Castlebar win U12 Connaught Chess title and Ballinasloe win U16 Connaught Chess title (Community Games)

Winning Gold were Castlebars Under 12 Team of Christian Cresham, Ciaran Horkan, Captain Jaime Viegas, Daniel Plaster, Stephen Martin, Killian O'Malley, Daniel Nyland,  all from St. Patricks Boys National School Castlebar. Also in pic: Team Manager Eamonn Abberton.

Ballinasloe have been dominating the community games chess u12 and u16 the last number of years. This was Castlebars first time entering community games for quite a number of years. Castlebar were delighted to get both teams to the u12 and u16 chess finals. A great achievement for first time entering in so many years. The Castlebar U16 Team was made up of players, all aged 12, a very young team. They won their semi-final against Roscommon 5-0. However they struggled in the final against Ballinasloe going down 4-1 but the score line does not reflect how close some of the games were. Ballinasloe deserved their win and good luck to them in the All-Ireland finals in May.

In the u12's both Castlebar and Ballinasloe advanced to the final. The first game for Castlebar was against Leitrim which was won 4.5 to 0.5. So into the semi-final and Castlebar won easily enough. Ballinasloe had an easy win in their semi-final. So onto the final. With quite a number of parents travelling to the event we awaited the usual Connaught final pairing of Galway and Mayo. The maroon and white versus the red and green, the roar of the crowd in McHale Park could almost be heard.

In the u12, Castlebar lost matches 1 and 2, the top Castlebar players and it looked ominous. Then Ciaran Horkan on board 3 won his game followed by Daniel Nyland on board 5 emerging victorious, so 2-2 with one match remaining. A few hail Marys were said in the room next door by Stephen Martins mum and others!! And what a game it was, it ebbed and flowed like the tide on Bertra beach swinging Mayo's way then Galway looked to be getting back into it. But Stephen Martin stuck to his guns and won the day for Mayo. A truly remarkable achievement for their first time to reach the Connaught finals. So the red and green go to the u12 Chess All-Irelands in Athlone.