Summer Has Landed
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Vol 11. Issue 3 May/June, 2021 Summer has landed Mayo and Sligo kick off the championship We’re going up! Sligo hurlers celebrate promotion OFFICIAL GAA PUBLICATION €2.50 Nóta an Uachtaráin Nóta an Rúnaí A chairde, Dear friends, HAMPIONSHIP season is well and T is great that everything is truly upon us and the excitement finally opening up again after Cis mounting ahead of the throw- Isuch a long time. The lock- in of the Connacht SFC next Saturday down hit the GAA hard but we afternoon. can now look forward to a some- It’s great to be at this stage, we what normal summer, with have had so much hardship over the weekends jam-packed full of past year and finally there is a light at GAA action. the end of the tunnel with the GAA in full flight. There is great excitement in JOHN MURPHY The summer weather is a big help too and we are thrilled all of the communities and espe- Connacht GAA President to look out on a glistening Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence cially among the players. At club at Bekan, complete with dome and all. level it is kicking off as well but for now the inter-county Good things are certainly coming and for many the atten- championship should really capture the imagination. tions will turn to the meeting of Sligo and Mayo at The players will get the chance to get out and play Markievicz Park this weekend. It’s an awesome prospect. really competitive championship matches. It’s a wonder- There’s plenty happening on the field this weekend and ful time for them too to be able to express themselves Leitrim will look to take home their first piece of silverware again. The summer is always that bit special in Ireland. this season, when they clash with Louth in the Ladies Foot- ball Division 4 final on Sunday. But for the supporters, they can watch on whatever Looking back on the respective leagues it was a mixed bag social media platform they decide while the TV coverage for the Connacht counties, especially on the football front, has really upped it too. You can nearly even watch every but there was still plenty of promise even though Galway and club game these days. And that is a tremendous Roscommon suffered relegation. I have no doubt that they prospect after the terrible 18 months that went before. will bounce back in the coming weeks. All eyes will be on Markievicz Park this weekend Our reigning Connacht champions Mayo are looking to when Sligo welcome Mayo to their backyard. The reign- peak again in the championship this season and they had a ing champions appear to be going well. But Galway really solid league campaign, highlighted by their promo- were going well too until they just slipped up in the last tion. league match against Monaghan. It is quite an open Sligo and Leitrim will also have their say and who knows, Connacht championship this year. Roscommon, Sligo we could see a few shocks along the way. and Leitrim will be right there too so it will be interesting In the hurling fields, Galway have laid down their marker to see how that unfolds. early in the season while Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo and The Galway hurlers are in a real rich vein of form and Leitrim can all carry through some fresh optimism of making look set to put it up to Limerick this year. Hopefully they a big impression in the months ahead. will have a long Liam MacCarthy Cup campaign to look One notable thing during this lockdown was the increase forward to while the other Connacht counties will also in sports coverage on TV. And it was brilliant to see Ladies be competitive across their various competitions. football and camogie getting their time to shine too. The Ladies football and camogie has never been so Our Connacht counties have done us proud in 2021 and I competitive as well while in terms of the underage know they will continue to do so across the summer. And maybe we will have some big dates to look forward to at structure, there were fixture changes and the Connacht Croke Park later in the year. U-17 and U-20 championships will be played out across the various venues in the province. Is mise, le meas We have a fine facility here at Bekan, it is complete John Prenty now and that is a testatment to our brilliant staff who Rúnaí, CLG Cuige Connachta worked so hard to get this across the line. The pandemic, if it has done nothing else, has made us appreciate sport even more. We longed for the days when football, hurling, Ladies football and camogie ‘Into the West’ would be back on our screens. It is going to be an exciting summer. We go straight through to December and I believe the club scene will come out of this very well. They have the latter end of Keep yourself in the loop. Sign up today for your free elec- the year. The club scene will grow to be even stronger in tronic copy of the magazine – emailed directly to your Inbox. To sign up, email [email protected] that space. But I just can’t wait for this weekend and a huge ‘Into the West’ is produced by the Connacht GAA Council. Editor: John Fallon. Published by: Pádraig Corcoran. game, we will know a lot more come Saturday evening! News and photographs for inclusion can be emailed to [email protected]. To obtain an electronic copy of the maga- Is mise, le meas zine each quarter, free of charge, email: [email protected]. John Murphy • Deadline for advertising and copy will be announced on the Uachtarán Chomhairle Connacht Connacht Council website – www.connachtgaa.ie. Page 2 – INTO THE WEST ContentsContents www.connachtgaa.ie. Galway secure top spot. Sligo see off Roscommon ………………………44 Strange Down goal doesn’t Mayo hold off Clare surge to book passage back to top flight derail Roscommon……………………………45 Galway slump to Division 2 ……………………4 Leitrim in red hot form …………………………48 Roscommon also bow out after struggle …5 Clare almost dismantle Galway………………50 Mayo earn promotion at first Roscommon’s campaign picks up pace ……52 time of asking …………………………………12 Sligo fail to get their early Mayo have 13 points to spare …………………53 season silverware ……………………………17 Connacht championship fixtures ……………54 Leitrim found wanting against Louth………19 Tribesmen continue to build …………………23 Ladies take centre stages ………………………55 Niland looks ahead ………………………………27 Nationwide club competition …………………56 Tough defeat for Mayo …………………………30 Sligo thank frontline workers ………………60 Two points the difference………………………35 Mayo Ladies miss out on league final ……38 St Nathy’s are one good club …………………62 Galway suffer shock heavy loss………………39 Ewing calls time on his career ………………64 Derby victory for Mayo …………………………43 Cathal Flynn tribute ……………………………66 Huge step in the right direction for Ladies football……………………………68 Mullaney tells a powerful story ………………71 Gaelic4Girls sponsorship ………………………75 O’Connor injury is massive blow ……………76 Sligo promotion dream over A full Croke Park is the dream… ……………78 COVER PICTURES – SUMMER HAS LANDED: Mayo’s Lee Keegan ahead of their champi- onship opener against Sligo this weekend. Photo: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE. Future looks bright according to Walsh …81 Inset – WE’RE GOING UP: Kieran Prior of Sligo fist bumps with selector Donal Tully. Photo: Harry Murphy / SPORTSFILE. Turloughmore plans ……………………………82. INTO THE WEST – Page 3 McCarron Galway’s tormentor winner with the scenes of jubilation Monaghan ..............1-21 that followed for the Farney men. Galway ...................2-17 SCORERS – Monaghan: J McCarron (0-7, 2 frees), D Hughes (1-1), C McManus (0-4, 2 (AET) frees), D Ward (0-3), R McAnespie (0-2), R Beggan (0-1, 1 45), K O'Connell (0-1), S Carey (0-1), K Duffy (0-1). By RONAN O’NEILL Galway: S Walsh (0-7, 6 frees), R Finnerty (1-3, 0-1 mark), P Kelly (1-1), M Tierney (0-2, ACK McCarron was the ace in 1 45, 1m) E Brannigan (0-1), K Molloy (0-1), C Sweeney (0-1), J Duane (0-1). the pack for Monaghan as he came off the bench to score 0-7 MONAGHAN: R Beggan; D Ward, K McMe- J namin, R Wylie; K Duffy, C Boyle, K O'Con- and doom Galway to life in Division 2 nell; N Kearns, K Lavelle; R Bannigan, C of the National Football League. McCarthy, R McAnespie; S O'Hanlon, A It was a titanic struggle at St Tier- Woods, C McManus. Subs: J McCarron for nach’s Park in Clones and although Woods (11); D Hughes for Bannigan (h/t); F Galway looked set for a comfortable Kelly for O'Connell (47); A Mulligan for victory in normal time, Monaghan Lavelle (51); G Mohan for O'Hanlon & S fought back to tie the game before a Hanratty for R Wylie (65). S Carey for sensational ending where they McCarthy, B McBennett for Kearns & Bannigan for McMenamin (e/t); O'Connell snatched the win. for Boyle (83); McCarthy for Mohan (86), Shane Walsh scored 0-7 for the Wylie for Duffy (89). Tribesmen but he missed some vital GALWAY: C Gleeson; S Kelly, J Glynn, S opportunities near the end and Mulkerrin; K Molloy, D McHugh, L Silke; P Galway were left to rue these Conroy, M Tierney; E Brannigan, P Cooke, F chances as Padraic Joyce suffered a O Laoi; R Finnerty, S Walsh, P Kelly. heavy blow to his championship Subs: J Heaney for Brannigan (32); J plans.