Elvery's Connacht GAA Provincial Coaching Conference will be held on Saturday in the McWilliams Park Hotel Claremorris. Keynote contributors include Colm O'Rourke, Pat O'Shea, Paudie Butler and Ger Loughnane. Applications should have been with John Tobin by last Friday but call him anyway. Damien Coleman will lead a Coaching Officers Workshop on Monday in Craughwell.

Western Alzheimers stage a fundraiser with a night at the dogs at the Galway Greyhound Stadium on Friday. 087 1350542.

Barna GAA Football Club Annual Banquet will be held on Saturday in the Galway Bay Hotel. Henry Geraghty 091 519305.

The quarter finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup will be decided today.

The Connacht Schools Senior Rugby Cup semi-finals will be played on Monday and Tuesday. They are of particular interest to the city rugby followers as it is possible that Bish and Jes could meet in the final. Jes go to Sligo Grammar on Monday and Bish travel to Athlone to play Marist on Tuesday. Both K/Os are 1.30pm.

Galway United Supporters Trust has reserved a table at the Galway United Black and White Ball in the Radisson Hotel on Saturday. Ronan Coleman @ 087 6972823. The GUST Lotto Draw will be held in the Wheel House Prospect Hill on Sunday night. The jackpot is 4,600 euro. Annual subscriptions to the draw are on sale at 80 euro. Subscription forms are available at www.galwayunitedfc.ie where supporters can play the lotto on line. GUST's next meeting will be held in Fox's Bar on Tuesday @ 7.00pm. All members are asked to attend and all Galway United supporters are welcome.

Croí, the West of Ireland Cardiology Foundation invite participants for the Berlin Marathon in September, the Chicago Marathon in October and the New York Marathon in November. 091 544310 and 087 2599979.

Yet again we are spoiled for choice in our search for the sporting moment of the week. It is obvious surely, Giovanni Trapattoni unveiled last Wednesday as the Republic of Ireland soccer manager. However, we have to mention yachtsman Damian Foxall from Kerry who skippered his boat 25,000 miles around the world in 92 days, 8 hours and 49 minutes and won a two crew non stop round the world race with his French mate. Lots of Kerry flags welcomed him at the finish in Barcelona. Then again the Diary chuckled when Warren Gatland threw his hat into the Lion's Den, well threw his hat into the ring for the position of Lions Rugby Tour Manager. We'd give it to Teddy Holland but is he gone or what's the story. Does anybody know?

'Keep it local stupid' was the word from the Editor's office. OK then, what about Aoife Smyth (Greenfields HC), captain of the Connacht Under 21 Hockey team getting her first Connacht Senior cap against Munster at the week-end. They beat Munster 2/1 too. The girl is only 18 years of age and still in school. The thing is that every single member of that Connacht team is based and playing their hockey in Dublin. Aoife Smyth is the only exception. In fact she will line out for the Jes today in the final of the Palmer Cup, the Connacht Schools Cup, in Dangan (1.30pm). Interestingly the dad Ciaran Smyth was capped for the Connacht rugby team at senior level and at outhalf when he was only 18! Or what about Alan Maher, who turned his back on a professional rugby career with Connacht, who will captain the Ireland Amateur Club team against Scotland in Donnybrook on Friday (7.30pm) RTE 2 TV. Alan is captain of Lansdowne and was outstanding in the AIB All Ireland League game against St.Marys on Saturday. Or what about Galway goalkeeper Pat Comer who won the Best Sports programme 'Tall, Dark and óhAilpín' at the Irish Film and TV Awards on Sunday night.

We have to include Ger Farragher's 10th point of the day in Tullamore to square the NHL match with Offaly in additional time. Then again Paul Geraghty's point against Kildare in the NFL to seal the day in Newbridge. Conor Bohan had two wonderful moments in Croke Park but maybe the first one on 51 minutes when he goaled and set Moycullen on their way to All Ireland victory. But the final word is when Gearóid Clancy captain of the Moycullen club received the All Ireland Intermediate Football Club Cup from GAA President Nicky Brennan, that was the Sporting Moment of the Week.

Comments (0) »

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment