INSIDE FORWARDS OISIN Lynch and Conor McHugh posted 3-8 between them as Dublin enjoyed a comfortable 11-point victory in today’s Dublin Bus/Herald Dubs Stars football challenge this afternoon.
In their final game of 2018, an experimental Dublin outfit had too much in the home of Naomh Mernóg for the Dubs Stars – a selection of the most impressive performers from the Dublin club championship this year.
Dublin and Dubs Stars after the game with the trophy.
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
After a year where they claimed Division 1, Leinster and All-Ireland honours, Dublin rounded off the year with another victory over a team backboned by county champions Kilmacud Crokes.
Lynch, McHugh and centre-forward Aaron Byrne all impressed in attack for Jim Gavin’s side, while Lusk’s Cormac Howley enjoyed a very good hour at midfield and clipped over four points in the process.
Kevin McManamon lived up to his star billing with a four-point haul for the Dubs Stars and Ryan Basquel also looked dangerous during at stages in attack for the Johnny Magee-managed team, finishing with four points.
Dubs Stars wing-forward Kevin McManamon.
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Six-time All-Ireland winner McManamon curled over the opening two scores for his side, but Lynch bagged his two goals inside the opening 19 minutes as Dublin raced 2-5 to 0-4 in front.
McHugh came to life before the break and dispatched 1-3 in the final 10 minutes of the half, while Micheal McCarthy raised a green flag in response for the Dubs Stars.
Dublin brought a commanding 11-point lead into the start of the second-half and quickly raced further in front with six unanswered points, through Hazley (two), Cormac Diamond, McHugh, Lynch and Byrne.
That left Dublin 3-15 to 1-4 ahead, but the Dubs Stars enjoyed their best spell of the game and outscored their opponents by 0-10 to 0-2 over the next 17 minutes.
McManamon, Basquel and Sean Bugler added a brace each during this period, but it was Lynch and Hazely who had the final say for the victorious side.
Jim Gavin after the game.
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Scorers for Dublin: Oisin Lynch 2-3, Conor McHugh 1-5 (0-2f), Cormac Howley 0-4, Jack Hazley 0-3, Aaron Byrne and Cormac Diamond 0-2 each,
Scorers for Dubs Stars: Ryan Basquel and Kevin McManamon 0-4 each, Micheal McCarthy 1-0, Sean Bugler 0-2, Shane Horan and Stephen Smith 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Andy Bunyan (Scoil Uí Chonaill)
2. Robbie McDaid (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
3. Sean McMahon (Raheney)
4. CJ Smith (Lucan Sarsfields)
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TWO GOALS IN quick succession from Kieran O’Leary fired Dr. Crokes to O’Donoghue Cup success this afternoon over Kilcummin at Fitzgerald Stadium.
Both sides came into the game riding high off the back of their progress through the All Ireland club championships – Dr Crokes gearing up for their semi-final with Longford side Mullinalaghta in the senior championship next February, while Kilcummin will take on Kildare’s Two Mile House in the intermediate semi-final on 20 January.
The gulf in class was clear, however, and a first-half display of immense quality inspired Dr Crokes to a 23-point victory on an overcast day in Kerry.
Jordan Kiely sand Michael Burns chipped in with early points as Crokes raced into a five-point lead in the opening 13 minutes of the game. Daithi Casey stretched the home side’s lead to nine points before the first real hammer blow came on 28 minutes.
O’Leary notched his first goal of the afternoon with less than half an hour played and followed it up with a magnificent second strike to effectively kill off any slim hopes Kilcummin had of clawing back the deficit. The gap was 15 points at the break and meant the second half would be more of a procession for Crokes.
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Some goal by Kieran O'Leary in East Kerry Final.#TheBoysAreBack pic.twitter.com/0y4oub7OV6
— Dr. Crokes GAA (@DrCrokesGAA) December 22, 2018
Source: Dr. Crokes GAA/Twitter
Kiely added another goal nine minutes into the second half, as Burns, Casey and Shane Doolan kept the scoreboard ticking over.
Oscar O’Connor scored a consolation goal for Kilcummin, but Crokes had already built up an unassailable lead to see out the rest of the game.
Murray Kinsella, Gavan Casey and Andy Dunne preview another big weekend of rugby action and dissect the week’s main talking points.
Source: Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42/SoundCloud
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MATTIE KENNY’S YOUTHFUL Dublin side easily accounted for the Dubs Stars in today’s Dublin Bus/Herald Dubs Stars hurling challenge at Naomh Mernog.
There were fine displays from Oisin O’Rorke (1-4), Daire Gray (0-3) and Davy Keogh (0-2) as Kenny continued his winning run as Dublin boss.
They backed up recent Walsh Cup victories over Carlow and Offaly with another comfortable win, but this Dublin side was much-changed and largely featured minor stars from recent campaigns.
Dublin manager Mattie Kenny.
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Young Billy Ryan also did well and would have finished with 1-2 had it not been for a spectacular save from Dubs Stars goalkeeper Dare de Poire early in the second-half.
Ballyboden St Enda’s boss Joe Fortune managed the Dubs Stars outfit, which included the pick of the Dublin club championship and mainly featured players from his own club and beaten finalists Kilmacud Crokes.
O’Rorke netted for Dublin in the 14th minute to leave them 1-3 to 0-2 in front. Burke, Ryan (two), Glenn Whelan, O’Rorke and Caolon Conway all added scores before the break as Dublin led by seven at the interval.
Rian McBride with Ryan O’Dwyer.
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Whitehall Colmcille’s ace Sean Gray kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Dubs Stars in the opening period, but they struggled to find their range after the break. They scored just once from play – through Niall Ryan – as Dublin took control.
Ronan Hayes slotted over a brace of frees and Kenny pushed Daire Gray into attack, where he added two fine scores. From there Dublin coasted home as Whelan and Lee Gannon fired scores while young Cuala prospect Diarmuid O Floinn also added his name to the scoreboard.
Luke Walsh challenges Colin Currie for possession.
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Scorers for Dublin: Oisin O’Rorke 1-4 (0-1 65), Daire Gray 0-3, Davy Keogh, Caolan Conway, Glenn Whelan, Ronan Hayes (0-2f) and Billy Ryan 0-2 each, Conor Ryan, Diarmuid O Floinn and Lee Gannon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dubs Stars: Sean Gray 0-4 (0-2f), Niall Ryan 0-2, Ciaran Dowling and Fergal Whitely 0-1 each.
Dublin
1. Jonathan Treacy (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
2. Luke Walsh (Lucan Sarsfields)
3. Luke Corcoran (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
4. Donnacha Ryan (St Brigid’s)
5. Davy Keogh (Thomas Davis)
6. Darren Kelly (Craobh Chiarain)
7. Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcilles)
8. Conor Ryan (Craobh Chiarain)
9. Ronan Smith (Lucan Sarsfields)
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10. Diarmuid O Floinn (Cuala)
11. Caolan Conway (Kilmacud Crokes)
12. Glenn Whelan (Ballinteer St John’s)
13. Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes)
14. Oisin O’Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes)
15. Billy Ryan (Craobh Chiarain)
Subs
18. Rian McBride (St Vincent’s) for Conway (35)
20. Micheal Murphy (Na Fianna) for O’Rorke (37)
17. Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcilles) for Smith (40)
19. Kevin Burke (Na Fianna) for Billy Ryan (47)
Dubs Stars
1. Matt Collins (Kilmacud Crokes)
2. David O’Connor (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
3. Cian Mac Gabhann (Kilmacud Crokes)
4. Conor Kelly (Na Fianna)
5. Ross O’Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes)
6. Ryan O’Dwyer (Kilmacud Crokes)
7. Stephen O’Connor (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
10. Niall Ryan (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
11. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes)
12. Mark O’Keeffe (St Vincent’s)
13. Aidan Mellett (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
14. Sean Gray (Whitehall Colmcille)
15. Colin Currie (Na Fianna)
Subs
18. Donnacha Butler (Naomh Barrog) for Mac Gabhann (24)
19. Tom Aherne (Ballinteer St John’s)for O’Keeffe (ht)
17. Michael Conroy for Dowling (ht)
20. Cian Derwin (Craobh Chiarain) for Currie (ht)
16. Dara de Poire (St Vincent’s) for Collins (ht)
15. Currie for Mellett (42)
9. Dowling for Ryan (46)
12. O’Keeffe for McMorrow (50)
Referee: Chris Mooney (St Patrick’s Palmerstown)
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THE YEAR STARTED off in Australia as a professional sportsman and closes with him back in Ireland ready to immerse himself in the amateur game he grew up with.
Ciaran Byrne moved to Carlton in 2013.
Source: Carlton FC
There was the soaring high of county final glory with his club and the shattering low of a snapped ankle that will put him on the comeback trail in the early days of the New Year.
Ciaran Byrne packed plenty into a whirlwind journey through 2018 as his life shifted on and off the pitch.
Mid-October brought a Sunday of contrasts.
All sporting news is local. In the smallest county in Ireland, this year’s intermediate final showdown was big news in Louth Village, situated seven miles from Dundalk and tucked into a corner near the borders of Monaghan and Meath.
You had to trace a path back to 1981 for St Mochta’s previous appearance in an intermediate decider. The chance to climb up to the senior ranks was one they were desperate to seize.
By September Byrne was home from Australia, where he had moved to in 2013 when recruited by AFL side Carlton.
He came on as a second-half substitute in a county semi-final as St Mochta’s surmounted the challenge of Mattock Rangers and was sprung from the bench again on county final day.
“I was lucky not to get a few black cards in the semi-final, the old tackling wasn’t great. Then had a couple of weeks training, started to feel I was coming back into the swing of things. Got on for about ten minutes in the final.
“I came on around full-forward and then I came out for a kickout to win one because we’d lost a few in a row. I went up to catch the ball, I landed on my ankle and I knew.
“The pain was crazy. I looked at my foot and it was facing the opposite way. They tried to put it back in straight away but I was rushed off to hospital. Knowing me I always do a fair job on it.
“I asked if could I stay to watch the game, there was only 10 or 15 minutes left, but I’d to be rushed straight to hospital. I remember I was drugged up and one of the boys I knew at the hospital roared out that we were after winning by two points. So as they were pulling my ankle back in, I was screaming celebrating.”
Louth GAA would like to wish @StMochtas1934 Star Ciaran Byrne a speedy recovery from a nasty injury received in todays Intermediate Football Championship Final #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/VnjbDLG5mq
— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) October 14, 2018
Source: Louth GAA/Twitter
It was an odd experience. He missed the post-match celebrations and getting to see his brother Declan swing the game the way of St Mochta’s with a series of points.
He went under the knife on the Monday, got to grasp the silverware on the Tuesday after his operation when a bunch of team-mates landed into the hospital in Drogheda and was left home on the Wednesday.
“The buzz around the place was unbelievable before the final. I was never going to miss it. But getting absolutely busted, you’d never dream of that happening. I was glad the boys pushed on and got the win in the end. It was kind of bittersweet.”
There was enough happening off the pitch to to contend with as well. The week before the county final he informed Carlton of his decision to cut ties with AFL football and leave Melbourne. The day after St Mochta’s club success, the news was made official.
It was no knee-jerk decision, instead a choice that hung over him throughout 2018.
Thank you, Casey.
Ciaran Byrne informed the Club last week of his decision to return to Ireland and retire from AFL football.
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) October 15, 2018
Source: Carlton FC/Twitter
“The whole year there were a lot of the conversations with coaches over there and my family back home. It wasn’t just a decision I made on the spot.
“I eventually came down on the fact that I wanted to be back in Ireland playing Gaelic and being with my family and friends. I enjoyed my years there. I was unlucky getting a lot of injures.
“I still got to play senior games of AFL football so I felt like I achieved a lot over there. They completely understood it. At the end of the day they can’t force you to stay in Australia. Any Irish person that moves out there, you do sign a contract but it’s in your contract that if you do want to come back to Ireland, you can. Obviously they wanted me to stay but it comes down to the individual at the end of the day.”
Ciaran Byrne celebrating Ireland’s 2013 International Rules victory over Australia with Paddy McBrearty.
Source: INPHO/James Crombie
After making the move five years ago and grappling with a new and unfamiliar game, Byrne became accustomed to Australian Rules. He got to sample 22 outings at the elite level for Carlton.
But a wave of injuries conjures up inevitable consideration of how things could have panned out differently, particularly the torn cruciate he suffered during the 2016 campaign.
“It is a case of a what if moment. After being there for five years and kind of cementing a place in the team, then I did the ACL when I’d played 12 games. I was playing some good football.
“But that’s life, it is what it is. You put your head down and look forward to the challenges ahead.”
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Ciaran Byrne has been placed on the long-term injury list: https://t.co/o0d2ihG0HX pic.twitter.com/G5pG1IqtRf
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) July 7, 2016
Source: Carlton FC/Twitter
He feels he absorbed plenty of knowledge from his time in Australia.
“I’ve learned a lot, whether it be preparation with my body, learning how to cope with injuries. Just simple professional things that I can hopefully transfer to Gaelic.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself as a person too. You definitely have to grow up considering you’re moving 24 hours away and you’re only 17 years of age. You grow up quite quickly and I learned heaps as a person.”
The plan now is to make his mark with club and county. In 2013 Byrne burst onto the scene as an exciting youngster for Louth before he made the sporting switch. He’s excited about the setup that new manager Wayne Kierans has assembled.
“When I left it was the remnants of that (2010) Leinster final team, the likes of Paddy Keenan and Shane Lennon. It was an older sort of group whereas now there’s a small amount of those lads left like my brother and Derek Maguire.
“A lot of the boys that are in now I wouldn’t have known. It’s a pretty young group but a lot of talent there. I’m looking forward to transitioning back into county football.”
The chance to line out with his brother Declan again was another lure.
Declan Byrne in action for Louth against Carlow earlier this year.
Source: Lorraine OÕSullivan/INPHO
“Deccie is getting old now, he’s 29,” laughs Byrne.
“We might have only played one game with Louth together. To get back and play with him at county level is massive. I can’t wait to do that.
“And for the club as well, coming up as a kid I spent my whole life in that football field. I was sickened to miss out on them in Leinster this year. I love my little club so it’s great to be back next year in a senior setup.”
A pleasure pic.twitter.com/4GxXVSgHwi
— St Mochta's GFC (@StMochtas1934) October 14, 2018
Source: St Mochta’s GFC/Twitter
He doesn’t view his Australian experience with regrets and would encourage any Irish youngster in a similar scenario to embark on such a sporting adventure if afforded the opportunity.
“No regrets whatsoever. It was weird being home in October or November, I’m usually over there sweltering in the heat doing pre-season. Obviously I miss a lot of the lads over there and at times you do miss it because it’s not your job any more.
“There’s benefits to being back in Ireland, playing Gaelic and being around my family and friends. For the first time in six years I got the build up to Christmas which is a great time of year.
“I think there’s seven or eight lads after signing for AFL clubs which is a massive thing. It’s not for everyone, there’s going to be a homesick side of things and it’s a sport you never played before. It has its difficulties but the lifestyle of being a professional footballer, waking up every day to go play with 40 lads, it’s a great experience.
“Fingers crossed for them lads that they’re injury free and adapt to the game and make a career out of it.”
He’s working locally as a sales rep for Defy Sports Apparel in Dundalk and since getting the cast off in late November, is focused on repairing his ankle.
When he landed back first, the former Down and Collingwood player Marty Clarke was in contact with some helpful tips on adjusting to his changing circumstances.
“It’s different coming back here and getting into a job that’s 9-5 every day and not getting my days off on a Wednesday like I was used to in Australia and going to the beach.
“I actually don’t mind the cold weather. Hopefully I’ll get some snow now over Christmas that I haven’t seen in six years.
“It’s all a challenge I’m looking forward to and I can’t wait to get started. I’m well used to rehabbing. It’s the same leg I did my ACL.
“I’ll put in a lot of hard yards to get myself back ready. We’ll see how the rehab goes but no reason I can’t get back playing the end of January, start of February.”
With one life and sporting chapter over, now he’s looking forward to exploring another next year.
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“THIS GAME OF Gaelic football has been infiltrated by a load of spoofers and bluffers, fellas with earpieces stuck in their ear, psychologists, statisticians, dieticians…”
RTE’s Pat Spillane.
Source: James Crombie/INPHO
Sunday Game pundit Pat Spillane was clearly a statistics sceptic back in 2013 and five years on, his scepticism has hardly subsided. But the GAA, and the inter-county game in particular, is only becoming more acutely analysed by the day.
Spillane’s scepticism largely sits along generational lines. While the Kerry legend and former footballers of his vintage yearn for the days of traditional formations, one-on-one match-ups, high fielding and long kick passing, the game has moved well past that point.
It remains to be seen whether football’s experimental rules will improve the game as a spectacle and see a return to the old ‘catch and kick’ style of yesteryear. But football and hurling are data-rich sports and statistical analysis has become a key component of most county set-ups around the country.
Newry-based sports technology company STATSports are the market leaders in elte sports wearables. The Irish firm, established by Alan Clarke and Sean O’Connor in 2007, supplies its monitoring devices and technology to a number of Europe’s leading soccer clubs including Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool, while the English FA are also clients.
They work with the IRFU and all four provinces, the English RFU, in addition to southern hemisphere franchises like Super Rugby’s Chiefs.
STATSports are popular in North America too. Earlier this year the company signed a mega five-year €1.14 billion deal with the US Soccer Federation. Their NFL clients include the Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders, while on the NBA front the likes of the New York Knicks Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards are signed up.
STATSports have started to infiltrate the GAA market too. Back in October, they announced new deals with Armagh and Mayo footballers, plus the Waterford hurlers.
Kicking Wednesday off with some good news. We're delighted to officially announce new long-term partnerships with:@LFC ✅@Arsenal ✅@Armagh_GAA ✅@MayoGAA ✅ #ChangingTheGame pic.twitter.com/STM1ibnRmD
— STATSports (@statsports) October 31, 2018
Dublin footballers and hurlers are existing clients, as are the Galway, Tipperary and Clare hurling sides, in addition to Louth and London footballers. Multiple other inter-county sides are currently trialling the system ahead of 2019 and the list is expected to grow further before the league rolls around.
All inter-county referees are tracked by STATSports, while they were involved with the 2017 International Rules team and the recent Fenway Hurling Classic in Boston.
Patrick Hogan of STATSports at a USA international soccer camp.
Source: John Dorton Photography:
But what data do STATSports actually provide?
They focus on the physical data of players that are captured through GPS trackers that players wear in vests underneath their jersey. The units measure a player’s physical output during a game.
The GPS units have become vital for sports scientists, who can track hundreds of different physical categories during games. The key metrics include total distance covered, high-intensity distance ran, top speed, number of sprints, the number of accelerations/decelerations and much more.
“Our big selling point is our live iPad app,” said the company’s Senior Sports Scientist Patrick Hogan.
Hogan joined STATSports in July 2017 and has a vast experience of working with GAA teams. He’s currently the account manager for Waterford and Louth, while he also works with the English RFU, the Chiefs and Liverpool FC.
“Our live monitoring capabilities comes into its own,” he continues. “You can have an iPad app on the side of the field that’s not connected to anything.
What teams do with the metrics is up to them. That’s the key point. We try to provide an education to clients about how to use the data effectively but it’s totally up to themselves what they look at. It’s important you pick your key metrics and look at them.”
The majority of inter-county managers are fed live data during games. STATsports present the data in a simple understandable manner through the app. If a player is tiring or the team is being overrun in an area of the field, the management can make the necessary changes quickly.
Live Data Screenshot on the STATSports iPad App.
It’s used in training sessions too, where the load can be tracked and monitored throughout a season.
“It’s just free to be as involved in the session as you want. In GAA you don’t always have the resources to have someone sitting at a laptop at the side of the field in every training session. So you get all the metrics, you can get those live and in real time on the pitch for the whole session and for any given drill as well.
“So you can press stop and start on a drill and say, ‘Right this is the intensity of this drill and this is what we’ve covered in this drill.’ So if you’re playing a 15-on-15 game at the end of a session, you can say, ‘We’re up at 100 metres per minute, if we keep this game going for eight minutes this will be our total distance for the session and if we keep the game going for 12 minutes this will be our total distance by the end of the session.’
You can see the max speed a player has reached live in training. If exposing players to max speed is important, which for a lot of strength and conditioning coaches it would be to get them up above 85% or 90% of max speed at least once a week, then they can see how close they are to hitting those targets.
“If you look at your matchday data you can look at the average demand of the game. We’ve also a feature in the software of the max intensity period function that lets you see what’s the worst-case scenario that a player might cover.
“On average a midfielder in Gaelic football might cover 120 metres per minute on average throughout the half. Whereas in their worst-case scenario they might be up around 220 metres per minute or higher again.
“So if you know the worst case scenario you’re going to face in a game then you can go about designing your drills and training sessions to replicate and put that stress on the player.”
Units that were used at the Fenway Hurling Classic.
In an era where many players play on multiple club, county and school or college teams at the same time, could the GPS units be used to help alleviate player burnout and prevent overuse injuries from occurring?
“Injury is a multi-faceted thing but GPS is a big piece of the puzzle,” says Hogan. “It tells you what you’ve done. That’s it in a nutshell. It’s not going to predict and prevent every single injury that’s going to occur, it doesn’t work like that.
“It’s a case of looking at the data and saying, ‘We can periodise and plan what we’re going to do so we’re not exposing players to loads they can’t tolerate.’
If players aren’t doing a whole pile and then all of a sudden they get a spike in their load with a huge training week, then that can put them at increased risk of injury. If you’re using it every week you can monitor their training load. That’s what all of our clients in GAA and worldwide – professional football and rugby teams – are all doing.
“You can make your plan and say you’d like to be having sessions with this amount of volume and this amount of intensity on this day of the week. Coaches will tend to use drills they like over and over again so you know what any given drill is going to contribute to a session. You can use it to plan out sessions and try hit your desired levels of volume and intensity for any time of the year.
“As well you’re making sure you can’t do too much in the run-up to the game. It’s all at the discretion of the S&C coach and the management team.”
Hogan live tracking data in the Red Sox Dugout at the Fenway Hurling Classic.
STATSports have recently rolled out the Apex Athlete Series, which allows individuals to track their load like the professionals.
The major challenge with monitoring training load in the GAA is it’s not a perfect world. The professional footballer, for instance, will rarely do a pitch session away from the club. All the time he’s on the field with the club, he’s being monitored with the Apex unit. Even when he goes on international camp, he’ll be monitored with the Apex unit on camp.
Hogan continues: “The GAA inter-county player, if he plays a match with his college or his club, he’s not being monitored in that session or game unless the county’s S&C coaches give him the GPS units to wear. That’s just part of working with a county team but clear communication between the player and management team about external training is vital.
It’s for individuals who are interested in monitoring their own training load. We’ve definitely had interest from GAA players who are playing on lots of different teams but there isn’t that communication where if the player turns up to one session and the coach doesn’t know if he played a match or did a hard session with the football team the night before.
“Down the line we’d be hoping it could be used in that scenario. With that app you get a graph of the load you’ve done every day of the week. If that player has done an awful lot of work earlier in the week maybe he might be better off doing an easier session or sitting out some of the harder training later in the week.”
Half Time Data on the screen at Fenway Classic.
Hogan attended the recent Fenway Hurling Classic in Boston to track the data from the four squads, which he fed to the big screen at Fenway Park and to TG4 to go out live on air.
It proved a huge success, both with supporters at the venue and viewers at home. Providing such data for the TV broadcast is commonplace in US Sports and Hogan believes adds greatly to the viewer’s experience.
We had an agreement with the GAA. They invited us over and what they wanted was data to go up on the big screen and out live on TG4. All players on all four teams more GPS units and then certain key players were selected for their data to go up on the big screen. We had total distance, number of sprints and the maximum speed reached.
“We got an awful lot of really positive feedback on that. People were very interested to see the stats and to compare players. Stats are such a big part of American sports. I was interested to hear there was a really positive attitude from GAA people towards sharing data and putting it up on the big screen.”
While there will always be Pat Spillanes complaining about the use of modern technology, it may not be long before fans are using second screens on smartphones, tablets and laptops to see the running stats from each team or even the tactical shape of both sides during a game.
People tend to think it will give someone else the competitive advantage to know that Dan Morrissey has run whatever distance, but it doesn’t really. It’s more of a fan engagement sort of thing where people appreciate what’s going on on the field and the work that’s going in.”
“It worked really well and we’d be hoping to get more data up on big screens and get data out on the broadcast.”
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NOVEMBER 2018 MARKED the centenary of the end of the First World War and next month, 21 January, will be 100 years on from the start of the Irish War of Independence.
The Irish War of Independence was the culmination of Ireland’s nationalists pushing for separation from the British, and a troubled few years at home.
Given how closely linked the GAA was to the nationalism movement, it was presumed by historians for years that WWI had very little effect on members of the GAA, as Ireland’s nationalists were largely against fighting on behalf of Britain.
That was until recently when historian Dr Dónal McAnallen, came across an article on the footballer William Manning, a member of the Antrim team that reached back-to-back All-Ireland finals in 1911 and 1912, but died in the final year of the war while fighting in France.
Having heard very little about Manning’s story in the past, McAnallen went looking for similar stories of prominent GAA players who took part in the war.
To date a number of soldiers with GAA backgrounds around the country have been found, including 10 men who played in All-Ireland finals.
McAnallen shared some of his research with us, including the stories of a Tyrone county secretary that wanted to fly and a tattoo that saved the Tipperary goalkeeper on Bloody Sunday:
Source: The42.ie/YouTube
If the video doesn’t play correctly click here.
The research over the last number of years shows that the First World War did in fact have a noticeable effect on the GAA around the country.
McAnallen also explained that a small junior club from Belfast, St Peter’s, reported that at least 20 of their members were involved in the war.
“That’s an extraordinary figure”, he says.
“I wouldn’t say that a lot of other clubs had numbers as high as that but, even then it’s still an extraordinary number given what we thought before.
“In so far as people wrote GAA history books, they would have given the indication that GAA members didn’t really take part or that it didn’t effect the GAA.”
McAnallen is hoping to release his findings in a publication early in 2019, and is still investigating other ties between the GAA and the war. So far, McAnallen and the other historians that have worked with him have found players from every country bar Roscommon, Westmeath, Fermanagh and Longford who fought in the war.
“No doubt more stuff will come out only when it’s in print, because only then will people be able to correct it and add to it. That’s just the nature of these things.”
Murray Kinsella, Gavan Casey and Andy Dunne preview another big weekend of rugby action and dissect the week’s main talking points.
Coughlan, McLoughlin, Hickey and McCaffrey were amongst those to retire this season.
Source: INPHO
FOR SOME PLAYERS, the 2018 hurling season was particularly significant.
A year where they decided at different junctures to call it a day, bringing the segment of their lives that revolved around inter-county hurling to a close.
Here’s ten that cut their ties with the elite level of hurling this year.
1. Ruairi Convery (Derry)
Midfield on the Derry minor footballers that swept to an All-Ireland victory in 2002, Convery forged a career away from the lights with the county’s senior hurling side. He enjoyed a couple of landmark days in Nicky Rackard Cup successes in 2006 – shooting 2-7 in that final – and last year when the veteran came off the bench to assist a Croke Park win over Armagh.
'Laochra Gael' – An Oakleaf legend, an All-Ireland minor football winner, Poc Fada King, a warrior and a gentleman; on behalf of all Derry Gaels, we thank Ruairí Convery for 15 years of service to our senior hurling team. Go raibh mile maith agat! #CandC #BigRuairi pic.twitter.com/mvM2RvSM6O
— Derry GAA (@Doiregaa) January 8, 2018
Source: Derry GAA/Twitter
Convery was a long-serving figure in Derry colours.
Source: Presseye/John McIlwaine/INPHO
2. Barry Coughlan (Waterford)
An established member of the Waterford side as he nailed down a place at full-back, Coughlan retired after being involved for six seasons. He won a National League medal in 2015, featured in a couple of Munster finals for the Deise and was part of the side that lost out to Galway in the 2017 All-Ireland decider.
He’ll still be involved in hurling at a major level next year with newly-crowned Munster club champions Ballygunner as they prepare to take on Ballyhale Shamrocks in February’s All-Ireland semi-final.
Barry Coughlan in action in Ennis in the Munster SHC this year.
3. Seamus Hickey (Limerick)
No one bowed out on a happier note this year than the Murroe-Boher man. Hickey made his debut for Limerick as a teenager for Limerick in 2006, won Young Hurler of the Year the following season and then was schooled on the harsher lessons of the game from thereon. In 2018 he finally got his reward, part of Limerick’s moment of Liam MacCarthy Cup glory and then he retired in December.
Seamus Hickey lifts the Liam MacCarthy Cup with his daughter
Source: James Crombie/INPHO
4. Patrick Kelly (Clare)
A recent retiree, Kelly was a netminder who emerged during Davy Fitzgerald’s reign in charge of Clare. He was between the posts for the crowning moment of that tenure as Clare lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup after a win over Cork in a thrilling replay in Croke Park. The Inagh-Kilnamona man didn’t manage to nail down a regular starting place of late and opted to depart.
Patrick Kelly was celebrating when Clare triumphed in the 2013 All-Ireland decider.
Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO
5. Peter Kelly (Dublin)
In April it was announced the All-Star winning full-back was departing the Dublin camp. Kelly won that personal award in 2013, the same season when he played a vital role in Dublin’s Leinster breakthrough under the guidance of Anthony Daly. After making a comeback initially in the early stages of the 2018 season under Pat Gilroy, Kelly made the call to depart before the championship commenced. This year, similar to recent seasons, he was plagued by injuries which hampered his capacity to impact for the capital outfit.
Kelly retired in April from Dublin hurling duty.
6. Johnny McCaffrey (Dublin)
McCaffrey brought the curtain down on a 12-year career for the Dublin senior hurlers earlier this month. Along with his club-mate Kelly, he returned to the Dublin fold this season under Pat Gilroy. A talented underage figure, McCaffrey stepped up to the Dublin senior ranks as he helped them win a National league title in 2011, a couple of Walsh Cup finals and was captain on a celebratory day when they won the Leinster senior championship in 2013 after a long spell in the wilderness.
Johnny McCaffrey captained Dublin to provincial glory in 2013.
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7. Lorcan McLoughlin (Cork)
A 3-time Munster senior victor, McLoughlin bowed out from the Cork squad in November. He’d been involved for nine seasons, making his debut in a league match against Offaly in 2010.
McLoughlin tasted Munster senior glory with Cork teams in 2014, 2017 and 2018, while the closest he came to a Liam MacCarthy Cup victory was in 2013 when Cork lost out to Clare after a final replay.
Lorcan McLoughlin was part of a Munster hurling triumph in July.
8. Ian O’Regan (Waterford)
A long-serving figure on Waterford squads, O’Regan made his debut in the 2004 All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny and had to wait nine years for his next start in a championship tie. He served under four different Waterford managers during his career and was primarily an understudy to Stephen O’Keeffe during Derek McGrath’s reign.
So the journey has ended , what a pleasure it was to play with and against some of the greats of the game . #herestoanewadventure😉 @MountSionGAA @WaterfordGAA #memoriesforlife #bestsportintheworld pic.twitter.com/0NIp9nLXsn
— iggy o regan (@iggyoregan) October 10, 2018
Source: iggy o regan/Twitter
Ian O’Regan signing autographs for Waterford fans after last March’s clash with Clare.
Source: Ken Sutton/INPHO
9. David Redmond (Wexford)
In mid-January, Redmond announced his decision to retire. He had given a decade of service to Wexford senior setups since getting his first taste of championship action in 2008 against Dublin and making his last appearance in the All-Ireland quarter-final defeat in 2017 to Waterford.
Redmond participated in a couple of Leinster hurling finals but came up short on both occasions. At club level he sparkled for Oulart-the-Ballagh as they won a bunch of Wexford county finals and finally ended their Leinster heartbreak in the 2015 final.
David Redmond retired in January.
10. Sean Ryan (Offaly)
Ryan bowed out after 13 seasons with Offaly sides where he had juggled commitments to the county football and hurling sides. The Birr native was captain of the Offaly hurlers last year and had been focused solely on their fortunes since 2012. Previously Ryan had performed for six years for the Offaly footballers after his debut in 2006 and was a dual operator for two campaigns.
Sean Ryan (lefts) lines up with Galway counterpart David Burke before last year’s Leinster semi-final.
11. Paul Dermody (Kildare)
A long-serving member of the Lilywhite camp, Dermody came on as a late substitute in the Christy Ring Cup final success in June as he got to bow out in style in Kildare’s triumph over London at Croke Park.
Best of luck in retirement to Kildare’s veteran net minder Paul Dermody
Over a decade of service to inter county hurling, winning 2 Christy Ring titles, 3 National League Titles and achieving 2 GPA Champion 15 Awards in 2009 & 2014
Best wishes Paul pic.twitter.com/Q11HjpJEJe
— GPA (@gaelicplayers) December 12, 2018
Source: GPA/Twitter
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From Ireland’s Six Nations Grand Slam success to that fairytale journey to a silver medal at the Women’s Hockey World Cup, there were several memorable moments to savour in 2018.
The Limerick hurlers defied the odds to end a 45-year wait for the Liam MacCarthy Cup in what was a fitting end to an incredible hurling championship campaign, while Jim Gavin’s Dublin eased to an impressive four-in-a-row.
There were gold medals for boxer Kellie Harrington and rower Sanita Puspure, and the Ireland Women’s U20 relay team stormed to a silver medal at the World U20 Championships.
There were plenty of other enjoyable moments in sport from 2018, but what was the standout one for you?
Cast your vote below, or let us know if we have left any of your favourite moments out of the list.
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What was your favourite sporting moment from 2018?
Poll Results:
Ireland's Grand Slam success (2154)
Limerick winning the All-Ireland SHC (676)
Ireland's silver medal at the Women's Hockey World Cup (338)
Other (comment below) (290)
Dublin footballers completing four-in-a-row (125)
Sanita Puspure's gold medal at the World Rowing Championships (25)
Ireland Women's U20 relay team winning silver at world championships (22)
Kellie Harrington's gold medal at Women's World Boxing Championships (19)
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WHICH OF THESE hurling goals really caught your eye in 2018?
Shane O’Donnell and Jonathan Glynn both hit superb strikes this year.
Clare’s Shane O’Donnell, Galway’s Jonathan Glynn and Cork’s Conor Lehane all raised green flags with stunning efforts in the pick of superb finishes on the inter-county stage.
Away from there though, Cuala’s Mark Schutte and Imokilly’s Seamus Harnedy were among those to produce brilliant goals at club level, while there were a few eye-catching efforts at U21 and schools level too.
In all there are 15 strikes in contention for TG4′s Cúil na Bliana award. Here’s the shortlist, let us know your favourite goal and get involved in the voting here.
**********************
A. Mark Schutte — Cuala v Na Piarsaigh — 24 March
Source: TG4/YouTube
B. Ciarán Brennan — Coláiste Chiaráin v Coláiste na Toirbhirte — 31 March
A HOST OF well-known Gaelic footballers departed the inter-county arena this year.
All-Ireland winners and provincial champions were among them, while some long-serving servants also hung up their boots.
1. Michael Shields (Cork)
Michael Shields.
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Shields was the final link with the 2010 All-Ireland winning Cork side to retire, choosing to bring the curtain down on a 13-year career. Injuries and off-field commitments led to the 31-year-old’s decision to retire. He made his debut in 2006 against Kerry in the drawn Munster final and went on to claim three Munster titles, an All-Stars in 2009 and 2010.
2. Gary Sice (Galway)
Gary Sice celebrates scoring a goal for Galway.
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
11 years after making his debut for Galway, Gary Sice opted to call it a day. The Corofin forward won an All-Ireland U21 crown with Galway and his last game for the seniors arrived in the Connacht final defeat to Roscommon in July 2017.
3. Brian Kavanagh (Longford)
Brian Kavanagh takes a penalty against Offaly.
Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Kavanagh was a long-serving soldier for Longford, having made his debut in 2006 under Luke Dempsey against Dublin in the Leinster quarter-final. He posted two points that day and would be a regular scorer throughout his career, helping the county to a shock qualifier win over then Ulster champions Monaghan in 2016.
4. Diarmuid Masterson (Longford)
Dublin’s Paddy Andrews with Diarmuid Masterson of Longford.
Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Masterson was another to follow Kavanagh out the exit door in Longford. He also made his debut in 2006, against Derry in their round 3 qualifier victory that set-up a clash against Kerry. Masterson was extremely versatile, operating at corner-back, half-back and half-forward during his inter-county career.
5. Mark Breheny (Sligo)
Sligo’s Mark Breheny and Fergal Boland of Mayo.
Source: James Crombie/INPHO
Breheny announced his retirement in January after 17 years of service for Sligo. He was thought to be the longest serving player in the inter-county game before he retired. Breheny’s debut came in 2000 during the league in Navan, the same venue where he played his final game in the 2017 championship.
6. Seanie Buckley (Limerick)
Seanie Buckley during a game against Cork.
Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO
Buckley was first involved with Limerick seniors in 2005, during a spell when they were very competitive in the Munster SFC. He announced his decision to step away in January.
7. Johnny McCarthy (Limerick)
Johnny McCarthy challenges Clare’s Jamie Malone.
Source: Lorraine OÕSullivan/INPHO
McCarthy arrived on the scene a year earlier than Buckley and also informed Billy Lee of his decision to walk away prior to this year’s league campaign commencing. He was an All-Star nominee in 2009, when Limerick lost to Cork in the Munster final by a single point.
8. Kieran Donaghy (Kerry)
Kieran Donaghy takes to the field with Kerry for the last time.
Donaghy brought a legendary career to a close with his announcement in September, which was accompanied by a poem. The Austin Stacks clubman finished with four All-Ireland senior medals, three All-Stars and the Footballer of the Year award in 2006.
A little poem for ye. Thanks for everything @Kerry_Official pic.twitter.com/WIxl985gkL
— Kieran Donaghy (@starryboy14) September 11, 2018
9. Donnchadh Walsh (Kerry)
Kerry’s Donnchadh Walsh fields a ball over Davy Byrne of Dublin.
Source: Tommy Grealy/INPHO
Walsh became the second Kerry footballer to retire in September. The 34-year-old left the scene with three Celtic Crosses and eight Munster crowns. He was an energetic half-forward but injuries reduced his impact in his final season with the Kingdom.
10. Eamonn Callaghan (Kildare)
Kildare’s Eamonn Callaghan.
Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Callaghan stepped away with 17 years of service for the Lilywhites. The 35-year-old was handed his debut by Mick O’Dwyer in 2002 and lost four senior Leinster finals during his career. He helped Kildare to the All-Ireland semi-final in 2010, where they fell to Down by two points.
11. Sean Armstrong (Galway)
Sean Armstrong in his last game for Galway against Dublin.
Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
Armstrong retired from inter-county football for the second time in September, when he announced his latest decision. The 32-year-old previously hung up his boots in 2014, but was tempted back into the fold by Kevin Walsh. He made his senior debut in 2005 and won the All-Ireland U21 crown the same year. He added three Connacht titles with the Tribsemen at senior level.
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To all the managers, back room staff, players and fans. It has been a privilege to play for you and along side you. To my family and friends thank you for your absolute support. It was a honour to wear the maroon and white 🙏. #gailimhabu
A post shared by Seán Armstrong (@seanarmy86) on
12. Anthony Maher (Kerry)
Kerry’s Anthony Maher.
Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
With two All-Ireland medals in his back pocket, Anthony Maher followed Donaghy and O’Sullivan into retirement. The 32-year-old received an All-Star in 2015 following Kerry’s All-Ireland defeat to Dublin. He made his debut in 2008 under Pat O’Shea, and also served under Jack O’Connor and Eamonn Fitzmaurice.
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13. Darran O’Sullivan (Kerry)
O’Sullivan after Kerry’s Munster final win over Cork.
Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
O’Sullivan became the fourth Kingdom veteran to walk away, leaving the scene with four All-Ireland medals. He skippered Kerry to the All-Ireland in 2009 and was an All-Star in 2011. O’Sullivan frequently battled injuries in his later years that reduced his playing time, but on his day not many could live with his electrifying pace.
Started with this man, finished with him. Struck pure fear in everyone with his blistering pace. A leader as he showed at a young age in 09 as Kerry captain. He was a great passer finisher and kicker, but his will to win and that bit of a dog in him is what I loved most. #legend pic.twitter.com/hWmme1AskN
— Kieran Donaghy (@starryboy14) October 16, 2018
14. Charlie Harrison (Sligo)
Sligo’s Charlie Harrison.
Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
Harrison retired at 36-years-old in October, drawing one of the most successful Sligo careers to a close. He’s one of just four men from the county to hold a Connacht medal and an All-Star, while he captained them to victories over Mayo and Galway in 2010 before they lost the provincial decider to Roscommon.
15. George Hannigan (Tipperary)
Tipperary’s George Hannigan.
Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO
Hannigan drew a 13-year career to a close when he called time on his career. He made his senior debut for the Premier in 2006 and went on to appear in 36 championship games. He won Division 3 titles in 2009 and 2017 in addition to the Division 4 crown in 2014.
Enjoy retirement Georgie, hero @hannigan14
— Peter Acheson (@PeterAcheson) October 24, 2018
16. John McGrath (Wicklow)
Offaly’s Conor Carroll chases John McGrath of Wicklow.
Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO
McGrath retired at 31-years-old after spending 12 years with the Wicklow seniors. The forward was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2011 and after undergoing intense chemotherapy, he incredibly rejoined the county set-up in 2012 and remained part of it until last summer.
Best of luck to Wicklow stalwart John McGrath in retirement
John’s strength and character shown by his return to play at inter county level after serious illness
John had been a GPA squad rep for Wicklow in recent years, empowering teammates to better themselves off the field pic.twitter.com/4VHWbSjEXk
— GPA (@gaelicplayers) November 8, 2018
17. Ciaran Hyland (Wicklow)
Ciaran and Fay Hyland celebrate after a game last summer.
Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO
McGrath was joined in retirement by tight-marking defender Hyland. The 36-year-old made his debut in 2003 and received an All-Star nomination in 2009. He featured in Leinster SFC clashes this year against Offaly and Dublin, before injury ruled him out of their qualifier defeat to Cavan.
18. Mark Lynch (Derry)
Derry’s Mark Lynch after being sent off against Kildare last June.
Source: Lorcan Doherty/INPHO
Derry head into the 2019 campaign without experienced forward Lynch. The former Oak Leaf captain made his senior debut under Mickey Moran in 2004 and played in the All-Ireland semi-final that year where they lost to Kerry. He lifted a Division 1 title in 2008 and won a Division 2 medal in 2013. Lynch played more than 50 times for Derry, with the final game of his 14-year career arriving against Kildare last summer.
19. Donncha O’Connor (Cork)
Donncha O’Connor with Sam Maguire in 2010.
Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO
O’Connor retired at 37 during the summer, eight years after he scored five points in the All-Ireland final win over Down. He also claimed four Munster crowns, three Division 1 titles and a Division 2 medal.
Ballydesmond G.A.A. Club wishes our Clubman @thedonch2012 every health, happiness, and enjoyment in the future on his retirement from @OfficialCorkGAA What a servant to the Cork cause. A true great, and a total gentleman on and off the field. Thanks for the wonderful memories.
— Ballydesmond G.A.A. (@ballydesmondgaa) July 7, 2018
20. Colm O’Neill (Cork)
Cork’s Colm O’Neill celebrates scoring a point against Mayo in 2017.
Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO
Another member of Cork’s 2010 crop to retire was O’Neill. At 29 he overcame three cruciate operations during his career but a torn cartilage in his knee hampered his 2018 campaign. A silky forward capable of scoring off either foot, O’Neill made his debut in 2009 and collected the Sam Maguire a year later.
21. Alan Mulhall (Offaly)
Offaly’s goalkeeper Alan Mulhall after a 2017 clash against Westmeath.
Source: James Crombie/INPHO
Long-serving Offaly goalkeeper Mulhall retired earlier in December after 15 years on the senior panel. He represented the Faithful 88 times throughout his career and the Walsh Island native was a solid presence between the posts, making countless crucial saves over the years.
22. Brian Darby (Offaly)
Brian Darby after a qualifier clash against London.
Source: Tom Beary/INPHO
Darby initially retired in November 2017, but answered his county’s call last summer when Paul Rouse took charge as interim manager. After featuring in championship clashes against Antrim and Clare, the Rhode clubman will not be returning to the fold in 2019.
23. Darren Strong (Laois)
Dublin’s Cormac Costello and and Darren Strong of Laois.
Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO
Strong opted to call it a day ahead of the 2019 season, almost a decade after he broke onto the Laois team. He established himself as a wing-back under Justin McNulty and was part of the side that made the All-Ireland quarter-final in 2012. He helped Laois to Division 4 honours this year and started at corner-back in the Leinster final defeat to Dublin in June.
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