O'neills talking points

Sunday's TG4 All Ireland Ladies Football Final brings together the novel pairing of Galway and Dublin to Croke Park, with the Jackies going for their third consecutive Brendan Martin success. Galway are seeking their second title having defeated Sunday's opponents in 2004 on a score of 3-8 to 0-11. With the Camogie team having powered their way to a fantastic win and the ladies semi-final victory over Mayo, completing a championship double over their nearest rivals, optimism is high in the West that this young emerging team can provide a shock.

The manner of their win over Mayo will have given great confidence to the Tribes' women. Mairéad Seoighe got Galway off to the best possible start hitting a goal on three minutes and a second on the fifteen-minute mark. Mayo, ever resilient, put Galway to the proverbial pin of their collar, reeling in the deficit with goals of their own and took the lead in the second half. The sides were level coming down the home stretch with three

This Saturday Kerry and Dublin embark on the second part of their latest drama. For both panels a date with fate in Croke Park awaits. Another classic? Extra time? An unlikely winner? History repeating itself? It’s the oldest and most enduring rivalry in football. Soaked in history. One for the purist, a case of play it twice, Sam, for old times' sake.

A Beautiful Friendship

Whatever happens, with a young Kerry team on the rise and a Dublin team blending emerging players with established stars, this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship over the next few seasons. Certainly, the Kingdom looks best placed to pose a consistent threat to this brilliant Dublin outfit. A browse through the papers shows pundits and former players seeking ways and means to spot the cracks in Dublin. There aren’t many. Normal service could resume on Saturday.

As time goes by, since the first match, the expectations are that Dublin will change their

This Sunday’s Senior All Ireland Camogie Final sees the Cats back in their fourth All-Ireland final in a row and a sixth in seven seasons. They’ve lost the last two deciders to Cork conceding late points. They played Sunday’s opponents on 2013 and 2015 with the counties sharing one title each. Sunday is Galway’s first return since losing out in 2015.

Cat Attack

Kilkenny  hit an impressive 2-21 against Tipp in their semi-final, with Michelle Quilty firing 1-9. Ann Dalton scored the other major with a quick thinking scooped effort into the roof of the net. Both players combined with some electric attacking play when they clicked. It took all of it to put away Tipp who have proved themselves the years surprise package of 2019. Their feisty semi showing will have given them huge encouragement along with a solid season for their intermediates.

In Sunday’s showpiece we can expect Quilty,

The other day in an interview Dublin midfielder Michael Darragh Macauley professed not to know how many consecutive All Ireland’s Dublin has won. MDM mustn’t read the papers or watch the television because as the championship has progressed the talk of the Dublin quest for another consecutive All Ireland is all around us. In every break in the game. He’s good craic anyway is MDM.

We’ll Remember Dublin from these Rare Times

Irrespective of the outcome on Sunday it is hard to argue that we have ever seen a better team and panel. As a team they are exceptional, they have evolved in their movement, their use of the ball, their kicking of the ball, all under Jim Gavin’s ever watchful eye.

The decision making on the pitch is uniformly excellent. The exploits of the Dublin bench are so exemplary they are taken for granted. Consider the likes of Con O’Callaghan. If Dublin win Con will have won four all Ireland

This summer Tommy Walsh is back to gold again and playing with real purpose. He was a real handful in winning the ball and turning the tide against the Red Hands. The question this weekend is, should he be given a starting Kerry jersey, as the Kingdom bid to stem the blue wave.

His former partner in the Twin Towers Kieran Donaghy is adamant that “he has got to start the final for Kerry. You got to go with your size, with your big guys. He’s an experienced player and a leader in the dressing room.”

Tommy Walsh? He’s 6ft 6in and has created scores and space against Tyrone. The question now in Kerry is what he can do against Dublin. Walsh, Clifford, Stephen O’Brien, Sean O’Shea and Geaney in a forward line. It could get interesting. If he doesn’t start, the danger is that by the time he comes in, the damage could be done. Exhibit A; Andy Moran for Mayo. 

From Kingdom Come and Australia Bound

Sportwear manufacturer O’Neills has partnered with the new Hockey One to become the league’s inaugural kit manufacturer.

The partnership sees O’Neills as the exclusive on-field and replica kit provider for Hockey One and its affiliated teams. Under the partnership O’Neills and Hockey One will launch a new range of on and off-field apparel, importantly catering for fans with official team merchandise.

“O’Neills has developed a reputation for producing quality sportwear and we are really excited to have partnered with them,” said Tony Dodemaide, Hockey One General Manager.

“Their ambition and success in expanding to a number of countries across the world resonates with Hockey One and its aim of getting hockey to reach new audiences and markets and showcase the best Australian hockey has to offer.”

The partnership is initially for a three year period,

The Coral Challenge Cup Semi-finals are on this Saturday in a triple header at the University of Bolton Stadium. What a prospect! For O’Neills we have the mouthwatering possibility of two teams – Warrington Wolves and St Helen’s - running out in the final in O’Neills jerseys. If the results go our way of course!

Standing in St Helen’s path are part time outfit Halifax whilst the Wolves face Hull FC who defeated them in the 2016 decider. The Wolves are in action first at 2pm whilst the Saints follow on at 4:30.

The opening match of the day is the Women’s Rugby League Challenge Cup with Castleford Tigers facing Leeds Rhinos at 11:15.

Saints to Break Semi Hoodoo

Saints have not lifted the Challenge cup trophy since 2008, they are currently runaway Super League leaders with six games to go, and are looking to add the Cup to their trophy cupboard.

History was made yesterday at Lords Cricket ground when Cricket Ireland’s finest pulled on their Ireland Cricket jersey to face England in the first ever Test match against their nearest neighbours.

Ed Joyce was given the honour of ringing the traditional Pre match bell five minutes prior to the start of play. A fitting choice for the Irish cricketer who represented both Ireland and England.

What a day it was. A magical morning of Irish bowling had the hosts all out for 85 – England’s 9^th lowest return in a home test. Cricket Ireland’s Tim Murtagh, who, following his 5 wickets will have his name etched on the honors board at Lord’s said yesterday’s events were ‘As special as it gets’. Ahead of the action today, Ireland currently hold a 122 run lead having finished up yesterday evening on 207.

It marks another landmark in Cricket Ireland’s rapid growth.

Going into this weekend St Helens are ten points clear of Warrington and have won 20 out of 22 games this season  going into this weekend’s clash with London Broncos. The Catalans Dragons roar into Salford, whilst the Wolves travel to Castleford. The Giants play Hull Kingston Rovers in a Friday night tie.

Surely only a collapse of Devon Loch proportions could deprive the Saints of Shield success at this point on the run in with seven games left. Their destiny is in their own hands.

Catalans Dragons moved above Wigan to fourth in Super League with a 32-28 win on the road in Huddersfield last time out. Sam Tomkins’ hat-trick in the first half help the Dragons to a 22-12 lead at the break and boosted their Super League play-off prospects

The England full-back’s finishing was a thing to behold and although the Giants gave the Dragons a real battering in the last quarter but the men from Fartown couldn’t get ahead

The 2019 Super Rugby Season is over and we are looking back with a real sense of pride and achievement on the campaign just ended with the Brumbies wearing O’Neills jerseys.

The Brumbies of course made it through to this year’s semi-finals before eventually going down to crack Argentinian outfit Jaguares at their home ground. The disappointment followed a club record of seven straight wins on the bounce prior to this match. Overall the season delivered many positives on and off the pitch for the Brumbies with Coach Dan McKellar pleased with the way his players brought a focus to playing rugby.

Fortress GIO

At home at the GIO stadium the Brumbies performed tremendously well and never failed to put on a show for the Canberra fans turning the home venue into a real fortress. In total the Brumbies won 7 out of 8 home games. There was a real focus all season on Fortress GIO and it worked big time. Said