BORD NA NOG

Our South Mayo Skills winners congratulated and wished well in Connacht final

Update, Oct. 6, 2015: At last night’s meeting of the club executive committee, this team and their coaches were congratulated and wished well in Friday evening’s Connacht final at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan. A picture of the winning team in the South Mayo skills competition, left to right: Ryan Corcoran, Gary Mellott, Sean Flannery, Adam Flannery. This is our second year in a row to win this competition. We wish the lads all the best in the Connacht final. Thanks to Coaching Officer Martin O’Connor for the picture.

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Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to @CrokePark we go for @sporttg4 @ladiesfootball All-Ireland Finals @gaabeo

THE DAY HAS DAWNED: Sunday, September 27, and like a tidal wave spreading across the country, our buses (yes, plural, it seems half the town is going) are en route to Croke Park. Stand by for an endless supply of shout-outs (or should that be shouts-out?); celebrity selfies; famous background selfies; and – hopefully – sightings on the telly box. More anon… UPDATE, September 1, 2015: Our submission was successful – Croke Park here we come, Sunday, September 27. News has just broken in last hour so we are still waiting on further details. The full list of clubs is Carryduff, Down; Corofin, Galway; Ballinrobe, Mayo; Blessington, Wicklow; Na Fianna, Dublin; Grattan, Longford. Our submission is here: Dear Ladies Gaelic Football Association, We note with interest your call-to-arms HERE that will result in some clubs like ours playing or officiating during the TG4 Ladies Gaelic All-Ireland finals day in Croke Park on Sunday, September 27th, 2015. Well, this is one occasion when we really do want the right result. Why us? We are one of the youngest clubs in Ireland – but though we are young, we are very serious about having fun playing football. We were formed in May 2015, as THIS REPORT shows. Ballinrobe GAA Club had prioritised ladies football  in the COACHING PLAN launched last year. We invited young and old to our FIRST MATCH – and we TOLD THE WORLD about it afterwards. Actually, we are a newly-reformed club, if you get our drift. There was a club in Ballinrobe up to about ten years ago – the local Community School won loads of All-Ireland junior and senior titles too – but we are the leaders of the new revolution. And we love it! We train every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning. Our numbers are growing every week. Last year, when we trialled it, we had only ten girls regularly playing: now we have 50! Just this week, three new players came along. The more the merrier is what we say. The younger ones train with the boys. This is called the Robe Rockets section. Read about these speedy Rockets HERE The older ones go it alone. We are fully integrated into Ballinrobe GAA Club – ni neart go cur le chéile, we say. Together we can do great things. We play because we love football. We enjoy being with our friends. Flanagan Park on a Wednesday and a Saturday is where we are at our happiest. You can see all we have done HERE in our own section on the Ballinrobe GAA Club website. Already we have taken a TRIP OUTSIDE MAYO, held a pizza evening, and brought our brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts and countless more besides to see us play on DEBUT DAY. We promote our club extensively in the local media and on Twitter and Facebook. We take photos of everything and know that we are compiling a history of our club, training by training, game by game, photo by photo, article by article. So, we think we’ve been good all year. You know who has been naughty and who has been nice – and we’ve been nice. We watch all the ladies football games on TG4 (mo bhrón, mo bhrón, Maigh Eo lost to Kerry last weekend – so it’s more important than ever that we get to represent our great county on All-Ireland final day.) We are not even one year old yet: we could be the youngest ever to play in Croke Park. Claire says: let’s do this. Holly says: bring it on. Ailbhe says: go Robe! Sarah says: It’s our time. Amy says: who’s going to stop us? Here are Laura and Aleesha – they, too, hope to be in Croke Park on All-Ireland final day. [audio:http://ballinrobegaaclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/LauraAleesha.mp3] So, that’s us, go ‘Robe, Croke Park here we come.

Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to @CrokePark we go for @sporttg4 @ladiesfootball All-Ireland Finals @gaabeo Read More »

Winners! U-13 Final, Ballinrobe v. Mayo Gaels, Sat 26th, Garrymore.

UPDATE, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27: Our 13s won the South Mayo B title yesterday, to add to the U14 B title that this age-group – give or take – won a few weeks ago. The final score was 5-8 to 1-8 with first-half goals from Cian O’Connell and Dylan Sweeney proving crucial. We hope to have further details from this game later today. Ballinrobe U-13`s take on Mayo Gaels in the B final of an U-13 blitz. Throw in is at 11.45am, in Garrymore. Please make an effort to head over to ‘Garry’ to support the lads. A full list of fixtures on the day is outlined below; c final 11.00am Carras v Hollymount/carramore ref Vinny joyce B final 11.45 Ballinrobe v Mayo Gaels ref mark Tuffy A final 12.30 Claremorris v the Neale ref johnny Burke

Winners! U-13 Final, Ballinrobe v. Mayo Gaels, Sat 26th, Garrymore. Read More »

Coaching workshop changed to 6.30pm this evening

  Update: This has now been changed to 6.30pm. From Mayo GAA:Mayo coaching and games are holding divisional practical workshops for the upcoming divisional club u-12 skill testing, you and your u-12 coaching team are invited to attend the south mayo workshop next Friday September 18th at 7pm sharp in Ballinrobe gaa pitch, wear gear for outdoor session, regards billy mc nicholas, Mayo games manager.

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Captain Evan O’Brien dedicates victory to Martin Flannery, photos & audios live, Ballinrobe 2-13, @Holly_CarraGaa 3-5

    Audio report HERE – includes reference to team captain Evan O’Brien dedicating the victory to the late Martin Flannery. Full-time, Ballinrobe 2-13, @Holly_CarraGaa 3-5 64, Liam Burke, point, Ballinrobe 2-13, @Holly_CarraGaa 3-5 57, Evan O’Brien, free, Ballinrobe 2-12, @Holly_CarraGaa 3-5 53, Hollymount-Carramore goal, rebound after David Lynagh save, Ballinrobe 2-11, @Holly_CarraGaa 3-5 52, Liam Burke point, Ballinrobe 2-11, @Holly_CarraGaa 2-5 50, another long-range Evan O’Brien free, Ballinrobe 2-10, @Holly_CarraGaa 2-5 50, Hollymount-Carramore man sent off, two yellows, Ballinrobe 2-9, @Holly_CarraGaa 2-5 49, Evan O’Brien, beautifully struck 45, Ballinrobe 2-9, @Holly_CarraGaa 2-5 42, Tiernan Harris, point, Ballinrobe 2-8, @Holly_CarraGaa 2-5 36, Evan O’Brien, free, Ballinrobe 2-8, @Holly_CarraGaa 2-4 31, Kieran Finnerty, superb point from right wing, Ballinrobe 2-7, @Holly_CarraGaa 2-4 Half-time audio report HERE 30, Hollymount-Carramore point, Ballinrobe 2-6, @Holly_CarraGaa 2-4 26, Nathan Moran, goal, Ballinrobe 2-6, @Holly_CarraGaa 2-3 25, Nathan Moran, point, Ballinrobe 2-6, Hollymount-Carramore 1-3 16, Evan O’Brien, free, Ballinrobe 2-6, @Holly_CarraGaa 1-2 13, Oisin Hanlon, goal, Evan O’Brien free came off the upright and Oisin collected before finishing to the net, well taken like the earlier Liam Burke one, Ballinrobe 2-5, @Holly_CarraGaa 1-2 11, Evan O’Brien, free, Ballinrobe 1-5, @Holly_CarraGaa 1-2 10 mins, Liam Burke goal – well finished – Evan O’Brien free went across goal where Liam collected it, Ballinrobe 1-4, Hollymount-Carramore 1-2 8 mins, Liam Burke point, Ballinrobe 0-4, @Holly_CarraGaa 1-2 Prior to this, we had two points from Evan O’Brien (frees) and one from Oisin Hanlon (play). BALLINROBE: David Lynagh; Christopher Vahey, Oran O’Malley; Evan Reaney, Padraig Og Horan, Evan Gannon; Evan O’Brien, Ross Philbin; Kieran Finnerty, Liam Burke, Eoin Langan; Oisin Hanlon, Rory Jennings. Subs: Eoin Sheridan, Michael Flanagan. Team management: Fergal O’Malley, Liam Burke, David Colleran, Norman O’Brien. HOLLYMOUNT-CARRAMORE: Gary Moran; Jason Kelly, Alan McCormack; Shane Kelly, David Hession, Conor McHugh; Nathan Moran, Dylan Jennings; Alan Kelly, Thomas Morris, Jamie Walsh; Tiernan Harris, Phelim Browne. Ref: Mark Tuffy, Shrule-Glencorrib.  

Captain Evan O’Brien dedicates victory to Martin Flannery, photos & audios live, Ballinrobe 2-13, @Holly_CarraGaa 3-5 Read More »

Funeral arrangements announced for the late Martin Flannery

UPDATE, Saturday, Sept 12, 4.50pm: This week’s Lotto draw, scheduled to take place on Monday night, has been postponed as a mark of respect to Martin Flannery. It will now take place on Monday week, September 21, in John O’Haire’s pub. Every Saturday night, a team representing the club sells Lotto tickets in pubs around Ballinrobe – that has been postponed tonight. UPDATE, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2.10pm: Funeral arrangements for the late Martin Flannery have been announced. Full details HERE. The club will form a guard of honour tomorrow evening, Sunday, when Martin’s remains are removed from the funeral home to the family home shortly after 7o’c. Our guard of honour will start at the funeral home and accompany Martin around the town, down Bridge Street and down Creagh Road to a point just beyond where he grew up on Creagh Road. We will also form a guard of honour on Monday after 12noon Mass from St Mary’s Church, Ballinrobe, to the New Cemetery. All club members and supporters are invited to take part and, if possible, to wear club gear.   FRIDAY, Sept 11, 11pm: Ballinrobe GAA club regrets to announce the sudden death today of a former chairman of the club Martin Flannery (66). Martin was father of the club’s current chairman Alan, while his two younger sons, Adrian and David, and daughter-in-law Eimear Grimes, are all members of the club’s executive committee. His death has cast a pall of gloom over Ballinrobe where he was an intensely popular and respected individual. A native of Creagh Road, Ballinrobe, Martin was a lifelong member of the club, and served in a number of capacities, including as chairman and manager of the senior, junior and various under-age football teams. His wide-ranging contribution also saw him take a particular interest in the development of our facilities at Flanagan Park, and he was rightly proud of the many enhancements at the venue, including the construction of the Peter Brown Memorial Stand and match-standard floodlighting. In recent years, he was honoured with a Hall of Fame award, and was a former winner of the Club Person of the Year accolade. A source of immense personal pride was a Mayo minor hurling championship he won with Ballinrobe in the mid-1960s. As a young man, he worked for a number of years in the UK, before returning home to spend most of his working life as an employee of MJ Conroy & Sons Ltd construction company, before retiring last November. His work regularly took him into a number of the large pharmaceutical and medical device plants in this region where he enjoyed friendly discussion and banter about many topics, most notably Gaelic football, with acquaintances from all over the west. The love of Gaelic games Martin instilled in his family has yielded rich dividends for our club, with Alan, Adrian and David all wearing the colours for many years. The Flannery name was involved in successes at all levels, including the Mayo intermediate championship victories of 2000 and 2002, in which Adrian played a leading role. Alan was full-back on the Ballinrobe Community School team that won the 1990 All-Ireland senior B colleges title, with Adrian a young substitute on the squad. Alan and Adrian played at representative level for Athlone RTC (now IT Athlone) and Galway RTC (now GMIT) respectively. The next generation of young Flannerys has started to don the maroon and yellow of the club with Alan’s sons Adam, Sean and Mark all heavily involved in our under-age structure. Indeed, Martin attended the launch last winter of our 2015 – 2020 coaching plan where the emphasis is firmly on under-age development, an approach that he readily endorsed. His brothers Pat, Enda and Johnny are all strong supporters of Ballinrobe GAA club, with Johnny playing on the club intermediate and senior teams in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Martin was a reliable man to lend a hand to any club endeavour, be it a construction project at Flanagan Park, a church gate collection or taking up ‘the gate’ at home matches. Indeed, he was always available to assist with church gate collections for other local organisations, apart from our club. A number of club events have been postponed this weekend as a mark of respect, including under-age and adult training sessions and the Mayo SFL Division 1B game against Tuar Mhic Eadaigh. Some of Martin’s greatest work was done in Cloonliffen National School where he regularly coached the school team. He coached many fine footballers from the school, some of whom went on to represent Mayo at inter-county level, including senior, while others starred in many great Ballinrobe successes. In Kilkeeran and Rahard, he was known as a particularly generous and warm neighbour who helped out in any way he could. Martin’s wife Eileen, formerly Walsh, is a native of Kilvendoney, Robeen, and the club extends its deepest sympathy to Eileen; sons Alan, Adrian and David; daughters-in-law Hilary, Eimear and Adrian’s partner Sinead O’Kelly; grandchildren Adam, Sean, Mark and Daniel; brothers Pat, Enda and Johnny; nephews, nieces, extended family and a wide circle of friends. The club will give Martin a fitting send-off to recognise a man who made a very significant contribution to the sporting and community life of Ballinrobe. Funeral arrangements will be added here. May he rest in peace. Declan Corcoran, Vice-Chairman, Ballinrobe GAA Club  

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Upcoming fixtures for our club – from South Mayo GAA Board

Upcoming fixtures – from last night’s meeting of the South Mayo GAA Board: Tuesday, August 25: South Mayo U16 B championship, v Mayo Gaels, at Mayo Abbey, 7pm. Tuesday, September 1: Semi-final of same competition – Claremorris B or The Neale versus Ballinrobe or Mayo Gaels at Claremorris or Cong. Tuesday, September 8: Final of same competition, 6.30pm, venue to be finalised. Friday, September 4, South Mayo Minor A semi-final, 6.30pm: Claremorris v Ballinrobe at Claremorris. South Mayo Minor A & B finals in Ballinrobe on September 1. Friday, August 28: Brennan Cup semi-final, provisonally fixed for Friday, August 28, in Ballinrobe – Ballinrobe v Claremorris. U13 9-a-side blitz, September 5th and 12th, venues Garrymore and Glencorrib.

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Array of pix from South Mayo U14 B final win

  August 19: We have just added pictures HERE – thanks to photographers Kathrina Henehan and Sean O’Connell (might take a few minutes to sync all of them – you should eventually see 18 pictures in total).   Monday, August 17th, here’s report by Billy Horan, Club PRO A palmed goal in injury-time by full-forward Cian O’Connell was the decisive score in Ballinrobe’s defeat of fancied Carra by 4-5 to 3-7 in the South Mayo U14 B football championship final at Hollymount on Friday evening. It was a thrilling encounter and Ballinrobe, in front by 2-4 to 1-3 at the interval, were taxed to the limit to contain a spirited opposition rally in the second-half. Scorers: Ballinrobe – Cian O’Connell 2-0, Seamus Langan 2-0, Dylan Sweeney 0-3; Carras – Kyle Munroe 1-3, Thomas Higgins 1-2, Liam Og Horkan 1-0, Cormac Keane, Enda Hession 0-1 each. Ballinrobe: L Jennings; P Finlay, C Cusack, E Burke; E Duffy, E Gilrane, J Burke; J Heneghan, C O’Brien; S Langan, J Flanagan, D Sweeney; B Hynes, C O’Connell, D Sweeney. Sub: S Boshell. Carras: B Slattery; D Acton, T Stephens, C Ryan; T Higgins, B Feighery, N Burke; L Og Horkan, K Munroe; C Keane, S Macken, E Heraty; C Keaveney, C Kelleghan, B O’Toole Subs: E Hession, M McDonagh. Ref: John E Burke, Hollymount-Carramore.   By Liam Horan, Webmaster Our U14s were locked in a Titanic battle with Carras in the South Mayo U14 B final this evening in Hollymount – and, thankfully, we came out winners. We led all the way through but, powered by substitute Enda Hession, Carras rallied in the second-half. Agonisingly, they took the lead in the dying minutes but we surged upfield again and another excellent Ballinrobe move ended with full-forward Cian O’Connell palming the ball to the net. It was a neat piece of work by Cian – had he caught it, he might have been bottled up, but he had the presence of mind, and the skill, to guide it over the goalkeeper’s head without catching it. Joy was unconfined in the Ballinrobe ranks and up on the terracing. Carras came back to score another point but when referee John E Burke sounded the final whistle, we were a point ahead. This team has persisted all season despite taking some beatings. They are a young team – most of them are there again next year – and we have high hopes for them. You couldn’t but notice their teamwork and high skill level this evening. This victory gives them the reward they so richly deserve for all their efforts all season. Management say they are a joy to work with and the enthusiasm they show will surely stand to them. Onwards and upwards. Ewan Duffy, captain, accepted the cup from South Mayo GAA chairman Ger McHugh. Well done to the management team of Pat Kennedy, John Burke, John Sweeney and Alan Flannery (who was unable to be present this evening – abroad on work). Goalkeeper Luke Jennings not only saved a penalty, but he made a breathtaking double save in the second-half when the drama was reaching its peak. A full report will be provided here by club PRO Billy Horan in due course, with team list, scorers and the lot. It was a timely boost for the club after the U16s defeat in the Mayo D final at the hands of Ballaghaderreen on Tuesday night. Like Carras tonight, they rallied in the second-half but just couldn’t bridge the gap. Hopefully these two final appearances this week signal the start of a brighter future after some years when we have not been all that successful at under-age level.

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