Latest news with #MicheálDonoghue
Irish Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Is Tipperary-Galway the most undervalued rivalry in the GAA?
The Tipperary-Galway rivalry may have reached its zenith in the late '80s, but it's arguably never been as wholesome as it is now. Granted, the hostility that existed between the rival managements, players and supporters in that 1987-91 period, all of which drained away in time, added a kick which sweetened the dish, but what has broken out since has made for one of the most balanced, and arguably most undervalued, rivalry in the GAA. Tipperary finished Galway's greatest team with a runaway victory in the 1991 All-Ireland semi-final, but in the 12 Championship games that they have played since, they have been separated by three points or less on 11 occasions. The exception was a qualifier tie in 2014 in which Tipp outscored Galway by 2-10 to 0-1 in the last 20 minutes to win by nine in the end, but they were still in deep trouble early in the second half. The result saved Eamon O'Shea from a swift exit as Tipperary manager. Micheál Donoghue was part of his coaching set up at the time. Now it's the opposite, with Donoghue in his second spell managing Galway and O'Shea having been retained from Henry Shefflin's outgoing regime last year, with his son Donal also on the panel. Such cross-pollination between the two counties would have been unthinkable 35 years ago. After the 1993 All-Ireland semi-final, won by Galway more comfortably than the two-point margin suggested, there was a seven-year gap to their next Championship meeting and the links to the '80s had been all but severed. Back doors and changing systems have allowed them to meet more often and earlier in the Championship, with Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final their 12th meeting in all since 2000. Of the previous 11, Galway have won six and Tipperary five. Five of them have been decided by just a single point. Three of those were in successive classic All-Ireland semi-finals from 2015-17. Tipperary have won four All-Irelands in this century compared to just one for Galway, who have so often flattered to deceive, but they always seem to turn up against the only one of the three traditional powers with which they share a county boundary. Tipp won 14 of their first 15 Championship meetings between 1888 and 1971, but this fixture will never see dominance like that again. Perhaps neither are frontline All-Ireland contenders right now, but it's one of the few GAA rivalries that as good as guarantees a closely-fought contest every time. And Saturday evening should be no different.
Irish Examiner
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
TJ Ryan: 'Galway haven't put the consistency around a 70 minute performance to say 'this is the team''
TJ Ryan sees flashes of the old Galway in recent displays but knows they are far from the finished article as he spoke on Dalo's Hurling Show for the Irish Examiner. Micheál Donoghue's side last won an All-Ireland back in 2017 when they beat Waterford. They reached the final the year after, losing agonisingly to Limerick by a point. Since then it has been the great struggle for The Tribesmen. For Ryan the solution was - somewhat - simple: "If Galway are to be successful they need to get with quick ball into the forward line, they need to get goals and they need to get a style that suits them and that they all buy into." With their All-Ireland quarter-final against Tipperary in Thurles looming, Ryan claims it is the 'perfect game' for Donoghue's team. "I think this is the perfect game for Galway. There was a few flashes in them during Leinster championship where they looked like they were getting back to where they wanted to be. "Cathal Mannion is hitting Hurler of the Year form, his striking has been off the charts, he's been a beacon. David Brooks is back in the middle of the field, Daithí Burke is back. We've found a centre back in Gavin Lee. "But, they haven't put the consistency around a 70 minute performance to say 'this is the team'. "There's a positive in that they stuck at it in the Leinster final, now how much of that was Kilkenny falling away, we don't know." Galway manager Micheál Donoghue during the Leinster GAA Senior Hurling Championship final match between Kilkenny and Galway at Croke Park. File picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile Former Limerick manager Ryan emphasised the importance of showing up on the big occassion, something Galway have failed to do on a handful of occassions in recent memory - including the beginning of this year's league campaign. "One thing I would say for Galway people here, and I'd nearly put this in the dressing room for them, is if you don't show up you won't win. They've got to show up here. They went into the first round of the league this year and they didn't show up at all. "Galway people, being the sort of hurling fanatics that they are, they want to play their way, they want to push up, they want to have a go and if they get beat by a better team they'll say alright fair enough. "Even Micheál [Donoghue] alluded to it after the Leinster final they they weren't doing what he wanted them to do. So, I think that that is where some of the confusion is." It goes without saying Galway have a wealth of individual talent but, as Ryan points out, a lack of cohesion in the forward line has cost them. "Conor Whelan is a very good inside forward but they haven't been getting supply to him, that hasn't been working so they've had to bring him out the field and he's played well at times. "Brian Concannon has had flashes where he's scored plenty aswell. They've moved Cathal Mannion in and out. The inside forward line and the delivery of ball into the inside forward line are the two things that need to click for Galway".
Irish Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Galway's Fintan Burke bullish in advance of championship quarter-final against Tipp
Fintan Burke had to sit through the second half of this year's Leinster final and watch as, for the third time in four seasons, Galway lost a provincial decider to Kilkenny . Burke entered the game with a slight knee injury and, during the warm-up, he aggravated the problem. He tried to 'run it off' in the opening stages of the contest but came ashore just before half-time 'before any more damage was done'. But what damage has been done to Galway's Liam MacCarthy ambitions because of that loss remains to be seen. They must pick up the pieces of that 3-22 to 1-20 defeat and deliver a performance against Tipperary in Saturday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final in Limerick (6.15pm). Galway have won the last three championship meetings between the sides, with Tipp's most recent SHC triumph over the Tribesmen coming in 2016. READ MORE 'The most disappointing thing for us and for the group is that we didn't hurl how we want to hurl,' said Burke of Galway's Leinster final display. 'We didn't express the brand of hurling that we're trying to express, which we kind of played on Kilkenny's terms, which is disappointing.' The Tribesmen did string together a revival late in the second half, reducing a 13-point deficit to four twice in the closing stages. But that surge left as many questions as answers. Where was that intensity earlier in the contest? This is the first season of Micheál Donoghue's second term as Galway senior hurling manager. During his first spell, he led the Tribesmen to All-Ireland glory in 2017. 'As I said a few times, it's frustration and disappointment at our performance more than anything [in the Leinster final] and like we know it's not going to be an overnight thing, Micheál coming in and winning All-Irelands. 'It's going to take a year or two for lads to kind of knit in, the younger lads to get used to the older lads and vice versa. But still at the same time, we want to be successful now, there are a few of us pushing on a small bit like and you don't want to be waiting three or four years to be getting successful.' Cathal Mannion will be needed if Galway are to get over the line against Tipperary this weekend. Photograph: Andrew Paton/Inpho If they are to get over the line against Tipperary and set up an All-Ireland semi-final against Cork, chances are Galway will need Cathal Mannion to the fore. Mannion has been in exceptional form this season and for large parts of the Leinster final he alone carried the Galway fight to Kilkenny, finishing the game with 0-11 of their total. 'I suppose he was probably carrying a knock over the last year or two, and in fairness, he got that sorted over the winter. 'People outside the county probably would have forgotten the level of hurler he is. In fairness to us in the group, when you see him day in, day out and week in, week out doing it in training, you're not really surprised, to be honest. In my opinion, I'd have him up there as one of the best ever that's come out of Galway, to be honest.' Whether other analysts of hurling agree with Burke or not, he can't be sure because listening to critics wouldn't be his thing. Burke watched the Munster final the night before Galway's Leinster decider, but stepped away from the screen at the interval. 'I wouldn't watch the analysis, I'd leave the analysis and go have a cup of tea or something. There's a lot of talk there that I wouldn't agree with at half-time. 'I think sometimes a lot of what is said at half-time is just to fill in the 15-minute gap, it has no relevance to how the game is going or how the result is going.' As for the debate on the difference between the Leinster and Munster hurling championships, Burke sees no point in pouring fuel on that particular fire. 'It doesn't bother me and I don't think it bothers anybody on the team. I just think comparisons sometimes it takes away the joy, why not sit back and watch the Munster final and just be like, 'what a class game'. 'And go and watch the Leinster final and if you feel personally that it wasn't at the same standard, well what about it. If every game of hurling was to that standard ... it's not going to work like that. 'So, I just think personally go enjoy whatever you enjoy, you don't need to compare.'
Irish Times
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Live GAA updates: Galway out to loosen Kilkenny's hold on Leinster
Sunday's fixtures Leinster Senior Hurling Final: Kilkenny v Galway, Croke Park, 4pm Joe McDonagh Cup Final: Kildare v Laois, Croke Park, 1.45pm Tailteann Cup: Wexford v Antrim, Wexford Park, 1pm Sligo v Carlow, Tubbercurry, 2pm 7 minutes ago Hello and welcome to live coverage of today's Leinster hurling final between Kilkenny and Galway. The Cats are aiming to make it six provincial titles in a row today, while Micheál Donoghue's team are in search of a first title since 2018. Derek Lyng's side won comprehensively in their first meeting in the Leinster championship this year, but Galway have picked up form since that match. Throw in at Croke Park for the Leinster final will be at 4pm. Key Reads: Leinster SHC final: Unflappable Kilkenny can contain the Galway bounce-back Galway's Conor Whelan: 'Mental health is not as abstract as people sometimes make it sound' 'I'll play anywhere I'm told to': Adrian Mullen keen to shine in Leinster final after beating injury demons
BreakingNews.ie
08-06-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Sunday Sport: Galway face Kilkenny in Leinster hurling final
GAA There's another provincial hurling title up for grabs this afternoon. Kilkenny will bid to win a sixth straight Leinster Senior Championship when they take on Galway at Croke Park from 4:00. Advertisement Micheál Donoghue's side are aiming to lift the Bob O'Keeffe Cup for the first time since 2018. Meanwhile the curtain raiser the Joe McDonagh Cup final between Laois and Kildare has just gotten underway. A place in next season's Leinster Championship is the reward for the winners. The last spot in the All-Ireland Minor Football semi-finals will be decided this afternoon. Advertisement Leinster champions Offaly take on Mayo at Doctor Hyde Park from 3pm. Roscommon, Kerry and Tyrone are already through to the last-four. Waterford lead Dublin 4-points-to-1 early on in their TG4 All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship game at Dungarvan. Tennis This afternoon's men's French Open final is just getting underway at Roland Garros Advertisement Carlos Alcaraz is looking to defend his crown against world number one Jannick (pron: Yannick) Sinner. Soccer Spain aim to win their third international competition in as many years tonight. The European champions look to retain their Nations League title when they take on their neighbours, Portugal, in the final in Munich. While Stuttgart is hosting this afternoon's third-place playoff between Germany and France which has just kicked-off. Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says the club needs to focus more on matters on the pitch rather than off it. The Dutchman, who left Old Trafford in 2016 despite winning the FA Cup, believes too much emphasis is placed on business operations. Van Gaal also expressed concern that current boss Ruben Amorim may not have the final say on transfers. Golf Shane Lowry is four shots off the lead heading into the final day of the Canadian Open on golf's PGA Tour. He's 10-under-par and in a tie for 16th. Matteo Manassero and Ryan Fox share the lead at 14-under.
