Monthly Archives: July 2017

Score of the Weekend?

Kieran Donaghy may be getting on but every time he pulls on that Kerry jersey these days, Star is turning in some vintage displays. Probably the best aerial operator in the game, his goal on Sunday was top drawer, the high fielding, swivel inside and left foot finish, passing the ball Gooch style into the top corner. The pundits reckon he’s being schooled by Maurice Fitz. Also on the list is Fintan Cregg’s lob for Roscommon in that crazy few minutes of gals yesterday. There’s no doubt he meant the score glancing up before lifting g the ball beyond David Clarke and dropping it in the back of the net. But for us the score of the weekend was Donie Smith’s long range free to level the game. With the freetakers off

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To Sweep or Not to Sweep

That is the question.  A weekend of contrasting styles. Tradition versus tactics perhaps? Whatever the answer, we now know the All Ireland semi-final pairings. Time to nail your colours to the upright, Cork, Galway, Tipperary or Waterford?

The weekend’s two matches at the spectacular setting that is Pairc Uí Chaoimh Nua demonstrated the different approaches to hurling and predictably provoked a passionate debate come storm of discussion. Hurling folks are nothing if not passionate. On Saturday Clare

Time was when a GAA player rattled the net he'd sprint back to position for the restart, usually pointing here and there at teammates, jaw jutting out, game head on.

No time for craic or celebration. Generally scoring goals was a straight laced sort of affair. It was like the postman celebrating when he posted a letter. You don't see the mail man running down the street with shirt off, chest out arms akimbo. No. We’re made of sterner stuff.

Some players still like to mark the score with the sprint back to position, pointing hither and thither. Tommy Freeman was a great man for it. Bernard Brogan still excels too.

But there are those players for whom a good celebration is all part of the day’s craic.

Ronan O’Neill Dab

After dabbing last year in Croke Park, Omagh attacker Ronie O’Neill raised a few laughs and an eyebrow or two among the uninitiated with his apparent Salt Bae celebration in homage to Turkish celeb chef

Tyrone v Down

"I felt we didn't do ourselves justice in the first half in terms of the scoreboard," said the Tyrone GAA boss after his team's 2-17 to 0-15 triumph at Clones.

"But that point by us just before the end of the first half was important as it gave us a two-point lead.

"I felt Down put in a huge effort in the first half and that we would have more energy in the second half.”

Mickey Harte as told to BBC Sport

“On the day the best team won and I thought it was very encouraging how we finished the game. We kept battling to the end, we didn’t throw the towel in, so that will stand us in good stead,” he said.

“The other thing

It’s always going to be difficult playing Dublin GAA. They’ve made the Leinster Final their own, going for seven in a row.

It isn’t an accident you know? In 2009 Kildare lost by three points to the Dubs in their last final appearance. You have to go to 2000 to find the last time Kildare GAA lifted the Leinster championship, beating Dublin after a replay.

There have been very good Kildare teams since then, and the 2010 championship will always be the one that got away. That disputed ‘squareball’ against Down cost them their place in an All Ireland final against a Cork team they would have backed themselves to beat.

Sports Science for the Lily Whites

Munster Final Offers A Blast From the Past

The rivalry between Clare and Cork is probably a bit overlooked in the rest of the country but there is little love lost between the Banner and Rebels on the hurling pitch.

If you delve into the history of the fixture, you find games that define the rivalry. The most recent box office hit is the All Ireland Final and replay from 2014, with goals, last minute equalisers and the whole Nash penalty debate. Back in ’07 it was Semplegate with a bit of handbags before the teams had even made it properly onto the field at Thurles.

One match though stands out as defining the rise of the Banner. In 1995 Clare faced Cork in the All Ireland semi final, it is arguable that that had Clare not won that match, they may not have won anything in the nineties and become the power in the game that they are now.

The Banner had lost the Munster Finals of 1993 and 1994 and morale was at a low point. Enter the management of Ger Loughnane