Month: September 2021

GALWAY’S MARCH TOWARDS the 2017 All-Ireland crown was notable for the lack of goals they scored en route to the title.

They averaged almost 28 points per game in the championship but only hit the net in one game – the Leinster quarter-final against Dublin. Galway raised two green flags against Dublin in Tullamore but failed to bag another goal in the four games that followed.

Only two sides since 2004 have won an All-Ireland final despite failing to bag a three-pointer – Cork 14 years ago and the Tribesmen last September.

Galway opened up their Leinster campaign this year by putting five goals past Offaly and they’ve hit the net five more times in the seven games that followed. In total, they’ve bagged at least a goal in six of their eight championship games this season.

Galway’s goalscorers this summer

2 – Brian Concannon (both vs Offaly)
2 – Conor Whelan (vs Offaly, vs Wexford)
2 – Jonathan Glynn (vs Kilkenny replay, vs Clare replay)
1 – Jason Flynn (vs Offaly)
1 – Joe Canning (vs Offaly – penalty)
1 – Joseph Cooney (vs Offaly)
1 – Conor Cooney (vs Clare)

When Galway come up against a sweeper they’re happy to pop the scores over from distance, but on Sunday Limerick are likely to defend man-on-man which could provide goalscoring opportunities for Micheal Donoghue’s side.

Either way, the Tribe management have full confidence in their players to make the right decision on the field.

“Listen we trust the lads, if it opens up they play on instinct if there is a goal chance on then absolutely go for it,” says selector Noel Larkin.

“We are happy enough with where we are scoring goals and everyone wants to score more goals and I think we have knocked the goals win games theory. It’s down to the players if its on absolutely take it on.

Michael Donoghue celebrates with selector Noel Larkin after the replay win over Clare

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

“We didn’t go out to score five goals against Offaly that just the way it happened. On the flip side, we only scored 15 points so you could say you’re not happy scoring 15 points.

“You saw the Leinster final. 18 points got us a draw we’d have lost with that the last day so from game to game you see a lot of differences in the scores.

“1-30 in the drawn game, 1-17 the last day known there were 20 minutes of extra time so you get different scoring differences in games we’ll take a 0-5 to 0-4 win at this stage.”

Galway have played Sunday’s opponents Limerick once already this season, a Division 1B encounter back in March. The Tribesmen led by eight points at one stage but were reeled back in by the Shannonsiders who eventually prevailed by 2-18 to 1-19.

“We saw them first hand in the league in Pearse Stadium,” says Larkin. “It’s common knowledge we were (eight) points up that day and they came back and pipped us at the post at the end.

“Now we can put it down to training they were a bit ahead of us but the fact remains they have been earmarked from early in the year as one of the contenders and it is no surprise they are in the final.

“I won’t say it was a shock obviously you are disappointed any time you lose a seven or eight point lead at home. It was very disappointing, we always stress the importance of trying to get out of 1B and Limerick knocked that on the head. We seen them up close that day and they are a serious outfit.”

A week later Galway went down to Wexford in the league quarter-final, only the second time during Micheal Donoghue’s reign they suffered back-to-back defeats.

Larkin says their late return to training at the start of the year meant they had no worries they would rediscover their winning touch.

“It’s common knowledge we were late back and had a bit of celebrating to do which I would gladly do this year again.

“We were always confident that we were behind and knew we’d get it right in the end. It was disappointing and at half-time in the Wexford game in Wexford Park with a great crowd we absolutely wanted to win it.

Tempers flare during the league meeting between Galway and Limerick

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

“Wexford were ahead and kicked on in the last five minutes and we lost Jack Coyne to a red card that day so we were down a man for the last 20. But we were happy we brought them to the last few minutes and lost by (three) in the end so we weren’t by any means panicking or anything.”

Much has been made of the Limerick bench that contributed 2-6 against Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final, but Larkin believes the Galway subs pack a serious punch too.

“I think more depth is a great point. At extra-time in the drawn game in Croke Park I looked around and I think there was five All-Stars on the bench for whatever reasons, taken off, injury or emptied the tank.

“We have used 26 players this year in the championship we have great depth in the squad and against Clare in extra time our panel got us over the line. More depth is something we looked at and we are happy enough where we are going on that score.”

All that’s left now is to formulate a game plan to take down Limerick and enjoy the build-up.

“The fact (we only had) two weeks (to prepare means) we are not getting a lot of time to analyse them the way we would have on previous opposition.

“The structure of the championship this year you are playing different opposition every week or two weeks so there isn’t time which might not be a bad thing because the focus has to be on you and what you are trying to do so it might not be a bad thing in hindsight.

“The fact that we have the experience of last year definitely makes a massive difference. Two weeks is probably not enough time if it was a case where we hadn’t got last year’s experience so everything is nearly done now, so it’s just a matter of waiting on the game to come around now.

“Everyone wants to be involved in the biggest day of the year. The semi finals are for getting over the line and getting to the final and once you are there, it’s not that you take the foot off the gas but everything is done and its a matter of fine tuning and putting the plan in place for the opposition and hopefully roll it out on the day and it works. ”

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THE LIAM MILLER Tribute Match at Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a sellout, event organisers have confirmed.

All 45,000 tickets for the 25 September charity game between Manchester United legends and an Ireland/Celtic selection have now been purchased.

An extra 38,000 tickets went on general sale yesterday following the GAA’s decision at the end of July to open the doors to the Páirc for the fundraising soccer match.

7,000 tickets for the original iteration of the fixture, scheduled for Turners Cross, sold out within a minute of their release last month. Those who bought tickets for Turners Cross will be allocated seating in Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s South Stand.

Michael O’Flynn, Chairman of the Organising Committee, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that so many people are supporting this wonderful event in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. We would like to thank everyone again for their fabulous support.

It’s a ringing endorsement of the GAA’s decision to donate the use of their stadium and we thank them wholeheartedly. This will be a unique sporting occasion in Cork, not only because of the calibre of the soccer stars who will be taking part, but also because it will feature both soccer and GAA sports at the same time.

“It will be a fantastic tribute to Liam Miller who was one of Cork’s sporting heroes and a great celebration of sport in Cork.”

Proceeds from the Liam Miller Tribute Match will be used to help the former Ireland midfielder’s wife Clare and their three children, while Marymount Hospice will also be among the benefactors.

Gary Neville, who’ll line out for United on the day, spoke to The42′s Ryan Bailey about the game last week.

"It was something that you that you didn't even need to think about. We have to do it. We want to do it." Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville spoke to us about taking part in the tribute match for his former teammate Liam Miller.

A post shared by The42 (@the42.ie) on Aug 9, 2018 at 5:02am PDT

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The full squads for September’s fixture are as follows:

Manchester United: Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Ronny Johnsen, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Denis Irwin, David May, Louis Saha, Rio Ferdinand, Quinton Fortune, Andy Cole, Michael Clegg, Mikael Silvestre, Kevin Pilkington, Dion Dublin, Roy Carroll, Alan Smith

Ireland/Celtic: David Forde, Stephen Carr, Kevin Kilbane, Richard Dunne, Kenny Cunningham, Keith Andrews, Kevin Doyle, Stephen McPhail, Andy Reid, Robbie Keane, Damien Duff, Lee Carsley, Colin Healy, Shaun Maloney, Paul Lambert, John Hartson, Neil Lennon, Stylian Petrov, Shane Supple

Juvenile players from Miller’s GAA club, Éire Óg, will take to the field as part of the match’s half-time entertainment.

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DAVY FITZGERALD IS the man to take Wexford ‘to the next level’ in the eyes of captain Matthew O’Hanlon, who has thrown his support behind the manager after the county board announced earlier today he will remain in charge for the 2019 season.

After Wexford’s quarter-final championship exit to Clare last month, there had been uncertainty over Fitzgerald’s future but their squad were strong in their backing for him to remain as manager.

“We had said all along that we wanted Davy to stay on,” outlined O’Hanlon.

“As a group of players and panel, we were firmly behind him. We made that clear to him and the county board and we’re just delighted with the decision that he’s decided to stay on.

“I think we’ve had two good years under him, we’ve progressed an awful lot and I think he’s the man to lead us to the next level. From a personal perspective I’m delighted and then from the panel itself we’re over the moon so looking forward to 2019 already.”

O’Hanlon had been in contact with Fitzgerald since their 2018 season concluded with that loss in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and while articulating the support of the players for him to continue in the role, he was mindful of affording Fitzgerald time to consider his future.

“My role as captain, I’d be quite close to Davy in terms of talking to him most weeks about different bits and pieces so the week after defeat was pretty raw for everybody involved.

“We were extremely disappointed. Contact was minimal amongst management and players then. Thereafter you look on at the semi-finals and your mind wanders to next year and what might be. Throughout those couple of weeks would have been in touch with Davy on and off just to discuss what went wrong for us and what we could potentially look to put right next year.

“We made it clear to him that the players wanted him back. The county board made it clear that they wanted him back. So he was in no doubt that he was wanted in Wexford. In fairness to Davy, it’s a big commitment for him to commit to a year of his life travelling to Wexford from Clare.

Davy Fitzgerald celebrates at the final whistle of their victory over Dublin in May.

Source: Tommy Greally/INPHO

“He’s got a lot of commitments back in Clare as well. He’s got a family to look after, he’s got relatives and his parents at home, he’s got business interests in Clare that he needs to look after.

“We were respectful of that to give him the time to make the decision that suited him be. He had to weigh up if it was the right thing for him to do from a personal point of view.

“I think it shows how passionate Davy is and how dedicated he is to the job. He wouldn’t say yes to doing something if he wasn’t going to put 100% of himself into it and he has done that over the last two years and I’m sure he will now next year as well.

“I would have travelled from Dublin to training for the last seven, eight years. That’s tough when you’re the one training but Davy’s the first one that arrives on the pitch and he’s the last one to leave as well so you can add an extra couple of hours time that he needs to be there for.

“He could be leaving Sixmilebridge at one or two in the afternoon and not be getting back there til one or two in the morning. It’s a huge commitment from him. But he’s got a good group of people around him in Clare that he’s able to work the travel arrangements with. So hopefully that will still be in place for next year as well.”

A dejected Davy Fitzgerald at the end of their All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Clare.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

The 26-year-old feels that avoiding a change in manager was crucial to Wexford’s development.

“If you look at the stage where we’re at as a team and a panel, we’re quite a senior panel in that there’s players there that are seasoned championship campaigners and have competed in big games over the last number of years.

“We’re not at the stage where we’re a team in transition where there’s a lot of younger players coming through. In that scenario you’re maybe better positioned for a new voice to come in but we’re in a position where we think we’re ready to compete for top honours.

“Sometimes when a new manager comes in, it’s difficult to make that impact in the first year because you’re learning different ways of training, you’re getting used to different members of backroom team, different styles of play. That stuff all takes time and practice.

“The fact that we’ve worked under Davy for the last two years. We know how he works, we know how he wants to train and players know what’s expected of them in that setup. I think that is all of benefit to us looking forward to 2019.”

The Wexford team before last year’s Leinster final against Galway.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

Next Sunday, O’Hanlon will be in Croke Park to watch the battle for the biggest prize in hurling. After their rise in 2017, this year saw Wexford’s progress stunted but he still believes they have the capacity to kick on again next season.

“I’m going up to the game. It’s the biggest day of the hurling calendar and I want to go up and soak up the atmosphere and use that as a bit more motivation for myself from a personal level.

“The last two years I think it’s been the most open championship that it has been since my time playing since 2011. You look at the top six, seven, eight teams, anyone could beat anyone on any given day.

“Look the over-riding feeling after the Clare game was just absolutely gutted disappointment. It’s one thing when you lose to a better team having played to the best of your potential but losing when you don’t reach that performance, when you don’t play to your potential, it’s a lot tougher to take.

Matthew O’Hanlon in action for Wexford against Clare.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

“It’s the question of what if. That’s the kind of thoughts that are in my head now looking on at the rest of the championship and will be in the back of my head as we progress into winter and back into pre-season.

“I don’t think we’re too far off. From our perspective it’s just getting that consistency of performance, where we switch off for 20 minutes, or performances where we turn up and are flat for whatever reason, that’s the area we need to improve on next year.

“I don’t think we’re too far away but any other county that’s knocked out at this stage is telling themselves the same thing. That’s what 2019 will be down to.”

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IS IT ME… or is anyone else bored already with this year’s Gaelic football championship?

At the business end of the GAA season, fans are entitled to expect high drama. But neither of this weekend’s big games really ignited and September’s All-Ireland decider between Dublin and Tyrone is already looking like a potential damp squib. Attendances are down. Neither of last weekend’s football semi-finals even came close to filling Croke Park.

I watched the Tyrone v Monaghan game in a pub in County Meath, where a sizeable minority of those in attendance opted instead to watch Man City v Arsenal on Sky Sports in a back room. I must confess, there were moments that afternoon when I was tempted to join them there.

A late Niall Sludden goal saw Tyrone run out deserved 1-13 to 0-15 winners. As a neutral, I felt bad for Monaghan, who were contesting their first semi-final in 30 years. They battled hard all day – as they have all season – and, in a one-point game, an apparent foul by Tiernan McCann on Kieran Hughes right at the death, which somehow went unpunished, could have handed them a lifeline.

But, to be honest, I was secretly very glad Tyrone ultimately ran out as winners. Because Colm Cavanagh & Co. are the only outfit left in the competition who look capable of giving Dublin a serious test on 2 September. Tyrone’s defence on Sunday was extremely impressive.

With Galway handily dispatched, the Dubs are now closing in on four All-Ireland titles in a row. The two teams I’d have nominated, pre-season, as the best placed to end the Dubs’ amazing run of victories – Mayo and Kerry – both crashed and burned early on. For Kerry’s rising stars, this year’s championship may have come too soon. For Mayo’s battle-hardened veterans, alas, it may have come too late.

If the bookies are right – and they usually are – the destination of the Sam Maguire is already a foregone conclusion. In fact, the most significant subplot remaining unresolved in this year’s championship may be whether Tyrone agree to participate in ‘Up for the Match’ the night before the final – or whether Mickey Harte will first insist on final approval over which RTÉ presenter hosts the pre-game light entertainment staple.

Watching Dublin in action against Galway on Saturday, even as a layman, their invincibility seemed no great mystery to unravel. Their players are fitter. They’re stronger. They’re better coached, better conditioned and their squad has far greater strength in depth than any of their rivals. Their score conversion rate is higher because they attack in such great force they rarely have to shoot from long distance or while under pressure.

For a long time, prior to 2011, Dublin’s footballing mediocrity managed to convince us that no great advantage accrued from their having a far greater population base to draw upon than any of their rival counties. As the past decade has gone on, the suspicion that such an advantage does exist has become harder and harder to shrug off.

County Dublin has five times more inhabitants than County Galway, eight times more people than Tyrone, and 22 times more citizens than Monaghan.

When Croatia reached the finals at the World Cup earlier this summer, they proved that population base isn’t the be-all-and-end-all when it comes determining success in sport – provided you’ve got a once-in-a-lifetime generation of talent on which to draw. But their success was the exception to the rule.

There are no transfers in Gaelic football. To paraphrase a crude expression, counties can only urinate with the equipment with which they were born. In Mickey Harte’s 17th championship season in charge, I’d love to see him win a fourth All-Ireland title. But I seriously doubt that’s going to happen.

For my own native Mayo, I would have hoped the coming winter would be a period of radical change and rebirth. Instead, from the very superficial indicators I’m reading at this early stage, the suggestions are that’s not going to be the case.

The prospect, recently mooted, of Jim McGuinness replacing Stephen Rochford as manager didn’t receive much support from Mayo fans online. As a county, we’re known for our positive, attacking play. Having McGuinness in charge would obviously have led to drastic changes on that front.

But the prospect of McGuinness taking over from Rochford received a much more positive response from Mayo supporters I spoke to privately than it did from those who publicly declared their loyalty to the current set-up online. The McGuinness move is not going to happen now, and Rochford has committed to a fourth season in charge.

But please God, some major challenger will spring out from somewhere. For us non-Jackeens, the prospect of a Dublin five-in-a-row All-Ireland triumph in September 2019 is just too much to take…

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AN ALL-IRELAND title is the prize at stake on Sunday, but in the long-term Micheal Donoghue hopes the foundations have been laid for Galway to regularly compete at the top table for years to come.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

The Tribesmen are bidding to put together back-to-back All-Irelands for the first time in 20 years.

If they beat Limerick this weekend, Donoghue will have been directly responsible for one-third of Galway’s All-Ireland SHC victories. Not bad going for a man less than three years in the job.

The county’s underage sides are enjoying success too. Galway were crowned Leinster U21 champions before exiting at the All-Ireland semi-final stage, while the minors topped their All-Ireland quarter-final group and face Kilkenny in the final before the main event on Sunday afternoon.

Donoghue’s current senior squad are still relatively young, but there’ll be a plethora of talented youngsters pushing for places in the coming years.

“It was one of the big rocks for us when we took the job that we wanted to be competing at the highest level as much as we could,” says Donoghue. “That’s the goal.

“It was paramount that we got massive connectivity and structures between the team. We had that strong relationship with Tony Ward with the U21s, and even going down to the U17s with Jeff Lynskey.

“We had Cyril Donnellan involved and Fergal Healy. Two prominent players. Cyril was obviously involved in our own set-up. He knows what goes on in the senior set-up and relays that. That’s a good foundation to start with.

Galway’s Cyril Donnellan celebrates with the Liam MacCarthy Cup last year

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“We are all on the same page and we are working towards the same thing. From ourselves with the U21s there are big connections there. Obviously, Franny Forde is with them and Lukasz Kirszenstein oversees some of the S&C.”

Kirszenstein’s capture from Tipperary has been hailed as one of Donoghue’s greatest achievements. The Polish native directs the strength and conditioning programme right through Galway’s underage system – something he wanted to implement in the Premier County.

Munster Rugby were sniffing around Kirszenstein earlier this year but the Galway county board tied him down to a long-term deal.

“For any young fella getting involved, if they’re working on the same programmes in S&C as the seniors, it’s a big advantage,” says Donoghue.

“We’re having a great summer with all the teams and there’s great talent, so it’s just to try and keep it going.”

Galway haven’t lost a championship game in two years. Their last defeat was a one-point reverse to Tipperary in the 2016 All-Ireland semi-final.

Donoghue says he had no issue keeping his troops motivated following last September’s breakthrough.

“I think for us with the new structure and everything starting earlier, and with the way the year finished for us and the break and so on, getting back into it probably took us a bit longer.

“But I think once we were open with the group and everybody really knew where we were, we put a timescale on this is where we had to be at this particular time. We just used the league to get through it again and it’s funny given it’s two Division 1B teams in the final.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

“We just used to league to get back in but once we hit the championship I thought we hit the stride well. I keep giving all the praise to the players, they are highly motivated and they want to be as successful as they can. When they are that driven it’s easy for us.

“You go from highs and lows – it’s never always going to be perfect. I think you don’t get involved with your eyes closed, you take the good with the bad, you just move on and roll with it.”

The Clarinbridge man didn’t shed any light on who exactly questioned Galway’s “character” prior to the replay win over Clare as Joe Canning stated after the game.

“I think we’ve learned a lot this year in terms of going in as winners and I think the expectation on us every day, people just expect us to go through it unscathed and not lose in the championship.

“If you look at all the games this year, they’ve ebbed and flowed and in an overall capacity, there’s very little between teams.

“I think we live in a world now where there’s a lot of opinion and everyone’s entitled to their opinion as well.

“There’s so many media outlets as well, and it’s his prerogative to say what he wants in relation to that and I support him and back him 100%. I think that goes with the territory.

“It’s not that we ever use it as a crutch or anything like that. Look, it’s the same as any sport in the world, if you’re up there, you’re there to be knocked and that’s the challenge, to try and stay there.

“You’ve heard me say it 100 times. We’re only worried about what happens within the group and within Athenry when we’re training. Our mantra has always been our next game has been the most important one.

“It’s doing us well to date so we’ll stay going with it.

“We have massive experience. The lads have gone through an awful lot in their own careers, both in their clubs and at inter-county level and they’ve drawn on that.”

Canning shipped a knee injury in the drawn game against Clare which forced him off during extra-time, but Donoghue says there are no concerns over his fitness heading into the decider.

“He’s okay. In fairness to him, he’s had a few knocks but he’s just getting on with it as well. Similarly to others, we’ve had four or five knocks but that’s just the attrition that goes with the last couple of weekends.

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

“We are where we want to be, we’re absolutely delighted so I think no knock is going to stop any fella from getting into the team or wanting to get into the team, so we’re in a good place.”

The Galway boss has been impressed with Limerick this season but stresses that most of his focus will be on his own group.

“I think they have had a massive year, huge momentum, John has done a massive job with them. We got to see first-hand how impressive they were in the league and they’ve carried that right into the championship.

“They’ve had some massive results. I think when you get here the two best teams always end up there. They are going to be formidable for us.

“We have the height of respect for them, I know it’s going to be a huge challenge but it’s back to the old cliche, it’s just on ourselves and our own performance, that’s all we can focus on now.”

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FORMER GALWAY HURLER Cyril Donnellan believes the Tribesmen are ‘very fortunate’ to have Daithí Burke patrolling the full-back position as Galway seek to defend their All-Ireland crown.

Source: Piaras Ó Mídheach/SPORTSFILE

Burke is tipped to collect a fourth consecutive All-Star this year following a series of exceptional performances at the heart of the Galway defence.

He has excelled on several occasions for Micheál Donoghue’s charges throughout the championship and also had an enthralling battle with Clare full-forward John Conlon in the draw and replay of the All-Ireland SHC semi-final.

“The summer of 2015, in a lot of the in-house games, I was centre-forward and Daithí was centre-back,” Donnellan recalls.

“I would have come across him a few times. He’s a great lad, he works extremely hard.

“His demeanour sometimes, outside of that, shows that he’s just a casual sort of lad, he’s very quietly spoken but he’s just an ultra competitor, just a great lad and we’re very lucky to have him.”

Daithí Burke

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

Donnellan, who retired from inter-county hurling last November, added that Séamus Callanan’s 3-9 against Galway in the 2015 All-Ireland semi-final provided the catalyst for Burke to establish himself in the number three jersey.

“If you look back in 2015 when he was on the panel, he played most of that year at centre-back and it wasn’t until Seamie Callanan got three goals in the 2015 semi-final that from then on Daithí was nominated into the full-back position.

“He’s been absolutely brilliant.

Obviously there’s been no-one like him for the last number of years in a Galway position, but in regards to (the country), I think full-back is a very hard position to fill nowadays, you have to be mobile, strong and athletic and I think a lot of counties are struggling in that position.

“We’re just very fortunate to have him.”

Donnellan was restricted to more of a panel-based role in his last season with Galway including the All-Ireland final where he took his place among the substitutes.

Retirement had been on his mind throughout the year, but in the days after their Liam MacCarthy success, the Pádraig Pearses clubman briefly contemplated returning to the panel this year.

That was until a rib injury in a club game prompted him to step away, and ultimately led him to making the transition into coaching.

“I met Michéal [Donoghue] a few weeks later and he probably knew what I was coming with and asked me to see would I get involved in the coaching side of things with the 21s although he wasn’t the manager.

Donnellan celebrating with the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2017.

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“Franny Forde is involved with both so that conversation developed, if I was interested he would contact the U21 manager for me. So I was delighted to get involved in that.

“From talking to past players, it can be a dip when you leave that and it’s a void you have to fill with something so I filled it with a bit of coaching. I’ve been busy with that. It’s been enjoyable but different. Obviously nothing beats playing but a great experience at the same time.”

He added:

“You have 20/21-year-olds there and even when I met Micheál I’d a list of all the forwards Galway have at the minute like and I just felt there was a few in the early 20′s there that could push on and placed all that on the table.

When I was in there in the early stages of my career I was in there as a ball-winner and we have great ball-winners at the minute so that was the basis of my decision.”

Donnellan concedes that he does miss the inter-county game but as the All-Ireland final against Limerick draws near, he finds himself in the unfamiliar position of being able to enjoy the build-up and drink in the atmosphere as a supporter.

He worries about Galway’s recent habit of letting big leads slip in games but he’s impressed with how they have responded to each challenge as defending champions.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

“I feel that they’ve done absolutely brilliant to come back as defending All-Ireland champions.

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“Obviously when you’re All-Ireland champions everyone wants to beat you and everyone that meets you meets you head on, fronts up to you, obviously that puts pressure on referees as well and the flow of games but I think they’ve dealt with all of that absolutely brilliantly to get back to next weekend.

“You’d be worried that Limerick are an excellent calibre team, what they’ve done in the semi-final and the Kilkenny game, those two games alone, like, it’s not impossible what they’re trying to do.

“The word is that they could be a small little bit naive, but naive in a good way, that they’ll just embrace the day and go at it because they’re a young team.”

Cyril Donnellan was speaking at the launch of the 2018 Croke Park Charity Challenge, organised by Alan Kerins in partnership with Self Help Africa.

The event will see people from the world of business, sport, media and entertainment partake in a charity sporting spectacle on the 23 October to raise funds for Self Help Africa. 

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MAYO’S JASON DOHERTY has expressed his relief that Stephen Rochford has decided to remain at the helm for a fourth season with the senior footballers.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Rochford committed himself to the Mayo football team after meeting with both the Mayo GAA Board chairman Mike Connelly as well as members of the Mayo squad recently.

The news comes after coach/selector Donie Buckley and goalkeeping coach/selector Peter Burke both decided to step away from the squad, while it’s also believed that selector Tony McEntee won’t be making a return for the 2019 season.

Doherty, however, is pleased that the Crossmolina native is staying on.

“Stephen has done some great work with us over the last number of years,” he said.

“We have definitely developed our game and new selectors coming on board will bring in new ideas and as a player you look forward to that, the anticipation of who will be in.

And as a player, it makes you look at yourself. One thing that Stephen has brought in is that nobody is safe whether you are there 15 years or six months.

“He constantly challenges you to question your own game,” added Doherty, who says he laughed off reports that Jim McGuinness was a possible candidate for the position should Rochford step down.

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“You can’t rest on stuff you have done in the past. You have to be showing up on the Tuesday and the Friday before the game. He picks teams to meet the opposition as well.”

Mayo suffered a shock exit from the All-Ireland championship this year following a defeat to Kildare in the qualifiers.

It’s uncharted territory for this team but Doherty believes that the setback gives the players a chance to enjoy some quality time away from the game where they can explore other things.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

The dynamic forward has taken some time out from club duty with Burrishoole in order to refresh and recharge, while his Mayo teammates Diarmuid O’Connor and Conor Loftus have both moved to Chicago for the summer to play with the the McBrides club.

“I think it’s a huge opportunity for lads to reassess, re-energise and even to take a break from it for a while and get back with the club,” Doherty explains.

“We have been lucky to go on so late in the year that you are almost scrambling in the winter. By the time you play with your club, some players will go fairly far into the national competitions, that you are always scrambling for the holidays and time off in the winter.

One thing I have noticed is that you are saying yes to things in Whatsapp groups that you haven’t said yes to in about eight or nine years, whether it is meeting up with friends or going to the hurling semi-final, catching up with friends from college, weddings and stuff like this.

“You’re so used to saying you have training or a match. That’s been enjoyable, getting back into those circles.”

But there are some areas that Doherty feels the Mayo footballers must address when they reconvene for the 2019 season if they are to finally end their Sam Maguire famine.

Donal Vaughan after Mayo’s loss to Galway.

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

Defeat to Galway in the Connacht SFC forced Mayo to take the qualifiers route once again this season where they breezed past Limerick and stuttered over Tipperary before that fateful meeting with Kildare in Newbridge.

Injuries to key players like Tom Parsons and Séamus O’Shea were naturally a factor in their unexpected departure, but in truth, their form was patchy once again. And this time, they were unable to work their way out of a crisis to get back to the business end of the season.

Mayo haven’t contested the Connacht final since 2015 and Doherty insists that they must become more competitive at provincial level if they are to pick up some momentum that will sustain them throughout the rest of the championship.

“Kildare turned up in Newbridge obviously and they were phenomenal. It’s not that we played tremendously poor either, we did a lot right but we made a lot of mistakes and they did enough to squeeze over the line and we ran a bit out of steam, which is slightly disappointing.

“But obviously we are well aware that there are areas that we do need to address to get further than that. First and foremost we need to perform in Connacht, which we haven’t done for a few years.

That’s more disappointing than anything. We need to get a bit of momentum there and not be relying on just expecting to land into the sun in the first weekend in August and then all of a sudden at Croke Park we’ll take off. We need to address that.”

Jason Doherty was speaking at the launch of the 2018 Croke Park Charity Challenge, organised by Alan Kerins in partnership with Self Help Africa.

The event will see people from the world of business, sport, media and entertainment partake in a charity sporting spectacle on the 23 October to raise funds for Self Help Africa. 

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HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP DAYS but with a different twist for Paul Browne.

In the 10th season of his existence as a Limerick senior hurler, he’s accustomed to being immersed in the heat of midfield battles.

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When his cruciate snapped during a tackling drill in a training session in mid June, his 2018 playing involvement crashed to a halt.

The role of an observer has been something to adjust to during the thrilling recent wins over Kilkenny and Cork.

“I was helping out with the stats for the Kilkenny game. The last couple of minutes my hand was shaking, I couldn’t write down what I was supposed to be writing down.

“Croke Park is a different scenario so I couldn’t help out, I was watching. I was sitting with the subs and stuff, I actually thought I might go, I might pass out near the end of the game.

“I’d be a poor spectator anyway. It’s much easier to be involved and thinking about the moment. The tension, you’re like a supporter with the best seat in the house. I’m not worried about coming on, I’m not worried about the match or how it’s going.

“I’m watching the boys. You’re pucking every ball. When you’re playing you’re only hitting the balls you’re hitting. But I’m hitting every ball out on the field and it’s just not a good place to be.”

He’s a couple of weeks post operation now and is embarking on the road to recovery, detecting little signals of improvement with each passing day. There was never a temptation though for the Bruff man to cut his ties with the squad as this summer unfolded.

“I felt sorry for myself for a day or two you know but I suppose I’d a choice to make and I decided I’d better just not be sulking because I’d no place being around the boys if that was the case. I wanted to stay around with the lads so I suppose I haven’t missed a training or a match or anything.

“I wanted to be part of it. It’s my 10th season. I hadn’t experienced an All-Ireland final. It might not come around again.

Paul Browne was the victorious captain after January’s Munster league final win over Clare.

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“Who knows? I don’t know what’s going to happen next year or the year after with myself or with the panel. I am hanging on because I kind of knew what was coming. You get a feeling when it is like that.

“I haven’t had it before I won’t lie and I don’t know will I get it again after this year but sure look we’ll have to try and capitalise on it. I’m missing out on playing but I’ll get over that. I just want everything to go well on the 19th.”

The Limerick management have been keen to keep Browne in the group and facilitated a role for him.

“I’m trying to help as best I can. It’s amazing what you pick up when you’re not togged. You’d be watching other fellas and pick up on different things. A fella might be having a down day at training, you can have a word or a drill mightn’t go well, you could step in and say something.

“John and the team have been very accommodating to me as regards helping out and trying to utilise me as much as they can. I suppose it’s an extra pair of eyes for training and matches and people to watch out for. If I can only contribute 1% more, that’s enough for me.

“I’ve been part of everything and the lads have been very good in including me – texts after surgery, texts after it happened, inviting me up for coffees, teas, making sure the mood is good, asking me how I am at training.

“When they should be worrying about anything but me, they’re still worried about me which is a sign of a great bunch of lads. We’ve a good group, they’re nice fellas and just nice friends to have over the last couple of weeks.”

Browne could appreciate the milestone that was the quarter-final success over Kilkenny. He was present in 2012, 2014 and 2017 when Limerick’s hurling summers were cut by sides managed by Brian Cody.

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“I remember talking to a couple of the young fellas, they had no fear of Kilkenny. I’m not just throwing that line out, they don’t have a fear. It was more the older lads might have been thinking that.

“Credit to Kilkenny that day. There’s no end to them at all. You could stay bating them all day and they’ll still keep coming and coming and coming. They’re an incredible bunch of men.

“We just managed to get the breaks, and Tom Morrissey that day, the point after the goal was huge for us. And that’s the kind of fellas we have on the panel, that’s what those young fellas are well able to do. He caught the game by the scruff of the neck, it’s what you dream of doing. He did it. He dragged us though.”

Browne’s day job entails working as GAA officer in Limerick IT. He’s a past student there and has come into contact with his share of Galway hurling figures over the years. He was pleased to see them get their reward last September but those feelings are parked next Sunday.

“Joe would have been the main one I would have known through college. Cyril Donnellan and one or two more that would have gone through before.

Joe Canning and Paul Browne in action together in the Fitzgibbon Cup in 2012.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

“Paul Killeen as well actually, a great fella. He gave me a text after the injury. He knows exactly what I’m going through. Paul is a lovely fella, nice lad, great leader.

“I’d say he’s only biding his time to get a shot at starting again. He was obviously starting when he got hurt and stuff, so he’s coming back really strong this year so it gives me good hope!

“Just honest, nice decent fellas. Work hard, always give everything. When we were together in LIT the boys did, and it’s just nice to see them get a reward. Obviously this year is a different story!”

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Updated Aug 15th 2018, 12:45 PM

GALWAY SENIOR PANELLIST Brian Concannon is set to be suspended for Sunday’s All-Ireland final after being sent-off in last week’s U21 semi-final while Tipperary’s Mark Kehoe has been cleared to play in their upcoming U21 decider against Cork.

Contrasting fortunes for Tipperary’s Mark Kehoe and Galway’s Brian Concannon.

Source: INPHO

There was contrasting  fortunes for Galway’s Concannon and Tipperary’s Kehoe who had hearings last night in the wake of the red cards they received in last week’s Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U21 hurling semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds

Kehoe was cleared to play in the decider against Cork in the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday 26 August while Concannon’s dismissal was upheld.

Concannon was sent-off in the first half of Galway’s semi-final loss for ‘striking with a hurley, with minimal force’ and the CHC found the infraction proven and imposed the penalty of a two-week suspension in the same code and same level.

The two-week ban was handed out for each applicable one-match suspension in the case of a player exiting an underage grade. As Concannon is not U21 next year and Galway have not reached the final, his ban applies to the same code (hurling) and same level (inter-county).

Concannon has the option of appealing against the decision of the CHC (Central Hearings Committee) by taking his case to the CAC (Central Appeals Committee).

The Killimordaly club man has emerged as a young attacking prospect this season at senior level. He started in their Leinster round-robin ties against Offaly and Kilkenny, scoring 2-1 from play against the Faithful, before coming on as a sub against Wexford and in the Leinster final against Kilkenny. Since then he has been part of the squad for the replay win over Kilkenny and the two-game All-Ireland semi-final saga with Clare.

Kehoe was dismissed in the second half of Tipperary’s victory for ‘behaving in an way which is dangerous to an opponent’. After requesting a hearing, the CHC found that infraction was not proven.

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The decision is a major boost to the fortunes of the side managed by Liam Cahill with Kehoe having scored 1-1 in the semi-final success before he was sent-off.

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THE GAA HAVE warned that tickets being resold for prices above face value for the All-Ireland hurling and football finals will be cancelled.

A general view of Croke Park.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

A statement released this morning ahead of Galway and Limerick’s All-Ireland senior hurling showpiece on Sunday and the football decider between Dublin and Tyrone on 2 September reads in full:

“Tickets for GAA All-Ireland Finals are distributed directly to our Clubs and County Committees.

“Any tickets being sold in excess of face value on touting websites that are brought to the attention of the GAA will be automatically cancelled.

“The Association also routinely monitors ticket touting websites and where possible, endeavours to establish the original source of the tickets, taking action where necessary.

“We look forward to the co-operation of our members and supporters in this matter and urge everyone to purchase tickets from official sources only.”

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