RIP Laura Buckley Noonan
Search
07 Sept 2025
Search
07 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
BOOST: Hooker Sean Tonra is back with Castlebar RFC after two years in Dubai. Pic: Shane Casey
The first Mayo rugby team to start the new season is Castlebar RFC. But the start to the Junior 1A League could not be a tougher ask: An away match at heavyweights Connemara RFC, who have been dominating the league in the past years.
"They have really hard carrying forwards with backs on their shoulders" says Alan Bane, Castlebar head coach, speaking to The Mayo News ahead of the match: "Connemara have a good scrum. And with ball in hand they're vicious. They carry with great impact. Big men. One of the hardest teams to stop ball in hand."
On top of that, Connemara got the better of Castlebar the last five times the two teams met, so it'll be a difficult task for the Mayo men in West Galway.
"It's a very competitive league" says Bane: "We have seven matches. After that, the top four teams out of eight will play for the league championship and promotion and the bottom four will be in a relegation battle. So the margins are very small."
Despite the bad record against Connemara aside, Bane is confident his team will "give them a good run for their money".
Even though Castlebar have lost a few players in the forwards, there have been encouraging signings. For example the pack is boosted by the return of hooker Sean Tonra. The Castlebar man spent the least two years in Dubai, but now he is back, bringing his experience to the squad.
"Sean has been a huge addition. His ball carrying ability, and knowledge of the game will help us" says Bane. Tonra will be needed against Connemara this Sunday. Kick-off is at 2.30pm, at The Monastery Field in Clifden.
READ: Castlebar man Jimmy Staunton is now Connacht Rugby president
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
