Armstrong wins Tubber 10k on St Patrick’s Day
ATU Sligo defeated Mary Immaculate College Limerick in the Moynihan Cup decider at MTU Cork, 24 hours after overcoming SETU Waterford in the semi-final.
ATU Sligo dedicated their Moynihan Cup success to teammate Ella O’Neill, who passed suddenly on Friday, March 1, a week before the Moynihan Cup semi-final.
The Ladies HEC Rising Stars selection picks the best of the best from four competitions – HEC Cup, Lagan Cup, Donaghy Cup and Moynihan Cup. The awards were presented at a ceremony on Friday night last at Dublin’s Bonnington Hotel.
Defeat for J&M in a provincial showdown
Jesus & Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone, were beaten in a provincial decider on Tuesday of last week. The west Sligo secondary school lost by 14 points to Balla Secondary School (Mayo), 3-17 to 4-0, in the Connacht LGFA Post Primary Schools Junior ‘D’ Championship final that took place at Swinford Amenity Park.
J&M Junior Ladies Football squad: Caitlin Starrs, Amy Naughton, Anna Feeney, Kayden Gordon, Aine McGranaghan, Kate Holmes, Tara Arthur, Tara Hastings (c), Roisin Lang, Eabha McHale, Cliodhna Lang, Emma Neary, Ava Hallinan, Meabh Murray, Isabel Lynott, Grace Rogan, Emily Tuffy, Katie Healy, Katelyn Mullaney, Ruth McDonnell, Robyn O’Connor, Caitlyn Tuffy, Katie Healy, Sarah Hughes, Paula Cuartero Fornies, Hannah Sheridan, Holly Deehan, Rachel Jones, Rachel Hannon, Keeli Kilcullen.
Fowley plays against France in Six Nations
Drumcliffe’s Nicole Fowley started for the Ireland women’s rugby team in their Guinness Women’s Six Nations Championship opener away to France, a 38-17 loss, last Saturday at Stade Marie-Marvingt, Le Mans.
The Galwegians and Connacht star, 31, was named at outhalf for this game – this was her first appearance in the Women’s Six Nations Championship since 2019, having made her international comeback last October against Kazakhstan.
Fowley’s successful penalty after 13 minutes was the only first-half score for the Edel McMahon-captained Ireland, who trailed by 14 points at half-time, 17-3. The Sligo woman was replaced by Dannah O’Brien at the break.
Ireland bagged two tries in the second-half. This is the lowest amount of points scored by France against Ireland since a 24-0 victory in 2018. Next up for Ireland is this
Sunday’s home fixture against Italy (RDS Arena, Dublin, kick-off 3pm). Italy lost 48-0 to England in Parma last Sunday, with England bagging a bonus-point in thanks to a 10-try win.
Dunne earns spot on Ladies HEC All-Stars
Claire Dunne, the St Farnan’s and Sligo Ladies Footballer, is named at corner-back on the Ladies HEC All-Stars selection for 2024. The west Sligo competitor – who captains Sligo this year – helped DCU Dóchas Éireann retain the O’Connor Cup with an extra-time defeat of University College Cork, 2-16 to 2-14, in the final at MTU Cork on March 9. Dunne is one of seven players from
DCU Dóchas Éireann in the Ladies HEC All-Stars XV.
She was presented with her accolade at a function held at the Bonnington Hotel, Dublin, last Friday. Meanwhile, Sligo LGFA referee Gus Chapman took charge of last Sunday’s Lidl Ladies NFL Division One fixture between Mayo and Waterford at James Stephens Park, Ballina (home of Ballina Stephenites). Mayo won by three points, 2-9 to 2-6.
Sligo U-20s are heading to Tuam next
Sligo’s U-20 Gaelic footballers, who began their Connacht GAA U-20 Football Championship campaign yesterday, Wednesday, evening with a home fixture against Roscommon, are away to Galway on Wednesday next, April 3, in the competition’s third round. Sligo’s game against Galway – a repeat of last year’s provincial decider that Sligo won – is scheduled for Tuam Stadium (throw-in 6.15pm). The Paul Henry-managed Sligo also have two more round-robin games in April – they will host Leitrim at Markievicz Park (April 10) and play Mayo in Castlebar (April 17). Sligo won the last two Connacht titles at U-20 level and were All-Ireland finalists last year.
The annual Tubbercurry 10k road race, which was held on the Sunday before last (St Patrick’s Day), was won by Hugh Armstrong, Ballina AC. Armstrong posted a winning time of 29:41 to finish ahead of Sligo AC’s Emmett Dunleavy, a Male 40 competitor, who ran 33:14 in the 51st edition of this race. Brian Kinsella (Sligo AC) was third on 35:11. Aoife Kilgallon of Sligo
AC was the
Dromore West’s Keelan Kilrehill is on the Athletics Ireland team for this Saturday’s World Athletics Cross Country Championships that take place in Belgrade, Serbia. Kilrehill, 23, who is a member of Ballina’s Moy
Valley AC, will compete in the senior men’s race (a 10,000 metres test). The west Sligo man, is coached by another Dromore West native, Emmett Dunleavy, who also coaches another Irish team members, Danielle Donegan of Tullamore Harriers.
A total of eight athletes have been selected by Athletics Ireland for the World Cross Country Championships.
The full team is as follows: Anna Gardiner, Kirsty Maher, Harry Colbert, Seamus Robinson, Danielle Donegan, Fiona Everard, Hugh Armstrong, Keelan Kilrehill.