Latest news with #PeterCanavan
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Peter Canavan: Meath defeat 'a kick up the rear' for Kerry
Even though Kerry were short a number of key personnel in their All-Ireland series loss to Meath, the manner of the defeat will be concerning, says Peter Canavan. The Royals ran out comfortable winners at Glenisk O'Connor Park, an outcome that leaves the Kingdom facing an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final clash next week. Meath are straight through to a quarter-finals, with Canavan full of praise for their effort, when saying: "They are playing a brilliant brand of football and move the ball fast". For Kerry, Sean O'Shea joined with Paudie Clifford, Paul Geaney, Diarmuid O'Connor, Barry Dan O'Sullivan and Brian Ó Beaglaoich on the treatment table. Despite those absentees, Tyrone's two-time All-Ireland winner was critical of the attitude shown by Jack O'Connor's side. "I suppose people will bemoan the fact that Kerry were missing a few key player:; Paudie Clifford, Seanie O'Shea and Diarmuid O'Connor but Meath were also missing a few key men in James Conlon and Matthew Costello," he said. "If you take an opposition for granted and don't apply yourself with energy and aggression then teams can tear you apart. If you have footballers that can hit the ball over the bar from the two-point arc, very quickly you can be blown away. "I've said before, it's Paudie Clifford that makes this team tick" - Peter Canavan analyses Kerry's performance in defeat to Meath #RTEgaa — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 14, 2025 "From a Kerry perspective, that was most alarming. They sat off Meath and whether it was showing them a complete lack of respect or maybe they have come through a hard training spell, you don't know, but they took Meath for granted. "It's a kick up the rear Kerry need at this stage." Canavan singled out the return of one player as being key to the Kerry's hopes going forward. "They are still very much All-Ireland contenders and it's Paudie Clifford that makes this team tick. You put him back in with Diarmuid (O'Connor) and Seanie O'Shea and I do think they are a different animal." Watch an All-Ireland Football Championship double-header, Monaghan v Down and Donegal v Mayo, on Sunday from 1.30pm. Follow a live blog on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Sunday Game at 9.30pm.
RTÉ News
03-06-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
Peter Canavan: Galway still capable of tearing teams apart
They have yet to scale the heights that saw them reach last year's All-Ireland final, but Peter Canavan has no doubt that Galway can emerge from their "flat spot" and have a say where Sam Maguire will reside later in the summer. After losing to Dublin in their opening game in the All-Ireland series, Pádraic Joyce's men looked in trouble for most of their subsequent clash with Derry at Celtic Park on Sunday. They trailed by eight shortly after the break. Joyce made the decision to withdraw key names such as Paul Conroy and Shane Walsh. Others had to step up. Matthew Tierney's 69th-minute goal - Galway's fourth of an absorbing game - looked to have completed a magnificent comeback. Derry would have the final say, however, with Conor Doherty's point at the death ensuring parity in the Maiden City. As a result, both sides stand on one point in the so-called 'Group of Death' ahead of Derry's date with Dublin and Galway, for the third year running, facing Armagh in their final round-robin clash. So what of the Tribes then? Clearly not at the level they reached when accounting for Dublin and Donegal at the height of last summer's championship. Peter Canavan, speaking on the latest edition of the RTÉ GAA Podcast, when asked as to whether Galway can rediscover their zip, replied: "They have the potential to be every bit as good as they were last year". In assessing Tribes' showing at Celtic Park, Canavan also took into account the desire shown by Derry, who were similarly in need of points after losing their opener against Armagh. He said: "There are two ways of looking at Galway's performance against Derry. They were flat and struggled to get to the pitch of the game in terms of their intensity. Derry were well up for it and were motivated. They were thinking that this was their last game in Celtic Park this year and they were going to go for it. They weren't going to be passive and took Galway on physically, and Galway struggled with that." Canavan, though, was impressed by how Galway clawed their way back, and still believes they have the personnel to really trouble other contenders. "Key leaders were taken off and they were brilliant in the last ten to 15 minutes; they easily could have thrown in the towel. Pádraic Joyce has a lot to take out of it from that point of view, they have a chance to reset and there is no doubting in terms of their physique and their size around the middle quarter, they have the players to dominate teams in terms of kickouts. "Up front, if you have Comer, Finnerty and Walsh and if they hit form, I don't care, they can tear anybody apart. Tierney and Thompson are also playing brilliant football "They still have the personnel, the size, and there is no reason they can't turn it around. "They have to win [against Armagh]. They have hit a flat spot and are more than capable of bouncing back."
RTÉ News
03-06-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
Dramatic finale to group stages in store - The RTÉ GAA Podcast
On this week's RTÉ GAA Podcast, Peter Canavan and Ciarán Whelan join Jacqui Hurley and Rory O'Neill to discuss the state of play in the All-Ireland SFC after the second round of group games. Does the competitiveness of this year's championship suggest the GAA have been too hasty to change the format? Or is it all down to the new rules? Armagh and Kerry are showing their All-Ireland credentials while Mayo and Derry aren't done yet. But what is not working for Galway and Dublin?
