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Irish Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Louth boss Brennan on not getting the rub of the green with referee decisions
Ger Brennan says he's twice seen his Louth outfit on the receiving end of decisions against sides - but he's confident that won't happen against Donegal at Ballybofey tomorrow with Barry Cassidy in charge. Derry official Cassidy will take charge of the MacCumhaill Park All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final tie with the winner going to Croke Park next weekend and the loser's season over. Brennan, speaking to LMFM, outlined that Louth's Division 2 loss to Donegal last year at Ballyshannon and their All-Ireland group stage defeat by Kerry at Portlaoise later that season were games he felt the Wee County were hard done by. The match official for the Donegal game was Roscommon's Paddy Neilan, while the Kerry game was refereed by Conor Lane of Cork. 'I certainly rarely would whinge about referee's decisions as players have to be accountable for their own errors first and foremost and referees are only human,' said Brennan. 'There were certainly a lot of hometown decisions awarded in that league game in Ballyshannon last year. 'In looking towards this game in Ballybofey, in one way it's interesting that a Derry referee has been appointed to look after the game. 'But when I heard it's Barry Cassidy, you are confident with someone with Barry Cassidy's experience that he is not going to be overawed consciously or subconsciously by the Ballybofey crowd and that he will give Louth a fair crack of the whip. 'Again, I think I have a bit of credit built up in the bank over the last couple of seasons by not giving out about referees. 'When Louth played Kerry last year in the group stages of the All-Ireland, we were competitive. 'We were pushing hard and it's almost as if referees subconsciously - and people outside the group of Louth senior footballers - they can't believe that Louth are being so competitive and this shouldn't happen. 'And all of a sudden some big game decisions are going against you, or the opposition are getting away with rougher challenges, which Louth players are being punished for. 'I suppose I've seen that on two occasions in particular in my time so far with Louth, last year with Kerry in the group stages of the All-Ireland and certainly in the second half last year in Ballyshannon. 'But again, happy to see you have someone with Barry Cassidy's experience, that he is not going to be influenced by the Donegal sideline and Donegal supporters and that he's going to give Louth and the Donegal players a fair crack of the whip.'
The Irish Sun
15 hours ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Jimmy Lee knows Limerick's Tailteann Cup semi-final against Wicklow will be tough based off league battle
WITH Limerick football in bloom, Jimmy Lee's side want to make the most of another chance to ensure all is not rosy in the Garden. Lee steered the Treaty to promotion from NFL Division 4 in March. And their result against this weekend's Tailteann Cup semi-final opponents was one of the seeds of their growth. A last-gasp point from James Naughton earned the visitors a draw in Aughrim. But Wicklow will have a score to settle on Sunday as a win over Lee's men on St Patrick's weekend would have seen the Garden County finish the campaign with a sufficient points tally to return to Division 3 at Limerick's expense. Lee recalled: 'You could buckle under the pressure of being behind late in a game like that but the lads stuck hard at it. 'That result changed the mood of the whole place. You could see lads almost walking a bit lighter. Read More On GAA 'They showed an abundance of character and they've continued to do that since. 'You'd be delighted for them because they've put a lot into it. But you don't always get what you deserve in life. You have to work hard for it.' After a dalliance with life in Division 2, Limerick were on the slide by the time Lee took charge for the 2024 season. Their decline was also accelerated by a significant turnover in personnel. Compare the team who beat Wexford last weekend to the one dumped out of the 2023 Tailteann Cup by Laois and you will find only three starters common to both. Most read in GAA Football But the evidence accumulated in Lee's second season indicates that a corner has been turned. Limerick went 17 league games without a win before beating London in February. Ahead of another trip to Croke Park, their 13 fixtures so far in 2025 have produced just two defeats. 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter Lee said: 'We were struggling mentally. What they were doing on the field was very good but it wasn't coming together. 'The only thing we changed was the intensity that we trained at. 'We upped it a notch or two and then we got the result in London. I suppose it started flowing from there. You could see the pressure coming off. 'The mood has lightened as the year has gone on, especially for the senior players. 1 Lee has overseen an upturn in Limerick's fortunes 'They were carrying an awful lot of . . . baggage is probably the wrong word but an awful lot of the burden of Limerick going from Division 2 to Division 4.' Having been crowned Division 4 champions earlier this season, Lee's charges will be hoping for another successful outing at Croker. Indeed, there could be cause for Limerick celebrations on two fronts at HQ this weekend as John Kiely's hurlers will face Dublin in tomorrow's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final. That game forms part of a Dubs double-header as Dessie Farrell's footballers are also on the bill for a preliminary quarter-final against Cork. COST COMPLAINT But Limerick fans wishing to get behind their team in both codes will have to return again on Sunday and shell out an extra €30 for the privilege. Lee commented: 'I know we were down to play on Sunday. 'And to be fair, we wouldn't have been able to move it anyway because it would have been a six-day turnaround as both ourselves and Wicklow only played last Sunday. 'In fairness to the lads in the county board, they look after all that. We were just planning to play on Sunday. 'I know Limerick people would be disheartened by having to travel up and down twice if they wanted to go to both of them, which is not ideal. 'Unfortunately myself and John don't have any control over these things. There would be an abundance of support there if you had both Limerick teams on the same day. 'But for John and I, we have to keep our interest on the games and make sure we get it right on the day.'
Herald Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
All the latest local footy rumours ahead of clearance deadline
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News. Here at Quick Kicks we look at the lighter side of local footy. Whether it be a funny exchange, a good stat or an action that's laughed about after the game — it's all here. DENIED Banyule has put the stops on NFNL Division 1 rival West Preston-Lakeside poaching a second of its players mid-season – for now at least. The Bears have already lost Arben Dani to the Roosters but declined Daniel Costanzo's requested clearance. There's still plenty of time before the deadline if West wants to try again. GOOD LUCK CHARM Ryan Sizeland made the move from Diamond Creek to NFNL Division 2 rival Panton Hill last week. He made his Redbacks debut against his old mates on Saturday and no doubt copped a few good sledges. However, Sizeland had the last laugh as Panton Hill pulled off an epic upset over the previously undefeated ladder-leader. COSTLY TRIP There's a story going around about a certain local coach who was running late to a game. It seems in his haste he collected not one but two speeding fines. STOP THAT BIG FELLA Former Hawthorn ruckman Clay Tucker has proven exactly why he was on the Hawks' AFL list with one of the goals of the season at local level. Playing for South Belgrave in the Eastern league, Tucker contested a centre bounce against his Montrose opponent on the weekend, with both big fellas missing the ball. As the ball hit the ground, Tucker pounced, collected the ball, took a bounce before running to the edge of 50 and kicking a remarkable goal. We don't see many big fellas doing that. COACHING SWITCH There's rumours about that a highly credentialed coach is eyeing a return to the MPNFL next season. One to keep an eye on. A BIG IN LOOMING? A look at the Essendon District league clearance list reveals a couple of names are being linked with returns to their former clubs. Omar Saad has a pending clearance to West Coburg from Newport. It would be a huge in for the ladder leading Burgers after Saad booted 60 goals last season. KLEIN'S OUTBACK PETROL PANIC Young Pines player Ollie Klein's four-wheel drive adventure took an interesting twist over the long weekend. He packed his car, got everything set, drove to the high forgot one thing — petrol. He had to walk to a nearby farm and ended up staying there until the friendly folk could get him to a servo and fill a jerry can. NEED TO COOL OFF We all get frustrated and angry during a game of footy. Sometimes you just have to cool off. Some might throw a water bottle or swear loudly. One player took a different approach. After dropping a soda chest mark and then getting pinged holding the ball after picking up the spill, he dragged himself from the ground. Once off, he went for a stroll down the street. Reportedly, with only three blokes on the bench, the coaches were in a panic that they had too many players on the ground until the calmed down young fella returned ready to go again. As it turned out, the team had a win too to cap the day. GOALKICKING PRACTICE There might be some extras at training this week at Romsey Park. In the past two games Romsey has kicked a wayward 15.47. The Redbacks got away with one in Round 8, beating Melton Centrals despite kicking 8.26 but they got stung on Saturday, losing to Kyneton after scoring 7.21. And these weren't rushed behinds or tough shots from the boundary, kicks were missing from 30m out basically right in front. Word from Kyneton, which also struggled for accuracy, is the ball was a bit dodgy. BLUES WIN, HEWITT BANKS Hastings' big day at Seaford got better and better on Saturday. Not only did the Blues upset the Tigers in the MPFNL Division 2 tilt, but they also took the top prize in the after-game draw, with Jake Hewitt winning $500 cash — and walking out with a grin from ear to ear.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'Results will keep lads on the bus': Limerick football look to stop high turnover rate
A hurry on nobody. Forty minutes have passed since the final whistle. The Gaelic Grounds field is a framed picture of tranquil cheer. Players mingle in their own local pods. Danny Neville chats to six or seven Ballysteen mates, Cillian Fahy and an elderly gentleman are locked in conversation. Jimmy Lee drifts from group to group. Of no interest to the manager is ushering lads back to the dressing-room. Jimmy assumed the Limerick reins ahead of the 2024 season. Jimmy inherited a Limerick panel minus 19 of its members from the 2023 class. The results reflected this unhealthy level of player churn. Limerick lost all seven of their Division 3 League outings. Relegation to the basement floor. Successive relegations, in fact. Limerick were, at that point, winless in 15 consecutive League outings. The advancement achieved by his brother Billy across six years of steps back but bigger strides forward was in freefall. Progress unwound, Limerick football once more mired in gloom. Fast forward to early Sunday evening. A first four-in-a-row of championship wins in the one season since 1896. A ninth victory in 11 outings to celebrate. Of the 2,119 patrons that paid in, a healthy portion have packed out onto the field. Photos, hugs, kisses, and handshakes. Nobody in a hurry, everybody happy. Cillian Fahy wears the title of Limerick captain. He approaches the conversation as such. He sees the immediate picture and the long-term picture. He impressively articulates his vision for Limerick football. That vision goes beyond this Sunday and a potential first championship victory at Croke Park in 127 years. 'You could see with the crowd that there were a lot of kids here, a lot of people that wouldn't normally come to football games were here. That is all a result of the year so far. Winning helps everything. Hopefully we can keep building it, not just this year, but more so over the next couple of years,' says the half-forward. Year-on-year development, even year-on-year stability, as referenced above, has been a problem area. The wind comes in and out of their sails at far too frequent intervals. Promotion to Division 2, relegation to Division 4. Progression to the 2022 Munster final followed, two years later, by a 17-point Tailteann Cup quarter-final pummeling by Sligo. 'On that, a big thing for us is that we have lost 15, 16 players each year over the last three years. There's been a massive turnover of players. The biggest thing for us over the next three or four years is to keep as much of this panel together as we can. 'A lot of young lads have come in this year, and it is going to be their team over the next five years, so we just need to make sure the standards are there and people want to be part of the group and want to keep coming back. 'This year is important, but in terms of a long-term view, that is nearly more important. Results will keep lads on the bus. The stuff going on in the background, everything is being done right and is a massive help.' GREEN MISSION: Limerick captain Cillian Fahy speaks to his teammates during the team huddle before the Tailteann Cup quarter-final. Pic: Tom Beary/Sportsfile A primary school teacher by profession, Fahy is 11 seasons inside in the Limerick dressing-room. This present set-up, encompassing management and playing personnel, is the 'best' he's ever been involved in. Fellow forward Peter Nash was in the door a year before Fahy. They made their championship debut the same afternoon in May 2015 against Clare. It was four years later, in 2019, before the pair tasted a first Munster championship win. It was 2022 before they played in a League or Championship final. And it was March 29 this year before they tasted final success, that in the Division 4 League decider. That Division 4 campaign actually began with a draw against Longford and defeat at home to Wexford, stretching out to 17 games the county's winless League run. 'Even at that point, I personally felt we were one win away from catching fire because there were a lot of good things being done from a coaching standpoint from very early in the year, you could see a defined plan, you could see a road to improvement in every single session,' says Nash. 'I have to give credit to management; they've put real direction around what the group wants to be about and how we want to play. In the twilight of your career, to see that and to be benefiting from it, and to be still looking to get better and having somebody provide a pathway for you to get better has been special. 'With how things are being done and run, you can see the foundations are there for the next couple of years already. That is another real energy giver for players. You would really hope that this would be a continuous build, taking real inspiration from Clare, that spent seven years in Division 2, taking inspiration from Louth, who beat us in a Division 3 final and then won Leinster a few years later. "That is who you want to emulate. This coaching team and being part of this set-up is showing you those things are achievable.' They make for Croke Park this Sunday. Wicklow stand between them and a first Tailteann Cup final appearance, the same Wicklow team they rescued a point off in Aughrim in mid-March to all but seal their first trip of the year to GAA HQ. 'Before this year, I'd only played in Croke Park once, so to get there twice this year is beyond our wildest dreams,' Fahy continued. 'When you haven't played there that often, your focus can come away from the game and you can kind of be overawed by the whole occasion. But we have the experience now of getting there, knowing we can perform there, and are not just going up to take part.' There's history in their making Croker twice in the one campaign. 33-year-old Nash didn't need history to validate his 12-year existence in green. 'I know for a lot of the group, we'd be generally proud to be associated with Limerick football, even if that wasn't the case. But that does add a real feeling of self-satisfaction. 'It has been a rollercoaster [with Limerick] but loved every minute of it and every extra minute I get I am going to savour it because nothing can replace this for me.'
Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Ellie Kennedy ends three-hour marathon by securing perfect season for Division 2 girls' tennis champion Longmeadow
Related : Kennedy's win delivered a 3-2 triumph for top-ranked Longmeadow (24-0) at MIT's duPont Courts, sending home No. 2 Wayland (14-6) in a match that lasted more than three hours. The win secured consecutive undefeated seasons and state titles for the Lancers. 'She's one of the mentally toughest people I've ever met,' Framarin said of Kennedy. 'Forget mentally tough tennis player, she's just a mentally tough person. So she knew what she had to do. She stayed locked in. She played every point the same, and brought us a state title.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Longmeadow junior Ellie Kennedy walks off the court with the Division 2 trophy after her singles win clinched the Lancers' state title. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Advertisement Kennedy spent most of the season playing on the Lancers' top doubles pairing, but Framarin shifted her to third singles. Though it was only her sixth time at singles this season, Kennedy was comfortable playing from the baseline and prevailed in numerous long rallies. 'I was especially nervous stepping into a singles role that I'm not used to,' Kennedy said. 'It was definitely tiring to keep falling down and having to fight, but I just [had to] not give up and keep pushing.' Lancers senior Maia Oh (foreground) and junior Anaya Mohanicq persevered for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Longmeadow's first point came at first doubles from juniors Kelci Talati and Nora McMahon, who topped Wayland senior Arya Samaratunga and junior Yumiko Niimi, 6-2, 6-0. At second doubles, Lancers senior Maia Oh and junior Anaya Mohani persevered for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, victory over Wayland juniors Emi Niimi and Ava Knourenko. Advertisement Wayland dominated on the top two singles courts, with Warriors senior Bella Camacho notching a 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 1, and freshman Elena Tan rolling, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 2. Wayland's Bella Camacho won in straight sets at first singles. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Having spent the season handling the pressure of defending their state title, Framarain was especially proud of his team's consistency. 'These girls had the weight of the world on their shoulders after winning this thing last year, and they never blinked,' Framarin said. 'We've played so many of these close matches, and they've pulled out every single one. I got a really tough team.' Wayland senior Olivia Todd battled to a three-set loss at third singles. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Matty Wasserman can be reached at
