Firstly, the Mayo seniors suffered their first defeat since their formation as they were outdone 3 sets to 1 against the Garda Volleyball Club in Dublin.
A Mayo side missing some of their key players battled hard as each set was won by narrow margins. Like last week the Mayo ladies lost the opening 2 sets by 25-22 and 25-23 respectively. The Westerners regained composure in the fourth set winning 25-21 but the final set looked like it was going Mayo's way until the Garda side put a flurry of scored together winning 25-23 and the match 3-1
This defeat ends Mayo's long 15 game winning streak dating 371 days. Their next fixture will provide a sterner test against promotion favourites Dalkey in St. Louis Kiltimagh on Saturday 28th.
After the game Orla Casby said, "We have had a great run. After 16 games our winning run had to come to an end sometime. We ran some great plays and recovered balls well at times so we have learned a lot from the game. We have much to work on for the next game."
The Mayo side who lined out were:
Aideen Mahon, Alex Fleming, Edel Nolan. Mikal O'Boyle, Eimear McNieve, Paulina Balik Nowak, Louise Daly, Grainne McNieve, Orla Casby, Jackie Prendergast.
There was better news for the Mayo U-16 outfit who played their first competitive games in the first of the VAI blitzes, this time held in Loughrea.
The blitz involved 6 single set matches against 6 clubs from across the country.
Many of the U16s also featured in the U18 side who defeated Clare and Galway in recent games.
The young Mayo ladies started with a bang defeating Newbridge Lynxes 25-13. Up next was a local derby with Galway where the red and green came from 6 points down to win a tight battle 25-23.
They then added a third win to their tally with a 25-21 victory over Ennis. Mayo made it 4 in a row with a 25-21 win over Newbridge Tigers. However they did encounter their first defeat of the day losing by the tightest of margins 32-30 against St. Brigid's Volleyball Club after a rarely seen 7 consecutive tie breakers.
That said the Mayo ladies atoned for the loss by putting Clare to the sword in their final fixture 25-13.
After 5 wins from 6 the Mayo U16s finished their first blitz second behind St. Brigid's in what has been a remarkable journey in the short existence for Mayo volleyball's underage sides.
The Mayo U16 side who featured in today's blitz was:
Hana Ueno, Elizabeth Gallagher, Roisin McLoughlin, Ruth Horan, Lauren Petra Fahy, Ciara O'Neill, Maria Crowe.
After the game Mayo Assistant coach, Michael McLoughlin, "The overall performance from the girls was very good. They had a never say die attitude in all the matches and they gave it their all. I am very proud of their overall performance."
Mary Halligan née Lavan
Balloor, Castlebar – peacefully at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Castlebar.
Reposing at the Coady Funeral Home, Castlebar on Sunday evening from 6 o’clock until 8 o’clock.
Removal to St Aloysius Church Breaffy.
Funeral Mass on Monday morning at 11.30 with burial afterwards in Breaffy Cemetery.
Family flowers only. Donations if desired to the Patient Comfort Fund, Sacred Heart Hospital, c/o Coady Funeral Directors.
Harmac Medical is to extend its facility in Castlerea by 18,000 sq. feet.
Local Fianna Fail councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice says he’s delighted with this news and claims that the zoning of land at the rear of the complex was instrumental in securing the Castlerea expansion.
Construction on the new facilty is to commence shortly .
There will be traffic restrictions this afternoon in the Loughglynn area as a monument to honour Detective Garda John Morley and Garda Henry Byrne, who were murdered while on duty, on July 7, 1980, will be unveiled at Shannon’s Cross.
The Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan will unveil the monument.
A book featuring stories and memories from local people, colleagues and friends recalling the shocking events of that time, will also be launched today.
On that July day, 37 years ago, John Morley and Henry Byrne, both natives of Knock parish, were in a car carrying four gardaí that confronted raiders who had robbed the Bank of Ireland in Ballaghaderreen a short time earlier.
The tragedy that shook the nation at the time took place at Shannon’s Cross, close to the county Roscommon village of Loughglynn.
John Morley had enjoyed national status as one of Mayo’s top footballers during the 1960s and into the 70s. John and Henry also lined out with Kiltimagh and the Byrne-Morley tournament was hosted by the club in their memory for many years.
Members of the Morley and Byrne families will be joined this afternoon by friends and colleagues and people from the locality and much further afield for the unveiling.
The level of compensation being paid out in maternity claims in hospitals in this region over the past two years is alarming, according to Galway city Fine Gael Councillor Padraig Conneely.
The Councillor raised the matter at the monthly meeting of the HSE West Forum in Merlin Park this week.
He was told that the compensation paid out in maternity claims by the Saolta Hospital Group in 2015 was 2 million euro, that jumped to more than 17 million in 2016, and in the first 5 months of this year it’s already more than 8 million euro.
The Saolta Hospital group includes 7 hospitals across the west and northwest region.
The Councillor had asked for specifics in relation to maternity in University Hospital Galway claims but was told only the group figures are available.
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