The club President, on behalf of the entire club membership, wishes a speedy return to full health to Paul Newton following his appalling injury in Belfast on Friday week last, after he had earlier attended the Connacht V Ulster Magners League game.
Monthly Archive for April, 2008
Page 2 of 3
Flying French born winger, Thomas Darcel, who won a French National league U-18 medal with famed Colomiers last season, scored the winning try for the Connacht Junior side in last week-end’s friendly fixture with AIL Division 3 team, Connemara. He is a member of the squad which plays Ulster in Armagh in the opening round of the inter-provincial junior championship on Saturday next.
Former Sligo 1st team coach, Pat Curran is assistant coach of the Connacht side, and Thomas and Pat are wished well on Saturday from everyone in the club.
The club was delighted to host the U-18′s and the U-16′s of Unidare RFC on Sunday last. The Unidare club was just established last year in the Finglas/Ballymun area of Dublin, so they found the more experienced Sligo players difficult to handle. Playing some very expansive rugby, Sligo won both games by wide margins, and in the process scored some superb tries. The Dublin boys enjoyed their trip to the North West, and following the games, spent the afternoon surfing at Strandhill.
Sligo 10 :: Monivea 10
Sligo’s U-14 and Monivea played out a draw in a frenetic Connacht U-14 Cup final at the Sportsgrounds, Galway on Sunday last. To state that the result was in doubt until the final whistle would be an understatement. Referee, Emmet Dormer had played 9 minutes of injury time, and Sligo were holding on by their finger nails to a 10-5 lead, when Monivea launched an attack from a line-out five metres from the Sligo line. Securing possession from the line-out, they attacked the line, and their impressive, towering no.8, touched down beside the posts, to bring the score to 10-10. The conversion to win the game, from virtually in front of the posts, seemed a formality, but to the utter relief of the Sligo players and supporters, and to the consternation of the large Monivea following, their highly impressive out-half incredibly skewed the kick right and wide. Amazingly, the referee still allowed play to continue for a further two minutes, and Sligo forced a penalty 30 metres from the Monivea posts. However, they eschewed the option of going for the posts in favour of a tap penalty which proved to be fruitless. [Editors note: The Ref told Sligo they couldn't end the game with a kick for goal and then said it was a Free kick, not a penalty. Bizarre interpretation of the laws of the game.]
Continue reading ‘Sligo And Monivea Must Meet Again In U-14 Connacht Cup Final’
Sligo’s U-13 side will be striving to emulate last year’s achievement, when they play Galwegians in the Connacht Cup final in the Sportsgrounds on Saturday next [Kick-Off 1 p.m.].
Following their very impressive 27-10 semi-final win over favourites, Buccaneers, Sligo will enter this game in confident mood, their league defeat earlier in the season to Galwegians notwithstanding. Sligo have been progressing steadily all season, under coach, Michael O’Hehir, and his assistants, Finbar Filan, Roger Kilroy-Talbot and John Quinn. Continue reading ‘U-13 Connacht Cup Final On Saturday Next’
Due to the large numbers involved at U-11 in the club, Sligo fielded two teams in the Connacht U-11 blitz played at Monivea on Saturday last. Sligo’s management opted to field sides of similar strength, but the quality available was manifested, as both sides performed very well in their respective groups, with one squad winning four out of five games in their group, while the other squad won three of their five games.
Sligo qualified for the Plate semi-final, and were defeated by Ballina. It was a great experience for all the Sligo boys, which certainly augurs well for the future, and is further testimony to the excellent work being done by the juvenile coaches, and by the triumvirate responsible for organising this section in the club, David Murray, Ronnie O’Hara and John Pender.
Following very heavy usage since last September, both pitches at Hamilton Park are urgently in need of remedial work. This week, work will commence on seeding, spiking and verti-draining the pitches. Accordingly, the Committee have decided to close both pitches, and the grounds, until the Volvic Tag Summer League commences on May 22nd. All club training will now take place elsewhere, and no training for the tag league will be permitted at Hamilton Park. Signs to this effect have been erected at the grounds, and the co-operation of everyone is requested, to ensure that the extensive work being carried out will be successful.
Arrangements are now finalised for the social highlight of the year in the club, the Annual Club Dinner, which will be held in the Sligo Park Hotel on Sunday May 4th, and which this year is being sponsored by AIB. This promises to be a gala occasion, and the special guest speaker, Anthony Foley, truly a living rugby legend, is very much looking forward to his visit to Sligo.
Tickets for the event are now on sale [at 60 euro each], and with numbers being limited by the hotel, early purchase is recommended to avoid disappointment. All bookings must be accompanied by the requisite cash/cheque, and tickets are being sold on a strictly ”first come, first served basis”. Tickets may be obtained from any member of the Organising Committee; Billy Leahy [Chair.] [0872921212], Clare Storey, Mary O’Hehir, Orla Gilligan or Niall Draper [0872598206], or from club President, Tom Gilligan [0866019050].
Among the highlights of the evening will be the presentations by Anthony Foley of the Hall of Fame Award, the Senior Player of the Year, and the Youth Player of the Year, while Senator Geraldine Feeney will present the Frank Feeney Memorial Club Person of the Year Award.
The fixtures for the U13 and U14 Connacht Finals have been set.
The Under 14s play on Sunday the 13th of April at 6pm in the Sportsground, Galway.
The Under 13s play on Saturday the 19th of April at 1pm, also in the Sportsground, Galway.
Best of luck guys!
Sligo 22 :: Westport 5
Sligo’s U-14 side qualified to play Monivea in the final, when they scored a highly impressive victory over Westport at Hamilton Park on Saturday last in the Connacht U-14 Cup semi-final.
Despite the unseasonal weather conditions, which featured a very strong wind, which blew directly downfield, and some wintry showers, both sides played some excellent rugby, and it is to Westport’s credit that they fought to the end, and they had the consolation of closing the scoring with a try in the 3rd minute of injury time. Sligo faced the elements in the opening half, and it was in this period that they laid the foundations for their victory, as they led by 15-0 at the interval.
Sligo 27 :: Buccaneers 10
Sligo’s U-13′s scored a smashing victory over favourites, Buccaneers in the Connacht Cup semi-final at Ballyhaunis on Saturday last. Much to the disappointment of the Sligo players and management, this game was abandoned at half time on the previous Saturday by the referee because of pitch conditions, despite Sligo’s willingness to continue, and was refixed by the Connacht Branch for the Co. Mayo venue.
Sligo 5 :: Tuam 22
Sligo’s 2nd team were defeated by Tuam in Hamilton Park on Sunday last in the opening round of the Ard na Cregg Cup. The game was played on the club’s second pitch, following the referee’s controversial, and to some, amusing decision to declare the second pitch playable and the first pitch unplayable. To most regular attendees at Hamilton Park, the main pitch had not been in such good condition for months following the overnight drying wind.
Continue reading ’2nd Team Defeated By Tuam In Ard Na Cregg Cup’
Tickets for the club’s Annual Dinner, which takes place in the Sligo Park Hotel on Sunday May 4th, and which is being sponsored by AIB, went on sale on Thursday last. As already stated in these notes, the special Guest Speaker is Munster and Ireland legend, Anthony Foley, fresh from his exertions in Gloucester last week-end. Anthony is retiring from the game at the end of this season. He is assured of a very warm Sligo welcome. Continue reading ‘Dinner Dance Tickets Now On Sale’
There was a large gathering of players and club members at McHugh’s Bar, Grattan Street, on Sunday evening last to bid farewell to senior team captain, Jamie Livingstone, who is returning to his native New Zealand this week. He was the recipient of a presentation of a club jersey from the club President, who paid him warm tributes. Continue reading ‘Au Revoir To Jamie’
The club President, on behalf of all the members, extends congratulations to U-18 coach, Simon Galvan, former star No 8 for Sligo, U. C. D. and Greystones in the AIL, and his wife Noelle, on the birth of their son, which took place on Sunday last. Master Galvan is well endowed with the Galvan and Sweeney rugby genes, so he is likely to be a back row of distinction, with a keen eye for the try line.
