sliding in low pat the goalkeeper. James McNeive got the final score of the game with a well taking point.  

St Louis; R Gill, C Turtill, D Regan, D Cosgrave, J Forkan, C Harrison, S Glynn, C Gill, S Walsh, R Egan C Byrne J Kelly, C Finn L Byrne J McNeive; Subs used; M McNeive for R Egan, S Ruane for C Finn A Byrne for D Cosgrave, S OG Tigue for C Byrne, C O Reily for S Glynn

Ballinrobe A Keady M McDonnell K o Malley S Forde, Kevin Quinn M Burke J Burke N Moran Walsh, J O Donell, E Mullin, M Golden E Flannery, J Duffy P Walsh.

Gaelic Football: St Louis Vs St Geralds, 26/09/14

Flanagan Cup A

St Louis 2-9

St Gerald’s 3-11

Eoin Horkan

Kiltimagh

Gerald’s beat Louis in epic battle

This senior game in Kiltimagh last Wednesday was a perfect example of one team taking their chances and the other team not.  Louis had a few players, missing due to County Minor Championship on Friday. The Mayo minor was also a big loss for Gerald’s with a broken hand.

Louis started the game better with Centre forward Ross Egan getting a point from a free. Alan Campbell then slalomed his way through the Louis defence to slot over a nice score. Gerald’s then got two more points one from corner forward Ethan Gibbons and another from midfielder Ryan Collins. Louis then got a goal when midfielder Ciaran Harrison burst through the Gerald’s defence and slotted the ball into the back of the net. A Campbell scored another point for Gerald’s. E Gibbons score another point from play before Stephen  McDermott got a pointed free. Cillian Finn then spurned two great goal scoring oppurtunities. C Kyne got a crucial goal at the end of the half to swing the game in Gerald’s favor.  Leaving it 1 -1 to 1-5 at the break.

The second half started much like the first with Ross Egan this time getting a point from play. S McDermott put over another pointed free. Louis midfielder Sean Walsh made a lung bursting run up the field and put the ball over the bar . Gerald’s midfielder Ryan Collins the emulated Walsh’s run this time but this run resulted in a second goal for Gerald’s. .R Egan had  a goal bound shot blocked on the line by a Gerald’s defender. Walsh got another  point from a lung bursting run. McDermott got a point from play before Louis brought on a few subs. Both subs made an immediate impact. Firstly Ciaran Mulderrig put the ball in the back of the net with his first touch. The second sub Shane Ruane then scored a point from play. G  Walsh then got the deceive blow when he made his way through the Louis defence and put the ball in the back of the net. Louis went straight up the other end but Ruane’s cheeky attempt at a goal went just over the bar.  Sub R foy went up the other end and got the insurance point for Gearsld’s. Leaving the game 3-11 to 2-9.

St Louis

R Gill, C Turtill, D Regan, D Cosgrove, J Kelly, J Forkan,  S Glynn, C Harrison{1-0}, S Walsh{0-2}, P McDonnell , R Egan {0-3}, J Mcnieve, C Finn{0-2}, M Mcnieve, L Kelly

Subs Used, A Byrne for D Cosgrove, C Mulderrig for L Kelly S Ruane for M Mcnieve

St Gerald’s  C Mitchell, M Gallagher, E Morrin, D Feeney, D Gallagher, D Cannon ,J Maughan, G Walsh, R Collins, A Campbell, S McDermott, C Kyne, J Mcginty, C Stenson, E Gibbons

Subs used C Mcmenaman for a Campbell  D foy for C Kyne.

Gaelic Football: St Louis Vs Colaiste Na Coirbe, 3/03/14

Connacht Senior D Girls Final

Ballyheane

Eoin Horkan

Louis win a Thrilling game

St Louis 5-9

Colaiste Na Coirbe 3-4

The game was played in very wet and soft conditions last Friday in Ballyheane. The game started like it was going to finish with St Louis on the attack with Niamh Kelly who fed the ball into the forward line and Laura Carroll won a free and slotted it over herself. The next attack for Louis resulted in a score with forward Hannah Webb tapping over a point. Then the first hammer blow from Louis with midfielder Lorraine McGuiness attempted point dropped under the keepers head and into the goal. L Carroll and L McGuiness both scored points before Coirbe midfielder N Ni Allniun  ran through the Louis defence and slotted the ball past Louis goalkeeper Lauren Kelly. Allniun then slotted over another point.Then WOTM Niamh Kelly went on a scoring spree with 2 goals in the space of a couple of minutes with forward L Carroll scoring a point in between Kelly’s two goals. Louis were in full control with midfielder Kelly slotting points before Coiribe scored again. Coiribe then won a penalty when Louis keeper Kelly rugby tackled Coiribe forward A Ni Bhuaigh and the referee awarded a penalty. N Ni Allnuin put the resulting penalty wide. Louis forwards  K Grogan and L Carroll slotted two more points before the end of the half leaving it at half time Louis 3-7  Coirbe 1-1.

The second half started off well for the Galway team with Midfielder A Ni Riogon firing a goal past Kelly in the Louis goal. Wotm N Kelly burst through the coribe defence twice in the space of two minutes and fired the ball into the back of the net.A Ni Bhuaigh then slotted two points for the Galway team. L Carroll tagged on another point for Louis before Coiribe forward R Ni She scored 1-1 in the space of two minutes. G Mulligan  slotted a point before sub A Gordon slotted the final point of the game.

Louis

L Kelly, R Byrne, A Byrne, A Moran, M Regan, L McGuiness(1-1)

N Kelly(4-1), K Grogan(0-1), H Webb,(0-1) G Mulligan(0-1), L Carroll (0-4)

Coirbe

E Ni Thuaisg, R Ni Dhroighnean, R Ni Chinghaile, R NI Theimhnaon, A Ni Odhran Ni Mhurcu, A Ni Riogan(1-0) ,N Ni Allnuin(1-1), D Ni Chonamara, E Ni Risteara, R Ni She(1-1) A Ni Bhuaigh.(0-2)

Swimming: National Aquatic Center, 9/02/14

Soccer: Kiltimagh Knock united Vs Calry Bohs, 15/12/13

Connacht Junior Cup Round Three

Kiltimagh/Knock United 1

B Forkan 88

Calry Bohs 3

P Woulfe 18 E Doherty 85 D Sheerin92.

Eoin Horkan

Knock

K+K cup run ends in heartbreak.

There was no early Christmas present for K+K united as they bowed out of the cup in the third round after two late goals from Calry Bohs secured the win.

A small crowd gathered in Knock on Sunday to see K+K beaten by Calry Bohs. The game started off very lowly with very little action in the opening ten minutes. Calry then got a passing game going after 18 minutes Calry striker Mark Holten took a shot from outside the box which was brilliantly save by K+K goalkeeper Blake Forkan. From the resulting corner Calry went ahead with a close rang header from winger P Woulfe.

The game sparked into life with K+K midfielder Shane Prendergast cutting in from the wing and firing a shot just past the near post. K+k midfielder Conal Mooney then put a curling effort with his week foot just pat the post. The final stages of the first half were very dull with every Calry attacking petering out. After 40 minutes Calry striker Kieran Cawley   got on the end of a cross and headed it past the far post with keeper Forkan rooted to the spot. The first half petered out 1-0 at half time.

The second half started much like the first half with all the attacks from both teams petering out. After 60 minutes the K+K management team decided to make a switch they took of winger Dermot Hynes and put on Callum Turtill. Turtill definitely livened up the pace of the game. K+K then gave away a corner which was cleared ant it landed to winger Woulfe who volleyed a shot against the crossbar. K+k kept attacking with a header from full back Brian Gallagher cleared of the line from a corner. Another header from Gallagher hit the crossbar. Then the sucker punch from Calry after 85 minutes sub Eoin Doherty was unmarked at the back post to fire a volley past Forkan. K+K then won a corner after 89 mins and in a last gasp attempt to salvage something they sent goalkeeper Forkan for the corner. Justin Kelly took it and was cleared by a Calry defender and headed back in by Gallagher the ball was then rolling around the box before Forkan smashed it in to the back of the net. K+K attacked for the last few minutes but couldn’t force a goal and Calry then caught them on the counter with sub David Sheerin              finishing the game with a scruffy goal from a goal mouth scramble. This was the end of the game with Calry winning 3 – 1

Kiltimagh; B Forkan, E Eaton Monk, B Gallagher, A Leadbetter

J Kavanagh, C Mooney, D Hynes, S Prendergast, S Wallace L Groarke, A Mountney

Subs Used C Turtill for D Hynes A Gill for A Leadbetter

Calry Bohs B McGovern, J Kelly, E Kelly, M Crossan, G Cawley, C Griffin P Woulfe, M Flynn, M Holton, K Cawley S Fox.

Subs used E Doherty for M Holton

Gaelic Football: St Louis Community School Vs Roscommon CBS, 08.12.13

Connacht GAA Post Primary Football League Senior B – Final

St Louis Community School 1-12

Roscommon CBS 2-3

Eoin Horkan

Bekan

St Louis Blow Away Lackluster Roscommon

For many years now people have said that Mayo forwards can’t score. Anyone that was in attendance at the Senior B final last Wednesday in the Centre of Excellence in Bekan saw that that story was not true. With St Louis showing that they have an abundance of score getters.

St Louis were far and away the better team last Wednesday, they had obviously prepared well for the final. Their teamwork was beautiful to behold with the team combining well all day. This didn’t happen by chance with former Mayo Minor manager Tony Duffy preparing them very well for the final. The half backs lines attacking mindset was a joy to behold. Their lightning pace was and finishing power signaling hopes for the future.

The early exchanges gave us a hint of what was to come with the winners attacking with pace and purpose. However it took them a little time to make it count as some of their attempts on goal went askew earl on. It was Roscommon that struck the first major blow with Noel Gately finding the net in the first couple of minutes.

As the game went on Louis firepower began to show with them scoring 1-2 without reply 1-1 from the superb Cillian Finn and another from corner forward Ross Egan.

At that stage Roscommon were still in the game with a score a piece from Ciaran White and Brian Merryman. Louis teamwork then came to the fore as they rattled off four points in a row Cathal Hennely (1f) Cillian Finn 1 and another free from corner forward Egan. Louis led on a half time score of 1-5 to 1-2.

Louis killed off the game in the third quarter with some brilliant score taking. Here we witnessed some fine individual play from Hennely a point Egan 1 and midfielder Paul Kelly going wright through the heart of the Roscommon defense.

Roscommon tagged on another point in the last quarter from Jamie McDonald. Louis then tagged on another three scores from wing back Paul Langan wing forward Colin Gill and one free from corner back Conor Kilkenny a free( his first ever point for St Louis in any grade). Roscommon piled on the pressure in the last few minutes with Louis finally buckling. Corner back Darren Regan went up in the air to catch a ball but unfortunately it hit his hand and went back into his goal. The final whistle was blown from the next kickout.

St Louis are now into a Connacht League final and a Connacht Championship semifinal in the New Year.

St Louis; S Malee, D Regan, J Kelly, C Kilkenny(0-1)

P Langan(0-1), C Harrison, F McCormack, P Kelly(0-1),

K Mulderrig, C Hennely(0-2), T. J Byrne, C. Gill(0-1)

L. Byrne, C Finn(1-3), R Egan(0-3)

Subs Used

M. McNieve for C. Gill

P. McDonnell for J Kelly

Roscommon CBS

J. Featherstone;  B Mullin, R Horan, E Concarr

B Mullin , T Doyle, R Hughes, J McDonald(0-1)

G Keenan, R Farell, J Cose, O Hession,

N Gately(1-0), B Merryman(0-1) , C.White (0-1)

Soccer Match: Claremorris Vs Tuam, 1/12/13

Soccer U 13 SFAI Round of 64

Claremorris 1

L Gallagher (42 mins)

Tuam 0

Eoin Horkan

Tuam

Claremorris Slog it out in a real cup tie.

It was a good day for Claremorris as they slogged it out on a dreadful pitch in Tuam to get into the round of 32 in Ireland. Claremorris got the lead early in the second half and hung on for a great win.

A small crowd gathered in Tuam to see Claremorris beat Tuam in a very soft and mucky Tuam Celtic pitch. The game started off very slowly with Tuam constantly trying to play long balls over the Claremorris defence to their strikers but Claremorris goalkeeper Darragh Fallon played like a sweeper cutting out a lot of Tuam’s attacks. While Tuam were playing route on football. Claremorris tried to get there passing game going this was quiet difficult with the state of the pitch. The first shot from Claremorris came midway through the first half when winger Sean Keane cut in from the left wing and fired a shot past the far post. Claremorris were still strong at the back with center backs Luke Gallagher and Sean Heaney breaking up most of Teams attacks while at the other end Claremorris tried to pass through the Tuam’s defence but every attack petered out.

The second half started off like the first but then the decisive moment in the game came when Claremorris won a corner. Lively wing Christopher Reaney fired the ball in from the corner a Tuam defender half cleared the ball and it fell too Claremorris center back Luke Gallagher who fired a half volley into the back of the Tuam net. Claremorris got into their stride then winning a free kick soon after which midfielder Liam Horkan put just past the post. Claremorris keeper Fallon played very well cleaning up any lose ball that went behind the Claremorris defence. Midfielder Horkan took another free kick which went past the far post. Claremorris then fought right to the end keeping Tuam at bay. Claremorris got a well-deserved win for all their hard work.

Claremorris

D Fallon, C Dixon, P Cummins, L Gallagher, S Heaney, L Horkan, N Mellet, B Joyce, J Murphy, S Keane.

Subs used C Joyce for S Keane, N Treacy for C Reaney, and P Kirrane for J Murphy

Tuam

D Craven, O O' Rourke, E Walsh, D Banks, D Burke, A Fitzpatrick , O Rowe, C Halbert, A Geoghan, M Cooley, S Kelly.

Subs used

L Fitzpatrick for A Fitzpatrick and D Kelly for O Rowe.

Rugby Union: Ireland Vs New Zealand, 23/11/13

Irish heartbreak in the Aviva

Ireland played New  Zealand  in their final match in the Autumn Internationals. Ireland had lost against Australia the week previously and were expected to lose this match as well. the match was starting at 2 o'clock. Only the All Blacks were looking forward to it because they could make history of being the first team in the professional era to go the whole season unbeaten.

The match started of well for Ireland with their scrum half Conor Murray scoring a try in the first five minutes of the match. This was a dream start for Ireland. Ireland then won the ball from the resulting kick off. The referee he awarded ireland a penalty for an infringement at the breakdown. The fly half Johnny Sexton kicked the penalty down to just outside the All Blacks 22 . The next thing was that the Irish hooker Rory Best went over the All Blacks try line. It was the best start the irish could have got. It was 14 0 after twelve minutes.

The nest restart the All Blacks regained the ball  and went through five or six phases the next thing the All blacks full back knocked the ball forward into the hands of the Irish full back who ran eighty meters and scored a tr. The resulting conversion was missed by Johnny Sexton. The All Blacks won the ball from the resulting restart went through four phases then the fly half Aaron  Cruden grubber kicked through the Irish defence and the ball sat up perfectly for the All Blacks winger Julian Savea to put the ball down for an All Blacks try. It was 22 7 at halftime.

The second half started very slowly the All Blacks with most of the possession with no score for for the first ten minutes. the All Blacks were then camped on the Irish try line and eventually they cracked. The All Blacks scored a try from the sub prop Ben Franks. Aaron Cruden then kicked the conversion to make it 22 14 with twenty  minutes remaining. Ireland  then won a penalty after having the All Blacks under the cosh for five minutes. Johnny Sexton then missed the resulting penalty. The All Blacks regained the possession  from the  22  drop out and had the ball then for eight or 9 phases and were just inside the Irish half. It took a  few minutes for the All Blacks captain Richie McCaw to decide whether to put the ball in the corner or go for the posts in the end he decided to go for the posts. Aaron Cruden managed to put the ball between the posts. It was 22 17 with 15 minutes to go.

The last ten minutes were very nerve wracking with the game ebbing and flowing. With two minutes to go the Irish team had the ball inside the All Blacks half and the Irish scrum half decided to box kick it from the ruck and the ball went straight to an All Blacks player and they went on the counter attack but fortunately for Ireland the fly half managed to knock the ball on . The ball was back with the Irish. The irish kept very tight for a minute with 30 seconds to go the ball was in an irish ruck. The referee then gave New Zealand a penalty for the Irish being off their feet in the ruck. The All Blacks then went through through 6 phases making about 40 meters in the process.  The ball then came out of a ruck and went through the  hands and the sub Ryan Crotty went over in the corner to level the game at 22 a piece. with a kick for New Zealand to win it. Aaron Cruden stepped to take the conversion. The Irish players started to run from behind the the try line. Cruden missed the kick. The All Blacks captain went up to the referee and started taking. New Zealand got to take the conversion again and Cruden put it over and New Zealand won and kept their unbeaten record for the year. The Irish were heartbroken after  the defeat but they had come so close to history.

Welcome to my blog. It is where you can read about sports events that are not usually reported on. You can also read my published articles in the newspapers I have written for in the past. Feel free to comment on the articles or posts.