Month: September 2021

MICKEY HARTE HAS guided Louth to the semi-finals of the Division 4 Allianz football league in his first year in charge after an impressive second-half display against Sligo.

The pairings for the final-four ties in the competition have now been confirmed with Louth facing Carlow while Antrim will take on Waterford in the hunt for promotion.

Louth registered a 10-point victory against Sligo to secure their passage to the knockout stage. After trailing the visiting side by three points at half-time, Harte’s charges took control on the resumption. 

Sam Mulroy levelled the tie with a goal right from the throw-in to make it 1-9 apiece.

Mulroy found the net again less than 10 minutes later to push Louth into a four-point lead with Ciarán Keenan extending their advantage to nine points with a goal on 51 minutes.

From there, Louth controlled the tie with Declan Byrne grabbing the final score from a free to send the Wee County to the semi-finals.

Division 4 semi-finals confirmed:

Antrim v Waterford
Louth v Carlow#GAA

— Fintan O'Toole (@fotoole13) May 30, 2021

Elsewhere, a last-minute point secured a win for Antrim against Leitrim today while Louth  accounted for Sligo with an impressive second-half display.

Enda McGinley’s Antrim had already progressed to the final-four of the competition following their win over Sligo, and looked to be heading for a draw after Leitrim rallied from 11 points down in Corrigan Park.

Goals from Conor Stewart and Connor Murray pushed the Saffrons into the ascendancy and were 2-13 to 0-9 in front in the second half.

But Leitrim mustered a late fightback as Evan Sweeney and Keith Beirne combined for 1-4 to help reduce the deficit to four points.

Niall Mc Govern then hit the equalising point on 70 minutes to set-up a grandstand finish. But it was Antrim who squeezed over the line thanks to a late point from Tomás McCann to give them a 2-17 to 1-19 victory.

Well done Tomas pic.twitter.com/QsqT4I2tZe

— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) May 30, 2021

Division 4 Results:

Antrim 2-17 Leitrim 1-19

Louth 3-18 Sligo 1-14

Division 4 Semi-Final Pairings 

Antrim v Waterford

Louth v Carlow

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Dublin 2-16
Galway 1-15

John Fallon reports from Tuam Stadium

GOALS FROM CON O’Callaghan and Aaron Byrne proved decisive as Dublin set up an Allianz League semi-final meeting with Donegal after holding off a spirited Galway challenge at Tuam Stadium.

Galway will now face Monaghan in a relegation play-off and will take a lot of confidence from this performance.

Yet the issue never really looked in doubt as Dublin were able to manufacture scores when it matter most.

Galway won the toss and opted to play against the strong breeze in the opening half and were in a strong position at the break when they went in level at 0-8 apiece.

The sides were level six times in the opening half with Galway captain Shane Walsh leading the way with five points, two which came from 45’s and two from frees.

Galway were forced to line out without Damien Comer who picked up a hand injury but they made a good start with points from Peter Cooke and Paul Conroy, while Dublin goalkeeper Michael Shiel and Davy Byrne blocked goal efforts from Matthew Tierney and Sean Kelly.

Dublin settled and worked the ball well into attack and got back on level terms through Brian Fenton and Colm Basquel.

The sides then exchanged points three times before Ciaran Kilkenny and Con O’Callaghan edged Dublin 0-7 to 0-5 in front after half an hour.

Walsh hit back with a couple of points for Galway and when Cormac Costello edged Dublin back in front with his second point, Walsh tied them at the break with another pointed free.

O’Callaghan gave Dublin a great start to the second half when he finished to the net after Bernard Power had saved from Niall Scully and that gave them a cushion for the third quarter.

Walsh continued to keep Galway in touch with an array of points but they still trailed by 1-14 to 0-12 heading into the final quarter.

But then a delivery from Paul Conroy was flicked to the net by Matthew Tierney to cut the gap to two points after 57 minutes.

However, Galway never managed to get any close as Costello took his haul to six points, Dublin wrapped up the win when Byrne finished superbly after being put through by O’Callaghan in the dying moments of a good game.

Scorers for Dublin: Con O’Callaghan 1-3, Cormac Costello 0-6 (0-1f), Aaron Byrne 1-0, Ciaran Kilkenny 0-3, Colm Basquel 0-2, Brian Fenton 0-2 (0-1m).

Scorers for Galway: Shane Walsh 0-10 (0-5f, 0-3 ‘45s), Matthew Tierney 1-0, Peter Cooke 0-2, Dylan McHugh 0-1, Rob Finnerty 0-1, Paul Conroy 0-1.

Dublin

16 Michael Shiel

2 Mick Fitzsimons
6 Jonny Cooper
3 Davy Byrne

5 Eoin Murchan
4 Sean McMahon
22 Eric Lowndes

8 Brian Fenton
26 Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne

12 Niall Scully
14 Ciaran Kilkenny
21 Brian Howard

17 Colm Basquel
11 Con O’Callaghan
15 Cormac Costello

Subs:

19 Sean Bugler for O Cofaigh Byrne (51)
7 Robert McDaid for McMahon (51)
24 Dara Mullin for Scully (65)
20 Aaron Byrne for Basquel (65)
10 Tom Lahiff for Cooper (72)

Galway

1 Bernard Power

4 Jack Glynn
3 Sean Mulkerrin
2 Sean Kelly

20 Kieran Molloy
6 Dylan McHugh
5 Liam Silke

26 Finnian O Laoi
9 Paul Conroy

10 Paul Kelly
8 Peter Cooke
7 Johnny Heaney

13 Matthew Tierney
14 Shane Walsh
15 Rob Finnerty

Subs:

12 Eamonn Brannigan for P Kelly (45)
19 Ciaran Potter for Glynn (48)
21 Maitias O Bairead for O Laoi (53)
25 Tomo Culhane for Finnerty (59)
11 Tom Flynn for Cooke (63)
17 Johnny Duane for Molloy (63)

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)

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Kerry 2-15
Roscommon 1-12

KERRY WILL FACE Tyrone in the Division 1 semi-finals, while Roscommon will come up against against Armagh in their battle to retain top flight status.

Kerry made it three games unbeaten in the Allianz Football League as goals from David Clifford and Joe O’Connor guided them past Roscommon in Dr Hyde Park. 

Clifford had been well marshalled by Brian Stack but still ended the day with 1-4 as brother Paudie picked up man-of-the-match honours. 

Dublin’s victory over Galway meant Kerry topped Division 1 South ahead of the All-Ireland champions on scoring difference. 

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Anthony Cunningham can be relatively happy with how Roscommon performed in the losses to Dublin and Kerry. They resisted the urge to employ a sweeper in games against both sides and looked dangerous up front over the course of the two encounters. 

However in the final quarter in both games Roscommon’s performance levels flagged, as would be expected when they come up against the conditioning of Dublin and Kerry.

14 minutes into the second period this game was still level but Kerry’s class told in the closing stages. Despite the 53rd minute red card to Tadhg Morley and Conor Devaney’s 69th minute green flag, the visitors finished on a strong note as substitute Joe O’Connor scored his first senior goal for the county.

Kerry’s Joe O’Connor celebrates scoring his sides second goal with Tommy Walsh and Paudie Clifford.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Roscommon lost Enda Smith to a second yellow card in the closing stages after a late challenge on Gavin Crowley.

Peter Keane made six changes from last weekend’s draw with Dublin, handing a debut to Mike Breen at wing-back. Jason Foley produced another good performance at full-back, while they got some valuable game-time into Stephen O’Brien and Tony Brosnan.

The Clifford brothers were joined in the full-forward line by Dr Crokes star Brosnan, who kicked two points but faded out of the game before his 50th minute withdrawal.

Roscommon took a 0-4 to 0-3 lead into the first water break. They looked composed in possession in a game that lacked intensity at stages in the opening period. Conor Cox, in action against his native county, kicked a score from a tight angle after a tidy dummy.

A Brosnan turnover led to a run by David Clifford and score from Paul Geaney. David Clifford turned provider for Ronan Buckley’s first score for Kerry, before brother Paudie clipped over his second. 

Between the 17th and 32nd minutes, Kerry put together some nice moves and outscored the hosts by six points to one. It took the younger Clifford 30 minutes to curl over his first point and moments later Diarmuid O’Connor broke forward and clipped over.

Kerry brought David Clifford out to half forward in an attempt to get him more involved, pushing Geaney inside to a more familiar position. Clifford pointed an impressive free before the latter sent over a mark to give Kerry a three point interval lead. 

Roscommon hauled themselves level by the 45th minute after a brace from Ciaran Murtagh and a mark by Enda Smith. 

Kerry introduced Sean O’Shea, Paul Murphy, Tommy Walsh and Tadhg Morley during the third quarter only to lose Morley to a red card almost immediate after he arrived onto the field.

Roscommon players surround Tony Brosnan.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Morley’s reckless challenge on Cian McKeon left referee Joe McQuillan with no option but to reduce Kerry to 14 men on the stroke of the second-half water break. 

After moving back inside for the second-half, David Clifford palmed into the net in the 57th minute, assisted by Paudie after a sweeping Kingdom move. Kerry looked to be coasting to victory until Conor Devaney’s superb finish past Kieran Fitzgibbon in the 70th minute but the tie back in the balance.

Substitute Joe O’Connor rattled the net to put the game to bed with the final play of the game after Brian O Beaglaoich and Paul Murphy combined to set him up.

Scorers for Kerry: David Clifford 1-4 (0-3f), Joe O’Connor 1-0, Paul Geaney (0-1m, 0-1f) and Diarmuid O’Connor 0-3 each, Paudie Clifford, Tony Brosnan 0-2 each, Ronan Buckley 0-1.

Scorers for Roscommon: Conor Devaney 1-0, Ciaran Murtagh and Diarmuid Murtagh (0-1m) 0-3 each, Donie Smith (0-1f) and Conor Cox 0-2 each, Richard Hughes and Enda Smith (0-1m) 0-1 each. 

Kerry 

1. Kieran Fitzgibbon (Kenmare Shamrocks)

2. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses), 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue), 4. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)

5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), 6. Gavin Crowley (Templenoe), 7. Mike Breen (Beaufort)

8. David Moran (Kerin’s O’Rahilly’s), 9. Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil)

10. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare Shamrocks), 11. Ronan Buckley (Listry), 12. Paul Geaney (Dingle)

13. David Clifford (Fossa), 14. Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes), 15. Paudie Clifford (Fossa)

Subs

23. Adrian Spillane (Templenoe) for Moran (blood sub, 1-4 mins)

18. Sean O’Shea (An Neidin) for Buckley (45)

19. Paul Murphy (Rathmore) for Graham O’Sullivan (45)

21. Tommy Walsh (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Brosnan (50)

17. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe) for Tom O’Sullivan (50)

20. Gavin White (Dr Croke) for Geaney (53)

22. Jack Sherwood (Firies) for Moran (65)

24. Joe O’Connor (Austin Stacks) for O’Brien (70)

 Roscommon

1. Colm Lavin (Éire Óg)

2. David Murray (Padraig Pearses), 3. Conor Daly (Padraig Pearses), 4. Brian Stack (St Brigids)

5. Ronan Daly (Padraig Pearses), 6. Conor Hussey (Michael Glaveys), 7. Richard Hughes (Roscommon Gaels)

8. Enda Smith (Boyle), 9. Tadhg O’Rourke (Tulsk)

10. Niall Kilroy (Fuerty), 11. Ciaran Murtagh (St Faithleachs), 12. Shane Killoran (Elphin)

13. Diarmuid Murtagh (St Faithleach’s), 14. Donie Smith (Boyle), 15. Conor Cox (Éire Óg)

Subs

22. Cian McKeon (Boyle) for Donie Smith (49)

26. Peter Gillooly (Roscommon Gaels) for Cox (53)

24. Hubert Darcy (Padraig Pearses) for Kilroy (53) 

17. Sean Mullooly (Strokestown) for Ronan Daly (60)

21. Eddie Nolan (St Brigid’s) for O’Rourke (60)

23. Conor Devaney (Kilbride) for Killoran (65)

25. Dylan Ruane (Michael Glaveys) for Diarmuid Murtagh (70)

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)

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Updated May 30th 2021, 10:15 PM

DAVY FITZGERALD HAS criticised the media coverage of the story regarding Covid-19 cases in his Wexford squad and the close contacts which followed in Clare.

The Wexford hurling boss says he believes the matter to be now closed and insists that the HSE “answered their things” in relation to the procedures they used to investigate the matter.

Two Wexford players tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month in the days after their Division 1 clash with Clare. Two players in the Clare squad were later ruled out of National Hurling League action the following weekend after they were listed as close contacts.

The situation resulted in a row between both camps, as Clare manager Brian Lohan claimed the process was “unusual” and said there was “anger” among their set-up. The Wexford chairman Micheál Martin subsequently described Lohan’s comments as “outrageous” and said that it was the HSE who designated the players in the Clare panel as close contacts.

“The fact that you [the media] make so much out of it is pretty unreal,” Fitzgerald told RTÉ’s Sunday Sport following his side’s 10-point defeat to Kilkenny in their rescheduled Division 1 tie.

The game was supposed to take place last weekend but was postponed after a third Covid-19 case was confirmed in the Wexford squad.

“I suppose you have to do your job but I’m a hurling man and I love the game and we’ll do our best at Wexford. I think the HSE have answered their things and that’s important.

“I think from your side of view you’ve got to stop. We need to get back to hurling and everyone does. That’s all we’re interested in doing.

“From my point of view there’s a lot more made out of stuff than needs to be – that’s being honest. We just need to get out and hurl.

“Let the HSE get out and do their job and that’s it – end of story.”

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GALWAY MANAGER PÁDRAIC Joyce said that ‘it’s a joke’ that they have to travel to Monaghan for their relegation play-off and he doesn’t believe Séamus McEnaney’s men should have home advantage after breaking Covid rules around training during lockdown.

“I’m just after being told it is away because they had no home games and we had two home games so they are being rewarded for breaking a curfew and I find that unbelievable to be honest,” said Joyce.

“It’s a joke if you ask me and I don’t know how Croke Park came up with that solution to play in Monaghan. We will play wherever it is on but I think it disrespects the whole system and the whole Allianz League if you are going rewarding a county to get a home vital game when you broke the rules.”

Avoiding the drop is now the main priority for Joyce in his second year in charge but, for the third year in a row, Damien Comer is a major doubt for the start of the championship having picked up a hand injury in the win over Roscommon last week.

“He is one of our better players so it is a huge injury blow. He is going to be out for three, four, or five weeks. He did his thumb last Sunday against Roscommon, he played on with it in the second half, but he has taken the tendon off the bone. He is in a bit of bother and is in a race against time to be fit for the Championship.

“This is his third year in a row so he needs some sort of break, at least it isn’t a muscle injury. He may be able to do some conditioning work. If he comes back in time he will just need the ball handling skills to go with it. Before he had leg injuries which stopped him training,” added Joyce.

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1. Kerry continue good form

KERRY HAD A place in the Division 1 semi-finals virtually sealed prior to yesterday’s trip to Roscommon, but they got the job done to make it three games unbeaten.

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David Clifford celebrates his late goal.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Peter Keane estimated after the game he used 30 players over the first three weekends of action. He’ll be particularly pleased with the form of young midfielder Diarmuid O’Connor, who broke forward for three points and made a good case for sealing a starting spot alongside David Moran for the championship.

Paudie Clifford, drifting out from the full-forward line, played the link role well once again and got his hands on plenty of ball. Paul Geaney’s fitness continues to improve and he alternated well between the full- and half-forward lines. 

“I don’t think we looked at it as if we were in a semi-final. We looked at it as a game we wanted to get more game-time into players,” said Keane afterwards.

“We made six or seven changes to the team so I think we were anxious to get fellas in and Tom started today and Stephen O’Brien started today and Mike Breen got his first start.

“Subsequently Joe O’Connor made his debut and capped it off with a fine goal towards the end. So we’re getting more game time into players’ legs and that’s what we were looking for.”

2. Water breaks affect Roscommon

Roscommon led by 0-4 to 0-3 at the first water break and kicked five of the first seven second-half scores to trail by 0-13 to 0-12 by the second one. But on both occasions, Kerry steamed cleared during the ensuing quarters.

They hit six points 15 minutes into the second quarter and 1-2 in the eight minutes after the second water break. When they sensed Roscommon were beginning to gain some momentum, Kerry had the class and threat up front to widen the gap between the sides.

Anthony Cunningham was disappointed with the nature of their final quarter showing.

“A lot of the lads would have learned a lot today,” he said. “A lot of the play we would have matched Kerry or had them on the back foot, disappointed with the last quarter, we can’t dress it up any other way. It’s a learning process for a lot of our younger players.” 

Kerry selector Maurice Fitzgerald and manager Peter Keane before the game.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

3. Tyrone and Armagh clashes loom

Keane has stressed in recent weeks that one of his main priorities is to get through the league without picking up major injuries, so there’s a danger that comes with facing Tyrone two weeks out from their championship opener against Clare. 

The Kingdom will have home advantage in the clash against Tyrone in two weeks as they’ve played at home just once in the three games, while the Red Hand had two games in Omagh during the round robin phase.

Tyrone’s draw with Monaghan on Saturday sent them through ahead of Armagh on scoring difference. Fergal Logan and Brian Dooher’s side don’t open their Ulster campaign against Cavan until three weeks after Kerry play Clare, so they’ll certainly be targeting a strong performance here.

Roscommon’s bid to avoid the drop sees them face Kieran McGeeney’s Armagh in a shootout to stay up. A toss will decide home advantage as both counties have played twice at home so far.

“They showed great spirit today and wanted to work, a lot of very good play, it builds us but we’re fighting for Division one survival, it’s the biggest game of the year for us, that will help us,” said Cunningham.

He added that the performance against Kerry will bring “confidence to players and training on Wednesday night will be honest. [We’ll] pick up the good points from [the] Kerry [game] as well. That’s why we want to be in Division 1, exactly that and we really know there is going to be a savage battle.”

4. Selection issues

Killian Spillane didn’t make the 500km round trip to Roscommon after picking up “a bit of a nick” during the week in training according to Keane.

They also opted not to risk Jack Barry after his recovery from injury, while James O’Donoghue has returned to the training field and may come into contention in the weeks ahead.

Interestingly, Kerry goalkeeping coach Brendan Kealy deputised as sub keeper for the third straight game.

Keane was able to leave regular starters Sean O’Shea, Paul Murphy and Gavin White on the bench until the second-half, while Jason Foley gave another solid outing at full-back. The team is starting to take shape with Kerry’s attacking options looking particularly strong as their Munster opener looms.

“The most important thing is to be ready for championship,” noted Keane. “That is the priority.”

Kerry’s Mike Breen and Shane Killoran of Roscommon.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

5. Roscommon response from Galway defeat

The Rossies were reasonably happy with their performance against Dublin, but their standards dropped in the six-point loss to Galway.

The Tribesmen were always going to respond after the hiding they took from Kerry, but Cunningham was disappointed with the nature of the round 2 defeat to their Connacht rivals.

This was a much-improved display and they played a good brand of football with Murtagh brothers Ciaran and Diarmuid kicking 0-6 between them. Conor Hussey and Shane Killoran also had their moments, while Conor Cox kicked a couple of nice scores.

Without playing a sweeper, they crowded out the Kerry attack at times with their half-forwards dropping deep, though at times their fouling let them down.

Still, playing in a group alongside Kerry and Dublin will have brought Roscommon on a great deal over the past few weeks.

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THE CLARE GAA board treasurer has issued an apology over comments made about an Éire Óg Ennis club man who raised €4,000 for the provision of post-training food for the county’s U20 hurling team.

At last week’s Clare county board meeting, treasurer Michael Gallagher was reported to have questioned if the fundraising by Niall O’Connor was designed to embarrass the county board.

O’Connor, the son of former Clare senior joint manager Gerry, had raised the money after reports within the county that U20 hurlers were not being fed after training sessions.

The Éire Óg club last night revealed the email that they had received from Gallagher who apologised directly for his comments.

He said that ‘on reflection’ he was could see how his comments ‘were hurtful and embarrassing.’

The Éire Óg club issued a statement on behalf of O’Connor where he welcomed the apology and accepted it ‘in a spirit of reconciliation and for the greater good of Clare GAA’.

The county has endured a few difficult months off the pitch with different controversies emerging.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

The full email from Michael Gallagher to the Éire Óg Ennis secretary Paddy Smyth reads:

“Paddy, A Chara

In response to your letter re. my comments directed at Niall O’Connor at last Monday nights (24/05) Co Board Meeting, I would like to say, on reflection, I can see how my comments were hurtful and embarrassing to Niall and, I wish to offer my apologies directly to Niall for those comments.

I don’t intend to try to explain or offer excuses for making those comments, because I don’t think that would be helpful either.

As you know, I have enjoyed a long and friendly relationship with your Club, for nearly 20 years, through our joint promotion of an underage football tournament (which is dear to my heart). I don’t wish to see anything divert us from maintaining and furthering those friendships.

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Regards, Michael”

*****

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

And the Éire Óg Statement on behalf of Niall O’Connor reads:

“Niall O’ Connor welcomes the apology from Michael Gallagher and accepts it in a spirit of reconciliation and for the greater good of Clare GAA. Niall also wishes to acknowledge that, in hindsight, it would have been appropriate that the Co. Treasurer was involved in any fundraising initiatives.

“In view of the above, we now consider this matter closed and we wish to move on in a spirit of harmony, for the betterment of Clare GAA.”

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ARMAGH STAR AND Ladies Footballer of the Year Aimee Mackin says “it’s nice” to have supporters attending GAA matches again following the latest easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

Armagh star forward Aimee Mackin.

Source: Sportsfile

From 7 June in the Republic of Ireland, up to 200 people will be allowed attend outdoor events at venues which have a minimum capacity of 5,000, while up to 100 people can attend other outdoor events.

The government have also announced a series of test events to take place in June, while Minister of State for Sport, Jack Chambers, has confirmed further test events for July and August. 

The Ladies Football National League Division 1 and 2 finals on 26 June in Croke Park are among the fixtures that will act as a test event.

Mackin has already sampled the experience of playing in front of fans again following the announcement that 500 spectators can attend Allianz League games which take place in Northern Ireland. 

Armagh are in Division 2B which is effectively an all-Ulster group and have already played Tyrone and Monaghan in the group stage of the competition.

“We were playing Monaghan at the Athletic Grounds yesterday and we had 500 or so at it,” says a delighted Mackin. “That’s great I think, it’s important to get supporters. We’re not used to playing football without our families or our friends.

“It’s nice to have them back and it’s a step in the right direction, we’ve missed it all of last year so hopefully it can just continue and we can end up filling the stadiums eventually.

The news of crowds returning to games caps off an encouraging few weeks for sport, particularly for the LGFA and Camogie Association. Female players are set to receive an annual increase of €2.4 million to the State’s funding of GAA players. This means the current number will be trebled to ensure parity with their male counterparts.

“It’s probably something we’ve been lacking compared to the men and you don’t realise it until you see the actual figures,” says Mackin about the increase in funding.

“Hopefully, it can help the development in each county. I know within my own county we’re funding our own GAA pitch so it’s our home as such and we’re not asking clubs for pitches. The funding will help us develop even further both on the pitch and off the pitch and that can only help the game then.”

That league clash with Monaghan on Sunday ended in defeat for Armagh but a place in the semi-finals is still possible for the Orchard County as they prepare to face the current table-toppers Cavan this weekend.

And with the Ulster senior championship approaching later in the month, these are all crucial dress rehearsals for the clashes coming down the line.

“It’s all to play for this weekend,” Mackin notes.

“It’s a tough division to get out of because there’s five or six teams that are playing senior championship so Division 2 is very competitive. Again, it’s so unpredictable who’s going to go to the semi-finals.

“We’ll just focus on ourselves this week and try and make improvements from the game against Monaghan. We were disappointed yesterday, not to get a victory. But Monaghan are a strong team and we’ll meet them again soon enough in the Ulster championship and the All-Ireland series.

DRAÍOCHT ag Aimee Mackin

The @ArmaghLGFA v @dublinladiesg
forward is on FireFireFire GOAL!!@LadiesFootball
@20x20_ie
@GAA_BEO#ProperFan #20×20 #PeilnamBanpic.twitter.com/kCbTJXKSyE

— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) November 28, 2020

“It’s a hectic schedule but it’s good to be back.”

Mackin’s stock in Ladies Football continues to rise since her emergence on the senior inter-county stage.

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In addition to picking up the Footballer of the Year award last year, she also picked up the Goal of the Year gong for her sweet strike against Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final. She has three All-Stars to her name as well, winning her last one alongside sister Blaithin.

This has all been achieved by the age of just 23.

Mackin is also an impressive soccer player, although she is just focusing on GAA for the moment as she does not want to stretch herself across too many sports having suffered a torn cruciate in 2019.

As one of the brightest stars in the sport at the moment, it would be natural to enquire if heading Down Under to join the many Irish stars already plying their trade in the AFLW appeals to her in the future.

It’s not that she hasn’t thought about it, but for now, Gaelic football and another season with Armagh is her main priority. 

“A lot of the Ladies footballers have gone out so it’s sort of crops into your head,” she says. “Whether [or not] it’s something I’d like to do, I haven’t been in contact with anyone as of yet so I’m just focusing on this season with Armagh, I haven’t really looked too much into it.

“But the Irish girls are doing well over there and the mix with GAA seems to be very similar so it’s something probably every Ladies footballer has thought of but at the minute, I’m just focusing on Armagh.”

Aimee Mackin was speaking following the announcement of Glenveagh Homes as new sponsors of the LGFA’s Gaelic4Girls Programme

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THE DAVID TUBRIDY story with the Clare senior footballers began in July 2007.

It was the era of the Tommy Murphy Cup, a time when the bottom tier teams were unwanted in the All-Ireland qualifiers and condemned to a secondary competitive life.

Clare were trying to gather themselves after being upset by Waterford in the Munster quarter-final. It was Páidí Ó Sé’s solitary summer at the helm of the Banner, he introduced a 20-year-old at corner-forward that Saturday in Ardfinnan. Tubridy rewarded the display of faith with a return of eight points, six of those from frees.

That matched the exact scoring total posted by Declan Browne that afternoon. Tipperary’s greatest ever footballer retired a couple of days later, his last game coinciding with the first outing of another attacker that would have a profound impact on the fortunes of a perceived lesser light in Munster football.

And 14 years later, Tubridy’s star shows little sign of waning.

Yesterday in Ennis, he also fired eight points over the bar, again six of those arriving from frees. There was a goal thrown into the mix as well and if Clare did lose the game to Cork on the day, the scoring heroics of the 34-year-old helped preserve their top two position and a promotion play-off spot.

David Tubridy scores from the penalty spot for Clare in Ennis.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

The key aspect now though is the level that Clare are operating at. In that first breakthrough summer for Tubridy, their lowly league status removed the right to feature in the main Sam Maguire race.

Now they are a win away from being a member of the top eight in the country in 2022.

Tubridy’s persistence has counted for something. His first seven campaigns in the league with Clare were all in Division 4. They eventually booked promotion in 2014, Tubridy kicking 0-7 in a final defeat to Tipperary.

Two years on they emerged from Division 3, with the bonus of a final success over Kildare in a Croke Park encounter where Tubridy contributed 0-5. They have remained in Division 2 since, consistently competitive and aiming to graduate to that elite level.

Now a major opportunity has arisen, when they face Mayo on Sunday week after a strong run of form since emerging from lockdown.

In Clare’s opening two league games, Tubridy had struck a combined total of 0-4 with just one of those from play. The Doonbeg man came off the bench at half-time against Laois before starting against Kildare. His colleague Eoin Cleary took much of the attacking plaudits with 0-17 over the course of the two matches, the centrepiece being that exquisite sideline kick against Laois.

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

But yesterday Tubridy exploded to life. His first point was a stunning score off his left from just inside the 45-yard line. His clever run off the ball resulted in the foul that saw a penalty awarded, which he then slotted home for the only goal of the game. He swept over another point from play off his left. Then came two pointed frees with right-footed shots, one curled over from the left wing and the other nailed from 45 yards out.

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And he rounded it off with the critical pass in a Clare counter-attack that moved them upfield, releasing Gavin Cooney for a lovely point. It was 1-5 to 0-5 in favour of Clare at the first water break and Tubridy’s fingerprints had been all over their scoring return.

In the second half he helped keep the scoreboard ticking over from a Clare perspective with a series of points from dead balls.

It was sufficient to prevent Clare from suffering a defeat of the magnitude that would have knocked them out and seen Cork advance.

And it paves the way for a schedule of glamour meetings. Mayo in Ennis on Sunday 13 June to determine their league fate and Kerry in Killarney on Saturday 26 June to commence their championship aspirations.

The scale of those challenges is obvious but Tubridy has spent enough of his career operating away from the limelight. The retirements of experienced stalwarts Gary Brennan and Gordon Kelly over the winter have left Tubridy as the county’s longest-serving campaigner. He began under the stewardship of Ó Sé, progressing through the guidance of Frank Doherty, Micheál McDermott and Mick O’Dwyer, before the Colm Collins era commenced.

David Tubridy with the GAA Player of the Month award in March 2010.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

Back in March 2010, Tubridy won the GAA’s Football Player of the Month award. He initially thought the call to inform of that honour was a wind-up by one of his friends. It took a congratulatory text from then Clare team liaison officer Tom Downes, for the realisation to sink in that he was being recognised.

It was easy to understand why considering some of the scoring exploits at the time – the 1-11 tally in Clare’s 1-13 to 0-15 win over Carlow, including the entire first-half figure of 1-8, and a burst of 2-5 out of the team’s 2-7 return when they lost to Limerick.

If he was flying below the radar then, his attacking prowess is more widely-known now.

And with a shot at securing Division 1 football, there is a big prize at stake.

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WHEN DUBLIN NAMED their first team of 2021, number 17 certainly caught the eye.

Hannah Tyrrell (Na Fianna)

Hannah Tyrrell (centre) facing Cork at the weekend.

Source: Ken Sutton/INPHO

Best known for her stunning exploits with Irish rugby teams of late, the 30-year-old was back in the Sky Blues ladies football set-up.

Her inclusion on the bench brought great excitement ahead of the four-in-a-row All-Ireland champions’ Division 1 league opener against Waterford at Parnell Park.

Would there be a cameo in match one, or would Mick Bohan opt to hold her in reserve for further down the line?

That team was named 10 days ago. Since then, Tyrrell has played every minute for Dublin, scored 3-12 across two games — landing a Player of the Match award in the second — and retired from international rugby. A whirlwind few days, to say the least.

Fresh off a Six Nations campaign with Adam Griggs’ Ireland where she impressed at 10, Tyrrell has taken to inter-county football once again like a duck to water.

Last summer, she starred for Na Fianna in the Dublin senior football championship, helping them to the semi-final. Self-admittedly, it was an unexpected return to the sport with her adopted club, six years after her last competitive appearance.

“That wasn’t something I really planned on doing,” as Tyrrell, formerly of Round Towers, Clondalkin, told the Echo newspaper last October.

When rugby was still announcing it wasn’t coming back, and GAA was starting up, I joined my local club around the corner. To be moving to a new club was tough, but I really enjoyed it.

“We had a really good run and it was just a real nice distraction after all the solitary training I’d been doing.”

That club campaign seems to have been the spark that lit the flame once again, while her attacking displays for the Mobhi Road outfit appeared to catch the eye of Bohan.

Having retired from Sevens duty last August, Tyrrell threw her lot in with 15s in terms of international rugby thereafter. The Leinster star soon established herself as Ireland’s first-choice out-half, starting there against Italy in the autumn, front and centre of Griggs’ plans through postponements and uncertainty.

She was the starting 10 in April’s Six Nations opener, impressing against Wales and capping her performance with a late try and the Player of the Match award, just days after her wedding was postponed. She kept the jersey for the France game before being replaced by Stacey Flood late on, the substitute-then-turning-starter for the finale against Italy.

Tyrrell came on in the 60th minute that day in Donnybrook, but we know now that that was her last appearance in the green jersey, returning to her Sky Blue roots since.

Her last season with Dublin was 2014, involved for the league before withdrawing from the squad when she landed a professional Sevens contract.

Facing Wales in April.

Source: Robbie Stephenson/INPHO

Looking back through the years, her inter-county career has certainly been a colourful one — and hasn’t all played in the forward line. In 2006, Tyrrell was goalkeeper of the county’s U16 All-Ireland winning team. Described in the match report as ‘truly outstanding,’ Tyrrell saved two Cork penalties in the final and was named Player of the Match. In 2008, she helped the Jackies to the national minor crown.

She repeated the Player of the Match award in the final feat in the 2010 All-Ireland senior B championship, and went on to establish herself as Cliodhna O’Connor’s understudy. At club level, however, her attacking prowess shone through, scoring 1-3 on route to another Player of the Match-winning decider display as Round Towers won the 2011 Dublin intermediate championship.

Before switching her focus to the oval ball, Tyrrell was also a talented soccer player, lining out for St Catherine’s in two FAI Cup finals, and Shamrock Rovers in the inaugural Women’s National League [WNL] season of 2011/12.

An outstanding multi-talented athlete, she is now bringing all that she has garnered through the years to the Dublin set-up, and is adding something new to the all-conquering champions.

She hit the ground running on her competitive return against the Déise, repaying Bohan’s trust to have her in from the start as a late change with 1-5, all from play. Four of those points came in the first half, as she marked her return to the biggest stage in style.

“I have never worked with Hannah Tyrell before, but she has been with us now for a month,” Bohan said after that routine 6-15 to 2-12 win.

“She has had a fabulous approach to the whole thing and obviously, she is a fine athlete, and 1-5 is not a bad contribution for her return.”

2-7 against arch-rivals Cork wasn’t too shabby on Saturday either; 2-2 of that coming in a devastating three-minute spell in the second half, with one of the goals simply top-drawer:

Quality from Hannah Tyrrell for the Dublin Ladies against Cork earlier 👌👕#UpTheDubspic.twitter.com/pDX2A5lXSA

— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) May 29, 2021

After two games, it’s fair to say that she clearly adds another dynamic to an already fierce Dublin attack; the standout option for a direct ball into the full-forward line should they use an alternative to their hugely successful running game.

Tyrrell is another deadly accurate free-taker in the hugely-competitive fold, too, four of her points against the Rebels at Páirc Uí Chaoimh coming from long-range frees.

Her sublime individual second-half performance against the 2020 All-Ireland finalists was key to Dublin’s one-point win in the end, and saw her… yes, you guessed it, add another Player of the Match award to her ever-burgeoning cabinet.

In her winning interview with TG4, she hailed the “resilience” and “fightback” of her team-mates, noting how “it was a big squad effort to get us over the line and get that win.”

#CORvDUB Lán Ama

“I don't know if the rugby skills helped but look the pitch is massive here and I think the space helps in the attack” 😂

Is í Hannah Tyrell @dublinladiesg Laoch na hImeartha inniu! 🥳👏 @LadiesFootball
#ProperFan #PeilnamBan pic.twitter.com/CKt1AAy6mE

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) May 29, 2021

When her rugby skills were mentioned — presenter Máire Ní Bhraonáin pointing to them when referencing the direct ball in — Tyrrell shook them off with a laugh.

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“I don’t know if the rugby skills helped but look, the pitch is massive here and I think the space helps in the attack. We were able to spread the ball wide and use our big girls inside, and thankfully it paid off for us.

“We’re just growing with every single game, trying to get better and improve on little things game by game.

“Hopefully, come championship, we’ll be raring to go and we’ll have good craic.”

With the addition of Hannah Tyrrell, there’s no doubt they will, as the Drive for Five roars on.