GALWAY ALL-IRELAND winner Kieran Fitzgerald is the next GAA figure to feature in the current season of TG4′s Laochra Gael.

Fitzgerald enjoyed a successful career with the Galway footballers, winning a senior All-Ireland title in 2001 and an All-Ireland U21 crown the following year.

The episode also features the unprecedented levels of success he enjoyed with Corofin and, his wife — and former Galway ladies footballer — Emer Flaherty.

But the talented defender experienced a huge personal loss following the death of his girlfriend Mairéad Meehan, who was also a sister of the Meehan brothers who played for Galway.

When Fitzgerald won his first All-Ireland title with Corofin in 2015, he brought the trophy to the Meehans in Caltra to include Mairéad’s family in the celebrations.

“To achieve our ultimate goal on behalf of Corofin GAA club was amazing,” he recalls, “and we tried for so long, and there were many players that I played with that didn’t get there. It was for them as well.

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“The reception we received in Caltra and Castleblakeney, the home of the Meehans was so humbling. I saw the joy they had for me and I knew that they wanted me to achieve that and to feel that and have that happiness.”

In a candid account of Mairéad’s life, Fitzgerald explains how she had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma which required various surgeries and treatments.

“When I met her,” Fitzgerald begins, “you would not know she had that trauma behind her.

“She never let that hold her back and she had a personality that was so full of energy, enthusiasm and drive for life. She didn’t allow it to get in her way.

“We didn’t let it overpower us. We were always aware it was there, she was always aware it was there but we didn’t really talk about it unless we had to talk about it. There was always the cloud of an upcoming scan or a test looming.”

In 2006, Fitzgerald lined out for Ireland in the International Rules series against Australia with the first Test taking place in Galway’s Pearse Stadium.

“The following Tuesday,” he continues, “Mairéad had a result of a scan and unfortunately the prognosis of that scan was poor and essentially terminal. So, that was tough.

“As the weeks went on, Mairéad’s condition deteriorated and [she] sadly passed away at the end of January, 2007.”

Fitzgerald talks about how he struggled to cope with her passing, and the difficulties of trying to return to football.

He remembers how he eventually started to lose his desire to continue playing at inter-county level before deciding to step away in 2011.

Fitzgerald would later enjoy a successful period with his club Corofin, which culminated in an All-Ireland three-in-a-row. The last of those All-Ireland triumphs was in 2020 when Fitzgerald was 39, and still playing a key role in the team that narrowly edged out Kilcoo after extra-time in Croke Park.

The episode is a compelling and moving watch which also features contributions from Michael Meehan, Gary Sice, Stephen Rochford, and Máire Ni Bhraonáin.

You can watch Kieran Fitzgerald’s Laochra Gael on Thursday, 10 February at 9.30pm

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LET’S BEGIN WITH some unwanted statistics for Dublin. 

This is the first time they’ve lost three competitive games in-a-row since 2009 and their first time losing successive league ties since 2012. It was their largest defeat to Kerry in 13 years. Last week’s loss to Armagh aside, it was their biggest losing margin in a decade. 

For players like Brian Fenton, Brian Howard, Niall Scully and John Small, who only experienced losing a championship game for the first time last August, these are unprecedented times.

Dublin were outclassed by Kerry in Tralee last night, undone by the superior attacking play and movement of their Munster opponents.  

And even still, Kerry’s winning margin could have been far greater. They scored just a point in second half, content to protect the unassailable 13-point lead they’d build up by half-time.

“Everyone thought after last weekend that we’re trying to play possession football,  but we’re a kicking team,” Jack O’Connor surmised to RTÉ after the game. “We’ve been trying to get the boys to kick it.

“In the first-half, despite the conditions, we moved the ball really well throughout he lines and hit good ball inside. When you’ve someone like David Clifford inside you need to be getting him on ball and he was fantastic, particularly in the first-half.”

David Clifford kicked some exceptional scores for Kerry.

Source: Evan Treacy/INPHO

If Kerry are a kicking team, it’s hard to know what sort of team Dublin are right now. 

They’ll play Mayo in Croke Park next weekend and travel to the lion’s den to Omagh to meet All-Ireland champions Tyrone on 13 March. 

Mayo and Tyrone have suffered at the hands of Dublin on many occasions in the not too distant past. Kicking the Dubs when they’re down is an opportunity both counties will be relishing. 

The big test of character for Dublin is how they react to this morale-sapping start to the season. They’ve a big target on their backs now and are looking vulnerable.

The hunger and fight Dublin show in those games will tell a lot about how the rest of the year will turn out for them. 

Two defeats on live TV and a pair of flat performances have set the alarm bells ringing about the decline of the Sky Blues. 

They’ve still got veterans James McCarthy, Jonny Cooper and Mick Fitzsimons to come back into the fold, plus explosive forwards Con O’Callaghan, Cormac Costello and Paddy Small who will transform their attack. 

Dublin’s forward line last night featured rookies Lorcan O’Dell and Cameron McCormack, in addition to Dean Rock who is well short of his best form. It hardly struck fear into an almost full-strength Kerry outfit.

Given the spate of retirements they’ve suffered in the last 18 months, Dublin have reached a stage where they need to blood young talent and fast. Not alone did they lose seasoned veterans, but the drop-outs of electric athletes like Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion were crushing blows. 

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During the Jim Gavin era, he would introduce a player or two each season to reinvigorate a Hall of Fame team and create further competition for places. Year after year, Fenton, Howard, Scully, Small, O’Callaghan, Eoin Murchan were added to an already formidable panel of players. 

Over the past three seasons, only Evan Comerford, Robbie McDaid and Paddy Small broke through to become regular championship starters, while Sean Bugler mainly featured off the bench.

In the Gavin years, gifted newcomers like O’Callaghan and Howard had a couple of years to adjust to senior football before they became regulars. Dublin introduced a host of new players to the panel last year and 14 more this season.

Now youngsters like Darragh Conlon, McCormack and Killian McGinnis are being thrown into the fray without much time to adjust to the enormous step up.

It’s an obvious point, but they’re at a completely different stage of their life cycle than the Kingdom. Jack O’Connor has returned as manager to deliver an All-Ireland title for a group of players who’ve left several big opportunities behind them over the past few years.

Dessie Farrell mentions the word ‘transition’ on an almost weekly basis now.

Dublin look like a team not only transitioning between two generations of players, but also between styles. It has happened quicker than many expected. 

Writing for the Currency yesterday, Paul Flynn made the interesting observation that Dublin need to move on from the possession-based system that became their trademark during the six-in-a-row years. 

“The controlled style of play they have mastered is becoming stale and opposing teams have figured it out,” he wrote. “New styles of play require fresh talent and while it is not abundantly clear where that will come from there is a full league campaign to unearth a few.

“For Dessie and the team to evolve their system to whatever style they decide is required they need to ensure that players have total clarity and belief in it and it needs to be the align with their new ‘why’.”

Dublin showed signs of moving to a more direct approach in the O’Bryne Cup, before reverting to type against Armagh and in the first-half against Kerry. 

They scored just 0-9 in the opening 35 minutes of both games combined. A big reason for that is the lack of line breakers coming late from the middle third, and ball winners in the full-forward line. Teams can crowd the D and force Dublin to take pot-shots from outside the scoring zone. 

Dublin did look better in the second period against Kerry – particularly the quality of their delivery to the full-forward line – but in truth the game was long over by that stage.

While they trial the new talent, it’s up to Farrell’s on-pitch lieutenants like Ciaran Kilkenny, Fenton, Small and Howard to steady the ship. They also need to help the team shed the old style and move towards a better offensive approach.

It’s been a tough start to the season for Dessie Farrell.

Source: Ben Brady/INPHO

The slump in form since last year’s Leinster campaign has led some to speculate that things are not right in the dressing room with Farrell.

From the outside looking in, there have certainly been aspects he could have handled better.

The Covid training breach last year reportedly led to a fall-out with Stephen Cluxton and the great goalkeeper has played his last game for the county. His absence lingered like a bad smell last season. The uncertainty around his availability was an example of something that wouldn’t have happened under Gavin. 

Paul Mannion was left on the bench for much of the 2020 campaign and departed the panel afterwards. It may not have been his sole reason for leaving, but being reduced to the role of impact sub hardly helped. 

But it can’t all be put down to Farrell. Far from it. 

A depleted squad meant the competition for places isn’t as fierce as it once was, which led to standards slipping. And they miss the defensive awareness of a Cooper or Cian O’Sullivan protecting the full-back line. 

The high-profile absentees haven’t helped.

“The core group of 15 quality players in this team in my view remains unmatched,” argued Flynn. He has a fair point. 

The reality is Dublin could be a different proposition by the end of the league if they can get their established stars back into the team and settle on a style of play that suits this group. That looks a long way off right now, even if it is only early February.

The country will be watching closely at how they react in the weeks ahead.

It will make fascinating viewing. The all-conquering side is no more and strangely, Dublin are more compelling than ever.

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A NEW HURLING league season commences this weekend, the pre-season business completed as the major action starts for 2022.

A bunch of new managers step out into the county spotlight.

What awaits them as they take on major responsibilities for the new campaign?

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Henry Shefflin – Galway

The most eye-catching inter-county appointment this season.  Whenever one of the most celebrated players in the game moved into management, his progress was bound to be tracked closely. Henry Shefflin’s hurling acumen was displayed with the pair of All-Ireland titles he guided his home club Ballyhale Shamrocks to. His first county role entails a switch out west that is as dramatic as it is intriguing.

How he fares with Galway will be fascinating. Before the Leinster round-robin, which will throw up a blockbuster game against his native Kilkenny, the league schedule starts out against Offaly, a familiar face in opposition in Michael Fennelly. Expectations have spiked in Galway after Shefflin’s arrival but they produced a disappointing run in 2021.

Their talisman has retired in Joe Canning, another stalwart is also gone in Aidan Harte. Serious injuries have hit Shane Cooney and Jason Flynn, the St Thomas crew will be returning after All-Ireland club heartbreak. The Galway rebuild will command attention, supporters will be hoping the winners from the 2017-20 minor teams will start to push on at senior level.

Daithi Burke is Galway’s new hurling captain.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Colm Bonnar – Tipperary

Liam Sheedy has been such a dominant figure in Tipperary hurling terms, with his two successful spells as manager, along with the tenures of bosses closely associated to him in Eamonn O’Shea and Michael Ryan. The installation of Colm Bonnar as the Premier boss feels like a new era for the county. That sense was reaffirmed by the shock of Padraic Maher’s injury-enforced retirement this week, along with the exit last summer of another iconic figure from their modern teams in Brendan Maher.

It will be interesting to see how Bonnar manages the transition. He doesn’t lack managerial experience given his roles with Wexford, Ballyhale Shamrocks, Carlow and Waterford IT college teams. This is a position that will receive greater scrutiny though, a fact he will be keenly aware of. Tipperary heroes Paul Curran, Tommy Dunne and Johnny Enright are alongside him calling the shots.

The first half of last year’s Munster final was the most impressive display any team has produced against Limerick in the last two years. The second half slippage and the subsequent loss to Waterford demonstrate the issues that need to be solved. There’s plenty talent from the 2018 and 2019 underage triumphs, those are the figures Bonnar will be hoping to promote to bigger roles.

A dejected John McGrath after Tipperary’s loss last year to Waterford.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Darragh Egan – Wexford

The Davy Fitzgerald era drew the focus to Wexford with exhilirating highs like 2019 when they lifted Leinster and came up agonisingly short at the hands of ultimate champions Tipperary in a breathless semi-final. The two seasons did not produce a similar flow of positive championship results. That is the backdrop as Darragh Egan steps into the breach.

With a younger age profile than most managers, he is an imaginative selection. Coaching work with Tipperary teams and his club Kiladangan created a promising reputation. He has thought outside the box in his recruitment, bringing Billy Walsh from boxing and Gordon D’Arcy from rugby to offer a different approach and help him along in his first senior county management job.

Paudie Foley’s return to the fold is a boost for a Wexford team that must adapt to a new manager and demonstrate there is still scope for improvement. Was 2019 the pinnacle or can they merge new talent with an exisiting core to return to those heights?

Paudie Foley’s return is a boost to the Wexford cause.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

Joe Fortune – Westmeath

After being immersed in Dublin hurling circles, Joe Fortune took the reins on Westmeath for a two-year term, succeeding Shane O’Brien. It’s his first position in the senior ranks but the Dublin U21 (Leinster 2016) and Ballyboden St-Enda’s (county 2018) involvements both yielded silverware.

Joe Fortune.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

The Wexford native takes charge of a side that will be focused on building on last year’s Joe McDonagh Cup win. They step up to Leinster action with a glamour opening tie against Kilkenny on 16 April in Mullingar but before that the league will be the focus in Division 2A.

Stephen Molumphy – Kerry

After a sparkling career in Waterford colours as a player, and time as selector more recently alongside Liam Cahill, it is now Kerry hurling that Stephen Molumphy is concentrating on. He has taken over as boss, succeeding Fintan O’Connor who was in charge for the last five years and reached the last two Joe McDonagh Cup finals.

Stephen Molumphy.

Source: Evan Treacy/INPHO

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Getting over the line in that competition will be a clear objective. They start out in the league against Westmeath today, eager to harness the early season good vibes emanating after their landmark pre-season win over Tipperary and the progress of the Kilmoyley club to the All-Ireland final stage in Croke Park.

Cork 1-13
Clare 1-13

CORK AND CLARE played out an entertaining draw in Pairc Uí Chaoimh in Division 2 of the Allianz NFL tonight.

In a tie that was level on seven occasions it was the visitors who came from behind to earn a deserved draw as substitutes Emmett McMahon and Daniel Walsh kicked the levelling scores after Brian Hurley had put Cork in pole position to win it.

Cork seemed to be in big trouble with ten minutes to go when Podge Collins was fouled inside the square with ten minutes to go. The excellent Keelan Sexton crashed home the resultant penalty as the Bannner men’s hoodoo over Cork looked set to continue.

Cork managed to get themselves back into the game with scores from Hurley and Mark Cronin before the Castlehaven man found himself standing over a free with a chance to level the game. However, his effort dropped short but managed to squirm into the Clare net and all of a sudden Cork looked set for an unlikely victory.

Cork’s Colm O’Callaghan gets clear.

Source: Ken Sutton/INPHO

Colm Collins’ outfit are made of stern stuff, however, and they kept their cool and etched out the chances that they needed to take a share of the spoils though Cronin did have the chance to win it for the Rebels, but his effort dropped short.

Clare played with the advantage of a significant wind in the opening period, but it was Cork who started the sharper, though they struggled to make their superiority tell on the scoreboard. John O’Rourke and Brain Hurley kicked the Rebels into an early lead with fine scores from play, but Clare were soon level thanks to two Keelan Sexton scores. Blake Murphy then put Cork back in front, but this was followed by a run of three wides for the home side before Jamie Malone brought Clare level for the second time in the eighteenth minute.

Two points in two minutes from Murphy and Hurley then restored Cork’s lead but David Tubridy’s opening score and a free from Sexton made it all square again with ten minutes left to the interval. The impressive Murphy’s third score then slipped Cork back in front, but Clare then began take control as the Rebels struggled to progress beyond midfield. Eoin Cleary tapped over a free for the visitors, Cian O’Dea gave them the lead for the first time with a super score from distance before two superb Sexton strikes from dead balls gave them a 0-9 to 0-6 at the change of ends.

Cork then outscored Clare by 0-5 to 0-2 to level the game again before Sexton’s penalty and the late drama.

It leaves Clare pushing towards the top of the league, while Cork are facing a fight to avoid relegation.

Scorers for Cork: Brian Hurley 1-4 (1-2 fs), Blake Murphy 0-3, Fionn Herlihy 0-2, John O’Rourke Kevin O’Donovan, Seán Powter (free) and Mark Cronin 0-1 each.

Scorers for Clare: Keelan Sexton 1-5 (1-0 pen, 1 ’45, 3 fs), Eoin Cleary 0-2 (fs), Cian O’Dea, Aaron Griffin, David Tubridy, Jamie Malone, Emmett McMahon and Daniel Walsh 0-1 each.

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Kerry 1-15
Dublin 0-11

Paul Brennan reports from Austin Stack Park

FIRST BLOOD OF the season to Kerry in what might or might not be a two-game series this year if, as still expected, they meet Dublin in an All-Ireland semi-final down the road in July.

What, if anything, this seven-point win will mean in high summer is anyone’s guess, but as making statements in early February go, this was pretty emphatic from Kerry. Sure, they lost the second half by 0-7 to 0-1 – yes, Kerry managed just a single Paul Geaney point in the second period – but context is needed.

Kerry won this game in the first half, taking a 13-point lead to the interval, and thereafter it was all about saving face for Dublin. Dessie Farrell might take some consolation for that second half revival but it is the first 35 minutes that will haunt the Dublin manager.

For Kerry it was almost all good, so good in fact that they could afford the luxury of a missed penalty from David Clifford in the first half.

The penalty miss came just after Sean Bugler had pointed for Dublin to have them trail 0-4 to 0-5, and it prefaced a Kerry assault on the Dublin posts in the driving wind and rain.

David Clifford takes on Lee Gannon.

Source: Ben Brady/INPHO

Dublin did have the ball in the Kerry net in the first half when Dean Rock’s shot went in through a combination of the post and Shane Murphy’s hand, but a foul by Niall Scully in the build-up saw him black carded and the goal scratched off.

It was a let-off Kerry were happy to play, and thereafter they went to town on the Dubs for the remainder of the half.

In the 26th minute Loran O’Dell overcooked his pass to Rock with just Murphy providing the Kerry cover at that stage, but Kerry weren’t nearly as wasteful. 

Points from Moynihan, Paul Geaney, David Clifford (two) and a Sean O’Shea free made it 0-12 to 0-4 and then David Clifford’s handpass into Moynihan got the finish it deserved: a right-footed shot to the top corner of Comerford’s goal that made it a 12-point game on the 35-minute mark. 

The half finished with a Geaney point, a Jack Barry black card, and Dublin reeling from a 13-point deficit going to the dressing room.

If most of the drama was squeezed into that second quarter, the second half wasn’t nearly as much fun. The best that can be said for Dublin is that they won the second period by six point; while Kerry probably won’t – nor should they – beat themselves too much for managing just that one point, from Geaney in the 47th minute.

Thereafter the game petered out with black cards for Tom Lahiff and then Paudie Clifford, while Ciaran Kilkenny, Brian Howard, Brian Fenton, Ryan Basquel and Dean Rock (three frees) restored some bit of respectability for Dublin in what was their second wash-out in a week. 

Watch the Full-Time Highlights of @Kerry_Official v @DubGAAOfficial in The Allianz Football League here! #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/WhmocBrhUW

— The GAA (@officialgaa) February 5, 2022

Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea 0-5 (3f), D Moynihan 1-1, D Clifford 0-4, P Geaney 0-3 (1m), D O’Connor 0-1, P Clifford 0-1

Scorers for Dublin: D Rock 0-5 (4f), E Comerford 0-1 (f), B Howard 0-1, B Fenton 0-1, S Bugler 0-1, C Kilkenny 0-1, R Basquel 0-1 

Kerry

1. Shane Murphy (Dr Crokes)

2. Dan O’Donoghue (Spa), 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue), 4. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle)

5. Paul Murphy (Rathmore), 6. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe), 7. Brian Ó Beaglaioch (An Ghaeltacht)

8. Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil) 9. Jack Barry (Na Gaeil)

10. Adrian Spillane (Templenoe) 11. Seán O’Shea (Kenmare Shamrocks) 12. Dara Moynihan (Spa)

13. Paudie Clifford (Fossa) 14. David Clifford (Fossa), 15. Paul Geaney (Dingle) 

Subs

24. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare Shamrocks) for A Spillane (54)

20. Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes) for P Geaney (63)

18. Micheal Burns (Dr Crokes) for D Moynihan (65)

22. Jack Savage (Kerins O’Rahillys) for P Clifford (temp, 70)

19. Gavin Crowley (Templenoe) for T Morley (70)

17. Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for D Clifford (temp, 71)

23. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks) for D O’Donoghue (72) 

Dublin

1. Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams)

2. Lee Gannon (Whitehall Colmcilles), 3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf), 4. Sean McMahon (Raheny)

17. Darragh Conlon (Ballymun Kickhams), 6. Brian Howard (Raheny), 7. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)

8. Brian Fenton (Raheny), 9. Tom Lahiff (St Jude’s)

10. Sean Bugler (St Oliver Plunkett’s ER), 11. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock), 12. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street)

24. Lorcan O’Dell (Templeogue Synge Street), 20. Cameron McCormack (Ballymun Kickhams), 26. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams) 

Subs

14. Ciaran Archer (St Maurs) for L O’Dell (50)

13. Ryan Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda’s) for C McCormack (50)

15. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda’s) for N Scully (65)

21. Killian McGinnis (Skerries Harps) for J Small (67)

5. CJ Smith (Lucan Sarsfields) for D Conlon (73)

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork) 

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Tipperary 0-21
Laois 1-14

Steven Miller reports at O’Moore Park

JASON FORDE HELPED himself to 11 points and Mark Kehoe and Jake Morris hit seven between them from play as Tipperary began Colm Bonnar’s reign as manager with a four-point win over Laois in O’Moore Park.

Laois played most of the second half with just 14 men following the sending off of Paddy Purcell but they put up a brave effort before eventually falling short.

The home side were made to rue a host of missed chances when they played with the wind in the opening half, hitting eight wides and missing two decent goal chances.

But Tipp, who have named Ronan Maher as their captain for 2022, were more efficient with their scoring chances even if Jason Forde could only manage a point from a 23rd minute penalty.

Ronan Maher will be the Tipperary Senior Hurling Captain for 2022

— Tipperary GAA (@TipperaryGAA) February 5, 2022

The opening 15 minutes were even enough with Stephen ‘Picky’ Maher landing four points for Laois – including three absolute peaches from play.

Jason Forde was accurate from frees and play for the visitors while Jake Morris and Mark Kehoe also pointed to leave them 0-5 to 0-4 ahead at this point.

Laois then had a great goal chance when Maher played a diagonal ball to Jack Kelly but his low shot was saved by Tipperary keeper Brian Hogan.

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And after that Laois seemed to lose their way in front of goal – finishing the half with eight wides to Tipperary’s four – and a second missed goal chance from Willie Dunphy.

Tipperary pushed on through a brace of Forde frees before they were awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute.

Jake Morris broke through and was fouled but Enda Rowland pulled off a wonderful save to flick Jason Forde’s shot over the bar.

But Tipp weren’t rattled by that miss as Mark Kehoe, Jake Morris and Cathal Barrett all pointed before the break.

Laois did grab late scores through Maher and keeper Rowland to leave it 0-11 to 0-7 at half time.

Tipp raced out of the traps when play resumed with four points in the opening three minutes – two from Forde and one each from Morris and Mark Kehoe.

Laois responded with a brace of Maher frees but any chance they had evaporated in the 45th minute when they were reduced to 14 men.

Paddy Purcell appeared to strike Craig Morgan off the ball but referee Sean Cleere initially sent off Ben Conroy.

Conroy protested his innocence and the referee consulted with the linesman before rescinding his red card and brandishing it to Purcell instead.

Laois, though, would have the deficit back to just three points with 50 minutes on the clock.

A 65 from keeper Enda Rowland dropped short but was misjudged by the Tipperary defence and ended up in the net.

Sub James Keyes added a point and Laois had now recovered to leave it 0-16 to 1-10.

Tipperary came again though and Laois keeper Rowland had to be smart to save from Denis Maher as Jason Forde and Mark Kehoe added points.

James Keyes landed a second from distance though and the score read 0-19 to 1-11 with ten minutes to go.

But Tipp had enough to see it out and finished with four points to spare.

Scorers for Tipperary: Jason Forde 0-11 (six frees, 0-1 pen), Mark Kehoe 0-4, Jake Morris 0-3, Michael Breen 0-2, Cathal Barrett 0-1

Scorers for Laois: Stephen Maher 0-8 (five frees), Enda Rowland 1-3 (1-1 ‘65s, 0-2 frees), James Keyes 0-3

Tipperary: Brian Hogan; Cathal Barrett, James Quigley, Craig Morgan; Dillon Quirke, Seamus Kennedy, Barry Heffernan; Alan Flynn, Michael Breen; Dan McCormack, Jason Forde, Ger Browne; Mark Kehoe, Denis Maher, Jake Morris. Subs: Conor Stakelum for Morris (46), Paul Flynn for Maher (58), Paddy Cadell for Flynn (65), Ronan Maher for Heffernan (67), Seamus Callanan for Kehoe (69)

Laois: Enda Rowland; Frank Flanagan, Sean Downey, Donnchadh Hartnett; Podge Delaney, Liam O’Connell, Ryan Mullaney; Fiachra C-Fennell, Jack Kelly; Paddy Purcell, John Lennon, Ross King; Ben Conroy, Willie Dunphy, Stephen Maher. Subs: James Keyes for Lennon and Jordan Walshe for Dunphy (both 49), Ciaran Comerford for King (53), Padraic Dunne for Flanagan (56), Aidan Corby for Kelly (69)

Referee: Sean Cleere [Kilkenny]

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Naas [Kildare] 0-16
Kilmoyley [Kerry] 1-11

Kevin Egan reports at Croke Park

NAAS GAA CLUB continues to break new ground across both primary sporting codes, as they became the first club from the county to win an All-Ireland club hurling title this evening.

The reigning senior football and hurling champions in the Short Grass County arrived at this evening’s All-Ireland final having won every championship game with something to spare, and when they moved six points clear early in the second half, and with the wind at their back, it looked like a similar tale was unfolding this time around.

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John Meyler’s side were made of sterner stuff however and they came back to within a single point, but couldn’t quite draw level, or get the second goal chance they badly craved through six minutes of stoppage time.

The foundations for Naas’ victory were laid in the first half, when Tom Mullally’s side hurled into the breeze but were far more effective in most sectors of the field, responding to the concession of the first two points to come back and build up an 0-11 to 0-7 interval lead.

Two superb points from Brian Byrne got them up and running, but it was their tenacity and workrate in the tackle at defence and midfield that really discommoded a lively Kilmoyley attack.

Jordan Brick picked off two good points from play but aside from the Kerry star forward on the right wing, Kilmoyley were heavily dependent on frees, where Daniel Collins was in very solid form.

Meanwhile Shane Ryan was very lively in the corner of the Naas attack, while Rian Boran added a well-taken point from distance to an excellent all round performance at midfield.

The first attack of the second half saw James Burke run though on goal from a tight angle, and while in different circumstances he might have gone for goal, instead he chose to whip the sliothar over the bar and keep the scores coming.

Jack Sheridan followed up with a free to push the gap out to six, but a couple of Kilmoyley substitutions sharpened up their attacking unit, while improvement all over the field in terms of tackling and fighting for breaks gradually brought the Kerry club back into the game.

0-14 to 0-8 became 0-14 to 0-11 as the rain poured down on Croke Park, with Paudie O’Connor and Jordan Brick firing over scores that raised the temperature in the famous stadium.

A free from Sheridan, earned for a foul on Kevin Aherne, might have stemmed the tide but instead, with the next attack, substitutes Ronan Walsh and Daire Nolan saw the arm of referee Chris Mooney outstretched to show advantage and they took the chance to go for goal, with Nolan’s low shot flashing inside Cormac Gallagher’s near post.

In a tight finish, Kilmoyley had a couple of chances to level but Daniel Collins failed to hit the target, and in a dramatic six-minute period of added time, the only score came from James Burke, who read a Kilmoyley pass and pounced to intercept and strike a point that forced the Kerry club to forlornly chase a goal in the dying minutes.

Scorers for Naas: Jack Sheridan 0-4f, Brian Byrne 0-3, Shane Ryan 0-3, Rian Boran 0-2, Simon Leacy 0-2, James Burke 0-2.

Scorers for Kilmoyley: Daniel Collins 0-7 (0-5f), Daire Nolan 1-0, Jordan Brick 0-2, Maurice O’Connor 0-1, Paudie O’Connor 0-1.

Naas

Cormac Gallagher;

John McKeon, Richard Hogan, Conor Gormley;

Seán Gainey, Ross Kelly, Kevin Whelan;

Rian Boran, Simon Leacy;

James Burke, Brian Byrne, Kevin Aherne;

Cathal Dowling, Jack Sheridan, Shane Ryan.

Subs: Conan Boran for Kelly (45-48, blood), Conan Boran for McKeon (52), Conor Dowling for Cathal Dowling (55), Kevin Kelleher for Aherne (60+1), Ian Blackburne for Sheridan (60+5)

Kilmoyley

John B O’Halloran

Donal Kennedy, Colman Savage, Flor McCarthy;

Robert Collins, Dougie Fitzell, Thomas Murnane;

Matthew Flaherty, Paudie O’Connor;

Jordan Brick, Daniel Collins, David McCarthy;

Kieran McCarthy, James Godley, Maurice O’Connor.

Subs: Ronan Walsh for K McCarthy (38), Daire Nolan for D McCarthy (45), Seán Maunsell for Godley (60+1), Kieran McCarthy for Walsh (60+2).

Referee: Chris Mooney (Dublin)

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Cork 2-30
Clare 2-21

John Coleman reports from Páirc Uí Chaoimh

A DEVASTATING BLITZ either side of half time saw Cork see off the challenge of Clare in the opening round of the Allianz Hurling League played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh this evening.

Cork hit 1-12 without reply from the twenty-second to the fortieth minute to turn a one goal deficit into an unassailable twelve-point advantage.

David Reidy eventually stopped the rot for the Banner men with his third free but Cork, for whom Ciarán Joyce and Darragh Fitzgibbon starred at midfield, were able to keep their Munster rivals comfortably at bay. They had fourteen scorers throughout, with Shane Kingston and Shane Barrett their biggest hitters up front.

For Clare, Cathal Malone and Mark Rodgers carried the fight as they struck 1-10 between them. Cork hit the thirty -point mark with five to go when Kingston tapped over his ninth point with five left to play to leave his side leading by 1-30 to 1-15. Luke Meade then crashed home Cork’s second major though Clare did finish the stronger.

Diarmuid Ryan, Malone and Rodgers all found their range before Domhnall McMahon struck for their second goal to leave the scoreboard looking more respectable.

Clare played into a significant breeze in the opening half, but they hit the ground running with Cathal Malone making headway at centre-forward and three points from him helped his side lead by 0-5 to 0-4 after ten minutes while his direct opponent, Mark Coleman, had 0-2 for Cork.

Clare continued to cause Cork problems with their movement up front and points from Mark Rodgers, Shane Meehan and Ryan Taylor all contributed to see them leading by 0-9 to 0-8.

Coleman then levelled the sides for the third time before Mark Rodgers cracked home a goal after good work from Meehan.

Then came Cork’s devastating surge. Tim O’Mahony combined with Shane Kingston for the goal, Kingston hit 0-4 himself while Alan Cadogan, Séamus Harnedy, Coleman, Joyce and Fitzgibbon also split the posts.

Clare will welcome Wexford to Ennis next weekend as they seek to get their campaign back on track while Cork travel to Offaly.

Scorers for Cork: Shane Kingston (0-9, 1 ’65, 5fs), Mark Coleman (0-5, 3fs), Darragh Fitzgibbon (0-4), Tim O’Mahony and Luke Meade (1-0 each), Ciarán Joyce and Shane Barrett (0-3 each), Séamus Harnedy (0-2), Robert Downey, Conor Lehane, Alan Cadogan and Pádraig Power (0-1 each)

Scorers for Clare: Mark Rodgers (1-5, 3fs), Cathal Malone (0-5), Domhnall McMahon (1-0), David Reidy (0-3 fs), Diarmuid Ryan, Ryan Taylor and Patrick Crotty (0-2 each), Paddy Donnellan and Shane Meehan (0-1 each).

Cork:
1. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)

2Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons), 3. Ger Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s), 4. Seán O’Donoghue (Inniscarra)

5. Tim O’Mahony (Netwonshandrum), 6. Mark Coleman (Blarney), 7. Rob Downey (Glen Rovers)

8. Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr), 9. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville)

10. Conor Lehane (Midleton), 11. Séamus Harnedy (St Ita’s), 12. Seán Twomey (Courcey Rovers)

13. Shane Kingston (Douglas), 15. Shane Barrett (Blarney), 14. Alan Cadogan (Douglas).

Subs:
21. Conor Cahalane (St Finbarr’s) for Twomey
24. Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields) for Lehane
26. Pádraig Power (Blarney) for Cadogan
22. Luke Meade (Newcestown) for Harnedy
23. Robbie O’Flynn (Erin’s Own) for Barrett
18. Seán O’Leary Hayes (Midleton) for O’Leary (Temporary, 66 – finish)

Clare

1. Éibhear Quilligan (Feakle)

23. Aaron Fitzgerald (Éire Óg) 3. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley), 4. Paul Flanagan (Ballyea)

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5. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe), 8. Jack Browne (Ballyea), 2. Rory Hayes (Wolfe Tone’s)

26. Robyn Mounsey (Ruan), 7. David McInerney (Tulla)

15. Aaron Shanagher (Wolfe Tone’s), 10. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge), 14. Ryan Taylor
(Clooney/Quin)

13. Mark Rodgers (Scariff), 11. David Reidy (Éire Óg), 17. Shane Meehan (Banner).

Subs:
18 Patrick Crotty (Scariff) for Mounsey
20. Domhnall McMahon (Tubber) for Shanagher
22. David Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona) for Reidy
9. Paddy Donnellan (Broadford) for McInerney

Referee: Johnny Murphy [Limerick]

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TIPPERARY ISSUED A very strong signal of their intent to take their incremental progress to the next level, as they put Down to the sword by 3-16 to 0-3 in their opening Littlewoods Ireland camogie league division 1 tie.

Defending champions Kilkenny also got their season under way successfully but were made to work much harder by Limerick before recording a 1-18 to 1-10 triumph.

Down were extremely competitive at the top tier last year but could never land a blow against a Tipp team that is now firmly entrenched in the top four but is now chasing silverware as a tangible reward for the strides made under Bill Mullaney.

While they are without some experienced and talented operators due to injury – Karen Kennedy and Clodagh Quirke – and other commitments – Orla O’Dwyer playing Aussie rules – Mullaney and his colleagues will have been pleased by the performances of the likes of Casey Hennessy, Claire Hogan and Jenny Grace as they stepped up to the plate.

Hogan and Hennessy rattled the Down net within six minutes, by which stage, they led by 2-2 to 0-0 and it was an uphill climb for the Mournewomen from there.

Ciara Fitzsimons and Aoife Keown pointed for the red and black but when Grace registered Tipp’s third goal at the beginning of the second quarter, there was no way back.

Grace O’Brien, Róisín Howard and Clodagh McIntyre raised white flags and it was 3-9 to 0-2 at the interval.

The intensity dropped considerably after the resumption but Hogan, Ciara Brennan, Ciardha Maher and Cáit Devane did extend the advantage before the final whistle.

Limerick began well in their quest to topple the titleholders and led by a point early on thanks to scores from Caoimhe Lyons and Rebecca Delee. Niamh Deely, Miriam Walsh and Aoife Doyle had responded though when Katie Nolan struck for a 12th-minute goal and that took the wind out of the Shannonsiders’ sails.

The gap continued to extend in the second half but Delee’s goal mid-way through the second half brought them to within six points once more, with a glimmer of hope. Brian Dowling’s black and amber contingent saw it out well though, Walsh and Nolan knocking over points to keep their rivals at bay.

Division 1 Results – Saturday, 5 February

Galway v Offaly, cancelled
Tipperary 3-16 Down 0-03
Kilkenny 1-18 Limerick 1-10

Division 2 Results – Saturday, 5 February

Cork 0-09 Wexford 0-14
Meath 3-08 Derry 3-05
Westmeath 0-04 Waterford 0-14
Kilkenny 3-08 Tipperary 0-07
Galway v Laois, cancelled

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Mooncoin (Kilkenny) 0-22
Ballygiblin (Cork) 1-18

Kevin Egan reports from Croke Park

MOONCOIN’S GREATER OVERALL scoring threat, embodied by two utterly incredible scores from Adam Croke and Martin O’Neill at the end of this incredible and memorable All-Ireland junior club hurling final, proved to be the vital ingredient that edged them over the line against Ballygiblin of Cork this afternoon.

As with any one-point game, there were any number of ‘what if’ and ‘what might have been’ moments over the hour’s action from the perspective of both sides, but when the game was there to be won in the closing stages, Croke and O’Neill fired points that would be worthy of any All-Ireland final, senior or junior.

Croke’s effort, swept over the posts by the 18-year-old, from an incredibly tight angle right on the hour mark, looked like it would settle this contest as it pushed Mooncoin two points clear going into stoppage time.

A Joseph O’Sullivan free, his ninth of the game for Ballygiblin, reduced the gap to the bare minimum again but with the next play, a hard run by Máirtín Gannon down the right wing forced a sideline cut at midfield. With just 30 seconds of the announced three minutes of stoppage time to play, just getting the ball out of play seemed like it was enough, but instead O’Neill stepped up and cut the sideline ball over the bar for a majestic score.

Two pucks later, Darragh Flynn whipped over his fourth point from midfield after collecting the restart, but there was time for no more, as the final whistle sounded and the heartbreak from Mooncoin’s defeat at the same stage of this competition five years ago was fully washed away.

Source: Sport TG4/YouTube

On that occasion Cork opposition, in the form of Mayfield, proved too strong, and when Ballygiblin went in at half-time with a one-point lead after playing into a quite significant breeze, it seemed like the same might be the case again here.

Mooncoin had burst out of the blocks with a fantastic start, moving 0-6 to 0-2 in front after just nine minutes. Two points from John Fitzgerald were followed up by a brace of frees and then scores from O’Neill and Kevin Crowley, as Mooncoin seemed to thrive in what was a hard, physical contest in the middle third.

Gradually however, Ballygiblin worked their way back into the game. Ryan Donegan and Darragh Flynn gave them a foothold at midfield, Seán O’Sullivan dropped into deeper positions to get some possession, and a long range strike into the breeze from Michael Walsh roused the lively Ballygiblin crowd.

Mooncoin continued to create chances but their wides tally mounted, while a wonderful save from Christopher Noonan to deny Croke looked like it could be significant, all the more so when Seán O’Sullivan struck a point and then won a 65, which when converted by Joseph O’Sullivan, made it 0-10 to 0-9 in favour of the Cork club at the break.

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As they had done in the first half however, Mooncoin made the stronger start in the second half, but the difference this time was that they didn’t let up.

Ciarán Quilty, Patrick Walsh and Killian Hogan got the first three points of the game and even after they were rocked by a close range goal from Dean Barry, they settled right back into their rhythm to get the next three scores to lead by 0-15 to 1-10.

Ballygiblin always possessed a scoring threat from distance and when Mark Keane was switched up to full forward to offer a physical and aerial threat close to goal, the former AFL player was able to win frees to keep his side in the game.

Mooncoin always seemed to be able to keep their noses in front however, and when they needed some moments of real magic late on to confirm their win, they had no shortage of heroes to step forward and deliver.

Scorers for Mooncoin: Patrick Walsh 0-7 (0-3f), John Fitzgerald 0-4, Martin O’Neill 0-4 (0-1f, 0-1 65, 0-1 s/l), Killian Hogan 0-3, Adam Croke 0-2, Kevin Crowley 0-1, Ciarán Quilty 0-1.

Scorers for Ballygiblin: Joseph O’Sullivan 0-9 (0-8f, 0-1 65), Darragh Flynn 0-4, Dean Barry 1-0, Seán O’Sullivan, Ryan Donegan 0-1, Michael Walsh 0-1, Colin English 0-1.

BALLYGIBLIN: Christopher Noonan; Brian O’Gorman, Fionn Herlihy, James Mullins; Barry Coffey, Mark Keane, Michael Lewis; Ryan Donegan, Darragh Flynn; Michael Walsh, Colin English, Joseph O’Sullivan; Dean Barry, Seán O’Sullivan, Kieran Duggan.

Subs: Dillon Sheahan for Duggan (47), Aidan Donegan for Barry (57)

MOONCOIN: Eoin Purcell; Aidan Doyle, Cormac Daly, Mark Kearns; Martin O’Neill, Paul Henebry, Jim Delahunty; Máirtín Gannon, Seán Gannon; Ciarán Quilty, John Fitzgerald, Kevin Crowley; Adam Croke, Patrick Walsh, Killian Hogan.

Subs: Seán O’Dwyer for Crowley (40)

Referee: Ciarán Keon (Galway)

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