Our senior men’s footballers ensured their Belfry Senior Football Championship status for 2017 thanks to last Saturday’s dramatic 2-12 to 0-16 win over Calry/St Joseph’s in the relegation semi-final at Markievicz Park. This was a performance of character from the lads who looked to be in real trouble at one stage when trailing their opponents by six points. But the team rallied well in the closing quarter and Kevin Davey’s exquisite goal two minutes from the end of normal time was the decisive score. Well done to the players, manager Kevin Dufficy and the backroom team. We now prepare for next month’s Division 2 league final against either Bunninadden or Geevagh. Saturday’s team: Ronan McCormack, Jude McGarry, Ciaran McLoughlin, Aaron McCormack, Seán Power (0-3), Neil Ewing C (0-1), Dara Long, Brian Óg Murphy, Brian Monaghan, Niall Canning, Jamie Gillen (1-0), Paul Logan (0-7), Gary Feeney, Cian Lally (0-1), Niall Collery. Subs used: Stephen Regan for Aaron McCormack, Colin Feeney for Brian Óg Murphy, Seán Peyton for Brian Monaghan, Kevin Davey (1-0).

The meat, charcoal and ‘deep heat’ are all ready for this Saturday’s Big Club Family BBQ in Oxfield from 4-7pm. We hope you can join us at some stage for a fun-filled afternoon of food, football (& hurling) and craic. As well as the delicious grub, there will be an array of exhibition matches and novelty events for all age groups from U6 up to Over 40s. The highlight of the day promises to be the ‘Masters’ match where club stalwarts from yesteryear will ‘tog out’ for a special once-off appearance. Order Of Malta and St John Ambulance are all on standby! A full schedule of exhibition matches can be viewed on the club Facebook page. Admission is free. All are welcome.

It was great to see two club stalwarts Ronan Keane and Clive Slevin roll back the years with the Sligo Masters football team in recent weeks. The Yeats County continue their championship campaign against Longford this Saturday at Corran Pak Ballymote.

Congratulations to our underage club players who produced some ‘Olympic-esque’ performances at the National Community Games finals in Athlone last weekend: Desmond Gillen (Silver - Boys U14 Art), Joe Campbell (Bronze - Boys U12 Modelling), Rían O’Callaghan 4th Place Medal - U12 Art). 

Another prizewinner on the national stage was Benbulben Gaels hurler Daniel O’Connor from Ballinfull who showed his pedigree extends beyond the small-ball game as his farming expertise earned him a prestigious national show prize in the Charolais bull calf category at the recent Tullamore Show in Co Offaly.

Benbulben Gaels U14 hurlers enjoyed a comprehensive 7-5 to 1-3 win over Naomh Eoin in the championship last Friday evening. The U16s play Tubbercurry/Cloonacool in the championship Monday (29th) in Oxfield at 7pm.

We wish club player Michelle McNamara and the Sligo ladies footballers every success this Saturday  against Kildare in the All-Ireland Intermediate football semi-final at Kingspan Breffni Park in Cavan. The match is live on TG4 from 4:45pm.

The boys minor footballers begin their Championship campaign against Coolera/Strandhill this Thursday evening at 7pm in Oxfield. The following evening (Friday), our U14 footballers contest the A2 Championship final against Calry/St Joseph’s in Scarden also at 7pm. The U12’s postponed Division 3 final against St Molaise Gaels has been refined for next Tuesday 30th in Markievicz Park at 7:15.

A reminder finally for parents of the club's nursery players that there’ll be a GAA nursery coaching and games session from 4pm this Saturday afternoon as part of the club’s Family BBQ event. The regular Saturday morning training sessions resume on September 3rd in Oxfield.