Local notes: Fundraising drive by RiverFest organisers
The Moy Davitts teams who competed in the Connacht LGFA U10 Blitz Day at the Connacht GAA Air Dome in Bekan last Saturday. More than 70 teams competed across morning and afternoon sessions.
A big support would be appreciated for the fundraising quiz night taking place in Foxford this coming Friday, July 26 in aid of Foxford RiverFest 2024. The quiz will get underway at 9pm in The Moy Hotel with a table of four costing €40 – or €10 per person. There will be lots of spot prizes and a raffle. All are welcome to take part.
RiverFest is to take place on the weekend of August 23-25 and it’s the ambition of the committee to raise €5,000 and help make this 10th festival the best one yet. Moneys donated on the iDonate platform already exceed €2,000.
One of the initiatives being worked on at present is the revitalisation of the familiar wooden salmon boards situated on the ring road, most of which have become weather beaten. If you would like to re-decorate your salmon, contact Brigid at 087-9746769. Unclaimed wooden salmon boards will be re-used and re-decorated.
Meanwhile, workshops are to be held in Foxford Sports and Leisure Centre for people who would like to assist the organisers of RiverFest 2024 in making lanterns for both the traditional Candles to the Sea event, which will mark the beginning of the festival on Friday, August 23, and a NightLight parade through Foxford that has been added to the festival schedule on Saturday, August 24.
The festival committee has already purchased the materials and had a practice run, and are now ready to show volunteers how to make the lanterns and attach a mini light inside after which they can be brought home to dry and decorate and brought along on the evening to the NightLight parade.
The lantern-making workshops will take place on Saturday August 10 from 10am to 1pm or on Sunday, August 11 from 2pm to 5pm. All are welcome.
The senior footballers of Moy Davitts scored 10 goals (with Conor Reid bagging four of those) in two away games played in the space of five days to round off their Mayo SFL Division 1B campaign in a very impressive fashion last week. On Saturday last, July 20, they were held to a draw by Garrymore (5-9 to 2-18) having visited Ballintubber on Tuesday, July 16, who they managed to beat by five points (5-5 to 1-12).
The result against Garrymore, who lost only one of their nine games in the division, will be a source of some disappointment given that Moy Davitts held a three points lead very, very late in the game. The Moysiders had led 2-6 to 0-8 at half-time with Brian Heneghan in scintillating form, scoring 1-4. Mayo senior panellist Conor Reid had struck the opening goal in the sixth minute while there were points from play by Ryan Kenny and Liam Byrne.
Reid scored two more goals in the second-half, either side of one by substitute Colm Reape, which left Moy Davitts leading by three points with time almost up. However, points at the death by Darren Quinn, Trevor Nally and Michéal Connolly earned the hosts a share of the spoils.
Moy Davitts (v Garrymore): Christopher McGlynn; Max Babiarczyk, Seán Ruane, Oisin Quinn; Fiachra Cruise, Liam Byrne (0-2), Paul Byrne; Conall Quinn, Anthony Jordan (0-1); Brian Heneghan (1-4), Alan Bourke (0-1), Sean Mulroy; Conor Reid (3-0), Oisin McHugh, Ryan Kenny (0-1). Subs: Neil Murphy (for P Byrne, blood), Jack Dunleavy (for Mulroy ht), Sean Kelly (for Ruane ht), Colm Reape, 1-0 (for Kenny 37), Murphy (for Babiarczyk 43), Cormac Mulderrig (for P Byrne 48).
It’s not often a team will score as many goals as points in a game, and it’s also a rare enough thing to raise only two white flags from play and manage to win, but all of the above was true of Moy Davitts when they beat Ballintubber by 5-5 to 1-12 in Mayo SFL Division 1B at Ballintubber Community Pitch last Tuesday.
In fact, the visitors were all of seven points behind after only 10 minutes but managed to hang on in the first-half thanks to a goal apiece by Conor Reid and Brian Reape, both of which were extremely well worked.
Ballintubber led 1-8 to 2-2 at the interval but had a player sent-off in the third quarter – an advantage that Moy Davitts latched upon.
Ballintubber went a man down when David McHale was dismissed on a red card, but that was only a fraction of the second-half drama. Brian Reape’s second goal helped send the visitors in front for the first time and while the home side briefly regained the lead, Cian McHale struck back with Moy Davitts’ fourth goal. The sides were deadlocked again before Reape put them a point up with a 61st-minute free. The ex-Mayo footballer sealed the deal when he set up his brother, Colm, for their fifth and final goal.
The game was notable for brothers – and former Moy Davitts footballers – James and Tom Mulderrig being in opposition on the sideline, James in charge of his home club and Tom in charge of Ballintubber.
It’s a lucky 13th angling report of the season from the Foxford Salmon Anglers as figures for the week ending Sunday, July 14 showed that for the third week running, more than 100 fish were reported caught. That’s despite levels in the River Moy being very low, although all that changed over the weekend (July 20/21) when a very welcome flood was expected to bring large numbers of fish up through the system.
The bubble and fly was by far the most successful catching method with the prawn a close second.
Congratulations to Moy Davitts’ minor footballers who struck four goals to come through a thrilling clash with Shrule/Glencorrib last Tuesday, winning the Homeland County Minor ‘C’ Championship first round game on a 4-20 to 1-17 scoreline. They are back in action tonight (Tuesday) with a Round 2 game against Ballinrobe which is due to be played in Mulvey Park, Castlebar at 7pm.
On Thursday, July 25, Moy Davitts will visit Hollymount-Carramore in Group 1 of the Homeland County U16 ‘D’ Football Championship.
Tuesday, August 27 is the date that the new intake of junior infants will start their educational journeys at Foxford National School while the rest of the school (senior infants to 6th Class) will return to school a day later, on Wednesday, August 28.
The funeral was held in Foxford on Monday, July 15 of David Loughran, Swinford Road, Foxford and formerly of Swords, Co. Dublin.
Predeceased by his son Gareth, mother Evelyn and father Joe, David passed peacefully in the wonderful care of the Mayo Hospice, Castlebar.
He is dearly and lovingly missed by his wife Karen, daughter Keira, sister Nuala and his brothers Paddy and Paul, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews, wider family circle and friends.
David’s funeral mass was held at St Michael’s Church, Foxford with burial afterwards at Craggagh Cemetery.
May he rest in peace.
Well done to Moy Davitts LGFA’s under-14 footballers (white team) who have reached the final of the Mayo LGFA Under-14 ‘F’ Shield. They recorded a 3-4 to 0-4 victory over Mayo Gaels in last week’s semi-final and now look forward to a county final clash with Kiltane. The date, time and venue is yet to be confirmed.
It was a week to remember for Conor Reid who not only scored four goals in two games for Moy Davitts (see above) but collected the €100 jackpot in S&F United’s 50-50 draw last Monday, July 15.
The month’s previous winners were Paul Sherry, Foxford (July 1) who won €119 and Tony Jones, Foxford (July 8) who won €146.
You can purchase tickets in local outlets or play online at Smart Lotto while season tickets are always available from committee members where entry to 52 draws is just €50.
There’s huge excitement within the ranks of S&F United on the back of last Friday night’s stunning 5-0 victory for the senior women’s team over neighbours Conn Rangers. The game was the semi-final of the Rumley Cup and so the goals scored by Eilis Conway, two, Erin Mulroy, Stephanie Loughney and Carla Ruane have secured United their place in the Rumley Cup Final to be played at the home of Mayo soccer, Umbro Park in Milebush, on August 11.
In fact, it was an excellent week all round for the ladies teams of S&F United as the U14s had their own comprehensive victory over Conn Rangers last Thursday evening. Clodagh O’Donnell and Kasia Berkowski each hit hat-tricks and there was a goal apiece by Milena Domagala and Addison McDonnell in what ended as an 8-0 away win at Mount Falcon.
The funeral took place last Thursday, July 18 of Maureen Reynolds (Née Begley) of Shanwar, Foxford and formerly of Knocknagoshel, Co. Kerry.
Predeceased by her parents Thomas and Joan and her brother T, Maureen passed peacefully at her residence surrounded by her family. She lay in repose at Clarke’s Funeral Home last Wednesday and removal to St Michael’s Church, Foxford was that evening.
Maureen’s funeral mass was celebrated on Thursday and followed by burial at Craggagh Cemetery.
She is dearly and lovingly missed by her husband David and family Tracy, Mark, Áine and Paul, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law, her adored grandchildren, her brothers and sisters Séan, Charlie, Joe, Betty, Kate and Joan, in-laws, relatives, neighbours and many friends.
May she rest in peace.
Congratulations to Deirdre Hardy, Foxford, who was last week’s winner of the Moy Davitts GAA 50-50 draw, receiving the jackpot prize of €323.
There were some excellent results recorded by the underage teams of S&F United over the course of the past week.
On Friday evening last, July 19, there was a commanding performance from United’s U12 boys team who travelled to Ballinrobe Town in Division 1 and picked up all three points thanks to a 5-1 win where teamwork and determination were the hallmarks. Cathal Timlin scored two of the goals and there was one apiece by Dallan Munnelly, Jack Jordan and James McHale.
S&F United also enjoyed a win in the Mayo U14 Premier Division, with near neighbours Swinford the victims as Green Road last Wednesday evening. United won 6-3, but only after Swinford had taken a 2-0 lead. Jamie Loughney and Calum Costello scored a brace each while the other goals were scored by Sean Walsh and Ronnie Deacy.
The U14 Division 4B team wasn’t so fortunate when taking on Claremorris on the same evening. Playing away from home, United never gave in and worked hard until the final whistle but lost 3-1. Yarik Yaroslav scored the solitary S&F goal.
Also away from home were S&F’s U18s but they did not let that impact them one but, beating Snugboro United 4-1 in Round 2 of the Helen Johnson Mayo U18 League Division 2. Tommie Gallagher and Cian Fahy both scored while the hosts hit not one but two own goals.
There was something of an epic at Green Road last Saturday week, where the visiting Achill Rovers led 4-0 at half-time in the Mayo U16 Division 2B clash. S&F mounted an exhilarating comeback that saw them score three goals in the space of 11 minutes, with James Duffy scoring twice and Luke McTigue also on target. Duffy was denied a hattrick and equaliser in the 90th minute when smacking the ball against Rovers’ crossbar.
