Month: March 2022

IT WAS AFTER her club defeated Slaughtneil in the 2020 All-Ireland camogie club semi-final that Stacey Kehoe could see a hectic schedule of events coming down the line.

The concluding stages of that competition was delayed until the end of last year due to the Covid pandemic. There was also a high-profile fight to protect the All-Ireland series from being dropped that season.

The affected club teams rejoiced at the decision to proceed, but for Kehoe, it would be a tight squeeze to the finish line.

Her husband-to-be was waiting for her at the altar in the Ballagh Church on Friday, 17 December, and Sarsfields of Galway were waiting for Kehoe’s Oulart at Nowlan Park in the All-Ireland final 24 hours later.

Not your traditional wedding weekend, but the busy turnaround seemed to bring out the best in Kehoe, and her twin sister Shelly. The new bride picked up the Player of the Match award while Shelly bagged 1-3 as Oulart dethroned Sarsfields to finish the staggered season as All-Ireland champions.

On Sunday, they’ll have to do it all again as Oulart and Sarsfields square off in the 2021 AIB All-Ireland final.

“It’s a great position to be in playing two All-Ireland’s in the space of a couple of months,” says Stacey Kehoe. “We’re happy to be there and we’ll go hell for leather on Sunday and please God we’ll get over the line.

“We’re looking forward to getting back to Croke Park and that’s what you dream of, playing with your club in a senior final in Croke Park. We’re all looking forward to it.

“There is a great buzz around the village of Oulart, everyone you meet is stopping to talk to you. It’s so uplifting for the parish when you get to these All-Irelands to see how much it means to the people, and the generosity from the people.”

Reflecting on that 24-hour block in December, Kehoe added:

“We all knew we had job to do on the Saturday, this, after the time and effort that went into the training and all the arguments to get the final played. Thankfully we got over the line.

“It was only when we beat Slaughtneil (in the semi-final) that it became an issue, that the final was the day after the wedding. Everything was in place to get married in December, not thinking that we were going to be playing camogie in December. We were delighted we got to play the 2020 championship. Everything went according to plan and we couldn’t have asked for better.”

This Sunday, the Galway champions will have revenge on their mind when the sides collide at Croke Park. The senior final will be the main event of a double-header at GAA headquarters, and will be preceded by the intermediate final between Salthill/Knocknacarra [Galway] and St Ryangh’s of Offaly.

Oulart had little trouble accounting for Clare’s Scariff/Ogonnelloe in the semi-final, but Kehoe is confident that they are adequately prepared to face Sarsfields who defeated camogie heavyweights Slaughtneil in the other final-four tie.

“We’re facing a huge battle on Sunday,” Kehoe notes.

“Any team you meet will be the best of the best. We will take nothing for granted. All the hard work is done now. It’s going to be a real dogfight and it will be down to who wants it more, who wants to win the dirty ball in the rucks.”

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CORK CAMOGIE HAS announced a new three-year sponsorship deal with Kearys Motor Group.

Laura Treacy, Amy Lee and Amy O’Connor.

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

Cork lost last year’s All-Ireland senior final against Galway but enjoyed recent O’Duffy Cup triumphs in 2014, ’15, ’17 and ’18.

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The new sponsorship deal will cover the Cork senior, intermediate, minor and U16 teams for the next three years, along with getting involved with the U16 and U14 local club championships. Cork were previously sponsored by Blackbee and have a new manager in charge for the 2022 season in Matthew Twomey, he succeeded Paudie Murray, with Clare All-Ireland winner Davy Fitzgerald coming on board in a coaching capacity.

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

“We are delighted and proud to partner Cork Camogie for the next three years with this significant sponsorship that reflects Kearys’ culture, values and team spirit,” said Brendan Keary, CEO of Kearys Motor Group.

“We look forward to a great relationship with all the teams and promoting camogie in our community in Cork and women’s sport in general throughout the county.”

Cork camogie chairperson Mairead O’Donovan welcomed the new sponsorship.

“The Cork camogie teams are an amazing group of athletes and fantastic ambassadors for Cork as we have a great talent pool and determination to succeed. We look forward to working with Kearys Motor Group and forging a successful relationship together over the next three years.”

Comedian Michael Fry is our special guest on this week’s episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness. Joining host Seán Burke, Eimear Considine and Murray Kinsella, he chats about his family’s rugby background and his short-lived playing days, before using his musical ear to rank the anthems of each Guinness Six Nations team. Click here to subscribe or listen below:

WICKLOW ARE SEARCHING for a new senior football manager after Colin Kelly has departed ‘due to a change in work commitments’.

The announcement was made this evening by the Wicklow county board as they now embark on the search for a successor.

Kelly was appointed last October, filling the vacancy created by the August departure of Davy Burke, the Kildare native who had been in charge for the previous two seasons. 

Wicklow are currently bottom of Division 3 of the football league after losing to Westmeath, Antrim and Limerick, last Saturday, while they drew with Fermanagh.

Their next game is at home to Laois on 13 March, while their Leinster championship opener also sees them take on Laois on 24 April in Aughrim.

Wicklow GAA Statement – Colin Kelly steps away.
Please see link below:https://t.co/z7yoBbNMpV#officialwicklowgaa#wicklowgaa

— Official Wicklow GAA (@wicklowgaa) March 1, 2022

The full statement from Wicklow GAA reads:

“This evening, Colin Kelly has stepped down from his role as Wicklow senior football manager due to a change in work commitments. Wicklow GAA Management Committee would like to thank Colin for his dedication and hard work since taking up the role and wish him the very best in the future.

“Wicklow Co. Chairperson, Martin Fitzgerald, added “A huge thanks to Colin for working unbelievably hard since taking on the role. I know that everyone in Wicklow GAA wishes Colin every future success”.

“In light of this, Wicklow GAA Management Committee will meet to discuss the management of the Senior Football team for the remainder of the season.”

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Comedian Michael Fry is our special guest on this week’s episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness. Joining host Seán Burke, Eimear Considine and Murray Kinsella, he chats about his family’s rugby background and his short-lived playing days, before using his musical ear to rank the anthems of each Guinness Six Nations team. Click here to subscribe or listen below:

SARSFIELDS PLAYER LAURA Ward believes the integration of the Camogie Association with the GAA would be a major benefit in securing appropriate pitches for championship games.

Sarsfields player Laura Ward.

Source: Sam Barnes/SPORTSFILE

Ward will line out for the Galway club in next Sunday’s AIB All-Ireland senior final against Oulart-the-Ballagh of Wexford in Croke Park.

They will be playing in the best stadium in the country this weekend but Ward has plenty past experience of uncertainty surrounding the staging of their fixtures.

“It’d be absolutely unbelievable to have everything under the one umbrella, mostly for pitches. Camogie seems to struggle to get pitches. At least if we have full power to get into pitches, you can’t be kicked out at the last minute, like many teams have been.

Source: Sam Barnes/SPORTSFILE

“I remember for our All-Ireland semi-final a few years ago against Thomastown, we were kicked out literally an hour before the game and sent down to a pitch with no white lines, no flags, the grass wasn’t cut.

“We walked the pitch beforehand. I think it was the groundsman who said the pitch wasn’t playable. The pitch was 100% playable. We walked it and it was grand. It was a typical thing against camogie.

“Them things, hopefully when everything is under the one umbrella nothing like that can happen.”

A venue issue was in the spotlight again for the recent All-Ireland semi-final when Sarsfields defeated Slaughtneil.

The original venue of Kingspan Breffni in Cavan was deemed unplayable and with adverse weather conditions around the country, both teams had to journey to the south-east to play the game in Gorey in Wexford.

“It was very important for us to put all that aside and concentrate on the task in hand,” said Ward.

“It was up to management to sort out the rest and be in contact with the Camogie (Association) and sort out where we were going. We just tried to enjoy the Saturday and get ready for the game again on Sunday.

“Out of all the games I’ve ever played in it would have to be the worst conditions ever. The ball was landing and you could see the puddles splashing. You can learn a lot from a game like that, from a dogged game, especially with extra-time.”

A dejected Laura Ward after Sarsfields lost the All-Ireland club final to Oulart-the-Ballagh.

Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

Sarsfields won this championship in March 2020 before losing on 18 December, the long-delayed 2021 final at the hands of Oulart-the-Ballagh.

They renew acquaintances with their Wexford opponents, just under three months later to add a surreal twist to Sunday’s showdown.

“It definitely is strange. It feels like déjà vu, especially when they’re so close together. We were just so blessed that last year’s All-Ireland series was played. We fought so hard to get it played, Sarsfields and Oulart as well.

“After that final before Christmas, we all would have felt very disheartened coming off the pitch. If that doesn’t drive any player on, I don’t know what would. If you want to win, you want to mark the best, you want to play the best and you want to beat the best so I suppose that’s enough of a drive in itself.

“It wasn’t our A-game at all. They had their work done on us, there was that four or five-minute spell in the first half where they went to town on us and that killed us. They do that in a lot of their games. Going out there the next day, all you want to do is win the first ball and hope every other ball will bounce into your hand or bounce the right way for you.”

*****

Comedian Michael Fry is our special guest on this week’s episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness. Joining host Seán Burke, Eimear Considine and Murray Kinsella, he chats about his family’s rugby background and his short-lived playing days, before using his musical ear to rank the anthems of each Guinness Six Nations team. Click here to subscribe or listen below:

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JAMES O’CONNOR HAS joined the Midleton set-up as coach for the 2022 season. 

The Waterford native brought Ballyhale Shamrocks to the All-Ireland club decider where they lost in heartbreaking fashion to Ballygunner in Croke Park. He led them to two Kilkenny titles and a Leinster crown during his two-year spell with the Kilkenny kingpins. 

O’Connor stepped down as Ballyhale boss following that defeat and will form part of manager Steve Kane’s backroom team with Midleton. The Lismore clubman previously enjoyed success as manager of Carrigtwohill and Fr. O’Neills in the Rebel County.

He’ll effectively replace former Cork captain Ben O’Connor, who departed as coach following Midleton’s Munster semi-final loss to Kilmallock.

The Cork SHC champions have appointed Kane as their new manager, with outgoing boss Ger Fitzgerald retained in a selector role. Fellow selectors Terence McCarthy and Criostóir O Cathasaigh complete the backroom team.

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Ardscoil Rís, Limerick 1-18
Presentation College, Athenry 1-12

John Fallon reports from Dangan

ARDSCOIL RÍS FROM Limerick finished strongly to book an All-Ireland post-primary schools senior hurling semi-final date with Good Counsel of New Ross next weekend after this hard-fought win at Dangan in Galway.

The sides were level four times in the second-half but the Limerick school came good and reeled off six points without reply to advance after a good contest in front of a big crowd at the NUI Galway complex.

The original clash between these two sides was abandoned last Saturday week when a Presentation College player suffered a serious head injury in an accidental collision. The player is making a full recovery and was with his team for this game but did not play.

There was an edge to proceedings throughout a good game with the Athenry college building up a 1-7 to 1-3 lead in the opening quarter.

Aaron Niland, the 15-year old brother of Galway senior Evan, struck 1-3 from play in that time, while at the other end the impressive David Kennedy found the net.

The accuracy of Niall O’Farrell from placed balls was key to the Ardscoil Rís recovery, with centre-back Vince Harrington also prominent and they got back on level terms before a free from Niland edged Presentation College 1-9 to 1-8 in front at the break.

Shane O’Brien was the key figure in the second-half with the Kilmallock clubman landing four from play, levelling the game inside a minute of the restart.

The sides then exchanged points three times in the third quarter but Presentation College failed to score from play after the restart and Ardscoil Rís pulled away in the final segment, shooting six points without reply to advance.

Scorers for Ardscoil Rís: Niall O’Farrell 0-9 (0-7f, 0-1 ’65), David Kennedy 1-2, Shane O’Brien 0-4, Jack Golden 0-2, Rian O’Byrne 0-1.

Scorers for Presentation College: Aaron Niland 1-4 (0-1f), Gavin Lee 0-6 (0-4f, 0-2 ’65), Tiarnán Leen 0-1, Darragh McCartin 0-1.

Ardscoil Rís

1 Seimi Gully (Clonlara)

2 Evan O’Leary (Ahane), 3 John Fitzgerald (Na Piarsaigh), 4 Colm Flynn (Sixmilebridge)

5 Brian O’Keeffe (Murroe-Boher), 6 Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh), 7 Michael Gavin (Ballybrown)

8 JJ Carey (Na Piarsaigh), 9 Rian O’Byrne (Crecora-Manister)

10 Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), 11 Niall O’Farrell (Broadford), 17 Jack Golden (Monaleen)

18 Diarmuid Stritch (Clonlara), 14 Oisin O’Farrell (Askeaton), 15 David Kennedy (Sixmilebridge).

Subs: 25 Riain McNamara (Cratloe) for O’Keeffe (45), 13 Dylan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh) for Stritch (46), 19 Fintan Fitzgerald (Mungret) for Flynn (57).

Presentation College

1 Darragh Walsh (Turloughmore)

2 Conor Lawless (Athenry), 3 Cian Shaughnessy (Turloughmore), 4 Cian Donoghue (Clarinbridge)

5 Luke Martyn (Clarinbridge), 6 Tiarnán Leen (Craughwell), 7 Darragh McCartin (Craughwell)

8 Liam Leen (Clarinbridge), 9 Matthew Tarpey (Turloughmore)

10 Thady Moran (Abbeyknockmoy), 11 Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge), 12 Oisin Quirke (Craughwell)

13 Ryan O’Donnell (Athenry), 14 Eanna Brady (Athenry), 15 Aaron Niland (Clarinbridge).

Subs: 17 Adam Stewart (Craughwell) for McCartin (51), 29 Conor Rooney (Craughwell) for Quirke (53), 19 Shaun Gilligan (Craughwell) for O’Donnell (55).

Referee: Richie Fitzsimons (Offaly).

Comedian Michael Fry is our special guest on this week’s episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness. Joining host Seán Burke, Eimear Considine and Murray Kinsella, he chats about his family’s rugby background and his short-lived playing days, before using his musical ear to rank the anthems of each Guinness Six Nations team. Click here to subscribe or listen below:

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THE GAA HAVE confirmed the fixture details for five football league games that were postponed last weekend due to the stormy weather conditions.

The fixtures have been pencilled in for next weekend 5-6 March, where there was a gap in the football league calendar, but means a hectic month of action is on the cards for the counties involved.

Saturday’s fixtures will see Westmeath play Longford and Fermanagh take on Laois in Division 3, the quartet currently filling the positions of fourth to seventh in that division.

On Sunday, Galway will aim to boost their promotion prospects in Division 2 after three successive wins when they host an Offaly team who are still searching for their first win.

There will also be action in Division 4 with Tipperary travelling to Wexford and Sligo hosting league leaders Cavan.

The full Allianz Football League fixture details are:

Saturday 5 March

Division Three

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• Westmeath v Longford, TEG Cusack Park, 2pm

• Fermanagh v Laois, Brewster Park, 3.30pm

Sunday 6 March 

Division Two

• Galway v Offaly, Pearse Stadium, 2pm

Division Four

• Sligo v Cavan, Markievicz Park, 2pm

• Wexford v Tipperary, Chadwicks Wexford Park, 2pm

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DESSIE FARRELL REMAINS fully confident in Dublin’s ability to arrest their slide and turn the season around following their fourth defeat on the bounce.

The All-Ireland winning player and manager is enduring the most difficult period of his reign since replacing Jim Gavin at the end of 2019.

Their winless start to the league arrives on the back of last year’s All-Ireland semi-final reverse to Mayo, meaning they’ve incredibly lost five competitive games in succession. 

Farrell identified injuries to key players and a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal as the key reasons for Dublin’s recent poor run of results, but backed his team to respond in the right way.   

“Obviously we’re very disappointed,” he said after the 1-12 to 0-12 defeat to neighbours Kildare.

“We probably felt we could have come away with something today, just the execution was poor at times and we coughed up a couple of goal chances.

“To be honest, I can’t fault the commitment and the intensity,” he continued. 

“(The players) have been remarkably positive. This is a great test of character for us all and a huge opportunity to build resilience and through adversity come to greater strength.

“It’s been a baptism of fire for new players for sure and a very different environment for the senior players. It’s all new. All you can do is embrace it and run with it – navigate your way through it and that’s what we’re about.

“There’s still a very talented bunch of players, the core group of this panel. A lot of experience, a lot of know-how. I think the challenge for us is to get everyone fit and healthy.

“We need to work out a couple of things. Build in a little bit of cohesiveness into our play and I think we will be very competitive. Where that gets us we’ll know in the course of time.

“There wouldn’t be too many backing us now at this stage. But I’m confident in the players. I’ve faith in the whole group to find a way – and that’s what we intend to do.

“Some of the senior players have found themselves in a situation that they haven’t before. How they respond to that, in terms of their attitude, commitment and the energy they’re bringing to training and how they’ve embraced young players, they’ve been fantastic.

“It’s just not clicking for us and hopefully that’ll come,” he added.

Dublin haven’t scored a goal in their last three games. While they created three decent goal chances in Newbridge, they were unable to raise a green flag. 

“Is it a little bit of confidence?” he asked. “I’m not sure.

“The effort to create opportunities was there – just the finishing wasn’t. Players were maybe a little bit out of sync and that cohesiveness isn’t there and it’s the tightest of margins balls being saved or ending up in the back of the net.”

Asked if Dublin’s aura of invincibility has disappeared, he responded: “I think people would say that was inevitable – it was always going to happen.

“It doesn’t make it any easier of course. We’ve just got to suck it up. Do what we need to do. Stay positive, stay focused on the task at hand, and that’s what we will do.”

First appearances of the season for Robbie McDaid, back after shoulder surgery, and Cillian O’Shea, who was the sole Kilmacud Crokes representative on the panel, brought Dublin to 31 players used in this campaign.

Regulars James McCarthy, Con O’Callaghan, Eoin Murchan, Cormac Costello and Paddy Small remain absent with injuries, while prospects Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne and Ciaran Archer are also out.

Jonny Cooper did make his first start since returning and Aaron Byrne and McDaid arrived off the bench follow recent lay-offs.

Farrell was coy around a timeline for the return of former All-Stars McCarthy and O’Callaghan.

“We’ve been unfortunate with some of the senior personnel who have been injured for a sustained period,” he said. “When they come back into the mix, it adds options and strength but as well, it brings an air of calm.

“We’re hoping to have a few players back in the next couple of weeks. It offers us different options for sure.”

Dublin travel to Omagh to face All-Ireland champions Tyrone in a fortnight with ties against Donegal and Armagh on the horizon. 

“We need to be converting some of these good performances into league points,” he said.  

“The focus for us has to be on the performance and take each performance game by game and continue to layer in improvements, continue to take the learnings from previous games and I think we’ve been doing that

“We’re just taking it game by game, we can’t look beyond that. We can’t get hung up on outcomes or potential consequences, it’s about performances for us. As I mentioned at the start of the league, our ambition was to build ourselves to the extent that we would be really, really competitive come summer time.

“Of course the league hasn’t gone the way we would have hoped but we have to stay focussed on what the big picture might be and that has to improve performance as we go and we’ll be looking to do that in the next game as well.”

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Allianz Football League results

Division 3

• Longford 1-10 Fermanagh 3-11

• Louth 1-15 Westmeath 1-13

Division 4

• London 1-6 Wexford 0-11

• Cavan 0-19 Carlow 1-12

• Waterford 1-13 Leitrim 2-17

*****

LOUTH GAVE THEIR promotion hopes a boost after a hard-fought win against neighbours Westmeath. 

The Lake County’s first defeat of the Division 3 campaign arrived as Sam Mulroy struck 11 points, all from frees, in a two-point win for Mickey Harte’s side.

Conor Grimes punched into the net in the 43rd minute and former AFL player Sam Mulroy added a brace off the bench. John Heslin hit 1-10 for Westmeath, but they were undone by Mulroy’s place kicking in the finale. 

Fermanagh were convincing winners over Longford to help ease their relegation fears. 

Trailing five at half-time, the Ernesiders hit the net twice through Sean Quigley in the second-period. A red card for Longford skipper Mickey Quinn badly hampered their chances.

Fermanagh are now just outside the relegation zone on three points, with Longford and Wicklow in seventh and eight respectively on a single point. 

In Division 4, London’s winning start came to an end in Ruislip, going down to Wexford by 0-11 to 1-6. John Tubritt and Mark Rossiter hit 0-3 apiece as the away side claimed victory, despite James Gallagher’s 1-1 for London. 

Elsewhere in the basement tier, Andy Moran’s Leitrim returned to winning ways as goals from Tom Prior and Darragh Rooney saw them enjoy an away 2-17 to 1-13 win over Waterford.

Cavan moved to the top of the table with a 0-19 to 1-12 victory against Carlow.

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Waterford and Antrim players in action.

Source: Declan Roughan/INPHO

Hurling League Results

Division 1 Group B

• Waterford 3-21 Antrim 2-22

• Kilkenny 2-28 Laois 0-17

*****

WATERFORD AND KILKENNY both claimed their second league wins in Division 1 Group B this afternoon, but it was in contrasting fashions.

Waterford had to survive a huge test from Antrim in Corrigan Park in Belfast before winning by two points, Neil McManus saw his late penalty tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Shaun O’Brien as the home side sought the goal that would have tied the match.

Antrim were in front 1-14 to 2-7 at the interval with Domhnall Nugent scoring their goal and McManus also to the fore, he finished with 0-13 overall. Colligan club man Colin Dunford bagged two first-half goals for Waterford but was sent-off before the break.

There were further goals in the second half with Michael Kiely raising a green flag for Waterford and Ciaran Clarke doing likewise for Antrim. Liam Cahill saw his team emerge with the spoils as Austin Gleeson (0-8) and Stephen Bennett (0-6) were accurate from placed balls.

Waterford are now top after three games with five points, just ahead of Dublin on scoring difference, while Antrim are still searching for their first positive result after three defeats to date.

It was a more straightforward experience for Kilkenny in Nowlan Park with Tom Phelan netting twice for the Cats as they defeated Laois.

Billy Ryan is tackled by Laois player Diarmuid Conway and John Lennon.

Source: Evan Treacy/INPHO

Kilkenny were in front 1-12 to 0-11 at the interval before they pulled clear decisively thereafter and had 17 points to spare at the final whistle.

Aside from Phelan’s return of 2-1, Alan Murphy was prolific from frees as he struck 0-13 while Billy Ryan and Martin Keoghan hit 0-4 apiece for Kilkenny. Stephen Maher, Jack Kelly and Ross King each notched 0-3 for Laois.

In Division 2A, Down suffered their first defeat of the league as Kildare emerged one-point victors. Down are now joined at the top of the table on four points in a competitive division by Kerry and Westmeath, winners over Carlow and Meath respectively today.

Derry and Donegal are setting the pace in Division 2B, both impressing today with their respective victories at home to Mayo and away to Wicklow.

*****

Hurling League Results

Division 2A

• Kerry 0-20 Carlow 0-13

• Down 0-22 Kildare 2-17

• Meath 1-15 Westmeath 4-23

Division 2B

• Sligo 1-24 London 1-15

• Wicklow 3-8 Donegal 2-16

• Derry 4-24 Mayo 1-14

Division 3A

• Roscommon 4-20 Warwickshire 0-6

• Tyrone 2-21 Armagh 1-14

Division 3B

• Lancashire 3-11 Longford 1-26

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