SPORT ROUND-UP
Laura Feely is continuing with Connacht
Former Sligo Rugby Club senior women’s team player Laura Feely is part of the Connacht Rugby women’s team management for the 2024 Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship. Feely, who was alsdo part of this year’s management, continues as scrum coach for a management team led by head coach Emer O’Dowd, who hails from Balla, Co. Mayo.
Also involved are Jill O’Malley (team manager), Larissa Muldoon (coach), Gavin Duffy (skills coach), Alison Miller (backs coach), Lisa Ryan (high performance coach), Hubert Kowalski (head of strength and conditioning) and Caileen Meehan (head physiotherapist). Donegal native Feely, 32, has played for Connacht and Ireland. Sligo’s Ross Mannion, the former Sligo Rugby Club player and senior men’s team head coach, was a previous head coach of Connacht’s senior women’s team.
GAAGO offers 38 games for next season
GAA fans who sign up to the GAAGO livestream service for 2024 can avail of a special pre-Christmas pass price of €69 up until December 31 (after that it costs €79).
For this reduced fee of €69, subscribers will be offered 38 games (22 in the Sam Maguire Cup, nine in the Liam McCarthy Cup and seven Tailteann Cup games) plus a new midweek show.
Individual pay-per-game matches are available for €12 each, a 3-for-2 bundle costs costs €24 and GAA members receive 10% off any full price (€79) subscriptions.
GAA clubs can avail of a group pass for €150 (for livestreaming
RUNNING GROUP: Juvenile competitors from Sligo AC that competed at the 123.ie National Novice and Juvenile (Uneven Ages) Cross Country Championships that took place at Navan racecourse, Co. Meath, on the Sunday before last. Saibh Prunty, Fionn Prunty, Eamon Healy, Darragh Steels, Lucas Ballantine, Fionn McNasser and Lucie Cawley.
at clubhouses) and care-giving locations will again watch for free using complimentary login codes. For the first time, in-game digital highlights will be made available to viewers on GAAGO social media channels. To subscribe for 2024 go to www.gaago.ie.
Ex-Rovers winger Kris leaves Bohs
Former Sligo Rovers player Kris Twardek, a native of Toronto, has left Dublin’s Bohemians, one of Rovers’ rivals in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division. The 26-year-old winger – a Canadian international – came to The Showgrounds in July of
NIGHT OUT: At the recent Sligo LGFA celebration banquet held in the Clayton Hotel to mark 30 years of Ladies Football in the county were two well-known Ladies Footballers, Karen Maloney and Noelle Gormley.
2018 (he was signed by then manager Gerard Lyttle) and left Sligo at the end of the 2019 season. He had two spells at Bohemians.
Sligo Rugby club raises €10,000 in IRFU draw
Sligo Rugby Club sold 1,000 tickets and raised €10,000 in the 2023 edition of the IRFU’s ‘Your Club Your Country’ grand prize draw.
This fundraiser is organised by the IRFU in association with Energia, who sponsor the All-Ireland Leagues. The 10 prizes were provided by sponsorship partners of the IRFU. None of the winning tickets were sold by Sligo Rugby Club. Three clubs sold over 2,000 tickets and 34 clubs sold in excess of 1,000 tickets. The winning ticket for the top prize – where two rugby fans get to follow Ireland at next summer’s tour in South Africa – was sold by Sligo’s Connacht rivals Galwegians RFC.
Sligo Rugby Club thanked those who participated in this initiative. A club statement said: “A massive thank you to everyone who contributed to this effort by selling or buying tickets. Every penny [raised] goes to the club and will be used to continue our development.”
National finals for two local schools
Two Sligo secondary schools, Summerhill College and Mercy College, have progressed to national finals in the Basketball Ireland All-Ireland Schools Cup competitions.
Summerhill College are
through to the Boys U-16 ‘B’ final following last Thursday’s one-point defeat of St Michael’s (Ballsbridge), 39-38, in the semi-final at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght. Taking on Summerhill in the All-Ireland final will be Donegal’s Coláiste na Carraige, who defeated Coláiste Bhaile Chlair (Claregalway College) 51-34 in Thursday’s other U-16 ‘B’ semi-final.
The Mercy College were semi-final victors in the Girls U-19 ‘C’ competition on Friday last at the National Basketball Arena – they defeated Coláiste na hInse (Meath), 47-22. Next up for the Mercy is a final clash with Naas Community School.
Entries wanted for FAI Schools Primary 5s
Primary schools in Sligo have until 5pm on Friday, January 26, 2024, to register for the FAI Schools Primary 5s Programme. This is a fun fivea-side soccer programme for boys and girls in fourth, fifth and sixth class. It is the largest grassroots soccer programme of its kind in the Republic of Ireland.
Winning schools from the county qualifiers will progress to the regional finals and from there the winners progress to the national finals which are scheduled for May 29, 2024, at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin. The Connacht finals, which will include Sligo entrants, go ahead on May 8 (girls teams and Football For All) and May 9 (boys teams) of next year at Solar 21 Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. There is a new online registration and payment system for the 2024 programme. Schools that wish to get involved can register at faischoolsprimary5s.ie.
Morahan gets POTY award from Rovers
Sligo Rovers Football Club have chosen midfielder Niall Morahan as the club’s senior men’s team Player of the Year for 2023. Leitrim native Morahan, 23, who last week signed a new deal that keeps him at The Showgrounds for the coming season, was presented with the award by senior men’s team manager John Russell. This award was sponsored by Wehrly Brothers Jewellers, O’Connell Street, Sligo. Meanwhile, fixtures for the 2024 season, including those in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division and SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division, with both competitions featuring teams from Sligo Rovers, will be released tomorrow, Friday.
Kelly re-signs for Bit O’Red women
West Sligo’s Leah Kelly – the first player to clock 50 appearances for the Sligo Rovers senior women’s team – has re-signed for the club for the 2024 season. Kelly, who is also an accomplished Ladies Footballer, can operate in both defence and midfield.
The versatile performer is looking forward to next year’s campaign with a new manager, Tommy Hewitt, who has taken over from Steve Feeney. “I think this [2024] is a massive year for us as a group and as a club. It’s time for us to really push on. I’m really excited to start working with Tommy [Hewitt] and his management team and see what we can achieve,” she told sligorovers.com. Ex-Athlone
Town boss Hewitt, who was also speaking to the club’s website, stated: “I’m delighted that Leah [Kelly] has agreed to stay – she is driven and ambitious. I’m looking forward to working with her in the coming months.”
Nominate this county’s top volunteer
The closing date for submission of nominations for the Federation of Irish Sport Volunteers in Sport Awards 2023 is this coming Monday, December 18. One winner will be chosen for each county, including Sligo, and one of these 32 county winners will be selected as the overall winner and will be given the Outstanding Volunteer Award. The awards will be presented at an event on Thursday, February 29, 2024. To nominate volunteers go to www. volunteersinsport.ie. The Federation of Irish Sport is the representative organisation for the National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) in Ireland.
Ross is named in GMA Masters Over-40 squad
Ross Donovan, the Eastern Harps and Sligo GAA legend, has been named in the Gaelic Masters Association Over-40 squad for next year’s twogame International Rules series against an Australian Football League Masters (O-40) selection. Games are scheduled for venues in Galway (March 9, 2024) and Cavan (March 16, 2024).
Ex-Sligo senior player Donovan, the current Eastern