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MD Roofing Services U-21 C Football Championship semi-final: Ballinrobe versus Belmullet, Sunday, November 9th, at 12.00 midday, in Crossmolina. Let’s get behind the lads here – it would be a crucial part of the development of this group if they could reach a county final, while representing a significant boost to club morale. There will be a minute’s silence beforehand for the late Brendan Costello. Tribute HERE

Please note the Club will provide a Guard of Honour tomorrow (Thursday)as a mark of respect to the late Brendan Costello. This will take place after Mass at 12.00pm, so whoever is available please wear club colours and meet outside the Church after Mass.

Ballinrobe GAA club regrets to announce the death this morning, November 3rd, of a popular and respected member of our club, Mr Brendan Costello (71), Glebe Street, Ballinrobe, after a relatively short illness. A former player with our club, primarily as a goalkeeper, he was also a member of one of Ballinrobe GAA club’s best-known and most decorated families. A native of Abbey St, Ballinrobe, he played for the club in the 1960’s. Members of his family distinguished themselves in the club and, indeed, county colours over the years. His son Fergal captained Mayo seniors during his playing career including in the 2004 All-Ireland senior final, along with playing in the 1997 final. Additionally he featured in All-Ireland minor and U21 finals with Mayo. Unfortunately, defeat was Mayo’s lot on all occasions. Fergal was shortlisted for national young player of the year in 1997 and was part of the Mayo team that defeated Galway in the National Football League final in 2001, lining out at right half back in a 0-13 to 0-12 over our closest rivals. That represented Mayo’s first league title in almost 30 years. Donal, Fergal and Declan starred in the Ballinrobe jersey throughout their lives. All three brothers featured on the Ballinrobe Community School team that won the All Ireland Colleges Senior B tittle in 1990, with Donal the inspirational team captain at centre half-back. The trio featured in many of Ballinrobe’s adult successes over the 1990’s and 2000’s, including the 2000 and 2002 Mayo intermediate titles as well as countless underages titles and achievements. Fergal later played for Naas in Kildare, while Declan lined out in the colours of Na Fianna in Dublin, playing at centre-half back in a Dublin senior county final, losing to Kilmacud Crokes. In latter years, Donal has gained prominence as a team manager, guiding The Neale to their first ever county junior title in 2012. Brendan and his wife Joan ran a family butcher and bakery business on Main Street, Ballinrobe, for many years. He later took over the running of the shop at Ballinrobe Community School. He had a real passion for fishing and enjoyed trips out onto Lough Mask with his angling colleagues. Brendan is survived by his wife Joan (nee O’Shea, Ceann Trá, Kerry) and sons Donal, Fergal and Declan; daughters-in-law Michelle, Sinead and Cathy; grandchildren Beth, Kate, Harry, Ella, Matthew, Joe, Hugh, and Ginny; sisters Breege and Mary (O’Malley); brothers Fr Martin, SMA, and Seán; neighbours and friends. As a mark of respect to Brendan, the club will hold a minute’s silence at next Sunday’s Mayo U21 semi-final, in which Ballinrobe play Belmullet in Crossmolina. At the funeral ceremonies, the club will form a guard of honour to give a fitting send-off to a man who made a very rich contribution to our club and community. Funeral arrangements are as follows: reposing at the family home, Ballinrobe, this Wednesday from 4-8pm, with removal to St Mary’s Church, Ballinrobe, for funeral mass at 12 noon on Thursday. Burial immediately afterwards in the New Cemetery. May he rest in peace. – Alan Flannery, Chairman, Ballinrobe GAA Club – Donal McCormack, Secretary, Ballinrobe GAA Club    

One of Ballinrobe’s and Mayo’s most loyal supporters, Jarlath Reilly of Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, scooped the top prize of €5,000 in the Mayo GAA draw last night. It’ll do nicely to fund his trips all over Ireland in 2015 – and, indeed, the last few of 2014 too as he follows our senior and U21 team and the closing stages of the Connacht club championship, where this Belcarra native will be getting behind Ballintubber. We had a few winners in Draw 5 and 6, which took place last night – our Parish Priest and Club Patron Canon Conal Eustace, Des Maye (who is heavily involved in the promotion of under-age football in the club), and the club itself which won a €250 prize. Full list of winners is available HERE (this will download automatically to your Downloads folder – it is an Excel document with two tabs in it, one for each of the two draws carried out last night). Note from the county board: A Chara The two final draws in the Club Development Draws for 2014 were held last night at “The West End Bar” Bangor Erris hosted by Kiltane GAA Club. We wish to extend congratulations to Jarlath Reilly of Castlebar Rd Ballinrobe who won €5000.00, Jarlath purchased his ticket from Ballinrobe Club  and Pamela Kelly of Brookside Shanaghy who won €1,000.00, Pamela purchased her ticket through Ardnaree Club. Jarlath and Pamela were the winners of the main prizes in Draw 5. We wish to congratulate Johnnie O Malley of Church Road, Ballina who won a new Toyota Car, Johnnie purchased his ticket through Ardnaree Club and Tommie Kilcoyne, Errew, Castlebar who won €1,000.00, Tommie purchased his ticket through Ballintubber GAA Club. Johnnie and Tommie were the main winners in Draw 6. A full list of all 74 winners in last nights draws is attached. This concludes our Club Development Draws for 2014. We wish to extend thanks to all those who supported both their Club and County in the Club Development Draws in 2014 and all those who co-ordinated the draws in their respective Clubs and members who sold tickets throughout the County. We thank also our sponsors, Monaghan Motors, Breaffy Rd, Castlebar and Pat Kelly Autopoint, Swinford. We look forward to your continued support.

Congratulations to Peter Ford and Stephen Rochford on guiding Ballintubber and Corofin to county senior championship wins in Mayo and Galway respectively yesterday. Peter grew up in Ballinrobe and was one of our leading players for many years, as well as lining out for Mayo at all levels. He served as player-manager and manager on a number of victorious Ballinrobe teams. Stephen is a native of Crossmolina who now lives in Ballinrobe – he is married to Lauragh Gill, who is a football fanatic too – and he is heavily involved in our club. Currently, he is chairing a sub-committee of our Coaching Plan, which we hope to launch next month. We wish both men well in the Connacht club campaign – they might even cross paths there. We are now putting our hand up and saying that game should go ahead here in Ballinrobe, so they can both feel at home!