REIGNING ALL-IRELAND champions Milford were stunned by Inniscarra in the Cork senior camogie final at Cork IT on Friday evening.

Going for their fifth county title in a row, a Milford team that featured established stars and Cork camogie legends including Anna Geary and Ashling Thompson were ultimately beaten by a score of 4-10 to 2-13.

A goalmouth scramble after eight minutes saw the ball find the back of the net to give the underdogs a 1-2 to 0-2 lead.

Milford hit back moments later, however, when a Maria Watson hand pass levelled the scores at 1-2 apiece.

Shortly thereafter, Joanne Casey’s goal from a free re-established Inniscarra’s three-point advantage.

Casey then scored her second goal of the game with another powerful strike after 20 minutes, but five points from Emer Watson and two by Maria Watson saw Milford take the lead.

The ubiquitous Casey continued to prove influential though, and three successive points from frees saw her team take a one-point lead (3-5 to 1-10) into the break.

Another Casey free and a Niamh McCarthy point saw their side continue with the momentum they had picked up towards the end of the first half.

However, just when it looked as if Inniscarra had their hands on the cup, a Thompson goal from distance and a Christine O’Connor point brought the scores level once more.

But Inniscarra were not to be denied, and it was player-of-the-match Casey who made the difference again, as her three successive frees were ultimately enough to see her side over the line, bringing the star player’s individual tally to 2-7 in the process.

It was rare heartbreak for Milford ultimately, while Inniscara now travel to face Inagh-Kilnamona of Clare in Munster Senior Club Championship semi-final on Monday at 2.30pm.

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Glasgow Warriors fans Liam Johnstone aged 8 and Cameron McGarey aged 8 ahead of the side’s match with Benetton Treviso.

Source: Craig Watson/INPHO

Home

• The IRFU performance director David Nucifora insists Ireland are simply playing by the three-year residency rule.
• Rory McIlroy has climbed into contention at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
• Isa Nacewa is the only back to retain his place as Leinster prepare for Connacht, while Pat Lam’s team welcome back Tiernan O’Halloran.

Away

• Liverpool are closing in on a deal for teenage wonderkid Emeka Obi.
• Munster cult hero ‘Dutchy’ Holland is pushing the Hurricanes to new heights.
• Dwayne Wade began his Bulls career in style at his Chicago homecoming last night.

The Best Thing We Shared

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A struggling Swedish team celebrated a rare win with their only travelling supporter.

On The Record

We would consider everything if we thought that it was workable and achievable to be able to do that. There’s a fair few different models that we can look at and see if that would suit Irish rugby.”

The IRFU say they are open to private investment in provinces.

Where we were today

Sean Farrell was in attendance for today’s Leinster press conference with head coach Leo Cullen and Cian Healy.

The Fixture List

• Seamus Power is among the stars competing in the PGA Tour, while Rory McIlroy’s bid for glory in Shanghai continues. 
• Leinster v Connacht is the big game in the Pro12 on Saturday.
• There’s a full round of Premier League games this weekend, including Crystal Palace v Liverpool.
• It’s a big weekend in GAA, including Crokes v Cuala in the Dublin SHC.
• The Mexican Grand Prix will take place this weekend.
• The Dublin City Marathon is on this Sunday.
• It’s another busy weekend in American sport, with the Cubs v Indians and the NFL in full swing.

Showbiz, Baby!

Source: Official Dublin GAA/YouTube

Diarmuid Connolly produced a point-scoring masterclass to fire Vincent’s into the Dublin SFC final.

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AFTER 21 BARREN years Cuala finally got to rejoice last winter after they made a Dublin senior hurling breakthrough.

They bounced on from that county title to reach the Leinster equivalent where they lost out to Wexford’s Oulart-the-Ballagh.

But after all that painstaking progress, the south Dublin club then almost lost the man who had guided them to that point, Galway native Mattie Kenny.

A coach on the Galway side that contested the 2012 All-Ireland final, the Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry native was in contention for the top job with the Tribesmen last winter.

Ultimately Micheal Donoghue was installed out west, Kenny stayed on with Cuala and they’re back in another Dublin senior hurling final tomorrow.

“There was talk and rumor that he was going to get the Galway job,” admits Cuala and Dublin forward Mark Schutte.

Cuala’s Mark Schutte

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

“From our point of view, we’re delighted he didn’t get it. We’re delighted that he came back.

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“Mattie is a very motivated guy. And for him to come back, that breaths out onto the players.

“His motivation for the game, his drive. That kind of feeds on to the players and we’re working off that as well.

“Thank God I’m not in that part of the business but in talking to the chairman of the hurling board in Cuala, it is tough to find managers and get top quality coaches.

“Thank God we’ve got Mattie and look at Crokes, they have Ollie Baker. They don’t come around too easy. We’re lucky to have them at the minute.

“When you have these coaches, you want to do as best as you can while you can. That is another thing because you never know what’s around the corner.”

Cuala boss Mattie Kenny

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Winning a Dublin final at last was a release for Cuala. There is a tinge of regret at not adding a Leinster title but an acceptance that a more seasoned team overcame them.

“There was always doubts there until you actually win one,” admits Schutte.

“To win the first one was always the monkey on our back. It was completely new to all of us.

“None of us had been involved in a Leinster club championship before. I’d say we were just beaten by a better Oulart team, no doubt about it.

Dejected Cuala players after their Leinster final loss to Oulart

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“We’re just looking ahead to this weekend and concentrating on winning a back to back Dublin senior championship, it’d be a huge achievement for us.”

And they’re after getting one high-profile 2016 winner back in their ranks in recent weeks.

In the wake of Dublin’s All-Ireland football success, Con O’Callaghan picked up a hurley again and came on as a substitute in their semi-final win over Cuala.

“In fairness Con had a great year with the Dublin footballers,” says Schutte.

“He’s still playing with the club hurlers and footballers. It shows what the club means to him.

“The Thursday after the All-Ireland final he was back training, back pucking around.

Cuala hurler Con O’Callaghan during their semi-final against Lucan Sarsfields

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

“Con probably last year had the choice to play hurling or football. He chose football and won himself an All-Ireland medal so you can’t argue with that.

“To be honest, I was surprised at how sharp his touch was because he hadn’t picked up a hurl in the last nine months. But he’s come back, he’s done well in training and he’s a great asset to have really.”

Con O’Callaghan lifts the Sam Maguire after Dublin’s title win

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

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Click:Buddhist-inspired jewelry for inner peace

DIARMUID CONNOLLY WAS in outstanding form to ensure St Vincent’s booked their place in the Dublin SFC final for the fourth consecutive year.

Although the game was not broadcast live, highlights have now emerged from an enthralling encounter as Vincent’s edged past Ballymun Kickhams by a single point.

Albert Martin secured the decisive point to separate the northside rivals, but it was the sublime finishing from Connolly that stole the show, with four exceptional scores.

You can watch extended highlights from Wednesday’s riveting encounter here and the best moments from Castleknock’s historic victory over St Judes from last night here.

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Davy’s back in Wexford and Tipp are on top.

THREE TIMES IN six weeks earlier this summer, Derek McGrath and Davy Fitzgerald faced off on the sideline in Thurles.

The results helped shape their campaigns with the league success proving the high-water mark of Clare’s season under Fitzgerald, while the Munster semi-final triumph helped McGrath’s Waterford rebound and travel on a championship journey deep into August.

They got well-acquainted and even Davy’s departure from Clare has not pushed him out of the inter-county limelight for too long.

16 days after his Clare exit, Davy’s arrival in Wexford was confirmed. ‘It’s a match made in heaven’, is McGrath’s opinion.

Waterford hurling boss Derek McGrath

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“I’m glad Davy is back involved because I think he absolutely loves hurling, he’s obsessed with it.

“I actually was watching something on Monday night there, just watching back a bit of analysis of Wexford Cork, when Cork beat Wexford well last year in the championship down in Wexford Park.

“On the Sunday Game that night, Donal Óg was there and Donal Óg pointed to how well structured the Wexford team was under Liam Dunne and they were beginning to do the right things.

“For me I think it’s a match made in heaven. It’s a perfect match, Davy and Wexford.

“Wexford, I think have a lot of good players. In terms of a management and in terms of a pressure free zone, I think it’s an ideal scenario for Davy in that you’re in (Division) 1B and there’s not the same stigmatised approach in terms of relegation and promotion that there is in (Division) 1A from your respective supporters.

“I think the Wexford people will welcome Davy down to continue the excellent work that I thought Liam Dunne has done already.”

Liam Dunne and Derek McGrath after this year’s All-Ireland quarter-final

Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

If Fitzgerald’s installation in the south-east is the most eye-catching appointment in the close season, the front-runners at the outset for 2017 will be the current champions Tipperary.

McGrath feels that the playing resources at their disposal indicate the current strength of Tipperary hurling.

“Not to be hypocritical, I expected Kilkenny to win (the final) because I just expected they’d find a way to win.

“(It was) not based on absolute logic, it was more a gut feeling. I just thought they’d find a way to win.

“Looking back on it, you’d have to say now Tipperary were so primed for the final with their attacking threat. The sextet up front in terms of what they can do, their inter-changing and the space they created on the day.

“These fellas are solid, they’ve always been solid fellas. The advantage that Tipperary have I suppose is Tipperary’s minors won the All-Ireland impressively, if that was a situation in Waterford we would probably fast forward those guys straight away.

The Tipperary minor players celebrate at the end of their All-Ireland minor final win

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

“Tipperary for me are at the stage where those fellas can serve an apprenticeship similar to Kilkenny where over the years, you don’t have to rush them in.

“A few years ago we took a decision that was the best policy going forward to get guys in.

“So I think Tipperary are in a really strong position. Even ourselves we were playing Thurles in the Harty last week with De La Salle and Thurles wiped us. There’s lots and lots of hurlers in Tipperary.”

Closer to home, McGrath was able to celebrate an underage success as well. The core of the Waterford U21 team that blitzed Galway to achieve All-Ireland glory are part of the senior squad.

“We were delighted as a management ourselves, 12 of them were involved with us over the last few years. It’s great that there was something tangible in terms of a cup at the end of the year.

Waterford players celebrate their All-Ireland U21 final victory

Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

“With encouragement comes a kind of a forewarning though. If you met a guy on the street, ‘he’d say you’d have a job picking that team next year with the U21′s’, whereas the reality is the U21′s are in with us already.

“The major core of that U21 team have been exposed to senior level. Put TJ Ryan’s situation (in Limerick) last year, promoting guys from U21, some of them had actually never played senior.

“Our lads have already played at senior level, so it’s a different dynamic, albeit there’s one or two you’d hope to pick from going into the future.”

*****************

Derek McGrath has been named as the Gaelic Writers Association 2016 Hurling Personality of the Year. The GWA awards ceremony takes place in Dublin’s Jackson Court Hotel tonight.

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The Galway team before their clash with Clare in July

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

GALWAY HURLING MANAGER Micheal Donoghue is turning to youth in a bid to end the county’s All-Ireland famine with five long-serving players not included in a 40-man squad for winter training.

Former captains David Collins, Fergal Moore and Andy Smith, along with other experienced performers such as Cyril Donnellan and Iarla Tannian, have not been included in the squad which has commenced conditioning training.

Castleknock 0-11
St Jude’s 1-4

Paul Keane reports from Parnell Park

CIARAN KILKENNY IS on the verge of making another piece of history after guiding Castleknock to a shock Dublin SFC final place.

Dublin’s back-to-back All-Ireland medal winning half-forward pulled the strings from midfield on a famous night at Parnell Park that saw the west Dubliners book a maiden final spot.

Kilkenny won three crucial frees that were converted by Des Carlos during a second-half that Castleknock dominated.

Carlos finished with nine points in total and kicked two great points from play late in the game that copper fastened an impressive win.

Their reward for the breakthrough victory is a final date with powerhouse outfit St Vincent’s on Saturday week back at the Donneycarney venue.

Castleknock’s Kevin Kindlon with Seamus Ryan of St Jude’s.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Jude’s were big favourites to win here and Castleknock will fancy their chances of another upset against four-in-a-row finalists Vincent’s.

They ground Jude’s into submission with a possession based game that frustrated the Kevin McManamon led outfit.

McManamon finished with 1-1 and put Jude’s 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after 10 minutes with a great point but they couldn’t kick on.

The teams were tied at 0-3 apiece after a forgettable first-half notable for the amount of possession Castleknock enjoyed as they passed across the pitch, back and forth.

They lacked a vital cutting edge up front for spells and it looked as if Judes might make them pay when McManamon scored a trademark solo goal after 46 minutes to put the south Dublin outfit 1-4 to 0-6 ahead.

Remarkably, Jude’s didn’t score again and Castleknock finished with five points in a row, four of those from Carlos to progress in some style and keep their eye on the big prize.

Scorers for Castleknock: Des Carlos 0-9 (0-7f), Mikey Galvin, Ben Galvin 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Judes: Kevin McManamon 1-1, Kieran Doherty, Declan Donnelly, Niall Coakley (0-1f) 0-1 each.

Castleknock

1. Morven Connolly

2. Tom Quinn
3. Eoin O’Brien
4. Paul Bourke

5. Graham Hannigan
6. Tom Shiels
7. Peter Sherry

8. Ciaran Kilkenny
9. James Sherry

10. Des Carlos
11. Shane Boland
12. Ben Galvin

13. Colin Lynch
14. Kevin Kindlon
15. Mikey Galvin

Subs

John Kindlon for M Galvin 48
Matthew Griffin for B Galvin 58
Tom Corcoran for Lynch 58

St Jude’s

1. Paul Copeland

2. Rob Martina
3. Paul Cunningham
4. Robert Finnegan

5. Mark Sweeney
6. Conor McBride
7. Billy Sheehan

8. Colm Murphy
9. Seamus Ryan

10. Kieran Doherty
11. Ronan Joyce
12. Thomas Lahiff

13. Niall Coakley
14. Declan Donnelly
15. Kevin McManamon

Subs 

Enda Dalton for Joyce h/t
Diarmuid McLoughlin for Lahiff 40
Paul Courtney for Murphy 42
Brendan McManamon for Coakley 52
Joey Donnelly for Doherty 52
Oisin Manning for Courtney 62 BC

Referee: James King.

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FORMER GALWAY HURLING manager John McIntyre says he’s not shocked that the county are still being denied home matches in the Leinster Championship.

The Leinster Council announced yesterday that Galway will have to continue travelling for their provincial fixtures next season, despite being in the competition since 2009. The exclusion of the Galway minors and U21 teams is also set to continue.

McIntyre, who stepped down in 2011, says little has changed since his time in charge when Galway were first introduced into the Leinster Championship.

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“It doesn’t come as a great surprise,” he told The42.

I think there’s a fair bit of self-preservation going on in Leinster. No matter how you look at it in terms of fairness, Galway are getting a raw deal here.

“During my three years in charge, we played Walsh Cup matches and Leinster Championship games. The only home game we had was against DCU and that was only because they weren’t a county team.

“It’s basically been the same under Anthony Cunningham and Micheal Donoghue. Galway has been travelling lengths and breadths for their matches and it’s very difficult to justify.”

Leinster Council Chairman John Horan outlined a number of reasons for upholding the stance on Galway, including an unwillingness among Leinster counties to travel to Galway’s Pearse Stadium in Salthill for games. He also added that Galway are financially compensated for the lack of home matches and receive €20,000 annually from the council.

McIntyre however, says this figure is insufficient.

“The Leinster Council are making virtue of the fact that they are paying Galway a sum to compensate but I don’t think €20,000 would even cover the cost of travelling to two or three games. There’s a lot of expense involved and it’s a bit of a sop to Galway really.”

In relation to the issue of Leinster counties travelling to Galway for provincial fixtures, McIntyre rebuked the argument presented by Leinster Council and said it would an enjoyable occasion for travelling supporters.

I think it’s a hollow argument and it doesn’t stand up to any rational scrutiny. The reality is that it’s all about self-preservation. If Galway were drawn at home in the Leinster championship, the bottom line is that the team they would playing would feel they’re at a disadvantage.

It was previously suggested that Galway would consider asking Croke Park to intervene if their request for home games was refused again this year. McIntyre says it’s only a matter of time before Galway hurling is provoked into action.

“You can understand why there’s a lot of disgruntled Galway hurling people around at the moment.

“The Leinster Council can’t have it both ways. Galway were invited in to help prop up an ailing championship. I think they have kept up their side of the bargain but they’re getting nothing in return.

€20,000 a year to fob them off really just doesn’t cut the mustard in the context of the cost of modern inter-county teams.

“The level of Galway mutiny over this remains to be seen,” McIntyre added.

“The ball is in Galway’s court now and they’ve basically been told, ‘We want you in Leinster but on our terms.’ If Galway were winning Leinster titles and winning All-Irelands, I don’t think this would matter but they’re not.”

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Connacht Rugby’s new signing Marnitz Boshoff pictured at the Sportsground today.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Home

• Katie Taylor has turned professional and will make her debut next month.
• The Ulster and Munster sides for Friday’s Pro12 clash have been named.
• There are six uncapped players in Ireland Women’s squad for the November series.
• A one-under par 71 sees Rory McIlroy in a tie for 24th after the first round in Shanghai.
• The three-man shortlist for the PFAI Manager of the Year award has been announced.
• Stevie Ray has stepped in to save UFC Belfast’s co-main event.

Away

• Arrests were made after crowd trouble marred last night’s West Ham-Chelsea match.
• Ex-Connacht man Dan McFarland has been appointed to Gregor Townsend’s Scotland coaching team.
• Wigan are reportedly ready to offer Ryan Giggs the manager job at the club.
• Ireland’s 2023 World Cup rivals South Africa are confident racial targets will be met for their bid to proceed.
• Jose Mourinho has been charged over comments made about referee Anthony Taylor.
• Robbie Keane and LA Galaxy have booked their place in the MLS Conference semis.

The Best Thing We Shared

Source: The42.ie/YouTube

Connacht head coach Pat Lam told us about his journey through the Polynesian-influenced Auckland rugby scene.

On The Record

If I do a Michael Darragh MacAuley and take eight steps I’ll be pulled up.”

We spoke to the runner hoping to break a world record by soloing this weekend’s Dublin Marathon.

Where we were today

Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

Sean Farrell spoke to Leinster and Ireland star Sean O’Brien at an event in Dublin this evening.

The Fixture List

• There are two important GAA fixtures taking place tomorrow — Milford v Inniscarra, Cork IT, 8pm in the Cork senior camogie final, and Lismore v Dunhill, Fraher Field, 7.30pm in the Waterford IHC final.
• There’s a full round of League of Ireland fixtures, including St Pat’s v Derry.
• QPR take on Brentford in the Championship.
• There are a couple of games in the Guinness Pro12, including Ulster v Munster.

Showbiz, Baby!

Paul O’Connell absolutely bossed A Question of Sport last night.

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Westport 1-9
Shurle-Glenncorrib 0-9

CONOR MORTIMER MADE his return to club action this evening but a cameo off the bench couldn’t prevent Shurle-Glencorrib slipping to defeat to Westport at MacHale Park.

Mayo’s all-time leading scorer had to wait until the fifth minute of the second-half to get his chance and while he marked his return with a point, it wasn’t enough as Lee Keegan’s Westport advanced to the Mayo intermediate football final.

When Mortimer was introduced, his side were trailing by four points and had failed to register a score in 20 minutes having raced into a five-point lead by the 14th minute.

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Mark Ronaldson did the early damage with three frees but Westport rallied in the second quarter of the game with Shane Scott’s goal on 16 minutes springing them into life.

Four points from Lewis Cawley saw Westport take a 1-4 to 0-5 lead into the break.

When Mortimer did get involved, he hit a sweet point with his left foot to cut the gap back to three points, which was greeted by approval from the large crowd who came to Castlebar on a cold Wednesday night.

He did have another effort that sailed wide a few minutes later, but he couldn’t impact the game in the way he would have hoped.

Unfortunately for the south Mayo side they were totally outplayed by Westport in the second half, with the seasiders hitting ten second-half wides to go with the five points the added on in that period.

Keegan wasn’t the attacking wing back that you’d associate with his Mayo performances, spending the evening picking up former inter-county man Mark Ronaldson who was a constant threat throughout, hitting six points over the hour.

While the return of Mortimer was the main focus before the game, his elder brother Trevor was also back in action for their home club and he was about to be introduced just before the full time whistle denied him his return.

But it’s Westport who advance to Saturday’s intermediate final against Kiltimagh at the same venue.

Westport scorers: Lewis Calwey (0-6, 5f), Shane Scott (1-0), Liam Staunton (0-1), Oisin McLaughlin (0-1), Paul Lambert (0-1).

Shrule-Glenncorrib scorers: Mark Ronaldson (0-6, 6f), Stephen Mullin (0-2), Conor Mortimer (0-1).

Shrule Glenncorrib

1. Gary Hennelly

2. Daryl McThighe
3. James O’Dowd
4. Ronan Walsh

5. Noel Sheridan
6. Johnny Naughton
7. Conor O’Dowd

8. James Lavelle
20. Kieran Walsh

10. Colm Hoverty
11. Mark Ronaldson
12. Shane Mellett

23. Nathan Magee
14. David Geraghty
15. Stephen Mullin

Subs:

18. Conor Bohan for Shane Mellett
29. Conor Mortimer for Kieran Walsh
19. Brendan Ryan for Nathan McGee
22. Eoin Hennelly for Stephen Mullin
21. Evan Cawley for Colin Hoverty

Westport

1. Patrick O’Malley

2. Niall McManamon
3. Kevin Keane
4. Liam Ketterick

5. Keelan Dever
6. James Walsh
7. Brian McDermott

8. Lee Keegan
9. Shane Scott

10. Fionn McDonagh
11. Phil Keegan
12. Colm Higgins

13. Colm Moran
25. Paul Lambert
15. Lewis Cawley

Subs:

14. Liam Staunton for Colm Higgins
19. David Horan for Paul Lambert
26. Ronan Geraghty for Colm Moran
27. Oisin McLaughlin for Fionn McDonagh
28. Brian O’Malley for Brian McDermott.

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