Month: September 2021

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HAVING SAT ALONGSIDE him in the Sky Sports studio for the past couple of seasons, Senan Connell is a good man to assess what James Horan can bring to the table on his second stint in charge of Mayo. 

Horan is back in the hot seat of his native county, who he previously managed from 2011 to 2014. In the meantime, he’s studied a Masters in coaching, sampled several professional set-ups in various codes and managed at club level in both hurling and football.

Horan stayed plugged into the inter-county scene through his TV work with Sky, which Connell feels will benefit him hugely on his return to the sideline. 

“When he came on board first of all, certainly you would have got the idea that he was – I wouldn’t say happy to be out, but maybe he’d gone so far,” said Connell.

“I think last year you got a sense from him, because we were pinging questions off him believe me all the time about whether he’d any interest. 

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“He’s very good and you guys will know it, he’s very shrewd in how he just bats them questions away. He won’t give information away too easy. But come the All-Ireland final day in studio, post-match he was asked live on air.

“At that time his name was in the media because it had been seven or eight weeks since Kildare had beaten them, you got a sense off him then that he was going to go back. But certainly not in the early years.

“But I will say he’s a very shrewd man, a very intelligent man, a very intelligent manager I’d say as well. 

Connell was speaking at eir Sport’s launch of its Allianz Leagues coverage.

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

In his first spell over Mayo, the players spoke about how Horan changed the culture within the set-up. This time around, it’s expected he’ll be even more tactically nuanced and will bring different innovations to the table.

“If you think about it, we’re sitting in a TV studio there with Peter Canavan and Jim McGuinness,” continued the former Dublin forward.

“So you’re tapping into brains that have come from different angles and if anywhere at the back of his mind he was thinking about going back, if it was me I’d have a notepad full of stuff after every round of games you’re working with. 

“As a manager, you can imagine how much time is taken up managing players, venues and all the other stuff. Whereas James was just going to venues, prepping stuff, watching videos of games, analysing in detail with touchscreen stuff.

“He’ll have a whole armoury of stuff that he didn’t have before. Plus an inside line, I’m sure he would have been tapping brains and ideas from all of us. So he’ll have that as well.”

Jim McGuinness pictured in the Sky Sports studio during a game.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

While it’s difficult to see anyone taking down Dublin once again this year, Connell believes Mayo are the best-placed side to challenge them.

“It’s a difficult one. I think Mayo have made a great decision in bringing James Horan back because if nothing else, we now know you need time to develop a culture. It’s all about the culture really and Dublin already have that. 

“With James being there before, the whole bunch of players he had there before and then to bring in the newer guys, I think he’ll get that culture fairly fast because they can tap into it.

“That’s one team you’ll always be wary of. If they can keep guys like Cillian (O’Connor) injury free, nail down a spot for Aidan O’Shea, they’re always dangerous.”

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IT’S BEEN A nice start to 2019 for newly-appointed Cork captain Doireann O’Sullivan.

Doireann O’Sullivan.

Source: Sportsfile.

After All-Ireland final heartbreak with the Rebels in September, the end of 2018 was sweeter than she ever could have imagined as she steered her club Mourneabbey to national glory at the fifth time of asking.

The five-in-a-row Cork and Munster champions finally put three painful decider defeats (2014, 2015 and 2017) and a semi-final loss (2016) to bed as they beat Dublin kingpins Foxrock-Cabinteely and lifted the Dolores Tyrrell Memorial Cup.

From there, it’s been all go between a weekend break to Amsterdam, her older sister Roisin’s wedding, Christmas, a skiing trip to Andorra, and easing herself back to reality.

That has been helped, of course, by the news that she’ll lead 11-time champions Cork in 2019, taking over from her sister Ciara,

There’s been other positive developments in Ephie Fitzgerald’s camp with the confirmation of two Páirc Uí Chaoimh double-headers set for the league, and another in the Munster championship.

The 24-year-old is obviously in great form off the back of all of this and more than happy to discuss her captaincy, their upcoming — and first competitive — Páirc Uí Chaoimh appearances, the Cork set-up in general and that magical club All-Ireland win before Christmas.

“I suppose I can’t do any worse,” she jokes, when asked about taking over from four-time All-Star Ciara as skipper.

Sister Act: Ciara (left) and Doireann (right).

Source: Sportsfile.

“Ah no, to be fair, taking over from Ciara will be a nice transition because she promised she’d help me throughout the year. She’s done it for the last four years so she has a lot of experience. She just said she’d help me out, and I know as well, there’s girls who’ve been on the panel for seven, eight years now as well so they’ll help out massively. 

“Anything you ask anybody to do, they’re more than willing to. Even last year, Ciara would have done 90% of it, but you can delegate as well. There’s good leaders within the team.

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She adds: “I don’t see much changing, to be honest, in terms of my role on the team. Obviously if you’re on an inter-county panel, you wouldn’t be there if you weren’t willing to train hard.

“I suppose Ciara last year would have asked me to speak before matches, she would have asked Martina [O’Brien] or [Orla] Finn or [Orlagh] Farmer or [Eimear] Scally or whoever to speak before a match. Sometimes it is monotonous, I suppose, listening to the same voice or the same person harping on about a point whereas getting other people to step up as well [helps].

“There’s leaders throughout the team. I definitely won’t be speaking all the time, I’ll be looking at the other girls too to step up.”

Since linking up with the senior panel in 2012, O’Sullivan has become a star forward for the Leesiders, her monstrous point-scoring and free-taking contributing greatly to the five All-Ireland titles and five Division 1 league titles she has won.

Lifting the league title in 2017.

Source: Tom Beary/INPHO

She actually captained the side to their 2017 league crown in the absence of Ciara, who was away at the time.

“I suppose I got to lift the cup that day when Ciara was travelling,” she smiles. “It is a massive honour and massive privilege and I’m not saying it’s not, like it’s huge. I’m absolutely delighted.

“But as I say, I don’t see my role changing a whole pile. Obviously, I’ll have to communicate and be a link between management and players and put more time into the organisation side of things but in terms of playing and what is said in the dressing room, we all speak up.

“It’s a lonely dressing room if there’s only one voice so you’re hoping that you start away and other girls bounce off you. There’s massive leadership and people have stepped up. I suppose when we had so many retirements, we didn’t have a choice but to step up.

“I’m 24, this is my eighth year on the panel. The likes of Scally now is 22 and she’s being seen as an old one. We had a bonding weekend there and we split into the old ones and the young ones for an activity. Scall is just finished U21 and she’s classified as an old one. I suppose you’re forced to mature and grow up in that sense which is good.”

Last week it was announced that Cork will make history as they prepare for their first-ever competitive Páirc Uí Chaoimh outing next month. They’re pencilled in to face Tipperary at the county’s main grounds on 23 February while the men go head-to-head with Meath afterwards.

Their second appearance will be against Donegal on 16 March with the men’s sides locking horns in the second game.

“It’s class, to be honest,” O’Sullivan, who collected a first All-Star in December, continues. “I was absolutely delighted when I heard that.

Doireann O’Sullivan celebrating reaching the 2018 All-Ireland final with Orlagh Farmer.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

“I was even talking to people in my club and in school and whatever, and I think people do find it hard to believe that we haven’t played there before. What that’s going to do for support and attendance is insane like.

“When I’m going to a match and I find out it’s on in a poor location down the countryside, no stand, no programme, you’re not attracted to go. Páirc Uí Chaoimh then, even if the match itself turns out to be a poor game — hopefully they won’t be — it’s a day out like, for families or whoever. A double-header as well is just an added bonus, you’re getting your value for money there. 

“It is something we’ve been looking forward to and we were just delighted when we heard the news last week.  The 20×20 campaign, that’s massive. Getting attendance up, it’s made it so much more attractive. Even say, Munster matches down in Drumcolliher and stuff, it’s just how are you expecting people to go there? It’s way more appealing to people [to go to Páirc Uí Chaoimh].”

Another benefit she sees is the fact that they’ll be showing the game off in front of a new — and bigger — audience. While All-Ireland final attendances have increased drastically over the past few years (46,286 in 2017 and 50,141 in 2018), they must grow beyond that.

It is, of course, the marquee event of the year but attendances through the league’s round robin fixtures and even the All-Ireland semi- and quarter-finals are poor.

“The biggest crowd we’ve played in front of the last couple of years would be Croke Park which actually is hugely daunting when you go from playing in front of a crowd of… your parents,” she laughs, “to over 50,000 last year.

“That’s hugely daunting so it will be really, really good to get experience of playing in front of a crowd and hopefully then, the end goal is to play in Croke Park in September. To get that experience of playing in front of crowds might stand to us if we do reach Croke Park in September.”

Facing Fox-Cab in the All-Ireland club final.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

“When you train just as hard as the men do, I suppose,” she adds on showcasing the game. “Pitch sessions are minimum three times a week and then you’ve the gym twice, that’s five evenings or whatever.

“I think the least a team, regardless of gender, deserves is good facilities and to showcase our skills and what we’ve been training for all year. We’re kind of jumping on the men’s bandwagon. Hopefully we’ll get some of their crowd as well and attendance will improve.”

Cork will be hoping to set their stall out in this year’s Lidl Ladies National Football League Division 1 and go from there, after their six in-a-row hopes were dashed by Mayo in last year’s semi-final.

In the championship, while they returned to Croke Park following their 2017 absence, the Munster champions had to settle for 11 All-Ireland titles in 14 years as they were edged out by old foes Dublin on a scoreline of 3-11 to 1-12.

“Last year had positives and negatives for us,” O’Sullivan says. “It was our goal to get back there in September and obviously win the All-Ireland.

“We got one step further, getting back to Croke Park. I think it was six of the girls’ first time ever starting in an All-Ireland final. That experience is invaluable regardless of the outcome of the match, getting to play in Croke Park in a stadium of over 50,000 people, that will hopefully stand to us this year.

“We have a training panel at the moment of about 35 plus. We’ll be cutting that down but we’ll be using all players for the league to see what we have, bringing in new players. Last year, we got Saoirse Noonan in so hopefully we’ll get a couple of minors and a few new players that might have gone under the radar in previous years.

“We’ll experiment with the league and try go one step forward this year in championship.”

The O’Sullivan family in 2015.

Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

And while that All-Ireland senior club final win with Mourneabbey may feel like a lifetime ago now after the month’s celebrating the side put down, the memories are specials and ones that will last forever.

“It’s been a crazy couple of weeks,” the teacher grins, explaining everything that’s happened since. “Getting back to school now and back down to the gym and training is kind of a shock to the system.

“But we had I suppose the best month of our lives. We’ve been working for five years to win that All-Ireland and thankfully this year we got over the line.”

The outpouring of emotion around Parnell Park as the final whistle sounded said it all, and while O’Sullivan isn’t exactly delighted to be reminded on that, she most definitely agrees.

“Looking back now, we’re probably a small bit embarrassed. Well I think I am definitely embarrassed about doing an interview on TG4 while crying. I won’t live that one down!

Agallamh le Laoch na hImeartha Doireann O'Sullivan ó @MourneabbeyLFC
Sár Cluiche aici! @CorkLGFA #ProperFan#LGFAClubspic.twitter.com/vYeANRcTXb

— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) December 8, 2018

“But it definitely was the best moment of my life when that final whistle went. There’s men who were 80 plus years of age crying on the field afterwards. Both my parents were crying.

“I suppose we had been crying for all the wrong reasons in previous years so to get over the line after such hard work, and such misery in previous years, it just meant everything to us.”

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KERRY LEGEND TOMÁS O’Sé doesn’t see the Kingdom in the running for the All-Ireland SFC title in 2019.

Tomás O’Sé: ‘I’m not going to be talking about Kerry having a chance of winning the All-Ireland. I think they have a lot to work on.’

Source: David Fitzgerald/SPORTSFILE

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The five-time All-Ireland champion doesn’t see his county at the level to knock Jim Gavin’s Dublin off their throne as they bid for five in-a-row.

With a new man at the helm in Cahersiveen native Peter Keane, Kerry are facing into their National Football League campaign fresh and with plenty of youth in their ranks.

Keane, taking over from Eamonn Fitzmaurice, has developed a brilliant track record at underage level. steering the Kerry minors to three Munster and All-Ireland titles since he took charge in 2016.

With the likes of David Clifford and Sean O’Shea now established on the senior inter-county scene, O’Sé feels that it may still be too soon to put Kerry in the picture as proper All-Ireland contenders this year though.

“I think there will be pressure,” he told the media at this afternoon’s launch of the Gourmet Food Parlour HEC Ladies Football Championships.

“I think there’s always pressure, whether it’s Peter Keane or Eamonn Fitzmaurice. Even last year, I said he deserves time to bed in and give players a chance.

“Kerry are being bandied about as the team to take Dublin off their perch — if any team will — and I’m saying, ‘Where the fuck is that coming from, like?’ because they didn’t even get the chance to go against them last year?

“I’m not going to be talking about Kerry having a chance of winning the All-Ireland. I think they have a lot to work on. Kerry have to focus on the league and let Peter Keane put his mark on things. I still think there’s a couple of players coming through and there’s young players. 

“Look, you can boil it down to a couple of sentences in Kerry: the young lads coming through are doing outstandingly well. Only for them, we would have lost to Monaghan last year [in the Super 8s].

“I think the facts — and I don’t like basing things on facts — they show that Kerry were too easy to score against and have been too easy to score against.”

New Kerry manager Peter Keane.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

The former Nemo Rangers player added, of the optimism in Kerry: “There is and there’s talk about Donie Buckley and what Peter Keane achieved with the minors, the relationship he had with the young players and how much time they had for him.

“There is a buzz down there, yeah, but nobody knows what’s going to happen. Eamonn Fitzmaurice got an awful amount of giving out. You could argue certain cases but the reality was that Kerry weren’t up to it. I’m not going to be naming players but Kerry were not up to it last year, they were not good enough in the latter stages of the championship.

“The Munster championship certainly didn’t help them. The league, they’ll get a better gauge of where they are.”

O’Sé also discussed the experimental new rules at length, and how he was disappointed that the controversial handpass rule was ditched ahead of the National Football League at Saturday’s Central Council meeting.

He was a leading advocate for extending that rule change in particular, and expressed his regret at the decision to scrap the idea of three consecutive handpasses and then a kick. He feels that it got an “unfair” hearing to.

“I was,” he explained, when asked if he was disappointed. “It’s not that I thought the rule would fix everything or that it would even work, but I think it was looked upon [that] it’s only going to suit defensive teams.

“It probably would but I think you have to think it out and picture the whole scene. 

“I don’t think any coaches would have an issue with saying ‘This is the rule – there’s three hand passes.’ Then after three or four or five games, I think you would see the game develop and open up, and say we have to have an outlet to kick the ball.

“I think words like ‘Don’t take a play if you don’t have to’, ‘Look up straight away’, ‘Kick it if you can’, ‘Get it out of the congestion as quick as you can’ [would have been said more]. To do all those things, you have to change the way you’re set up. Based on that argument alone, it’s not as if it’s going to [definitely] work, but I think it deserves a trial.

“The likes of Kerry didn’t play a match under it. There was a lot of counties that didn’t play a match under it.

Lining out with Kerry in 2013.

Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

“I think the managers and players were saying, ‘It’s not coming into championship, it’s just a gimmick, we’re not doing it’. There was no voice coming from the other side.”

He added, on county managers being against the introduction of the rule: “Central Council delegates went up [to the meeting]. I’d love to know how many county managers whispered into the ear, ‘This is the way it has to go.’

“I’m not giving out and I’m not harping on, ‘Oh it would have changed that’, but I think it deserved a chance. A lot of thought went into it, and thinking about it as a spectacle.

“95 per cent of the people don’t like 90 per cent of the matches. They don’t want to watch it.”

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FORMER ALL-Ireland winning manager John O’Mahony has suggested that teams should keep an open mind in relation to the new rules that are being trialled in Gaelic football.

Five rules were introduced ahead of this year’s pre-season competitions, four of which will be experimented further during the Allianz National Football Leagues.

A controversial handpass rule was scrapped following a meeting of the Central Council at Croke Park over the weekend, while rules regarding the sideline kick, the advanced mark, the sin-bin and the kickout have all been retained.

O’Mahony, who has recently been appointed as manager of Westmeath club The Downs, says that while new rules can benefit the sport, ‘a change of attitude’ is also required to give them the best chance of success.

“The handpass was controversial,” he told The42.

I would always have an open mind that they [the rules] were put on display for genuine reasons.

“As much as a change of rules, a change of attitude in teams [is needed]. The game has changed so much [and is] very defensive.

“The challenge at inter-county level in particular is that clubs at all levels copy it and the fact that there’d be blanket defences at U12 competitions is outlandish to be honest.

The handpass rule came under scrutiny during the pre-season competitions.

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“I think the burden on the referees with the handpass [rule] was huge in the sense that they had to be counting and counting [passes] and watching what was going on behind them so that was a difficult one.”

The former Leitrim, Galway and Mayo boss added:

I initially thought the mark wouldn’t work but I think it has been a good development for the game so I think you should always give them a chance.

“When new rules are introduced, I think if everyone can decide to take a step back and let them work through the system, [they can work].

“I realise the concerns of inter-county managers. For some teams, particularly the weaker teams, the National League is actually the most important competition where you can go up a level.

“Maybe the fear was that if there was confusion or misinterpretation of that handpass rule, that’s why there was so much opposition.”

There has been a mixed reaction to the ticket price increases which have been confirmed for the 2019 season, with rates set to rise for tickets during the National League and championship campaigns.

GAA president John Horan has defended the decision on the basis that clubs should benefit from the revenue, while former Monaghan footballer Dick Clerkin has also voiced his support for the new measure.

GAA president John Horan has defended the ticket price hikes for the 2019 season.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

“I would imagine it’s an attempt to get people to buy their tickets in advance and the increases wouldn’t be huge for them then,” says O’Mahony.

“The only thing is that it can be quite expensive.

“The message that’ll be taken from this is that people get their tickets early and if they had more season tickets available, that would be a help as well.

“It’s done now but the danger is there has been a contraction of reduced attendances at football [matches]. I’d say they’ll be watching very closely to see what happens.”

O’Mahony takes over The Downs having previously worked as a selector with Leitrim for the last two years.

O’Mahony during a Connacht FBD league game with Leitrim in 2017.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

He also helped out with his local club Ballaghaderreen last year and is looking forward to taking charge of the Westmeath side, where he will add another chapter to a decorated career in management.

Guiding Leitrim to an historic Connacht SFC title in 1994, along with delivering All-Ireland crowns for Galway in 1998 and 2001 are among his greatest achievements, and O’Mahony is focused on the opportunity that awaits him with The Downs.

They last won the Westmeath SFC crown in 2005 and have reached the semi-finals and quarter-finals of the competition in the last two seasons.

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O’Mahony has been linked with the club since 2013 when he came in as a guest coach and will be joined by selectors Tommy Kelly, Brian Murtagh, and Marc Cunningham as they look to bring county title success back to the club.

“I have a lifelong involvement [in management] and I’ll keep that going as long as I can,” says O’Mahony, who was confirmed as The Downs manager on Sunday.

Coaching is the closest thing to playing that I get a lot of satisfaction from working within the GAA because you’re trying to draw all the strands together and maximise the potential of a group of players. That has always appealed to me and I enjoy it.

“It’s not easy and it gets more complicated as time goes on but I still enjoy it. It has been my hobby all my life.”

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THREE-TIME ALL-IRELAND WINNER Niamh McEvoy has welcomed Dublin’s return to Croke Park for two league double-header clashes with open arms. 

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Dublin and DIT star Niamh McEvoy.

Source: David Fitzgerald/SPORTSFILE

Mick Bohan’s back-to-back All-Ireland champions will open their Division 1 defence at HQ against Donegal on Saturday, 2 February, before facing Mayo in a repeat of last year’s decider on 23 February.

Both fixtures will act as curtain raisers for their male counterparts as McEvoy’s Sky Blues look to keep their hands on their first-ever league crown.

The past two years, Dublin have had one league fixture as a double-header in Croke Park so the increase to two comes as a nice boost on top of September’s All-Ireland final day.

“It’s brilliant,” the star forward said at this afternoon’s launch of the Gourmet Food Parlour HEC Ladies Football Championships. “We’re really looking forward to them.

“It’s a brilliant step forward for the sport. I just feel really privileged to be involved at this time. For ladies sport in general in this country, it’s amazing but in particular, our sport.

“It’s brilliant to get these double-headers, it’s more exposure for the sport. Previously, I would have only played in Croke Park if we reached the pinnacle — if you get to the last game of the season — so it’s brilliant now for girls to be getting exposure.

“Apart from the fact that it’s an amazing stadium and stuff, it’s the best pitch in the country. You want to be playing on those types of surfaces.”

27-year-old McEvoy believes that the 13 double billings the LGFA announced yesterday are all positives, and with that comes a chance — and responsibility for the players — to show the rising standards and improvements within the game.

“People might be coming in early before the men’s games to have a look and see what the sport’s about,” she explains, “obviously the onus is on the players to give a good account of ourselves.

“You often hear people beating the drum about attendances and stuff and trying to get people to come out, but then the onus is on the players to actually produce a spectacle. I think over the last two, three years that’s what has begun to happen. The standards have began to rise.

McEvoy is a key player for the Dubs.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

“It’s up to us now on those days, on those two double-headers, to produce good standards for the sport. We’re well aware in ladies football that we need to be producing spectacles if we want the sport to continue to grow.”

She emphasises the fact that she wants it to be a case that people don’t feel like they should go, she wants spectators to be drawn by what ladies football offers.

“In previous years, people would have been saying to me, ‘It was a great family day out’ and stuff like that but now people are saying, ‘That was a brilliant spectacle and I’m really enjoying watching ladies football.

“So many people have said to me, ‘Do you know what? I enjoyed that much more than the men’s game.’ It’s obviously a bit more pure at the minute, there’s no blanket defence, there’s less contact allowed so the tackle is really clear, the dispossessions are really clean.

“Definitely, I’ve felt great pride over the last two or three years where people have been like, ‘What a spectacle that was, what a game, brilliant competition, what an encounter.’

“It’s just great to be involved and I hope that everybody who’s involved in the sport has that similar mindset that you need to continue to raise the standards for the sport to grow.”

McEvoy, a fully-qualified primary school teacher who’s taking a break to pursue a degree in Business and Entrepreneurship in DIT, says there’s a “great buzz” in the Dublin camp as they get set to open their 2019 campaign.

With some players taking a longer break before the madness starts again, they’ve added exciting younger talents to their ranks as they get ready to defend their three titles.

Skerries Harp ace Lyndsey Davey recently committed for a 16th campaign, and her experience and leadership qualities are of vital importance, says McEvoy, while the continuity of Bohan as manager is another welcome boost.

“Mick is brilliant,” she says, adding how much his emphasis on basic skill has improved their game.

Dublin manager Mick Bohan.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

“He came in and was very honest with us. He said our skills weren’t where they needed to be, and there was a responsibility on us as players to raise those standards.

“I heard that there a few offers there [to take over men’s teams] but we are very lucky to have someone of his caliber involved with us.

“He has brought in a brilliant group and he’s a great leader. Anytime Mick tells us something we believe him. Coming up to the All-Ireland final, he told us that we were going to win – if we did certain things – and he’s the type of man that you would believe.

“He’s easy to follow. I believe everything he says. He’s a skills coach. He was involved in the men’s set-up as a skills coach so that’s only going to drive the standards up.”

She’s honoured to be part of Dublin’s success and appreciates that it’s a truly brilliant time to be involved, but 2017 and 2018 are in the past.

It’s all about the future and building on success, as she reminds herself of the dark days and those narrow All-Ireland final defeats to Cork in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

“It’s a really special time to be involved,” she smiles. “We certainly celebrated it for the last couple of months and really enjoyed it.

“But that was last season so we have parked it and we know that nothing we did last year is going to be good enough to do the same this year.

“Once you are successful, it just makes you hungry for more. If we were to go on and not do ourselves justice, it would be extraordinarily disappointing.”

Facing Cork in last year’s final.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

She most definitely won’t get carried away with three in-a-row talk anyway.

“It’s funny, anytime I hear the words ‘three-in-a-row’, I always think of losing three in-a-row to Cork,” she concludes.

“So I would never really let myself get sucked into that type of thing and certainly Mick wouldn’t as well. We’re well aware of he feels on the topic.

“I was involved in 2010 when we won [their first All-Ireland] and then there was a seven-year gap until we won again so I’m very aware of not living in the past and trying to continue to improve.”

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TWO-TIME ALL-Ireland winner Seamus Callanan has been named captain of the Tipperary hurlers for the 2019 season, while Noel McGrath will be the team’s vice-captain.

The triple All-Star Callanan, who has struggled with a back injury in recent times, takes over from Pádraic Maher who skippered the Premier County last year.

Tipperary endured a difficult season in 2018, losing the National League final to Kilkenny before crashing out of the All-Ireland competition during the Munster round-robin series on the back of a defeat to Clare in June.

They were also defeated by Limerick and drew with Cork and Waterford during the provincial competition. 

Loughmore-Castleiney’s McGrath has been selected as the team’s vice-captain for 2019 as Tipperary prepare to begin the Allianz National League under new manager Liam Sheedy.

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AS THE WESTMEATH team bus approached Parnell Park last Friday night, it was enveloped in flashing blue lights from the Gardai that accompanied it. 

Fans arrive to Parnell Park last Friday night.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

New Westmeath manager Jack Cooney had his O’Byrne Cup preparations down to a tee, including arranging a Garda escort to account for any potential traffic problems on the way to the game at the Donnycarney venue. 

It’s his attention to detail that has endeared Westmeath’s first native manager in 26 years to his players in the early stages of his reign. 

“A few of the lads didn’t even know what was going on and they were just seeing blue lights everywhere!” remarked experienced forward Kieran Martin.

But little things like that make a difference. It makes you feel important and that’s what you want. 

“To be honest this has been probably one of the most enjoyable years we’ve had. It is tough, they are down to a tee with everything.

“Jack is a Westmeath man and from facing the lads as a club manager, he knows what they are like and he can see the full potential in them. Hopefully the next few weeks are as enjoyable as the last few. 

“You want a lot of confidence coming into these games, especially with the young lads. Coming in lads are bouncing on their feet and mad to get out, and that’s totally from the backroom team.

“They can see the potential in us, and they are pushing us to the limit for every training session and every day and we are not training, that we have to do our own bit. In fairness, the lads are pulling in behind them and pulling with it.”

Westmeath forward Kieran Martin.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

The victory over Dublin rounded off an impressive pre-season campaign for the Lake County, who scored 4-58 on their five-game run to the title.

A number of youngsters put their hands up for selection over the past month as Cooney mixed veterans with rookies.

“The young lads coming in have been very impressive,” said Martin. 

Young Noel O’Reilly there has been knocking on the door the last few years on the panel and he has been exceptional this year in the O’Byrne Cup.

“It’s the likes of them driving everyone on, and we have a few of the U20s in just training with us as well, they have huge ability and they are putting in the work.

“That’s encouraging us to work a bit harder because when we see they are putting in the work, we have to lead by example so in fairness the lads have a good backroom and they are pushing us as hard as they can.

That makes it very enjoyable and makes it easy to go to training and put the effort in.”

On Sunday, Westmeath open their Division 3 campaign against Offaly, who are the only side Cooney’s men failed to beat in their O’Byrne Cup group stage meeting.

That Group 1 meeting finished level at 0-11 apiece, but both teams will have vastly stronger teams out for the league opener on Sunday. 

“We have a big test now in the next few weeks,” he explained. 

“It was a good performance on the night (against Dublin). Coming into it we were focussed on winning something when we got the chance but at the same time we can’t get too carried away with it.

“We have Offaly at the weekend so we have to get together and focus on that,” Martin added. “But you can’t beat the competitive games to bring you along too.

“That’s ten times better than any training session so it was nice to get the performance. Can we improve? Yes, we can but it’s great to get the win in the end.”

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KIERAN MOLLOY HAS another busy schedule on the cards this spring, as he chases silverware on the club and college front – just like he did in 2018.

Back in February, Molloy famously completed a mad-cap dash from Corofin’s All-Ireland club semi-final win over Moorefield to feature as a second-half substitute in NUIG’s Electric Ireland Sigerson Cup final defeat to UCD.

Last night, the wing-back kicked what turned out to be the winning score as NUIG edged past Queen’s University by 1-8 to 1-7 in round 2 of the Sigerson Cup.

Source: HE GAA/YouTube

“I was lucky enough it went over. I kinda had my eyes half-closed kicking that one,” he told Jerome Quinn after the game.

It’s tough to come up here, it’s a long journey and to grind out a win like that. They’re a very tough team to break down. They’re big, physical men, fast.

“The lads showed a lot of character. Two points down, came back and then went three points up – it showed immense character.”

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Molloy has an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Gaoth Dobhair on 16 February, while he remains involved with the Galway panel and started their FBD League clash against Mayo earlier this month. 

Fellow Galway native Céin D’Arcy grabbed the all-important goal for NUIG, who now face the Garda College in the third round of the third-level competition. 

Elsewhere last night, Tralee IT dished out a 6-20 to 1-9 beating to IT Sligo, while DIT were 4-14 to 2-8 victors against Athlone IT, and Carlow IT enjoyed a 0-18 to 0-12 win over Cork IT.

In yesterday’s Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup action, UCC enjoyed a 2-21 to 1-13 victory against UCD.

Sigerson Cup round 3 fixtures

Wednesday, 30 January
Garda College v NUIG, 2pm
St Mary’s v Institute of Technology Tralee, 2pm
IT Carlow v University of Limerick, 7pm
UCD v DIT, 9pm

*First teams named have home advantage

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EOGHAN BÁN GALLAGHER is hopeful the addition of Stephen Rochford to Donegal’s backroom team will give them “a different way of looking at football” in 2019.

Rochford stepped down as Mayo manager after two years in charge and comes on board under Declan Bonner as coach, with Donegal looking to build on their Ulster title-winning campaign.

“Declan is a Donegal man and all he wants is for Donegal to do well,” said Gallagher.

“He’s not in it for his personal gain, like the rest of the people there, nobody is in it for their personal gain, everyone is there for the cause of Donegal.

“Declan is no different. He thought Stephen was a good person to bring in to improve Donegal football, he decided to go with that decision, and Stephen took a step back by becoming a number two or coach of Donegal so it’s a positive for us that Stephen wanted to be involved with Donegal as well.”

Looking ahead to the summer, Gallagher believes the only way to take down All-Ireland champions Dublin is with an offensive game-plan and Rochford teams are known for playing attacking football.

“I’ve been very impressed (with Rochford),” says Gallagher. “Coming from Connacht and Mayo and managing Corofin, they play a wee bit more of a so-called attacking style than Donegal.

“He brings a different aspect because in Donegal we normally only have coaches from Donegal and Ulster and that.

“So with him coming from Connacht, Mayo, and Corofin he brings a different style and a different way of looking at football which can only benefit Donegal. He’s coming with new ideas and I’m sure him and Declan and the rest of the backroom team are in harmony discussing the best way to go about playing.

Gallagher goes past Niall Sludden of Tyrone.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

“It’s only positive for us because it’s fresh ideas and Stephen Rochford was close to beating Dublin three times. So, yeah, it’s positive for us.

“Every team knows they have to attack a lot more to beat Dublin. I think a few people have come out and said you need at least 20 points to beat Dublin and that’s probably not far off the mark.

“They’re going to put up 18 or 19 points regardless so you’ve to score more than them to beat them.”

Karl Lacey has been retained as a defence coach by Bonner after initially opting out of the set-up due to work commitments.

Gallagher’s white boots and piercing runs from the back have drawn comparisons between himself and the former Footballer of the Year, who was part of the last team to beat Dublin in championship football.

Gallagher, unlucky not to win an All-Star last year, insists it’s a pleasure to work with Lacey.

“Karl was a fantastic player, probably up there as one of Donegal’s greatest ever players. One of the best players of his generation.

“You can see the drive he had personally now whenever he’s coaching us. Again, he’s just there to make Donegal better. He’s given up his time, he doesn’t have to be there.

“Listen, we’re very thankful that a player of Karl’s quality is in with us because he’s a fantastic coach as well and it’s really positive for us to have someone of his quality in with us.”

Donegal begin their bid for promotion from Division 2 with a trip to Ennis to take on Clare this Sunday.

They’ll be without the Gweedore contingent for the opening three league games at least, while a number of veterans, including Michael Murphy and Paddy McBrearty, are out through injury. 

It’s believed the trio Mark McHugh, Stephen McBrearty and Darach O’Connor are no longer part of the panel.

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NUI Galway 1-19
UL 0-17

Daragh Small reports from Dangan

MICHAEL LYNCH’S FIRST-half goal helped NUIG dump reigning champions UL out of the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup at Dangan today as they fell to a second defeat in Group A.

NUIG held a 1-12 to 0-8 lead at half-time after they dominated the first half with an ever-strengthening breeze at their backs.

Clare defender Conor Cleary was sent-off on the resumption and despite a late rally with Limerick All-Ireland winner Barry Murphy scoring 0-11, UL were defeated and bow out.

The goal was the crucial score in the first half but Evan Niland’s brilliant 0-7 kept NUIG in charge. Murphy provided the reprieve with his five frees.

The goal arrived in the 21st minute. Conor Caulfield’s hard work created the opening for Liam Forde and he failed to get the shot off but the ball found its way to Lynch and he blasted to the open net.

At that stage the hosts were 1-9 to 0-7 in front, and Niland added points either side of a Sean Loftus score, as NUIG took a commanding lead at half-time.

But the wind picked up throughout the second half and it looked as though NUIG would need that sizeable advantage.

However, Cleary’s sending off was a massive blow for UL. He got his first yellow five minutes after half-time and then when he hauled Forde to the ground in the 42nd minute he was sent-off.

NUIG raced into a 1-17 to 0-13 lead and despite four points in a row from UL they couldn’t overturn the deficit.

Scorers for NUI Galway: Evan Niland 0-11 (0-9f), Michael Lynch 1-2, Conor Whelan 0-2, Sean Loftus, Darragh Burke, Conor Sheedy, Brian Corry 0-1 each.

Scorers for UL: Barry Murphy 0-11 (0-10f), Michael Carey, Jack Shelly, Jake Morris, Kevin O’Brien, Jack Goulding, Tom Morrissey 0-1 each.

NUI Galway

1. Shane Hennessy (Nenagh Éire Óg, Tipperary)

23. Michael Lynch (Kilnadeema-Leitrim, Galway)
3. Jack Fitzpatrick (Killimordaly, Galway)
4. Declan Connolly (Killimordaly, Galway)

5. Conor Caulfield (Kilconieron, Galway)
6. Paul Hoban (Loughrea, Galway)
7. Andrew Greaney (Craughwell, Galway)

8. Sean Loftus (Turloughmore, Galway)
9. Ian Fox (Sarsfields, Galway)

10. Darragh Burke (St Thomas’, Galway)
11. Conor Whelan (Kinvara, Galway)
22. Liam Forde (Ardrahan, Galway)

13. Conor Sheedy (Roscrea, Tipperary)
14. Evan Niland (Clarinbridge, Galway)
15. Brian Concannon (Killimordaly, Galway).

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Subs

8. Sam McArdle (Clarinbridge, Galway) for Greaney (46)
25. Enda Fahy (Michael Cusack’s, Galway) for Forde (48)
24. Brian Corry (Sixmilebridge, Clare) for Sheedy (50)

UL

16. Barry Hogan (Kiladangan, Tipperary)

2. Aidan McGuane (Kilmaley, Clare)
3. Evan Cody (Dicksboro, Kilkenny)
18. Jordan Henley (Tallow, Waterford)

5. Michael Carey (Young Irelands, Kilkenny)
6. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley, Clare)
19. Brian Cody (St Martin’s, Kilkenny)

7. Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh, Limerick)
17. Jack Shelly (Mullinahone, Tipperary)

10. Ian Galvin (Clonlara, Clare)
11. Kevin O’Brien (Patrickswell, Limerick)
12. Tom Morrissey (Ahane, Limerick)

14. Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg, Tipperary)
25. Martin Keoghan (Tullaroan, Kilkenny)
15. Barry Murphy (Doon, Limerick)

Subs

34. Barry Nash (South Liberties, Limerick) for O’Brien (17, blood)
11. O’Brien for Nash (18)
34. Nash for Lynch (half-time)
30. Jack Goulding (Ballyduff, Kerry) for Morris (39)
22. Shane Veale (Kilmacud Crokes, Dublin) for Keoghan (47)
27. JP Lucey (Shamrocks, Waterford) for Veale (60).

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).

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