SPORT ROUND-UP
Kinsella has a good run in Grange 5k
Brian Kinsella, a member of Sligo AC, won the Grange Good Friday 5k. Held on the Friday before last, Kinsella clocked 16:22 to take first place – edging past runner-up Shane Hayes, also of Sligo AC, who was just two seconds slower on 16:24.
In a competitive finish, thirdplaced Martin Brennan (16:43) and Declan Brennan (16:54), in fourth, were within reach of the winner. Kevin McGlone completed the top five on a time of 17:24 – he was the first Male 50 finisher.
The best of the Male 40 runners was the aforementioned Shane Hayes.
The first female finisher was Sligo AC’s Mari Johnston, 20th overall. Johnston’s time was 19:07. She also won the Female 50 category. The first Junior home was Shay Davis of North Sligo AC – he posted a time of 18:54 for 14th place.
The race prizes were sponsored by Mullaney’s SuperValu Grange. Funds raised from this run went to the family of Rian Loughlin, a young boy from Grange diagnosed with leukaemia. He is currently undergoing intensive treatment in Dublin.
Rovers teen Clancy features for FAI Schools
Eanna Clancy, a student of St Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton, and a Sligo Rovers men’s U-19 player, played for the FAI Schools Republic of Ireland Boys U-18 team in their 2-0 defeat to Wales last Thursday night. This result at Caernarfon FC meant that Wales won the Centenary Shield, which they last won in 1981.
There was another Rovers U-19 player in the matchday squad, Darragh Reilly (St Gerald’s College, Castlebar), but he was one of four unused substitutes.
The Republic of Ireland went into this game needing a win to take the title, with at least a draw sufficient for table-toppers Wales.
Already this year the Irish teens had beaten Scotland and they drew with England and Northern Ireland.
Sligo GAA hold golf classic at Strandhill GC
Sligo GAA is holding a fundraising golf classic at Strandhill Golf Club this
Bank Holiday Monday, May 2. To book a tee time for this four-ball competition, contact Sligo GAA administrator Eamonn McMunn (during office hours) at the Sligo GAA Centre of Excellence, Scarden, on 071 9168750. Those looking to take can register online at klubfunder.com/Clubs/
Sligo_GAA. The fee per team is €320. Tee times from 6.30am to 4.30pm (at intervals of 10 minutes). The first prize is eight tickets for the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship final and the runners-up will receive four tickets for the All-Ireland football final.
The third prize is four tickets for the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship decider. Monies raised from this golf classic will go to the Sligo Senior Gaelic football team training fund.
Two karate students win for ATU Sligo
Two students from Atlantic Technological University Sligo, Lucas Thornton and Conor Connolly, competed in the recent Karate Intervarsities which were hosted by UCD Karate Club.
The pair, representing ATU Sligo Karate Club, won medals in the team kate and team kumite categories. Sports scholar Thornton, a sensei (instructor), is a member of the Curry-based Sligeach Shotokan Karate Club. Connolly is part of the Sligo Wado Ryu.
Niall and Cork Con lose in a semi-final
Knocknahur’s Niall Kenneally was on the losing side last Saturday as Cork Constitution were beaten 29-13 at Castle Avenue in the Energia All-Ireland League Division 1A semi-final. Cork Con, who were two points down at halftime, 15-13, failed to score in the second-half.
In the final, Clontarf will take on Terenure College, who qualified for their first-ever Division 1A decider thanks to a 20-18 defeat of Lansdowne. Meanwhile, in Division 2B, which was Sligo RFC’s section this season, the promotion play-off final will be between Greystones and Blackrock
RUGBY TEENS: The five players from Sligo RFC who represented Connacht in last Saturday’s first-ever U-16 and U-18 Female 7s Interpro Series. Pictured are Eva White, Cria Flanagan, Giselle Gallagher, Aoife Gormley and Mollie Ronan.
College this Saturday.
Coming down to Division 2B from Division 2A will be either Nenagh Ormond or Rainey Old Boys, while making their exit from Division 2B will be one of two of Sligo’s Connacht rivals, Ballina or Galwegians (Galwegians are 34-19 up from the first leg).
Either Enniscorthy or Skerries – the Division 2C promotion play-off finalists – will be in next season’s Division 2B.
O’Kelly-Lynch scores 4-4 in Celtic Challenge
Robert O’Kelly-Lynch bagged 4-4 for the Sligo U-17 hurlers in their 12-point defeat of Donegal, 4-14 to 2-8, in last Saturday’s GAA Celtic Challenge Group Nine fixture at the Sligo GAA Centre of Excellence in Scarden.
STUDENTS OF KARATE: Lucas Thornton, and Conor Connolly, students at ATU Sligo, who won medals at the recent Karate Intervarsities. Both are members of the ATU Sligo Karate Club.
Sligo, without several players due to injury, showed their squad strength against the Ulster county, who were wind-assisted in the opening period.
The winners were 3-5 to 2-5 ahead at the break – all three of their first-half goals came from O’Kelly-Lynch, who had three olders brothers in the Sligo senior hurling matchday squad for the Christy Ring
Cup game against Wicklow on the same day at Markievicz Park.
Also hitting fine scores for Sligo were team captain Ciaran Keenan and Donnchadha O’Brien, each of whom notched 0-3. Sligo, who play in the competition’s knockout stages on the weekend after next, also beat Tyrone in this section, but lost to Mayo.
Sligo U-17 hurling panel (v Donegal): Thomas Hargadon, Corey O’Dowd, Conor White, Eoghan Durkan, Oisín Henessy, Diarmaid Dunleavy, Michael Costigan, Michael Carroll (0-2, 1f), Conor Lang, Joseph McCaughey, Patrick Walsh, Thomas Sheridan (0-1), Robert O’Kelly-Lynch (4-4), Donnchadha O’Brien (0-3), Ciarán Keenan (c) (0-3, 3f), Thomas Kinnane (0-1), Jack McDaniel, Cormac Vereker, Cathal Hughes, Oisín Whelan, Tadhg Doggett, Rory Connellan, Marc Gray, Adam Rolston.
Local rugby girls play for Connacht
Five players from Sligo RFC were representing Connacht in last Saturday’s first-ever U-16 and U-18 Female 7s Interpro Series.
The Sligo players involved at U-18 level are Giselle Gallagher, Aoife Gormley and Cria Flanagan, with Eva
White and Mollie Ronan on the
province’s U-16 selection.
The second day of the series goes ahead this coming Saturday. These tournaments are taking place at the IRFU High Performance Centre at Dublin’s Sport Ireland Campus.
Strand and Yeats compete in Castlebar
Two clubs from the Sligo-Leitrim Youth & Schoolboys/Girls League, Strand Celtic and Yeats United, have teams in this weekend’s Connacht FA underage finals at Castlebar’s Solar21 Park (Milebush). On Saturday,
Yeats United face Galway’s Knocknacarra FC in the Connacht Boys U-12 Shield final
(12 noon).
This is followed at 1pm by the Connacht Boys U-12 Cup final between Strand Celtic and Salthill Devon ‘A’. Strand Celtic also contest the Connacht Boys U-18 Shield final – Galway club Salthill Devon are their opponents – at 3pm.
The Yeats’ game is being played on an astroturf pitch, with Strand’s two fixtures taking place on the grass pitch at the Castlebar venue.
Sunday, May 1, will see Yeats United up against Bearna na Forbacha Aontaithe (Galway) in the Connacht Boys U-16 Shield final at Solar21 Park (astroturf pitch, 3pm).
Sligo RFC teams are set for The Sportsground
This coming Sunday, May 1, will see two teenage teams from Sligo RFC contest provincial finals at The Sportsground, Galway. Sligo are up against Athlone’s Buccaneers in both the Connacht Boys U-15 Cup final (2pm) and the
Connacht Boys U-17 decider (4pm). Sligo’s path to the U-15 final included wins against Carrick-on-Shannon, Corrib and Galway Corinthians.
In the U-17 competition, Sligo recorded victories over Castlebar-Wesport and Monivea, although they needed two games to overcome Monivea, with Sligo winning the semi-final replay 38-5 after their first clash ended level, 24-24.
Award for Ballymote star rower Colsh
Ballymote’s international rower Brian Colsh is the recipient of the Paul Giblin Award from NUI Galway
Saturday, April 30, at Strand Celtic’s base in Strandhill.
The game has a 7pm start. Entry fee is €5. There is free admission for children under 12. Strand Celtic competes in the Sligo-Leitrim & District Soccer League and also fields at various age groups in the Sligo-Leitrim Youth & Schoolboys/Girls League. This weekend’s friendly fixture is one of several events to mark Strand Celtic’s 50th birthday, there will also be a dinner dance and a golf classic.
Medal haul for French and Kelly at UL
County Sligo Swimming Club (CSSC) competed in the recent Connacht Swimming Long Course Open at University of Limerick. This two-day event saw many of the CSSC selection experienced a 50-metre pool gala for the first time. Among the best of the Sligo performers were Dominic French, who won six medals (one gold, three silver, two bronze), and Kyle Kelly, who claimed five bronze medals. The CSSC team at this meet featured the following swimmers: Sheana Barrett, Mia French, Izabella Lehany McGoldrick, Blathnaid McCarthy, Niamh Meehan, Izabella Zagolska, Dominic French, Kyle Kelly, Noah Newell, Jake Noone, Oisin Noone, John Walker and Charlie White.
Sligo Ladies lose away to Roscommon
The Sligo Ladies Footballers were beaten by 17 points by Roscommon last Sunday, 4-17 to 3-3, in a Connacht LGFA Intermediate Championship fixture at Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon.
The damage was done in the first-half when Roscommon scored 2-10 to be 12 points ahead, 2-10 to 1-1, at half-time. Sligo’s first-half goal came from the industrious Roisin Molloy, who goaled shortly after Denise McGrath’s 16th minute point opened Sligo’s account. Sligo scored 2-2 in the second-half – substitute Ellen Kelleher and Nicola Brennan scored the goals.
Laura Fleming (1-6) and Aisling Hanly (1-7) were the stars for a Roscommon team that won this year’s Lidl NFL Division Three title. Sligo are away to Leitrim tomorrow, Friday (Cloone, 7pm). Meanwhile, on Monday next, May 2, Sligo play Roscommon in the Connacht LGFA Minor ‘B’ Championship final at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, Bekan (throw-in 2pm).
Sligo (v Roscommon): Beibhinn Harte, Michelle McNamara, Aisling Egan, Claire Dunne, Lisa Powell, Nicola Brennan (1-0), Sarah Cunney, Sarah Reynolds, Roisin Molloy (1-1), Aoife Haran, Ellen McGuire, Ciara Gorman, Lisa Casey, Denise McGrath (0-1), Rachel O’Brien.
Subs used: Leah Kelly (0-1), Ellen Kelleher (1-0), Leah Duffy, Michaela Gaffney, Amy McGovern.
Nippers are successful at nationals
Members of Sligo Surf Lifesaving Club – those aged between eight and 14 – competed in the recent National Nipper Stillwater Championships at Dublin’s National Aquatic Centre.
Sligo had a strong team at this event, having qualified through the regional event held in Galway in March. There were several medal winners from Sligo Surf Lifesaving Club – the national medallists were Rian Brett, Aoife Cullinan, Jack O’Grady, Matthew O’Grady, Finn McDaniel, Daragh Moran and Brian Cullinan.
There were over 50 events at the national championships which tested both swimming speed and lifesaving skills in various individual and relay events. The individual events were an obstacle course race, rescue tube race, under water fins race and manikin carry. The relay events comprised of an obstacle race and a medley race.