DCU were crowned champions in 2020.

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

THE DRAW FOR the quarter-finals of this year’s Sigerson Cup has been made today.

2020 champions DCU, who needed a last-minute penalty converted by Sligo’s Red Óg Murphy to overcome St Mary’s College a week ago, will take on Ulster University in Dublin on Wednesday, 2 February (5pm). 

University Limerick meet Queen’s University in Abbottstown on the same evening (7pm).

The previous day, Tuesday, 1 February, sees MTU Kerry take on Maynooth in Tralee (5pm), while NUI Galway face Letterkenny IT in Dangan (6.30pm).  

The @ElectricIreland Sigerson Cup Quarter-Finals

Big games ahead! Stay tuned for streaming details #GAA #FirstClassRivals #SigersonCup pic.twitter.com/A7sdIrfeop

— GAA Higher Education (@HigherEdGAA) January 27, 2022

Click Here:

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!

NUIG 1-20
Mary Immaculate 2-9

John Fallon reports from Dangan

NUIG ADVANCED TO the quarter-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup with an accomplished display in dreadful conditions on their college grounds in Galway as Mary I fell to a second defeat in the competition.

Incessant rain, a strong breeze and a very wet surface made conditions extremely testing for both sides but they still served up a good contest for the sizeable crowd on a miserable night on the banks of the Corrib.

NUIG held an edge throughout and Clarinbridge’s Evan Niland showed the sort of pinpoint accuracy which he will hope to take into the Allianz League in Henry Shefflin’s first year in charge of Galway.

It helps, of course, in such testing conditions to have the Hurler of the Year in your ranks and the deft touches of Cian Lynch were pivotal throughout as the Galway college got on top.

Galway senior Brian Concannon was also influential as they used the breeze to build up a 0-7 to 0-1 lead after 12 minutes before the Limerick college responded with a handful of frees from Devon Ryan which saw the gap cut to 0-8 to 0-5 eight minutes from the break.

But NUIG finished the half strongly and a good point from impressive corner-back Conor Caulfield and a couple of more frees from Niland saw them lead 0-12 to 0-5 at the interval.

Mary I needed a good start to the second-half and they got it when goalkeeper Eamon Foudy blasted home a penalty and Ryan added another free to cut the gap to 0-12 to 1-6.

Niland and Phillp Wall exchanged points before another one from the Galway sharpshooter pushed them four clear and they never looked back when Concannon soloed in from the left and blasted to the net and another Niland point pushed the gap out to 1-15 1-7 with ten minutes left.

NUIG never looked like getting caught and while Diarmuid Ryan got a late goal they were unable to rescue a lost cause and bowed out with a second defeat.

Scorers for NUIG: Evan Niland 0-10 (0-8f), Brian Concannon 1-3, Conor Caulfield 0-1, Mark Gill 0-1, Ian McGlynn 0-1, Diarmuid Kilcommins 0-1, Conor Walsh 0-1, Cian Lynch 0-1, Mark Kennedy 0-1.

Scorers for Mary Immaculate: Devon Ryan 0-6f, Diarmuid Ryan 1-0, Eamon Foudy 1-0pen, Phillip Wall 0-2, Colin O’Brien 0-1.

NUIG

1 Liam O’Reilly (Castlegar, Galway)

2 Eoin Lawless (Athenry, Galway

3 Jack Fitzgerald (Killimordaly, Galway)

4 Conor Caulfield (Kilconieron, Galway)

5 Caimin Killeen (Loughrea, Galway)

6 Darren Morrissey (Sarsfields, Galway)

7 Mark Gill (Castlegar, Galway)

8 Ian McGlynn (Kilconieron, Galway)

9 Diarmuid Kilcommins (Annaghdown, Galway)

10 Conor Walsh (Turloughmore, Galway)

11 Cian Lynch (Patrickswell, Limerick)

12 Brian Concannon (Killimordaly, Galway)

13 Phillip Hickey (Eire Og Nenagh, Tipperary)

14 John Fleming (Meelick/Eyrecourt, Galway)

15 Evan Niland (Clarinbridge, Galway)

Subs:

26 Mark Kennedy (Clarinbridge, Galway) for Hickey (39)

25 Niall Collins (Cappataggle, Galway) for Fleming (56)

18 Sean Burke (Kilconieron, Galway) for McGlynn (58)

21 Oisin Salmon (Clarinbridge, Galway) for Walsh (58)

Mary Immaculate College, Limerick:

1 Eamon Foudy (Inagh-Kilnamona, Clare)

2 Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers, Tipperary)

3 Keith Ryan (Upperchurch Drombane, Tipperary)

4 PJ Fanning (Mount Sion, Waterford)

5 Shane Ryan (Clarinbridge, Galway)

6 Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe, Clare)

7 Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones, Clare)

8 Aaron Ryan (Upperchurch Drombane, Tipperary)

30 Cormac Power (Ballygunner, Waterford)

10 Jason Gillane (Patrickswell, Limerick)

11 Devon Ryan (Cashel King Cormacs, Tipperary)

12 Eanna McBride (JK Brackens, Tipperary)

13 Phillip Wall (Kilbrittain, Cork)

14 Andrew Ormond (JK Brackens, Tipperary)

15 Colin O’Brien (Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels, Cork)

Subs:

27. Jack Ryan (Clonoulty/Rossmore, Tipperary) for Fanning (10)

Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)

Click Here:

Sigerson Cup third round results

• Maynooth University 2-6 St Mary’s 0-10

• Ulster University 2-11 MTU Cork 0-8

*******

DERRY’S NIALL LOUGHLIN and Tyrone’s Ryan Jones struck second-half goals in Abbotstown this evening as Ulster University progressed to the Sigerson Cup quarter-finals at the expense of MTU Cork.

They had nine points to spare over MTU Cork, who were missing their sharpshooter and captain Damien Gore through injury, in a clash played at Abbottstown in Dublin.

David Buckley was superb for MTU Cork in attack as he scored 0-5, three efforts from play, and they trailed 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval.

Following traded points in the early moments from Michael Gallagher and MTU corner-forward Dylan O’Connor, Ulster University created some daylight with back-to-back scores courtesy of Michael McGleenan and Ruairi Slane.

Ruairi Gormley and Niall Loughlin added to the Ulster men’s tally, but their Leesiders kept themselves in touch with a spectacular two-point salvo from impressive centre-forward Buckley.

Yet, even though the Cork native grabbed his third of the night at the tail end of the opening period, Ulster University brought a 0-7 to 0-4 cushion into the interval after Loughlin (’45’) and captain Mark McKearney had found the range.

Although it initially remained delicately poised on the resumption, Loughlin subsequently shook the net on 44 minutes to create significant daylight in the contest.

This threw down the gauntlet to MTU, but in spite of Buckley continuing to lead the way for the Leesiders, Jones ventured forward from defence to grab a 50th-minute goal that ultimately placed the outcome beyond doubt.

The quarter-final line-up is now completed for the 2022 Sigerson Cup with the draw to take place tomorrow for next week’s last eight fixtures.

• Quarter-finalists: MTU Kerry, NUI Galway, UL, DCU, Queens University, Letterkenny IT, NUI Maynooth, Ulster University.

Scorers for Ulster University: Niall Loughlin 1-2 (0-1 ’45’), Ryan Jones 1-0, Liam Nugent 0-3, Andrew Gilmore (f), Mark McKearney, Michael Gallagher, Ruairi Gormley, Michael McGleenan, Ruairi Slane 0-1 each.

Scorers for MTU Cork: David Buckley (0-5, 2f), Dylan O’Connor (0-2, 1 ’45’), David O’Connor (0-1).

Ulster University

Odhran Lynch (Magherafelt, Derry);

Ryan Jones (Dungannon, Tyrone), Finn McElroy (Longstone, Down), Aidan Clarke (Omagh, Tyrone);

Mark McKearney (Dungannon, Tyrone), Michael McKernan (Coalisland, Tyrone), Michael Gallagher (Trillick, Tyrone);

Thomas Galligan (Lacken, Cavan), Ruairi Gormley (Strabane, Tyrone);

Tom Close (Clonduff, Down), Michael McGleenan (Eglish, Tyrone), Karl Gallagher (Emyvale, Monaghan);

Andrew Gilmore (St John’s, Down), Niall Loughlin (Greenlough, Derry), Seamus Loughran (Ballyholland, Down)

Subs

Liam Nugent (Rock, Tyrone) for Close (36)

David Mulgrew (Ardboe, Tyrone) for Gormley (42)

Seamus Loughran (Ballyholland, Down) for Gilmore (45)

Dominic McEnhill (Rossa, Antrim) for McKernan (52)

Ronan Beatty (Carryduff, Down) for Loughlin (54).

MTU Cork

Ryan Scully (St Finbarr’s, Cork);

Paul Ring (Aghabullogue, Cork), Aodhan Behan (St Senan’s, Limerick), Adam Murphy (Aghabullogue, Cork);

Colm O’Shea (Kilshannig, Cork), John Cooper (Eire Og, Cork), Brian Hodnett (Carbery Rangers, Cork);

Rory Maguire (Castlehaven, Cork), Cillian Donovan (Macroom, Cork);

Chris O’Donoghue (Glenflesk, Kerry), Brian Hodnett (Carbery Rangers, Cork), Conall Kennedy (Clonmel Commercials, Tipperary);

Andrew Whelton (Castlehaven, Cork), Daniel O’Connell (Kanturk, Cork), Dylan O’Connor (Castletownroche, Cork) 

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

Earlier Maynooth University claimed a dramatic victory by two points against St Mary’s Belfast, with Naas player Paddy McDermott firing home an injury-time goal.

Paddy McDermott (right) was part of NUI Maynooth’s victory tonight.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

St Mary’s made the early running to go ahead 0-9 to 0-4 at half-time but only raised a single white flag in the second half. Cian McConville was their top scorer with 0-4, while Ryan Coleman grabbed a brace of points.

Maynooth struck for two crucial goals in the second half to clinch victory with Shane O’Sullivan, their top scorer with 1-3, and McDermott both finding the net.

Click Here:

Fitzgibbon Cup results

• Group A: UCC 3-22 UCD 1-14

• Group B: IT Carlow 2-22 Maynooth University 1-21; Waterford IT 2-20 DCU 0-18

*******

UCC AND IT Carlow both claimed their second victories in this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup as the group stage action continued tonight. 

Click Here:

The 2020 finalists, the last year this competition was played, are both unbeaten in their groups and on course for the knockout stages.

UCC ran out convincing 3-22 to 1-14 victors over UCD at the Mardyke by 14 points, while IT Carlow saw off Maynooth University by 2-22 to 1-21 at their home path in Carlow.

Tipperary senior Mark Kehoe excelled for UCC with 1-6 from play while Cork’s Padraig Power and Conor Cahalane also raised green flags. Limerick’s Will Henn and Cork’s Daire Connery shot 0-4 apiece for UCC.

Galway’s Donal O’Shea was top scorer for UCD with 0-9 while Diarmaid Ó Floinn bagged their only goal of the game. UCC were in front 0-14 to 1-6 at the interval before they fired home three second-half goals, Power impressing off the bench.

Fitzgibbon Cup
UCC 3-22
UCD 1-14
Result. @HigherEdGAA @UCCSport pic.twitter.com/9EKEbtGzSa

— UCC GAA (@ucc_gaa) January 26, 2022

DJ Carey’s Carlow team triumphed with Marty Kavanagh scoring 1-7, Chris Nolan shooting 1-4, while Wexford’s Seamus Casey fired 0-3. Maynooth’s top scorers were Conor Drennan (1-6), Jack O’Dwyer (0-7) and Cian Boyle (1-3).

In tonight’s late game, Waterford IT bounced back from last week’s opening defeat to IT Carlow as they triumphed by eight points against DCU.

MATCHES IN THIS year’s GAA football and hurling leagues will be live streamed by the BBC for the first time this season.

A game each weekend will be covered on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport NI website starting this Saturday 29 January 29 as Derry entertain Down in Owenbeg in their Division 2 football clash.

Click Here:

The football coverage continues with Galway’s visit to Newry to meet Down in Division Two a week later. The first live hurling match will see Dublin taking on Antrim at Corrigan Park in Division One on Saturday 12 February.

The first Division One Football game is on 19 February 19 with Armagh playing neighbours Monaghan at the Athletic Grounds. Down against Roscommon in Division Two is the match that is the focus on 26 February, while Armagh’s tie against Kildare is then covered on 12 March

The BBC’s live streamed coverage of league games for 2022 will conclude with the Division Two Hurling tie between Down and Kerry on 19 March.

THE GAA HAVE confirmed that water breaks have been removed from match regulations.

One water break per half was introduced in club and inter-county games in 2020 as GAA action resumed amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

As restrictions loosened in recent days, their abolishment was expected, and the Association confirmed the news in its latest Covid-19 update for members this afternoon.

This change paves the way for the return of Maor Uisces, with two permitted per team.

They cannot enter the field of play, unless in hurling when carrying a replacement hurley to a player.

“Counties and Clubs should note that the provision for Water Breaks in our games is now removed from our Match Regulations with immediate effect,” the update reads.

“The following provisions in this context now apply:

“Maoir Uisce – Two Maoir Uisce who must be over 18 years of age, are permitted per team; they may not enter the field of play. Each must wear an official bib (Football: Purple or Green | Hurling: Brown or Lilac) and will be situated as per the “Pitch Layout” in our Match Regulations, and at least two metres from the sideline.

“Official team personnel (Selectors/Coaches), substitutes, injured players or members of the extended panel may not act as Maoir Uisce. In the event that any official team personnel, injured player(s) or a member of the extended panel act as a Maoir Uisce, any breach of rule, shall be considered as a Misconduct at Games by Team Officials infraction.

“Maoir Uisce are not permitted to have/use communications devices i.e. walkie talkies.

“In hurling the Maoir Uisce will also act as hurley carriers & may enter the field of play with a replacement hurley when necessary.

“This will also mean that the number of people allowed access to the controlled zone for games in our Match Regulations will increase by 2 (i.e. from 40 to 42) to accommodate this change.

“In this context, Counties and clubs should a note the provisions on unauthorised entry to the field of play as outlined in Rule 1.4 of the Rules of Control.”

Further details on rules and regulations surrounding entry to the field and incursions are included, and the full update, signed off by President Larry McCarthy and Director General Tom Ryan, can be read here.

– Originally published at 12:38

Click Here:

MOURNEABBEY FORWARD LAURA Fitzgerald says losing their Cork crown in 2020 is a major driving force behind their charge for All-Ireland glory this weekend.

Mourneabbey’s Laura Fitzgerald.

Source: Seb Daly/SPORTSFILE

Mourneabbey have been the dominant club in Ladies Football for the best part of a decade, winning six consecutive Munster titles, and back-to-back All-Ireland triumphs in recent years.

But they encountered their first major slip two years ago.

That defeat at the hands of West Cork was a devastating blow to Shane Ronayne’s side, who were seeking a county seven-in-a-row at the time. The sides had tussled in the two previous deciders, and West Cork ensured that they would not be denied a third time.

Despite the result, Mourneabbey were briefly expected to represent Cork in the provincial championship, as West Cork were unable to progress due to their status as a divisional outfit. There were other complications regarding West Cork’s eligibility in the Cork championship, but in any case, the competition ceased at county level due to Covid-19 restrictions that were in place at the time.

Mourneabbey launched their reboot in 2021 with an effort that brought them back to the summit in Cork, after a five-point win over Éire Óg in the county final.

They added the Munster title after getting the better of Tipperary’s Aherlow which effectively marked a provincial seven-in-a-row for the Cork champions.

A crushing victory over Dunboyne followed in the All-Ireland semi-final to send them through to a showdown with Kilkerrin-Clonberne of Galway in the Currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies senior club final this Saturday.

The clash will also be a repeat of the 2019 All-Ireland final where Mourneabbey defended their title.

“It came crashing down,” Fitzgerald recalls of that 2020 campaign that ended in defeat.

“Not that we thought our reign was over but we were extremely devastated to have lost that match, we didn’t perform particularly well. But that’s the making of a great team. If you don’t perform on the day, that’s it, you can’t have any complaints.

Mourneabbey were All-Ireland champions when the final was last played in 2019.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

“We were technically supposed to be training for a Munster competition but that didn’t transpire. But definitely it was the ingredient that made us that bit hungrier this year. We came back to training as if we lost all six county titles. We had to seriously make up for the loss that we’d just experienced.

“We had a couple of years won previously, and not that it meant nothing, but we had to redeem ourselves massively in Cork itself. We went out with a purpose this year definitely.

“We let the committees and councils fight that one out, but we can only train and play when we’re told to. West Cork were a serious outfit so we had no issue with them.

“We trained for about two weeks before the competition was called off but I think there was issues with us representing Cork in the Munster championship because we hadn’t won the county final.”

Fitzgerald has been in impeccable form for her club this year, netting 10 goals in their last three games. Four of those came against Dunboyne in the All-Ireland semi-final as part of an emphatic 30-point win.

That result was particularly significant given that it was against a side that contained talented duo Emma Duggan and Vikki Wall who were central to Meath’s incredible All-Ireland triumph.

“I wouldn’t keep count,” Fitzgerald replies modestly when her tally is relayed to her.

“I am just very lucky to be playing on the pitch and to be scoring goals, finishing off moves which others have started.

“Collectively we have worked on being that more clinical and ruthless as well which is what Shane really pushes for. coming into this stage of the All-Ireland series if the goal is there you just have to take it because it is probably the difference at the end of the game so it is something we have worked on collectively.

“I’m just very fortunate for the position I play in and the players I have around me. To be honest, I’m just one of 15 that’s on the field at any given time.”

Click Here:

Kilkerrin-Clonberne will bring a considerable fight to St Brendan’s Park in Birr this weekend. Galway star sisters Louise and Nicola Ward are key components in their system, along with fellow county teammate Olivia Divilly.

Revenge for the devastation they suffered in the 2019 All-Ireland final must surely be on their mind too. It was Fitzgerald who kicked the decisive score that day with a last-minute free and she has vivid memories of how hard their opponents were to shake off.

“Their fitness levels,” she begins when asked for her memories of that day. “They were a serious outfit, they had 15 very good players on the pitch at all times.

“I know Nicola [Ward] went off injured but you wouldn’t have known with the replacement that came on. They were relentless and the fact that it went down to the last 20 or 30 seconds kind of shows that… the only thing only thing on our performance, I don’t think we were 100% ourselves and we’ve reflected on that.

“We know we weren’t at our very best that day but still fought to win. We’re definitely going to have to bring our A game on Saturday or else it’s going to be game over.”

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!

Letterkenny IT 0-7
UCD 0-6

Alan Foley reports from Convoy, Donegal

LETTERKENNY INSTITUTE OF Technology produced a massive surprise to see off University of College Dublin to seal a last eighth berth in the Sigerson Cup. 

In only their second year in the senior bracket – they were semi-finalists when the competition was last played in 2020 – the side managed by Maxi Curran came through what might only be termed as a struggle at the Donegal Training Centre in Convoy.

The biggest margin between the sides over the course of the hour was when the all-Donegal side led 0-3 to 0-1 at the start of the second half, with Joel Bradley-Walsh scoring the second of his four points on the night.

UCD led only in the first half through a 45 from Aaron McClements and didn’t manage to score from play till Brian McLoughlin popped over in the 47th minute.

Both sides were creating a decent number of chances, with finishing poot from both. Conor O’Donnell of LyIT and UCD’s Daire Cregg and Eoin Harkin did provide an exception to that.

Last week, Bradley-Walsh hit a hat-trick as LyIT were beaten in a against University of Limerick, 2-23 to 3-15 at the Connacht AirDome. Tonight, with the score 0-6 to 0-6, he kept his nerve to hit the winner with a marked ball in injury time. McLoughlin had the chance to level it in the fifth minute of injury-time but his shot fell to the right and wide.

*****

Tonight’s other Round 3 game saw Queens University defeat IT Carlow by 0-17 to 0-16 in the Sigerson Cup. Queens University and Letterkenny IT join UL, NUI Galway, DCU and MTU Kerry, who have already qualified for the quarter-finals.

Tomorrow’s Round 2B games see Ulster University play MTU Cork and Maynooth University face St Mary’s College Belfast.

@ElectricIreland @HigherEdGAA Sigerson Cup final score
@itcarlow 0.16@QueensGAA 0.17#FirstClassRivals #sigersoncup

— IT Carlow GAA (@ITCarlowGAA) January 25, 2022

*****

Scorers for Letterkenny IT: Joel Bradley-Walsh 0-4 (0-2f, 0-1 mark), Conor O’Donnell 0-2, Jason McGee 0-1 (0-1f),

Scorers for UCD: Brian McLoughlin 0-2, Daire Cregg 0-2 (0-2f), Aaron McClements 0-1 (0-1 ’45), Eoin Harkin 0-1.

Letterkenny IT

(All Donegal unless stated)

Emmett Maguire (Termon)

Dylan Dorrian (Milford), Caolan Ward (St Eunan’s), Kieran Tobin (St Eunan’s)

Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh), Oisin Langan (St Michael’s), Jack Gallagher (Glenswilly)

Rory O’Donnell (Milford), Ryan McFadden (Termon)

Peadar Mogan (St Naul’s), Jason McGee (Cloughaneely), Kealan Dunleavy (Glenswilly)

Jack McSharry (Killybegs), Joel Bradley-Walsh (MacCumhaill’s), Eoin Dowling (St Eunan’s)

Subs

Aaron Gilhooley (MacCumhaill’s) for Gallagher (28)

Sean Neary (Bonniconlon, Mayo) for McSharry (47)

Keelan McGroddy (Downings) for Dorrian (53)

UCD

Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams)

Ryan O’Toole (Scotstown, Monaghan), Eoin Harkin (Dunsany, Meath), Paddy O’Keane (St Patrick’s, Wicklow)

Kieran Kennedy (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Martin O’ Connor (HWH Bunclody, Wexford), Darragh Ryan (Sarsfields, Kildare)

Ethan Devine (Na Fianna, Meath), Aaron McClements (Loughinisland, Down)

Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí (Naomh Conaill, Donegal), Darragh Kennedy (Killygarry, Cavan), Ruairí McCormick (Warrenpoint, Down)

Daire Cregg (Boyle, Roscommon), Ray Connellan (Athlone, Westmeath), Brian McLoughlin (Clane, Kildare)

Subs

Cathal Mangan (Kilclonfert, Offaly) for McCormick (half-time)

Adam Loughran (Aghagallon, Antrim) for Mac Ceallabhuí (47)

Ciaran O’Reilly (Ballyboden St Enda’s) for Kennedy (47)

Matthew Corcoran (Geraldines, Louth) for Devine (57)

Referee: Pat Clarke (Cavan).

Click Here:

THE GAA DO not plan to replicate last year’s inter-county blanket coverage on the GAA Go streaming platform, after attendance restrictions have been lifted for sporting events around the country.

The 2022 season steps up a gear next weekend with the opening round of the Allianz Football League, followed by the hurling equivalent the following weekend.

Three Division 1 league matches will be broadcast live this weekend across RTÉ and TG4 with the television partners the main focus of the live coverage this spring.

Click Here:

The 2021 leagues, which only began last May due to the delay that the pandemic caused, saw 54 matches streamed from the football and hurling league. The service, which is a joint venture between the GAA and RTÉ, showed all games that were not televised from the four divisions of the football league, along with Divisions 1A and 1B of the hurling league.

The landscape is different now with full crowds allowed back at matches, whereas last year the GAA’s focus during lockdown was to ensure supporters could see their county in action as attendances at games was curtailed.

This spring the GAA are keen to encourage a return of fans at stadiums and the onus on a blanket broadcast approach is not as great.

No specific games have yet been confirmed by GAA Go for domestic coverage but it is expected a small selection of games will be picked up in the coming weeks, likey to be top tier matches that are not being televised.

GAA Go will continue to carry match feeds to their international markets.

This weekend’s inter-county TV coverage sees Dublin face Armagh on Saturday night on RTÉ 2 while the TG4 live games on Sunday feature Mayo against Donegal and Tyrone against Monaghan, with Kildare v Kerry available on the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel.

Buy The42’s new book, Behind The Lines, here:

Updated Jan 25th 2022, 1:14 PM

KERRY STAR JAMES O’Donoghue has announced his inter-county retirement.

The 2014 Footballer of the Year and two-time All-Star confirmed his decision on Off The Ball’s The Football Pod.

O’Donoghue, 31, revealed he made up his mind when he stepped away from the panel last year, though the news was kept quiet through the Kingdom’s run to the All-Ireland semi-final, where they fell to eventual champions, Tyrone.

Doubts had been cast over his future, O’Donoghue having struggled with injury in recent years — though the 2014 All-Ireland winner confirmed his exit today.

“It’s all over, it’s all over bar the shouting,” he told OTB’s Tommy Rooney, and former Dublin star Paddy Andrews, who he joins as co-host of the podcast.

“Last year, I was fighting an uphill battle. Realistically, I stepped away from the panel just before the going got very serious because I wasn’t really contributing. I told them at that stage that I was retiring but because Kerry were going too well, we decided not to put out a statement and throw all the good vibes out of the camp. So we just kept it under wraps.

“It’s a painful one, it’s definitely something that’s going to be hard, but it’s the right thing.”

The Killarney Legion clubman burst onto the Kerry panel during the 2010 McGrath Cup, and went on to establish himself as one of the top forwards in the modern game.

O’Donoghue on the ball in the 2015 final.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

O’Donoghue was simply scintillating from 2013 to 2015, in particular, winning his first All-Star in ’13 despite Kerry’s semi-final exit at the hands of Dublin — he scored 2-3 in that thrilling encounter — and his first and only All-Ireland in ’14 as the Kingdom overcame Donegal in the final. 

He was named Footballer of the Year and collected a second All-Star accolade that season after finishing the championship with an impressive 4-24 tally.

Click Here:

O’Donoghue again starred in 2015, though Kerry fell short to Dublin in the decider, and his long road of injury hell began thereafter.

He retires with eight Munster championships to his name; his last game for Kerry a league meeting with Galway in February 2020, where he scored 0-2 in the opening half before being replaced at half-time.

O’Donoghue also revealed he attempted a comeback for 2022, with Jack O’Connor in charge once again, but his “body wasn’t up to it”.

In action for Killarney Legion in 2020.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

“I know Jack well, very well and have always got on great with him, and I know that if I was right, I could have picked up the phone and rang him and said ‘I’m thinking about changing my mind, what do you think?’

“I actually did give a go at getting into very good nick for it, just to see if I could give it one last go, but do you know what – my body wasn’t up to it. I’ll go back to the club now, tailor my programme and I guarantee you that I might not see another injury, just the slight drop in intensity might suit me.

“If I was right I could have picked up the phone and we’d have had a chat, but it just didn’t feel right.”

“You can’t keep doing this, you have to either get right, or get out,” he added.

He now replaces Andy Moran, the new Leitrim manager, on The Football Pod. You can listen to the full episode here >