Colman Stanley

Author description

Colmán is the lead writer with SportsJOE, covering the GAA, football and golf, with a special interest in rugby. Whether it is an in-depth analysis of the best young Irish rugby talents, or a live blog covering all the big moments from some of sport's most iconic events, he has got you covered. Past experience includes working at the Irish Sun, Balls.ie and Extratime.ie. When he's not writing, you can find him watching the latest HBO mini-series, whipping up a spaghetti aglio e olio, or togging out for his beloved Stillorgan-Rathfarnham RFC.

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  • GAA president advocating for huge change to All-Ireland structure

    GAA president advocating for huge change to All-Ireland structure

    An interesting proposition… Writing in today’s match programme for the All-Ireland SHC final between Cork and Tipperary, GAA president Jarlath Burns has spoken of a potential change to the current championship structure. He is suggesting to get rid of the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals, which sees the finalists of the second-tier Joe McDonagh Cup face off […]

    10 months ago

  • Touching captain’s tribute to late Tipp star Dillon Quirke gets biggest All-Ireland cheer

    Touching captain’s tribute to late Tipp star Dillon Quirke gets biggest All-Ireland cheer

    Incredible words. Tipperary are All-Ireland SHC champions after beating Cork by 3-27 to 1-18. It was an incredible second-half comeback from the Premier County, after trailing by six points at half-time. In his post-match captain’s speech in front of the whole of Croke Park, Ronan Maher paid tribute to the late Tipperary star Dillon Quirke, […]

    10 months ago

  • Five changes Andy Farrell may look at for the Lions’ second Test

    Five changes Andy Farrell may look at for the Lions’ second Test

    Constant improvement is needed. While the Lions were comfortable victors against Australia – only looking in any way under pressure, at kick-off and after Max Jorgensen’s 28th minute try – the scoreline will have disappointed them given their general dominance over a dull Wallabies side. As such, head coach Andy Farrell and his management team […]

    10 months ago

  • Dublin star scores back heel stunner to help her team to All-Ireland final

    Dublin star scores back heel stunner to help her team to All-Ireland final

    What a finish! Brought to you by TG4 Dublin are through to the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship final on August 3 at Croke Park, after beating Galway, 3-14 to 2-14, after extra time yesterday. They will face Meath in the showpiece game, after the Royals took down Kerry in their semi-final by 2-12 to […]

    10 months ago

  • Rory McIlroy hits two balls at the same time in utterly bizarre Open moment

    Rory McIlroy hits two balls at the same time in utterly bizarre Open moment

    We’ve never seen this before! Rory McIlroy is currently -5 in the Open Championship at Portrush, after a decent start to his third round which has seen him have three birdies and one bogeys in his first 10 holes. After a wayward tee shot on the 11th, one of the most bizarre moments we ever […]

    10 months ago

  • Risk-taking spectator knocked down by team car in Tour de France

    Risk-taking spectator knocked down by team car in Tour de France

    Lets hope they’re ok. For Irish fans, the big story of the Tour de France has been the success of Ben Healy, who has a stage win, and wore the yellow jersey for two stages before being overtaken by Tadej Pogacar. After losing a serious amount of time on July 17, Healy did well today […]

    10 months ago

  • Ronan O’Gara explains why Andy Farrell will be ‘fuming’ despite Lions win

    Ronan O’Gara explains why Andy Farrell will be ‘fuming’ despite Lions win

    An interesting take from ROG…. First-half dominance from the Lions helped them to a 27-19 win over Australia in the first Test of the 2025 Tour. After leading 17-5 at the break, they scored an early second-half try through Dan Sheehan, before the Wallabies got themselves back into the game and the Lions regressed. The […]

    10 months ago

  • Lions player ratings as Irish shine in first-Test win over Australia

    Lions player ratings as Irish shine in first-Test win over Australia

    A powerful performance! The Lions took on Australia this morning in the first Test of the 2025 Tour, and several players stood out in the player ratings. The game finished 27-19 to the tourists, and they were relatively comfortable throughout. Head coach Andy Farrell came under fire for some controversial selections, but his side showed […]

    10 months ago

  • Katie Taylor offered another history-making fight

    Katie Taylor offered another history-making fight

    This would be incredible! As a two-weight world champion and the first female fighter to headline Madison Square Gardens, along with her illustrious amateur career, there is little, if anything, left for Katie Taylor to achieve in women’s boxing. After her trilogy fight with Amanda Serrano, it was hoped that a Croke Park fight could […]

    10 months ago

  • Ireland legend thinks Joe Schmidt will target specific Irish star to undo the Lions

    Ireland legend thinks Joe Schmidt will target specific Irish star to undo the Lions

    He knows his stuff! The Lions take on Australia in the first Test of the 2025 Tour, at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane (kick-off, 11am). Eight Irish have made the starting XV – Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, Hugo Keenan – with three on the bench […]

    10 months ago

  • Cork star fit as Rebels and Tipperary name teams for  All-Ireland final

    Cork star fit as Rebels and Tipperary name teams for All-Ireland final

    What a game we have in store in two days time! Cork will take on Tipperary this Sunday, July 20, in the All-Ireland SHC final at Croke Park, with throw-in at 3.30pm. Amazingly, it is the first time both counties will meet in a senior final, despite being two of the biggest and most successful […]

    10 months ago

  • ‘Happy ending’ to Cavan GAA All-Ireland final tickets controversy

    ‘Happy ending’ to Cavan GAA All-Ireland final tickets controversy

    We didn’t see this coming! There has been a lot of uproar over the last week over the allocation of tickets for the All-Ireland SHC final between Tipperary and Cork. The game takes place this Sunday, July 20, at Croke Park, with throw-in at 3.30pm. Tickets for the game have been given to clubs and […]

    10 months ago

  • Iconic Dublin links moves closer to hosting Open with update from golf chief

    Iconic Dublin links moves closer to hosting Open with update from golf chief

    This would be incredible! We reported back in January on the huge news that Portmarnock Golf Club in North Dublin would be making upgrades to the course, in order for it to continue on its journey to hosting the Open Championship. Never before has the iconic major been held in the south of Ireland, but […]

    10 months ago

  • Reports from Australia have controversial selection calls in Lions test team

    Reports from Australia have controversial selection calls in Lions test team

    These calls will cause some amount of furore! Head coach Andy Farrell is set to pick his Lions 23 for Saturday’s first Test against Australia on Thursday, July 17. While much of the side is predictable, there is huge competition in the back row and on the bench. The Telegraph have reported that a couple […]

    10 months ago

  • Exciting groups for Irish golfers as Open Championship tee times announced

    Exciting groups for Irish golfers as Open Championship tee times announced

    There’s going to be some crowd following Shane! The tee times and pairings for the 2025 Open Championship at Portrush have been announced. Two-time winner Pádraig Harrington will take the opening tee shot at 6.35am. He has been grouped alongside Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin, and 2023 Ryder Cup star Nicolai Hojgaard from Denmark. Shane Lowry, […]

    10 months ago

  • All-Ireland Ladies SFC semi-final TV details & tickets

    All-Ireland Ladies SFC semi-final TV details & tickets

    A huge weekend ahead! Brought to you by TG4. We are down to the last four in the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship, with a double-header at O’Connor Park in Tullamore this Saturday. First up is Kerry vs Meath (kick-off, 5.15pm), pitting the reigning champions against the 2021 and 2022 winners. The Kingdom defeated Kildare, […]

    10 months ago

  • Tyrone icon singles out key Donegal ‘launchpad’ player Kerry must stop in final

    Tyrone icon singles out key Donegal ‘launchpad’ player Kerry must stop in final

    Donegal were magnificent today! Jim McGuinness and his Donegal side are through to the All-Ireland SFC final against Kerry, following their 3-26 to 0-15 demolition of Meath. After scoring 0-06, Donegal’s talisman, Michael Murphy, was taken off after just 45 minutes with an eye on the final. But it didn’t make a difference to their […]

    10 months ago

  • Ireland Player Ratings as they put over a 100 points past sorry Portugal

    Ireland Player Ratings as they put over a 100 points past sorry Portugal

    You can only play what’s in front of you…. Ireland’s dished out a 106-7 hammering to Portugal, who were one of the poorest sides these men will ever face. Given the standard of the opposition in Lisbon, it’s hard to put too much weight into the performances, but the performances of the debutants were encouraging. […]

    10 months ago

  • South Africa produce never-before-seen scrum method against Italy

    South Africa produce never-before-seen scrum method against Italy

    Classic Rassie! South Africa are currently playing Italy in their summer Test. Known for his innovative plays, head coach Rassie Erasmus conjured up another wily piece of trickery against the Azzuri. From a kick-off, the Springboks purposely fouled by not reaching the 10-metre line with the kick, resulting in a scrum to Italy. However, given […]

    10 months ago

  • Limerick scupper Tailteann Cup final hopes with last-play miss

    Limerick scupper Tailteann Cup final hopes with last-play miss

    Oh so close! Kildare have won the 2025 Tailteann Cup, with a 1-24 to 2-19 win over Limerick at Croke Park. The Lilywhites led for large parts of the game before a goal from the Treaty’s Killian Ryan put them ahead. However, Kildare rallied and were able to see the game out, but not before […]

    10 months ago

  • Diarmuid Connolly points out disadvantage Ger Brennan would have as Dubs boss

    Diarmuid Connolly points out disadvantage Ger Brennan would have as Dubs boss

    A good point! While the favourite to take over as the manager of the Dublin footballers, Ger Brennan, has enjoyed huge success with Louth prior to his recent resignation, his time there will have him at a disadvantage in one sense. Locked into his role with the Wee County for the last two years, and […]

    10 months ago

  • SportsJOE’s Irish-heavy Lions Test team to take down Australia

    SportsJOE’s Irish-heavy Lions Test team to take down Australia

    Some side! The Lions 23 that faced the Brumbies on Wednesday gave a glimpse into the probable Test team to face Australia on July 19. There are, however, a few places still up for grabs and a handful of players who could force their way into the match-day squad with a big showing on Saturday. […]

    10 months ago

  • Dublin great on why Brennan’s rugby background could be ideal for Sky Blues

    Dublin great on why Brennan’s rugby background could be ideal for Sky Blues

    He’s backing his mate! Ger Brennan remains favourite to take over from Dessie Farrell as manager of Dublin, and is a popular choice given his success with Louth over the last two years. A two-time All-Ireland winners with the Sky Blues as a player, Brennan guided the Wee County to two Leinster SFC finals, beating […]

    10 months ago

  • Legendary Lions coach picks an enormous amount Irish in his Lions Test XV

    Legendary Lions coach picks an enormous amount Irish in his Lions Test XV

    He knows what he’s talking about! Today’s team that faced the Brumbies is the closest we have seen to the Test 23 that will face Australia on July 19. Most positions are locked up, but there are still a few places up for grabs. Ian McGeechan is one of the most legendary figures in Lions […]

    10 months ago

  • Lions player ratings as they overcome a strong Brumbies side

    Lions player ratings as they overcome a strong Brumbies side

    Another win on the books. It was disjointed at times, with handling errors still too prevalent. However, the Lions faced a fired up Brumbies side and got the job done, winning 36-24, with some of their best tries so far. Ellis Genge – 7 Scrum looked strong once again, but gave away a silly penalty […]

    10 months ago

  • Andy Farrell gives positive update after huge Lions injury scare

    Andy Farrell gives positive update after huge Lions injury scare

    Terrible luck. The Lions are currently leading the Brumbies in Canberra in their second-last game before the first Test on July 19. It has been another scrappy performance from the touring side, mixing error-strewn passages with some exciting attacking phases. The big story to come out of the first half is the injury to fullback […]

    10 months ago

  • Robbie Keane endorses Ireland star on Brazilian TV amid botched transfer

    Robbie Keane endorses Ireland star on Brazilian TV amid botched transfer

    A strange turn of events…. Ireland and West Brom winger, Mikey Johnston, looked all set to join Brazilian Série A side Flamengo. The 26-year-old, who has 15 international caps, was due to fly out to Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, but instead will rejoin the Baggies for their pre-season tour to Austria. Johnston’s link to […]

    10 months ago

  • State won’t change traffic rules for Cork/Tipp fans ahead of All-Ireland final

    State won’t change traffic rules for Cork/Tipp fans ahead of All-Ireland final

    Bad news for those coming up from Munster! After traffic issues ahead of last weekend’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final between Cork and Dublin, there was hope that big changes were going to come in before the Cork vs Tipperary final on July 20. Cork North Central TDs, Colm Burke of Fine Gael and Sinn Féinn’s Thomas […]

    10 months ago

  • DJ Carey victim tells of ‘letter template’ he used for cancer scam

    DJ Carey victim tells of ‘letter template’ he used for cancer scam

    More details have come out over the disgraced hurler. We reported last week on DJ Carey pleading guilty to 10 charges of fraud, relating to his false cancer claim in order to extort money from individuals. And now further alleged details of the former Hurler of the Year’s methods have been revealed. An exclusive in […]

    10 months ago

  • Throw-in times, tickets, and venues for All-Ireland Ladies’ semis

    Throw-in times, tickets, and venues for All-Ireland Ladies’ semis

    Some cracking games! Brought to you by TG4 The dates, throw-in times, ticket prices, and venues have been confirmed for the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Ladies’ Football Championship semi-finals and the Senior Football relegation play-offs. Following Dublin’s win over Cork last Saturday, they will take on Galway, who beat Waterford, at O’Connor Park in Tullamore on […]

    10 months ago

  • Tipperary great convinced that Kilkenny won’t take score controversy further

    Tipperary great convinced that Kilkenny won’t take score controversy further

    The fallout continues…. As we reported earlier, Kilkenny met after yesterday’s All-Ireland semi-final loss to discuss their next moves following the ‘ScoreGate’ controversy, which saw the stadium scoreboard count a late wide from Tipperary. Both teams believed that there was a four-point and then three-point difference heading into and during stoppage time, leading the Cats […]

    10 months ago

  • Jacques Nienaber approached over big move away from Leinster

    Jacques Nienaber approached over big move away from Leinster

    This would be huge! Leinster senior coach, Jacques Nienaber, has just finished up his second season with the province, guiding them to the URC title, following their Champions Cup semi-final heartbreak against Northampton. After losing last year’s Champions Cup final to Toulouse, before getting knocked out of the URC semis by the Bulls, the World […]

    10 months ago

  • Kilkenny GAA weighing up next move after ‘ScoreGate’ fiasco

    Kilkenny GAA weighing up next move after ‘ScoreGate’ fiasco

    What a mess! The fallout continues from yesterday’s scoreboard fiasco during Tipperary’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final win over Kilkenny. After a late wide from Noel McGrath was counted as a point on the stadium scoreboard, the teams believed that there was a four-point and then three-point difference between them going into and during added time. This […]

    10 months ago

  • GAA confirm potentially game-changing scoreboard error in All-Ireland semi

    GAA confirm potentially game-changing scoreboard error in All-Ireland semi

    This is crazy! Tipperary are through to their first All-Ireland final since 2019, beating out Kilkenny by 4-20 to 0-30. However, there was a lot of confusion regarding the official scoreline, after a mix-up from a Noel McGrath shot. With the scores at 4-20 to 0-29, the Tipp man went for a point which was […]

    10 months ago

  • Tipp star accused of off-the-ball kick on Cats man in All-Ireland semi

    Tipp star accused of off-the-ball kick on Cats man in All-Ireland semi

    Sneaky play! Tipperary have beaten Kilkenny, 4-21 to 0-30, in their All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park, setting up a meeting with Cork in two weeks time. It was one of the games of the season, with both sides trading the lead at various points throughout the match. One incident which was not picked up by […]

    10 months ago

  • Scoreboard gaffe nearly leads to farcical ending in All-Ireland semi

    Scoreboard gaffe nearly leads to farcical ending in All-Ireland semi

    Confusing to say the least…. Tipperary are through to their first All-Ireland final since 2019, beating out Kilkenny by 4-20 to 0-30. However, there was a lot of confusion regarding the official scoreline, after a mix-up from a Noel McGrath shot. With the scores at 4-20 to 0-29, the Tipp man went for a point […]

    10 months ago

  • Tipperary through to All-Ireland final after incredible game-saving block

    Tipperary through to All-Ireland final after incredible game-saving block

    What a game! In contrast to yesterday’s walk-over between Cork and Dublin, today’s semi-final between Tipperary and Kilkenny went down to the wire. The Premier came out on top, winning 4-21 to 0-30, but the Cats were oh so close to levelling the game at the death. After four minutes of stoppage times was added, […]

    10 months ago

  • Brighton offer up Evan Ferguson to Italian Champions League club

    Brighton offer up Evan Ferguson to Italian Champions League club

    This has potential to be a great move! In the latest Evan Ferguson transfer rumour, reports have said that he could be on the move to Italy. The 20-year-old striker has had tough few years since his breakout season in 2022/2023, scoring just once last season in 21 Premier League games, with just three starts, […]

    10 months ago

  • Lions player ratings as they struggle past the Waratahs

    Lions player ratings as they struggle past the Waratahs

    A poor performance overall….. The Lions edged out the Waratahs 21-10 in Sydney, in what was a scrappy and disappointing performance, with few standouts. We have gone for 6.5 for an average performance, with no super high scores, given the standard of the opposition. Pierre Schoeman – 7.5 Scrummaged brilliantly in the first half, getting […]

    10 months ago

  • New Ireland star being eyed up by one of Europe’s biggest clubs

    New Ireland star being eyed up by one of Europe’s biggest clubs

    He’s a popular man! We reported recently on Sligo Rovers’ young star, Owen Elding, who is in the process of switching his allegiances from England to Ireland. The 19-year-old, who moved to Ireland when he was 11, is one of the brightest young talents in the League of Ireland, and made headlines recently for a […]

    10 months ago

  • Jota put out heartbreaking final social post just hours before his death

    Jota put out heartbreaking final social post just hours before his death

    RIP. Diogo Jota’s final social media post before his tragic death was to share the video from his wedding, which he celebrated just 10 days before the traffic accident which killed the Liverpool forward. Jota has died aged 28 following a road traffic accident, with local media reporting that he was killed in Zamora, Spain. […]

    10 months ago

  • Our powerful Lions starting Test XV after three games

    Our powerful Lions starting Test XV after three games

    Some side! Three games in and the Lions Test side is starting to take shape. Some have risen in the pecking order, while others have blown their chances already. Needless to say, whatever the selection from Andy Farrell, it will be one hell of a team. Front row Dan Sheehan is probably the most nailed […]

    10 months ago

  • Lions player ratings vs Reds as the Test teams starts to take shape

    Lions player ratings vs Reds as the Test teams starts to take shape

    Another enjoyable game! It was an eight-try showing from the Lions in their 52-12 win over the Reds in Brisbane. Like last week, the home side put it up to the Lions before they tired and the touring side pulled away. However, like against Argentina, they will be disappointed by the amount of handling errors. […]

    10 months ago

  • Ref at heart of Hansen controversy slams IRFU on Linkedin over disrespectful gift

    Ref at heart of Hansen controversy slams IRFU on Linkedin over disrespectful gift

    He is not happy! Back in December, after Connacht’s URC loss to Leinster, Mack Hansen shocked reporters at the post-game press conference, calling the refereeing that his side faced during the match and in general as ‘bulls**t’. The Ireland winger subsequently released an apology to referee Chris Busby, who received a torrent of abuse in […]

    10 months ago

  • Lions vs Reds: Live hub, big moments, updates & player ratings

    Lions vs Reds: Live hub, big moments, updates & player ratings

    Another big game! Follow all the action as the Lions take on the Reds in Brisbane, in what is their third game of the tour, and second Down Under. After losing to Argentina two weeks ago in Dublin, the Lions bounced back with an impressive, 54-7 win over the Western Force on Saturday.

    10 months ago

  • Disgraced former Irish swim coach arrested in US on Gardaí request

    Disgraced former Irish swim coach arrested in US on Gardaí request

    They want him extradited. Former Irish national swimming coach, George Gibney, was arrested by US Marshalls in Florida yesterday afternoon, after Gardaí issued an extradition request over alleged historical sexual abuse. In 1993, Gibney, who ran the Trojan swim club in Blackrock, had 27 charges put against him over indecency towards underage swimmers, but after […]

    10 months ago