ALL SMILES Lilly O’Malley, Imelda O’Gorman and Lisa Browne are pictured at the official opening of the Ballinrobe Town AFC pitch and dressing-rooms last Sunday. Pic: Ray Ryan
FAI roadshow sweeps Mayo
Daniel Carey
THE Republic of Ireland senior team manager, Giovanni Trappatoni, will make the draw for the semi-finals of the Mayo League’s premier cup competition, the Chadwicks Cup, on Friday next, July 25, in Milebush Park, Castlebar.
The Italian will be in town ahead of Saturday’s FAI AGM in Breaffy, and will draw Achill Rovers, Ballina Town, Straide and Foxford United and Snugboro United after an 11am press conference. Meanwhile, events will take place all over the county in the next few days. Already, the FAI roadshow has visited Ballinrobe, Swinford, Moy Villa, Bangor, Erris, Killala and Ballina, and taken in a women’s U-17 international and a referees’ course in Milebush Park.
Maria Harrington of Westport United captained the Republic of Ireland team in their game against Northern Ireland, while Avril Kilkelly (Westport United) and Orla Devanney (Ballina Town) were also part of Noel King’s side on Sunday night, with Devanney scoring a hat-trick in a 7-1 win.
Today (Tuesday), the action takes in Ballyhaunis, for an Intercultural Open Day in the local Community School (11am-3pm); Milebush Park, for a visit to the Summer Soccer School (12.15pm) and the Emerging Talent programme (7.15-10pm); the Welcome Inn Hotel (for lunch at 1pm); Cloonlee (where the sod is being turned on the Knock/Kiltimagh United all-weather pitch at 3.45pm, and Ireland’s first ever Down Syndrome Summer Soccer School runs from 2-5pm); Claremorris (for the all-weather pitch opening at 5.30pm); Ballinrobe (for the Mayo Girls U-12 Cup final between Kilmurray and Killala at 5.30pm, the Mary Walsh Cup final at 6.30pm, and the unveiling of a plaque to the late Mary Walsh at 7.45pm); Ballyglass (where the stadium is being dedicated to the memory of the late Michael Keaveney, at 6.30pm), and Rocky’s Bar in Castlebar (for dinner, refreshments and music at 9pm).
On Wednesday, the first stop is Partry at 12pm (for the official opening of facilities), followed by lunch in the Village Inn at 12.30pm.
The action the moves to Castlebar, for the sod-turning of Castlebar Celtic’s all-weather pitch at 1.30pm, and an afternoon of football activities on the Mall (2-6pm). There’s a visit to the goalkeeper coaching course in Snugboro (3pm), a visit to Ballyvary Blue Bombers’ ground (4pm), and the official opening of the all-weather pitch at Quigley Park, Ballyheane at 5pm, where there’s a masters’ football tournament taking place. Next up is a trip to Milebush Park, where’s there are cert presentations to referees and the Education Unit, the official opening of the clubhouse at 7.30pm, and an adult intercultural tournament. The final stop of the evening is Manulla, where there’s an FAI Umbro Women’s Senior Cup match between Mayo and Roscommon, a five-a-side Football For All Tournament, the official opening of the clubhouse and all-weather pitch, and a barbecue and music to finish.
The last full day of club events is on Thursday, July 24. There’s a sod-turning at the mini pitch in Castlebar at 11am, and an official visit to Fr O’Brien Park in Achill at 12.45pm, where a football blitz running from 12-2pm. But the main focus of the day is on Westport, where the action begins with a morning Futsal workshop in the Plaza Hotel, followed by four hours of football fun on The Mall and Fairgreen (2-6pm). Giovanni Trapattoni and his management team are due for a walkabout at 4.30pm, and the FAI delegation may also visit the site of Westport United’s proposed new home. The Mayo Road Safety U-12 Cup final will take place in the Sports Park at 7.30pm, while the finals of the U-10 Futsal League run in Rice College from 7-9pm followed by a presentation. Finally, there will be a Legends Night in Matt Molloy’s bar from 9.30pm.
On Friday, all eyes will be on Breaffy, with a series of meetings, the Club of the Month exhibition and presentation (at 2pm and 2.30pm respectively), a civic reception and the pre-AGM delegates’ dinner. Trapattoni and his management team will give a press conference in Milebush Park on Friday morning, and the AGM itself will take place in the Breaffy International Sports Arena on Saturday.
