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RTÉ News
4 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Paul Geaney: 'I hope some coach doesn't ruin it on us'
At the end of 2018, Paul Geaney thought seriously about packing in his football career. But now in his mid-30s, he's still going and enjoying one of his finest seasons in recent years, liberated by the FRC revolution. Kerry's championship campaign may have been shunted slightly off course at the weekend but Geaney - blameless regarding events in Tullamore - is enjoying a productive 2025 to date. He racked up 4-17 across Kerry's topsy-turvy but ultimately successful league, assisting in many more scores, and had rustled up 2-10 in three and a half championship games before an injury against Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh forced him to endure a rare spell on the sidelines. At 34, Geaney is keen to prolong to inter-county career as long as possible. Which is a far cry from the late 2010s. As an out-of-sorts Kerry staggered their way through the inaugural - and penultimate - Super 8s group stage, Geaney thought about making the campaign his last in the jersey. "About 2018-19, I found it hard to get motivated," Geaney said, at the launch of the this year's All-Ireland SFC knockout phase. "In the summer of 2018, it actually reflected in my football, really. We lost to Galway here in the first round of the Super 8s and then drew in Clones with Monaghan. "I kind of had a little bit turned the corner motivation-wise towards the end of that group stage. We had Kildare at home but the thing was out of our hands at that point. "We won but Galway happened to lose to Monaghan at home, so we actually got knocked out, which was unfortunate because I felt that I kind of turned a corner. "But then in the off-season, I probably felt I might pack it in, actually. "I wasn't playing as good, or I wasn't invested. I wasn't giving everything to the club either, I suppose, in a lot of senses." Geaney, who had one All-Ireland medal at that point from his second year in the team in 2014, scoring the opening goal in the early minutes of the final, could have opted out prior to his 30th birthday. But he decided to hang tough and remained around long enough to recover his form and add another All-Ireland winners medal as Kerry bridged an eight-year gap in 2022. "I might have been just sick of it, looking back, but probably glad I stuck at it for a while because if I did step out, I don't know would I have had it to come back. I just kind of fought through that patch. I was decent in '19, and then just fought my way back little by little. "In '22, I felt I had a good season, but kind of started back then getting on a good trajectory to being at my best, which I feel I've been at the last two years." The Dingle star has survived long enough to sample the snazzy, new Jim Gavin re-designed Gaelic football. Like his manager, and the majority of the paying public, he is wildly enthusiastic about the new game, which has made playing corner forward fun again. His chief concern at this point is that some coaching superbrain is going to find a way to game the system. "I was an out-and-out corner forward, I suppose, at the start. And then you started developing your second engine, your aerobic engine, for the way the game went afterwards, which I didn't mind too much. "I started to be more of a false nine than an out-and-out striker, in the soccer sense, for a lot of those years, where you were kind of more of a link player and weren't scoring as much or as heavily. "And obviously, there was a lot of defensive work that needed because the backs started going up the field and you had to mark your man. It was nearly more important to make sure that the corner-back wasn't scoring 1-03 than you getting 1-03. "The new rules now have kind of flipped it back the other way. I'm still a link man, but I get to be the out-and-out striker the odd time as well. So you enjoy that. "I hope it stays that way. I hope that some coach doesn't come out and ruin it on us all, because I think every team has seen the benefits of it." Early predictions that the FRC changes were going to lead to even more lop-sided scorelines have been confounded, with several counties re-born amidst one of the most open championships in years. Geaney sees Kerry's conquerors last weekend as a prime example of a team who benefitted from the changes. "There's teams that were playing defensive last year and the year before and showing no ambition to go forward. "Then all of a sudden this year... look at Meath last weekend as an example. We played them last year and they were 15 behind the ball and showed no intention to play football. Then 12 months later, they're able to play like they're playing at the moment. "They're playing a great brand of football. They have the players and had the players last year, but they seem to be inspired at the moment. "There's a lot of teams like that. Down and Monaghan last weekend threw up a great game and there's seven or eight teams that can win the All-Ireland. "It's great for us as spectators to watch the games and be excited by football again. We probably were a little bit jealous of hurling over the last couple of years because of the nature of the Munster championship, specifically. "I know people like to make a bigger thing about it when a team is beaten by a so-called lesser team. At the moment, there's no such thing as an upset. "You can be eight points up or ten points up, and realistically, it's three or four scores. Two-pointers have just changed it and momentum is so hard to break that the game can change rapidly. If you can't get out from your kick-out, you're done really. "It's a hugely important part of the game now, the kick-out. It's probably the main part of the game. But momentum; if a team is firing and they're getting their scores, it's very hard to stem momentum. "That's part of it. I think before the rules, people were worried that the so-called best teams, the gap would be widening, but that's not the case, which is only good for the game." While the defeat in Tullamore was a jolt, it could have an unexpected benefit in providing Kerry with a further chance to tune up in time for an All-Ireland quarter-final - Armagh being probable opponents - even if it will entail them playing three weeks running. "Clearly, we need it. I think we need to nail down some things and need to find the energy that's required to mount a challenge. "You couldn't be happy with Saturday, everyone's a bit disappointed. We just have to regroup and get things right now for this weekend. "If you don't win this weekend, you don't deserve to be going any further. But it's forced us into a one-game-at-a-time mentality, where it's all about Saturday." Defeat to Meath was only the second championship game in his career that Geaney had missed since making his debut against Cavan in 2013. The previous one - not to draw any major conclusions - was the infamous 2020 defeat to Cork in an empty Páirc Uí Chaoimh. On the group stage injury against Cork, Geaney had banged his head shortly beforehand and could have gone off for a concussion check before the incident shortly before half-time that saw him traipse off the pitch. Initially, the two-time All-Ireland winner thought his season was finished until scans painted a far less alarmist picture. "I only got a scan later on in the week, so straight 48 hours afterwards it looked like my year was done, but that was just the nature of the swelling. I went down for a scan after that and all is good." He's touch and go to avoid missing a third championship game against Cavan. If they survive that, he should be available again soon and is set on continuing on for a while yet. "As you kind of come into an off-season, you're thinking, am I able to go again? Can I commit to it time-wise? Can I commit to it family-wise? Work-wise? It's hard to say no if you're available. "I had a thing with my back there two years ago and the surgeon said, 'whatever you're doing, keep doing it because it's keeping you healthy.' So I'll just do it as long as I can." 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. Watch the Tailteann Cup semi-finals, Wicklow v Limerick and Fermanagh v Kildare, 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.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Paul Geaney glad to rediscover his spark and love for football after tough period
Thirteen senior seasons in the green and gold and Paul Geaney reports last Saturday's defeat to Meath was only the second time he was unavailable for Kerry in championship. He returned to training on Tuesday night, confident that bone bruising in his shoulder will be fine after he shipped a knee to it in the win over Cork last month. His only other SFC absence? Against Cork in the Mark Keane Munster semi-final of 2020. That almost sounds to good to be true for a player who had suffered hamstring injuries with a fractured bone in his back. However, those setbacks came in the early part of the season whereas this latest setback ended a run of 10 consecutive starts for the 34-year-old. Geaney puts that down to being smarter about his recovery and preparation and 'letting the hair down is at a minimum'. But there was also rekindling of the Dingle man's affection for the game. 'The other side of it is that I felt so in love with the game again that I probably haven't needed a mental break from it. And I was enjoying my football with my club so much in the off-season as well over the past two seasons. It's helped almost coax me back into pre-season training and to be fit already.' There was a time in 2018 when Geaney was at odds with the game to the point that he considered giving it up. His spark was gone. 'It actually reflected in my football, really. We lost to Galway here in the first round of the Super 8s and then drew in Clones with Monaghan. Read More GAA vote to do away with 50m penalty for kick-out mark fouls 'We had Kildare at home but the thing was out of our hands at that point. And we won, but Galway happened to lose to Monaghan at home, so we actually got knocked out, which was unfortunate because I felt that I kind of turned a corner. 'But then in the off-season, I probably felt I might pack it in, actually. I wasn't playing as good, or I wasn't invested. I wasn't giving everything to the club either in a lot of senses. 'I might have been just sick of it, looking back but probably glad I stuck at it for a while because if I did step out, I don't know would I have had it to come back. And I just kind of fought through that patch. 'A couple of years there, I was decent in '19, and then just fought my way back little by little. In '22, I felt I had a good season, but kind of started back then getting on a good trajectory to being at my best, which I feel I've been at the last two years.' If only Geaney now could have advised the younger Geaney. 'If I could go back today, I'd say just 'relax'. I suppose there was a few reasons for that. As you kind of come into an off-season, you're thinking, 'Am I able to go again? Can I commit to it time-wise? Can I commit to it family-wise?' All that sort of thing. It's hard to say no if you're available. 'I had a thing with my back surgeon there two years ago and he said, 'Whatever you're doing, keep doing it because it's keeping you healthy. So I'll just do it as long as I can.'' Geaney agrees with the point that the direction of football had left him disillusioned too. 'I was an out-and-out corner forward, I suppose, at the start. And then you started developing your second engine, your aerobic engine, for the way the game went afterwards, which I didn't mind too much. 'And I started to be more of a false nine than an out-and-out striker in the soccer sense for a lot of those years where you were kind of more of a link player and weren't scoring as much or as heavily. 'And obviously in GAA, there was a lot of defensive work that needed because the backs started going up the field and you had to mark your man. It was nearly more important to make sure that the corner-back wasn't scoring 1-3 than you getting 1-3.' Geaney has spoken already this year about how the new rules appeal of him tactically as well as personally and he sees the way it has encouraged other teams to come out of their shells. 'I hope it stays that way. I hope that some coach doesn't come out and ruin it on us all. Because I think every team has seen the benefits of it. There's teams that were playing defensive last year and the year before and showing no ambition to go forward. Then all of a sudden this year. 'Meath last weekend as an example, we played them last year and they were 15 behind the ball and they showed no intention to play football. Then 12 months later, they're able to play like they're playing at the moment.' In the wake of that humbling day for Kerry in Tullamore, Geaney agrees with manager Jack O'Connor that this All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final game against Cavan mightn't be such a bad thing. 'Clearly, we need it. I think we need to nail down some things and find the energy that's required to mount a challenge. 'Obviously, if you don't win this weekend, you don't deserve to be going any further. But it's forced us into a one-game-at-a-time mentality, where it's all about Saturday. It doesn't really matter, there's no point in talking about anything after that.'
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Paul Geaney admits he ‘fell out of love' with football but is now enjoying Kerry revival
PAUL GEANEY is back in the honeymoon period with Kerry — after getting over a rocky patch. Gaelic football was the Dingle man's first love and he set his heart on playing for Advertisement 2 Kerry footballer Paul Geaney poses for a portrait at the national launch of the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Series at the Croke Park 2 Geaney admitted that he fell out of love with football in the past - but admits he's loving Kerry's resurgence And the feeling was mutual, with Geaney enjoying his first date with the SFC back in 2013 and sealing the deal with Sam Maguire the following year. But after coasting along for a time, that feeling of bliss deserted him. By 2018, the relationship had hit rock bottom when Geaney started thinking about a separation from the cause. Kerry's Championship suffered a shock break-up during the Super 8s — when defeat to Galway and a draw with Monaghan had them packing their bags. Advertisement READ MORE ON GAA The hitman was about to turn 28, in November, and felt time might be up. But after some soul searching, they had another go at it, the love was rekindled, and a second Celtic Cross arrived in 2022. Now 34, Geaney wants the marriage to continue for as long as possible. When asked by SunSport if he fell out of love with football, he said: 'I did, yeah. About 2018, 2019. I found it hard to get motivated. Advertisement Most read in GAA Football 'In the summer of 2018, It actually reflected in my football. We lost to Galway in the first round of the Super 8s and then drew in Clones with Monaghan. 'We had Kildare at home but the thing was out of our hands at that point. 'Just in time for Father's Day' - Dublin GAA legends welcome the birth of precious baby daughter "And we won, but Galway happened to lose to Monaghan at home, so we got knocked out, which was unfortunate because I felt that I kind of turned a corner. "But then in the off-season, I probably felt I might pack it in. I wasn't playing as good, or I wasn't invested. I wasn't giving everything to the club either. Advertisement 'I might have been just sick of it, looking back, but I'm probably glad I stuck at it for a while because if I did step out. "I don't know if I would have had it to come back and I just kind of fought through that patch. 'I was decent in '19, and then just fought my way back little by little. 'In '22, I felt I had a good season, but kind of started back then getting on a good trajectory to being at my best, which I feel I've been at for the last two years.' Advertisement The two-time All-Star has learned to chill out more — and puts huge stock into looking after himself off the pitch. Kerry's shock Geaney trained with Jack O'Connor's men last night and should be fit to return for Saturday's preliminary quarter-final against Cavan in Killarney. He would love to tell his younger self to loosen up, because loving the game makes it so much easier. Advertisement KINGDOM COMMITMENT He said: 'Maybe it was in my head probably way too early about time ticking, maybe 28, 29, thinking about what time is left. If I could go back today, I'd say, 'Just relax'. 'As you kind of come into an off-season, you're thinking, 'Am I able to go again? Can I commit to it time-wise? Can I commit to it family-wise?' All that sort of thing, work-wise. 'The other side of it is that I felt so in love with the game, and I was enjoying my football with my club so much in the off-season as well over the past two seasons. 'I think a run of getting older and smarter and treating myself better recovery-wise and in the off-season as well. I just stay on top of everything as much as I can. Advertisement 'It's hard to say no if you're available. "I had a thing with my back surgeon there two years ago and he said, whatever you're doing, keep doing it because it's keeping you healthy. So I'll just do it as long as I can.' l KERRY ace Paul Geaney speaking at the launch of the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Series.
The 42
5 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Game-by-game guide after today's All-Ireland senior football draw
All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals Kerry v Cavan Saturday, 3.15pm – Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney – GAA+ A jolt to Kerry's system last Saturday in Tullamore. Not their first loss in the All-Ireland group series since it began, that was the 2023 opener at the hands of Mayo, but they recovered then to top the table, the same position where they finished last year. No direct path to the quarter-finals this time, Meath despatching Kerry towards the last 12 stage. The good news is they have home advantage, greater comfort in the fact they have avoided top-tier Division 1 opposition again. Cavan were terrific in their first game when they stunned Mayo, but life since has been sobering with crushing defeats against Donegal and Tyrone leaving them with a scoring difference of -29. Crosserlough's Paddy Lynch kicked an impressive total of 0-9 against Tyrone yesterday, Cavan will need that replicated and others to step up if they are to shock Kerry. The home side's squad looks threadbare given their injuries, Jack O'Connor will want to reintegrate some key men into the starting side. Only scoring 0-2 in the last 20 minutes is an area Kerry need to remedy as they seek to book a passage to the quarter-finals. Cavan's Oisin Brady. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO ***** Advertisement Dublin v Cork Saturday, 6.15pm – Croke Park – GAA+ A repeat of the All-Ireland quarter-final between the counties in 2022 and the Super 8s game in 2019. Dublin had 11 points to spare three years ago and crashed home five goals en route to a 13-point success six years ago. That's the gap Cork have to close. They pushed Dublin hard when the teams met in the 2023 league, bagging two goals, but have only netted twice in their last seven championship matches. That issue surfaced again on Saturday, yet the flipside was Cork's nerveless defending in holding out Roscommon, their powerful midfield partnership of Colm O'Callaghan and Ian Maguire, and the combined 0-9 return from Mark Cronin and Seán McDonnell. Dublin acquitted themselves well to book second spot in a highly competitive group. The form of Lee Gannon and Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne is encouraging, the endurance of Ciaran Kilkenny equally so. The return of Con O'Callaghan, sorely missed against Armagh, was a major boost with his 0-4 tally against Derry. He is a game changing option as Dublin head back to Croke Park. Cork's Daniel O'Mahony intercepts a pass to Diarmuid Murtagh of Roscommon. Leah Scholes / INPHO Leah Scholes / INPHO / INPHO ***** Down v Galway Sunday, 1.45pm – Páirc Esler, Newry – GAA+. Perhaps the most intriguing pairing given the novelty of the fixture and it puts Galway, All-Ireland finalists in two of the last three seasons, on the road for an awkward encounter. Given their stumbles in the group stage, emerging intact will fill Galway with relief. After defeat to Dublin, a draw with Derry, and trailing by eight points at half-time against Armagh, the recovery mission on Saturday night was impressive, inspired by Shane Walsh's scoring heroics. Padraic Joyce will hope that result gets them on the right track and the signs of John Maher, Cein Darcy, Robert Finnerty, and Matthew Thompson moving well will continue. They bring great experience to bear against a Down team who have impressed since jumping up from the Tailteann Cup twelve months ago. Pat Haverin was outstanding with 0-12 against Monaghan yesterday. Down will be smarting that they didn't close out that game to bag top spot in the group, tighten things up at the back and they'll feel confident of seriously testing Galway. Manager Conor Laverty takes on a county he kicked 1-2 against in defeat in the 2005 All-Ireland U21 football final. Shane Walsh of Galway. James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO ***** Donegal v Louth Sunday 4pm – MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey – GAA+. A repeat of last year's All-Ireland quarter-final where Donegal triumphed 1-23 to 0-18. Peadar Mogan and Oisin Gallen starred on the Donegal side that day, the point-scoring of Tommy Durnin sustained Louth in opposition. Both enter this game as reigning provincial champions, Donegal after landing a seventh Ulster title in 15 years, Louth memorably ending their 68-year wait for Leinster honours. The form of both since then has been striking. Louth have shown signs of a hangover from the high of that exhilirating provincial success. They lost by six to Monaghan and one to Down, needing to dig deep yesterday with the combined 2-11 from Ciaran Downey and Sam Mulroy sweeping them past Clare. This is as tough an examination as they could have asked for, trekking to the north-west. Donegal may have lost at home to Tyrone but since then they ripped Cavan apart and survived a gut check with Mayo. The towering play of Michael Murphy and dashing surges of Ciaran Moore are just two of the assets they can utilise in a game they will be heavily tipped to win. *****
RTÉ News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Whistling past the graveyard as Mayo-Donegal head for the Hyde
Mayo and Donegal decamp to the 'neutral' venue of Dr Hyde Park for what is likely to be a do-or-die game for Stephen Rochford's team at any rate. Personally, I could understand how Donegal supporters might be a bit miffed at the choice of venue. But then other options were probably thin on the ground. The Markievicz pitch is closed for maintenance until the new year and Carrick-on-Shannon might struggle to accommodate the two sets of supporters. Notwithstanding the backdrop behind one of the goals, the Hyde has been anything but a graveyard for Mayo in my time. We haven't lost there in championship since the 2001 Connacht final, close to a quarter of a century ago. Given our record in MacHale Park in the last decade or so, I've thought about petitioning the county board to nominate Roscommon as our home pitch in future. The game inevitably sparks memories of the MacHale Park Super 8s game in 2019, which was a very similar scenario. Donegal were Ulster champions and unbeaten that summer. Our backs were to the wall. We had lost to Roscommon earlier that summer and took a pasting off Kerry in Killarney in the opening Super 8s game. It was one of the best atmospheres I've played in at Castlebar. It was a damp Saturday evening but the place was electric. We turned them over for a famous victory. All four teams have two points entering into the final round, which is an unusual situation in itself. But due to the sequence of results, Mayo are in much more urgent need of a result than Donegal. You can probably tell from that that I don't much fancy Cavan's chances against Tyrone, a team who they've lost against relentlessly over the years. The size of Donegal's win in Kingspan Breffni underlined again - if we needed reminding - how awful Mayo were in the first group game. It was a perennial Mayo problem. Deep down, failing to respect the teams we should beat. It could well prove costly. We saw how transformed they were with a completely different attitude in Omagh, where we devoured them at midfield and on breaking ball. It has to be a similar high-octane vibe this Sunday and the context surrounding the game should feed into that. There's no safety net now. But let's not get carried away either. A defeat here and they're likely out of the championship. Meaning that the past three years will have seen a quarter-final exit, a preliminary quarter-final exit and a group stage exit. Not a good trajectory to be on. They also beat a flat Tyrone team, who were without their strongest ball winner in Brian Kennedy. They're facing a different proposition this week. The Ulster champions have a multitude of aerial options. Michael Langan is an imposing presence and a major scoring outlet. Ciaran Thompson is there, Michael Murphy will be drifting into the middle to fetch kickouts. They've Jason McGee waiting on the bench. Then, they'll have the runners shooting in to seize breaking ball and their wide players will be running off the shoulder and then they're pouring forward. On top of that, Shaun Patton's booming kickouts are a ferocious weapon, which can set them off on attacks in a heartbeat. They've an abundance of two-point shooters, from Langan to Paddy McBrearty to Oisín Gallen, an area of the game where Mayo's threat, as has been documented, is almost non-existent. Mayo have a strong record against Donegal - since the 2012 final, we've knocked them out in big championship games in 2013, 2015 and the aforementioned 2019. But looking at it dispassionately, it's hard to conclude that Donegal aren't three to four points the better team currently. Though Mayo being Mayo, I expect them to go down swinging. Who knows? If the game is close in the Hyde and word filters through that Tyrone are winning well in Enniskillen, we might gravitate towards a draw - similar to that league finale in Ballybofey when Kevin McLoughlin scored the equaliser after taking about 86 steps or whatever it was. There will be similar levels of anxiety in Group 4, where supporters will be scrolling their phones to check the other score constantly. Armagh supporters needn't worry about any of that. But I don't see them easing off the throttle this Saturday evening. If anything, I reckon Kieran McGeeney could spy a chance to eliminate one of their chief rivals. Even if he does ring the changes, Armagh have so much depth currently they won't be substantially weakened. We spoke about Donegal's two-point threat earlier. But Galway's two-point obsession was nearly the ruin of them in Celtic Park. Padraic Joyce was understandably happy to have survived at all but if you watch back the closing stages, they had more than enough time and chances to overhaul Derry had they taken more prudent options in attack. Paul Conroy, Cillian McDaid and Dylan McHugh, three of their biggest players last year, were massively subdued and taken off before the end. You could say their depth did save them in the end, with Céin Darcy and, to a lesser extent, Peter Cooke coming good in the closing stages. It's a huge game in Páirc Esler and a nervy one for the Hill. Imagine Dublin tumbling out of the championship this early? Their performance against Armagh was borderline surreal at times. The wild shooting was bad enough. Being guilty of three 'three-up' infractions at this stage of the season was almost beyond belief. Have Derry the tools and the men in form to take them down? They played with staggering intensity at home to Galway and Conor Glass is almost in Footballer of the Year territory (can you win it if your team can't win a match?) Niall Loughlin had a super game the last day but I fear they're over-reliant on the midfield pairing of Glass and Brendan Rogers. Shane McGuigan is still not hitting the heights of 2022-23. And they're still conceding too many goals. Five against Kerry in the league, four against Armagh in the league, four again against Galway the last day... and some of them have been plain chaotic. A lot will depend on whether Con O'Callaghan is back in the saddle this week, but I don't expect as wasteful a shooting display again. My hunch is a Dublin win in Newry, with possibly another drawn game in Cavan. Meaning the Connacht champions will sneak through without needing a win in the Group of Death. Follow a live blog on the All-Ireland Football Championship on Saturday on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game at 9.30pm. 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.
