Latest news with #Donegal
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Orange warning: Which counties aren't kicking enough two-pointers?
We look forward to their data on hurling but the GAA's new, much-welcome games intelligence unit told us last month that goals in Gaelic football are down under the new rules from two per game to 1.8. That is hardly breaking news when there is a third tier of scoring worth slightly less available from open quarters further out the field. Nor might it surprise people that of the four counties who qualified automatically for the All-Ireland quarter-finals, two of them are the highest two-point accumulators this year – Monaghan (53) and Meath (48). Monaghan's two-pointer figure exceeds Dublin and Kerry's combined total of orange flags. At the same time, Kerry's 28 goals in 2025 are more than what Cavan, Cork and Donegal have produced between them. Does the breakdown of where the scores have come among the 12 remaining counties give us some insight into how the next couple of weekends are going to go? Possibly but for sure some counties are too dependent on one part of the Gaelic football's scoring tricolour and there are those not getting enough from another: Over 25% of Kerry's total points have come from goals. File picture: Tom Beary/Sportsfile Too green: Having played 13 games, Kerry have amassed a combined 327 points. While, 52 points (less than 16%) have come by way of orange flags, 84 have been provided by goals (over 25%). Last Saturday's loss to Meath in Tullamore was the first time they didn't find the net this year. Notwithstanding the fact they have yet to face a Division 1 team in the championship, they have the meanest defence goals-wise for the season too with just seven conceded. Not enough green: Anybody who has watched Cork this year knows they create goal openings but their conversion rate has been dreadful. Five goals in 12 league and championship fixtures (one in their five SFC fixtures) is five times less than Kerry and half what Donegal have scored and the Ulster winners have the third worst goal return among the remaining 12 counties. Too white: Donegal have 34 two-pointers and 10 goals to their name in 14 matches. Nearly 70% of their amalgamated scores have come from the single-point scores. Cavan's statistics may also give Kerry some insight ahead of Saturday's game in Killarney. Of their 227 total points in 11 games, almost 62% have come from single-point scores. Not enough white: Down and only because like Cavan and Cork they are among the lowest scorers remaining in the championship with their overall 269 points total from 12 outings. They are among the best for long-range points. Monaghan have become masters of the two-pointer. File picture: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile Too orange: Step forward Monaghan, whose average total of points per game is hitting 28 points. A rash of two-pointers, 13 in total across their last three matches, have brought their total season figure to 106, which equates to 32% of their 330 aggregate. Nearly 16% of their total has come from goals. Not enough orange: Like Kerry, Dublin are averaging two 'arcs' a game, which represents less than 20% of their total scoring, while their goal rate of one a match is just above mid-table and constitutes less than 10%. Read More The problems and plusses on Cork football's balance sheet Just right: They have been flying by the seat of their pants in recent times but on several occasions thus year Galway have been shown a deep understanding of the rules. That is reflected in their even spread of scoring. They have gathered an aggregate of 301 points in 13 outings this year. Of that, 90 points (30%) have come from two-pointers and 60 from goals (20%). Louth are close to the top in both the green and orange flag counts, which comprise 18% and 28% of their aggregate scores for the year. Or is that the reigning champions Armagh have it all figured out? Nearly 70% of their scores are one-pointers, a little over 10% goals and close to 22% two-pointers. Are theirs the healthier proportions? The next 10 days might tell. Read More The problems and plusses on Cork football's balance sheet
Irish Times
11 hours ago
- Irish Times
Creeslough families denied opportunity to speak during appeal against plans to rebuild petrol station
Families of those killed and injured in the Creeslough tragedy in Co Donegal have been refused an opportunity to speak during an appeal against an application to rebuild the petrol station at the centre of the explosion. It follows a decision by An Bord Pleanála to rule out a request for an oral hearing in the case. The request was made to An Bord Pleanála by a number of objectors who were bereaved by the October 2022 tragedy. Ten people died following a huge explosion at the service station. The objectors include Áine Flanagan, who lost her partner Robert Garwe and five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe; Shauna Gallagher, sister of the late Jessica Gallagher; Derek Martin, husband of the late Martina Martin; and Caroline Lauder and MarieLouise Macleod, sisters of the late Martin McGill. READ MORE The group, represented by human rights lawyers Phoenix Law, had argued that the level of national interest and the complexities of legal issues raised against the development warranted a full public hearing. However, An Bord Pleanála decided to proceed with a written determination for the appeal and contacted Donegal County Council to inform it of the decision. The council then informed members of the bereaved families. Donegal County Council said An Bord Pleanála decided an oral hearing is not necessary as the appeal can be adequately handled through written procedures. Reacting to the decision, one bereaved family member said the voices of those left behind after the tragedy had once again been silenced. The woman, who asked not to be named, said, 'This is a disgrace. We are not being given a chance to outline our concerns in a proper manner. [ Creeslough: 'I can't get my head around how a site can be built on when there's a criminal investigation' Opens in new window ] 'Ten people have died and yet An Bord Pleanála do not think their lives or our hurt are important enough so we can be heard.' In an update provided to Donegal County Council, the board confirmed that the processing of the appeal will now continue, and the Donegal County Council Planning Department will be notified of the decision once it is made. The signatories of the Phoenix Law appeal claimed that the Donegal Planning Authority, by approving the application, breached human rights obligations by failing to allow families to participate fully in the decision. The Planning Authority maintained it followed all statutory requirements in its decision-making process and urged An Bord Pleanála to uphold the original grant of permission. The development will involve demolishing the existing building and erecting a new building which will include a shop, post office, beauty salon, fuel pumps and memorial features, including space for a memorial garden. Planning permission was granted in February. [ Families of Creeslough victims object to 'cruel, callous' plans for service station and memorial Opens in new window ] A number of families impacted by the tragedy have strongly objected to the building of a new business on the site where their loved ones lost their lives. In a separate appeal, objectors have argued that it is against public policy to rebuild a development where a mass tragedy has occurred. They stated that inquests into the deaths of the 10 victims have not yet been held, and that if the development proceeds it will result in the destruction of crucial evidence. 'Both the Stardust Nightclub and the Grenfell Tower were never rebuilt, and the explosion in Creeslough is akin to those tragedies,' the appeal said.
BreakingNews.ie
15 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Families of Creeslough tragedy victims outraged after being refused hearing
Families of those killed and injured in the Creeslough tragedy in Co Donegal have been refused an opportunity to speak during an appeal against an application to rebuild the petrol station at the centre of the tragedy. It follows a decision by An Bord Pleanála to rule out a request for an oral hearing in the case. Advertisement The request was made to An Bord Pleanála by a number of objectors who were bereaved by the October 2022 tragedy. Ten people died following a huge explosion at the service station in October 2022. The objectors include Aine Flanagan, who lost her partner Robert Garwe and five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe; Shauna Gallagher, sister of the late Jessica Gallagher; Derek Martin, husband of the late Martina Martin; and Caroline Lauder and MarieLouise Macleod, sisters of the late Martin McGill. The group, represented by human rights lawyers Phoenix Law, had argued that the level of national interest and the complexities of legal issues raised against the development warranted a full public hearing. Advertisement However, An Bord Pleanála decided to proceed with a written determination for the appeal. An Bord Pleanála contacted Donegal County Council to inform them of their decision. The council then contacted members of the bereaved families informing them of the decision. Donegal County Council said An Bord Pleanála has decided that an oral hearing is not necessary as the appeal can be adequately handled through written procedures. Advertisement Reacting to the decision, one bereaved family member said the voices of those left behind after the tragedy had once again been silenced. The woman, who asked not to be named, said: "This is a disgrace. We are not being given a chance to outline our concerns in a proper manner. "Ten people have died and yet An Bord Pleanála do not think their lives or our hurt are important enough so we can be heard." In an update provided to Donegal County Council, the board confirmed that the processing of the appeal will now continue, and the Donegal County Council planning aepartment will be notified of the decision once it is made. Advertisement The signatories of the Phoenix Law appeal claimed that the Donegal Planning Authority, by approving the application, breached human rights obligations by failing to allow families to participate fully in the decision. The Planning Authority maintained it followed all statutory requirements in its decision-making process and urged An Bord Pleanála to uphold the original grant of permission. The new development will include demolishing the existing building and erect a new building which would include a shop, a post office, a beauty salon, fuel pumps and memorial features including space for a memorial garden. Planning permission for this was granted in February. Advertisement Ireland Castletown House activists sued by companies over... Read More A number of families impacted by the tragedy have strongly objected to the building of a new business on the very site where their loved ones lost their lives. In a separate appeal, objectors have argued that it is against public policy to rebuild a development where a mass tragedy has occurred. They stated that inquests into the deaths of the 10 victims have not yet occurred and that if the development proceeds, it will result in the destruction of crucial evidence. 'Both the Stardust Nightclub and the Grenfell Tower were never rebuilt, and the explosion in Creeslough is akin to those tragedies,' the appeal said.
The 42
a day ago
- Sport
- The 42
'You are used to being on the road' - Shane O'Donnell makes light of Donegal controversy
BY THE TIME Shaun Patton stood over his final kickout last Sunday, there were mere seconds left on the clock and Mayo had just drawn level with Donegal through Fergal Boland's point. There's been a huge amount of talk since that all he had to do was boot the ball out and both teams would have made it through at the expense of Cavan. That discounts the possibility that the players may not have been aware of events in Brewster Park Enniskillen, where Tyrone were dishing out a beating to Cavan. Or even the suspicion that players were deliberately shielded from events elsewhere. Patton's kick was wide to his left. It went over the head of the intended target. It bounced kindly to Ciaran Moore and it's difficult to think of another Donegal player who would have had the conditioning to achieve what he did, which was to outpace Sean Morahan and step inside Jack Carney to kick the point that put Mayo out. Better to have to face Cavan down the line than Mayo, the logic would follow. On the sideline, Shane O'Donnell had been taken off. He, and others, were screaming to put the ball out of bounds 'There were a few boys shouting at him to kick it out. And there were probably a few boys shouting at Shaun then as well to drain the clock and wait for the hooter to go,' he admits at the Croke Park launch of the All-Ireland football series. 'It was just so hard to get messages on board even when I was on the pitch. You were unable to hear things from the sideline just because of the way the stand was. And the stand was on top of the bench.' A dramatic day in the Hyde. And the drama didn't end then either, as Donegal manager Jim McGuinness railed about the perceived unfairness of having to travel to Roscommon to play the game in a neutral venue. McGuinness' point that Donegal were somewhat discriminated against was a moot one, given how Kerry travelled to Tullamore to take on Meath and unavailability of other, more equidistant stadiums. The complaint about not getting a hotel within the county is also frivolous, given that Donegal routinely book into the Slieve Russell hotel in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan for their games in Clones, Co Monaghan. Advertisement Asked if the situation around Dr Hyde Park came as an annoyance to the players, O'Donnell answered, 'Not really, there wouldn't be really much chat about it. 'I suppose with big games you are used to being on the road at this stage and you get your preparation and all done the night before with travelling down to hotels et cetera. We don't get too caught up in it, it's probably more of the logistics team or whatever that are dreading the thought of it. Shane O'Donnell pictured at the All Ireland football launch. Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE 'We are just happy to be playing in the big games and being at this stage of the All-Ireland series.' Donegal, along with Meath, have now played seven games each across this championship. With the season squeezed into a tighter window, it has never been as game-heavy. Donegal now have their eighth game in a period of 12 weeks this Sunday when Louth come to Ballybofey in the preliminary quarter-final. Research conducted by the Gaelic Player's Association holds that players want more games and less periods of heavy training. So what's that like when you're right in the middle of it? 'It's definitely more enjoyable,' says the 24-year-old St Eunan's clubman. 'At the end of the day when you are training in December or January or whatever it is, you are just looking forward to playing games. 'When the league starts to end, that is the beginning of the end with games on games nearly. It is definitely enjoyable, but it is definitely taxing on the body too. Especially going through Ulster, it can be very taxing with every game being just as tough as the next. 'I suppose we got the short straw going into the preliminary round as well against Derry. That was probably an extra game that we didn't really want, but thankfully we came over the line with an Ulster Championship.' O'Donnell's own form has arrived this season with a steady run of games. Having played first in the side that reached the 2022 Ulster final, he sat out the 2023 season. He returned last year when McGuinness came back as manager, and he puts a great deal of his improved performances down to personal circumstances now that he is living at home and working as a PE and Maths teacher in Deele College in Raphoe. Just twenty minutes drive from his home in Letterkenny, Raphoe is also just three miles from the Donegal training base in Convoy. 'I suppose the big thing for me there was getting home. I was in Dublin there for four years so it was very taxing on the body, Which kind of led to me taking the break as well there in between. It is definitely a lot easier now being at home, it takes away the travelling,' he explains. 'Last year, I was nearly living out of the car at one stage. It is nice to be home. It is nice to be able to recover and rest, especially with the quick turnaround for games. 'I feel good at the minute and I am looking after the body really well which is the main thing.' One huge benefit to Donegal GAA has been the growth of the Atlantic Technological University in Letterkenny, with Michael Murphy attached to the institution. However, some do need to go further for their education and O'Donnell is not afraid to admit the commuting to and from Dublin has had a toll. 'It is very tough. I suppose after my first year in I thought maybe that I wasn't performing as much as I would have liked to be performing. I was maybe putting that down to fatigue and tiredness and what not. Driving can be hard on the body as well with hamstrings. 'When I went back in last year with Jim and all coming back it was kind of hard to turn it down last year. Now it worked out well with how my timetable was in terms of placement and in terms of DCU as well. 'But it was a busy season last year with Sigerson as well. You were having two games a week nearly during the league season. That was tough as well. It was nice now to get on the other side of that and put all my focus into one thing. 'I suppose in terms of comparing to other years I feel a lot fresher and a lot healthier now this year.' James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO And speaking of Murphy, O'Donnell was able to play alongside him in his first year. He will admit that for some of the younger crew like Finbarr Roarty and Ciaran Moore, there is an element of playing alongside a cast-iron icon this season. O'Donnell insists that when Murphy was taking his first steps back in with the panel, he wasn't aware of it – instead being involved in the Ulster club campaign with St Eunan's. Related Reads 'You couldn't be happy with Saturday' - Paul Geaney gets ready for charge at Sam Maguire Game-by-game guide after today's All-Ireland senior football draw GAA confirm next weekend's All-Ireland senior football and hurling fixtures 'There were rumours going about,' he explains. 'It was a closed camp and I didn't actually believe it until I'd seen it with my own eyes when I got back there. So it's good to have him back. He's a great man and he's a great ambassador for Donegal.' And there's no surprise that his form has been so critical to Donegal this year. 'I suppose when you're in the club championship and he was playing Glenswilly, they were flying with him there as well and he was performing well in all those games,' states O'Donnell. 'I kind of had a fair idea that he would have settled in well whenever he came back, probably not as well as what he's doing at the minute. 'He's performing in all the big games for us at the minute and he's coming away with individual awards as well there. He's doing very well and I'm very happy for him because there's no better man to be getting that recognition because he deserves it.' * Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Shane O'Donnell on fateful final play in the Hyde and Michael Murphy's iconic status
In the frantic final seconds of the Donegal-Mayo game, there were more than just Mayo supporters appealing for their opponents to kick the ball dead after the hooter. When Shaun Patton plonked the ball down on the kicking tee with only seconds remaining, Donegal were through in second place regardless of whether they could manufacture a winner. Mayo, meanwhile, would have survived in dramatic fashion at Cavan's expense thanks to Fergal Boland's late equaliser. In certain other sporting cultures, there'd have been little doubt that both teams would have agreed to leave it at that. But Donegal made a late impetuous run for glory, Patton's kickout breaking for Ciarán Moore. The centre-back sped up the left wing past despairing Mayo defenders to secure the winning score - and possibly a complimentary Cavan GAA hoodie in the process. Jim McGuinness praised his players' ruthlessness afterwards, though wing-forward Shane O'Donnell, who'd just been subbed, admits that some on the Donegal bench took a different view to those on the pitch. "There was a few boys probably shouting at him to kick it out and all that," O'Donnell told RTÉ Sport at the launch of the All-Ireland SFC knockout series. "And there was probably a few boys shouting at Shaun then as well to drain the clock and wait for the hooter to go. "It was just so hard to get messages on board even when I was on the pitch. You were unable to hear things from the sideline just because of the way the stand was. "But there was definitely a few bucks - and probably even including myself! - shouting on to kick it out. That's just not how it panned out. But we're happy with how it came out." Were the Donegal players on the pitch actually aware of the lie of the land before the last kickout? "I was fully aware because it was just after coming off at that stage. Now the boys on the pitch were probably a different story. "I suppose when you are caught up in those type of games and those type of moments, you are not thinking about other things. "Again, there was a lot of people in Hyde Park and it was hard to get messages on board with the noise from the supporters. "I think we were shouting a few things as well but they didn't hear us... It's probably a good thing they didn't hear us in the end." Win or draw, Donegal were set for a home preliminary tie in Ballybofey this weekend, with Louth the name to come out of the pot in Monday's draw. That Donegal supporters had to travel to Roscommon for the neutral game against Mayo was a source of controversy, with Jim McGuinness laying into the CCCC for the decision to fix the match for the Hyde outside the dressing room afterwards. In his comments, McGuinness noted that Hyde Park was "38 minutes from Mayo's training ground" and asserted that Donegal supporters were being "taken advantage of". O'Donnell, however, says the players themselves weren't too concerned about the venue, even if it was asking something of travelling fans. "There wouldn't be really much chat about it. I suppose with the big games you are kind of used to being on the road at this stage and you get your preparation and all done the night before with travelling down to hotels and etc. "We don't get too caught up in it, it's probably more of the logistics team that are dreading the thought of it." O'Donnell, now 23, made his Donegal debut in 2022 before opting out of the panel for the write-off campaign of 2023, a decision which did no one's reputation any harm. After spending that summer in America, O'Donnell returned to the panel for the 2024 season, with McGuinness now back at the helm. Having spent a few years as a student in DCU, travelling back and forth to inter-county training, O'Donnell got a teaching placement in Raphoe, where he teaches Maths and PE in the same school as Peadar Mogan. "The big thing for me there was getting home," says O'Donnell. "I was in Dublin there for four years so it was very taxing on the body, Which kind of led to me taking the break as well there in between. "After my first year in I thought maybe that I wasn't performing as well as I would have liked. I was maybe putting that down to fatigue and tiredness and whatnot. Driving can be hard on the body as well with hamstrings and whatnot. "It is definitely a lot easier now being at home, it takes away the travelling. Last year, I was kind of nearly lifting out of the car at one stage. "I suppose in terms of comparing to other years I feel a lot fresher and a lot healthier now this year. " O'Donnell was 10 years old when Michael Murphy captained Donegal to the All-Ireland and his first season coincided with what was originally supposed to be Glenswilly great's swansong in the jersey. Murphy, after two years of punditry work and a stint on the Football Review Committee where he helped to re-model the game we see today, he returned to the Donegal set-up in the off-season. O'Donnell, whose St Eunan's side won the 2024 county title and were preoccupied with the Ulster club, was one of the last to find out about his return. "I actually didn't get word of it until they got back (training). We fell short in the Ulster Championship there with the club. "So there was rumours going about and whatnot. It was a closed camp and I didn't actually believe it until I'd seen it with my own eyes when I got back there." Has he been startled at Murphy's form since his comeback? "Not really, no. When you're in the club championship and he was playing for Glenswilly, they were flying with him there as well and he was performing well in all those games. "I kind of had a fair idea that he would have settled in well whenever he came back. Probably not as well as what he's doing at the minute. "He's a bit of an icon in there for a lot of us because there's a lot of young boys there that wouldn't have played with him beforehand." Follow a live blog on the All-Ireland Football Championship on Saturday and Sunday on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game at 9.15pm and The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
