Lots of interesting clashes in the Premier Division this weekend to placate those not travelling to Limerick! With four teams on the same points ( Conn, Fahy, Killala and Ballinrobe) in joint third, just a point behind second-placed Ballyglass, the promotion push looks about ready to begin in earnest. I see the home teams coming through, though Ballyglass and Fahy will have to work hard for their perspective three points. A win for Crossmolina against Castlebar B would see them right back in the thick of it, whilst Mulranny V Ballyvary gives the winning side a chance to get out of the relegation zone.
Considering the battle to go up to the Super League, it's disconcerting to see how Swinford are fairing out early in their first season up. Even staying more than a season in the top division now seems very daunting. Snugboro just seem to have the steel to hold their own up there. They were fairly smart over the close season too, and have strengthened their side. What's the story Swinford?? Are ye missing players or is the step up really that considerable? Any ideas on the differences in the standard between the divisions?
Ballyglass -v- Killala
C'bar Cel B -v- Crossmolina
Conn Rgs -v- Achill Rvs
Fahy Rvs -v- Ballinrobe Town
Mulranny U -v- Ballyvary
The gap between superleague and the other divisions is growing year by year.
The newly promoted teams for the past number of seasons have been locked in a constant battle to remain up, part of the problem is that super league teams raid whats best from the other divisions every year in their own quests for the title. But this is the same in any league in the country.
There are a number of problems with teams coming up from the Premier to the Super League. Some don't have the strength and desire that the likes of Snugboro and Glenhest do. To play football in the Super League, you first have to be able to mix it.
Swinford are a better footballing team than Snugboro but Snugboro have what it takes to carve out difficult results.
Looking at teams that are doing well in the Premier, Fahy might be a team who can mix it up in the Super League. But they have to get there first.
Some teams also come up and don't up their workload from the previous year. Ballinrobe, Ballyvary and Conn Rangers stoped caring very early and while they probably would not have stayed up anyway, the time to be winning games in the Super League is in the latter half of the season when teams like Manulla, S & F and others are out of the title race and points are there to be won.
Achill came closest a couple of years ago but were unlucky in a lot of games. They're in bother since then with players away.
Swinford only signed one player in pre season peter duffy and also got former player alex durcan and paul halligan back playing - they did the hard work before the season started alright but they also getting older !!!!!! Also they losing one of they best player in a few weeks, liam foy centre halve as he going back to england. swinford are a good footballer side but i agreed, snugboro have the knack of picking up more points and good luck to them for it! swinford will be relegated this year but will come right back up next year and hopefully be abit cuter with a few more signings!
Lads,
Westport win yestarday is great for the Mayo League, its put this league on the map in regard to irish football. well done to all involved
Congrads to Westport on their victory yesterday, was at the game and it was well deserved
I want to congratulate Westport United and everyone involved with them on reaching the F.A.I Junior Cup final. It must have been incredibly difficult to keep their calm and stick to their gameplan after the whole debacle with Carew and with the perceived threat of intimidation on the day on top of it. It goes to show what a talented team they are, as well as being great representatives of Mayo Football. Hopefully every club in the league will make a big effort to support them in the final! Well done lads!
Congratulation to Westport United on reaching the final.
Best of luck on tha day.
Coverage
I see my plea from a few posts back about getting this forum advertised on the local press has been answered. Thank you Peter and the C.T.
Two points
A. The Western People
It's coverage of the beautifull game is a continuing insult to all us involved in it. Very little coverage of the port while loads on Div 3B of the gaa Under 12's played in some obscure place or other where only the gaa live !!!. Also their tittle tattle about the great Liverpool FC from ex or indeed current Gaa players - I mean what the heek do they know about it, let them sermon on the little parochial indengineous game and let others talk about the international game.
B. Mayo U 21 & MAFL.
The Mayo League (In their Continued wisdom) have issued a dictate that all players must be made available to the county irrestpective of his club committments, otherwise fines, points deducted, etc, Now Yesterday evening Mayo lost to Derry without the port contigent. Does this mean that the port will drop points etc because of this idiotic ruling or does it mean that they will take points of perceived weaker clubs and leave the larger ones untouched - as has happened so often in the past. Could someone please wise them up !!!
Mossy, you really surprised me there. I thought the three Mayo papers were pretty good on football. Sad to see the Western People giving such low coverage. Was it better in the past or has it got worse?
The western was always bad for the soccer coverage, its mainly a gaa paper to be honest, a new sports editor recently started there and thought he changed it around but its the same story.
The connacht telegraph is the best paper for soccer coverage in mayo but the mayo news is pretty good as well to be honest especially with westport of late (good man padraig burns)
Yeh knew Padraig Burns in the past and he was aok. Isn't Tom Kelly of the Telegraph a prominent figure in the Mayo footie scene so that helps.Originally Posted by swinfordfc
The western was always bad for the soccer coverage, its mainly a gaa paper to be honest, a new sports editor recently started there and thought he changed it around but its the same story.
The connacht telegraph is the best paper for soccer coverage in mayo but the mayo news is pretty good as well to be honest especially with westport of late (good man padraig burns)
There was a bloke called Ivan somethinhorother with the People I used to deal with. Whe Belmullet won the Schools B Cup in the late 90s he gave a massive pre and post match spread with colour photos etc - that's why I got the impression it was a good footie paper. Suppose it's easy to get coverage when a school or club gets into an Irish final. Really sorry to see the same old same old going on.
No excuse for it. Lads keep pressing them - you'll eventually wear them down.
Mayo football is too big and too well organised to put up with this. I'm a massive fan of the set up there and have brilliant memories from up there. Don't let them get you down.
The Connacht Tribune is the same here - it's an absolute disgrace for covering football. The sports editor is very anti-soccer and despite my efforts in the past to get him onside, found him an ignorant, semi-literate cnut.
Went over his head and got some joy.
Did the same thing with the Westmeath Independent in my Athlone days.
You can win.
Last edited by hamish; 02/06/2005 at 10:27 PM.
Surely it would be up to the club to appeal to the Connacht FA if such disciplinary measures were imposed on a club for not releasing a player for inter-league duty. Were there any consultations with the clubs before the rule came in? Every other league in the country would think that the Mayo League are gone crackerjackers to bring in a rule like that. Most leagues don't even care about the Oscar Traynor Cup.B. Mayo U 21 & MAFL.
The Mayo League (In their Continued wisdom) have issued a dictate that all players must be made available to the county irrestpective of his club committments, otherwise fines, points deducted, etc, Now Yesterday evening Mayo lost to Derry without the port contigent. Does this mean that the port will drop points etc because of this idiotic ruling or does it mean that they will take points of perceived weaker clubs and leave the larger ones untouched - as has happened so often in the past. Could someone please wise them up !!!
I think its same everywhere. The Sligo Champion has pages and pages on GAA results and about 1-2 pages on soccer on a good day.
Its a joke. Have the Mayo League got a website? I'm a big follower of Mayo soccer coming from Mayo myself (although I do follow Sligo Rovers!). Its hard to get the results since Joe Butler left.
The Sligo Champion as well!!!
I thought Jim and Leo Gray were football fanatics. Now that is a real bummer.
The Roscommon Champion and Herald have improved I believe - haven't read either for a while so I might be wrong there. I know that a football referee from the Westmeath Indo. joined the Champion and improved things a few years ago. Avtually i think he was a Sligoman - Eugene Scanlon or something???
Donegal papers are good though.
Mayo League website:
http://www.soccerbot.com/mayo/mayo.htm
Mayo League and Snugboro website!
http://www.snugboro.blogspot.com
Lads,
Two game on thursday Manulla against glenhest and Westport against Swinford
whats the predictions for super league this weekend
Are many of the Mayo soccer guys here thinking about going to Kilkenny? What will be the story with Mayo fixtures that weekend?
Thanks.
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