London almost pull off another shock

London almost pull it off


LONDON came within a hair’s breadth of creating another sensation. Even a draw on Leitrim’s home ground is sufficient evidence of their serious challenge in Connacht football.
As one avid supporter put it: “It may not be good for the coffers of the Connacht Council, but it is good for football”.
It took all that Leitrim could muster to stave off the challenge of the Exiles, and they will travel with some trepidation to Hyde Park on Sunday for the replay.
In a way it is unfair that London have to make the journey to Roscommon. They would be entitled to a home venue if Ruislip was capable of holding the fixture.
But they will travel with confidence, having already put Sligo to the sword, and being within a minute of dishing out a similar fate to Leitrim.
The clamour will grow in Leitrim during the coming days for a lifting of the ban on four players suspended by joint managers Dugdale and Breen. Whether the appeals will have any effect remains to be seen. But it seems that the rest of the squad is firmly behind the management in the decision they took.
If, however, Leitrim lose on Sunday, the management will not escape the wrath of those supporters who feel that the indiscretions of the players did not warrant such drastic punishment.
Leitrim were unlucky to lose their best forward Emlyn Mulligan in the first half, and fingers are being crossed that their star will be sufficiently fit to line out in the replay.
In the meantime, Mayo await the outcome of the game in the belief that neither Leitrim nor London will put a brake on their momentum towards a third Connacht title in a row.
If London win, the final will be staged in McHale Park. Otherwise, unless Leitrim can be persuaded to make the journey to Mayo, the venue for the final is likely to be Pearse Stadium.
The biggest concern of James Horan will be the dearth of adequate competition in Connacht and how the hard edge of his squad can be maintained without the tempering tool of genuinely tough contests.
It would not be hard for either Leitrim or London to provide stiffer competition that Galway or Roscommon have done. But even the quality of that opposition is not enough preparation to meet what the quarter-finals demand.

Gentleman Jim gets warm welcome from Green & Red friends
MEMBERS of the Green & Red Golf Society warmly greeted founding member Jim Fleming on his return to an outing in Castlebar the other day.
Jim has been out of sorts for some time, but is on the mend again and while he did not take part in the competition itself, was there to ensure the big event ran smoothly.
As a founder member of the Green & Red Trust Fund, Jim’s is a selfless soul in his work for former wearers of the Mayo colours.
A native of Ardnaree where, under the caring gaze of the great SeΡn Duffy, Jim developed the rudiments of Gaelic football, progressing through the ranks of the club alongside the likes of Joe Corcoran and PJ Gilmartin.
The quality of his play was not lost on Mayo selectors, and having lined out with the county’s minors, he was selected for the senior side in the 1955/56 National League campaign. He played county for the last time in 1968.  He also togged out with Donegal where he was stationed as a garda after completing his training, and in 1964 he was transferred to Ballaghaderreen with whom he won county senior and intermediate medals. He also captained the club’s winning junior side of 1968.
For ten years he worked side by side with John Morley, who was gunned down following a bank raid in Ballaghaderreen in 1980. The murder is indelibly etched on his memory. They had played together for Ballaghaderreen, had policed the streets of the town together, and together travelled everywhere.
Morley was a football icon, one of the best to ever have donned a Mayo jersey. His death stunned the country.
Jim was out of town that fateful day ... on a garda course in Sligo. In Ballina on his way home he heard of the tragedy, and remembers now how unreal the whole thing seemed.
On the way to Sligo he had dropped his daughter off to change a cheque in the bank. Were it a while later she would have been caught up in the raid. But for the course, he would have been on duty. “It was a terrible time,” he recalls.
Having retired from football, Jim continued to serve his adopted club as an administrator. He was chairman for six years, from 1978 to 1983, repaying a debt to a club that had provided him with so much playing pleasure.
Jim is now secretary of the Green & Red Trust, a benevolent fund, the brainchild of Mayo’s former late trainer Seamie Daly. Other members are Dr Mick Loftus (president), Fr Leo Morahan, Paddy Muldoon, Johnny Carey, John Nealon, Billy Flynn and SeΡn McManamon. Former deceased members included Mick Ruane, Johnny Mulvey, Joe Langan and Tommy Lyons.
It was set up with a view to assisting Mayo players and former players, who through no fault of their own have found themselves in difficulty, medical or otherwise. The fund is used discreetly and several players have benefited from it.
The Trust Fund in conjunction with the Green & Red Golfing Society are running a Golf Scramble – four-person teams – at Castlebar Golf Club on Friday, August 9 (all day) and Saturday, August 10 (morning). All proceeds will go towards the Green & Red Trust Fund.
Jim Fleming, who expects to be sufficiently fit to return to action, has called for a big turnout on the day. “We are writing to individuals and clubs for support for this event. You can help by entering a team, sponsoring a tee or green, sponsoring a prize or giving a donation,” he says.

Minor grade needs a look
THE match will be preceded by the Connacht minor semi-final between Mayo and Galway, a grade overshadowed in Mayo in recent times by the success of the senior side.
But it needs attention. Mayo, once the kingpins of minor football in Connacht, have sadly fallen on barren times. It is close on 30 years since Mick Burke last guided our minors to All-Ireland success. No gap between successes in the history of the game is this county has been so long. The county’s traditional minor swagger has deserted them.
This year’s squad commenced a new journey on Saturday with a convincing win over whipping boys Leitrim at McHale Park. Galway is a much bigger test, and minor football being so unpredictable, Mayo’s real strength will emerge only in the white heat of battle.

No new worries for James Horan
NO serious injury has been reported from the Mayo squad following the round of club championship fixtures last weekend. Barry Moran failed to start in Castlebar’s tussle with Breaffy. But the midfielder did make his entrance during the second half and seemed none the worse for his injury. Tom Cunniffe and Richie Feeney also played major roles in the Mitchels’ comprehensive victory and survived unscathed.
Seamus and Aidan O’Shea lined out with Breaffy and came through the hard-hitting battle without any lasting physical scars. The psychological aspect of their heavy defeat may not have ended Breaffy’s championship hopes ... but it has dented them.

Just a thought …
(Isn’t our award-winning columnist looking well as he and his wife Pauline prepare to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary tomorrow (Wed).
Warmest congratulations from all at The Mayo News. - MF)