SPORT ROUND-UP
Mari Johnston competes well in Stormont
Sligo AC’s Mari Johnston was the 14th female finisher in the female open and veterans category at the recent Stormont Cross Country race which was held on Belfast’s Stormont Estate on Saturday, February 10. Johnston, running in the Women 55 age group, clocked 21:42 for 3.3 miles.
Shane Hayes, also of Sligo AC, was placed 16th in the male open and veterans category. Hayes, a Men 45 runner, posted a time of 25:41 on the
4.4 miles course. This event, which was hosted by Northern Ireland Civil Service AC, was part of the Athletics Northern Ireland Cross Country League.
West of Ireland is launched at Rosses Point
The Connolly Motor Group West of Ireland Amateur
Open Golf Championship was launched on Wednesday of last week at the home of County Sligo Golf Club, Rosses Point, the event hosts. This year’s Golf Ireland competition takes place from Friday, March 29 (Good Friday) until Tuesday, April 2. The pre-tournament qualifier is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27.
The 101st West of Ireland tournament has reverted to its usual format – two rounds of strokeplay followed by a matchplay format for the leading 64 players. For two years the ‘West’ was played using three rounds of strokeplay
(54 holes) and then the top 16 going through to the matchplay stage.
This is the third successive year that the West of Ireland is sponsored by Connolly Motor Group which has 13 dealerships in Sligo, Ballina, Letterkenny and Galway. Richard Graham, Sligo Audi Sales Executive with Connolly Motor Group, said: “It’s a great tournament and it is one of the longest-running golf championships in Ireland.
“As a family-run business in the west of Ireland, it is nice to have that synergy and this year we’ve got the full Connolly Motor Group on board so the entire brand is involved.”
ATU Sligo lose out indoors in a final at Bekan
ATU Sligo were beaten by University of Galway by four points, 3-17 to 2-16, in last Thursday’s Connacht GAA HE Junior Football Championship decider at Bekan.
Played indoors at the University of Galway Connacht GAA Air Dome, Eamonn Flynn of Sligo town outfit St Mary’s bagged 2-3 for the winners, who had another Sligo native and St Mary’s player, Patrick Maher, in their ranks. ATU Sligo’s
EVENT LAUNCH: At the launch of the Connolly Motor Group West of Ireland Golf Championship at County Sligo Golf Club, Rosses Point, were,
Mark McGoldrick (Connolly Motor Group Sligo), Richard Graham (Connolly Motor Group Sligo), Valerie Booker (lady captain, County Sligo GC), Jim Flood (men’s captain, County Sligo GC), Ada Kenny (lady president, County Sligo GC), Michael Reynolds (Connolly Motor Group Sligo), Paul O’Reilly (Connolly Motor Group Sligo), Padraic Gallagher (Connolly Motor Group Sligo).
leading scorer was Offaly man James Barry Guing, who tallied 1-6, with the runners-up featuring Darragh Williams
(St Patrick’s) and Michael Langan (St Molaise Gaels) in their starting XV. Tubbercurry’s Rhys Henry was in the matchday squad.
Although ATU Sligo trailed by two points at the break, 1-8 to 0-9, two goals within five minutes of the second-half had them three up, 2-9 to 1-9.
But two more goals from University of Galway, including Eamonn Flynn’s second of the night, put the provincial silverware out of ATU Sligo’s reach. ATU Sligo’s Padraig McGourty, representing Connacht GAA HE, presented the trophy to the winning captain Éanna Ó Curraoin.
3k fun run in Easkey on St Patrick’s Day
The Easkey castle 3k takes place on St Patrick’s Day (Sunday, March 17). This fun run in west Sligo, which is a fundraiser for Easkey Community Games, begins at 10am, with registration from 9.30am. Walkers, joggers and runners are welcome. The event starts from and finishes at Easkey castle. Refreshments will be provided. The entry fee is €5 (family ticket costs €15).
LGFA teenagers commence their campaign
The Sligo LGFA U-16s, who won last year’s Connacht LGFA U-16 ‘B’ Championship and were also All-Ireland
AWARDS NIGHT: At the Federation of Irish Sport Volunteers in Sport Awards for 2023 were, from left, David Britton (GAA Handball), Deirdre Lavin (CEO, Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership), Simon Cavanagh (Sligo GAA Handball, the Co. Sligo award winner), David Hannon (c a rman, Connacht Handball), Conor McDonnell (president, GAA Handball). This awards ceremony was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Blanchardstown, Dublin). runners-up in the ‘B’ grade, begin their provincial campaign this Saturday. Sligo, who are again managed by Gerard Mullaney, are away to Galway in the competition’s second round. The county squad (which is detailed below) features players from 12 clubs.
The opening round of the Connacht LGFA U-16 Championship, which took place on the Saturday before last, saw wins for Roscommon, who defeated Leitrim, 5-10 to 2-10, and Mayo, who were victorious against Galway, 5-12 to 2-7. Sligo LGFA U-16 squad: Sarah McDaniel (Coolera-Strandhill); Katie McDonagh, Kate Smith, Meadhbh Fitzpatrick (Drumcliffe-Rosses Point); Lucy Henry, Rebecca Davey (Curry); Sophie-Rose Henry (Shamrock Gaels); Anna Breheny, Ava Canning, Daniella Durkin, Deanna Mullaney,
Ella Niland, Sheana McNally (St Mary’s); Anna Kate Davitt, Amy McCarthy, Aoibhe Cooke,
Hannah Kelleher, Rachel Spellman, Tara Queenan
(CT Gaels); Caoimhe Fearon, Emma Kerins, Sarah Kelly
(St Nathy’s); Anna Feeney, Laura McGuire, Meabh Murray (Eoghan Rua); Grace Carty (Eastern Harps); Caoimhe Crawley, Saoirse Walsh (Tourlestrane); Ava Duggan (Geevagh); Erin Gilmartin (St Molaise Gaels).
West Sligo duo win Freshers ‘A’ title with DCU
Ryan Gillespie (Easkey) and Stephen Rogan (Castleconnor) were part of the DCU Dóchas Éireann squad that won the recent GAA Higher Education Electric Ireland Freshers 1 (‘A’) Football Championship final – DCU Dochas Eireann defeated University of Galway, 4-8 to 0-8, at the DCU Sportsground on Wednesday, February
21. Castleconnor’s Rogan, part of the Sligo U-20 panel that won Connacht honours in 2023, was a second-half substitute for the winners.
National award for handball’s stalwart Simon
Collooney’s Simon Cavanagh, a stalwart in the Sligo GAA handball scene, was honoured at the Volunteers in Sport Awards – a ceremony that took place on Thursday last at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin.
Cavanagh, a member of Collooney Handball Club and Owenmore Gaels GAA Club, was chosen as the Co. Sligo recipient in the Volunteers in Sport Awards for 2023. He holds a number of voluntary roles at Collooney Handball Club including that of club coach, children’s officer and
co-ordinator of the club’s weekly bingo fundraiser. Furthermore, he is also chairman of Sligo GAA Handball, an administrator of Connacht Handball and is also actively involved in Sligo Community Games.
The Volunteers in Sport Awards are an awards scheme organised by the Federation of Irish Sport and the Sport Ireland Local Sports Partnerships (a national network of 29 local sports partnerships that includes the Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership).
Commenting on the announcement of Simon Cavanagh as the Co. Sligo recipient in the Volunteers in Sport Awards for 2023, Deirdre Lavin, CEO of Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership, said: “These awards serve as a reminder of the positive contribution volunteering in sport makes to community life, and Simon [Cavanagh] epitomises the very best attributes of a