By Daragh Small Advice will come in time but new Down manager Ronan McCartan has already learned so much from Meath legend Sean Boylan.     Both were involved in Down’s brilliant run to an All-Ireland U20 semi-final but the Ballymartin native says he hasn’t fully tapped into the greatest resource of all, just yet. “He hasn’t […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Small  Sinéad Burke never got to follow in the footsteps of her role model, Niamh Fahey, and lift the Brendan Martin Cup at Croke Park on TG4 All-Ireland Final day. It was always Burke’s dream to bring the cup back to Killannin, like how current Liverpool Women’s captain Fahey did in 2004, but […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Small Dublin forward Carla Rowe remains hopeful that Mick Bohan – who she describes as ‘the best manager in the country’ – will stick with the Sky Blues for a sixth campaign.  Dublin’s hopes of five-in-a-row were derailed earlier this month when Meath beat them 1-11 to 0-12 in a gripping TG4 All-Ireland […]

4 years ago

They’ve quickly changed their name to acknowledge De Gea’s save Football Twitter can be a funny old place at times. No professional footballer – regardless of the level they play at and what they’ve achieved in their career – is immune from being the butt of someone’s joke. Take David De Gea, for example. Despite […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir  Sarah Dervan became the first Galwegian to lift the O’Duffy Cup twice after the Tribeswomen’s dramatic All-Ireland senior camogie final triumph over Cork but that sort of history was never a motivating force for the colossal full-back.  In a county never short of individual talent, manager Cathal Murray has emphasised unity, […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir  Tears of joy flowed from Hannah Looney after John Dermody blew his whistle for the last time at Croke Park last Sunday week.  Cork had just gotten over the line by a point against Kilkenny, as they had done so many times in previous finals but in that moment, this semi-final […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir  It has been a busy day for Lucia McNaughton when she finally takes the call. She has already made the return trip to Croke Park for a photo shoot and a quick once before Sunday’s real thing, when she captains Antrim on the day of her 26th birthday, in the All-Ireland Intermediate […]

4 years ago

By Paul Keane Olympic silver medalist Kenneth Egan says Kellie Harrington made the right decision by staying amateur – just like he did. Harrington mulled over turning pro after clinching gold at the Tokyo Olympics but will instead focus on retaining her lightweight title in Paris in 2024. Egan, who won his medal in Beijing […]

4 years ago

‘SIUUU!’ Cristiano Ronaldo has reported for duty at Manchester United, for the first time since 2009, and he is in line to make his second Premier League debut for the club this weekend. The Portuguese star returned to United, in the summer transfer window, after Juventus let him go for €15m [and future bonuses]. Ronaldo […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Small Meath manager Eamonn Murray saluted the county’s ‘heroes for life’ after his team created a piece of history by lifting the Brendan Martin Cup at Croke Park. The Royals were crowned TG4 All-Ireland Senior champions for the first time after a phenomenal win over the five-in-a-row chasing Dublin. Emma Duggan’s goal was the difference in the end but […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Small Meath 1-11 Dublin 0-12 Meath stunned champions Dublin to win their first TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship, with Emma Duggan’s first-half goal the difference between the teams following a pulsating decider at Croke Park. The win makes Meath the first team outside of Dublin and Cork to win the senior ladies football championship […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Small Wicklow 2-17 Antrim 1-9 Meadhbh Deeney scored the crucial second goal to shake off Antrim’s comeback as Wicklow made amends for last year’s final defeat to claim the West County Hotel Cup with victory in the TG4 All-Ireland Junior Championship Final. Mark Murnaghan’s side lost the 2020 decider to Fermanagh at Parnell […]

4 years ago

By Cliona Foley On the track he’s all business but, by his own admission, Michael McKillop is still a big kid He might be 31 now but he’s still lolloping around like a big playful puppy, insisting, with a grin, that “I have zero talent except running, that’s the genuine truth. Absolutely nothin! “My wife’ll […]

4 years ago

Cork 0-15 Kilkenny 1-11  Paudie Murray explained the decision to leave out skipper Linda Collins as a requirement for impetus from his bench and that call proved a masterstroke, as the Courcey Rovers forward was a danger for all 14 minutes of her involvement, concluding with a dramatic winner as the clock just wound into the […]

4 years ago

CORK 0-15 KILKENNY 1-11 Captain Linda Collins shook off the disappointment of being left out, writes Daragh Ó Conchúir, by scoring a sensational winning point just seconds from the end to book a place in the All-Ireland senior camogie final. Not for the first time this year, champions Kilkenny mixed the good with the bad […]

4 years ago

GALWAY 1-13 TIPPERARY 0-12 Galway had to withstand a heroic effort by Tipperary but a fortuitous goal, writes Daragh Ó Conchúir, finally gave them the breathing space to advance to the All-Ireland senior camogie final on September 12. They will be sweating on the availability of excellent corner-back Dervla Higgins, who was sent off by referee Ray […]

4 years ago

“TV Gold”

4 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir at Páirc Uí Chaoimh It wasn’t always pretty but the ever-improving Tipperary furnished their growing reputation with the professionalism of their second-half showing against a valiant Waterford, proving full value for their 0-17 to 0-11 triumph in the All-Ireland senior camogie quarter-final.  It is the fourth year in a row that […]

4 years ago

It’s a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final pairings with Kilkenny to take on Cork while Galway face Tipperary. Last year, Kilkenny and Galway advanced to set up a second successive final but the Munster duo will surely have other ideas next Sunday, when the All-Ireland semi-finals go to Croke Park for a double header. […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir  Despite the setbacks, the All-Ireland final defeats and in particular, the significant injuries, there has never been cause for Kellyann Doyle to regret the path she took when meeting the fork in the road.  The tears she was captured shedding at the final whistle of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat of […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir   You might not know the singer but you will more than likely recognise the song. What a Difference a Day Makes was popularised by Dinah Washington in 1959, having been written initially in Spanish by Maria Grever a quarter of a century earlier.  “24 hours, brought the sun and the flowers where there […]

4 years ago

By John Fallon Meath 2-12  Cork 2-10  Meath manager Eamonn Murray said it was the proudest day of his life after witnessing the character shown by his charges to stage an astonishing comeback and qualify for their first ever TG4 All-Ireland SFC final.  Cork looked set for their sixth All-Ireland final showdown with Dublin in […]

4 years ago

By Daragh Small For Aoibheann Leahy, game day used to be the most difficult, but she has learned to focus on the opposition in front of her and compartmentalise the pain and anguish that lingers. Two years ago, it was a weekend where she should have been playing for Meath in a Leinster Intermediate Final […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Small With the use of team buses discouraged during Covid-19, Derbhla Doyle is one of the lucky ones as she and her sister, Loren, get to travel to and from club and county training together. The duo play club camogie for Oylegate/Glenbrien and Ladies football for Crossabeg-Ballymurn but they only wear the Wexford […]

5 years ago

Liveline Tom says Paul Galvin may be a ‘Dunnes Stores ambassador’ but he’s no fashion-icon. Not in his eyes anyway. Not in a month of Sundays would this writer listen to Liveline but when the topic, as raised by Tom Corr from Dublin, was the “ugly tattoos” on “three of the Kerry footballers,” it’s safe […]

5 years ago

By Aisling Clery Dublin 2-12 Donegal 2-7 Two goals from Carla Rowe paved the way for champions Dublin into the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-final after Donegal threatened to dethrone the champions in Carrick-on-Shannon. An early goal from Geraldine McLaughlin and a second from Katy Herron just before half time was just what Maxi Curran’s […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir Tipperary did not come out of the hat for another semi-final appearance but Mary Ryan and Bill Mullaney are focusing on the countless positives of winning all three group games, with Waterford standing in their way of a return to the last four in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship. The other […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Small It’s been a tough summer on a liquid diet after breaking her jaw against Dublin but Mayo’s Maria Reilly is hopeful of getting her teeth into some championship action.   She has returned to contact training and is hoping to be available for Monday’s TG4 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against neighbours and arch rivals […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir   “If the glass is half-empty, fill it up” – Ronan O’Gara  The clock ticked into the seventh minute of injury time as Chloe Foxe addressed the penalty, with Wexford trailing by a point to Limerick in their first-round All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship tie in Newcastle West.  The hosts had been hot […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir   Bill Mullaney described the performance of his Tipperary team as “awesome at times” but both he and player of the match Grace O’Brien noted areas where improvement was required, not least a lack of economy that gave Limerick some hope for a brief period in the second half before the home […]

5 years ago

The puppet’s likeness to Rashford along with the timing of the decision to feature him have been questioned The creators of Spitting Image are facing a social media backlash after offering viewers a glimpse of their Marcus Rashford caricature puppet ahead of the release of the rebooted satirical show’s second season. “Let the chaos begin,” […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Small Lauren McConville was in the Lower Hogan Stand cheering on her uncle as he scored 1-2 and picked up the man of the match as Armagh captured the All-Ireland football title for the first and only time in September 2002.   The game against Kerry, with Oisin McConville’s goal the decisive score, was won by Armagh […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir   Chloe Morey is talking from Inch Beach, a slice of paradise in Kerry.  “Living my best life,” as she says with a chortle of contentment. A prodigious talent from the time she stood out among the boys at juvenile level, winning an All-Ireland with Clare was all Morey thought about. The […]

5 years ago

A married Premier League player has been arrested on suspicion of child sex offences. The 31-year-old player has been suspended by his club while police investigate the allegations, according to the Daily Mail. He was arrested on Friday by GMP but was released on bail following a raid of his home earlier this month. GMP’s statement […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir   League semi-finalists Cork and Tipperary maintained their good form with resounding victories in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, the Rebels shooting the lights out in accounting for Dublin by 2-19 to 0-12 at Páirc Uí Rinn, and Tipp blitzing Offaly by 3-23 to 1-12 at the St Rynagh’s grounds in Banagher.  […]

5 years ago

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have made contact in the first lap of Silverstone Championship leader Max Verstappen and reigning champion Lewis Hamilton made contact on lap one of the British Grand Prix, causing the Dutch driver to careen off the course. The pair were dicing it out for the lead when Hamilton came across […]

5 years ago

By Ronan O’Neill Armagh 3-18 Cavan 3-10 Aimee Mackin scored 0-10 as Armagh made it back-to-back wins in Group 1 of the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship with victory over Cavan at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones. The victory secures Armagh’s place in the TG4 All-Ireland Quarter-final, while it also guarantees Mayo will progress from Group 1, with the […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir   A pointed free in the sixth minute of injury time by Beth Carton rescued a 0-16 to 0-15 victory for Waterford at Walsh Park and denied Down a famous result after an outstanding performance in sweltering heat on the Mourne side’s first All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship appearance for 22 years.  […]

5 years ago

By Emer Connolly Louth’s Ceire Nolan is a firm believer that a positive attitude is half the battle in recovering from a serious injury.    And the 21-year knows all about it having bounced back from a torn cruciate suffered just as Covid-19 struck last year. The injury happened just before her college closed in March […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Ó Conchúir   Ending an absence of more than two decades in the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship brings such a level of import that Down would have gladly travelled to the moon for the throw-in.  That said, being drawn away to Waterford for today’s 2pm start at Walsh Park, which will be streamed […]

5 years ago

Cork 6-28 Clare 0-6. Between two hurling counties who traditionally bring the best out of each other, there’s a scoreline you might have to do a double-take on. It’s a score-line that, regardless of how impressive this Cork team is, should have alarm bells ringing the length and breadth of county Clare. The Clare minors […]

5 years ago

Armagh got their Championship off to the perfect start with a 4-17 to 1-12 win against neighbours Monaghan but it was a goal scored by Caroline O’Hanlon and created by Aimee Mackin that made all the headlines. Footballer of the Year Mackin showed in 2020 that she has one of the best left feet in […]

5 years ago

Prime wind-up merchant. Italy vice-captain Leonardo Bonucci has continued to wind up devastated England fans, as he told them to “eat more pasta” whilst him and his side did a victorious lap of honour after his side’s final victory. In the immediate aftermath of Italy’s penalty shootout win against England, Bonucci screamed down the camera […]

5 years ago

Harte took exception to the way McConville described Derry’s style of football. Derry took on Donegal in one of the games of the 2021 season, as a Paddy McBrearty point at the death won it for Declan Bonner’s side. The BBC half-time analysis was equally as fiery, with former Tyrone boss locking horns with Armagh’s […]

5 years ago

By Tomás Keating Galway 2-11 Kerry 2-10 Galway held on for victory in the opening TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship game of the summer despite Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh’s goal in the final minute at Cusack Park. The Kerry forward had gotten her side off to a flying start with an early goal, and at one stage […]

5 years ago

By Daragh Small When Cavan’s long-serving star Sinéad Greene leaves the field for half-time, she pricks her finger to check her blood sugar levels.    If they are too high, she will inject herself with insulin before indulging in some Haribo sweets. Estimates suggest that over 230,000 of the Irish population will be diabetic by 2030. […]

5 years ago

Maybe this whole thing is much simpler than we think. Maybe, just like every goalkeeper in Ireland, Stephen Cluxton has notions and reckons he’d lord it at centre back. Dessie Farrell isn’t having it and so here we are, the championship about to take off and Dublin are without their captain and their talisman. All […]

5 years ago

“This is like a therapy session!” Notice how quick Darren Till was to stash the bling, as ‘True Geordie’ Brian Davis dished out truth-bombs. We are days away from a fight that may decide the next few years of Conor McGregor’s journey as a Mixed Martial Artist. The Dubliner takes on Dustin Poirier at UFC […]

5 years ago

First, they said Eddie Keher’s record would never be broken. After a career that saw the Rower-Inistioge sniper terrorise opposition defences for the guts of 18 years, his record of 35-344 (439 points) in 51 championship games for Kilkenny stood alone and it stood unopposed. They said it would stand the test of time too […]

5 years ago

One of the longest transfer sagas of the past decades comes to an end as United finally sign their long-held transfer target, Jadon Sancho It’s done, the transfer saga is over at last: Jadon Sancho is officially a Manchester United player after almost four years of the 21-year-old being linked with the club virtually non-stop. […]

5 years ago