Mayo contingent heads for Athlone

Final test for Mayo contingent


Michael Brophy

TWO hundred and fourteen young participants from all over Mayo will represent the county in the National HSE Community Games Finals, which take place in Athlone over the next two weekend. In total, over 6,000 competitors will display their sporting talents amid a hive of activity which will bring out the very best in competitors, officials and supporters.
Excitement is building in the Mayo Community Games camp as the county will be out in force in many team and individual events over the two weekends. Mayo’s involvement this year will centre on soccer, basketball, rounders, pitch and putt, cycling, gymnastics, swimming and athletics.
The first weekend of the finals (August 13-15) will generate great interest as Mayo Community Games have several teams and individuals in action. The provincial draw this year leaves Mayo and Connacht facing Munster  in the team competitions.
The pitch and putt competitions have been closely fought at both county and provincial level. In the end Westport have emerged as true champions and will carry Mayo’s hopes of success in both boys’ and girls’ categories. The boys’ U-16 team of Joe Hastings, Jack O Donnell, Matthew Golden, James Groden and Jack Healy have formed a  partnership of good young golfers with determination and a will to win. They beat Corrnageeha from Sligo in the Connacht final by one shot.
The girls’ U-16 team from Westport includes Megan Collins, Alex Mathastein, Lucy Golden, Siobhan Golden and Fiona Groden. They beat the might of Rosses Point in the Connacht decider and have a good mix of quality golfers in their ranks.
This year Mayo have two U-12 soccer teams in action in Athlone. Burrishoole girls’ team are going from strength to strength. Last year they secured the bronze medals in the national finals, and they have shown a remarkable team spirit. They came through the Mayo decider against Charlestown and went on to beat the Roscommon champions in the Connacht semi-finals before seeing off Ballymote in the Connacht final on penalties.
Castlebar boys’ team recently secured their fifth consecutive Connacht Community Games title.  They took the county title against the Quay from Ballina, beat Claregalway/ Lackagh after extra time in the Connacht semi-final before winning the Connacht final 2-0 against the Roscommon champions.
Mayo’s grass cyclists include Mark Finnerty from Ballinrobe, a national gold medal winner last year in the U-12 category. Mark will be hoping to do the double when he starts his pursuit on the 2km grass circuit this year. Sarah Reidy from Westport goes in the girls’ U-14 grass cycling event and is expected to do well in a gruelling event that requires strength and stamina.
Mayo Community Games have three gymnasts in action over the weekend, Shauna Tolan from Turlough Towers will compete in the U-8 section, Laura Cairns from Swinford takes part in the U-10 competition, and Eimear Doherty from the Quay will perform in the U-12 category.
Each year Mayo swimmers bring back many medals of all colours and this year further success is expected at the Athlone Regional Sports Centre. The girls will compete on the Saturday with the boys taking over on the Sunday. This year’s swimming competitors come from seven different areas  in Mayo, which shows the strength in depth of the sport within the county.
Fiona Conway and Cian Donoghue from Turlough Towers will compete in the U-8 freestyle.  Lisa O’Brien and Harry Burke from Claremorris are in the U-10 freestyle. Claremorris Community Games will also supply the U-10 backstroke swimmers, where Stephanie McLoughlin and Cathal Joyce will step up to their challenge.
Shane Dunne from Ballina and Eve Burke from Claremorris are in action in the U-12 freestyle. Mayo’s two-length backstroke competitors are Hugh O’Sullivan from the Quay and Laura Fahy from Castlebar, both excellent swimmers.
There are also two Mayo representatives in the U-12 breaststroke competition – Mark Dervan from the Breaffy area and Niamh Killgallon from Claremorris. Breaffy swimmers Ambre Fadden and Patrick Livingstone stand every chance of success in the U-14 breaststroke.
Mayo have two top quality swimmers in the U-14 backstroke, Candale McGurrin from Ballina and Sarah McHugh-Murphy from Claremorris. Sinéad Mylett and Eoghan Grady from Castlebar Community Games will carry the county’s hopes in the U-14 freestyle and bring a wealth of experience to those national finals.
Mayo’s backstroke swimmers at U-16 level are Etain McGurrin (Ballina) and Killian Dervan (Breaffy), while the U-16 butterfly competitors are Louise Dervan (Breaffy) and Con Doherty (Westport). Con picked up a silver medal last year in the boys’ U-16 marathon team competition and is a true sportsman in every sense of the word. Mayo’s final competitors in  in the U-16 competition are Aoife Kilgallon (Claremorris) and Aichlinn O’Reilly (Westport), who will take part in the freestyle event.
Castlebar and Claremorris will form the U-13 squad relay teams. The Castlebar girls are Aisling Grady, Edel Egan, Ellen Murphy, Sinéad Mylett and Laura Fahy. Claemorris boys will be out in force with Cathal Joyce, Cathal Kavanagh, Dara McHugh-Murphy, Donal Heaney and Liam Óg Horkan all going for glory.
Preparations are now firmly in place for what promises to be a fantastic weekend of sport in Athlone. Many months of hard work and preparation by clubs, coaches, parents, organisers,  and volunteers have taken place to ensure that Mayo children reach the National Finals. We wish all 214 Mayo participants well.