These boys are racking up some frightening averages. Friday July 19 and Laois and Dublin will do battle in the Leinster under-20 football final. On the handier side of the draw, the Dubs have cruised to the decider with facile wins over Longford and Wexford. Laois meanwhile, have done it a harder way having beaten […]

7 years ago

Tipperary 3-23 Waterford 0-10 A disappointing night for Waterford hurling. After two terrible Munster senior hurling campaigns in a row, the Déise were hoping for a much needed boost in the form of their under-20 hurlers. Unfortunately, the struggle and the wait goes on. Instead, what arrived on Tuesday evening in the Munster under-21 semi-final […]

7 years ago

10 explosive minutes. Job done for the day. Tyrone cantered their way past Cavan in Clones last Saturday evening. The Breffni never got into the groove and Tyrone were in cruise control from the word go. Cathal McShane kicked a few points, so did Niall Sludden and then they were away in a hack. Darren […]

7 years ago

Laois have only ever had one hurling All-Star. Pat ‘Zoom’ Critchley in 1985. The same year Laois were at the big dance and could only bested by one-team, the eventual All-Ireland champions Offaly. That famous summer started off for the O’Moore men with a big display against Dublin in Tullamore. It finished up with a […]

7 years ago

If you wanted someone to eloquently sum up what Sunday’s win over Dublin meant to county Laois, then Cheddar Plunkett was always going to be your man. The Laois senior hurling manager between 2012 and 2016, Cheddar’s investment in, care for and knowledge of his native county quite clearly all run very deep. And so […]

7 years ago

Belief. That’s the key word. Laois goalkeeper Enda Rowland spoke about it after their famous win. He was full sure that his free from the guts of 90 yards was going to bisect the posts. Paddy Purcell mentioned the belief this squad had built up in themselves during the course of the year. Eddie Brennan, […]

7 years ago

It just wasn’t to be for the Clare footballers. They started like a dream and finished with every last manageable step left out on the O’Moore Park turf, but in the end they were second best. Only just. And though this narrow, gut-wrenching one point defeat will sadden and gnaw away at them for quite […]

7 years ago

Brought to you by Centra #WeAreHurling We’re hurling now alright. There weren’t many games of hurling at the weekend but what we may not have had in quantity, we were more than catered for with quality. The first game of the weekend took place in Semple Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The two beaten provincial minor […]

7 years ago

A tough one to take for the Dublin hurlers. Bookmakers were quoting their odds against Tipperary, people were already talking about the All-Ireland quarter final. Everything was rosy in the camp after that famous win over Galway, this was supposed to be their breakthrough year. The problem of course was that a couple of Dublin […]

7 years ago

What would hurling be without celebrating the good days? Laois’ year didn’t begin overly smoothly. An almighty row in the county final had the camp wounded. Some players opted not to commit for the year because of it. The League was up and down. Two losses to Galway and to Waterford kicked it off. Offaly […]

7 years ago

Enda Rowland knew they were going over from the minute they left his hurl. His 51st and 52nd points in a Laois jersey. It’s some clipping for a goalkeeper but this lad lives for it, he practices these long-range frees every training session. There was never any doubt in his mind. The 52nd was the […]

7 years ago

Laois 1-22 Dublin 0-23 Laois have done it. They have beaten the Dublin hurlers for the first time since 2005. One week after winning the Joe McDonagh Cup, they have done the impossible in O’Moore Park to eliminate the fancied Dubs and to book their place in an All-Ireland quarter final against Tipperary next weekend. […]

7 years ago

Meath 2-16 Clare 1-18 When Gary Brennan moves, he moves with purpose. He’s not going to move again or change direction, his is usually the right run to make.  The Clare players spot him. How couldn’t they? He’s a big man the Clondegad man and with the arms stretched out wide and the legs pumping […]

7 years ago

Kildare 2-21 Dublin 1-19 What dreams are made of. Celbridge youngster Aaron Browne delivered the performance of his life to secure the Electric Ireland Leinster minor Championship for Kildare, their first provincial crown since 2016. The half forward was in devastating form for Colin Ward’s side from the first minute of normal time to the […]

7 years ago

Growing up in Laois, Cha Dwyer was a child prodigy. The future, the great blue and white hope, the saviour. This kid was only 12 years of age. Down in Ballinakill, the Kilkenny bordering village in south Laois was where he learned his skills. Dwyer didn’t require much teaching. They were blessed to have him. […]

7 years ago

Mayo needed this. Mayo needed this badly. 2014 was their last Connacht minor final win. You’d nearly have to go back that far to find the last time they’d beaten Galway. At any level. That’s because prior to this famous Electric Ireland Connacht minor final win in Tuam Stadium, Galway had won 14 of the […]

7 years ago

“The best of Fionn McDonagh is yet to come.” Tall tale. An underage footballer glides through the ranks barely noticed. He plays a few decent games for Rice College but there are better players in Westport. The county minors don’t bother with him. No-one from the club is kicking-up. The under-21s nearly turn up their […]

7 years ago

Kilkenny 1-19 Galway 1-15 Kilkenny and Wexford just can’t get away from one another. After last Sunday’s minor and senior double for Wexford, Kilkenny will have a chance to get one back on their neighbours in the Leinster under-20 final in the coming weeks. With Wexford having beaten Offaly on Wednesday night, it was all […]

7 years ago

It’s going to be one hell of a summer of football in the states. Boston, Chicago, San Fran and even Philadelphia. Big names have left Ireland behind them and they’ve headed to the land of the free. Football, a summer holiday and plenty of sun. What more do you want? With the July 1 transfer […]

7 years ago

Dublin’s dominance of Leinster football runs far and it stretches wide. The county have won nine Leinster senior men’s championships in a row. The Leinster ladies championship hasn’t left the capital city in the last eight years. At under-21/20 level, the one-sidedness has reached similar levels. Despite Kildare’s win last year, Dublin have won seven […]

7 years ago

Where oh where has Darren Coen been? On the Mayo club scene, he’s been on the front-line for ages. Hollymount Carramore’s danger-man, he could kick points all day long. And everyone with their finger on the pulse out west knows that. But that doesn’t mean he’s a hidden gem nor a mystery man who never […]

7 years ago

Whatever way you look at it, John O’Dwyer can consider himself a lucky man. Regardless of whether he meant to hit Diarmuid Byrnes or not, regardless of whether he thought the ball was there, his pull was wild and its impact was out of his line of vision. Referees have given red cards for similar […]

7 years ago

Shaun Murphy was out to do a job on Adrian Mullen. A man-marker stuck on your boots for every step, it’s a fair proposition for a 20-year-old in their first Leinster final. But Adrian Mullen didn’t really care. Forget the struggles he had against Galway, the Ballyhale Shamrocks youngster brought the form from Wexford Park […]

7 years ago

Brought to you by Centra #WeAreHurling The best day of the hurling year? Quite possibly. It’s a pity for real die hards who would have gone to both the Munster and Leinster finals. It’s a pity for the Joe McDonagh Cup too but there’s no point in complaining now. The hurling delivered again. In the […]

7 years ago

Liam Óg McGovern has had a number of opportunities to raise the white flag. July 9, 2016 and the St Anne’s Rathangan forward was at the peak of his powers. Wexford beat Cork by three points that day to seal their first championship win over the Rebels in 60 years. McGovern was inspired, the spring […]

7 years ago

Diarmuid Connolly will not be playing with Donegal Boston this summer. A small problem with his ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) has arisen and as a result, he will not make it over in time to play in the Boston senior football championship. The hope is that the problem will be solved in the […]

7 years ago

There’s something magical about being in Davy Fitzgerald’s presence. When the Clare man is good, he’s the best in the world. When he’s bad, he’s cross, he’s cranky and he’ll barely look you in the eye. Losing is the great fear. It’s what upsets him more than anything else, the fear of it drives him […]

7 years ago

Tony Kelly knows that there’s much more to Davy Fitzgerald than the shouting, the roaring and the passion. The Ballyea club man played under his fellow county-man for a couple of years with Limerick IT and for four years with the Clare seniors and he learned plenty during that time. There’s method in the madness. […]

7 years ago

Wexford 1-23 Kilkenny 0-23 So that’s it, Wexford are Leinster champions. Croke Park was a sea of purple and gold on Sunday afternoon as the Wexford banks burst and their people released 15 years worth of emotion, hope, anticipation and hurt. Jones’ Road hasn’t witnessed scenes like it in quite a while. Grown adults singing […]

7 years ago

Westmeath 3-26 Laois 1-21 Laois are the Joe McDonagh Cup champions. Laois will compete in the Leinster championship in 2019 after they defeated Westmeath comfortbaly in the Joe McDonagh Cup final in Croke Park on Sunday afternoon. Goals from Ross King, Aaron Dunphy and substitute Stephen Bergin were the difference between the sides as Eddie […]

7 years ago

Wexford 3-14 Kilkenny 3-10 AJ Redmond. Remember that name. Wexford have won the Leinster minor hurling championship for the first time since 1985 and this batch of youngsters have a once-in-a-blue-moon talent in their ranks. AJ Redmond, the nifty corner forward from Rathnure. He was the difference between the neighbouring counties on Sunday and he […]

7 years ago

Rathdowney-Erril is no football stronghold but Paddy Purcell is a different breed. One of the most talented men in Laois according to his club’s secretary Ray Kelly. He could just as easy be playing for the Laois footballers. And that was clear from a young age. During the primary school days in Erril National school, […]

7 years ago

Dropped by the Tipperary minors and coming from an intermediate club, Shane McGrath was far from a shoo-in. But still when the Ballinahinch club man got his first chance with the county seniors in 2006, it was hardly undeserved. Two years a Tipp 21, he also impressed with the county’s intermediate team and with LIT […]

7 years ago

Luca Connell has signed for Celtic with a signal of intent. He’s only 18 years of age yet the Republic of Ireland midfielder has lots of experience and he knows what he wants. “10-in-a-row,” he replies when asked what his main aim is here. Meet a youngster with plenty of ambition. Having just broken onto […]

7 years ago

When Diarmuid O’Keeffe and Liam Óg McGovern were kids, Darragh Ryan was the man. He was Wexford’s fearless number three, he was the backbone of every Wexford team they could remember and most importantly, he was their rough and ready club-man. The lads were dreaming. Purple and gold summers, Wexford in Leinster and All-Ireland finals. […]

7 years ago

As things stand, Aidan Nolan is set to miss Wexford’s next two games. Those games, this Sunday’s Leinster final and then Wexford’s next game in the All-Ireland series, could conceivably be the biggest two games of his life. It’s been a disappointing week for the Half Way House Bunclody man. Sent off after the final […]

7 years ago

Terrible news for Mayo. To go with the injuries suffered by Matthew Ruane, Seamus O’Shea and Tom Parsons, it looks like Mayo are set to be down another midfield option for the rest of the year. Captain Diarmuid O’Connor is understood to have injured his wrist in training on Tuesday night with the full extent […]

7 years ago

When Gaoth Dobhair wanted a job done, Odhran McFadden Ferry was always the chosen one. It was operation Rian O’Neill against Crossmaglen. The Armagh hotshot ended his day with a red card and an early shower. Micheál Lundy for Corofin. The Donegal champions were beaten that day but Lundy never got a score before his […]

7 years ago

It’s stick or twist for Kerry. Stick to the attacking guns that have served them so well or twist to the defensive style that so many are advising them towards. Saturday night in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Kerry were wide open. Cork, led by the gallant Ruairi Deane ran through the Kingdom backline at will […]

7 years ago

Brian McEniff remembers his first encounter with Jamie Brennan. The Donegal legend was coaching the Bundoran under-12s in the parish hall and an enthusiastic nine-year-old had bopped along with them. McEniff, the All-Ireland winning manager of 1992 wasn’t so sure at first. It wasn’t the done thing for the nine-year-olds to be in with the […]

7 years ago

It’s all spicing up now. With Donegal, Dublin, Kerry and Roscommon flying high and towards the Super 8s, the rest have work to do. All the beaten provincial finalists won’t come into play until the next round but for now, teams like Mayo, Tyrone and Kildare are rolling up the sleeves. Mayo’s weekend defeat of […]

7 years ago

Mayo 1-16 Down 1-11 No drama from Mayo. Just business. Going up to Páirc Esler, the word was that James Horan was putting his faith back into the old guard. The old reliables served him well in Newry. In a dominant and strangely hiccup free performance, Mayo overpowered Down to advance to round three of […]

7 years ago

Kerry 1-19 Cork 3-10 At least the Rebels have restored some pride. Kerry have won their seventh Munster senior championship in a row but credit goes to Cork who really made them sweat over it. Eventually, the Kingdom’s clinical finishing told but the Rebels never gave up out there and they will head into the […]

7 years ago

Tyrone 2-15 Longford 1-14 There’s a man on fire in Longford. Two weekends ago in Breffni Park and Cathal McShane cut a very frustrated figure. Neil McGee was behind him, Hugh McFadden was in front of him and the 14 Tyrone players around him were uninspired. The Owen Roes forward was starving for possession. But […]

7 years ago

Meath 4-19 Down 2-15 Nicky Potterton runs like he’s mad at the grass. In Meath they’ve been hearing about the little gem from Kildalkey for a long time. A whippersnapper corner forward, he’s the youngster with the gifted hands and the lightning feet. On Saturday, they got a good look at their great white hope […]

7 years ago

There’s no smoke without fire. And the smoking whisper around Munster this week is that the lowly Cork footballers defeated not just Galway in a challenge match recently, but the mighty Dublin too. Peter Keane has been bigging the Rebels up. So have some Kerry pundits. Suppose that’s their duty but despite the rumours and […]

7 years ago

Cheddar Plunkett feels GAA pundits should be more responsible in their analysis in light of some recent loose commentary. After Clare’s defeat of Cork, joint manager Donal Moloney hit out at the intolerable attacks on his players. Ger Loughnane may well have been in the firing line. Well renowned for lowering the blade, the Feakle […]

7 years ago

David Clifford and Sean O’Shea. Two of the best players under the age of 20 in the country last year. Neither of them played in the All-Ireland under-20 competition. Tomás Ó Sé reckons Kerry are missing out because of it this year. The value of an All-Ireland win he says, can never be sniffed at. […]

7 years ago

Imagine being a Galway under-20. Growing up on stories of the mid 2000s and Padraic Joyce at the centre of them all. His hands untouchable the Killererin man’s left foot, pure majestic. Now he’s in the dressing room with them. He’s the manager, the man who’s training them every Wednesday evening and the man they’re […]

7 years ago

It’s on weeks like these that Colm O’Neill really misses the buzz of it. He’s still good buddies with his old Cork teammates. He was in their position only a year ago. He sees them readying themselves for Saturday night. He’s felt the anticipation around the county, he knows what Cork Kerry in Páirc Uí […]

7 years ago