Champagne celebrations for history maker Leona


“Ah sure it was unbelievable. It was a rollercoaster, to be honest. It could not have gone better, the way everything went” beams Declan. “Even on Sunday evening, in the fourballs,  I thought they were going to be unlucky when Jennifer Kupcho chipped in on the 17th and they (USA) were in with a good […]

Ireland’s First Lady


Leona Maguire is set to become Ireland’s first representative on Team Europe when she tees off in the Solheim Cup this weekend. As the news broke, the Cavan woman made the headlines near and far. A few days after the big announcement, and back home in Ballyconnell, Leona took some time to chat to Katrina […]

Glory, glory…Super eight’s take Irish title


  “IT is all we wanted all year, to win the Eight” says Enniskillen Royal Boat Women’s Club captain, Nikki Kernaghan, after she and her teammates rowed to glory in the Irish Junior Eight Rowing Championships, on Sunday.   They crossed the finish line with five seconds to spare at the National Rowing Centre in […]

Leona Maguire named on Solheim Cup team


BALLYCONNELL’S Leona Maguire has been named as one of Catriona Matthew’s six Solheim Cup wildcards. The Cavan woman becomes the first Irish woman to make the team. The Slieve Russell star has been in fine form recently and will be one of three rookies on team Europe as they defend the trophy on Septemeber 4-6. […]

Plenty for Armstrong to play for at Ypres and beyond


JON Armstrong knows Rally Ypres isn’t going to make or break his Junior World Rally Championship aspirations, but he is keen to achieve a good result in Belgium this weekend.   Going into the penultimate round of the series, the 26-year-old Kesh driver is 15 points behind leader Sami Pajari, but when dropped scores – […]

Baloucoune dreaming of first senior Ireland cap


ONE person who has always been by Robert Baloucoune’s side is his mother, Shirley. With the 23 year-old now on the cusp of getting his first Ireland cap, Shirley Baloucoune has the bags packed, the hotel booked and the tickets sorted, for Ireland’s upcoming game against Japan at the Aviva Stadium, on Saturday afternoon. “My […]

Armstrong claims a historic first win in Poland


JON Armstrong became the first ever Junior European Championship event winner in the new Rally3 category when he cantered to success, at the season opener, in Poland at the weekend. The Kesh man, who also won the opening round of the Junior World Rally Championship in Croatia, behind the wheel of his Codemasters DiRT Rally […]

Hoy primed and ready for Poland showdown


WITH the 2021 European Rally Championship commencing this weekend, Monea navigator Brian Hoy is eagerly anticipating the return to the gravel, as he re-joins Cathan McCourt for the coming season.   Brian, an experienced navigator has worked with various drivers including Peter Jennings, Neil Harron, Cathan McCourt and most recently Callum Devine, with the duo […]

Dane wants to keep momentum going for Qualifiers


The  Six Nations campaign finished with a win at the weekend for scrum-half Kathryn Dane and her Ireland team-mates. A 25-5 victory over Italy secured Ireland third place in the competition after England ran out overall winners following their victory over France.   On Monday afternoon, Dane was feeling the effects of a busy few […]