Month: September 2021

IT’S JUST OVER a decade since Kieran Donaghy and Tommy Walsh began working in tandem to wreak havoc on opposition defences as part of a Kerry attacking twin threat.

They dovetailed successfully en route to Kerry’s 2008 All-Ireland final appearance before the following year Walsh cut loose and picked off 0-4 in a Sam Maguire triumph over Cork.

Then Walsh pursued another new sporting avenue as he decamped to Australia before returning to Kerry colours for the start of the 2015 campaign after his AFL career had concluded.

His involvement was short-lived as he departed the squad before the 2016 championship commenced but the career of the Kerins O’Rahilly’s player took another turn in the off season with the news that he was part of the plans of new boss Peter Keane.

And Donaghy has backed his former attacking partner to make an impact, albeit he envisages a slight change of role.

“I absolutely see him playing a part for Kerry this year. It’s great to have him back because I felt in ’15, when I was in there against Dublin late on, on a wet day, he could have been a fella that could have been thrown in and I think that kind of stung him a bit.

“He was kind of gone after that so it’s good to see him back. He’s only 30 years of age. I got to 35 out of it. He definitely has a good few years to offer Kerry yet.

“When me and him were playing together, I was the kind of big awkward target man and he was in the corner against a small corner-back, running out winning ball, pushing him aside and kicking it over the bar or going through on goal.

“I see him nearly being that more kind of a target man in my eyes because you’ve got David (Clifford) and Paul Geaney and James O’Donoghue. You’ve enough of these fellas that can play, he can also go out centre-forward and be a kind of an aerial threat from kickouts or whatever.

Kieran Donaghy at the launch of the Comórtas Peile Páidí Ó Sé 2019.

“The injury he had, where the tendons come off the bone, it’s a horrific injury, so I would say that blistering pace out in front and getting it and turning and burning four fellas would be something that might have to change.

“But he’s still a very good lead guy. He learned that out in Australia how to get out in front and he’s so big and strong that once he gets out in front of you, he’ll win it.

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“So I still see him winning a lot of marks in there and a lot of scores coming off it.”

The addition of another figure to the Kerry setup also enthuses Donaghy as he prepares to watch on for his first campaign since retiring.

Donie Buckley has been a coveted figure after his recent coaching work with Mayo and has now returned to his native county.

Donie Buckley with Donie Vaughan after Mayo’s All-Ireland semi-final replay against Kerry in 2017.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

“I would say that Donie will be doing a lot on the team’s defence, work-rate, tackling, all that sort of stuff. It’s exciting definitely to have him back in with the new management.

“I liked Donie and the way he goes to other sports. Whether it be rugby or American football or basketball, he’s always looking for little nuances you can take from games to try to implement in our game.

“Donie has certainly been one who has done an awful lot of that. He’ll bring a freshness and a new approach.

“We’ve had the same management for the same five or six years so that freshness is always good in my eyes.”

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2018 MUST BE considered a major success for the Galway footballers. 

They topped Division 1 after going unbeaten in the spring, running Dublin to four points in the final. The Connacht title was regained in June, while they took the scalp of old rivals Mayo along the way.

And a Super 8s victory over Kerry in the Croke Park rain seemed to confirm Galway’s status as legitimate All-Ireland contenders. Their final game in the quarter-final phase came against Monaghan, with Kevin Walsh’s side already guaranteed a place in the All-Ireland semi-final for the first time since 2001. 

A draw would have sealed top spot and a showdown with Tyrone for a place in the final.

But the Farney handed out an eight-point beating to the hosts in Pearse Stadium, and Galway’s spark seemed to go out that evening. A week later, Shane Walsh’s injury-time goal was just a consolation as Dublin powered to a 1-24 to 2-12 last four victory.

A season that promised much ended in a whimper.

“It’s a funny one, because you are building yourself up for the Monaghan game,” says Walsh.

“But at the back of your mind, there is that factor that you have qualified out of the group already. We were in an All-Ireland semi-final which this Galway team have never been in before. 

“I think that’s something for us to learn this year going forward. That whatever game is in front of us we have to go out and win no matter what. We’re not like the Dubs of the world where we’ve been winning All-Irelands and we can take a game for granted. 

“We can’t do that. We can’t afford to. I’m not saying we did either, it’s just, I think, in the back of your minds when you have that sub-consciously there it does make it that bit harder so when it’s there for the taking you’re probably holding back instead of going for it.

“For us, the young lads are there saying, ‘We’re in an All-Ireland semi-final, it’s great.’ Even myself, I’ve been around the panel six or seven years and I was thinking it was great to be in an All-Ireland semi-final. The next thing Monaghan came along and clipped our wings. 

“It’s just a matter, I suppose, of getting down again to brass tacks. Hopefully, if we get to that stage again we won’t encounter the same problem.”

There was a school of thought at the time that Walsh should have rested his big guns for the showdown with Dublin the following weekend. Jim Gavin, in comparison, largely played his second-string against Roscommon and they looked far fresher in the semi-final.

Shane Walsh following Galway’s defeat to Monaghan in the summer.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

But there’s not a whole lot Galway can do about it now. Walsh assures us that Galway will take the league seriously once again, rather than holding their fire for later in the season.

“We wouldn’t find ourselves lucky enough to be doing that. The likes of Dublin can probably afford to with the strength of the panel they have, but for us we know we’re only as good as our last game.

“The league last year went very well for us. A couple results that went our way, we won by a point or two. They could have gone the opposite way as well. So we just have to be on our guard again. All things going well, win a couple of games, you have a chance to blood players through.

“But if you don’t, then you’re really fighting it. So for us, it’s taking the first game, trying to build as we go along through it. So like that, we’ll use the league campaign to provide a good championship for us as well.”

Inter-county footballers find themselves in a peculiar position this week. Nobody knows what rules the Allianz Football League will be played under just yet, with Central Council set to make a call on the experimental rule changes this Saturday.

“It’s the last thing from our minds, it’s all about trying to prepare ourselves as best we can. If the rules come in the rules come in. As I said, for us, if we can get the ball from ‘A’ to ‘C’ by skipping ‘B’, that’s the aim of the game. 

“The game has evolved so much, the pace, physical strength is a huge part of the game now. We’ll be looking to exploit that from the youth that we have in the squad. 

“Everything has been put in place for us and whatever rules are there we’ll play with them as we go along. 

“I have no experience of the new rules at all. I was in Tuam Stadium along with about 6,000 Mayo people and was uncomfortable until the end, when it was a nice place to be. 

“To be honest, I think a lot more can be made of it. Football is football, at the end of the day. You go out and play it and with this handpassing people are automatically counting numbers and this sort of thing whereas instead of just simplifying it.

“If the ball can be moved forward quickly, move it forward quickly It’s not a case of we have to count this hand-pass and use the three and then kick. Just play the game as you see it.”

****

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The inter-county famine is about to end, giving way to a nine-week feast of Allianz Football League action between the weekend after next and the four divisional finals in Croke Park on March 30/31. The exciting programme features 116 games across the four divisions in a campaign which will mark the 27th year of Allianz’ partnership with the GAA as sponsor of the Allianz Leagues, making it one of the longest-running sponsorships in Irish sport.

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St Mary’s College (Belfast) 1-11
NUI Galway 1-11

St Mary’s College win 4-2 after free-taking competition

Declan Rooney reports from Dangan

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ST MARY’S COLLEGE Belfast claimed victory in the first Sigerson Cup game of the year, but they needed a free-taking competition to claim the win at a wintery Dangan.

The teams finished level at 1-11 each after extra-time and after the sides both kicked their opening two frees – taken from the edge of the exclusion zone – Enda Tierney and Aaron Brady both missed kicks for NUI Galway and Niall Toner and Liam Rafferty made sure of the win.

This was a typical Sigerson Cup clash played at times in heavy rain, strong wind and beaming sun, and for most of normal time it seemed as if the hosts would progress. NUI Galway raced into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after 11 minutes thanks to a couple of Rob Finnerty points and another from Jack Robinson, but the 2017 champions had worked their way into the lead by the 26th minute when Aaron Boyle’s penalty beat Brady.

Sligo’s Nathan Mullen helped NUI Galway reclaim the lead when he placed a wonderful shot to the St Mary’s net straight after the penalty, and they were good value for a 1-4 to 1-2 advantage at half-time.

Finnerty’s free pushed Galway into a three-point lead again after the resumption, but St Mary’s finished the stronger and landed four of the last five scores to force extra-time.

Both teams had players sent off in added-time – Patrick O’Donnell from NUI Galway and Ryan McSherry – for their involvement in a brawl, but with both side back to their full complement for extra-time Rafferty’s great score helped Mary’s into the lead.

A super Michael Daly free from the left and Kieran Molloy’s score from the right looked to have sealed it for NUI Galway, but after Daly and Robinson picked up silly black cards, McConville sent the game to a free competition, and the Belfast side held their nerve.

St Mary’s now go straight through to the next round, while NUI Galway need to win a back door play-off if they wish to progress.

Scorers for St Mary’s College: Liam Rafferty 0-3, Stephen McConville 0-3 (3f), Aaron Boyle 1-0 (1-0pen), Shane McGuigan 0-2 (1f), Michael Rooney 0-1, Jarlath Óg Burns 0-1, Daniel McKinless 0-1

Scorers for NUI Galway: Rob Finnerty 0-3 (3f), Nathan Mullen 1-0, Kevin McDonnell 0-2, Jack Robinson 0-2 (1f), Enda Tierney 0-2 (1f), Michael Daly 0-1 (1f), Kieran Molloy 0-1

St Mary’s College

1. Mark Reid (Bryansford, Down)

2. Cathal McKinney (Killeavy, Armagh)
23. Ryan McCusker (Monaghan)
4. Michael Rooney (Kilcoo, Down)

5. Colm Byrne (Eglish, Tyrone)
17. Aaron Boyle (Naomh Columba, Donegal)
7. Liam Rafferty (Galbally, Tyrone)

8. Jarlath Óg Burns (Silverbridge, Armagh)
9. Liam Devlin (Down)

10. Ryan McSherry (Whitecross, Armagh)
25. Shane McGuigan (Slaughtneil, Derry)
11. Stephen McConville (Clonduff, Down)

13. Niall Toner (Lavey, Derry)
14. Ryan Coleman (Moy, Tyrone)
15. Aaron Duffy (Armagh)

Subs

12. Daniel McKinless (Ballinderry, Derry) for Devlin (40)
6. Jack Hannigan (Antrim) for Duffy (52)
20. Tom O’Kane (Armagh) for Byrne (59)
9. L Devlin for O’Kane (60)
5. C Byrne for red card at start of extra-time (60)
18. Conor McAllister (Slaughtneil, Derry) for Rooney (70)
20. Tom O’Kane for Hannigan (75)

NUI Galway

1. Aaron Brady (Elphin, Roscommon)

2. Stephen Brennan (Claremorris, Mayo)
3. Sean Mulkerrin (Aran Islands, Galway)
4. Kevin McDonnell (Castleconnor, Sligo)

5. Kieran Molloy (Corofin, Galway)
6. Ruairi Greene (Killannin, Galway)
7. Patrick O’Donnell (Galway)

8. Peter Cooke (Moycullen, Galway)
9. Cein Darcy (Caherlistrane, Galway)

10. Nathan Mullen (Coolaney-Mullinabreena, Sligo)
11. Michael Daly (Mountbellew-Moylough, Galway)
12. Enda Tierney (Oughterard, Galway)

13. Rob Finnerty (Salthill-Knocknacarra, Galway)
14. Jack Robinson (Clogherinkoe, Kildare)
15. Owen Gallagher (St Joseph’s, Antrim)

Subs

21. Brian Donovan (Monaleen, Limerick) for Gallagher (40)
20. Conan Marren (Tourlestrane, Sligo) for Darcy (42-47 blood)
23. Gerry Canavan (Mayo Gaels, Mayo) for Finnerty (60)
25. Evan Wynne (Salthill-Knocknacarra, Galway) for red card at start of extra-time (60)
17. John Maher (Salthill-Knocknacarra, Galway) for Brennan (70)
26. Kevin Quinn (Ballinrobe, Mayo) for Robinson (78 black card)
18. Evan McGrath (Boyle, Roscommon) for Daly (79 black card)

Referee: Brendan Healy (Roscommon)

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BOTH CORN UÍ Mhuirí (Munster PPS U19AFC) semi-finals will be Kerry-Cork affairs, but only after holders Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne squeezed through against St Flannan’s College today.

At Killeedy, the Dingle school trailed as the final minute of normal time dawned, but Ruairí Ó Beaglaioch was on hand to get a vital goal for a 1-5 to 1-3 win.

Darren O’Brien’s goal helped the Ennis school to lead by 1-2 to 0-3 at half-time, Emmet McMahon and Philip Talty on target too. Cathal Ó Beaglaioch and Dylan Ó Géibheannaigh had Corca Dhuibhne level in a low-scoring second half but Kevin Keane responded to put Flannan’s ahead once more. Unfortunately for them, it was not to be their day.

In the semi-final, they will face St Francis College, Rochestown, who were 3-8 to 1-10 winners over Ballincollig’s Coláiste Choilm in Ballygarvan.

Early goals from Adam Cantwell and Adam Hennessy, both set up by Alan O’Hare, had ‘Roco’ – the last Cork school to reach the final, in 2015 – comfortable early on, but Ballincollig responded well and Seán McCarthy’s goal was the centre-piece of their revival, 2-3 to 1-5 the half-time score.

Rochestown had the breeze in the second half and they pushed ahead again through Hennessy and Conor Russell, with Cantwell’s second goal opening up a six-point advantage. Evan Dodd and Evan Cooke scored as Coláiste Choilm once more came back to within a point, but three late Russell points ensured Rochestown advanced.

The other all-Cork clash with won by Clonakilty Community College, who saw off Bandon’s Hamilton High School by 1-7 to 0-5 in Newcestown.

Clon led by 0-4 to 0-3 at half-time after playing with the wind and though Billy Murphy and Fionn Herlihy had Bandon ahead on the resumption, they didn’t score again.

JP Eady and Brian White – brother of Cork stars Seán and Mark – were on hand as Clon pushed ahead and Ciarán O’Neill’s late goal made sure of victory.

Killarney’s St Brendan’s College will oppose Clonakilty in the last four following a 2-17 to 3-9 win against Tralee CBS at Lewis Road in Killarney.

Conor Hayes had an early goal for Tralee and when Seán Quilter fired home another one it was 2-3 to 0-4, but ‘the Sem’ fought back well before half-time, with Ryan O’Grady netting and Paul O’Shea among the point-scorers as they led by 1-9 to 2-5 at half-time.

They pushed further clear early in the second half and Emmet O’Shea’s goal on the three-quarter mark made it 2-15 to 2-8.

Tralee sub Darragh Reen did get a goal in the closing stages but Killarney weren’t to be denied.

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JUST OVER 12 months ago, Ryan Wylie and Paul Mannion arrived back from a winter trip to America and Colombia with their hair dyed an eye-catching platinum blond.

Ryan Wylie is sent-off in the first game of the 2018 Division 1 campaign.

Source: John McVitty/INPHO

All-Star nominee Wylie is friendly with a number of the current Dublin squad from his time studying in UCD, having lifted a Sigerson Cup title in 2016 alongside Mannion, Jack McCaffrey and Michael Fitzsimons.

Dublin’s team holiday to Florida and the Bahamas meant Mannion was unable to accompany Wylie on his recent trip around Vietnam and the Philippines this off-season, which the Monaghan defender says wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“I had four weeks off myself, just on holidays before Christmas,” says Wylie. “I was in Vietnam and the Philippines. It was a nice little break so I’m ready to hit the ground running.

Last year, Paul hadn’t started work. He started work this year and obviously he was away then with the Dublin team.

“He wasn’t able to fit it in. Maybe that was a good thing so we didn’t come back with blond hair. Maybe it was good thing he didn’t come with me this year,” he smiles.

The 24-year-old is still based in the capital, working as a radiographer in the Mater Hosptial since August 2016, following his graduation from UCD.

He still sees a good bit of Mannion and McCaffrey around the place, although football doesn’t necessarily come up in conversation between them all that often.

“Paul and Jack, they would have been in the same year in college, starting out in freshers. They played Sigerson the whole way.

We’d be good friends. We’ve plenty of other things to talk about.  We wouldn’t really talk about football that much.

“Maybe if we play each other, we’d text each other before or after games. There’s plenty of other things going on to be worried about than talking football all the time.

UCD’s Sigerson Cup winners of 2016.

Source: Presseye/Declan Roughan/INPHO

“They’re the same as myself where they’re nearly at it every night of the week. It’s good to just relax and take your mind off it now and again.”

Wylie is well used to the three-hour round-trips home from Dublin for county training at this stage, having been first called into the Farney panel by Malachy O’Rourke in 2013.

“It’s probably an advantage some of the other teams have that they have more home-based players to get more collective sessions in and get their training sessions earlier.

You look at some people and they’re home at 9pm and we’re only finishing our training at nine or after in. You’re back into your house around 12am and by the time you get settled down in the bed, you’re wrecked.

“But that’s just the way it is and there’s no point complaining about it, it’s not going to change. The road from Monaghan to Dublin is not going to get any shorter! I’ve been doing it since 2013 so I’m used to it now, it’s part of my week.”

Night shifts are par for the course for Wylie, like many hospital workers, but he’s not the type to complain about balancing a demanding job with inter-county football.

“If you want to find it tough, it will be tough. You just have base your week and month on a bit more preparation. That’s nearly helping me as well. You’re nearly more prepared for the week and month.

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Ryan Wylie was at the Allianz Football League 2019 launch.

Source: Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE

“You know what’s ahead of you and you base your training all around it. It’s grand. I’m sure there’s loads of other players around the country with tougher jobs. To be honest, personally, it’s grand. I get on with it just fine.

“There’s the odd time that I’m not able to make training or I’m missing something. In fairness, Malachy’s very good. He understands. He knows everything that’s going on. He’d know that I wouldn’t be one to miss it because you’re lying up at home.

“He knows I have a genuine reason. He knows that I’d get the work done. He’s very accommodating, in fairness. It helps out that way.

“At the minute, I’m happy. I’ve got a good house, a good job. I’m 24, living in Dublin. Dublin is good craic so I don’t think I’ll be leaving it soon.”

Wylie tackles Con O’Callaghan in the 2017 All-Ireland quarter-final.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

The Ballybay clubman has developed into one of the finest man-markers in the game. He can consider himself very unlucky not to have picked up an All-Star after a season where Monaghan reached the All-Ireland semi-final for the first time since 1988.

Wylie held the likes of Paul Geaney and Lee Brennan scoreless in the championship, while he conceded just a point off Galway’s All-Star forward Ian Burke in the Super 8s meeting.

The corner-back admits he enjoys the challenge of coming up against the best forwards in the country.

“They’re the same as us. They’re just another person – they have two arms, two legs like I do. Both of us just go out and the forward’s job is to score and my job is to stop him scoring. One of us is going to lose out one way or another. I don’t really change anything.

It’s a good old battle though if you’re marking somebody and their prime objective is to get a score. You get a few tasty battles during the year – that’s the exciting thing about it.

“It’s great to be challenging yourself against the best in any walk of life. You always want to keep improving and the only way to improve is to be playing the best. 

In Division 1 especially we’re going to be playing seven games and it’s going to be against the best players in the country.”

****

The inter-county famine is about to end, giving way to a nine-week feast of Allianz Football League action between the weekend after next and the four divisional finals in Croke Park on March 30/31. The exciting programme features 116 games across the four divisions in a campaign which will mark the 27th year of Allianz’ partnership with the GAA as sponsor of the Allianz Leagues, making it one of the longest-running sponsorships in Irish sport.

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JIM MCGUINNESS BELIEVES that Gaelic football’s experimental rules will affect All-Ireland champions Dublin more than any other side if they remain in place for the Allianz leagues. 

The controversial rules have been trialled throughout this month’s pre-season competitions, and will be reviewed by the GAA’s Ard Comhairle on 19 January to determine whether they will remain in place for the league. 

The handpass rule – whereby the ball must be kicked after a team completes three consecutive handpasses – has cut the most ice, with myriad critics arguing it does nothing to eradicate the deep, blanket defences that have become characteristic of the modern game. 

Speaking to The42, McGuinness accentuated their potential impact on Dublin’s style of play. 

“Those rules are different for every single team in the country as you have a different set of players with different skill-sets”.

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I think that the team that could be most impacted by those rules will potentially be Dublin. They have morphed into a team that are very conscientious on the ball: they want to keep the ball and keep the ball to wait for you to jump and press and when you do that, space opens up behind you and then they’ll make an incision with a runner ahead of the ball.

“That very conscientious, possession-based football that they have – the handpass rule won’t suit them”. 

McGuinness also foresees Dublin being hit by the proposed kickout rule, whereby restarts must be taken from the 20-metre line and pass the ’45.

“Their biggest asset over the last ten years has been Stephen Cluxton. They can beat you on the short kick-out every single time. And if the short’s not on, they can kick it a medium length, and if you push right up there is space in behind and they will knock it over the top of you.

“Now [under the proposed new rule] the short and medium-length kicks are gone. A huge part of their kick strategy – two-thirds of it – will potentially be gone.

“Cluxton is a master of what others call the dangerous kickout into his own 45 – they aren’t dangerous in his head as it is so easy for him. Taking that away pushes him into the category of all other goalkeepers.

If we had Neil Gallagher and Rory Kavanagh in the middle of the field five or six years ago, and you had to kick the ball out between the two 45s, we’d have been delighted with that. They are big, strong strapping lads who love to catch ball.

“A lot of teams because of short kick outs, like Tyrone for example, they don’t recruit big men. They don’t need big men”. 

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UL 1-13
DIT 1-12

Conor McKenna reports from Grangegorman

UL ADVANCED TO round three of the Sigerson Cup after a narrow one point victory over DIT, with a Keelan Sexton masterclass sealing the victory.

Sexton was magnificent for UL throughout registering 1-10 throughout the match, in what was a fine individual performance from the Clare footballer.

Ronan O’Toole opened the scoring in the first minute of the game to give his side an early advantage.

DIT held a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after Callum Pearson’s effort but UL were superb in the opening half and held a three point lead after a goal from Keelan Sexton, which in truth had more than an element of fortune.

A dipping ball from Sexton found it’s way past Mark Jackson in the DIT goalmouth and Jackson will be very disappointed with the manner of the goal as it was one that could easily have been avoided.

DIT registered a goal before the interval courtesy of the impressive Ronan O’Toole, with the Westmeath star finding the net with a neat effort from close range.

The teams were level at 1-7 apiece at the break but a series of outstanding scores from Sexton gave his side a three point lead with time almost up.

Mark Jackson narrowed the deficit with a well struck free and a further place ball effort from Callum Pearson reduced the gap to a single point but UL held out for a one point victory.

Scorers for UL: Keelan Sexton 1-10 (0-7f), Plunkett Maxwell 0-1, Eoghan Lawless 0-2.

Scorers for DIT: Ronan O’Toole 1-4, Mark Jackson 0-3, (1 45, 0-2fs), James Conlon 0-2, Callum Pearson, Ross O’Brien and Tom Keane (0-1f) 0-1 each.

UL

1. Sean Long (An Gaeltacht, Kerry)

2. Michael Reidy (Ballymacelligott, Kerry)
22. Gavin White (Kerry)
4. Frank Flanagan (Portlaoise, Dublin) 

20. Plunkett Maxwell (Rosemount, Westmeath)
6. John Cunnane (Ballyhaunis, Mayo)
12. Joseph O’Connor (Austin Stacks, Kerry)

8. Darragh Bohannon (Shannon Gaels, Clare)
9. Ultan Harney (Clann na Gael, Roscommon)

10. Fionn McDonagh (Westport, Mayo)
18. Cormac Linnane (Kerry)
15. Eoghan Lawless (Suncroft, Kildare) 

11. Keelan Sexton (Kilmurray Ibrickane, Clare)
24. Tom Hoare (Kerry)
26. James Lyons (Mayo)

Subs

21. Brian Friel (Kerry) for McDonagh (28)
14. Nigel Rabbitte (Abbeylara, Longford) for Friel (43)
29. Josh Ronayne (Mayo) for Linnane (51)
7. Paul Maher (Adare, Limerick) for Hoare (59)

DIT

1. Mark Jackson (Baltinglass, Wicklow)

5. James McCusker (St. Vincents, Dublin)
3. Brian Power (Ratoath, Meath)
4. Andy Mc Gowan (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)

7. David Toner (Curraha, Meath)
6. Sean Flanagan (St. Loman’s, Westmeath)
20. Fintan O’Shea (Wicklow) 

8. Sean Hurley (Johnstownbridge, Kildare)
9. Ross O’Brien (Rathnew, Wicklow)

10. Callum Pearson (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)
11. Ronan O’Toole (St. Loman’s, Westmeath)
12. Brian Howard (Raheny, Dublin) 

13. Luke Loughlin (The Downs, Westmeath)
14. Oisin Lynch (Fingallians, Dublin)
15. James Conlon (St. Colmcilles, Meath)

Subs

17. Tom Keane (Dublin) for Toner (38)
18. Killian O’Gara (Templeogue, Synge Street) for Loughlin (52)
28. Donal Monahan (Cavan) for Flanagan (56)
21. Francis Maguire (Monaghan) for Pearson (60 + 1)

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)

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UCC 7-26
Athlone IT 2-4

John O’Shea reports from the Mardyke 

IN THIS SIGERSON Cup first round clash played at the Mardyke on tonight, UCC came out on top in quite devastating fashion.

UCC, who have won the Sigerson title on 21 occasions and most recently in 2014, set their stall out from the very start.

Paudie Clifford posted 3-1 for the hosts, while Conor Horgan (2-2) and Gary Murphy (1-4) also raised green flags in a devastating attacking performance.

There was a gulf from the outset between the two teams, as UCC made a very strong statement of their intent.

Killian Spillane, who finished with five points, is one of a strong Kerry contingent in the UCC squad and he made his mark on proceedings with a number of finely taken scores.

Sean O’Shea was among a host of players from the Kingdom that posed problems throughout.

By the half time break, UCC had a lead of 3-16 to the 1-1 of Athlone IT, the score told you everything about how one-sided this game transpired.

Horgan was also to prove clinical in front of goal, as did Clifford, the older brother of highly rated Kerry footballer David.

The one-way traffic continued after the restart and right up until the very conclusion.

UCC showed no signs of letting up and they continued to find scores with clinical effect.

The Cork side now progress into the quarter-finals and will take some stopping based on this showing.

Athlone will lick their wounds, have to dust themselves down and go again in the back door stages.

Scorers for UCC: Paudie Clifford 3-1, Conor Horgan 2-2, Gary Murphy 1-4, Killian Spillane 0-5, Conor Geaney 1-1, Eimhin Courtney 0-4, Sean O’Shea 0-3, Cian Kiely, David Shaw 0-2 each, Ronan Buckley, James McEntee 0-1 each

Scorers for Athlone IT: Rian Brady, Billy Berry 1-0 each, David McManus 0-2, Gavin Horan 0-1.

UCC

1. Eoghan O’Brien (Churchill, Kerry)

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2. Liam O’Donovan (Clonakilty, Cork)
3. Kevin Flahive (Douglas, Cork)
4. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses, Kerry)

5. James McEntee (Curraha, Meath)
6. Dan O’Brien (Glenflesk, Kerry)
7. Cian Kiely (Ballincollig, Cork)

8. Pádraig Lucey (Killarney Legion, Kerry)
9. Jack Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials, Tipperary)

10. Paudie Clifford (Fossa, Kerry)
11. Sean O’Shea (Kenmare, Kerry)
12. Conor Horgan (Nemo Rangers, Cork)

13. Gary Murphy (Castletownbere, Cork)
14. Killian Spillane (Templenoe, Kerry)
15. Eimhin Courtney (Éire Óg, Clare)

Subs

23. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht, Kerry) for O’Brien (28)
29. Michael Flood (St Brigid’s, Kerry) for O’Donovan(HT)
34. Andrew Barry (Na Gaeil, Kerry) for Kennedy (HT)
31. Conor Geaney (Dingle, Kerry) for Clifford (HT)
18. David Shaw (Dr Crokes, Kerry) for Spillane (HT)
19. Ronan Buckley (Listry, Kerry) for Horgan (40)

Athlone IT

1. Cormac Haslam (Galway)

2. Darragh Healy (Westmeath)
3. Damien Carroll (Westmeath)
4. Eabhan Tully (Roscommon)

5. Einne O’Connor (Clare)
6. David McManus (Roscommon)
7. Jamie Smyth (Meath)

8. Killian Maguire (Cavan)
9. Gavin Horan (Kerry)

10. Sean Keogh (Cavan)
11. Rian Brady (Longford)
12. Daire Mullin (Roscommon)

13. Robbie Forde (Westmeath)
14. Billy Berry (Westmeath)
15. Sean Clarke (Longford)

Subs:

19 Ciaran McDonagh (Galway) for Smyth (12)
20. Cian O’Dea (Mayo) for Keogh (40)
17. Tommy Lennon (Westmeath) for Mullin (50)

Referee: Richard Moloney (Limerick)

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STEPHEN O’BRIEN WAS an ever-present on the Kerry half-forward line last summer, meaning he had a front-row seat for David Clifford’s stunning breakthrough campaign. 

Stephen O’Brien celebrates scoring a goal against Cork with David Clifford.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

The Fossa star arrived into the season on the back of heavy interest from the AFL and a truckload of expectation on his young shoulders before he even kicked a ball with the seniors.

He enjoyed a few stand-out games in the league and played well in Munster, but Clifford really shone for the Kingdom in the Super 8s – scoring 4-14 across three games.

The 19-year-old’s impact in the championship saw him named Young Footballer of the Year and awarded with his first All-Star over the winter. 

“He has ferocious talent, it’s unbelievable,” says O’Brien of his fellow attacker.

“I know he’s only a young fella, but he doesn’t look young. He’s huge. He’s well able for the physical side of things. His ability is there for all to see.

“He really kicked on in the Super 8s for Kerry in the championship, but I think everyone inside there knew that was in him. Even when the games weren’t going as well in him, it doesn’t take a genius to tell that he’s a class footballer.

“He’s a mighty man altogether. In fairness to him, he’s very down to earth. We were having a bit of a sing-song there (recently) and he’s unbelievable at singing as well so he just has it all.

“He won some golf tournament as well last year but he wasn’t eligible. He’s just one of these fellas that has it all. I’ll come back to ye if I find anything that he’s not good at!”

As well as his on-field talent, Clifford is a deep-thinker of the game.

“Talking football you can tell that he thinks about it a lot. He told me before that he goes to a lot of club games.

“He has ideas about what way the ball is coming in and stuff like that and runs – he has brilliant movement off the ball. He clearly has a ridiculous football intelligence as well.”

In addition to Clifford, Eamonn Fitzmaurice also brought through Sean O’Shea and Gavin White last year and both had major impacts on Kerry’s season.

Stephen O’Brien was speaking at the Allianz Football League launch in Croke Park.

Source: Brendan Moran/SPORTSFILE

Following the final round Super 8s win over Kildare in Killarney, which wasn’t enough to see the Kingdom progress, Fitzmaurice informed the team of his decision to step down.

He’d been there every step of O’Brien’s senior career with the county. Fitzmaurice managed him at U21 level in 2012 and introduced the Kenmare Shamrocks man to the senior set-up in 2014 – when they went on to lift the Sam Maguire.

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Fitzmaurice did plenty for O’Brien off the field too.

“The man is class personified. He’s just a quality man really. He had a big impact on my life, outside of football even as well. He’s a role model or a kind of father figure, that’s how I would see him.

“At the end of the day, the last two years didn’t finish well. I don’t think through any fault of Eamonn, but at the end of the day it comes down to the manager. The book stops with him. 

‘It’s obviously emotional when he was such a huge part of your life for seven years or whatever it was, and then that’s gone.

“(He was) a role model, but even I used him as a work reference for a CV, things like that. He’d be handy that way. It meant a lot coming from him.”

****

The inter-county famine is about to end, giving way to a nine-week feast of Allianz Football League action between the weekend after next and the four divisional finals in Croke Park on 30/31 March. The exciting programme features 116 games across the four divisions in a campaign which will mark the 27th year of Allianz’ partnership with the GAA as sponsor of the Allianz Leagues, making it one of the longest-running sponsorships in Irish sport.

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UCD 5-8
CIT 0-10

Kevin O’Brien reports from Belfield

UCD SURVIVED A ropey start before blitzing CIT with a five-goal haul in the opening round of the Sigerson Cup this afternoon.

Con O’Callaghan, Conor McCarthy, Evan O’Carroll, Fiachra Clifford and Conor Hartley all hit the net for the reigning champions, who now advance into round three of the third-level competition.

UCD trailed by seven points after an extremely slow start to the game, but Paul Walsh’s dismissal for CIT just before half-time severely dented their challenge.

The defeat means CIT head to the backdoor, where they’ll play the losers of tomorrow’s DCU and IT Carlow clash for a place in the third round.

With a host of inter-county stars at UCD’s disposal, including 2017 All-Star O’Callaghan, Monaghan forward McCarthy, Mayo’s Stephen Coen and Tyrone defender Conor Meyler, they took control after the break and powered to victory.

Corofin and Galway corner-back Liam Silke was introduced for the second-half, forming a formidable half-forward line alongside McCarthy and O’Callaghan.

The Cork college wilted after the restart, failing to score in the second-half with UCD’s Cillian O’Shea proving an effective sweeper as the spare man.

John Divilly cut a concerned figure on the sideline early on as UCD fell 0-8 to 0-1 behind inside the opening 18 minutes, with Cork native Daniel Ó Duinnín looking lively and contributing four points.

Hartley, a late addition to the starting team, rolled in a 20th-minute goal to settle the favourites. Five minutes later, McCarthy drilled a glorious outside the boot strike into the top corner, leaving UCD two behind at half-time.

Source: HE GAA/YouTube

By that stage, CIT had lost Walsh to a second yellow card for hauling down O’Callaghan, while Gavin O’Brien was black-carded for an off the ball hit on his marker Cian O’Connor.

The second period was merely a procession. Laois man O’Carroll flicked a Barry McGinn delivery into the net and then Clifford, who scored two goals for Kerry in the 2017 All-Ireland minor final, palmed in UCD’s fourth three-pointer from close range.

O’Callaghan finally raised the green flag himself shortly before the end after a strong run and finish past Christopher Kelly.

Scorers for UCD: Evan O’Carroll 1-2 (0-1f), Conor McCarthy, Con O’Callaghan and Fiachra Clifford 1-1 each, Conor Hartley 1-0, Barry McGinn 0-2, Liam Silke 0-1.

Scorers for CIT:  Daniel Ó Duinnín 0-4, Kevin O’Donovan 0-3, Chris O’Donoghue, Mark Buckley, Matthew Bradley 0-1 each.

UCD

1. Tommy O’Brien (Monaghan)

2. Mark Dempsey (Moorefield, Kildare)
3. Brian Byrne (Naas, Kildare)
4. Martin O’Connor (HWH-Bunclody, Wexford)

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5. Cian O’Connor (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)
6. Conor Meyler (Omagh, Tyrone)
7. Cillian O’Shea (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin)

9. Stephen Coen (Hollymount-Carramore, Mayo)
12. Darren Gavin (Lucan Sarsfields, Dublin)

21. Conor Hartley (Sarsfields, Kildare)
11. Conor McCarthy (Scotstown, Monaghan)
10. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala, Dublin)

13. Fiachra Clifford (Laune Rangers, Kerry)
14. Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard, Laois)
15. Barry McGinn (Doohamlet, Monaghan)

Subs

17. Liam Silke (Corofin, Galway) for Hartley (ht)
19. Frank Connolly (Monaghan) for Byrne (51)
23. Conor Crowley (Palatine, Carlow) for Meyler (54)
18. Dara Kennedy (Killygarry, Cavan) for O’Carroll (55)
24. Conor Moriarty (Curraha, Meath) for Clifford (57)
29. Niall O’Callaghan (Cuala, Dublin) for Con O’Callaghan (57)

Cork IT

1. Christopher Kelly (Éire Óg, Cork)

2. Mike Lordan (Ballinora, Cork)
3. Aidan Browne (Newmarket, Cork)
4. Chris O’Donoghue (Glenflesk, Kerry)

5. Niall O’Donoghue (Firies, Kerry)
6. Eoin Lavers (Dohenys, Cork)
7. Brian Surgrue (Renard, Kerry)

8. Paul Walsh (Kanturk, Cork)
21. Ryan Walsh (Kanturk, Cork)

10. Gavin O’Brien (Kerins O’Rahilly’s, Kerry)
11. Daniel Ó Duinnín (Cill na Martra, Cork)
12. Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers, Cork)

13. Mark Buckley (Dohenys, Cork)
14. James Crean (Annascaul, Kerry)
15. Matthew Bradley (Aghabullogue, Cork)

Subs

17. Sean Walsh (Mitchelstown, Cork) for O’Brien (black card, 30)
18. Ben Hyland (Fr Sheehy’s, Tipperary) for Bradley (ht)
25. Sean Howard (Dromtarriffe, Cork) for Ryan Walsh (46)
19. Brian Hodnett (Carbery Rangers, Cork) for Buckley (46)
23. Donnchadh O’Sullivan (Firies, Kerry) for Crean (55)

Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois)

**********************

Garda College 1-15
IT Sligo 1-10

TODAY’S OTHER FIRST round Sigerson Cup game finished with a five-point victory for home side Garda College in Templemore.

They finished strongly in order to secure the spoils, outscoring IT Sligo by 1-4 to 0-1 in the closing stages.

Garda College were narrowly in front 0-7 to 0-6 at the interval and stayed in the ascendancy until Donegal’s Jamie Brennan netted from the penalty spot to edge IT Sligo in front by 1-9 to 0-11 in the 52nd minute.

Garda College held their nerve to register three points in succession as they went back in front before a late Ronan Carolan goal helped them seal an eventual five-point success.

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