Month: September 2021

A PLAYER FROM the East Kerry division is set to captain the Kerry senior side for the opening rounds of the Allianz football league with county champions Dr Crokes set to nominate their choice to lead the Kingdom in 2019 once their All-Ireland club campaign has concluded.

Kerry will open their league campaign with a home tie against Tyrone.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Kerry still opt to allow their senior football title winners to nominate the captain for the following season and Dr Crokes, who completed three-in-a-row in 2018, once again have that honour this year.

After winning the Munster club final in November, they face Longford’s Mullinalaghta in the All-Ireland semi-final on 16 February. Their Kerry contingent will definitely miss the first three rounds in Division 1 in the league and if they reach the All-Ireland club final on 17 March, will be out of action further.

Dr Crokes players celebrating their Munster club final victory in November.

Source: Ken Sutton/INPHO

Dr Crokes have announced that they will be waiting until after their season concludes before naming the player they wish to nominate as captain. This means they have suggested that the Kerry management can nominate a player from one of their neighbouring clubs in East Kerry as captain.

Rathmore’s Paul Murphy and Killarney Legion’s James O’Donoghue would be experienced contenders in that instance.

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CLARE DEFENDER CIAN Dillon has announced this evening that he is retiring from inter-county hurling.

Cian Dillon (left) celebrates with team-mates Conor Ryan and Patrick O’Connor in 2013.

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

Dillon informed joint managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor of his decision to depart in the early stages of the 2019 season and his decision was announced afterwards.

In 2013 Dillon was at the edge of the square when Clare captured the Liam MacCarthy Cup with a victory over Cork. That was the crowning moment of his career but he won another All-Ireland medal in 2009 in Croke Park, part of Clare’s historic breakthrough at U21 level.

Dillon was joint captain of Clare in 2016 when they overturned Waterford to win the Allianz hurling league title after a replay. He has won two Clare senior hurling medals with his club Crusheen in 2010 and 2011.

Cian Dillon (left) celebrates Clare’s league victory in 2016.

Source: Ken Sutton/INPHO

The Clare joint bosses paid tribute to Dillon.

“Cian has been a central figure in Clare’s successes since making his debut for the county at U21 level in 2009.

“Cian has been an exemplary ambassador for his county and for the game of hurling and we wish him the very best in his ongoing club career with Crusheen.”

Dillon has found his gametime has been restricted in recent times with Clare. His departure cuts another playing link with Clare’s 2013 success, leaving just eight members of that starting side still involved ahead of the new campaign.

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THE LINE-UP for the semi-finals of the Dr McKenna Cup was completed tonight as the pre-season competition in Ulster moved towards the knockout stages.

The last series of games in the round-robin tonight saw six fixtures played around the province with Donegal, Armagh, Tyrone and Derry all advancing.

In Section A, Donegal ran out 1-20 to 1-12 victors against Cavan to nail down their spot with Down’s comprehensive victory by 4-18 to 1-5 over Queen’s University proving immaterial.

Armagh finished top of Section B, grinding out a late victory by 0-13 to 1-9 over Monaghan. The other match here saw Antrim see off St Mary’s University by eight points.

And in Section C, Mickey Harte saw his Tyrone team claim a six-point success over Fermanagh to secure a last four place with Derry managing to claim the best runner-up position, aided by a 1-20 to 0-7 triumph against the students of UUJ.

The semi-final ties on Sunday will see Donegal take on Armagh and Tyrone face Derry.

Dr McKenna Cup

Results

Section A
Donegal 1-20 Cavan 1-12
Down 4-18 Queen’s University Belfast 1-5

Section B
Antrim 1-14 St Mary’s University 0-9
Armagh 0-13 Monaghan 1-9

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Section C
Derry 1-20 UUJ 0-7
Tyrone 0-10 Fermanagh 0-4

Fixtures

Semi-finals
Donegal v Armagh
Derry v Tyrone

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THE GAA HAS announced a new broadcast deal has been struck with eir sport and RTÉ, which will see the national broadcaster gain a greater share of the GAA calendar for live free-to-air games.

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RTÉ, whose live GAA coverage traditionally spanned from May to September, will now provide coverage of Allianz League and club championship fixtures in 2019, extending its portfolio of games significantly.

Under the new agreement, which runs between 2019 and 2022, eir Sport will continue to broadcast at least two league games each weekend but four of those matches will now be simulcast by RTÉ.

“While eir sport will act as host broadcaster, RTÉ will have its own editorial, presentation and punditry teams to bring its own style and expertise to the coverage,” a GAA statement said.

TG4 will continue to hold the prime Sunday slots for Allianz League fixtures, while RTÉ’s club championship coverage will run alongside the Irish language channel’s broadcasts later in the year.

“Increasing RTÉ’s live coverage of Gaelic Games across the GAA calendar year, we are reaffirming our commitment to bringing national moments to a national audience, free-to-air and guaranteeing coverage on RTÉ television for nine months of the year for the next three years,” said RTÉ’s Head of Sport Declan McBennett.

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DAVID CLIFFORD ARRIVED into his debut campaign with Kerry seniors last year with a great degree of hype, which he more than justified by landing All-Star and Young Footballer of the Year honours at the end of the year. 

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But the excitement surrounding Clifford meant he took the attention firmly off the shoulders of Kerry’s other debutant in attack – Kenmare ace Sean O’Shea.

When Kerry opened up their league campaign against Donegal last January, it was the former All-Ireland minor winning captain who wowed the crowd with a seven-point haul as he pulled the strings from number 11.

O’Shea, who won minor crowns in 2015 and 2016, enjoyed a fine year in the green and gold and looks to be the long-term answer for the Kingdom at centre-forward.

He was first called into the senior set-up by Eamonn Fitzmaurice in the summer of 2017 but saw no action on the field. Once his chance came last year, he grasped it with both hands and quickly established himself as a regular starter through the league and championship.

“Whenever you get called into Kerry, you’d be nervous about it the first night,” says O’Shea. “Having the few fellas there that you knew and would talk to (helped).

“You could pop a message at them to see what the craic was like, to see what the set-up was like as well. That helps to guide you through the first few sessions and that too.

“Eamonn was great. Eamonn gave me my first start in both the league and the championship so I owe a lot to Eamonn.

“All the finer details, he really looked after them. Things didn’t really look out for us last year, (that was down to) the performances from the players more than anything else. The backroom team was exceptional, they looked after every last detail.

“They prepared for everything so professionally and it was great to be in that environment.”

Sean O’Shea and Cian Kiely at the launch of Electric Ireland’s Sigerson, Fitzgibbon and HE championships announcement. Electric Ireland will live stream a selection of Fitzgibbon and Sigerson Cup games this year.

Source: David Fitzgerald/SPORTSFILE

The average age of the Kerry set-up has dropped significantly since Peter Keane’s appointment as Fitzmaurice’s replacement.

Four veterans retired over the winter – Kieran Donaghy, Anthony Maher, Darran O’Sullivan and Donnchadh Walsh – while Fionn Fitzgerald and Barry John Keane are no longer part of the panel.

“There’s been four notable retirements,” he says. “It’s a younger squad than usual but us younger lads would want to be stepping up into leadership roles now too.

“Kerry is known for producing forwards. It’s tough and you always have to be on your toes in training trying to get a jersey or hold onto a jersey. You’re playing with some of the best forwards in the country.

“Every night training there is competitive, just battling to get on the team for the league, no one takes the foot off the pedal at all,” O’Shea added.

The final year UCC Arts student worked under current Kerry boss Peter Keane for a season at minor level, lifting the Tom Markham Cup together in 2015.

“He’s been in charge of the last three winning minor teams. He’s been there on All-Ireland final day and he’s got that experience. 

“I had a year (of) minor with Peter so I know him well enough. He’s very good and looks after us very well. He has a good backroom team around him and it’s good, I’m looking forward to it.

“There’d be different changes but we all want the same end goal for Kerry.”

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THE MONAGHAN SENIOR ladies football team have a new manager.

The Monaghan team last April.

Source: Eóin Noonan/SPORTSFILE

Truagh Gaels clubman Niall Treanor, a former Monaghan hurler, has been confirmed as the Farney’s new man at the helm after he and his management team were ratified at a county board meeting last night.

Monaghan Ladies Gaelic announced the news this afternoon, adding that he’ll be joined by Ciaran Murphy and Adam Treanor as his coaches/trainers. 

“It’s a massive commitment to put in but it’s something that I didn’t take lightly,” Treanor, who’s done a lot of work with underage ladies football in Monaghan over the past few years, told The42.

“It’s just trying to get the best people around you. That was one sure thing going for it, I needed the two guys with me.

“They’re good, experienced coaches when it comes to ladies football. Adam coached the Emmet Óg team this year that got to the All-Ireland intermediate final and then Ciaran Murphy was in college and has reverted back to Monaghan there recently. He’s been manager of Sean McDermotts the last three or four years and has done great work there.

📘New County Senior Management Ratified.

We are pleased to announce that Niall Treanor and his management team were ratified as Monaghan LGFA Senior Management for the 2019 season at a county board meeting last night.
We wish them and the team the very best for the 2019 season! pic.twitter.com/lrr9RXgeOS

— Monaghan LGFA (@Monaghan_LGFA) January 10, 2019

“Going for the job wasn’t the daunting thing, it was getting the best team around me. When it comes to connections and so forth within the county I’d be good that way. I’d be pretty tuned in to GAA within Monaghan.”

Having played hurling for both his club in North Monaghan and the county team, Treanor was also liaison officer for the senior hurlers in the early 2000s and has served on the county board.

About six years ago, he started coaching ladies football with his club and his efforts saw him take the reigns as Monaghan LGFA development manager from there.

Last year, Treanor served as U14 manager and saw his side reach the Ulster A final. There, they were beaten by Cavan, who went on to win the All-Ireland, but it was a “massive learning experience”.

Now he’ll take a huge step into the senior ranks. He succeeds five-time All-Ireland club winner Annmarie Burns at the helm, who oversaw a testing year for Monaghan.

Ciara McAnespie facing Mayo last year.

Source: Eóin Noonan/SPORTSFILE

Treanor will be the Ulster side’s third manager in three years, Paula Cunningham led the charge before Burns. 

In 2018, they had a difficult run in the league but retained their Division 1 status, and now prepare for a 27th successive year in the top flight. Again in the TG4 All-Ireland championship, they preserved their senior status with a hard-fought win over neighbours Cavan in the relegation play-off semi-final.

They’re a team in transition but will look to build going forward under Treanor, 

“The big thing for Monaghan ladies that we have to do,” he continues, “and the girls know it themselves…. when you look at Monaghan ladies, Donaghmoyne have been the backbone for a number of years, and Emyvale as well.

“But there’s an awful lot of clubs, an awful lot of work being done at the minute at underage level and that’s a massive positive for us. It’s great to see. There’s an unbelievable amount of talented girls, but it’s just trying to get commitment from them.

Monaghan and Emmet Óg star forward Ellen McCarron.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

“It’ll be key to get the mixture of youth and experience. There’s some really top-class players; the likes of Ellen McCarron, the Courtneys, the McAnespies; that can make the transition for younger girls coming from minor into seniors easier.”

He adds: “There is a good structure in Monaghan, it’s just keeping it as professional as possible as well. The girls are seen as second-class citizens compared to the men, but we try to keep it as professional as we can. We try to offer girls as much as we can because they’re putting in the same effort as the men, if not more, on a daily basis.”

While Monaghan LGFA also confirmed that Mark Dockery wil be the team physio and Emma Coyle  will act as performance nutritionist, they’re training away at the minute in preparation for kick-off in Division 1 of the Lidl Ladies National Football League.

They travel to 2018 Leinster finalists Westmeath on Sunday, 3 February.

Source: Truagh LGFA Facebook.

“Our first league game is what we’re thinking of at the minute, that’s our only focus getting back,” Treanor concludes.

“It’s only been a month since Emmet Óg played in the All-Ireland (intermediate) final, five or six weeks since Donaghmoyne were in the (senior) semi-final. It’s trying to get as much work done as we can.

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“It’s a massive challenge but we need everyone to commit to the cause. All we can do is steer the bus, the girls have to drive the bus on and have everyone singing off the same hymn sheet.”

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BACK-TO-BACK TG4 ALL-IRELAND champions Dublin will return to Croke Park for two of their league fixtures, with double-headers confirmed this afternoon.

Mick Bohan’s Sky Blues will open their Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 defence at HQ against Donegal on Saturday, 2 February, before facing Mayo in a repeat of last year’s league decider on Saturday, 23 February.

Both fixtures will throw in at 5pm, and act as curtain raisers for their male counterparts.

Jim Gavin’s charges face Galway in a repeat of last year’s final in their first-round clash (throw-in 7pm), before they also face Mayo the second day (also a 7pm throw-in).

Dublin ladies sealed their first-ever Division 1 title in Parnell Park last May, and followed that up with an historic All-Ireland double after beating Cork in September.

Dublin are returning to Croke Park for 2 of their @lidl_ireland NFL ties as part of a double bill with @DubGAAOfficial 1st up on Feb 2nd Dublin will take on Donegal followed by the meeting of Dublin v Mayo on Feb 23rd both LGFA curtain raisers have 5pm throw in times #COYGIB pic.twitter.com/ZjiBuVB45Z

— DublinLGFA (@dublinladiesg) January 10, 2019

Last year, they played their league fixture against Cork in Croker and were also due to face Kerry there but adverse weather conditions led to that match being postponed.

In March 2017, Dublin and Mayo faced off in the first-ever ladies football league game staged at GAA headquarters before the Dublin and Roscommon men’s teams locked horns.

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Several ladies football double-headers were ran off across the country last year, and it’s expected that things will be similar in 2019.

Wicklow have already announced one for Sunday, 10 February, with their intermediate side going head-to-head with Down and the men’s tie against Limerick following suit in Joule Park, Aughrim.

Terrific news emerging from the Garden County this evening as an agreement has been reached allowing the @Wicklowlgfa v @DownGAALadies @lidl_ireland NFL game be played as a double header with @wicklowgaa v Limerick in Aughrim.

Well done to all involved!#ShowYourStripes #20×20 pic.twitter.com/aJYVO2ZnRu

— LLG Football (@LeinsterLGFA) January 6, 2019

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THE OPENING FIXTURE of Waterford’s Allianz Hurling League campaign will be played at Semple Stadium after the Déise lost home advantage for breaching training regulations. 

Waterford breached GAA rule 6.22 during the ‘club only’ month of April for holding a senior panel training camp during that period last year.

As a result, Padraic Fanning’s side will face Offaly at the Thurles venue on Sunday 27 January rather than on home soil.

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Source: Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42/SoundCloud

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CORK UNVEILED THEIR five-year football plan earlier this week, which contains the lofty ambition of turning the county into regular All-Ireland contenders by 2024.

The decline of the Rebel footballers since their Sam Maguire victory of 2010 has been worrying, while they haven’t made it to the All-Ireland quarter-final stage since 2014.

If the plan proves a success and Cork are competing for All-Irelands alongside Dublin and Kerry five years from now, then youngsters like Cian Kiely, Sean Powter, Sam Ryan and Mark White will be in the prime of their careers by that point.

Kiely, who turned 22 in December, made his senior breakthrough last summer, admittedly during a difficult period for Cork football.

“I suppose it’s been said a lot in the media that last year was a team in transition,” he says. “You had a lot of young people coming in which was definitely needed. There were a lot of people getting to know each other, getting to know the new systems.

“It’s a big transition from U20s up to senior. We definitely have the right manager, coaches, everything in place. They’re doing fantastic work. There’s a lot of training and hard sessions going in. It’s something that comes with time, it’ll build.

“Same with anyway as you gain momentum and keep working, I think it will definitely come around and hopefully we’re going in the right direction.”

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The footballers have long felt like second-class citizens in the Rebel County, but hurling’s prevalence was copper-fastened over the last few years as the football squad dropped into Division 2 and endured heavy beatings by rivals Kerry in the Munster championship.

County chairperson Tracey Kennedy spoke on Wednesday about the need to reconnect the footballers with the Cork public and to remove the air of negativity around the code.

“Hurling is the dominant sport in Cork at the moment, obviously with how fantastic the hurlers are doing,” says Kiely.

“They’re obviously breeding players and there’s fantastic young lads coming through and it’s working for them.

“Negativity? I wouldn’t say there’s much negativity as there is just more emphasis put on the hurling. Any negativity that comes, I think it’s more so the fact that emphasis is placed on hurling.

Sean O’Shea and Cian Kiely at the launch of Electric Ireland’s Sigerson, Fitzgibbon and HE championships announcement.

Source: David Fitzgerald/SPORTSFILE

“Negativity is part of the game really. Any county, regardless of what county it is, if they lose there’s going to be some emphasis on them losing or negativity around things. It’s kind of part of the game, maybe not a part I agree with but it’s not going to be eliminated either.”

Under the management of Ronan McCarthy, the UCC PE and Irish student is hoping he can build on the form he showed during his rookie year.

“I had been in and out a couple of years beforehand, in training for a couple of weeks and out. Last year was my first proper year of being there for the full year. 

“It’s definitely a huge step-up, but it’s one you definitely want to make. It’s what everyone wants to do and you know it’s going to be a big step-up in terms of intensity. 

“The main thing is being smarter on the pitch. When you’re a minor or U21 you might get away with trying to take on two or three players with your speed or strength. But in the senior you have to have more unity as a team so that’s something you have to adapt to.

Cian Kiely made the breakthrough for Cork in 2018.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

“I think that’s the biggest adaptation. It’s not just a case of if you want to be a senior you need to be faster or stronger, that’ snot it. There are different things needed for different age groups. That was the biggest thing that I needed to adapt to, knowing exactly what was needed of me and bringing it to the table.”

Kiely won a Munster U21 medal back in 2016 and says that gave him the confidence he could make his mark at senior level.

“I suppose it kind of did. It’s always fantastic to win a Munster title and something I always wanted to do. I never won one in the minor and it was fantastic to get it in U21.

“I suppose it was a journey really in the sense that since I was playing Cork minor I was always building to hopefully make the senior and each year get better and better and better and depending on who the manager is at senior and what they’re looking for can I give them what they need? 

“Through the years playing with Cork I was always building to hopefully being good enough and that was a stepping stone.”

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MUNSTER GAA AND LGFA have built on the announcement of several league double-headers by confirming two for their respective senior football championships.

Round One of the Munster ladies football championship sees 2018 finalists Kerry face Waterford on 11 May and that will be a double-header with the Déise men’s tie against Clare. Waterford and Clare is down for Cusack Park, Ennis, as of now.

On 1 June, it’s a Cork double billing with the ladies going head-to-head with Kerry in a repeat of last year’s decider and the Rebels’ men’s semi final against either Limerick or Tipperary taking place afterwards. As it stands, the men are set to lock horns at a Cork venue.

The intermediate ladies football meetings of 2018 All-Ireland junior champions Limerick and Tipperary on 11 May, and Limerick and Clare on 1 June, will also be double-headers.

The Munster ladies senior championship final is penciled in for Saturday, 15 June, and if there’s a camogie clash it will be changed to Sunday, 16.

A great nights work by ⁦@MunsterGAA⁩ and ⁦@MunsterLGFA⁩ as two double headers are just announced for Senior ⁦@LadiesFootball⁩ Championship #20X20 pic.twitter.com/YdrqfV4VW7

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The news of double-headers in Munster comes as a huge positive particularly after last year as both finals featured Cork and Kerry, but they took place on the same day at different venues.

Yesterday, it was confirmed that back-to-back All-Ireland champions Dublin will play two of their Division 1 Lidl Ladies National Football League fixtures in Croke Park as double-headers with Jim Gavin’s charges.

Sinead Goldrick and Sinead Finnegan celebrate Dublin’s All-Ireland win in September.

Source: Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE

Dublin LGFA broke the news before the LGFA confirmed it, adding: “The LGFA is also working on securing a number of other ‘double-headers’ – and should be in a position to confirm full details at some point next week.”

Wicklow have also announced one for Sunday, 10 February, which will see their intermediate ladies side host Down and the men welcome Limerick to Joule Park, Aughrim.

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