Ireland were left holding out for a couple of positives after they were soundly beaten by the world champions in Pasadena. Caretaker Ireland boss Tom O’Connor was always facing a tough task on Saturday night as he took his newly inherited side to face the USA at the Rose Bowl. The game was the first […]

7 years ago

MAYO 1-14, DONEGAL 1-10 Mayo have added some fresh faces to their panel this year but the experienced quarter of Cillian O’Connor, Colm Boyle, Aidan O’Shea and Andy Moran inspired them to victory. James Horan’s side joined Dublin, Tyrone and Kerry, who defeated Meath at Páirc Tailteann, in the All-Ireland semi finals after overcoming a […]

7 years ago

CORK 3-16, DUBLIN 1-14 It was all going so well for Dublin until they conceded a glut of first half goals. Dublin looked on course for an All-Ireland U20 Football Final victory until a defensive melt-down cost them three goals in five minutes. Cork found themselves 1-6 to 0-0 down after 11 minutes but their […]

7 years ago

CORK 1-16, KILKENNY 0-13 “It went in off the goalkeeper; he was very unlucky.” Tommy O’Connell did get a big slice of luck for his goal against Kilkenny but it was just reward for a stupendous display in the U20 Hurling All-Ireland semi-final. The Midleton forward scored 1-10 as Cork had too much for a […]

7 years ago

“My first inter-pro was against Munster down in Dooradoyle and was in front of 300 people. It was like 10 years later and we played them in a sold-out Croke Park.” With plenty of promise and ‘a body like a one-iron’, Shane Horgan was drafted into Leinster’s senior squad for the 1998/99 season. Between club […]

7 years ago

“I’ve got a big buzz going on because I’m known to put people to sleep.” One UFC fight in 33 months, yet Conor McGregor continues to be called out by most of the male roster. From flyweight [125lbs] champion Henry Cejudo all the way up to former middleweight [185lbs] kingpin Georges St-Pierre, it does no […]

7 years ago

In the space of one Friday, Manchester United more than doubled their transfer outlay for the summer. Leicester City and Manchester United have agreed a fee of £85 million for England international Harry Maguire and the deal is set to be officially announced over the weekend. Good business and yet further United transfers remain the […]

7 years ago

“Here’s your chance to defend yourself… !” Goalkeeper’s kick-outs, and the attacking and defensive strategies around them, have become a huge part of football over the past five or six years. Stephen Cluxton revolutionised the game with his kick-outs while Rory Beggan can pick out the chest of Monaghan men, on the run, some 60 […]

7 years ago

“That’s enough for you!” Marsala, Monza, Nice, Monaco… Manchester United. Patrice Evra was not a rising young star that was destined for greatness at an early age. One 24 brothers and sisters in a huge family, raised in Les Ulis [a suburb in the south-west of Paris], Evra’s journey to the French national team and […]

7 years ago

The Canadian fighter did not take kindly to hearing Conor McGregor had weighed in on a controversial moment in his UFC 240 win. McGregor Twitter is a platform that comes alive on big UFC fight nights. ‘The Notorious’ may not have fought for 10 months, and he did announce his second retirement earlier this year, […]

7 years ago

“We are both filled with so much love and excitement looking ahead to the coming months, as we prepare to become parents.” Manchester United appeared to be providing direct competition for goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain, earlier this month, when they signed fellow England international Mary Earps from Wolfsburg. As it turns out, United boss Casey Stoney […]

7 years ago

“There’s no doubt about it. 100 per cent.” Kilkenny, and their dominance aside, only one county (Cork in 2005) has retained their All-Ireland crown in over three decades. Limerick looked set to buck that trend until they ran headlong into a Cats side primed by Brian Cody to pounce. Aaron Gillane and Shane Dowling, with […]

7 years ago

A transfer between Manchester United and Leicester City seems destined to happen before the August 8 closing of this summer’s window. United fans thought a deal for Maguire would be sorted last weekend after a report from the well-sourced Dean Jones, but nothing official has been announced. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looks keen to get Maguire […]

7 years ago

Just hook us up to a direct line of Shane Horgan’s positivity. Ireland rugby fans may be looking forward to the 2019 World Cup with less giddy anticipation before the Six Nations – and our chastening losses to England and Wales – but Shane Horgan believes Joe Schmidt’s men can go far in Japan. The […]

7 years ago

Brought to you by Centra #WeAreHurling And then there were two, and a familiar two… too. After two more classic, breathless All-Ireland encounters, we are down to Tipperary and Kilkenny scrapping for the Liam MacCarthy for the fifth time in a decade. Wexford appeared to run out of steam, on Sunday, while Limerick were fuming […]

7 years ago

A closing round of 71 was no match for Koepka, who carded a faultless 65. Rory McIlroy’s pursuit of majors and big titles is so often blighted by two things – his putter turning cold and him carding one poor round out of four. On Sunday at the St Jude Classic, in Memphis, McIlroy’s putting […]

7 years ago

“As I’m on it, because there is a thing that is often on my mind… “ So began an extraordinary Donal Og Cusack tirade against the criticism hurling coaches Davy Fitzgerald and Derek McGrath have received over the past few years. Many hurling fans tuned into The Sunday Game to re-live the hectic glory of […]

7 years ago

– Brought to you by Centra #WeAreHurling  One of Lee Chin’s best ever performances on one of the greatest stages. Still, it was not enough. Liam Sheedy spent a few moments, amid the Tipperary din, to commiserate with Lee Chin after an instant classic at Croke Park. On another day – had Wexford not gone […]

7 years ago

After Wexford were eliminated from the championship in 2018, the Clare legend was going to step away. 12 Wexford players got together and visited the house of Davy Fitzgerald to convince him to stay at the helm. That he did, and the Yellowbellies were rewarded with a uproarious Leinster title victory. Wexford were up against […]

7 years ago

Brought to you by Centra #WeAreHurling Three disallowed goals. John McGrath red-carded. Five points behind with 20 minutes to go. Noel McGrath and his teammates showed tremendous heart and are now one win away from a Liam MacCarthy. When Lee Chin stepped up and blazed a low strike past Brian Hogan, on 49 minutes, 14-man […]

7 years ago

Brought to you by Centra #WeAreHurling Wexford 3-20 Tipperary 1-28 Tipperary overcame a red card to John McGrath and three disallowed goals to beat Wexford and reach the All-Ireland finals. In one of the great All-Ireland semis, Tipperary showed heart, steel and a tremendous never-say-die attitude to clinch victory. Wexford started like a locomotive and […]

7 years ago

Galway 0-20 Wexford 0-11 Galway minors reached the All-Ireland final, at Croke Park, but their nine-point victory was marred by an ugly brawl in added time. Galway were far too good for Wexford and though they finished with only 14 players, after Ian McGlynn was red-carded, but they never looked in trouble. Sean McDonagh was […]

7 years ago

Mayo are on course for their first minor All-Ireland in six years. The future looks bright for Mayo. Fans at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford, on Saturday evening, were treated to a couple of cracking minor quarter finals. Galway beat Kildare to reach the semis in the late throw-in, while most in the stands were […]

7 years ago

Max Holloway has fought three times in seven months but he is keen to go again before 2019 is wrapped. Holloway McGregor II would be a fight most MMA fans would lap up, but it may be a while away yet. The Hawaiian put another another controlled, dominant exhibition of striking and takedown defence to […]

7 years ago

Liverpool’s second signing of the summer is another top, young prospect. Harvey Elliott made his senior debut aged just 15 years and 174 days. 10 months on and he has joined Liverpool. After Liverpool claimed the Champions League in May, and finished second to Manchester City in the league, most expected Jurgen Klopp to make […]

7 years ago

Another big UFC pay-per-view and another stream of social media commentary and interactions from Conor McGregor. McGregor Khabib and their rematch could be happening sooner than most of us thought. “He wants to come back.” The comments from UFC president Dana White about Conor McGregor after a night that saw Max Holloway add to his […]

7 years ago

“I hopped onto the bench and thought, ‘This is going to be grand’.” Strength, conditioning and general fitness has come on leaps and bounds in the past 15 years. Any county not fully on board with the increase in strength and fitness work will have players that are literally left behind. It is a long […]

7 years ago

‘Raging Al’ is itching for a crack at Conor McGregor but he may have fallen down the list of possible comeback options. Back in December, after he handed Kevin Lee another unanimous decision loss, Al Iaquinta was sitting pretty in the lightweight division. The New York native had acquitted himself well in a title fight […]

7 years ago

“I’m grand for the moment but maybe after tonight or Sunday, I could be gone again!” Former Offaly star, and current RTE pundit, Michael Duignan has been on the sharp end of a Davy Fitzgerald riposte, or two, but he is thankful they put their differences to one side. Both men are passionate about hurling […]

7 years ago

Maurizio Sarri has Gonzalo Higuain at his disposal but the Argentine was lacklustre during his loan to Chelsea. Romelu Lukaku headed along with Manchester United on their summer tour to Australia, Singapore and China and did not feature in any of the club’s four games. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appears to be ready to move on […]

7 years ago

Darren Coen or Andy Moran? Why not have both? Had you offered Mayo, after their Connacht loss to Roscommon, what is effectively a home quarter final to reach the All-Ireland semis, they would have hungrily snatched at it. A little under two months ago and Mayo – the national league champions – came a-cropper against […]

7 years ago

One of the best ever spells of bowling seen at the home of cricket. What a start for Ireland, and for Tim Murtagh. Ireland are taking on England at Lord’s and they ran through their deep batting order like a knife through butter. Fresh from their World Cup final win over New Zealand, less than […]

7 years ago

One week after being told he was ‘hanging on by a thread’ as an inter-county star, Paul Geaney proved he is exactly where he is supposed to be. Heading into the championship summer, Kerry boss Peter Keane looked to have a selection headache that would prove tough to solve. The Kingdom appeared to have a […]

7 years ago

Three Cork players left in his wake and the goalkeeper bearing down. This was some finish. Tipperary’s U20 hurlers claimed the Munster final after edging Cork in a white-knuckle ride at Semple Stadium on Tuesday evening. The Premier County denied Cork successive Munster titles after stunning them with a crucial 1-1 in added time. Jake […]

7 years ago

This one will be well worth watching. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scoffed at the suggestion, on Manchester United’s pre-season tour, that Mason Greenwood might be loaned out to another side this season so he could gain first team experience. The 17-year-old, who has scored twice in three pre-season outings, made his senior debut for United last […]

7 years ago

Manchester United have secured two new summer signings and look set to improve David De Gea’s lot at the club. They are not done yet. On Sunday, Harry Maguire was claimed to have sealed an £80 million transfer from Leicester City to United. That deal may yet go through in the coming days but there […]

7 years ago

1-7 scored, clutch penalty-taking, nabbing some cheeky yards for a crucial free, linking up superbly with Ryan McHugh and nearing ending Jason Foley with a mammoth shoulder. Your standard 70+ minute performance from Donegal captain and talisman Michael Murphy. Murphy and McHugh were the stand-outs for Donegal, on Sunday, while goalkeeper Shaun Patton continued to […]

7 years ago

“You just want more and more.” While the Ireland Under 19s are facing into a European Championships semi-final, a 17-year-old striker that would have definitely started is on the other side of the globe playing against Cristiano Ronaldo, Adrien Rabiot and Miralem Pjanic. Troy Parrott made his senior Spurs debut against Juventus in the International […]

7 years ago

Mick McCarthy has been speaking about Troy Parrott, James McCarthy, Danny Crowley and a possible new recruit. The ‘scouting report’ released regularly by the FAI offers some decent access to Ireland boss Mick McCarthy and affords him the opportunity to big up some upcoming and established talents. In the latest briefing, McCarthy has spoken about […]

7 years ago

A ringing endorsement from two of the top golfers in the world. Some glowing endorsements for Royal Portrush and Irish golf fans, and the welcoming public, that will surely help the County Antrim course and its case to hold more Open Championships. Having Shane Lowry win the Claret Jug by six clear strokes does no […]

7 years ago

Now we’re talking. On Monday, we lamented that Shane Lowry’s Open Championship victory would earn him ‘0’ Ryder Cup points, for Team Europe, but there is some great news regarding the 2020 Olympics. From July 30 to August 2 at the Kasumigaseki Country Club, next year, some of the golfing world’s top talents will compete for […]

7 years ago

The world number three must already be hating the eight and a half month wait for major season to come around again. An opening round of 78 could not be salvaged by his round of 65 on Friday and, after some up-front and emotional media interviews, Rory McIlroy faded into the background at Royal Portrush. […]

7 years ago

Back in 2005, golf coach and instructor Pete Cowen was called down to Dublin to throw his eye over Irish golf’s next crop. An Irish squad, full of the top teenage prospects, had been assembled for some coaching and support sessions. Cowen knew full well that teen sensation Rory McIlroy would be at the mini […]

7 years ago

“Hell no.” That was the take of UFC president Dana White when he was asked about a possible 170lb fight between Jorge Masvidal and Conor McGregor. Masvidal sparked Ben Askren in five seconds in his last outing at welterweight, earlier this month, and is hoping to get a title shot against Kamaru Usman ahead of […]

7 years ago

The four-time Major winner was not a happy puppy at Royal Portrush. It is no secret that Brooks Koepka likes to grip it and rip it. The 29-year-old, who has bossed it over the golf world for much of the past two years, likes to play hard and fast. He ended his third round at […]

7 years ago

Shane Lowry is the odd-one out in the list of 2019 Major winners that includes Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka and Gary Woodland. According to Team Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry was joined by a stack of family, friends, well-wishers and fellow golfers to ‘drink all the beer in the players lounge’. The celebrations […]

7 years ago

An All-Ireland winner with Offaly some 35 years ago, Brendan Lowry was moved to tears watching his son Shane claim his first ever Major. Shane Lowry rarely looked in bother at Royal Portrush, on Sunday, as he saw off a world-class field to win the 148th Open Championship. Lowry carded a final round of 72 […]

7 years ago

“When I hit my tee shot on 18, that was it. I was home and hosed then.” Shane Lowry went through the longest stretch of post-tournament media obligations in his career, on Sunday evening, and he was beaming throughout. The Clara native, 2019’s ‘Champion Golfer’, spoke superbly about what his first ever Major win meant […]

7 years ago

Shane Lowry, Champion Golfer of the Year. Has a nice ring to it, that. Sunday, July 21 at Royal Portrush in County Antrim saw Shane Lowry produce a gutsy closing round to win his first ever Major championship. The 32-year-old finished on -15, six clear of nearest challenger Tommy Fleetwood to claim the Claret Jug […]

7 years ago

Shane Lowry played a solid final round at the 148th Open Championship and has deservedly won The Claret Jug, his first ever ‘Major’. The 32-year-old from Offaly started the final day at Royal Portrush four clear and the closest the chasing pack ever got to him was three. When the final shot sank into the […]

7 years ago