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Irish Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
All-Ireland preliminary quarter final draw as Dublin, Donegal, Kerry learn fate
Kerry, Donegal and Galway were the big winners from this morning's All-Ireland Preliminary Quarter-Final draw as they avoided each other in next weekend's round of 12 games. Last year's All-Ireland finalists Galway were the toughest second seed in the draw. Dublin, who drew Cork, already knew they couldn't play Galway as they'd already met them in the group stages, but Pádraic Joyce's side could have been pulled to go away to Donegal or Kerry. Instead, Galway drew Down and will face them in Newry next weekend. Down were the lowest ranked league side of the four first seeds in the draw, and will play Division 3 football next year after being relegated in the Spring time. The other tie are Kerry versus Cavan and Donegal against Louth. The draw was set to throw up Kerry v Cork and Dublin v Cavan in the final two ties pulled, so there had to be a change of order due to repeat pairings. This sees Cavan having to go to Kerry instead of Croke Park to face Dublin, and Cork having to come to the capital next weekend rather than Killarney. Ties that were not permitted due to teams already meeting each other in provincial finals or the the group stages were Donegal v Cavan, Galway v Dublin, Cork v Kerry and Down v Louth. Kerry and Cork have already met twice in this year's Championship with the Kingdom winning both ties. The Tailteann Cup semi-final draw also took place with competition favourites Kildare facing a tricky tie against Fermanagh, while suprise packets Wicklow and Limerick face off in the other last four tie. Venues, times and dates will be decided later today for the four All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final ties, which are set to take place next weekend. The Tailteann Cups semi-finals will be a double header at Croke Park next weekend. The draws were conducted by Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) Chairperson Brian Carroll and the GAA Player, Club and Games Administration Director Feargal Magill. All-Ireland Preliminary Quarter-Final Draw (Home teams listed first): Donegal v Louth, Down v Galway, Dublin v Cork, Kerry v Cavan. Tailteann Cup Semi-Final Draw: Fermanagh v Kildare, Wicklow v Limerick
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
This time, Galway come out the good side of stone-cold classic
All-Ireland SFC: Galway 2-22 Armagh 0-27 In the end, the margin was a point. Having lost a game by one and drawn their second, Galway secured a significant one-point triumph over an already qualified Armagh in Kingspan Breffni. This was the third stone-cold classic in a row for Pádraic Joyce's side. They were eight points down at the turnaround having had one Matthew Tierney penalty saved and another from Robert Finnerty flash over the bar. By the time Shane Walsh nailed a final free after the hooter, they were already safe. A win still meant something, a sign that they are still capable of going all the way. 'We were confident enough anyway,' said captain Seán Kelly. 'We have had two games where we drew and lost by a point. So it's not like we're a bad team overnight or anything. There was always going to be tough games. Every game we play now, it's going to be a point or two in the difference. Hopefully we can give the fans an easier result the next day for the hearts.' Despite their first defeat in the championship since the 2023 loss to Tyrone, the All-Ireland champions still emerged from Saturday night with serious credit. They raced into a 0-15 to 0-7 half-time lead thanks to four two-pointers, with Ethan Rafferty, Niall Grimley, and Darragh McMullan all finding their range from play. Rafferty was immense, saving one penalty and denying Matthew Thompson from point-blank range in the second half. He finished with seven points, including a point that stemmed from a kickout he caught himself. Paddy Burns was taken off early due to a booking picked up for the second penalty concession. They rested some key men while getting valuable minutes into others. 'We still have the likes of Ben (Crealey), Rory (Grugan), and Oisín (O'Neill) are big misses,' said McGeeney. On the other hand, Damien Comer's late withdrawal from the matchday panel was an enormous blow for their opponents. McGeeney said they had a few players who 'probably weren't just right'. 'I think the people who came on today, Grimley hasn't played much all year, just come back after a few injuries, he was very good. So was Joe McElroy, loads of running, Cian McConville was excellent for us as well so there is no complaints that way, just a few mistakes that cost us very dearly.' Galway's bench made their mark too. 2024 Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy did not start but came in to score, win a two-point free and produce the last opportunity for Walsh. Tierney came back on having been brought off early and was immense in the clutch. Cathal Sweeney hit a point with his first possession and created a goal for club-mate Finnerty. A strong start to the second half was marked with a John Maher goal but Armagh refused to yield, as is their trademark. Having fallen behind for the first time with 15 minutes left, they reeled off five consecutive scores as their deep runners surged with Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Óg Burns, and Ross McQuillan racing in. A two-week break will be well received now. They continue to grow stronger. It fell to Man of the Match Walsh to deliver his ninth score, having hit six from play, as they advance to the preliminary quarter-finals next weekend. 'It is about a full 26 panel,' said Kelly. 'Whatever five/six get on, it is about making an impact and finishing the game strong, and thankfully, that's what we did there for a positive result and we push on now. 'When we get to Monday, we will do our analysis on that game, look forward to the next opposition. We were here last year, we had that experience playing weekend in, weekend out, so we can really kind of lean on that.' Scorers for Galway: S Walsh 0-9 (1 tpf, 1f); R Finnerty 1-4 (0-1 pen); J Maher 1-0; P Cooke 0-3 (1 tp); C McDaid 0-2; C D'Arcy, M Tierney, C Sweeney, P Conroy 0-1 each. Scorers for Armagh: E Rafferty 0-7 (2 tpf, 1tp); R McQuillan, N Grimley, (1 tp), C McConville 0-3 each; D McMullan 0-2; R O'Neill, J Burns, P McGrane, S Campbell, S McPartlan, C Turbitt, A Murnin, J Duffy, T Kelly 0-1 each. GALWAY: C Flaherty; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Kelly, L Silke; P Cooke, J Maher; C McDaid, R Finnerty, C D'Arcy; M Tierney, S Walsh, M Thompson. Subs: P Conroy for Tierney (33); D O'Flaherty for Silke (half-time); C Hernon for Fitzgerald (46 — Inj); C Sweeney for McHugh (54); M Tierney for Cooke (59); J Heaney for McDaid (68). ARMAGH: E Rafferty; P Burns, B McCambridge, P McGrane; R McQuillan, T Kelly, J Óg Burns; J Duffy, N Grimley; D McMullan, R O'Neill, J McElroy; C McConville, A Murnin, C Turbitt. Subs: T McCormack for McCambridge (20 – Inj); G McCabe for Burns (half-time); S Campbell for Duffy (54); C Mackin for Grimley (59); O Conaty for McMullan (63); S McPartlan for McConville (65-Inj). Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).
Irish Times
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Galway deliver second-half stormer to pull their season back from the brink against Armagh
All-Ireland SFC: Galway 2-22 Armagh 0-27 More than just one game. In the end, Galway just about won their fierce fight for survival in the Group of Death, coming from eight points down at half-time to land a one-point win with the last kick of the evening – a cool-as-you-like it free by Shane Walsh. It took a thundering second half display by the Tribesmen to eventually wear down the All-Ireland champions. In a repeat of last year's final, Armagh may have been already through to the quarter-finals, only losing here never entered their minds. Especially not when Galway edged in front close to the end. By half-time, at which point Galway were playing second best all over Breffni Park, it seemed their passage might rely on what happened up the road in Newry. The scissors were approaching the string. Derry's narrow loss to Dublin ultimately sent Galway through in third, and they'll face an away preliminary quarter-final next weekend. For Galway manager Pádraic Joyce, that's plenty good for now. After losing two All-Ireland finals in the last three years, exiting in the group stages this summer would have been hard to stomach. Clearly feeling the same, the entire Galway team responded in the second half. READ MORE Cian McConville in action for Armagh. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho A sweet goal finished off by John Maher after 39 minutes ignited their comeback, Matthew Thompson denied close to goal moments earlier by Ethan Rafferty. After struggling to generate attacking motion in the first half, Galway were suddenly in continuous onslaught. Paul Conroy added a big point from play, Rob Finnerty too, and on 49 minutes they were level thanks to a two-point free by Walsh. The remaining 20 minutes were pure helter-skelter. Galway briefly edged in front thanks to Finnerty and Cillian McDaid, before Armagh came again, the excellent Cian McConville scoring his third from play, before Rafferty scored another from out the field. The Armagh goalkeeper finished with 0-7, including three two-pointers. When Tiernan Kelly and Jarly Óg Burns got in on the Armagh scoring act, the champions went three points up, and Galway's season once again flashed before their eyes. Replacement Cathal Sweeney got one back, before Sweeney set up Finnerty for Galway's second goal after 57 minutes. The last 10 minutes were even more frantic. Matthew Tierney pushed Galway two points clear again, before Stefan Campbell pulled one back for Armagh. Then came another two-pointer from Rafferty, this time from a free, and the sides were level again. Armagh's Rian O'Neill/ Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho One last frenzied exchange of scores – a Walsh point, then one from Shane McPartlan – kept it level as the hooter approached. Crucially, Galway had possession, and after Conroy was fouled just inside the 45m line, Walsh wasn't about to miss his chance. He didn't, finishing with 0-9 in all, right back to his best in the second half. Any doubt that Kieran McGeeney's Armagh wouldn't bring their A-game was promptly dispelled. They held up possession until the third minute, when O'Neill passed off to Rafferty, well outside his goal, who booted over a two-pointer. Burns was handling a load of ball, and set up O'Neill for their next score, then Peter McGrane for their third – putting them up 0-4 to 0-0 before Galway could get a shot on goal. Then on eight minutes Galway had a penalty, Finnerty pulled down by Paddy Burns. Matthew Tierney stepped up and Rafferty saved brilliantly, John Maher then sending the rebound wide. When Walsh hit Galway's first point after 10 minutes, they settled a bit. Walsh added a second, and things briefly appeared to even up. The two teams had been almost inseparable for the last three seasons, but Armagh slowly pulled away. Nial Grimley hit a two-pointer for Armagh, Conor Turbitt added a point, and then Óg Burns provided again for Ross McQuillan. McConville then slotted over his first, and Armagh were up 0-9 to 0-2. Shane Walsh celebrates with Galway manager Pádraic Joyce after the game. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Then on 30 minutes, Matthew Thompson passed off to Walsh, who was pushed over by Paddy Burns, giving Galway their second penalty. Finnerty stepped up this time, somehow blasting his shot over the bar. Galway did add two more points before the break, through Finnerty and Walsh, but still Armagh looked in complete control. With Derry level with Dublin at half-time up in Newry, Galway at that point were facing the exit door. That message clearly got through for the second half, Galway playing some of their best football this season, Seán Kelly chasing an inordinate amount of ball, Conroy also showing his old form once introduced after 33 minutes. Sometimes it takes some fear and desperate to bring out the best fight in teams, and Galway showed buckets of that in the second half. More than just one game. 2-22 Armagh 0-27 GALWAY: C Flaherty; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, S Kelly, L Silke; P Cooke (0-1-1), J Maher (1-0-0); C McDaid (0-0-2), R Finnerty (1-0-4), C Darcy (0-0-1); M Tierney (0-0-1), S Walsh (0-1-7, 1tpf), M Thompson. Subs: P Conroy (0-0-1) for Tierney (33 mins), D O'Flaherty for Silke (ht), C Sweeney (0-0-1) for McHugh (54), Tierney for Cooke (59), J Heaney for McDaid (68). ARMAGH: E Rafferty (0-3-1, 2tpf); P Burns, B McCambridge, P McGrane (0-0-1); R McQuillan (0-0-3), T Kelly (0-0-1), J Og Burns (0-0-1); J Duffy (0-0-1), N Grimley (0-1-1); D McMullan (0-1-0), R O'Neill (0-0-1), J McElroy; C McConville (0-0-3), A Murnin (0-0-1), C Turbitt (0-0-1). Subs: T McCormack for McCambridge (20 mins, inj), G McCabe for Burns (ht), S Campbell (0-0-1) for Duffy (53), C Mackin for Grimley (58), S McPartlan for (0-0-1) McConville (62, inj) O Conaty for McMullan (63). Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).
The Irish Sun
14-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Galway among big guns that could be dumped out of All-Ireland Championship over unmissable weekend
AFTER struggling to capture the imagination since its introduction in 2023, the All-Ireland group-stage structure finally looks set to come good at the end. The format has understandably been accused of lacking jeopardy. Advertisement 2 Meath legend Graham Geraghty writes for SunSport 2 Pádraic Joyce's charges could easily be knocked out this weekend But do not tell Pádraic Joyce or Dessie Farrell that as, with six of this season's Division 1 teams facing the prospect of elimination from the Championship, there will be no shortage of jeopardy over the next two days. Several Sam Maguire contenders have their seasons on the line — and it's no exaggeration to say managerial reigns could be at risk too. Knowing how competitive Kieran McGeeney is, it is no surprise that he has Four weeks would have been an unnecessarily long gap if he had rested the architects of the win over Dublin until the quarter-finals. Advertisement Read More On GAA McGeeney is the type of guy who would do everything in his power to win a game of noughts and crosses, never mind a match that could potentially eliminate a major rival from the Championship. The idea that his side have nothing to gain from this game is one he is unlikely to agree with. There are also some Armagh folk who feel they have not been given due credit for After going to Croke Park Advertisement Most read in GAA Football There is serious momentum behind Armagh at the moment and McGeeney will want to keep that going as they head into the last eight in a fortnight's time. Consistency remains an issue for Galway, who have only played in fits and starts since GAA fans 'loved seeing and hearing' the late Micheal O Muircheartaigh as he features in RTE documentary Hell for Leather With just one point accumulated from a possible four, they are in serious danger of going out of the Championship tonight. And I will not be a bit surprised if that transpires. Advertisement After being a kick of a ball away from winning Sam last summer, such a scenario would have seemed unthinkable for Joyce. They were unfortunate to be drawn in such a difficult group but this is possibly a do-or-die game for manager Joyce. Six years into his tenure already, it would not be easy for him to summon the energy to go again in 2026 if his side fail to make the last 12. Dublin's Farrell is another gaffer who will be on tenterhooks. Advertisement If his men suffer their third defeat of the campaign and Galway do beat Armagh, the Dubs will be done for. Question marks over Farrell's side resurfaced in the wake of their loss to the Orchard. However, as they showed in Salthill last month, they are more than capable of coming up with the answers. DERRY TO DREAM? Derry produced their best performance of the season against Galway last time out. But the return of captain Con O'Callaghan is a game-changer for the Dubs. Another heavyweight susceptible to a knockout blow this weekend is Donegal. The manner of their win over Cavan was resounding, though I am still not convinced by the Ulster champions. Advertisement Jim McGuinness' team are not the finished article and there is mounting evidence to suggest that they have not worked out how to fit their defensive system around the new rules. At Dr Hyde Park, a venue Mayo are extremely familiar with, their counter-attacking threat can cause Donegal major problems. I can see them profiting tomorrow from the same Donegal frailties that were exposed by Tyrone. Cavan were on the end of a backlash from Donegal in their last outing. And unfortunately for the Breffni, they look set to be hit by another one from Tyrone. Advertisement TAKE KERR Now that Kerry seem somewhat vulnerable due to so many injuries, it may have seemed appealing to Meath gaffer Robbie Brennan to throw everything at overtaking the Kingdom in the hope of taking the direct route to the quarter-finals. But with Mathew Costello carrying an injury as well, it is a wise decision not to risk him. In all likelihood, the Royals will be back in action next weekend and they will need him fully fit then. Meath can give Kerry a good run for it, though it is still an extremely strong team named by Jack O'Connor. They also seem to have unearthed a good midfield option in Mark O'Shea, who gets his first chance to start in the Championship after impressing off the bench against Cork. Advertisement As they showed against Dublin, Meath should not be written off entirely. They are an improving team and confidence is building again following the Leinster final heartbreak. But Costello's absence is a massive blow. They will test the Munster champions, even though it might not be enough to pull off another upset. Kerry were my tip as All-Ireland champions from the outset. They have probably slipped down to second or third in the pecking order based on form. Advertisement But as is so often the case, we only truly learn about Kerry when they get to Croke Park. They are a team who like to time their run. CORK CONUNDRUM In their own defeat to Kerry, Cork played some decent football after turning in their worst display of the year against Meath. They simply need to be more clinical. And in a game that should go down to the wire, I can see the Rebels coming out on the right side against Roscommon. For Louth, it is hard to dispute the theory that they have been affected by a Leinster final hangover. To be knocked out of the Championship so soon after that momentous day would be sobering. Advertisement Clare, who were very impressive in the first half against Monaghan, will not make it easy for the Wee County. But regardless of what happens, this has been a proud year for Ger Brennan and his players and they are not done yet. For Down, who have not contested an All-Ireland quarter-final since 2012, to be on the cusp of bridging that gap is a super feat. But they will probably have to go again next week to get that far as Monaghan should prove too strong. Advertisement
Irish Times
04-06-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Darragh Ó Sé: Good decision-makers are gold dust – Armagh had Rory Grugan, Dublin missed Con O'Callaghan
There's no hiding place above in Croke Park . That's what we always used to say. You'd be half-messing, throwing it out there – you'd be off doing laps or something, some bit of grunt work that nobody liked doing. And to break the silence or kill the monotony, some fellah would take off the manager: 'Remember now lads, there's no hiding place above in Croke Park.' And for all our sneering and blackguarding, it's true. Croke Park on a big day is a merciless place. Nobody is going through the motions. Everybody is bringing it their full attention. You have two choices: either be the one who does his job or be the one who has a job done on you. Dessie Farrell could tell you all about it after Sunday. The Dublin manager was standing on the sideline seeing his players make mistake after mistake and you were looking at him as he was thinking, 'Christ, there really is no hiding place out there.' He must have been watching some of what was going on and nearly wondering who was in charge of this fiasco. READ MORE Dublin broke the three-players-up rule three times and you could see that Dessie and Darren Daly were tearing their hair out on the sideline trying to get the players to be more mindful of it. But you could also see that the Armagh players were policing it themselves. If you want to know the difference between a team that's in a good spot and one that's not where it wants to be then that's it. For the reality is that Dessie – or Kieran McGeeney or Pádraic Joyce or Jack O'Connor – can only do so much. Players have to take control of the thing on the pitch. There's little enough between the top teams in terms of skills, ability or conditioning – that definitely seems to be the case this season anyway. So in vital moments, it comes down to decision-making. That's why there are certain players whom managers want on the pitch. Jim McGuinness wants Michael Murphy there. Dessie wants Con O'Callaghan. Jack wants David Clifford. It became more obvious as the game on Sunday went along that Rory Grugan is that player for McGeeney. Obviously, you want all you players to be good decision-makers. But when it comes down to it, certain fellahs carry that bit more credibility. You have plenty of players who will go and kick a point then run back to their position happy that their job is done. Yet watch the likes of Grugan, Murphy and Con the next time there is a break in play. They never switch off. They're the ones pointing to a fellah taking a sideline ball, telling him where the free player is. They're the ones slowing the thing down or speeding it up, depending on what the game needs. They're worth their weight in gold to their managers. Donegal's Michael Murphy tackles Niall Carolan of Cavan at Kingspan Breffni Park on Sunday. Photograph: Leah Scholes/INPHO Donegal were 10 points up when Murphy came off against Cavan on Sunday and seven clear when he come off against Down in the Ulster semi-final. But he was on the pitch for every minute of the Tyrone match and stayed on well into extra-time against Armagh. Watch how long he's on the pitch against Mayo – that will tell you how long McGuinness needs him to be orchestrating things. Dublin are short on those players now. This happens in all sport when a great team falls away. The first to go are the most experienced guys, yet you're usually okay for a season or two when that happens because the fellahs that fill in were champing at the bit for years to get their chance. But the problem is that the wave that comes behind that isn't as good. Also, because so many people have moved on, there's a different culture now. Standards slip, no matter how hard everyone tries. When you watched Dublin's shooting the other day, that's what jumped out most of all. They had 18 wides, they dropped a few short and hit the post as well. What struck me about it was that they were making two mistakes that you never associate with Dublin teams. The first was they weren't steadying themselves to take their kick. Not everyone is a Bernard Brogan or a Diarmuid Connolly who could just stroke over a lovely score on the run without thinking about it. But go back to when Dublin were in their pomp and watch the likes of Paddy Andrews, Dean Rock and these lads – they always took a split-second to get their technique right and to make sure they were balanced when they were kicking. Some of those wides on Sunday from Dublin were from shots that were rushed or shots that didn't have enough care taken over them. Dublin's Cormac Costello reacts to a missed chance in Sunday's game against Armagh. Photograph: James Crombie/INPHO These are good players kicking – the likes of Seán Bugler, Cormac Costello, Colm Basquel. But if they're not making sure of straightforward chances like the ones they missed, it tells you they probably aren't under huge pressure to keep their place in the team. The other mistake they were making was rushing to try to kick two-pointers. In fairness, the Dubs aren't the only team suffering from the two-point trap. Time and again, you see teams going for shots that probably aren't there because they've fooled themselves into thinking that's the only way back into the game now. So many teams and players are rushing this stuff. Who is going to stop them? Not Dessie Farrell or Pádraic Joyce going mad 60 yards away on the sideline, that's for sure. It needs to be someone on the pitch, someone with a clear sense of where they are on the pitch, what sort of time is left on the clock, who is flagging on the opposition side and who is the best choice for the shot on your own side. That game sense has to come from the players who are deep in the middle of it all. It's like the scene in Skyfall when James Bond is meeting the new Q in an art gallery. 'Every now and then the trigger has to be pulled,' Q says. 'Or not pulled,' Bond replies. When it came right down to it on Sunday, Dublin weren't that far off Armagh in general play. But the All-Ireland champions had Grugan making them tick, whereas Dublin were without Con O'Callaghan's leadership and his feel for how to manage a game. And it showed.
