Local notes from Charlestown: Joe Keane marks a birthday centenary
At Joe Keane's 100th Birthday Party recently were John Cribbin (outgoing Fine Gael county councillor who made a presentation to Joe in recognition of his loyalty to the Fine Gael party over many decades and Alma Gallagher recently selected candidate to replace John Cribbin who is retiring at the next election makes a presentation to Joes wife Marcella to mark the ocassion. Also included are; Michael Swords, Alan Dillon TD, Pat Higgins, Peter Hannon and former MEP Jim Higgins. Pic James Hunt Photography.
There was no winner of the Charlestown Sarsfields GAA lotto jackpot of €8,400 in the weekly draw held on Sunday night, October 1, and the following were the four numbers drawn; 15, 19, 28 and 32. The winners of the 2 x €50 weekly prizes were Anne Gallagher and Gerry Cassidy. The latest jackpot increased to €8500 and the draw was held on Sunday, October 8.
The Sarsfields host Swinford in Fr O’Hara Park in the county U17 league on Sunday morning, October 15, with the throw-in timed for 11am.
The Sarsfields travel to Ballyhaunis to take on the St Jarlath’s amalgamation on Saturday morning, October 14, with the throw-in timed for 11am.
The Cubs Basketball club is getting ready for the new season with a number of underage teams back on the court and training hard in preparation for the various leagues they will be competing in with all league competitions expected to kick off in early to mid October. The club have had a very successful few years since their inception in 2021 and they are looking forward to plenty more great nights in the CBD Sports and Recreation Centre with some fine talent available to the club at all grades.
Charlestown Sarsfields bowed out of the race for the Moclair Cup as they lost out to Knockmore in a tough and well contested quarter-final played at the Claremorris GAA grounds recently. The Knockmore men prevailed on a score line of 0-13 to 0-9 in a game that had many twists and turns played in tough conditions as rain and wind made life a real chore for both teams.
Knockmore had much the better of the opening half and were clinical and precision personified in front of the sticks as they dissected the posts with some fine, radar like shooting.
The Sarsfields, in contrast, were profligate and wayward and kicked some poor wides which seeped into their confidence levels as balls were given away and lost in contact with Knockmore taking full advantage of every Sarsfields mistake as they pierced the posts at the other end.
Things looked grim for the Sarsfields as they trailed 0-5 to 0-0 before Paul Towey finally opened their account as he rifled a terrific point to finally put some green and white colour on the scoreboard. Knockmore responded instantly with a Darren McHale point as they continued to boss the possession and dominate the ball. The Sarsfields dug in and finally hit the straps with points from Towey and Jack Mahon hauling them back into the game as they trailed 0-6 to 0-3 with five left on the clock. Knockmore regained control again however and kicked the final two points of the half to leave them very much in the ascendency as they led 0-8 to 0-3 at the interval with the Sarsfields having plenty to mull over at the interchange.
The Sarsfields thundered into the game at the start of the second half clipping over three superb points with Ruairi Cullen starting the charge with a magnificent point from distance. Paul Towey caught fire and hammered over two brilliant points to give the Sarsfields effort real momentum and traction as Knockmore were rocked back on their heels. The Sarsfields were much more proactive as they went after Knockmore in every line of the field and hunted them down forcing turnovers and winning back possession with admirable tenacity.
Mattie Lenehan knocked over another superb long range point for the Sarsfields to bring them within a point of the favourites as the game took on a real championship feel. The ferocity of the hits and scrap for possession became manic like with Knockmore finally breaking the siege as Peter Naughton guided over a free in front of the posts with the Sarsfields suffering a hammer blow minutes later when they lost David Caffrey to a black card at a time when they were bang in contention and taking the game to the saffron and blue men.
Knockmore stayed strong in the frantic final ten minutes as the Sarsfields continued to throw everything at them in a bid to get level. Another Naughton free pushed the Knockmore advantage out to three once again but the Sarsfields refused to wilt as Paul Towey fired over a point from a free to keep the Sarsfields firmly in the contest. The North Mayo men leaned on their composure and experience to keep the Sarsfields at bay however with late points from Kevin McLoughlin and Aidan Orme edging them over the line as the Sarsfields effort finally ran out of road.
The final whistle brought to an end a cracking second half of football with both teams giving everything in pursuit of victory. Knockmore had that little bit more quality in attack however which made all the difference with the Sarsfields pushing them right to the wire and making them earn their semi-final ticket as they left everything on the field in a commendable second half performance.
The green and white had some real heroes on the field with the defence standing strong and applying real heat to a much vaunted Knockmore attack. Fergal Quinn, Gerard and Enda McLoughlin were teak tough in the full back line and never less than brave and resolute from gun to tape. The half back line of Ben Conway, Conor O’Donoghue and Jack Corley scrapped hard for every scintilla of possession and never took a backward step and had a great battle with their direct opponents.
The midfield duo of Gareth O’Donnell and Mattie Lenehan also enjoyed a great tussle with their opponents and gave the Sarsfields some real momentum in the second half as they wrestled control for the green and white and were key players in the second revival. In attack Paul Towey showed some real class guiding over some wonderful points from play and frees and providing the Sarsfields with a real presence and focal point in the final third. Ruairi Cullen had another superb outing winning an amount of ball and using it cleverly and intelligently at all times as he led the Sarsfields rally in the second half and ran himself to a standstill. Jack Mahon. Joe McBrien, Paddy Lenehan and Paddy Goldrick had their moments also with subs Alan Woods, David Caffrey and Tommy Meehan doing their utmost to drive the Sarsfields forward at all times. Keeper Patrick Walsh was solid and steady between the posts and made some useful sallies forward most notably in the opening half when the Sarsfields were struggling to beat the Knockmore press.
The Sarsfields can be pleased with their effort overall as they threw everything at their opponents in the second half and pushed them right to the final whistle. Well done to the management team who left no stone unturned in their preparation as they attempted to pull off what would have been a big shock as Knockmore went into the game as the hottest of hot favourites. The training the team were exposed to all season was top class with Ronan Kenny and Vincent Doherty leading the way in this regard as their training sessions were meticulously planned and of the highest possible quality. The team lacked for nothing in this regard and were superbly prepared for each and every match. Special mention to Philip Craig who took care of all the logistics and did a brilliant job in this area and embraced the role with diligence and organisation of the highest order. He never missed a session and was a quiet and steady presence in the dressing room at all times. Special mention to Michael Horkan and James Kilroy two sound and solid football men who worked as selectors with team management and brought honesty and trust to the positions along with a deep knowledge and understanding of the game. Honourable mention to young James Breheny the dedicated maor uisce who took his job very seriously and was a popular presence in and around the team as he brought enthusiasm, energy and no little passion to his role and was always willing to join in the banter and lightened the mood on many occasions with some witty remarks. Hats off to the panel of players who gave everything they had during the year and displayed lots of spirit and character to get to a quarter final having been shelled by Westport in match one. They knuckled down and dug in found a way to get the job done against Claremorris and Ballaghaderreen respectively and restored some pride and respectability in the jersey which they carried into the game against Knockmore and fought like demons to extend the season for another few weeks. Special thanks to the club executive who backed the team in every possible way, their help and support was invaluable as they put every resource at the disposal of the management and were always willing to invest and help out in any way they could. Thanks to team physio Paddy Clarke who patched the lads up from week to week and brought great knowledge and expertise to his role and carried out his work in a very jovial and light hearted manner which went down well with the team and panel.
The Sarsfields have much to reflect on as the season draws to a close. They recovered well from their first match drubbing to Westport and managed to circle the wagons and re-group admirably to secure wins against Claremorris and Ballaghaderreen respectively thus qualifying for their first senior quarter-final in nine years and getting that monkey off their back so to speak. There are some fine men in the group but to compete against the best takes lots of hard work and dedication in the close season with teams like Knockmore setting the bar in this regard. The Sarsfields have much to ponder on as the 2023 season draws on to a close with lots of soul searching and hard thinking to be done.
The President and members of the Charlestown Bridge Club extend their deepest condolences to Michael and Patricia Brennan on their death of their daughter Cara recently. The weekly game scheduled for Wednesday, September 27, was cancelled as a mark of respect. The club also wishes to extend their condolences to Vincent Coleman and Ruth Connor on the death of their step-father Michael Cooke recently.
The game resumes on Wednesday night in Walsh’s Bar, Main Street, Charlestown at 8pm.
There was a good turnout, the best of the year so far at the weekly 25 card drive held in Walsh’s Bar, Main Street, Charlestown, on Tuesday night, October 3, and the following were the prizewinners; 1st Mike Sheridan and Vera Scally; 2nd Packie-Joe Kennedy and Breege Leonard. Raffle winners were Mike Sheridan and Darby Leonard.
The Go FundMe fundraiser in memory of Tracey Farrell will close on Tuesday October 31. If you would like to support this memorial to Tracey and help reach the target please donate before this date.
Tracey’s Lane is open. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy a lovely 30 minute tranquil loop walk. Parking at Bushfield Church, Charlestown, is advised. The lane is open but more work is still to be completed with signage, lane entrance, finishing touches and future maintenance to be finalised and discussed.
The Farrell family and the committee take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported their fundraiser both online and in the form of private donations. Without your help the committee would not have been able to make this beautiful tribute to Tracey possible.
Ward Agricultural Consultants ACRES final training day takes place on Saturday, October 14. Call Siobhan on 087 9193371 to book. The course is mandatory for all farmers who joined ACRES.
Clann Machua Drama Group will present The Cheque's in the Post, a hilarious comedy, in the Town Hall Theatre, Kiltimagh this Thursday and Friday night, October 12 and 13, with curtain up each night at 8pm. Tickets are €15 and available from Langan's off- licence or on the door.
Ladies lose to Kilmovee Shamrocks in senior championship
Charlestown Sarsfields ladies lost out to near neighbours Kilmovee Shamrocks in round 3 of the group stages of the county senior championship played at the Kilmovee GAA grounds recently. The Kilmovee ladies overcame a stern Sarsfields challenge to run out 4-11 to 2-12 victors which leaves the Sarsfields hopes of qualification for the knockout stages dangling by a thread.
This was a rip roaring contest played at a pulsating pace with both teams going at each other hard from the throw-in. The opening exchanges were frenetic with goals very much the currency as both teams went for the jugular in thrilling fashion. The two sides were level after twenty minutes with the game beautifully poised at 2-1 to 1-4 with Kilmovee had the better of the closing stages however as they kicked on as they bagged 1-5 with the Sarsfields replying with 1-2 to leave the home side three clear at the interval as they led 3-6 to 2-6 with both sets of supporters breathless after a breakneck first thirty. Nora McGovern and Deirdre Doherty were the Sarsfields goal scorers as the interval allowed the two teams to take stock and reassess where they were in the match.
The second half took up where the first left off as both teams continued to press forward at every opportunity. The two teams matched each other score for score with the hosts still keeping that three point gap intact despite the best efforts of the Sarsfields to reduce it. The game was still up for grabs with ten left on the clock but it was the Shamrocks who stuck the killer blow when they breached the Sarsfields goal for a fourth and decisive time with the Cafferkey ladies very much involved in the creation and scoring of it. This was the score that scuppered the Sarsfields challenge as try as they might they just couldn’t muster a third green flag that would have kept their challenge live and relevant.
The Sarsfields never stopped battling and kept at it right to the final whistle but it was Kilmovee’s day with this victory ensuring their qualification for the semi-finals with the Sarsfields left to lick their wounds as they left with nothing despite leaving everything they had on the field of play as they played with tremendous pride and spirit and made the Shamrocks earn their passage to the last four of the premier senior ladies club competition in the county.
That defeat knocks them out of the championship for 2023 but they did very well in their first year back in the senior grade and consolidated on the terrific year they enjoyed in 2022. Well done to the management team of Francis Mannion, Sinead Halligan and Paul McNicholas who did a super job in navigating the team through the league and championship as they competed with courage and skill in both competitions and acquitted themselves very well in the championship with many of the younger players getting valuable exposure and game time at this elite level. The signs are promising for the ladies squad with plenty of positives emanating from a very good and solid first year back at senior level.
Charlestown Sarsfields U17 team suffered a disappointing 3-8 to 0-8 defeat to Hollymount/Carramore in the latest round of county U17 league played at the Carramore GAA grounds recently. The final score says it all really as the home side hit three goals to puncture the Sarsfields challenge with the green and white unable to penetrate a tough, teak home defence which left them a mountain to climb in terms of reducing the deficit. The lack of a goal threat stymied any hopes of a Sarsfields comeback as the South Mayo axis held on comfortably to their lead as the game petered out to its inevitable conclusion.
Living Well is for adults 18 years and over and is suitable for those who are living with one or more long term health conditions and for those caring with someone with a long-term health condition. This is an online course and there are still a few place available. Contact Fiona on 087 7185615.
The club are reaching out to past players and to anyone within the community who have any basketball experience to become mentors alongside the club’s existing dedicated coaching team. In order for the club’s larger groups to thrive and to make for more efficient and productive training sessions the club really need more volunteers/coaches to step forward and help out.
The club have produced such top class players at all grades in recent years and it would be fantastic if they could share their knowledge and help out the next generation as they look to emulate and follow in their footsteps. Likewise, if there any parents out there without experience who would like to get involved for an hour a week and be part of the club’s expanding numbers and growing reputation you would be most welcome. For more information check out the Charlestown Cubs Basketball Facebook Page with all expressions of interest gratefully received.
Best wishes to Nuala and Ian of O’Donnell’s Pharmacy which re-opened in their original premises located on The Square, Charlestown, nine months after a truck rammed into the front of the building.
Ian Johnson , who runs O'Donnell’s Total Health Pharmacy with his wife Nuala expressed his delight at being back in the building and was extremely grateful and thankful to the local community for their unstinting and unwavering support in the interim period. The new premises has been renovated to the highest possible standard and Ian was quick to pay tribute to Noel Dunleavy Building Systems who carried out the renovation work and did a superb job to boot. Nuala and Ian look forward to serving the general public for many more years to come as they settle back into the grove and continue to provide their loyal customer base with the best in terms of service and medical care and provision. Best of luck to Nuala and Ian and here’s wishing them many more years of happy trading in their new but original location.
The death took place in Huddersfield, England, recently of Thomas Mulligan formerly of Bushfield, Charlestown. Deepest sympathies are tendered to the bereaved.
There was no winner of the Curry GAA lotto jackpot of €5400 in the weekly draw held on Monday night, October 2, and the following were the four numbers drawn; 5, 21, 22 and 24. The following were the winners of the €20 prizes; Jack Kelleher, The Cunnie Family and Gabrielle Hanley.
Many thanks to all who contributed to the recent coffee morning in Walsh’s Bar, Main Street, Charlestown, recently. A grand total of €1,213 was raised for the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice.
The Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Club have been handed the plum county senior championship semi-final clash between near neighbours Breaffy and Castlebar Mitchels which takes place in the splendid Fr O’Hara GAA grounds on Saturday, October 14, with the game having a 3.30pm throw-in. All within the club are eagerly looking forward to hosting such a prestigious fixture which is a throwback to the halcyon days of the 1980s and early 1990’s when the club and grounds regularly hosted semi-finals in all grades of competition at senior level. Indeed both of the competing teams on Saturday week can draw on fond memories of winning county championships on O’Hara Park’s hallowed turf with the Mitchels winning a county senior championship final against Crossmolina Deel Rovers in 1988 while Breaffy made the big breakthrough winning a county junior title against Ballyhaunis in 1996.
The club executive will be working overtime in the coming days to ensure the grounds and sod are at their best for what promises to be a cracking encounter with a huge crowd expected to descend on O’Hara Park for a game that contains any amount of talking points and sub-plots.
The Mitchels appear to be slight favourites with the bookies but Breaffy bring plenty of form and pedigree having stripped county champions Westport of their crown in a sensational upset in the quarter-final. The stage is set for a gargantuan contest between the two neighbours with a county final place the golden ticket that’s up for grabs as the West Mayo classico and all the razzamatazz associated with it decamps to Charlestown and Fr O’Hara Park with plenty of fireworks and drama sure to be in store with a raucous atmosphere guaranteed to be in evidence as the ball gets ready to be thrown in.
