Club GAA Issue 1 June 2013

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@clubgaa1

EST THE LAT FROM E TH AROUNDNDS GROU

MICHAEL LYSTER FRONT AND CENTRE

ALL-IRELAND AND ALLIANZ

PREVIEWS & REVIEWS

COLM COYLE LIVING LEGEND

ANDREW SHORE

NEWS & CHAIRMAN INTERVIEWS

HURLING HERO

PARNELLS ST.BRIGIDS CROSSMAGLEN THURLES SARSFIELD

PROFILES HENRY SHEFFLIN STEPHEN CLUXTON JIM MCGUINNESS 2009627014-07.eps NBW=85 B=20

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GAA DIASPORA WORLDWIDE

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5%

Quite simply of your accommodation and food spend at The Croke Park Hotel and/or room hire and food spend at the Croke Park Conference Centre, will be donated to your preferred GAA club by the venue/s.

Over €6,500 has been donated to GAA clubs nationwide.

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COLM COYLE INTERVIEW

A born and bred Royal, GAA was always close to Colm Coyle’s heart

Michael Lyster is as familiar to GAA fans as a Brian Cody or a Henry Shefflin. He has been on our television screens for some of the most spine tingling moments in recent GAA history

24 GAA WORLDWIDE OPINION

With the constant flow of citizens leaving the country, the GAA is beginning to suffer or is it?

68 ANDREW SHORE “The Croke Park Hotel - the No. 1 GAA hotel”

Jim McGuinness, Henry Shefflin, Stephen Cluxton

36 CLUB FOCUS&

Tel: (01) 871 4444

Tel: (01) 819 2300

www.doylecollection.com/gaa

www.crokepark.ie/conference-centre

CHAIRMAN INTERVIEWS:

FOOTBALL & HURLING PREVIEWS

34 LADIES ALL-IRELAND FOOTBALL PREVIEW

45 FETAC SPECIAL FEATURE

56 ALLIANZ FOOTBALL & HURLING REVIEWS

Parnells, St.Brigids, Crossmaylen, Thurles

72 UNDERAGE CLUB NEWS

60 CAMOGIE REVIEWS

Andrew Shore proud to wear the purple and yellow jersey of his native county

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34 Croke Park Conference Centre

All the latest from the grounds

23 PLAYER PROFILES:

– Liam Ó’Néill, Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael

The Croke Park Hotel

Hawkeye Technology makes its way into the GAA

INTERVIEW

18 CLUB NEWS

INTERVIEW

28 ALL-IRELAND

10 MICHAEL LYSTER

16 GENERAL NEWS

2 Clare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

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the team Editor: Alan Conway alan@clubgaa.com Contributors: Daire Walsh, Colm McCluskey Content Advisor: David Flanagan Design: Sinéad Miller sinead@clubgaa.com Photography: Sportsfile & Inpho Financial Director: Tom McGrath

WELCOME MESSAGE On behalf of everyone at Club GAA magazine, I would like to welcome you to our first publication of what we think you’ll agree is a tremendous, and hopefully enjoyable read.

Managing Director: Brian O’Connell brianpoconnell@clubgaa.com

We at Club GAA will take you right to the heart of the GAA world. We will bring you exclusive interviews with the biggest names from both hurling and football, along with all the latest news from clubs, all around the country, along with all the news from both the All-Ireland football and hurling championships as both competitions begin to yawn into life.

Advertising and Marketing Director: Gerard Connon + 353 (86) 6089220 gerardconnon@clubgaa.com

In this issue we have a number of exciting interviews for you to enjoy. We sit down with the face of the Sunday Game, Michael Lyster, to discuss his career to date along with his opinions on the present state of the game. He also takes us through his recent health scare and how he is in fighting form ahead of the 2013 championship.

Media Partner: Jay Harding + 353 (83) 1128148 jay@clubgaa.com

There is also an exclusive interview with former Meath football manager Colm Coyle. Coyle talks candidly about his All-Ireland winning career along with his time spent in the Meath hot seat. It is an interview that you will not want to miss.

Publisher: Council Publications Ltd. Copyright CLUB RUGBY MAGAZINE 2013. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form without the express written permission of the publishers.

Are you interested in learning more about Ireland’s history and culture?

Finally we talk to Wexford star Andrew Shore, who talks in depth about his decision to concentrate full time on hurling, along with his hopes for Wexford in the forthcoming championship.

In our dedicated club section we profile Parnell’s, St Brigid’s, Crossmaglen and Thurles Sarsfield. We have interviews with each of the club’s chairmen along with up to the minute news from each of the respective clubs.

Sign up today fo rt FREE on his line course!

Henry Shefflin and Stephen Cluxton come under the spotlight in our special player profile section, while we cast an eye over All-Ireland winning manager Jim McGuinness in our manager profile.

Colm McCluskey takes a look at the GAA Dispora throughout the world, while also profiling the evolution of women’s roles within the GAA.

CLUB GAA MAGAZINE Unit D4, Swords Enterprise Park, Drinam, Swords, Co. Dublin p (01) 5359631 f (01) 5358752 e info@clubgaa.com

We have a comprehensive review of the Allianz Football, Hurling and Camogie leagues, while we also look forward to both the All-Ireland Football and Hurling championships as the action begins to hot up.

There is also a dedicated club news section along with news from the underage section, as we strive to give you a comprehensive overview of the latest goings on within the world of GAA. We hope that you enjoy our Issue 1 and I look forward to talking to you throughout the summer.

Alan Conway Yours Sincerely.

ALAN CONWAY

@clubgaa1

Explore Irish Identity with Hibernia College This year, the year of the Gathering, communities throughout Ireland are showcasing and sharing the very best of Irish culture and tradition. Hibernia College, in association with the Gathering, is taking this online by launching the first Irish massive

open online course (MOOC) on the theme of Irish identity.

The course will start on 27 May 2013. Please log on to mooc.hiberniacollege.com to learn more.

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A BORN AND BRED ROYAL, GAA WAS ALWAYS CLOSE TO COLM COYLE’S HEART.

hile he made his name and presence felt in the green and gold of Meath, it was the Dublin footballers of the 1970’s that first ignited the passion within Colm Coyle, a passion that would fire Coyle to three All-Ireland winner’s medals during a decade long career in the Meath jersey.

feel a part of the whole experience because I had been away. Other lads had put the really hard work that particular year. It was their All-Ireland more than mine, I was back in America a few days after the final, so I didn’t really get a chance to get caught up in all the celebrations.”

A born and bred Royal, GAA was always close to Coyle’s heart ‘as was the way with most county lads’ yet as he admits it was Meath’s old rivals Dublin that fired his imagination during a sports filled upbringing.

Although he didn’t feel quite a part of his first All-Ireland campaign, the same cannot be said for the next two. Despite returning to America, Coyle would return to Meath and help them land back to back Sam Maguire’s in 1988.

“Back in those days Dublin were the glamour side of the 1970’s”, Coyle says. “At the time Dublin were beating Meath on a fairly regular basis and they were a fantastic team to watch. They would have been my inspiration I suppose, guys like Anto O’Toole and Brian Mullins especially.

Yet it is his involvement in the 1996 championship winning side that is closest to his heart. Describing himself as one of the ‘elder statesmen’ within the squad, Coyle was the experience in a youthful, fearless, Meath side that didn’t back down from any side that they come against.

“I remember I made my championship debut against Anto O’Toole and while it was a tremendous honour to play against him, I was half looking to take his head off and make a bit of an impact”, Coyle jokingly admits.

When you mention that ’96 final you can hear the passion in Coyle’s voice. To climb to the top of the football mountain three times in a career, requires a special type of player, but that ’96 final still rushes to the top of his memory.

That senior debut against the Dubs in 1983 would prove to be the starting point for Coyle. Despite losing to Dublin ‘again, they just seemed to have our number during that period’ Coyle feels that those years of trying to stand toe to toe with Dublin stood Meath in good stead, and in many ways laid the foundations for the Royal county’s eventual success.

“It was terrific to be a part of that 1996 squad. We had a lot of youth within that particular side and it was great to be involved.

What made it more special I think, was that it totally came out of the blue.

“You have to remember”, Coyle states. “That the Dublin team that we lost to in ’83 went on to win the All-Ireland that year. So when you look at it from that angle we weren’t too far off of being one of the best sides in the country. We just needed to make the jump up to the next level.”

Which is exactly what Coyle and Meath did. A Leinster championship win in 1986 put the wheels in motion for Meath to have a crack at Sam Maguire that September. Yet something was missing. More to the point someone was missing.

Ireland during the 1980’s wasn’t the happiest place on earth. Much like today unemployment was sky high and the prospects of gaining employment seemed as far away as possible. Like many people Coyle looked to foreign lands for work and eventually he pitched up in Chicago, a move that meant his involvement with the Meath football team would be at an end. However that is just part of the story.

“I moved in the March of ’87, basically because I couldn’t find any work in Ireland. The lads weren’t too happy with me but I had to do what was best for me.

“After the Leinster final I got a call from Sean Boyland. It wasn’t a straightforward decision but Sean can be fairly persistent, so I came back just before the All-Ireland semi-final and I came on with about twenty minutes to go. Sean had to make a fair few calls to get me to come home, but I am glad that I did.

“While it was a great experience to win an All-Ireland I didn’t really 2 Clare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Email: info@hiberniacollege.net Phone: +353 (0)1 661 0168 Fax: +353 (0)1 661 0162

“We never thought during the early stages of the championship that we would be involved at the business end of things, but there you go. Sport can surprise you sometimes and that was a pleasant surprise to get.”

One would think that after a stellar inter-county career that Coyle would want to escape the pressure cooker environment that being an inter-county football sustains.

However rather than walking away from it, Coyle swapped the jersey for the tracksuit and would make the transition to becoming Meath manager eventually in 2007. One would assume that after such a highly successful playing career that making the step into management would have been the natural step. Not for Coyle however.

“Honestly I had no desire to get involved in management”, Coyle admits. “I was just tipping away, doing a little coaching here and there but that was just to keep my eye in, so to speak. After a while Sean came calling again, and asked me would I like to become involved, and as I said before Sean is a difficult man to say no to.”

Sadly his time as inter-county manager would not be the bliss filled paradise that Coyle would have hoped for. Things had started well for Coyle and Meath as they got to the semi-finals of the AllIreland, eventaully losing out to Cork.

That would prove to be the zenith of the success that Meath would achieve under Coyle’s stewardship. Two further disappointing campaigns would see Coyle walk away from the job, something that still stings a little when you mention his tenure as manager.

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COYLE SPORTS SURFACES Coyle Sport Surfaces Ltd was founded in 2009 to provide a professional service to the ever growing Synthetic Surface market in Ireland. In partnership with one of the world’s leading carpet manufacturers ACT Global Sports, they supply, install and maintain a range of top quality products which are approved by FIFA, IRFU, FIH, IAAF and the GAA. The company was founded by Colm Coyle and Seamus Byrne. Colm Coyle has over 10 years’ experience in the Synthetic Sports Industry and over 25 years of sports participation. Colm played Senior Football with Meath for 17 years winning 3 All Ireland Senior Championship medals, plus numerous other titles at national and provincial level.

He has also managed both Monaghan and Meath Senior football teams and has played League of Ireland football with Drogheda United.

This experience has helped Colm in the Synthetic Sports Industry as he is able to draw on his experiences to provide both practical and professional advice to clients in relation to the quality of product that best suits their needs. He has worked closely with ACT Global Sports since 2007 and it is through this partnership that Coyle Sport Surfaces are able to offer the most up to date and innovative products on the market today.

Colm Coyle, Meath manager.

GAA Football Leinster Senior Championship 1st Round, Meath v Carlow

“There was no point in doing the job if you are not going to progress, and we weren’t progressing. The first year was good, but the second year was a disaster. I don’t think the hunger levels were right when I was in charge.

There was also a number of young players coming through at the time and they needed time to bed in, so there were a combination of factors.

“I suppose it would have been better if we were winning, but when you are losing it makes things that much more difficult. That’s why I have a tremendous amount of respect for the inter-county managers that haven’t enjoyed the success that the likes of Jim McGuinness and Donegal have enjoyed. It’s a hell of a commitment to make”.

Having stepped away from the coal face of the game, Coyle now runs a successful sport surface company, but still keeps an eye on the world of championship

Seamus Byrne has been involved in agriculture for the past 30 years while also being involved in property in the Meath Area. Seamus has been an active member of the Seneschalstown Football Club in Meath having played for over 15 years and is still very much involved with the club.

Seamus teamed up with Colm Coyle through mutual recognition that a

company offering tailor-made quality synthetic surfaces was very much in demand on the Irish market.

They provide a complete turn key operation for clubs, schools, local authorities and individuals, ranging from base work, fencing, floodlighting, through to the installation of the carpet.

Coyle Sport Surfaces offers a very personalised service. They provide a free site survey and estimate on the cost of the planned project. To ensure that each project is completed to meet their client’s requirements and satisfaction they assign a Project Manager, who will be available before, during and after completion of the project to answer any queries the client may have.

Coyle Sport Surfaces in partnership with ACT Global Sports offer a full range of top quality carpets to suit every sport including GAA, Soccer, Rugby, Hockey and Tennis. All their carpets are approved by the relevant sports governing bodies. The company can also supply a multi-sport carpet which is ideal for schools and playgrounds.

They provide a free professional service to our clients in the design and planning stage of every project from ground works and drainage to the type of fencing and floodlighting that best suits the client. We also appoint a project manager to manage the project from start to finish and they are available to the client on a full time basis to help with any queries they may have.

Their aim is to provide top quality products combined with unbeatable service and advice. n

football and is forthright in his views of both the current Meath team and also how he sees the 2013 championship shaping up.

“I don’t think Meath have been doing the business over the last number of seasons. They are in a little bit of a development stage at the moment. The problem is that there is a lack of young players coming off the conveyer belt, and that is where the likes of Dublin and Kildare have stolen a little bit of a march on us. “I think Andy Mac is doing a good job and they are going on the right path, but I think they are still one or two years away from competing at the top end. I hope I am wrong but that’s how I see things.

“As far as the championship goes, the one team that I am looking forward to watching this season is Kildare. Kieran Mc Geeney has done a great job with them and I think they could be the dark horses of the championship.

“Obviously Donegal are going to be right in the mix, but they are coming to the end of a three year cycle, and they have trained and played very hard over the last two years. What Jimmy (McGuinness) has done is remarkable. He turned them from no hopers into AllIreland champions in two years. Just think about that. It is a fantastic accomplishment. Their workrate is phenomenal but you just have this nagging doubt in the back of your mind that they could be just a little tired this time around, and if they are anyway short of 100% then there are teams there that will exploit that weakness.”

“Along with Kildare and Donegal, you have the likes of Dublin and Kerry, it promises to be a compelling championship and one that I am very much looking forward to.”

Compelling. Exactly the word you would use to describe Colm Coyle. n

Coylesports Ltd Ardlaun House, Hayestown, Navan, Co. Meath Tel: +353 (0) 46 929 3020 Email: info@coylesportsurfaces.ie

COYLE Sport Surfaces Ltd was founded in 2009 to provide a professional service to the ever growing Synthetic Surface market in Ireland. In partnership with one of the worlds leading carpet manufacturers ACT Global Sports, we supply, install and maintain a range of top quality products which are approved by FIFA, IRFU, FIH, IAAF and the GAA. We provide a complete turn key operation for clubs, schools, local authorities and individuals, ranging from base work, fencing, floodlighting, through to the installation of the carpet.

Coyle Sport Surfaces offers a very personalised service. We provide a free site survey and estimate on the cost of the planned project. To ensure that each project is completed to meet our client’s requirements and satisfaction we assign a Project Manager, who will be available before, during and after completion of the project to answer any queries the client may have.

Our aim is to provide top quality products combined with unbeatable service and advice.

www.coylesportsurfaces.ie

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HIS NAME AND FACE IS AS FAMILIAR AS THE THEME SONG THAT GREETS THE PROGRAMME THAT HE HAS FRONTED FOR THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST TWO DECADES. MICHAEL LYSTER IS AS FAMILIAR TO GAA FANS AS A BRIAN CODY OR A HENRY SHEFFLIN. HE HAS BEEN ON OUR TELEVISION SCREENS FOR SOME OF THE MOST SPINE TINGLING MOMENTS IN RECENT GAA HISTORY, AND THROUGH IT ALL HE HAS GUIDED THE SUNDAY GAME ALONG WITH THAT COOL PROFESSIONALISM THAT HAS COME TO DEFINE HIS WORK. Sitting down with Club GAA in the halls of RTE, surroundings which has become his second home, Lyster is relaxed. At the moment he is staring into another championship season, another summer that will provide unbelievable highs and soul searching lows.

He has come a long way. Having grown up in Galway, sport, and Gaelic Games, in particular, were always a part of the young Lyster’s life and like any young boy in Ireland, he played whatever sport was going.

“I loved all sports”, Lyster explains. “The local GAA pitch was across the road from me, so that was my primary sport. I always say that if there was a motor racing track beside us, then a lot of us would have become motor racing drivers. People tend to gravitate to whatever sport is closest to them, and I was no exception.

“My father played a little for Galway, so that was the main attraction. There was also the famous Galway team that won three in a row during that period of time and they were the big stars of the time.

“At the time you also had the great Manchester Utd side of the 1960’s that included likes of George Best, and they were huge at the time.

2 Clare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Email: info@hiberniacollege.net Phone: +353 (0)1 661 0168 Fax: +353 (0)1 661 0162

2 Clare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Email: info@hiberniacollege.net Phone: +353 (0)1 661 0168 Fax: +353 (0)1 661 0162

“I could never have dreamed that I would be involved in sport the way I have been. The love was always there, as I always say, if it was pumped or round, you had a go of it.”

Lyster’s infectious love for the game would continue through his teenage years and into his adult life. Having left school, and with a keen passion for writing, he applied to the Tuam Herald to become a trainee reporter. It would be the start of a lifelong involvement of sports media.

He cut his teeth at rural level, before an opening came up in RTE. It may have seemed like a well thought out plan to make the step up to the national broadcaster, but as Lyster explains, it wasn’t exactly like that.

“I applied for the craic, really”, he jokingly admits. “They were looking for people to man the sports desk so I applied because half of me wanted to see would I get the job and the other half wanted to see RTE. “Initially when I was offered the job I didn’t reply. It was about two months later when RTE sent me a letter asking me would I take the job. So I decided to take it.

“At the time pirate radio was just starting and it was fairly obvious to me that a place like Galway would be granted a licence. The plan

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was to gain some experience in RTE, then head back to local radio, but like all well intentioned plans, things didn’t quite work out like that.”

Despite not heading back west, Lyster would bloom in Dublin. Having worked on radio, covering the All-Ireland championships, he would end up making the move from the airwaves to the television screens, a place which he has never left.

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“Again, there was no grand plan, things just happened. Jim Carney was presenting the Sunday Game at the time and he left after a car accident, so that left a gap. They offered the job to me. I did it for a year and I’m still here!.

“That first year I was still attached to the radio and the Sunday Game was a little extra. At times I was working seven days a week. So I had to make a decision and I went with television.

“At the time the Sunday Game was only going for around five years, so it was exciting to be a part of something that was still relativity new.

I think we brought things a long a little bit, by doing features and things like that. The Sunday Game became something more than just the GAA coverage; it was a programme that people looked out for.”

Through his involvement with the Sunday Game, Lyster has witnessed, first hand, some of the most iconic moments that have taken place within the sport. You wonder, through the catalogue of games that he has seen, is there one that particularly stands out?

“I wouldn’t say there is one game, but there have been a few moments”, he says. “On a personal level, Galway winning the All-Ireland in 1998 was one that stands out, because it was 32 years since they won it.

“Through the late ‘80’s you had Tipperary’s late comeback in ’89.

Then you had Donegal in 1992. That early 1990’s period was a special period of time, because you had Down, Donegal and Derry all winning All-Ireland’s.

“I remember in 1992 and we were doing previews around the country and it was the first time that I saw how much GAA touched the local community. You would drive through Donegal and there would be lads painting sheep, it’s now common place but that was the first time that I experienced something like that.”

Like every sport, GAA has evolved throughout the decades, as the recent addition of the ‘hawk eye’ technology proves, you ask Lyster how, in his eyes, the game has changed. The question draws a wry smile, as if he has been waiting to answer such a question.

“Where to start”, he shoots back. “It has changed a lot, both for good and bad. In hurling there were a lot of fouls and acts that wouldn’t be tolerated today. Any kind of skilful player would be taken out of the game by defenders who had licence to do it.

“In saying that I think things have gone a little bit too far in the other direction, today. You have this nonsense of yellow cards and black cards.

I think the GAA are trying to take a lot of the control out of the hands of the referee. Their argument is that they are trying to stabilise the

2 Clare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Email: info@hiberniacollege.net Phone: +353 (0)1 661 0168 Fax: +353 (0)1 661 0162

Presenter of RTÉ Sport Michael Lyster

game, but every incident is different. In theory it is a good idea, but in practice…

“In my view the ref is there to make the decision. We all know they aren’t going to get it right all the time, but at least they make a decision.

“I think the games have become less cynical, yet tactically they have become more cynical. In terms of going out and ‘doing a player’ that happens a lot less than it used to”.

Having fronted the Sunday Game for so long, this time period is one of excitement for Lyster. With the championship yawning into life, you press him for selections for teams that could be fighting it out come September in both hurling and football; he gives typical thought to such

a question.

“I think Dublin in football could go very close. They won the AllIreland two years ago and you could argue that they have a better panel than when they won Sam. On league form you would have to say Dublin. I think all the usual suspects will be in the quarter-finals and then it is a case of who plays each other, but I think the Dubs will be right there.

“In hurling I think Tipperary could have a big season. Obviously you can never write off Kilkenny, but they are missing Henry (Shefflin) at the moment, which doesn’t make things easy. I think the bookies have it wrong. For me, it should be Tipp as favourites with Kilkenny second.”

Away from the cameras, Lyster has been fighting his own health

2 Clare Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Email: info@hiberniacollege.net Phone: +353 (0)1 661 0168 Fax: +353 (0)1 661 0162

battles. He was diagnosed with chronic heart failure in November and admits that he had a ‘rough winter’ but is happy to report that he has got back on track, something that all GAA fans will be happy to hear.

“The aim for me was to get back to good health at the right time.

I came back during the league campaign and in retrospect it was far too early. I was still in recovery from the heart issues. The first few Sunday’s I wasn’t quite right.

“It didn’t help that the weather was bloody awful too, it would have killed a good man!. We didn’t have a studio, we did everything pitch side and I thought if this doesn’t finish me off then nothing will.”

Thankfully Lyster will be front and centre for this, and hopefully, many more summers to come. Let the games begin. n

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Daire WALSH

Probably O’Hara’s finest moment in a Sligo jersey came during the 2007 Connacht decider, when his excellent individual goal paved the way for the Yeats County to record their first senior provincial success since 1975. It was the third of five Connacht finals that O’Hara competed in, and though they ended up second-best in the remaining finals, Sligo did enjoy a memorable sojourn through the back-door in 2001 and 2002 under Peter Forde.

The latter, in particular, caught the eye, as Sligo knocked out Tyrone in a Round 4 Qualifier, before bringing eventual Sam Maguire winners Armagh to a replay in the All-Ireland Quarter-Final, which Sligo narrowly lost. His performances that year led to him receiving his one and only All-Star, which was only the third given to a Sligo man since the awards scheme was introduced in 1971. He also featured in the International Rules Series on two separate occasions for Ireland.

In a released statement, O’Hara explained in specific terms why he had decided to retire.

“It is with both sadness and a sense of great personal achievement that I announce my retirement from intercounty football today.

“While Gaelic football has been and continues to be a massive part of my life, I believe after nearly two decades wearing the Sligo jersey, the time is right for me to step aside. I do so knowing that I was very privileged to have played for my county, my province and my country.

Richard Reid, Ballyhale Shamrocks, in action against Nicky Kirwan, Oulartthe-Ballagh

He has been an ever-present in the Kilkenny Championship XV since Brian Cody replaced Kevin Fennelly as manager in the autumn of 1998, but it finally looks like Henry Shefflin’s unbroken run of 62 consecutive Championship appearances is about to come to an end after the latest in a catalogue of injuries. Having remained relatively injury-free during the opening part of his inter-county career, the Ballyhale Shamrocks man suffered an unfortunate cruciate knee ligament injury during the first half of the Noresiders’ 2007 All-Ireland triumph over Limerick.

After eventually recovering from this set-back, the former Waterford IT star returned to claim his 6th and 7th All-Ireland SHC winners’ medals in 2008 and 2009 respectively, but a further cruciate ligament injury in his left knee, picked up against Cork in the All-Ireland Semi-Final three years ago, initially ruled him out of the subsequent decider against Tipperary, and though he did eventually line out against the Premier County, he had to withdraw after just 12 minutes of play.

Once again Shefflin was able to regain fitness in time for The Cats’ 2011 success over Tipperary, but after picking up a shoulder injury he once again had to sit out Kilkenny’s National Hurling League campaign. A 9th All-Ireland, 10th All-Star and third Hurler Of The Year award did follow when he resumed action, but his injury jinx was not about to go away, and a foot ailment deriving from a provincial club clash in Wexford Park last December has halted his potential return to the field of play.

There was some hope that he could make his county’s Leinster opener against Kilkenny on June 9 in O’Connor Park, Tullamore when he returned to some light training after their NHL final win over old rivals Tipperary, but a stress fracture to his metatarsal has left him needing a protective boot on his left foot once more. This makes him a doubt not just for the Offaly game, but also a semi-final against Dublin or Wexford should they see off the challenge of Ollie Baker’s side, and although we can expect that he will at least see some form of action before the summer’s action comes to an end, it will certainly be peculiar to see the reigning Liam McCarthy taking to the Championship field without their most prized asset.

19 years after his first making his debut, Sligo’s Eamon O’Hara finally decided to announce his retirement from inter-county football on May 14th. The Tourlestrane man had been the longest-serving inter-county player in the county, but at 37 years of age he feels the time is right to officially step aside.

He had opted out of the panel at the beginning of January due to work commitments, but had refused to rule out a return to Kevin Walsh’s squad in time for their Championship campaign. Indeed, it seemed as if he was making himself available to former Galway midfielder Walsh as they were preparing for their Connacht SFC opener against Ruislip on May 26th, but there was no indication that the Killanin native was ready to call upon O’Hara’s services for the 2013 season.

“To represent your county is an honour but to have been afforded the opportunity to play 19 seasons for Sligo is truly humbling. I have played with and against some of the best footballers ever to have graced a football pitch and I have developed great friendships along the way.

“I would like to thank everyone who has supported me during my career, my club Tourlestrane, my close friends and especially my family, whose loyalty and patience has underpinned my commitment to county football.

and guided Leinster to five consecutive Railway Cup Final victories between 1971 and 1975. It was perhaps his work in administration that really built his legacy, though, and after his tenure as secretary of his home club, he later assumed positions on both the Southern Board and the Kilkenny County Board.

Having impressed with his hard work in these roles, he later served as Chairman of the Leinster Council, and eventually was elected as President of the Gaelic Athletics Association in 1981. Noted for his efforts to embrace grassroots membership, Buggy presided over the GAA’s Centenary celebrations in 1984, which is rightly remembered as one of the highlights of the association’s history to date.

Aside from the grassroots of the organisation that he served so well, Buggy was also extremely proud of his native roots, and was quite vociferous during the campaign to keep Slieverue within the confines of County Kilkenny, amid moves to have it incorporated into an expanded City of Waterford, where it would have served as a suburb of the northern bank of the River Suir. His reposing took place at the Powers Funeral Home, Ferrybank at 2pm on Friday May 17th, with his removal then taking place at 7pm on the same day at the Sacred Heart Church in the town.

His requiem mass was held on Saturday May 18th at 2pm, followed by his burial in the adjoining cemetery.

Dubbed by many as ‘Bitegate’, an alleged incident involving Donegal’s Paddy McBrearty and Dublin Kevin O’Brien during a drawn Allianz National Football League encounter in Ballybofey on April 7th

“I will continue playing with Tourlestrane, but I also look forward to pursuing other opportunities including my new role working with RTE’s Sunday Game team as a football analyst and getting more involved with the Gaelic Players Association past players group.”

It was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of former GAA President Paddy Buggy in mid-May at the age of 84. A member of the Slieverue club in south Kilkenny, Buggy was a talented hurler before beginning his work as a GAA administrator, and played for Kilkenny between the years of 1949 and 1960.

He finished his career as an inter-county player with five Leinster Senior Hurling Championship and one All-Ireland Championship winner’s medals to his name, as well as playing in the 1950 decider, which ended in a defeat to Tipperary. His only Liam McCarthy success coming against Waterford in the 1957 final, when near neighbours had led the showcase by six points with 15 minutes left to play, only for two quick goals to pave the way for Kilkenny to win the game with a point to spare over the Deise.

After his playing retirement, he then tried his hand at management,

Richard Reid, Ballyhale Shamrocks

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has led to the GAA making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The All-Ireland Champions had claimed that teenager McBrearty had been bitten by a Dublin player (who was later revealed to be Naomh Mearnog’s O’Brien) during the game, and the corner-forward’s subsequent trip to a nearby hospital added further fuel to the story.

He was able to line out for the county’s Under 21 side in their Ulster Championship clash with Cavan three days later, but it was later stated by the Donegal medical team that he was treated for a ‘laceration’ on his shoulder. They indicated that Dublin’s medics were able to clarify this, but there were conflicting reports that they felt it was a ‘bruising’ rather than a ‘laceration’. However, having examined the claims put forward, the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) proposed a three-match suspension for the Dublin man, which would have ruled him out of their forthcoming Allianz NFL against Tyrone on April 28th and two Championship games.

As is customary for suspensions that go through the CCCC, O’Brien – who captained Dublin during their run to All-Ireland glory in the Under-21 Championship – had the right to appeal his possible suspension, and having protested his innocence (with the backing of the Dublin County Board), his case was brought before the Central Hearings Committee (CHC) in the week leading up to the league decider.

With evidence and submissions provided by both parties, the CHC made the decision to clear O’Brien of all charges made against him in relation to the incident involving McBrearty, as they felt that the infraction could not be proven. The absence of McBrearty at the hearing was seen as the major reason for the CHC to make their final judgement, though Donegal felt that they had provided enough information to the committee for them to press forward with the inquiry.

With Dublin and Donegal now concentrating on their separate provincial campaigns, both camps are looking to put the saga behind them, but there certainly has been a degree of frustration with the way that the whole affair developed. GAA Director General Paraic Duffy, for instance, has stated that is a matter of record that McBrearty was bitten, and the fact that no one has been held to account for the incident has been damaging to the association, though he did also jump to the defence of the GAA disciplinary procedures that were deployed.

The fact that original referee Padraig Hughes had to be replaced because of injury seven minutes into the second half by Michael Duffy did complicate matters, as this meant that the CCCC and CHC had to examine two separate referee reports. Donegal manager Jim McGuinness finally broke his silence on the issue, and even though he stated that he, along with the Donegal County Board, wanted McBrearty to attend the hearing in Dublin, he felt that McBrearty was well within his rights not to be in attendance on the night, and feels that it was wrong to point the finger of blame at the Kilcar youngster, as some have done.

With so much for the two teams to focus on over the coming months, they will be looking to put the incident behind them for good, but should the sides end up meeting each other at some point in the Championship (though it is always difficult to predict if that will happen) there may still be some tension in the air. n

Among the outdoor water activities that patrons can look forward to include:

Whether you’re planning a weekend away with friends or a family holiday in Ireland, Avon Ri offers an unforgettable experience boasting magnificent luxury self-catering accommodation in Wicklow, a top class fine dining restaurant, and impressive bar, lounge and Terrace overlooking the spectacular Blessington Lakes and Wicklow Mountains.

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE GAME Technology and its many incarnations are continually described as wonderful inventions and this is true, most of the time.

The use of technology in sport has been called into question on many different occasions across a host of different games over the years. There have been cries and shouts for its insertion into soccer most of all, while in tennis there was a demand for it to be readjusted or removed altogether.

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Kayaking

• Canadian Canoe

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Sailing - Keel Boat

• Sailing - Toppers

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Windsurfing

• Fishing

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Power Boat Training • Youth & School Tours (Please see the corporate section)

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Camps

Combining our fabulous setting and our warmly decorated function rooms, Avon Ri is the perfect venue for Weddings and other social gatherings.

Their first class leisure resort offers a Swimming pool, Sauna, Steam room, Jacuzzi and Gym along with Outdoor activities guaranteed to make your stay one to remember.

If sailing and windsurfing are not your cup of tea, the hotel has a number of land based sports that will not only keep your feet dry, but will keep you entertained for hours on end.

Dublin hurling star Conal Keaney works at the hotel, maintaining and looking after the hotels leisure area and he feels that the picturesque resort is the perfect escape for family and friends to enjoy either a relaxing break away from the hustle and bustle of city life or to try some high paced sporting activities.

Non-water activities include:

• Summer Camp’s

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Segway Tours by the Lake

• Clay Pigeon Shooting

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Archery

• Air rifle shooting

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Climbing Wall

• Team Building

“We have everything that one could want. At the moment we have around 39 self-catering houses dotted around the estate.

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Team Challenge

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Zipline

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Low Ropes

• Orienteering

Referees then have to take the brunt of the incorrect calls.

UEFA and FIFA have now decided to introduce the use of goal line technology and it will be brought in over the next few years.

“In the hotel we have a swimming pool and Jacuzzi with beautiful views out over Blessington Lake, a sauna and steam room, and a comprehensively equipped gym. Our outdoor activities divide into water-based and landbased, and our experienced outdoor activity team is on hand to teach, set-up and co-ordinate all levels of participation in all our activities.

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Hillwalking

• Mountain biking

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Mountain bike hire

• Tennis

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Five-a-side Football

• First Aid Training

Across the waters in the USA they have embraced technology and its beneficial use in many of their sports. In American football a team can ask for a replay if they feel there has been a bad call made.

“Our gym is fully equipped with the highest spec equipment. We offer classes in everything, ranging from cardio training, resistance training, all the way to health screening, as well individualised induction & on-going programmes.”

However there are restrictions to this system. The team in question must have at least one time out remaining in that half to call for a replay; each team gets a total of three timeouts in each half. The coach of the team must now throw out a red flag to signal that they wish to have the play checked.

The opportunities to indulge yourself is not just confined to the gym.

There is also a whole host of outdoor based activities for people to enjoy.

If you are a keen, outdoors type of person, then the Avon Ri has the perfect array of activities for you to enjoy.

Season after season goals in soccer have been allowed or in turn disallowed when they have clearly gone either side of the line. However it is only with the view of television replays that the armchair fan has had the benefit of hindsight, to clearly declare if the ball has crossed the line or not.

Coaches can only challenge certain plays, penalty calls by the referee or plays which have be deemed dead i.e. the ball has gone out of play or when the referee has blown the whistle cannot be challenged. If the challenge is proven correct the play is overturned and the team does not lose a timeout. If it is unsuccessful the team loses their timeout and the game continues the same way.

AWAITING EXTRA COPY TUES - ALAN

Therefore one had to believe it was only a matter of time before the GAA began to use technology more during games, after its application in other sports had been so successful. Recently we had the beginnings of Hawkeye in Irish sports. The GAA, sponsored ironically by Specsavers, have set up four high speed cameras at each goal.

The cameras can detect the ball when it is a massive 26 metres above the posts and four metres wide of them. Each play that is reviewed will be done so on the big screen for officials and fans alike to see. The officials can then decide on the appropriate call.

It was in the Leinster Senior football championship game between Offaly and Kildare that Hawkeye was first used. Offaly’s Peter Cunningham has the pleasure of being the first player to have a shot reviewed, it subsequently went wide.

This will surely be the first of many times that the Hawkeye technology will be used and with it seemingly delaying the flow of the game only slightly, we should be happy to embrace it.

Ideal for Leisure Breaks in Wicklow and just 40 minutes from Dublin’s city centre, along with been close to all of Wicklow’s tourist attractions, Avon Ri is the perfect getaway, whatever the occasion. Not only do we offer the chance to take part in Activities in Wicklow we now have a new location in Dun Laoghaire where you can avail of all the same activities just this time in Dublin City along the sea front. Transfers to and from can be arrange on Request. Check Out www.CPAdventure.ie n

Avon Rí Blessington Lakeshore, Burgage, Blessington, Co. Wicklow, Ireland Tel: +353 (0) 45 900 670 www.avonri.com

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hether you’re planning a weekend away with your team or friends, Avon Ri offers an unforgettable experience boasting magnificent luxury self-catering accommodation in Wicklow, a top class fine dining restaurant and impressive bar, lounge and terrace overlooking the spectacular Blessington Lakes and Wicklow Mountains. Avon Ri is the perfect venue for training weekends away with full access to our top class gym and GAA pitches.

Our leisure resort offers a Swimming pool, Sauna, Steam room, Jacuzzi and Gym along with Outdoor activities guaranteed to make your stay one to remember - ideal location to prepare for your championship. Just 40 minutes from Dublin’s city centre and close to all of Wicklow’s tourist attractions, Avon Ri is the perfect getaway.

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The Latest From Around the Grounds MOOREFIELD It is an exciting time for the Moorefield GAA Club in Kildare at present, as they recently celebrated the official opening of their newly refurbished clubhouse with three days full of events on the May Bank Holiday Weekend. The proceedings on the club’s grounds, located just beside The Curragh, started off on Saturday May 4th at 1.30pm, when there were a number of Underage Activities for Boys in the age groups of Under 7/Under 8 and Under 11/Under 12.

Perhaps the most significant event of the weekend then took place at 3pm on the Saturday, when the plaque to mark the official opening of the clubhouse was unveiled by Club Chairperson Martin Murray, County Chairperson John McMahon and Uachtaran Cumann na nGael Liam O Neill. It was then the turn of the Moorefield senior footballers at 5pm, when the multiple county Champions faced Garrycastle in a challenge encounter.

The Athlone-based Garrycastle are regarded as one of the strongest teams in Westmeath club football, something that was in emphasis when they forced Crossmaglen Rangers to a replay in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Final in 2012. It also served as good preparation for The Moores’ Championship campaign, as well as providing good entertainment for those in attendance. With the Moorefield boys’ Under 6, Under 9 and Under 10 sides all playing mini-games during the half-time interval, it was also an excellent opportunity for the young members of the club to showcase their abilities.

The evening then concluded with a cracking Social Night, which consisted of a music set performed by “Divil The Bit”. This brought a hectic day of activity to a close, though the festivities on the Sunday were even more relentless. At 12pm, there was a Ladies Football match featuring Moorefield and Kilcullen, and this was swiftly followed by a 1pm throw-in for an inter-county challenge between Galway and Kildare.

Admission for this game came at a price of €5, and once again the underage stars from Moorefield were offered a useful platform, as the Boys Under 7s/Under 8s, and the girls Under 10s/Under 12s, took to the field as both teams were concentrating on the second half that lay ahead. In a worthwhile workout for the two sides, Kildare eventually emerged victorious on a scoreline of 0-18 to 0-12.

There was also senior hurling action on Sunday, with Moorefield welcoming the challenge of fellow Kildare outfit Ros Glas (underage camogie and hurling took centre stage during the break), while music from “Cambrian Explosion” took precedence at 9pm in the evening.

Monday was more low-key in nature, but was still of great benefit to the club, as underage games at the Parish Race Day got the ball rolling at 1pm, with a 5.30pm tree planting and reception for Club Moorefield Members then following. A Social Evening at 6pm inevitably brought the curtain down on a truly unforgettable weekend.

This left Pat’s with a mountain to climb upon the resumption, but a strong third quarter meant that the O’Mahonys cushion was marginally reduced to six. The Navan men were always more likely to produce the stronger finish, however, and another Regan score kick-started a purple patch, which saw O’Mahonys outscoring their opponents 2-5 to 0-1, including two crucial goals from Moran and Maguire.

This win came hot on the heels of a similarly impressive performance in the hoganstand.com SFC, when O’Mahonys registered their second win in Group A of the competition at Castletown. With Meath star Stephen Bray restored to their side, they were ready for the challenge posed by Nobber, but despite recording fine early scores courtesy of Jake Regan (two) and Stephen Bray, Brian Farrell was on hand to give Nobber a welcome lifeline with a goal from play.

A Farrell free then levelled matters following a Stephen MacGabhann point for O’Mahonys, before a good flourish by Navan, including Regan’s third of the day, gave them a 0-7 to 1-1 advantage heading into the second period.

The final outcome was far from determined, though, as Nobber had the advantage of a strong breeze after the restart, and with ten minutes remaining in the contest, they had reduced the deficit to just two points.

However, when Paddy Smyth showed good instinct to capitalise on a mistake by Nobber custodian Christopher O’Reilly for the only O’Mahonys goal of the game, they were able to push on for a 1-11 to 1-3 win, with Stephen Bray, substitute Henry Finnegan and captain Niall McKeigue also shooting between the posts.

NEMO RANGERS

Damien Moran, Navan O’Mahonys, in action against Stephen Sheppard, Wolfe Tones

NAVAN O’MAHONYS Second half goals from Damien Moran and Daragh Maguire proved crucial on Sunday May 12th, as Navan O’Mahonys secured their first away victory of the Meath Adult Football League Division 1 season in emphatic style against St Patrick’s. This gives Navan three wins from their opening five games, and puts them in an excellent position to make a big push to secure the top spot come the end of the current campaign.

The Navan team is backboned by a number of players with significant inter-county experience, as defenders Niall McKeigue, Cormac McGuinness and Gary O’Brien have all lined out for The Royals on various occasions, while midfielder Mark Ward and forward David Bray will also be familiar to people outside of Meath GAA circles.

In blustery conditions, O’Mahonys did fall behind to an early point by Donal Landy, but O’Mahonys responded with a brace of points by Jake Regan, while Shane Gillespie also chipped in with a well-taken goal.

Pat’s did produce a swift reply with a major from Landy, but although Niall Whearty registered another fine score for the hosts, scores for O’Mahonys from David Bray and Henry Finnegan (free) gave the visitors a 1-9 to 1-2 interval lead.

It was a joyous occasion for Nemo Rangers during the St Patrick’s Day weekend, as the club celebrated the 40th anniversary of their first All-Ireland Senior Club success, which arrived hot on the heels of their maiden Cork SFC final victory. Since their 1972 county title breakthrough, Nemo have added a further 17 Cork crowns, as well as winning provincial honours 15 times, and following their dramatic 2003 All-Ireland Club triumph, they have seven national titles to their name.

Therefore, the men who helped to set the foundations for how the club performs on the field today deserve great recognition, and it was great to see such a massive turnout at the Gala Dinner, with celebrations continuing well into the night with the club members and guests that had assembled for the special event. The weekend had begun with a fun golf competition in the nearby Douglas Golf Club on Saturday March 16th. The honours on the day were picked up by present club chairman, Des McCarthy and veteran corner back Ray Toomey.

On the following evening, the invited guests were able to sample the commemorative displays of photographs and press cuttings, which charted the 1972/73 team’s now legendary march to county and AllIreland glory. The display could be seen by all passers-by at the club’s reception area. To mark the event, a historic group photograph was taken of all the squad, with a dinner prepared and served by the Nemo Rangers Ladies Committee then following.

After dinner speeches were given by chairman Des McCarthy and former Cork goalkeeper and manager Nemo Billy Morgan (who was the Rangers team captain that year), manager who really gripped the Eddie Kirwan crowd with his tales

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of the build-up to the crucial games, and how each victory was like a ‘coming of age’ for the players in the squad.

Morgan also paid tribute to those from the group who are sadly no longer with us, who were represented on the evening by members of their family. Ann Buckley was there on behalf of Sean Buckley, John O’Donoghue (a native of Clare) represented Br Mick, while Brenda Coughlan was there to honour the recently deceased Seamas Coughlan, who featured at half-forward on the 1973, 1982 and 1984 All-Ireland winning teams.

The team, as well as the selectors of the time, were presented with special inscribed ties by club President Frank Lee. The ladies who have been involved with the club from that very first county success (and still continue to be involved with Nemo to this day) were also the recipients of special presentations. It was a very rewarding period for the Cork club, and the organising committee were also thanked for their efforts in making the event as worthy a tribute to a unique bunch of players as they could have possibly envisaged.

MOUNT SION They were made to work for their victory in the end, but ultimately Mount Sion had enough in their cannon to book a place in the next stage of the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship following a 1-18 to 1-15 win over Abbeyside in a second round fixture at Fraher Field.

The Waterford City outfit had opened their account with just 40 seconds gone on the clock, thanks to a point from minor star Austin Gleeson. Abbeyside were not prepared to cave in to the Sion challenge, though, and with the wind at their disposal, and the sun facing their opponents, they found the back of the Sion net from long distance just two minutes later. Abbeyside then added to their tally with a confidently struck ‘65’, but a 1-1 contribution from Stephen Roche (his goal coming after a fine run and lay-off by Sean Ryan) soon arrived for Sion.

Another score followed when Martin F O’Neill’s crossfield pass led to a well-taken point by Austin Gleeson, but Abbeyside refused to go away, and two points on the trot gave them another firm footing in the contest. Martin O’Neill joined his namesake on the score-sheet with a point from the middle of the park, though, and thanks to further efforts from Ian Galgey and Gleeson, they were continuing to apply pressure on the Abbeyside rear guard.

They needed to be on their toes in defence, however, and goalkeeper Ian O’Regan was called upon to make a magnificent point-blank save as Abbeyside looked like they were going reclaim their advantage. After this let-off Sion traded points with the opposition, but Abbeyside finished off the half with three successive scores to take a two point lead into the second half.

This left Sion with plenty of work to do upon the resumption, but with the wind at their backs, there was still plenty of time for them to secure the result that they desired. Indeed, two points from Gleeson meant that it was a stalemate with just eight minutes gone in the half, but any time the Monastery men did find the target, Abbeyside were quick to reply.

Sion did suffer a set-back when Galgey was force off with an injury on 45 minutes, but once play resumed they were able to raise their game with scores from young guns Gleeson and Roche.

Abbeyside did peg back their lead slightly, but late scores from substitute Gavin Carroll and former county Eoin McGrath helped them to seal their triumph. Having secured their second win from two in the Championship, Mount Sion will now take on Dungarvan in Walsh Park on the second weekend in June.

SALTHILL/KNOCKNACARRA Although they are best known for their exploits on the football scene,

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The Latest From Around the Grounds Salthill/Knocknacarra have also become prominent in Galway hurling circles, and May saw them claiming some significant silverware.

Playing under the title of Rahoon/Salthill, they overcame serious adversity to record a narrow 0-16 to 1-12 win against Cois Fharraige in the Under 21 ‘B’ Hurling Championship Final on Bank Holiday Monday May 6th in Kenny Park, Athenry.

The game was originally set to take place at Pearse Stadium (which is located right beside Salthill’s home ground), but with Salthill completely focused on the job at hand, and with Enda Gavin and Daragh Joyce providing plenty or resilience in front of trusty goalkeeper Joe McNamara, they were supplying a positive platform for their attack to build on.

However, it was inspirational centre-forward Conor O’Shea who inevitably stole the headlines, and after giving an outstanding performance, he was presented with a much-deserved man of the match award. Cois Fharraige played a lot of good hurling as well, though, and at one point in the contest they led by a total of seven points. Yet, when the chips were down, Salthill delivered, as Gavin, Joyce and O’Shea were joined in delivering fine displays by the likes of Michael Collins, Eoin Kennedy, Joe Curtin and Nathan Collins.

The men from Galway City were managed by Sean Heffernan, but he also had a high-profile backroom team at his disposal in the shape of former Galway hurling captain and manager Conor Hayes and present Tipperary maestro Eamon O’Shea (who had manned the sidelines in Nowlan Park the day before). A week later the Salthill Junior B team added a Junior B League title to the trophy cabinet, as they saw off St Thomas’, once again with just one point to spare (2-12 to 2-11).

This game was in fact the much-delayed 2012 decider, and much like the club’s Under 21 team the week before, they appeared to be heading for defeat when they trailed by six points with just eight minutes of normal time left on the clock in Ballindereen on Sunday May 12th. Ger Mulholland’s men did receive a lifeline when they awarded a 21-metre free, and fresh from his heroics during the Bank Holiday, Conor O’Shea stepped up to the drive his shot powerfully home.

This reduced the margin to three points, and when O’Shea added two points in quick succession, one from play and one from a free, the game was really in the melting pot. Having played second fiddle for quite a bit of the contest, the momentum was now with Salthill, and when Neil Hyland showed great determination to win a tough ball into the forward line, minor player Joe Curtin spectacularly found the net from an extremely tight angle to give Rahoon/Salthill a most extraordinary victory.

CROSSMOLINA There were mixed fortunes on the field of play for Crossmolina Deel

Rovers’ various teams during the early part of May, but with games coming thick and fast for the teams in the Mayo club, there is certain to be plenty of ups and downs as their respective seasons progress.

Their Under 14 side were involved in a thrilling contest with Westport on the evening of Thursday May 9th, a game they trailed by 1-12 to 2-2 at the mid-way point having played against a strong breeze.

However, Crossmolina’s ability to score goals was going to be of major importance if they were to force their way back into the tie, and they eventually got the full measure of their opponents to record a 5-9 to 1-15 success. Their cause was helped greatly by a 2-6 haul from top-scorer Niall Maughan, but he was joined in registering measures by Anthony Leonard, Lorcan Loftus and Keelan Hegarty. The performance of goalkeeper Darren Ruane was also vital towards their cause, as were defensive displays by Kian Brennan and Shane Howley.

The Crossmolina Juniors also produced a gallant effort in their County Division 1C League tie against Park/Keelogues/Crimlin, but they found themselves on the receiving end of a two-point loss (0-18 to 3-7) on their travels. They had looked in good shape at the break, though, as they held a slender 1-4 to 0-6 lead thanks to a goal from David O’Malley, as well as points from Thomas McNulty (three) and Kieran Traynor. It remained relatively close for much of the second period as well, and when Crossmolina led by one point with just a few minutes left to play following further majors from Traynor and Ian Kelly, it looked like they might return as the happier of the two teams.

Park/Keelogues/Crimlin had different ideas, however, as a strong finish from them ensured that they came away with the maximum points on offer. Aside from the goal scorers, Thomas McNulty (with a final tally of 0-6) did his level best to try and force the game in Crossmolina’s favour.

Playing in Islandeady on a wet and miserable evening, the Crossmolina minor team dug deep to secure a draw against a strong Louisburg outfit in the County League. Considering the conditions they had to contend with, both teams did perform exceptionally during the opening period, but the west Mayo boys did have a two-point hold (0-7 to 0-5) over Crossmolina. The second half was a much scrappier affair, but late scores from Fionan Duffy (who ended with seven points to his name) and Hugh Cafferty did ensure that Crossmolina grabbed a draw (0-9 apiece) for their troubles.

FOUR MASTERS There were no winners of the Four Masters GAA Jackpot held on Monday May 13th. This was Week 44 of the Annual Lotto for the Donegal club, but although there was no overall winner, there were a couple of €50 winners. They were; Damien Timoney of Castle Street and Deborah Dunnion of Bru na Mara. The numbers drawn for the

jackpot were 5, 21, 22 and 24. The jackpot for the next week was €1,900.

On Sunday May 12th, both the Four Masters Seniors and Reserves faced Ardara in extremely wintry conditions. Their senior side were unfortunately defeated on a scoreline of 0-7 to 0-4, although the reserves did record a 1-9 to 0-9 triumph. At the time of writing, Four Masters were set to face Carndonagh in a Ladies Football Under 16B Ladies County Semi-Final, which was an ideal opportunity for the Four Masters girls to showcase their talents, though Carndonagh are also very able operators.

The Four Masters Under 10s (managed by Damien Dunnion) faced St Naul’s on Thursday May 16th for a friendly at Tir Chonaill Park, while training for the Under 8s has now been switched from the previous meeting time of 6.30pm-7.30pm on Tuesday evening to Mondays at the same time. The Under 10 hurlers in the club also played their first blitz in Tir Chonaill Park on Sunday May 19th, when they were pitted against teams from Ballyshannon, Sligo and Letterkenny.

In important news for Donegal Gaels, a Discussion Forum was held in An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny by the Donegal GAA Supporters Club on Wednesday May 22nd at 8pm, with special guests on the night being Martin McHugh, Anthony Molloy, John Lynch and Pat McEnaney.

Compere on the night was Charlie Collins of Highland Radio, with music entertainment offered by Pat Gallagher (Goats Don’t Shave), Eddie Gallagher and David Craig. Admission on the night was only €10, with all proceeds going towards training funds for all of Donegal’s county teams.

It provided a great atmosphere ahead of Donegal’s Championship game against Tyrone, and similar events may well take place in the future.

club’s Facebook Page to take a look at video clips of the Ceili. There were also a number of award winners on the evening, including club person of the year, Joe McDaniel, who has worked extensively in the juvenile hurling section of the club.

Saturday April 13th saw the Naomh Gall Ladies Gaelic Football Club kick-starting their Gaelic4Girls programme, which has initially been envisaged as an 8 week venture aimed at increasing participation in Ladies Gaelic Football. Girls between the ages of 9 and 12, who are not currently registered with a club, were encouraged to sign on, with all the sessions taking place between 12pm and 1pm in St Mary’s University PE Hall on the Falls Road.

The primary focus of the programme is on fun and participation, as it enables girls to be introduced to Ladies Football in a non-competitive environment. When the course comes to an end, participants will be presented with certificates and t-shirts, but will also be encouraged to register with the Naomh Gall Ladies Football Club, and will offered places in the appropriate age groups in the club’s juvenile set-up. A Mini Blitz will also take place in conjunction with another Gaelic4Girls programme after the 8 weeks have been completed.

This is the first time that a Gaelic4Girls programme has been held in Belfast and its surrounding areas, and represents significant progress for all those who have been aiming to promote Ladies Gaelic Football in the city. n

NAOMH GALL Friday March 8th was a special night of celebration for Belfast club Naomh Gall, as over 150 of their club members (as well as friends and special guests) gathered at the Balmoral Hotel to mark another massively successful year for the club. The Ladies and Men’s Senior Football teams were well represented, with their Senior County and All-Ireland Sevens crowns on display with them.

Special presentations were also made to some of the club’s most prominent handballers, with further recognition also being offered to their various provincial representatives at hurling, football and colleges All-Star Level. The events of the evening were testament to the quality that currently exists in Naomh Gall, and it will be no surprise if their achievements are replicated in the near future.

A meal was also provided in Balmoral, followed by a fitting tribute by County Chairman, Jim Duffy, who was in attendance on the evening. He praised the Naomh Gall’s mentors for the tireless work and dedication they continue to provide to the local community. The festivities continued well into the night with a Ceili and a disco, and patrons can view the

Terry O’Neill, Naomh Gal in action against Diarmuid Walsh, Knockmore

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McGuinness first showed signs of his talent as a coach when he led Naomh Conaill to their first Ulster Senior Football Championship in 2005. He again managed the team to success in 2010, following a defeat in the final the previous year. The style of play that McGuinness used while coaching Naomh Conaill was reminiscent of the one he has implemented with Donegal, a style simply known as ‘The System’.

In 2010 McGuinness took charge of the Under 21 Donegal squad, having once again failed to be selected as the coach of the senior team. The Donegal county board did not seem interested in giving McGuinness that position and the Under 21 seemed like a consolation prize.

OFF

WINDOWS AND DOORS

McGuinness represented Ireland in the 1998 International Rules Series. This was the first series in eight years following its cancellation in 1990. This series was also the beginning of a four year deal between the two sides and it drew in crowds in excess of 50,000. Ireland won the series on aggregate by 10 points following an 11 point victory in the second test, Australia having won the first by a single point.

When Jim McGuinness was 18 he received a gift that would shape his future. A now legendary blue and white whistle was given to him

by Columba McDyer, who saw a talent in the young man doing some underage coaching. McGuinness still uses that whistle, proving McDyer right.

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Following McGuinness’s good work with the Under 21’s and a disastrous year for the senior squad the county board had no reason not to try Jim McGuinness in the role he had always wanted. Going into the 2011 season he was finally appointed head coach of the Donegal senior team.

McGuinness played his club football with Naomh Conaill but during a match with Killybegs he suffered a horrific injury, which would end his playing career. A moment like that, to a football player, would seem like the end of the world but after treatment and rest McGuiness embarked on a path he knew he wanted all along.

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McGuinness had watched on weeks earlier as Donegal defeated Derry in the Ulster Championship final before going all the way to Croke Park that September. Although underdogs in that final they beat Dublin to win their first ever All Ireland senior title. It was another twenty years before Donegal again lifted the Sam Maguire, and it was McGuinness who coached them to victory.

These achievements highlight McGuiness’s successful playing career but it was at club level that his life was to change. McGuinness first tasted success as manager of his own club Naomh Conaill but perhaps the circumstances leading to that appointment were unfortunate and would be the first of some challenging roads he would have to travel as a future manager.

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the situation and led the under 21 side to the All-Ireland Under 21 Final, losing narrowly to Dublin. McGuinness would lose to Dublin again the following year but this time at Senior level.

McGuiness had a successful playing career at inter-county, club and college level. As captain, he led Tralee IT to three Sigerson Cup wins in 1998, 1999 and again in 2001.

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On the 20th of September 1992 a young Jim McGuinness was part of a panel that would create a historic day for his home county of Donegal.

True to form McGuinness made the best of

After

The team was despondent after a poor season in 2010 and McGuinness’s first job as coach was to lift their spirits. His first move was to bring back Kevin Cassidy who stated he was going to retire following the terrible campaign they had endured.

Despite this challenging start, McGuinness achieved great success in his first year. He showed his talent at motivational speaking when he spurred his team on and led them to promotion in the league before going on to win the Ulster Senior Football Championship, defeating Derry by 1-11 to 0-08. Donegal reached the All Ireland semi final where they lost to Dublin, the eventual winners of the Sam Maguire that year.

McGuinness was not to be disheartened and immediately focused on the following season.

2012 was to be the highlight of Jim McGuinness’s coaching career although it began in an unwelcome fashion. Kevin Cassidy, the player who McGuinness had convinced to come back and play for the county, contributed to a book called ‘This Is Our Year’. In his segment he passed comments about McGuinness which the coach found to be disrespectful and he was dropped from the squad.

Despite this, Donegal progressed and following a surprise win over title favourites Cork, McGuinness and his men finally made it back to the big time. The fashion in which they achieved this caused some controversy with the purists in the GAA. ‘The System’ as it has become known was the style of play which Donegal used. It was a defensive style which attempted to close teams down and grind out wins. Many saw it as ruining the free flowing nature of the game, but McGuinness is a man who will do what he can to win, and win he did.

Donegal met Mayo in the final and their ‘system’ succeeded. They only allowed Mayo to kick over 13 points while they scored 2-11 to claim ‘Sam’ for the first time in 20 years.

Since then McGuinness has seen his career blossom in a different direction. He joined Celtic football club as a performance consultant, he was also invited to speak to both teams when NYPD played FDNY, while Paul McGinley has also hinted that McGuinness would be involved with the 2014 Ryder Cup team in a consultancy role. Despite all this McGuinness has confirmed that he remains focused on Donegal and he will again be seeking Sam in September 2013. . n

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America is best described as, well absolutely massive. This gargantuan size has both helped and hindered the development of the sport over the years. America is the land of opportunity and therefore the number of people leaving this little emerald isle to head to those great shores is still soaring. The result of which is more and more GAA clubs being formed, along with Irish bars across the land being full to the brim come a Championship Sunday.

The final tournament, known as the European Championship, in 2012 was the biggest to date. The Maastricht Gaels of the Netherlands hosted the finals and the numbers would make any Irish person proud.

Approximately 500 players took part in the tournament representing 30 different teams from 10 countries. Teams that fail to make it through the regional finals go on to participate in the European Shield tournament, again making sure the number of clubs have an outlet to play games.

These numbers look and sound fantastic, purely for the development of the game abroad of course, but in reality how sturdy is the structure of the game over there?

With this passion for GAA expanding across Europe some locals were bound to become involved and such an event occurred in Italy. Jerome Quinn reported on a match that occurred in Italy on May 18th this year.

First of all with the aforementioned size of the United States how is there any chance of realistically forming any sort of completely conclusive league?

The teams playing were named Rovigo and Padavo, and the atmosphere was compared to that of a close parish rivalry. The match also marked the first occasion an Italian born official took charge of the game. This game followed the formation of the new Swiss/Italian GAA region in April 2013. Moving on from Europe there is one more area that commands quite a number of Irish people that is of course the land Down Under. Australia and neighbouring New Zealand have become a home to many Irish people and the result is the Australasia Championship that is now played each year.

Sure the host of teams around New York and Chicago can play amongst themselves. If they do that though where does poor old little Los Angeles play, it has no metaphorical friends and it will take its ball and go home.

GAA teams are amateur organisations. Yes there have been a lot of arguments about this down through the years as to whether the men and woman that participate should or should not be paid. That being said it is still a fee paying organisation for the most part, clubs depend on their member’s fees to stay afloat and that’s how it is.

by Colm McCluskey Ireland, as we used to know it, is changing day by day. Irish people have faced troubles before but the situation seems to get worse and worse every day. When studying influences in Irish society one must look to sport and in particular the GAA. With the constant flow of citizens leaving the country, the GAA is beginning to suffer or is it?

Along with many young people leaving these shores, there are some very talented young inter-county footballers and hurlers that have packed their bags and headed for pastures new.

Clubs have come forward stating the numbers of players they have lost and these statistics are frightening. In 2012 Leitrim lost 14 of their starting panel while Louth lost 11 of theirs.

However disappointing it is to see young people leave for Australia, Canada or America, among other places; we cannot blame these emigrants for going. Work is scarce here especially in past proven industries like construction. Many young men and woman have no choice but to move abroad.

Although while we view these sad and depressing numbers of exiles, it is not all doom and gloom. How so you ask? With the depletion in GAA numbers on these shores we have seen a massive growth in the number of clubs abroad both across Europe and other continents, including North America, Australia, South Africa and Asia.

This became very evident just last weekend when we saw London, known as the Exiles, defeat Sligo in what can only be described as a massively shocking result. London has been part of the Connacht Senior Football Championship since 1975.

That victory saw London gain only their second win of their time spent in the ‘Connacht Province’ when they beat Sligo by 1-12 to 0-14. The first of their victories came 36 years before that when; in 1977 they defeated Leitrim by 0-9 to 0-6.

This result is made even more surprising with this year’s ruling by the GAA to ban London from travelling to Ireland to play any warm up games.

The GAA were trying to prevent Irish based counties from travelling abroad to play other teams or to take part in any training camps. This makes little sense for expanding the game on a global scale and I therefore must disagree with the G.A.A.’s decision.

The Sligo team has come under some criticism since the defeat but when you look into the circumstances surrounding Ireland’s deportees it is hardly surprising. The west of Ireland has lost a great number of their younger generation. Work that has become available in this country is mostly focused around the bigger cities throughout the country.

Therefore while Sligo resources continued to be depleted London’s stock has continued to grow. More and more players have made themselves available to play while getting permanent work in and around England’s capital.

This London team was composed of players from clubs located in London, clubs that have sprung up around the city in recent years and with the emigrating trend continuing the same way in Ireland, who knows how many more clubs and players will appear.

The Connacht championship is an interesting and diverse place.

Not only do we have championship contenders like Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim and at least up until a few weekend’s ago Sligo, we also have two foreign teams. London may be trying to make a stand but they are not the only ones. New York, another home away from home for Irish people looking to live and work elsewhere, also has a team put together to participate against the more traditionally well-known teams.

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Therein lies a major problem for the GAA to survive on an international stage. When you take into account the travel that would be needed to host games between opposing teams from differing sides of the nation, it is just not feasible.

American sports teams spend thousands of dollars, if not more, each year arranging travel and accommodation for their teams and for GAA clubs this is just not possible. The money is not there and neither is the opportunity for these teams to travel.

Because of this more and more teams could cease to exist due to this lack of competition. With each team that stops playing more and more players will lose interest in playing and Ireland will lose another possible future All Star.

A GLOBAL PHENOMENON As mentioned above there is also the problem of the popularity of American sports which have existed for generations. Realistically there is no hope of the GAA ever gaining a footing in the popularity ladder alongside these sports.

They are a global phenomenon played by superstars but ours is a voluntary organisation played by people from all walks of life, which is a nice sentiment. That fact will probably remain unchanged. Sad but true.

New York may play host to a number of teams and some would say it may be expected with the number of Irish people moving over to the live beside the Statue of Liberty. What most people might not expect is the number of clubs dotted randomly across the world and the support that goes with them.

Despite their best efforts New York have failed to make an impression on the Connacht SFC losing this year to Leitrim by 4-18 to 0-8, a slight improvement on last year when they lost to Sligo by 3-21 to 0-6.

It is because of this that clubs have begun to spring up around Europe, with the number of teams growing on a near yearly basis. A tournament system has been set up for teams to participate in each season. This tournament has been set up to allow for teams to continue playing even though there is a great distance to travel between countries.

However these results only scratch the surface of the influence the game has had state side. At the moment there are an estimated 53 teams that participate in GAA matches week in, week out. The teams range from those set up in the New York and New Jersey areas to Pittsburgh, Denver and even star-studded Los Angles.

First established in 2000, there were only four teams participating in the tournament. As of 2012 there are 70 teams now registered with the European County board, these teams represent over 20 different countries. The popularity of the game is growing with each person that moves away.

The GAA has had a place in Australia since the 1840’s but it was in 1974 that a committee convened to form the Gaelic Athletic Association of Australia. The members consisted of NSW, Western Australia, Victoria and Southern Australia to begin with. However with the later addition of Auckland and Hutt Valley from Wellington, this has meant that the ever expanding game down under has now become known as the Gaelic Athletic Association of Australasia.

This scenario is one of great pride for Ireland. Our game is becoming more popular across these different lands as time goes by. Once again though a problem arises for the state of the game in Ireland with a threat from the land of Oz. Players who are at the top of their physical game in this country are now being recruited to play in the AFL in Australia.

The rules and style of play of both Gaelic and Australian football are similar. Because of this more and more players are taking the chance and travelling to Australia in the hope of playing a professional game.

Perhaps the most famous of these exports is Tadgh Kennelly, who played with the Sydney Swans. Kennelly is now retired from the game but is an avid recruiter of Irish players. In recent years Ireland and in particular Kerry has lost one of its top names with Tommy Walsh leaving The Kingdom. Walsh began his career with St. Kilda but in 2011 received a trade to the Sydney Swans where he took the number 17 squad number, replacing his former Kerry teammate Tadgh Kennelly.

Even with the new opportunities of the AFL and a professional game we can still hope that our game, the GAA will continue to expand and the love for the game will remain in the hearts of the travelling Irish.

One stumbling block for this is the viewing of games abroad. There is a problem with broadcasting rights over the internet. TG4 has the rights to some of the games but because of their deal they cannot broadcast over the internet. RTE does have the RTE Player but the stream of these games can become slow and jumpy when watching them online which is very off putting.

One county has tried to fix this problem, Armagh have taken a leaf out of the NFL playbook that have their games streamed by Fox. Armagh TV has been set up and has produced some semi-professional coverage of different games which are available for online streaming. They have begun talks with the GAA in the hope that other counties will start up production groups like this and more games will become available online.

We can only hope that this production is successful along with the continued growth of our game both at home and abroad. This organisation is important to many people and its continued development is of the upmost importance. The future is bright, the future is green. n

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Henry Shefflin, Kilkenny, celebrates at the final whistle. GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final Replay, Kilkenny v Galway

Unlike other dental representatives, Mary’s own experience as a patient 9 years ago, has led her to represent the five star Kreativ Dental Clinic, in Ireland, which is the best endorsement there is. Mary’s own personal experience with dental care ‘cannot be learned, only experienced’.

The road that Shefflin travelled to hurling immortality began in St. Patrick’s national school in Ballyhale where his hurling skills were first noted and honed by the local headmaster, Joe Dunphy.

“I suffered an awful lot with my teeth when I was younger”, Mary explains. “15 years ago I had to get a number of dental implants and I found that the cost of dental care in Ireland was very expensive.

His hurling talent, which would take him to place no other player would reach, ran in his family. Shefflin’s two older brothers, John won an All-Ireland winners’ medal in the minor grade in 1990, while Tommy won an All-Ireland winners’ medal in the under-21 grade that same year.

He made his senior debut in 1999 and made a tremendous impact in his first season at senior, championship level. Despite losing to Cork in the All-Ireland final, Shefflin gave notice of his unique talents throughout the championship, scoring a total of 1–6 against reigning All-Ireland champions Offaly in the Leinster final to give him the first of a hat full of Leinster championship medals.

Despite coming up short in the All-Ireland final that year, it would prove to be a minor blip as Shefflin and his Kilkenny teammates went on a streak of success that has seen them compared to some of the finest teams that the GAA has ever seen.

Led by their inspirational force, Kilkenny went on an incredible run of success throughout the noughties that would see them land an unprecedented four All-Ireland Hurling Championship’s in a row and an eye watering six titles in the last seven years.

At the heart of all this success has been Shefflin. In much the same way that Roy Keane inspired Manchester Utd, or Brian O’Driscoll with Leinster and Ireland, Shefflin has the presence, class and stature to both inspire his teammates and send quivers of terror down the spines of the opposition.

His impact is that strong that during the 2010 championship it was announced that Shefflin would miss All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final due to a cruciate ligament injury in his left knee, which he picked up in the 3–22 to 0–19 semi-final win against Cork.

However, Shefflin, true to his iron determination, lined out for the final

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Take a moment and absorb what the man has achieved in an allstar laden career to date. ‘King Henry’ is the only player in the history of the GAA to win nine All-Ireland championship medals. He has also bagged twelve Leinster Senior Championship winning medals, along with five National Hurling League winners’ medals. Not to mention 11 All-Stars to his name. Impressive eh?

Yet it is at senior level, and more pertinently in the black and amber of Kilkenny that Shefflin is best remembered for.

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How to describe a man than that has done it all? Legend?

Genius?. However you choose to describe him, one cannot over emphasise the impact that HENRY SHEFFLIN has had on the world of Gaelic Games.

Shefflin would soon begin to make his own mark. He won a Leinster title in 1996 with St. Kieran’s College in Kilkenny, which is widely regarded as one of the most famous hurling nurseries in Ireland. Along with that success, he would enjoy a number of successful seasons with his own club Ballyhale Shamrocks, capturing a county minor championship winners’ medal in 1997.

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against Tipperary. However it was all to be in vain. After scoring an early free his knee again gave out and he was replaced after 12 minutes. The bid for five-in-a-row foundered with Tipperary taking the championship by a 4–17 to 1–18 margin.

After that final some were predicting that Shefflin and the Kilkenny juggernaut would come to a shuddering halt and their phenomenal run of success was coming to an end. Yet like all great players and great teams, Shefflin and the Cats would prove that there was plenty of fight left in the old dog.

They rebounded as only Kilkenny can do, the following season.

Having fought out a thrilling draw with Galway in the first All-Ireland Hurling final, Shefflin and Kilkenny produced a display of authority and class to pick apart the Tribesmen in a pulsating encounter, winning by a score line of 3-22 to 3-11.

That victory gave Shefflin a record ninth All-Ireland winner’s medal, an astonishing feat and one that will unlikely be matched for some time to come.

You have to wonder, after all the success, after all the glory, what keeps him going? He said last year “I think it’s very simple. It’s because of the feeling I have now, and the feeling I had at the final whistle.

That’s what drives you on. I have been very fortunate and very privileged in my career to have so many of those days.

“I’ve had one or two bad days as well so I know the difference between good and bad days.”

“I love playing the game, I love training and I love being involved with such a great team of fellas. That drives me on as well.”

That drive, that relentless pursuit of perfection and greatness, is just a microcosm of what makes Henry Shefflin one of the greatest sportspeople that Ireland has ever produced. A legend in our lifetime.

Count yourself lucky. We may never see his likes again. n

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Daire WALSH

This will be the second game in the Ulster SFC after the May 19th preliminary round tie between Cavan and Armagh in Kingspan Breffni Park, which will tell us a lot about where the two counties are at after a difficult few years for both.

Armagh, in particular, have enjoyed enormous success in recent years with seven Ulster titles between 1999 and 2008, and an All-Ireland in 2002.

A series of disappointing seasons since their last provincial five years ago came to a head with their shock qualifier defeat to Roscommon in last year’s qualifiers, and they will hope that their Crossmaglen Rangers contingent (with Aaron Kernan and Jamie Clarke leading the charge) can inspire them to get the better of a Cavan side that have shown signs of improvement in the post-Seanie Johnston era.

The winners of this game will go on to meet Fermanagh on June 16th in the quarter-finals, and though either side would fancy their chances of then securing their place in the last-four, the Erne men are improving all the time under former Tyrone great Peter Canavan, who narrowly missed on claiming back-to-back promotions in the National League, and will be eager to make up for their short-lived 2012 Championship campaign.

A win for Fermanagh would potentially set-up a reunion with their former manager, Malachy O’Rourke, who is now in charge of Monaghan. They play Antrim in a June 9th quarter-final in Casement Park that they will be expected to win, even if the Saffrons are usually a tricky proposition on their home turf in Belfast.

Michael Murphy, Donegal, lifts the Sam Maguire Cup. GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final, Donegal v Mayo, Croke Park, Dublin

20 years after winning their maiden All-Ireland title, Donegal were once again crowned as Sam Maguire Cup Champions in 2012, as early goals from dynamic inside duo Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden proved pivotal during a 2-11 to 0-13 success over Mayo.

However, Jim McGuinness (who has had to balance his Donegal with a position in Neil Lennon’s backroom staff at Glasgow Celtic) will look to add a second All-Ireland title in 2013, and though the O’Donnell County’s league campaign ended with relegation to Division 2, the Glenties man has made no secret of how much he values the Championship in comparison to the league.

There is also the prospect of a third consecutive Ulster title for the firsttime in their history on the horizon, but they will once again have to overcome Mickey Harte and Tyrone, who they squeezed past in both the 2011 and 2012 Ulster championships. Tyrone come into the game on May 26th on the back of highly productive league campaigns, and were extremely unfortunate to lose out to Dublin in the NFL decider.

There will be a number of mouth-watering match-ups in this game – Neil McGee/Stephen O’Neill, Sean Cavanagh/Neil Gallagher, Colm Cavanagh/Rory Gallagher – but how master tactician Harte deals with the now renowned Donegal ‘system’ will be every bit as intriguing.

The semi-final on this side of the competition will be held of June 29th, six days after the winners of the Donegal/Tyrone play the victors of the Derry and Down quarter-final. The latter pairing brings back memories of the classic showdown between the counties back in 1994, and with the winners of Ulster expected to come from the Donegal/Tyrone clash, the pressure will be off for both Derry and Down.

Brian McIver achieved promotion to the top-flight in his first season as Derry manager, while Down found themselves moving in the opposite direction, but it remains to be seen if the league form will carry through to the championship.

With seven Leinster titles from the last eight on offer, Jim Gavin’s Dublin are expected to once more come up on top, and they will face the winners of Westmeath and Carlow in the Leinster quarter-final on June 1st. Westmeath are hotly-tipped to come out on top of this tie in Mullingar following their promotion to Division 1 back in April, and even though Carlow have stuttered so far under new manager Anthony Rainbow, they have upset the odds in some recent Championship games, and midfielder Brendan Murphy to capable of going toe-to-toe with the Lake County’s influential John Heslin.

This clash makes up one of three preliminary round games, alongside Wicklow V Longford and Laois V Louth, with the latter seeing two teams with very similar league campaigns going head-to-head. Both Laois and Louth both finished well above the relegation places in Division 2, and their 1-17 to 2-14 draw back on March 2nd makes it even harder to predict who will move on to the last-eight.

Laois performed exceptionally well en route to the All-Ireland quarter-final

last year, but their form has often been quite erratic, which will provide plenty of hope to the Wee County. Division 2’s relegated side, Wexford, will face the winners of this game on June 9th, and Aidan O’Brien will be hoping that they can leave their league woes behind them and embark on a Championship run to rival what the Slaneysiders produced during Jason Ryan’s five year spell in charge.

Another side relegated to Division 3, Longford, make the trip to Aughrim on May 26th, which has always been a real fortress for Wicklow during the summer months, but like their future opponents, the Garden County finished in the bottom two of the third tier with no wins to their name. As a result, there will be plenty of anxiety when the two sides do meet, as a loss for either team could have a detrimental effect ahead of a potential journey through the qualifiers.

The winners, however, will have a marquee fixture against Mick O’Dowd’s Meath on June 15th, who have caused a few surprises ahead of their championship journey by dropping the mercurial Cian Ward from their panel.

Young players like Davy Dalton and Mikey Newman have been added to a team that still includes the experienced heads of Kevin Reilly and Stephen Bray, but on the basis of their double league defeats to Monaghan, The Royals are still very much a work in progress.

The beginning of June will see Offaly and Kildare taking to the hollowed Croke Park surface for a double-header with Westmeath and Dublin, and based on their recent form against each other, Kildare should be expected to move forward to a semi-final date with Dublin or Westmeath, even if the Faithful County will provide a sterner test with Niall McNamee back in their ranks.

This is a make or break year for Kieran McGeeney as he looks to secure some form of Championship silverware, and should it be a Dublin/Kildare pairing at the penultimate stage, we can expect that the winners will more than likely get their hands on the Delaney Cup on July 14th.

The Armagh native has introduced bright prospects like Daniel Flynn and Niall Kelly to his attack, but equally Gavin has graduated the likes of Paul Mannion, Jack McCaffrey and Kevin O’Brien to the senior ranks.

For a long while, 2012 All-Ireland finalists Mayo have been seen as the most likely team to emerge from Connacht, but they will have to deal with the added pressures of recording their first three-in-a-row provincial success since the early 1950s, and also the prospect of overtaking long-standing rivals Galway in the roll of honour.

Both teams are currently locked on 44 Connacht titles ahead of their meeting in Salthill on May 19th, and given their status as a Division 1 team, and the nature of their All-Ireland semi-final victory over Dublin last year, Mayo are unsurprising favourites against a Galway team that will remain in Division 2 for a third straight season in 2014, and were disappointingly eliminated in last year’s qualifiers by Antrim.

Yet, because of Mayo’s growing injury list, and the confidence that Galway gleaned from their recent All-Ireland Under-21 success over Cork, it would not be a surprise if it was a close-fought affair, especially when you consider the slender winning margins in a lot of their recent Championship

showdowns.

Already in the semi-finals are Leitrim, who recorded a facile 4-19 to 0-7 win over New York in Gaelic Park when Emlyn Mulligan finished with an impressive 2-7 to his name. Reliable free-taker Mulligan will need to be at his best in their next game, though, as they are expected to face Sligo on June 23rd, if the Yeats County can avoid the potential banana skin of London in Ruislip.

With many talented footballers now emigrating to England, London’s championship performances have been improving with each passing year, and it seems inevitable that they will win a Connacht clash at some point.

They have already won a qualifier game against Fermanagh, but with Kevin Walsh desperately needing to reach a provincial final in his fifth year as manager, they may come up just short.

Though Galway and Mayo are always seen as the two big guns in Connacht, it is still a lot more competitive out West than it is in Munster, where Kerry and Cork are seen as the perennial challengers for glory in the province.

Limerick have pushed both southern giants to the limit at times during the past decade, but they are perhaps facing Cork a little too early (a May 25th quarter-final in the Gaelic Grounds) to do themselves justice this time around. Tipperary are another team that have been able to raise their game in the face of adversity, and they gave Kerry plenty to think about in their 1-16 to 1-10 defeat in last year’s championship. They face each other once more in Killarney Stadium on May 26th, when Kerry will be looking to build on their return to form in the latter part of the league.

Clare have to bide their time before taking on either Limerick or Cork in the semi-final on June 16th, and though the involvement of former Kerry maestro Mick O’Dwyer in a Munster championship game for the first time in almost 25 years is an interesting sub-plot, it is anticipated that the Rebels will have a comfortable path to the final. The same goes for Kerry, who will need to get past Tipperary and Waterford to make the Munster decider. This would see the Kingdom renewing one of GAA’s oldest rivalries, and though either team is capable of pulling off a victory against each other on a given day, the loser will certainly not be out of the reckoning for overall glory.

The qualifier route has been popular for many counties, and it has produced five All-Ireland winners since it was introduced in 2001. Galway bounced back to claim the title that year, while Tyrone (2005 & 2008) and Kerry (2006 & 2009) have twice pulled off this feat since. There have also been five different winners from the last five All-Ireland finals (Tyrone, Kerry, Cork, Dublin and Donegal), and they are all expected to be in the hunt for the top prize this year, with Donegal eager to show that they have the resolve to retain the Sam Maguire Cup. However, the four previous winners will be hell-bent on showing that they are still major contenders, and they will be joined by the likes of Mayo, Kildare and Down, who have shown over the past few years that they can still be in contention when the All-Ireland Series kicks in at the start of August. n

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Daire WALSH

F

ollowing a thrilling championship during 2012, which saw Kilkenny emerging as winners with an 11-point triumph (3-22 to 3-11) in a final replay against a resurgent Galway, expectations are high for the upcoming All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, which got underway on May 5th, and is expected to conclude on Sunday September 8th at the very earliest.

Unlike the football championship, hurling is split into four different tiers, with the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cups offering competitive action for those teams that are deemed to be below the standard of the very best counties in Ireland. However, counties who win these competitions are awarded promotion to the next highest level, and thanks to their success over Wicklow in last year’s Christy Ring decider, London will take part in the Leinster and All-Ireland Championship during 2013.

This means that a total of 15 teams will participate in the Liam McCarthy Cup this year, with ten of them positioned in Leinster, and the remaining five making up the Munster Senior Hurling Championship. At the time of writing, the action in Leinster had already gotten underway when Antrim recorded a well-deserved 3-18 to 2-13 win over Westmeath in the preliminary round on May 5th.

Westmeath had defeated The Saffrons at the same stage last year, but with Neil McManus finishing with 2-4 to his name, Antrim achieved only their second Leinster win since joining the province along with Galway back in 2009. Waterford native Kevin Ryan (who guided Carlow to back-to-back Christy Ring successes) is now at the helm, and with their 2010 appearance in the All-Ireland quarter-final still fresh in people’s minds, they will look to continue the progress that seems to have stalled for the Northerners in recent years.

May 19th saw them facing Laois in the first round in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, while on the same day Carlow were due to host London’s firstever Leinster tie in Dr Cullen Park. Laois are another county that have always had a strong hurling tradition, but an apparent lack of unity has seen them fall to a series of

heavy defeats in recent years.

Their success in Division 2A this season was a welcome boost, though, and with Antrim set to be one of their opponents in Division 1B next year, they will be eager to show what they are worthy of operating at the same level as their opponents. Their recent history against each other in the All-Ireland Series will also be of benefit to both teams, whereas Carlow and London do not have the same of kind of form sheet to rely on.

Following Carlow’s relegation from Division 1B, and London’s promotion from Division 2B, both teams will operate in the same division of the NHL next year, but when you take their commendable losing performances against the much-fancied Limerick and Offaly into account, Carlow will understandably be favourites to make the next stage. The winners of these two fixtures will then face each other in a Leinster quarter-final at the beginning of June, with the prize on offer a semi-final date with reigning champions Galway a fortnight later. The Tribesmen received a bye to the penultimate stage because of their winning exploits in the province during 2012.

Their 2-21 to 2-11 triumph over Kilkenny last July was one of the biggest surprises in recent Championship history, as Brian Cody’s men were the hottest of favourites following their semi-final demolition of Dublin, but with Joe Canning and Co. firing on all cylinders (and Kilkenny astonishingly losing 2-11 to 0-1 with just 30 minutes of play gone), Anthony Cunningham and his team secured an historic first-ever Leinster title.

This has raised the bar extremely high for the Tribesmen, and they will be expected to book their place in the Leinster final with relative ease, even though their potential supporters should have a greater degree of match sharpness. Having gone so close to claiming their first All-Ireland title since 1988 in last year’s drawn decider with Kilkenny, Galway will look to go one better this year, and despite enduring a topsy-turvy 2012 league campaign, they will be acutely aware that a Leinster final appearance will ensure that they will progress to an All-Ireland quarter-final at the very least.

Jonathan Maher, London. Christy Ring Cup Final, Wicklow v London

The opposite side of the draw will kickstart on June 8th in Wexford Park, when Wexford will entertain Anthony Daly’s Dublin, who will be hoping that his squad can make a big impression in the 2013 Championship after a very disappointing 2012 for the Sky Blues. Clare native Daly had steered Dublin to their most successful season in

many decades two years ago when they were Walsh Cup and National League champions, and also reached the All-Ireland semi-final.

Last year started with them being relegated from Division 1A after a run of seven games without a win, however, and though they looked to have revitalised their challenge with an opening round victory over Laois in the championship, their heavy defeat to Kilkenny, and a surprise qualifier loss to Clare, made the season one to forget. A return to Division 1A has restored confidence ahead of their Leinster journey, and though the defeat to Tipperary in the league semi-final was a wake up-call, they will be expected to get the better of the Slaneysiders.

The winners of this game will then face the victors of the Offaly and Kilkenny game, which takes place in Tullamore the next day. It is anticipated that Brian Cody will have returned to sideline duties with Kilkenny after his recent absence because of pre-planned heart surgery, and though Kilkenny will be odds-on to progress to the last-four, the Faithful County will seek to make home advantage count.

The second semi-final takes place a week after Galway’s Championship bow, with the final following on Sunday July 7th in Croke Park. Much of the betting points towards another Galway and Kilkenny duel on this date, which is certainly a mouth-watering prospect if their three 2012 meetings are anything to go by. However, should there be any surprises along the way, then one of the most exciting Championships in years could be upon us.

Traditionally, the Munster Championship is a much harder competition to predict than its Leinster counterpart, even if Tipperary have won four out of the last five titles on offer. Based on their league form, they will be expected to once again be the top dogs in Munster, but Limerick made life difficult for them last year, and should be stiff opponents when they meet once more in the Gaelic Grounds on June 9th for a Munster Championship semi-final.

Tipperary have a number of potential match-winners in their side, but Limerick have some potentially explosive forwards in the shape of Graeme Mulcahy, Kevin Downes, Shane Dowling and Declan Hannon, who John Allen will be looking to for inspiration as they try to negotiate a very tricky fixture.

A week beforehand, there will be another repeat from 2012 between Clare and Waterford, who this time play each other at the quarter-final stage, in contrast to their semi-final meeting from last year. The major intrigue from this game will again centre on the presence of Davy Fitzgerald, who is in his second year as manager of his native Clare, but previously had a four year stint with the Deise. He was perilously close to defeating his old charges last year, and knows that they will be expected to go one better in 2013, even though Michael Ryan has maintained stability with Waterford in spite of the retirements of Eoin Kelly and John Mullane.

For the most part, there is very little to separate any of the teams on a given day in Munster, and the future last-four clash for the winners of this contest against Cork on June 23rd should follow similar lines. If it is to be Clare, the Rebels will be eager to avenge their loss in the Division 1A relegation play-off, and will be confident of repeating their victory from last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final if they are pitted against Waterford.

Many observers have been predicting a Clare and Tipperary finale on July 14th, and this may well turn out to be the case, but the expected trajectory of the 2010 Munster Championship changed dramatically when Tipperary were defeated by Cork at the quarter-final mark, and something similar may transpire this year.

As ever, the winners of the provincial championships will progress to the All-Ireland semi-final, while the remaining teams will battle it out for the right to face them at the penultimate stage. The two teams to lose the Leinster and Munster finals will have an advantage of sorts, as they will only be one game away from sealing a semi-final slot.

Before that, there will be a total of eight qualifier games, which will end with just two teams emerging from the chasing pack to battle it out in the quarter-final with the provincial finalists. The qualifiers afford a second chance to teams that lose early on, and they enter at different stages depending on when they are eliminated from their respective provinces.

Confidence can be built by embarking on a successful run through the ‘back door’, and the Munster sides in particular will be hoping to benefit in this regard. Based on what has happened in the past couple of years, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Galway are seen as the main challengers for the ultimate prize, although it wasn’t until last year that the Tribesmen were seen as serious contenders again.

Before Galway reached the 2012 decider, Kilkenny and Tipperary had been regular fixtures in the Croke Park showdown, with their clashes in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 finals providing enormous entertainment. Kilkenny were victorious in ’09 and ’11, but Tipperary stopped Kilkenny’s five-in-a-row bid in 2010.

With 60 titles between them, Kilkenny and Tipperary are two of the most successful hurling counties in Ireland, and they may well face each other in the final again this year. Kilkenny will be motivated by the prospect of legendary player Henry Shefflin winning his 10th All-Ireland title (it would also be Brian Cody’s 10th as manager), though the desire to simply remain successful will also drive them on throughout the summer.

Tipperary certainly lost a certain spark when Liam Sheedy stepped aside after their 2010 triumph, but with former selector Eamon O’Shea now in the hot-seat, they will hope that experienced heads like Brendan Cummins, Paul Curran, Lar Corbett and John O’Brien can inspire young guns like Padraig Maher, Noel McGrath and Shane Bourke.

2012 saw Galway developing an innovative style of play, and it will be interesting to see whether they persist with this formation in 2013, and whether this fully utilises the abilities of star forward Joe Canning. Cork and Waterford, having featured prominently at the business end of the Championship for many years, are now seen as rank outsiders, but may well benefit from the lowering of expectations.

Dublin, Limerick and Clare will also be hoping that they can upset the apple cart, while the remaining teams will be looking to make significant strides in relation to their recent history in the Championship. n

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At the launch are eircom GAA Ambassadors, from left, former Dublin footballer Ciaran Whelan, Roscommon footballer Donie Shine, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte, Donegal footballer Michael Murphy, and Kildare footballer John Doyle. Croke Park

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GET UP TO SPEED The nights are getting progressively longer, which can mean only thing for sports fans in Ireland. The GAA championship season will soon be in full swing.

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Experiencemore.ie is an interactive website that engages all types of Gaelic supporters. The tremendously detailed website, offers supporters the chance to win tickets for marquee games, read the opinions from some of the sharpest minds in the game and also keep up to speed with all the latest results and fixtures from around the country.

One of the most interactive aspects to the website is the ‘Win, Lose or Draw’ area. This is a results predictions game for the following week’s football fixture.

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To mark the third year of its sponsorship, Eircom has enhanced the www. experiencemore.ie website so it’s easy to use and navigate on a range of devices including tablets and smartphones, allowing real GAA football fans to experience more throughout the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship.

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With Win, Lose or Draw Eircom is appealing to GAA football fans with a competitive streak. GAA football fans can now put their knowledge to the test. We are very much looking forward to seeing how it develops over the course of the season.”

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W

ith seven All-Ireland Senior titles in the last eight years, it is easy to see why Cork are once again favourites to be crowned Ladies Football Champions when the final takes place in Croke Park on the final Sunday of September.

Much like the Kilkenny Senior Hurling team, the Cork ladies are constantly breaking new ground in their respective Championship, and they have also ended six of their last eight league campaigns as Division 1 winners. With their unprecedented five-in-a-row triumphs between 2005 and 2009 still fresh in people’s minds, they will be expected to replicate this feat over the next few years, but they can’t afford to look past this year’s competition, when a number of sides will be looking to knock them off their perch.

Manager Eamon Ryan will once again be hoping that key players like Valerie Mulcahy, Rhona Ni Bhuachalla and Anne Marie Walsh can guide the Rebelettes in their quest for glory, but their recent 0-14 to 0-7 league final win against Mayo showed that they are in excellent form ahead of their Munster campaign.

They will have to negotiate their way past Kerry and Clare before a potential Munster decider on July 13th, and with the Kingdom starting to become a force once more, they will certainly need to be on their toes. Kerry are the most successful ladies football county, and though their last victory came in 1993, they showed in reaching last year’s All-Ireland that they are not a long way off securing their 12th title at this grade.

With Louis Ni Mhuircheartaigh and Sarah Houlihan to the fore, William O’Sullivan’s charges overcame Galway with three points to spare (1-13 to 1-10) in this year’s Division 2 league final, and will be eager to avenge last year’s Munster Final and All-Ireland Final defeats to the all-conquering Corkonians.

Clare have also shown good signs of improvement by reaching the All-Ireland Quarter-Final in 2012. They did end up losing that game comprehensively to Galway on a scoreline of 5-19 to 2-16 (Edel Concannon and Emma Curley chipped in with two goals apiece for the Connacht outfit), but full-forward Niamh O’Dea nevertheless produced a majestic display for the Banner County, finishing with 1-8 to her name, including an astonishing 1-6 from play. Should they be forced to take the back-door route again, they will certainly be one of the teams to watch, but the Munster campaign will still provide an indication of where they stand in the overall reckoning.

In Ulster, it is again clear who the most-fancied team are, as a league final victory in 2012 against Cork (coupled with their All-Ireland final appearance against the same opposition the year beforehand) means that Monaghan will be seen as the team most likely to be crowned Ulster winners when the decider takes place on the weekend of July 13/14.

Opening round opponents Donegal will certainly be no pushovers, but with powerful operators like Cathriona McConnell, Niamh Kindlon and Caoimhe Mohan in their forward line, they will have ambitions of adding to their 1996 and 1997 All-Ireland titles. Monaghan did lose out to a CoraStaunton-inspired Mayo in this year’s league semi-final, though, and they will meet a tough challenge from either Tyrone or Armagh should they make the

provincial decider.

As relative novices at this stage, 2012 Intermediate Champions Armagh will be heading into the lion’s den against Tyrone, who reached the All-Ireland Final as recently as three years ago (which they lost to Dublin) having caused a shock by dispatching Cork at the semi-final point.

Moving on to Leinster, we find a province that is much harder to decipher, as we not only find 2010 All-Ireland Champions Dublin, but also 2011 Leinster winners Laois, the team that surprisingly knocked the Metropolitans out of the provincial competition two years ago (Meath), and the always competitive Division 2 semi-finalists, Kildare.

Meath will play Westmeath, who are still trying to find their feet at senior level after winning the Intermediate All-Ireland in 2011, in a preliminary round on June 23rd, with the winner moving forward to play Laois a week later in the semi-final. On the same day, Dublin and Kildare will also face each other in the last four, with the Leinster decider then taking place on July 14th.

Laois will definitely fancy their chances of making the final – although Meath will be eager to make amends for their disappointing exit to Clare last year – while Dublin will also be expected to get off to a winning start, but will face plenty of resistance from the Lilywhites. Dublin were agonisingly beaten in than last-eight clash against Kerry in 2012 when a last minute free to force a draw drifted past the post, and as a result manager Peter Clarke was not ratified for a second year.

It is thought that Clarke’s decision to drop All-Stars Denise Masterson and Siobhan McGrath from his squad was one of the reasons for the apparent dis-satisfaction with his reign, and he has now returned to guide his native Mayo for the new campaign, whose one and only game in the Connacht Championship tie comes against Galway.

puzzled about the nature of their 2012 Connacht loss to Galway, who bounced back from a seemingly unassailable deficit to record a remarkable 3-10 to 1-15 victory.

In spite of this, however, Mayo (with Cora Staunton still pulling the strings) should be able to find a comfortable path to the All-Ireland Quarter-Final, and will be expected to be one of the main challengers to Cork, along with the likes of Monaghan, Dublin and Kerry.

In the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, there are only nine teams who will compete for the major prize, with the remaining 18 participating counties in the sport operating in the lower tier Championships. A number of the teams playing in the main competition also have second teams that feature prominently at these levels, as current senior holders Wexford were also victorious in the Intermediate decider in 2011, while Galway lost out narrowly to Derry in the replayed finale of the secondary Camogie Championship last year.

With no provincial competitions in the Senior Championship, the nine teams are split into two groups; five teams in Group 1, as opposed to four in Group 2. With two points being awarded for a win, the group winners are granted safe passage to the semi-final stage on August 17th, but with the numbers in the group being uneven, a play-off takes place between the thirdplaced team in Group 2 and the fourth-placed team in Group 1 for a place in the quarter-final alongside the two group runners-ups, and the third-placed team in Group 1 on August 3rd.

The Croke Park showcase on September 15th will then bring the curtain down on a campaign that begins with Wexford chasing their fourth camogie title in succession, as well as their eighth title overall. Cork were their opponents in last year’s decider, and despite coughing up three goals on the day to their Munster counterparts’ forward line, a 2-7 haul from the excellent Ursula Jacob helped them to secure a seven-point victory (3-13 to 3-6).

Cork had caused something of a surprise by progressing to this stage, as Galway were hotly-fancied to make their fourth decider in five year, but the Munster girls managed to upset the odds with majors from dual star Briege Corkery, Katriona Mackey and Sile Burns. This was a major disappointment for the Tribeswomen, as they had appeared to be hell-bent on avenging their two point defeats to the Slaneysiders in the 2011 and 2012 finals when they won four games from four in the group stages (including an impressive one against Wexford).

They were caught off guard by the Rebelettes in their penultimate round clash, and though the heartache of missing out on last September’s final will undoubtedly give them fresh impetus this year, Cork showed in that semifinal success that they are once again worthy of their place at the top table.

After winning the Division 2 crown last year against their near rivals in comprehensive fashion, Mayo’s impressive early season form continued with an appearance in the Division 1 Final, but they will still be

Having won the last two National Camogie Leagues, and of course reached the 2012 All-Ireland, they will be one of the teams to watch during this campaign. They will be bidding for their first triumph since 2009 (which was their third in four years) and with 24 titles in the roll of honour (just two behind overall leaders Dublin), they may well feel that they have a real chance of making it 25.

Valerie Mulcahy, Cork v Kerry

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Lorraine Scanlon, Kerry, in action against Ann Marie Walsh, Cork. TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship Final, Cork v Kerry

They find themselves in Group 2 along with Tipperary, Offaly and Dublin, which is a section they will be expected to finish top of. Tipperary had been a major force in camogie circles around the turn of the century with AllIreland wins in 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004, but they have failed to make the knockout stages since 2008.

They also haven’t made the final since their loss against Cork in 2006, and with Offaly constantly displaying signs of improvement, they will need to be focused during the group stages. The Faithful County were crowned Intermediate Champions in a thrilling 2010 decider against Wexford’s 2nd team under the guidance of former Offaly hurler Joachim Kelly, and two years later they had reached the last-four of the Senior competition.

They did come off second best in that game against Wexford’s senior side, but have shown that they are capable of competing with the very best in camogie, especially with players like Elaine Dermody and Michaela Morkan in their squad. Despite being camogie’s most successful county, Dublin’s last All-Ireland was as far back as 1984, but having defeated Wexford at the beginning of the National League, they are not to be dismissed lightly.

The five-team Group 1 does contain the Championship’s newest member, Derry, who displayed tremendous grit and determination in their 2-10 to 2-9 Intermediate Replay win over the Galway 2nds last year, though they will now have to face the Westerners’ main team in their first year as a senior county, which will be a real baptism of fire for Karen Kielt & Co. With Wexford and Galway the firm favourites to secure the top two places, Derry will more than likely be battling with Kilkenny and Clare for the third and fourth spots, which comes with the rewards of a quarter-final and playoff place respectively.

Clare have struggled at times in the senior ranks during recent seasons, but are capable of claiming major scalps (such as when they defeated Tipperary in the 2011 group stages), while despite not being the powerhouse they were in the 1980s and 1990s, Kilkenny were in an All-Ireland Final as recently as 2009, and will be expected to make this year’s quarter-final at the very least.

When the dust settles on the group stages, we can expect that Wexford, Galway and Cork will be the main challengers for the top prize once more, and while Kilkenny and Dublin may have their say in how the Championship pans out, it would be a major surprise if none of the so-called ‘big three’ made the decider. n

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CLUB FOCUS

PARNELL’S Parnell’s got their Dublin Senior Football Championship campaign off to a perfect start in Parnell Park on Wednesday May 9th, as they had eight points to spare (1-11 to 0-6) over 13-man O’Toole’s in an, at times, fiery encounter at the Donnycarney venue.

This game marked the second year in succession that the two teams have been drawn against each other in the opening round of the Championship, and when they began their respective SFC journeys last year, it was the Coolock outfit who also came out with a 0-12 to 0-7 winning margin.

Former Galway midfielder Brian Talty was in charge of Parnell’s at that point, but he has since been replaced Paul Bealin, who was an All-Ireland winning player with Dublin back in 1995, but has also enjoyed stints as an inter-county manager with Wexford and Carlow, and is joined at the club by his son Jonathan, who is a prominent member of the senior team. Mayo’s all-time top scorer, Conor Mortimer, was their main source of scores with 0-5 to his name in last year’s clash, and he was once again a thorn in the side of Larries, as he matched his exploits from the 2012 encounter with five excellent scores during the course of the contest.

The big difference on this occasion was that four of his efforts came from general play, in contrast to the two he registered last year, and it is clear that the elusive cornerforward has fully settled into life with the north Dublin club.

He joins a host of well-known faces in the Parnell’s side, with perhaps the most recognisable being Dublin captain and netminder Stephen Cluxton, who also lines out in goal for his home club, and chipped in with his customary point from long-range during the game.

Mortimer is also joined by Laois duo Darren Rooney and Colm Begley, Wexford’s Rory Quinlivan, Aindreas Doyle (Quinlivan’s fellow Slaneysider) along with former Armagh pair Andy Mallon and Johnny Murtagh (who was missing through injury during last year’s game). With so many players with a vast amount of inter-county experience at their disposal, Parnell’s will be tricky opponents for all of their future competitors in the competition, and they with the Championship structure having changed this year, they will know that another victory will give them passage into the quarter-final stage.

Every bit as important to the triumph over O’Toole’s, though, was a first-half goal from full-forward Andrew Shore, who had been left frustrated a number of times in his battle with his opposition Colm Begley, Laois.

Allianz Football League, Division 2, Laois v Louth

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full-back Michael Cunningham, but on one of the few occasions that he managed to escape his attention, Shore was able to calmly slot a welldirected strike past O’Toole’s netminder David Hoare to give Parnell’s a vital 1-4 to 0-4 advantage during the interval.

This afforded ‘Nells plenty of breathing space after the restart, and with Mortimer, Doyle and Begley all continuing to display fine form, they were able to ease their way past the post. This win came as a major boost to the Parnell seniors, as they have been having a difficult time in the Adult Football League Division 1 so far this year. At the time of writing, they had played four games in the AFL top-flight, and had no point to show for their efforts.

They were unfortunate to lose out by just one point (0-13 to 0-14) to St Brigid’s in Chanel on February 24th, and they were also defeated narrowly (0-8 to 1-9) by St Mary’s Saggart in their opening away game in mid-March. Another loss by the bare minimum to Na Fianna followed on March 24th, before they were comprehensively ousted by 4-7 to 0-10 on their home turf at the end of April. In many ways, the Championship has come as a welcome distraction, but they will need to be at the best when they face stern challenges from Ballymun Kickhams and Ballyboden St Enda’s in their next two league encounters.

Matters have been completely different for their Intermediate team during their AFL Division 5 campaign thus far, however, as they currently sit in fourth place (as of May 27th) with four wins from as many outings. They have also played two games less than top three sides Craobh Chiarain, Na Fianna and Ballinteer St John’s.

Their first league fixture of 2013 was against Thomas Davis at Kiltipper Road on February 24th, which ended with the Chanel-based side securing a 1-12 to 0-5 win. They were due to face Round Towers, Lusk at home on March 10th, but it wasn’t until April 14th that they next took the field of play, and they maintained their form with a 1-11 to 1-4 success at Russell Park.

As the season began to progress, the Parnell 2nds were visibly growing in confidence, which was emphasised in their emphatic 16-point victory (3-18 to 1-8) on April 28th. They also ended with a six-point hold of St Peregrine’s in Blakestown at the beginning of May (which gave them three wins from their opening three away league games), placing them in the perfect frame of mind ahead of their showdown with Ballymun Kickhams in the Intermediate Football Championship.

With Ballymun’s second string plying their trade in the AFL Division 4, Parnell’s were expected to have a tough afternoon against their north side rivals, and with the game entering the melting pot, it looked like they would indeed come up short. However, Parnell’s continued to fight until the very end, and a late 1-1 burst handed them a dramatic one-point winning margin.

This represents major progress for Parnell’s at this level, and they were helped in their efforts on the day by fine performances from reliable faces like Ross Mills, Sean Cooper and David Ledola. n

Kevin Leahy, Ballymun Kickhams, in action against, from left, Aaron Hurley, Liam Browne and Colm Begley, Parnells. Dublin County Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final, Parnells v Ballymun Kickhams, Parnell Park

FRANK GLEESON PARNELLS GAA CHAIRMAN

Helping themselves and helping each other. That could be the motto of Parnell’s GAA club, whose foresight and strategic planning have helped the Dublin based club become one of the leading clubs in Ireland, both on and off the field of play.

Sitting down to converse with the club’s Chairman Frank Gleeson one of the things that immediately strikes you is that Parnells know where they want to go and have a clearly defined set of ideas to achieve the goals they want to.

Having being involved with the club all of his life, Frank was an active player for ten years with the club, before making the cross over into coaching, firstly, before becoming more heavily involved in the committee side of the club in more recent years, a commitment that saw him become Chairman of the club five years ago.

“Initially I was juvenile chairman for a number of years before I became chairman. The club has always meant a great deal to me so I was keen to give something back to the club, whatever way that I could.

“I think it is a natural progression to go from playing, to coaching and eventually to becoming involved on the committee side of things.

“When I became chairman there were a number of projects that we had in place that would bring the club up to the standard that we wanted to be at. We drew up a strategic plan that had four main pillars of areas that we wanted to improve on.

“The first area was the juvenile section. Five years ago there were roughly 120 juvenile players at our club, now there over 400, which is an incredible jump in numbers. We have put a lot of work in to boosting those figures. Our coaches put in around 200 hours’ worth of coaching each week with the local schools. It’s not easy by any means but we strongly feel that it is an investment worth making.

“The 2nd and 3rd pillars are very closely intertwined. We wanted to raise the standards of both the facilities that we use and the players that play for the club. As regards the facilities we sold our old land that we used for a number of years and bought a 20,000 square foot site in Coolock. All told since we moved to our present location we have pumped about €20 million into improving our facilities.

“It does sound like a lot of money, and it is, but because we have such top class facilities, it gives us some flexibility, in terms of hosting events.

Now we are able to hold events for the elderly during the week, which has a knock on effect, because when the grandparents come down to the club they want their grandchildren to come to club at the weekend to play for the club. That is the type of scenario which we like to see.

“In terms of our player recruitment, we went out and actively tried to get the best possible players around. We acquired a few players from outside the county, and while that didn’t sit well with some people, it was something that we felt would improve our setup. We have increased our players numbers by 200% since we put our strategic plan together.

“The fourth pillar was our membership. Five years ago we had between 300-400 people. Our target within that period was to reach 1000 members. I am proud to say that we have roughly 5000 members now, which is astounding.

“We not only want to be a hub for the local Gaelic community, but for the wider community as a whole. There are so many competing sports in the Dublin area, with soccer & rugby, but we are happy with how things have progressed.”

Progression is the name of the game when it comes to Parnell’s.

Despite stepping down in a number of weeks, Frank Gleeson is keen to maintain a close relationship with the club that he has helped build up to the level that they are currently at.

“Oh I will still remain closely involved”, he jokingly admits. “We currently turn over between €3-4 million a year, but every penny that we make goes right back into the club. We are a non for profit organisation, so we work closely with the local businesses throughout the community.

“We have about five or six projects that we could start now if we really wanted to. However there is a changing of the guard in some respects, so when the new chairman comes in, I’m sure he will put his own strategic plan together and put his vision of how he sees the club moving forward, on the table.

“There is a lot to look forward to over the next couple of years.

Hopefully we will continue the progression, on and off the field, for many years to come.”

That drive, that passion to be the best, which permeates throughout the whole of Parnell’s GAA club should see them remain at the top of the pile. n

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ST. BRIGID’S St Patrick’s Day in Croke Park was an occasion that all the members of the St Brigid’s GAA Club in Roscommon are unlikely to ever forget, as they recovered from a shaky start to the proceedings (which saw them trailing 2-3 to 0-1 after just ten minutes of play) to record a dramatic 2-11 to 2-10 victory in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship Final against Ballymun Kickhams.

They forced their way back into the reckoning with the help of majors from Senan Kilbride and Karol Mannion, and just when it looked like the game was set to enter extra-time, veteran forward Frankie Dolan (a previous stalwart for Roscommon at county level) displayed nerves of steel to kick the game’s winning score in stoppage time at the end of a breath-taking contest.

This triumph was just reward for all the hard work that Brigid’s have put in during the past decade, which has helped them to win six Roscommon senior county championships and four Ulster senior championships. They also made the All-Ireland decider in 2011, when the magnificent Crossmaglen Rangers narrowly defeated them, but they made amends when they once again qualified for the showpiece at Jones’ Road two years later.

They have had a number of high-profile managers down through the years, including present Galway hurling manager Anthony Cunningham, who is best known for his involvement in the ‘small ball’ game, but was in charge during their three-in-a-row successes from 2005-2007. They were guided during the 2012/13 season by former Mayo star Kevin McStay, who brought them to the Promised Land in his first year as head honcho.

However, owing to work commitments (he will also be kept busy with his role as a Sunday Game analyst), McStay decided to step down after their All-Ireland victory, though he did suggest that he probably would have moved aside had they lost the game as well.

This meant that Brigid’s needed to appoint a new manager before they began the defence of their various crowns, but they had a readymade replacement in waiting, as one of McStay’s selectors, Benny O’Brien, was handed the reins during midApril. Though the influence of the Ballina man will be sorely missed, the transition should for be relatively

seamless for O’Brien, and with fellow mentor (and McStay’s former club and county team-mate) Liam McHale remaining involved for the upcoming campaign, there is still a strong sense of continuity in the backroom staff.

McStay was, however, given a good send off on Saturday April 13th, when the club hosted their Annual Dinner Dance in the Sheraton Hotel in Athlone, when the St Brigid’s faithful were able to re-live the unforgettable events of the previous months. O’Brien didn’t have long to wait for his first Championship game as manager, as St Brigid’s played host to Western Gaels on their home pitch in Kiltoom at 7pm on Saturday May 18th in the opening round of the Senior Championship.

Their Intermediate side also made their Championship bow the next day, when they made the trip to Tarmonbarry for a 1.30pm encounter with St Barry’s.

The clubhouse in Kiltoom is the place to be on the evening of Sunday June 2nd, as the club will be hosting a medal presentation night to honour a number of teams in the club. The Junior ‘B’ and Senior Ladies side will be presented with their respective medals, while the senior football panel will also receive their O’Rourke Cup medals. Along with the customary presentations, there will be food served on the night, and there will also be musical entertainment for all those in attendance.

As ever, the ladies football training, for all grades from Under 8s up to Senior level, continues each week in St Brigid’s. Players will be notified of any changes to normal training times as they are made. New members who are interested in joining are always welcome, and precise training schedules (as well as any further information) can be sought from the St Brigid’s Ladies GAA contact, who be found on 086-0876933.

As things stand, the Senior and Minor Ladies will continue to train on Wednesday and Friday evenings starting at 8pm sharp. Training for the Under 12 and Under 14 girls teams continues each Tuesday evening on the club’s main pitch at 7pm. Training for the Under 8 and Under 10 sides takes place at the same time (and at the same venue) on the following evening.

St Brigid’s are also currently looking to set up a ‘Gaelic For Mothers And Others’ initiative, which is an ideal activity for any ladies over the age of 18 who are interested in engaging in a bit of light, fun training, followed by a kick around afterwards. There isn’t anything particularly strenuous involved, but this does provide participants with some very useful exercise. Plans were underway to kick-start this event during the month of May, but everything depends on how much interest people have. All are welcome to join in, though, and are invited to e-mail sec. st.brigids.ladies.ros@gmail.com to express their interest.

In spite of a very gallant effort, the Brigid’s minor team lost out at home to Padraig Pearses in the league at the beginning of May. They had trailed by six points (0-10 to 0-4) at the beginning of the second period, and though they did cut significantly into the Pearses lead upon the resumption, their opponents produced a strong finish to win on a scoreline of 0-16 to 0-9.

Goalkeeper Shane Mannion and half-back Martin Nolan (who ended up on the scoresheet) did their level best to try and force their tie in their favour, and with midfielder Mark Daly contributing a tally of 0-3, and corner-forward Jack McConnell also chipping with a brace of scores, they ensured that Pearses had to work hard for their win. n

St Brigid’s Karol Mannion celebrates with Cathal McHugh

St Brigid’s Peter Domican and Dean Rock of Ballymun Kickhams

MICHAEL MCDONNELL ST BRIGID’S CHAIRMAN

Success is never easy to come by. It is even harder to maintain that success when outside factors, which are out of your control, begin to take effect. In the case of Michael McDonnell, Chairman of St Brigid’s, that has been the challenge over the last number of seasons.

On the field of play, Brigid’s have enjoyed tremendous success, yet it is because of that success that the Roscommon club have to work harder that most clubs, off the pitch, to maintain the high standards that have taken them to the top of the club scene in Ireland.

“In some ways we are victims of our own success”, admits McDonnell.

“When you get to the top end of the club season there is an awful lot of travelling involved, so the strain that it puts on the club finances is increased a great deal. It is a nice problem to have, but it doesn’t make things any easier.”

It has been a long road that McDonnell has taken to become chairman of St Brigid’s. Having come from the local area, ‘the club is a part of me’, McDonnell spent some time away from Ireland due to work commitments, before returning to his old stomping ground to become once again an active member of the club.

He spent a number of years on various committees, before as he jokingly puts it ‘being in the wrong place at the wrong time’ when he became chairman of the club. He took over a role and a club that prides itself on operating at as a professional level as possible. It is an attitude and a mind-set that made the transition for McDonnell that bit easier.

“Without a doubt. It was a huge help coming into a role that was so well organised. As a club we pride ourselves on been very professional both on and off the pitch.

“We have top class facilities and although it is a lot of work we feel that the success that we have had on the pitch justifies the investment that we have made off the pitch. There were a number of proactive

chairmen that came before me, so all the right structures were in place.

It is an ambitious club and one that I am proud to be chairman of.”

However, with that ambition and success, comes danger. The structure of the club championship is something that has become somewhat of a thorny issue in recent seasons, with some people calling for a complete overhaul of a championship that finishes on St Patricks Day in Croke Park.

When you broach the subject with McDonnell, you are left in no doubt which side of the fence that he is on. “I would definitely be in favour of a change in format. If you get to the finals your players are effectively playing for twelve months of the year. There is just no break for these guys.

“It’s not just the players that don’t get a break; it is also the facilities and the volunteers that are consistently on the go. If you finished the club season at the end of the calendar then it gives everyone a chance to have a break of some kind, people get a chance to recharge their batteries and if you want to carry out any changes on your facilities then you have the change to do so.

Another issue that is affecting clubs like St Brigid’s is the number of players that are taking their boots and travelling away to America for the summer. It is a situation that McDonnell admits is not ideal.

“It does have a negative effect, without a doubt. Players are away for two to three months at a time and in that time period game plans change and personal change, so when the players that were away come back into the fold, there is a period of adjustment, which is never ideal.

“You can understand the attraction for players, they get to travel for the summer and incorporate their football into their time away. From our point of view, it isn’t ideal. We are going to lose a number of players this summer, but it is just something that we have to contend with”.

One gets the feeling that whatever St Brigid’s have to content with in the coming seasons, they will deal with it in the same professional manner that they have always done. They know no other way. n

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CROSSMAGLEN RANGERS It has been a busy time of late around the Crossmaglen Rangers club in Armagh, as a number of events have kept an already highlyrespected club firmly in the spotlight. The club got the ball rolling on their home pitch of St Oliver Plunkett Park at 11am on Saturday April 20th with The James Hughes International Sevens Competition, which once again enjoyed a great deal of participation.

This tournament is held in memory of former Rangers footballer Hughes, who died in tragic circumstances on December 11st 2011 at the tender age of 35. Hughes won a total of three All-Ireland Senior Club Championships with the all-conquering Crossmaglen, and this sevens competition is a fitting way to honour the memory of a true club stalwart.

Crossmaglen had Junior and Senior teams competing on the day, and they were joined by teams from clubs like Ballinderry, Tir Chonaill Gaels, Sean McDermotts, Wolfe Tones, Bredagh, Castleknock and Killean. An entertaining day was had by all, and extra intrigue was added to the proceedings by the presence of Joe Kernan, who was taking charge of the Crossmaglen Seniors (in his second stint as manager) for the first time on home soil in 2013.

However, the day’s activities extended beyond the playing fields, as they made a number of presentations after the action had concluded, and there was also a ‘Black and Amber’ game show in the Rangers Hall, where participants had the opportunity to come away with winnings of £200.

The return of Kernan to the hot-seat makes for interesting reading in the GAA world, as he was very successful during his first spell in charge, and with a number of his sons currently on the senior team, it will be a real family affair for Joe. He first held the post between 1993 and 2001, when he led them to five consecutive Armagh titles, three Ulster Senior Club titles and three All-Ireland Senior Club titles, all in an extraordinary run between 1996 and 2001.

Incredibly, during those six unforgettable Aaron years, the team played a grand total of 43 Kernan, championship games, 38 of which ended Crossin wins, with three draws and two defeats maglen meaning that he had a high pedigree Rangers before taking on the role of Armagh Senior boss. He also enjoyed unprecedented success at inter-county level, and after sojourns with Galway and the Ulster Interprovincial team, he is ready to give his commitment to the Crossmaglen cause once more.

June 1st is another important date in the Crossmaglen Rangers calendar, as it will see the club hosting a Gala Celebration Banquet at the Carrickdale Hotel in Dundalk. This is their chance to celebrate their incredible triumphs at county and provincial level, and with 40 Armagh Senior Championship and 10 Ulster Senior Club Championships to their name, they are certainly well within their rights to do so.

Uachtaran Comhairle Uladh, Martin McAviney, and Cathaoirleach Coiste Contae Ard Mhacha, Paul Duggan, will be special guests on the evening for what should be a very special event, and with the colourful former Armagh goalkeeper Benny Tierney acting as MC, there should be plenty of fun and entertainment to be had as well. Tickets for this event can be purchased from Joe Kernan, Gene Duffy and Paddy Kindlon at a price of €35.

Also on the horizon is the Crossmaglen Rangers Golf Classic, which will be held in the Concra Wood Golf Club on Friday July 12th. There will be an entry fee of £160/€200 per team, which will include a package of Golf, BBQ and Meal, while the Hole/Tee Box Sponsorship comes at a price of £100/€100. As an extra incentive, the Hole In One Prize is a Toyota Yaris, which will be sponsored on the day by B Cassidy & Sons. To book your place for the event, or to put forward your name for sponsorship of a Hole/Tee Box, you can contact the following people: Joe Kernan – 077 1429 8696; Michael McEntegart – 086 050 9424; Gene Duffy – 078 3178 4931; Or Peter Byrne – 087 904 5115. It is advised that people register as soon as possible before they sell out.

The Crossmaglen Seniors do have a while to go before they begin their Senior Championship defence, as they will not be active in the county’s premier competition until the weekend of September 13-15. They receive a safe passage into the quarter-final stage, and they will have to await the outcome of the Dromintee and Pearse Og game before they know who their opponents will be.

In the meantime, Crossmaglen will be focused on their exploits in the 2013 Simplyfruit Senior League, which they made a successful start to on Sunday April 14th with a 2-11 to 0-11 victory over St Paul’s. Their second league against Carrickcruppin then took place a day after The James Hughes International Sevens Competition, which Crossmaglen had tried unsuccessfully to put on hold. Conditions were not ideal for this game, and despite showing typical character against the breeze, they eventually succumbed to a 0-9 to 0-7 defeat. This was certainly a setback for Crossmaglen, and they needed to respond quickly, and two more league encounters awaited them over the next seven days.

First off, there was a third consecutive away league fixture against Culloville on Friday April 26th, which was a game that Rangers controlled for long periods, but due to the concession of a couple of soft goals, their opponents were able to snatch a 3-8 to 0-17 draw. A trip to Ballmacnab then followed two days later, when Crossmaglen comfortably secured a 3-10 to 2-5 win, their second of the campaign. With a total of 15 games taking place in this season’s Senior ACL, there should be plenty of movement in the league table, and Crossmaglen will certainly have a good idea of where they stand as they bid to regain the All-Ireland title that they let slip last season. n

Crossmaglen’s David McKenna and Darren Dolan of St Brigid’s

TONY BRADY -

CROSSMAGLEN GAA CHAIRMAN Not only are Crossmaglen one of the most successful GAA clubs throughout Ireland, but the northern based club also play a hugely important role within their local community.

That ethos is led by their current chairman Tony Brady. It was Tony’s father who would first expose him to local sport, as he would take the young Tony with him whenever he would attend matches in their local parish.

His rise through the ranks of Crossmaglen was steady, yet when the opportunity came to take the top job within the club; it was a decision that he didn’t have to think too long about.

“It was a tremendous honour to be asked to become chairman”, Brady explains. “It wasn’t something that I necessarily thought about. A few people mentioned it to me that I should put my name forward, I did, and the rest as they say is history.

“To become chairman of the club was a privilege. The club was already doing well, both on and off the field, so it was a case of maintaining all the good work that the previous chairman had carried out before me.”

Having won the All-Ireland club championship for the last two seasons, success on the field is something that Cross have become accustomed to. Those high standards that are set on the field of play are carried over to the other side of the club, with Crossmaglen focused on maintaining the facilities that have seen them rise to the top of the club scene in Ireland.

“We have a great set-up at the moment. Obviously our senior team have had a tremendous last number of years, winning back to back club titles. However the senior side is just one aspect. We are also very keen to develop and improve our underage set-up. It is very important to have the next generation coming through. Without the proper structures in place, there won’t be a next generation to take the place of the current players, so we are keenly aware of just how important the future is.

“We also have a thriving ladies section. The Camogie Club was reformed in 1987 by Sheila King and Josephine Gregory. Maura McAvoy became part of its committee shortly after, and she played a big role too.

We were the first camogie club in South Armagh and helped play a role in reviving camogie in the area.

“The club has undergone a major rebuilding process in recent years, having to go back to grass roots and only field teams at U8, U10 and U12 in 2011. However, this proved to be extremely beneficial and now firm foundations are in place for the future.

“In 2012 the Camogie Club celebrated its 25th anniversary with a very successful year. They fielded teams at U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 and Senior.

The senior team had a tremendous year, which was capped by winning the Armagh ‘B’ Championship.

“Now, for the first time in quite a number of years, the club prepare for this season with teams at all age levels within Armagh Camogie.”

Away from the field, Crossmaglen are also continuing to foster deep links within the local community. As with many GAA clubs, Crossmaglen is not only a hub for young players to play Gaelic Games, but also are a resource for the wider community as a whole.

“That is also something that is very important to us”, explains Brady.

“We work closely with the local council about how best we can help the local community. There are a number of events that we will be hosting here at Crossmaglen throughout the summer months, which we are tremendously excited about.

“We are not just a GAA club. We want to be, and hope we are seen, as a local hub for the wider community.”

As for the future, Brady is keen to see the club continue on the path that it has treaded, very successfully over the last few years.

“That would be the main objective. As with all clubs, resources and funding have become a little tighter with the economic downturn over the last number years, but we are in a fortunate position that we have good sponsors, that have been with us for a long time. Their support is something that we value very highly.

“On the field, I suppose the aim is to try and continue the success that we have enjoyed recently. It won’t be easy because there are a lot of high class teams out there and the standard is getting higher and higher, but it’s a challenge isn’t it?.”

A challenge indeed, but one that you feel Crossmaglen will have no problem facing up to. n

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THURLES SARSFIELDS

the English capital, and with Michael Ruby from the Kilshannig area in North Cork at the helm, they will be the third London club to take part in the Tom Semple Cup. Competing teams will not just be journeying from overseas, though, as they will be coming from all parts of Ireland as well. Dunboyne of county Meath will be hoping to improve on their impressive performances over the past two years, while former Sarsfields die-hards Colm O’Rourke, Jamie Murphy and David Kerins will return from the The weekend on July 12/13 will be a very memorable one for the capital with their All-Irish speaking Setanta side.

Thurles Sarsfields club in the heart of Tipperary, as it will see them For the third time, former Tipperary minor Ger Collins will bringing hosting their very own International Hurling Festival for 2013. This Naomh Moninne to Thurles, while Louth are expected to bring a road firmly-established event is being organised as part of The Gathering bowling team to compete in the Cusack Cup. The McCormack family, in Thurles for 2013, and is seen as being one of the town’s highlights who have had strong ties to Thurles Sarsfields for a number years, will during the much-discussed initiative, which is being celebrated be in the Tipperary town during mid-July with Keady, and as well as across the nation this year. competing for the Tom Semple trophy, they will also be trying their hand The purpose of The Gathering is to bring members of the Diaspora in the road bowling section. back home to Ireland, and Thurles Sarsfields are inviting all the people The largest contingent on the weekend, however, will be from the from the club (and indeed the town itself) who have emigrated abroad county of Mayo, who will be pinning much of their hopes on Toureen, to return home for a special occasion. Those who have been actively as they aim to keep hold of their Carew Cup crown. Castlebar will also involved with Sarsfields in the past are encouraged to make the journey be partaking in the hurling competition, and will be joined by Ballina home, or “Camán home for the Hurling” as their slogan reads.

(Camán Abú) and Westport (Road Bowling). The driving force behind The timing of this festival is especially apt, as it coincides with the the achievements of all these clubs has been Adrian Hession, who has Munster Final on July 14th. It will be centred on the international hurling produced Trojan work in his role as Mayo Development Officer. competitions for the Tom Semple and Carew Cups, which North Kerry will also be strongly represented by Ballyduff and are named after people who have been famously Causeway, while the North Cork homeland of Dr Thomas Croke, Kilbrin, associated with Thurles in the past (the Tipperary will also be joining the party. Dublin’s Setanta will be joined by a second county grounds in Thurles are named Semple Irish speaking team of the same name from the gaeltacht in Donegal, Stadium after the former). However, there will while Manorhamilton maintain their presence in the festival having be plenty of other activities aside from hurling, become the first Leitrim team to hurl in Thurles during 2012. as those who attend can also partake in road Others clubs who have confirmed their part in the festivities bowling, wheelchair hurling, camogie, Camán Abú include Derry’s Na Magha (managed by Damian O’Doherty), and other various social events that are currently Ballykellin from Carlow – who are joined by local hero being planned by the festival organisers. and current Naas hurling manager Pat English – and Full details on certain aspects of the festival Rialto from south Dublin, who will be steered by will be posted in the club as it progresses, but as David Broderick. Another important addition to the it stands things are quickly gathering pace ahead festival is a senior 7-a-side camogie tournament, of a very important period for Sarsfields. A number which will take place in the nearby St Patrick’s of people have already indicated their willingness College, and is presently being organised by Bernie to travel over, and unsurprisingly the USA is one O’Dowd and Louise Lanigan from the camogie section of the areas that groups will be arriving from. of Thurles Sarsfields, and also Deirdre Murphy from the For example, Fr Paddy Carley will be make the Munster Council. long journey from Salt Lake City with as many as Though preparations are well in place ahead of 30 friends for the festival, and they will be joined this festival, there are many more details that will by two busloads from Indianapolis, Illnois, who will actually come to light in the weeks leading up to the events. be spending a week in the area just so they can hone their Interested parties can keep in touch with any hurling and camogie skills in time for the festival. chances and updates through the Thurles Sarsfields Sarsfields Exiles from the UK will also be making the trip, website (www.thurlessarsfields.gaa.ie), and also and in particular Tom Bergin from Moyne, who is coming with through the club’s Facebook page. Photos from Lar Corbitt, an enhanced group from the Kilburn Gaels club in London, who Thurles Sarsfields the festival’s launch can be seen on the latter, are seeking to achieve the mean feat of three-in-a-row successes in where you can also find a copy of the full festival the Tom Semple Cup. John O’Riordan, a native of Ardfurt, is the Kilburn itinerary, which will be a useful tool on what is Chairman, and will be determined to see his team keeping hold of the expected to be a hectic weekend of action. n much-desired silverware. Fulham Irish will also be in attendance from

Thurles Sarsfields (Tipperary) vs Kilcormac-Killoughey

MICHAEL MAHER THURLES GAA CHAIRMAN

When it comes to Michael Maher and Thurles GAA, it is very much a case of keeping it in the family. His father was a member of the club for a number of years, with the young Maher cutting his teeth on the fields for a number of years Having played for the senior team ‘well played is a loose term’ Maher laughingly admits, he then became involved in the committee side of the club, and as he explains it was a case of ‘steady as he goes’ until he eventually made the step up to become chairman of the club.

“It was really an evolution”, Maher explains. “I was secretary for three years during the noughties and when you become involved on the committee side of things, it can be hard to get off them.

“In 2008 the previous chairman pulled out and there was a gap there. I wouldn’t say that I had any grand designs on becoming chairman. There was an opening there and a few people within the club suggested that I put my name forward. Again it’s hard to say no, but it was and is a tremendous honour to be the chairman of this club, and it is a role that I take very seriously.”

During his tenure as chairman, Thurles have become one of the most successful clubs throughout Ireland. On and off the pitch, they have strived to raise the bar, consistently setting new goals for themselves in an effort to stay ahead of the chasing pack.

“That’s it really”, Maher explains. “Because there are a number of teams, and very good teams may I add, within our locality, the challenge to stay at the top of the mountain each year becomes that much more difficult. To say that the competition down here is fierce, would be putting it mildly. However it is great to see the number of teams doing so well. It keeps us on our toes to say the least.”

As with the majority of clubs in Ireland, Thurles have had to deal with a number of external issues over the past number of years. The economic downturn in Ireland has meant that a number of highly talented players, that would have normally stayed within the local community, have been forced to look for greener pastures in search of a brighter future for themselves.

The loss of that talent, along with the tightening of the purse strings has meant that clubs are now having to think of alternative ways of

boosting the clubs coffers. When you put this question to Maher, the nod of agreement indicates what you already knew, however he admits that Thurles have been luckier than some of the clubs throughout Ireland.

“To be honest we haven’t been that badly affected. We have lost three senior players, but aside from that we have been pretty fortunate. When we are able to, we would try and find our players within the local community so they don’t have to make the decision of whether they have to leave Ireland. A lot of our players would come from a teaching background, and sometimes the work just isn’t there, sadly.

“Off the field we have been lucky too. We are in a fortunate position that we have a number of very good sponsors who have been with us for a number of years. Their loyalty is something we are hugely grateful for.

“Obviously things are not like they were a few years ago. People are wary of going out and spending a night out in their local club house, simply because the finances are not there. We have had to ‘think out of the box’ when it comes to sponsorship, but as I said, we are lucky to have a number of excellent sponsors.”

That solid footing off the field has translated into success on the field of play, and with that Maher has one eye on the future when you quiz him about long term goals that he has for the club. “The juvenile section would be of high importance to us. For a long time the juvenile section was a separate entity to the main section of the club.

“In recent years that has changed and now everything is under one umbrella. We would get a lot of children coming to the club of a weekend and they are the next generation of player, so it is important that we look after them.

“We are also very keen on upgrading our facilities. There is a lot of cost involved, but we are on the right track and it would be great to get it done. There are funds there to carry out the renovations, but it is like everything else, there are always more funds required.

“However we are happy with where we are. The one thing you cannot do is stand still. You always have to keep moving forward and that is the attitude that we have at Thurles.”

An attitude that will continue to bring success for the Munster club. . n

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SIDELINE

Taking a walk down memory lane is always a good thing, and thanks to Sideline Productions, GAA fans throughout the world have been able to enjoy some of their favourite games from yesteryear from the comfort of their laptop or television screen.

Since its launch, the company has been one of the most successful and busiest production company’s in Ireland with an extensive list of hit shows for Irish and UK broadcasters plus an international production track record that has led Sideline crews to shoot complete shows in Australia, South Africa, Spain, France, Holland, Turkey, Haiti, Poland, Italy, Greece, USA, the UK and more. Some of our productions have also been bought for broadcast in Australia and Asian markets.

Sideline co-founder Gerry Kelly comes from a business and financial background and had a 20 year career in investment banking and stockbroking before venturing out to develop some personal business interests. He has more than a passing interest and knowledge of technology and keenly follows emerging technologies and trends to understand the impact and opportunities for traditional business.

He is also responsible for the commercial running of Sideline, managing and delivering commissions on time and on budget with a focus on production opportunities.

Speaking about the reasoning behind the establishment of Sideline Productions, Gerry said “Between myself and Billy McGrath, we spotted a gap in the market. At the time there was no real archival source for Gaelic Games and we knew there was demand. We approached Croke Park about the idea of producing and releasing a selection of great matches from the past

on DVD and thankfully Croke Park liked the idea and granted us an official merchandising license.

“We started producing Gaelic DVD’S at the end of the 2004-05 Championship, and the response that we have seen since then has been extremely positive. It has been a lot of hard work but it has been tremendously rewarding.

“At this point we have established ourselves as the premier source of archive footage. Aside from the archive DVD’s we have also received a great amount of feedback. A lot of people like our end of season review that we produce because it allows them to look back on the championship that has just taken place.

“Up to this point we have produced over 120 individual DVD’s for the Gaelic Games market, including content from the 1960’s all the way up to the present day. We have also seen a lot of interest from people who have emigrated from Ireland so the phone is ringing everyday with people looking to order from us, which is never a bad thing!. And we have the entire GAA DVD catalogue available on our online store www.DVdsales.ie, which has been hugely appreciated by GAA fans from all over the globe.”

As well as producing high quality GAA DVD’s Sideline is always exploring new avenues to add value for broadcaster’s content owners, as well as focusing on merging sponsorship and AFP opportunities both on TV and online. With consumer video viewing habits now shifting from DVD to online streaming and downloads Gerry says Sideline is actively exploring that option as the next big step. It’s exciting times and online access to your favourite GAA matches from the archives may not be that far away. n

No matter what sport one is involved in, be it soccer, rugby or Gaelic Games, the quest to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible is continually on going.

From the recently retire Six Alex Ferguson to the legendary Brian Cody, managers and coaches have to continually have to upgrade their knowledge base in order to keep their place at the top of the coaching tree.

While it may take a number of years to reach the high levels that a Ferguson or a Cody have reached throughout their illustrious, trophy laden careers, FETAC, have a coaching course in place that provides the perfect bedrock for aspiring coaches of the future.

The course, which is broken down into eleven units, covers, in detail, all the aspects that any aspiring coach will need.

A module is a statement of the standards to be achieved to gain a FETAC award. Candidates are assessed to establish whether they have achieved the required standards. Credit is awarded for each module successfully completed.

The standards in a module are expressed principally in terms of specific learning outcomes, i.e. what the learner will be able to do on successful completion of the module.

The other elements of the module - the purpose, general aims, assessment details and assessment criteria - combine with the learning outcomes to state the standards in a holistic way.

The development of learners’ core skills is a key objective of vocational education and training. The opportunity to develop these skills may arise through a single module or a range of modules.

The Best of GAA From 1960’s to Current Year

The core skills include: • taking initiative • taking responsibility for one’s own learning and progress • problem solving • applying theoretical knowledge in practical contexts • being numerate and literate • having information and communication technology skills • sourcing and organising information effectively • listening effectively • communicating orally and in writing • working effectively in group situations

In shops or online at

www.DVDsales.ie Just some of the great Hurling and Football action from 1960’s to 2012 available now on DVD. DVDs are produced and released by Sideline under official license from the GAA

THERE IS AN OLD ADAGE THAT YOU NEVER STOP LEARNING, AND THAT IS PARTICULARLY TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORLD OF COACHING.

The modules that are covered in the course are: • Skill-Related Competencies • Motives and Needs • Physical Fitness • Mental (Psychological) Fitness • Game-Related Competencies • Team Play • Playing Rules, Injury Prevention and First-Aid Management • Planning and Evaluation • Coaching-Related Competencies • Skill Development • Practice and Competition

 GAA on DVD

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www.sideline.ie

• •

understanding health and safety issues reflecting on and evaluating quality of own learning and achievement.

Throughout the course, prospective candidates will undergo assignments, examinations, projects and a skill demonstration of what they have learned on the course.

They will also have to keep a learner record of everything that has taken place throughout their course along. The purpose of the learner record is to allow the coach to develop their skills, while also providing them with the confidence to continue their own personal development.

The logbook will include evidence of an ability to plan and evaluate coaching instruction over a long period and maintain appropriate records. Those records should have details of each session that has taken place, Students will also have to present a project of their work throughout the year. Projects will be based on a brief provided by the internal assessor or negotiated by the candidate with the internal assessor. The brief will include broad guidelines for the candidate. The work will be carried out over a specified period of time.

Once the course is completed, coaches identify the basic skills (technical, tactical, teamplay) of Gaelic football, along with displaying a working knowledge of the principles of Gaelic football.

Coaches should also be able to demonstrate and/or arrange for the demonstration of the basic skills and principles in coaching situations.

All additional information can be found at http:// public.fetac.ie/. n

Brian Cody

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ITEC SPORTS COURSES

ITEC College provides the opportunity to complete Sports Coaching (FETAC Level 6), Exercise and Fitness (FETAC Level 5) and Sports Nutrition (FETAC Level 6) through home study and online options. This enables the student to receive nationally recognised FETAC Sports qualifications without attendance at tutorials and classes. We have facilitated students from every part of Ireland to improve their sporting qualifications through our online sports courses. The student feedback from completed courses has been tremendous.

Studying from home in your own time with ITEC now makes improving your sports and fitness qualifications easy and flexible. It opens up new options for coaches and players alike. In addition to our 50% off offer, ITEC is at least 40% cheaper for FETAC Award Courses compared to some of our competitors. We will be adding our new Sports Psychology (FETAC Level 6) this summer for enrolments in August 2013. Register for your preferred FETAC Sports and fitness courses at www.irishtraining.ie/health/ Students that decide to take up one of these courses can rest assured that they will be getting the best sports and fitness tuition available to them, anywhere in the country. The qualifications expected from our tutors are as follows: Master’s Degree in Sports Nutrition.

Master’s Degree in Sports Science.

Master’s Degree in Sports Psychology.

ITEC college provides FETAC accredited courses, of which the students can do the majority of their work at home or on-line. Courses last for a three month period. While it may seem like a short period of time, the work during those 12 weeks is intense.

The FETAC Level 6 Sports Coaching course provides opportunities for prospective coaches to gain a strong knowledge base for working within a team environment. It will increase your knowledge of sports analysis and sports rehabilitation. This course is unique in that it is delivered through conversational style learning. The content is taught in a simple, practical manner without over reliance on written material.

One of the most popular courses on the Open College programme is the FETAC Level 5 Exercise and Fitness course. Learning outcomes students will achieve will be thepage ability put 2013_Macman_Macman together comprehensive programmes built ITEC GAA half 10toMay 09/05/2013 14:50 around understanding how the human body works when engaged in exercise.

ITEC

You will learn to be familiar with the principles of planning and evaluating an exercise programme for general populations. This involves all healthrelated components of fitness. It will give a firm understanding of how field tests evaluate components of fitness, uses of circuit training, flexibility and resistance training to improve performance.

The FETAC Level 6 Sports Nutrition programme provides a number of detailed outcomes including the utilisation and evaluation of energy intake and outtake during exercise. Students will also be able to design proper training programmes, for both team and individual sports, on completion of their time at ITEC. Learning outcomes include utilising and evaluating common methods for assessing energy intake and energy expenditure and designing appropriate nutrition programmes for different sporting and weight management needs.

The major benefit of choosing an ITEC sports course is that all the course content is on-line. Students therefore can study and complete their course work from the comfort of their own home, rather than having to travel weekly to an on-site campus.

The ITEC and Open College is 100% Irish and proud members of the Guaranteed Irish movement – ‘your safeguard for quality and Irish jobs’. We do not offer UK distance learning courses with questionable second-hand UK accreditation.

We are Ireland’s leading College providing accredited Courses at the best prices. Nobody can match our rate for quality or price. In addition to their 50% off offers, we are at least 40% cheaper for FETAC Award Courses compared to some of our competitors.

One-to-One Tutor Support: Our students are provided with one-to-one support by qualified and experienced Tutors.

Study at your own pace. We allow ample time to complete your courses and we do not impose restrictive or our punitive conditions when you avail of our special offers.

All our courses are FETAC Approved. The Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) is the national awarding body for further education and training in Ireland. The Open College is registered with FETAC to offer programmes leading to FETAC awards in the National Framework of Page 1 Qualifications in Ireland. Information: www.irishtraining.ie/health. n

Irish Training & Educational Centre

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GET THE OPEN COLLEGE ON YOUR C.V There is training and there is The Open College Training and with The Open College on your C.V. employers will recognise the difference because there is only one Open College.

Recruitment firms and career counsellors are now saying that it is not sufficient to mention the title and level of your FETAC award, you will need to advertise the fact of who trained you and where the training took place, if relevant.

The Open College is Ireland’s Leading provider of FETAC award courses across a broad range of categories and disciplines. Over 75 courses are available in various categories, including: Business, Employment Law, Management, Healthcare, Childcare, Teaching/Special Needs, Nursing, Journalism, Law, Beauty, Finance, Digital Photography, Mediation, Anatomy & Physiology, Nutrition, Digital Media and IT, Train the Trainer, Customer Service, Health & Safety, Human Resources, Event Management, Supervisory Management, Coaching, Media Studies. Digital Marketing.

Students can take courses by conventional attendance learning, industry leading distance learning or eLearning. We have a training solution that will suit everyone’s requirements.

All course fees for Major Awards are full secured with a Bank Bond.

Each student has their own individually appointed fully qualified tutor for the duration of the course and all the awards are all aligned on the National Framework of Qualifications. Most of The Open College’s Level 5 & 6 FETAC component courses can be completed in about 10-12 weeks with the Major Awards been delivered over 10-12 months.

A not for profit and Guaranteed Irish organisation, The Open College is Ireland’s largest dedicated provider for FETAC award courses because of very important factors; quality, and price leading to excellence in TOC GAA half page 10 May 2013_Macman_Macman 09/05/2013 17:56

learning. The majority of the courses are priced at €249. There is also an Interest Free Easy Payment plan for all courses that remains unrivalled anywhere.

With its recent expansion and move in 2012 to state-of-the-art training facilities at the Leopardstown Business Centre, Dublin 18, The Open College bucked the economic trend. This new location is only yards from the Luas Green Line and just off the M50 (between junctions 14 and 15) with free parking. The College has doubled its student intake during the first six months of this year and with new projects and programme increases they also predict further increases in student numbers for the second half of the year. This expansion in student numbers combined with the acquisition of major FAS contracts has also resulted in significant job opportunities that are currently available in the areas of tutoring, administration, marketing and specialist IT operations.

The Open College team welcomes enquiries from students across the country and will assist you with any queries and advise you on FETAC awards. n To view our range of fully nationally accredited courses please visit us at www.TheOpenCollege.com You can also contact us at 01 2061828 or 01 2061829, Fax: 01 2061750, Email: info@theopencollege.com.

Our postal address is: The Open College. The Learning Centre, Leopardstown Business Centre, Ballyogan Road, Dublin 18.

The Open College – Educating you for a Brighter Future!

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ITEC has the largest choice of courses in Ireland with over 400 to choose from.

Sports Courses awarded by FETAC A winning combination Featured Sports Courses: Sports Coaching (FETAC Level 6) Exercise and Fitness (FETAC Level 5) l Sports Nutrition (FETAC Level 6) l l

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Unit 9, Leopardstown Business Centre, Ballyogan Road, Dublin 18 Tel: 353 1 2061832 Email: info@irishtraining.ie (Terms & Conditions may apply)

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€249 we urse prices starting from ” With Market leading co the same FETAC award? r fo re mo y pa hy “W always ask Don’t Delay Book Today

www.theopencollege.com The Learning Centre, Dublin 18 Tel: 01 2061828 / 01 2061829 Email: info@theopencollege.com

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Now Enrolling

FURTHER EDUCATION Hibernia College follows an ambitious and forwardthinking strategy in order to play a leading role in education for the future. The college now provides more newly qualified teachers than any other programme in the country and has recently launched its online degrees in Business, Management and Computing with the University of London.

The College specialises in delivering flexible, 21stcentury learning solutions. Its online courses utilise video, multimedia presentations, graphics, animation and text to create a truly engaging educational experience. This flexible online learning approach is particularly attractive to individuals with busy and demanding lifestyles.

Hibernia College is quickly becoming the College of choice for many of Ireland’s sporting heroes.

Ireland, Ulster and British and Irish Lions star Tommy Bowe; has been quoted in saying “I play with the best, now I study with the best”, when referring to the course he is presently undertaking with Hibernia College.

Understanding the importance of further education within the sporting community prompted Hibernia College in 2012 to award five sports scholarships to recipients from the GPA and the Camogie Association at Croke Park. The initiative is part of an ongoing Scholarship Scheme which affords Irish sports men and women the opportunity to complete a degree or diploma while they continue to shine for Ireland, their county or club.

The man behind the rise of Hibernia College to the prominent position that it enjoys today is Dr. Seán Rowland. Seán was born in Castlebar, Co Mayo to a farming family. He trained as a primary school teacher in St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra and taught in Beaumont School, Dublin for five years before leaving for Boston College in America. It was in Boston that he began to build up his vast network of Irish political and business connections.

While completing a Master’s in educational administration and a PhD in curriculum instruction and administration, Rowland established the Centre for Irish Management to provide a networking hub for executive and political exchange programmes between Ireland and the US, to encourage job creation and professional development.

Having finished his studies in America, Seán returned to Ireland and founded Hibernia College. His passion and enthusiasm for education has been the driving force behind the success of the college over the better part of the last decade.

Recognising the importance of social learning, Hibernia College ensures that course designs feature collaborative activities and builtin student interaction as a core design principle of all group-based programmes.

For activities that require real-time interaction, the College offers live online tutorials using virtual classroom technology, with full training and support built in for faculty and students worldwide.

Among their two most popular programmes are their online degrees and teaching training courses. Hibernia College launched a series of online degree programmes in July 2012. These programmes allow students to study for the prestigious University of London degree through Hibernia College’s blend of online learning and regional on-site delivery.

Advance your career with internationally recognised qualifications from Ireland’s online college.

Hibernia’s flagship programme is the Higher Diploma in Arts in Primary Education. Primary teaching is a coveted career in Ireland and Hibernia now provide a flexible alternative for people that are considering a career in teaching, but do not have the time or the means to commit themselves to a full time college degree.

Before Hibernia, the only way to qualify as a primary teacher was on a full-time course in one of the five accredited colleges of education. Now, thanks to Hibernia, students can gain a teaching qualification online, without having to attend a college of education or giving up a job. In fact Hibernia College provides more primary school teachers throughout the country than any other educational institution.

The other well renowned teacher training course is the college’s Professional Diploma in Education. This course is now successfully providing Ireland’s next generation of secondary school teachers.

Learning innovation underpins a large part of the Hibernia College success story.

Staying true to this, Hibernia College in April 2013 launched Ireland’s first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on the theme of Irish identity.

The Exploring Irish Identity MOOC in association with the Gathering 2013, will present a broad overview of how history, geography and culture have interacted to create divergent, and sometimes contradictory, ideas of what it means to be Irish. The course should be of particular interest to people living in Ireland as well as the world-wide community of millions who trace their ancestry to Ireland.

The Exploring Irish identity MOOC is available to everybody completely free of charge, no matter where you are in the world. All you need is access to the Internet and a desire to find out more about Ireland’s culture and heritage. The course is designed and created by Hibernia College, Ireland’s leading online educator, with contributions from prominent Irish academics and cultural icons.

The course started on 27th May however you can sign up at any point.

The course runs over eight weeks, with each week focused on a different theme. The themes covered are History, Literature, Film, Art, Language, Landscape, the GAA and Music and Dance. n For more information and to register for the course please go to: mooc.hiberniacollege.com

CurrENt CoursEs iNCludE oNliNE aNd blENdEd programmEs iN: Higher Diploma in Arts in Primary Education Academically accredited by HETAC and professionaly accredited by the Teaching Council

Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) Academically accredited by HETAC and professionaly accredited by the Teaching Council

Undergraduate Degrees in Business, Management, Creative Computing and Computing & Information Systems Awarded by University of London

M.A. in Teaching and Learning Accredited by HETAC

M.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Medicine Accredited by HETAC & IFAPP

Continuing Professional Development Courses for Teachers Approved by Department of Education & Skills

Diploma in Management (for graduates) Awarded by University of London

Live. Learn.

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With one kick STEPHEN CLUXTON secured his name in the annals of not just GAA history, but also the heart and minds of every single Dublin GAA supporter.

His famous will to win has seen him over step the mark on occasion.

Indeed one of the more memorable occasions where his aggression spilled over didn’t even take place on a GAA pitch.

Facing into a sea of blue supporters on Hill 16 and with the 2011 AllIreland Football final looking destined for a replay, Cluxton stepped up to take a free-kick, knowing that if he slotted it over the bar that Dublin would finally end their long drought to get their hands on Sam Maguire.

In April 2011, while participating in a charity soccer match between Darndale F.C. and Liverpool/Manchester United Legends in aid of Autism Ireland, Cluxton clashed with former Republic of Ireland soccer team player Jason McAteer. Cluxton and McAteer were both sent off for the incident. Even in a charity match, the competitive fires still burn.

As a stadium and two counties held their collective breath, the coolest man in Croke Park was the man from Parnells. One got the sense that as Cluxton lined up his kick with destiny, there was only going to be one outcome.

Duly, Cluxton slotted the free-kick over the bar, and the rest, as they say, is history.

That epoch making point was the apex for an inter-county player who has served Dublin with such distinction over the course of the last decade.

A naturally talented sportsperson, Cluxton’s sporting roots are set in the world of soccer. He played with St David’s primary school in Artane, Dublin, and played at left back or on the left wing with Tolka Rovers.

It was only when Cluxton went to secondary school that he would gain his first exposure to the world of Gaelic Games. Originally he played outfield, until a suspension to the number one goalkeeper at the time necessitated Cluxton going into goal. It would be a position that he would never move from.

Cluxton’s shot stopping ability would see him gradually move through the ranks. 2002 would prove to be a memorable year for the young keeper. He would bag himself an All-Star along with Young Personality of the Year Award at the 2002 RTÉ/Hibernian Sports Ceremony.

The following year would prove to be less rosy, however. Following Dublin’s defeat to Armagh, in a game that Cluxton received a red card, the Dublin boss at the time Tommy Lyons lay the blame for Dublin’s defeat squarely at the feet of Cluxton.

It would be an incident that would see Cluxton seriously consider his future in the blue jersey of Dublin. At the time Cluxton was contemplating switching codes and joining League of Ireland club St Patrick’s Athletic.

Thankfully for Dublin supporters the incident blew over and Cluxton would go on to become one of the lynchpins of the Dublin team for the next ten years.

He would win the Leinster Senior Football Championship title in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011, along with that never to be forgotten AllIreland winner’s medal against Kerry in 2011.

Away from the pitch, Cluxton is a tremendously private person. He actively shuns the limelight and rarely does media interview, believing that ‘not speaking to the media’ is the best piece of advice that he has ever received.

Indeed such is his dislike for the spotlight, in the immediate aftermath of the All-Ireland final, Cluxton made his way down the Croke Park tunnel, rather than bask in the glow of what he had just achieved.

Indeed it is that passion to be the best that has seen Cluxton reach the level that he has. After the ’11 All-Ireland final, Dublin teammate Paul Flynn said of him: “He [Cluxton] is out training an hour before everybody else and he kicks them over with his eyes closed. I didn’t even look at the kick. I looked at him and he just kicked it and ran back. He is a phenomenal man”.

Cluxton was named as Dublin captain for the 2013 season and it is easy to see why. A natural leader of men, who has the total loyalty and respect of his teammates, there could be no finer player than Stephen Cluxton to lead Dublin’s charge back to Croke Park in September.

There has rarely been a safer pair of hands in the game. n

Dublin captain Stephen Cluxton.

Allianz Football League, Division 1, Dublin v Mayo, Croke Park, Dublin

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KIWI DENTAL Over the past eighteen years Caroline Robins has perfected her craft as a dentist and is now putting all her expertise that she has gathered throughout her career into her Kiwi Dental operation.

As the name suggests Caroline is from New Zealand, in fact she grew up in the same town as rugby pundit Brent Pope. Having met her future husband while working in Australia she headed to Ireland to continue the profession she has a passion for.

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“I think my interest in dentistry was because I had a lot of work done on my teeth when I was younger. If you ask anyone I was probably the worse child in my primary school for having work done on my teeth. I can only imagine what the dentist must have thought when he saw my name flashing up on his appointment schedule.

“I began working in the Dublin dental hospital in 1999, where I helped teach students to pull teeth amongst other things and after completing a fellowship with the royal college of surgeons moved to Carlow town in 2001 where I stayed for some time before branching out on my own in February 2012.

“It seemed like the perfect time to start a new company, in the middle of a recession”, she jokingly says.

“I made the decision because I wanted a little more control over my life , especially as I have 2 darling daughters who need my attention as well. I wanted to create a business which delivered the most professional yet personable service possible. Word of mouth and reputation are hugely important in our business and thankfully we have a very strong reputation and one that we plan on enhancing”.

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“We at Kiwi Dental want people to feel calm and comfortable. If people come to and think ‘oh god I have to go to the dentist’ that’s no good. We want people to look forward to coming to us. That personable nature is hugely important. A lot of people come in to chat to me as well as have work done.

We try to make it as stress free as possible for our clients.”

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Julia White, Cork, in action against Karen Atkinson, Wexford. Irish Daily Star National Camogie League Div 1 Final, Cork v Wexford

are also competitions at Intermediate level for the Jack McGrath Cup and at Premier Junior level for the New Ireland Assurance Cup. Further levels and competitions include Junior A, Junior B and Minor A, B and C. To encourage the younger players there are also competitions in Under 16 A and B. In 2004 the Camogie Association celebrated its 100th Anniversary with a year of special events. One of the key events to mark the milestone was a re-enactment of that first public match back in July 1904 between Keatings and Cú Chulainn’s.

However it is not all looking back. The Camogie Association in conjunction with Dublin Camogie Board have announced details of their ‘Gathering 2013’ event taking place from 25th July to 27th July in Dublin.

The “Let’s play ball and have a ball” Camogie Gathering 2013 invites clubs and representatives from North America, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australasia and Great Britain to attend. There will be a full round of games, coaching workshops, as well as a tour of Croke Park stadium.

Each participating team will play a minimum of four games during the course of the tournament with the final games taking place in Croke Park on the final day of the event.

by Colm McCluskey

Tá sé mar aidhm ag Cumann Lúthchleas Gael tacaíocht a thabhairt don Ghaeilge, damhsa Gaelach, ceol, amhránaíocht agus cultúr Gaelach i gcoitinne.

(The aim of the GAA is to support the Irish language, Irish dancing, music, singing and the Irish culture in general) The late 19th century saw a revolution in sport, not just in Ireland, but all over the world. Games were transformed into organised sports with written rules and administrative bodies. However, these sporting bodies were set up by men for men.

Michael Cusack met seven other men in Hayes Hotel in Thurles, County Tipperary, on 1st November 1884 and founded the Gaelic Athletic Association for the Preservation and Cultivation of our National Pastimes.

Founded by men at a time when the emphasis was on masculinity and fitness, there was no place for women in this new Association apart from their role as spectators cheering on the men.

The popular belief at the time was that women’s energy should focus on their role as wives and mothers. Therefore, from an early date the female members of Irish communities supported the GAA through these traditional roles – washing sets of team jerseys every week, providing refreshments and making the tea at the local clubhouse, driving children and husbands to and from matches, nursing the injured and shouting their support from the sidelines.

However, in the early 1900s women were fighting for equal rights to education, work and the right to vote. Attitudes towards women’s role in society were slowly changing and this included their involvement and participation in sports. Indeed, since the early days of the GAA, the role of women in Irish games has changed dramatically.

The Camogie Association or Cumann Camógaíochta na nGael was

founded in 1904. The aim of the new organisation was to provide the women of Ireland with a version of hurling. The name ‘Camógaíocht’ comes from ‘Camóg’ meaning a small camán or hurling stick. The camogie stick for women was lighter than the men’s hurley; the sliotar (hurling ball) they played with weighed less than a hurling sliotar and the dimensions of their pitch were also smaller. The game grew steadily in popularity, although, initially, not across the whole country.

However, such was the growing number of clubs that in April 1911 the National Camógaíocht Association was founded. In 1932 the first AllIreland Camogie Final was held and just two years later the finals were played in Croke Park.

This ‘All Ireland Senior Camogie Championship’ is the pinnacle of the sport and the winners are presented with the O’Duffy Cup. Titles are hard fought for and the Roll of Honour for titles won is Dublin with 26 wins then Cork with 24 and further more with Kilkenny on 12, Wexford (present Champions) with 7, Antrim have 6 with Tipperary on 5 and last but not least Galway with 1.

The captain of the winning team also receives a very special award, the Kathleen Mills Trophy. During a playing career that lasted 20 years Kathleen Mills won 15 All-Ireland camogie titles with Dublin, a record that is unlikely to be beaten by any man or woman in Gaelic games. She began playing camogie with the Dublin senior camogie team in 1941 and retired at the age of 38 after winning her 15th All-Ireland title. In recognition of her achievements, each year the senior All-Ireland winning captain receives this trophy bearing her name. Kathleen Mills was the first superstar of camogie and, undoubtedly, one of the greatest ever camogie players.

Not all players can reach the high standard of senior players so there

The latest addition to the camogie competition is Manorhamilton in North West Leitrim as a new Camogie club ‘Camogaíocht na nGleannta’ which they have formed. The girls started to get a taste for the game due to the massive interest in hurling in the community and so this club was formed to give these girls the opportunity to participate in camogie. At present the club caters for U10, U12 and U14 age groups and they hope to expand this in the coming years as the interest in the game, here and elsewhere, is constantly growing.

It was during the 1960s however that the initial growth in interest in Gaelic Football began. More of the women of Ireland began playing Gaelic football. In the first years of the 1970s, football teams sprung up across the country, and challenge games and minitournaments became a common feature of the sporting summer.

In 1973 and 1974 several county boards were established to oversee the women’s game and so great was the interest that on 18th July 1974 a group of men and women met in Hayes’ Hotel in Thurles and established the Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association. Ladies’ Gaelic football (Peil Ghaelach na mBan) was here to stay and continues to grow.

A sign of progress was immediate as, on 13th October 1974, the first Ladies All-Ireland final took place at Durrow, Co. Laois, between Offaly and Tipperary, with Tipperary the eventual winners. In 1982 the Association received recognition for the first time as a body independent of the GAA. At the beginning of the 1990s, counties which were not already registered joined the organisation and games are currently played in every county.

Ladies’ Gaelic football is now also played in the United Kingdom, Mainland Europe, (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain) United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Asia.( China, Japan, Thailand and South Korea) Leading on from this, the association selected the Ireland women’s international rules football team, which played the Australia women’s international rules football team for the first time in 2006.

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There are two main competitions in this sport. The National League, which is staged during the winter-spring months, and is used as a warm-up for the All-Ireland Championship. The highlight of the calendar year is the ‘All-Ireland Senior Ladies’ Football Championship’, a knockout competition played during the summer months, exactly like the men’s competition, with the All-Ireland Final being played at Croke Park in Dublin on the last Sunday in September or the first Sunday in October.

The winning team is presented with the Brendan Martin Cup. Kerry have won 11 of these titles since 1974, followed by Cork who have seven titles and are the present All Ireland Senior Ladies’ Football Champions.

Cork beat their close rivals Kerry in last year’s final with a 0-16 to 0-07 point’s victory. The other games played on the day saw Armagh beating Waterford by 1-12 to 1-05 in the intermediate final. While in the junior game saw Antrim come out as convincing winners with 3-09 to 0-07 win over Louth.

Television coverage, particularly on TG4, and the opening of Croke Park for major games have been crucial in spreading the sport to an everwider audience. This, in turn, has bolstered the game as one with a solid and popular following.

Although most of the rules of the game are similar to those for men’s Gaelic football, there are some differences. The main ones are that a player may pick the ball up directly from the ground, so long as she is standing. Kick outs may be taken from the hand and all deliberate bodily contact is forbidden except when shadowing an opponent, competing to catch the ball, or attempting to block the ball.

The length of the each game differs as matches last sixty minutes instead of seventy. Also a countdown clock with a siren is used, if available, whereas in the men’s game, the referee decides when the game has finished. Finally a smaller size 4 Gaelic ball is used compared to the size 5 ball used in the men’s game.

Comparable with their male counterparts, the Ladies’ Gaelic Football All Stars Awards have been given annually since 1980 by the Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in the ladies’ version of Gaelic football. The Players’ Player of the Year award was inaugurated in 2011, with one winner for each of the three championships, Senior, Intermediate and Junior Today these women’s games of camogie and football are hugely popular with as many as 515 camogie clubs and 1,100 ladies football clubs around the country and abroad. Many of the early pioneers of women’s sport in Ireland, like other pioneers, were ridiculed; however, these women paved the way for thousands of Irish girls and women to play Camogie and Gaelic football.

The women who play Gaelic games today are just as dedicated and determined as those women who dared to fight for their right to play sports over 100 years ago.

Halfway through the year 2013, the problem of the portrayal of women in sports no longer lies in their fight for equality and opportunity but what does the future hold for women in sport in general and women’s participation in the G.A.A. in particular. Personally, I can only envisage not just more of the same but a better role and more participation. I have only mentioned part of the story, but more chapters remain to be written.

Cork captain New frontiers beckon. It’s an exciting Anna Geary lifts time. n the cup. Irish Daily Star National Camogie League Division 1 Final, Cork v Wexford

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Daire WALSH

Ger Brennan, Dublin, in action against Mark Donnelly, Tyrone.

Allianz Football League Division 1 Final, Dublin v Tyrone

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ital contributions from substitutes Dean Rock and Philip McMahon were crucial in Croke Park on April 28th, as Dublin’s 20 year wait for National Football League success finally came to an end in a nail-biting finale with Tyrone at GAA HQ. Dublin and Tyrone had qualified for the decider after finishing in the top two positions in the Division 1 group stage. The Sky Blues won five of their seven games (against Cork, Kerry, Kildare, Mayo and Down) as well as finishing on level terms with All-Ireland Champions Donegal in their final outing of the regular campaign.

Their one defeat during this period came against a Stephen O’Neillinspired Tyrone, and the Red Army supplemented this particular success with similarly impressive wins over Down, Mayo, Donegal and Kildare. They did, however, suffer reversals to Cork and Kerry, which meant that they finished in second place and were pitted in the league semi-final against Kildare, who finished in third spot thanks to victories over Donegal, Kerry, Cork and Mayo.

The Lilywhites kept well in touch of Mickey Harte’s men for much of their penultimate round game, with fine goals coming courtesy of young guns Paddy Brophy and Paul Cribbin, but the Ulster men were able to keep their opponents at a distance, and goals from Matthew Donnelly and Mark Donnelly, along with four sublime points from the clinical O’Neill, saw them emerging on the right side of a 2-15 to 2-11 scoreline.

On the same day at Jones’ Road, Dublin overcame Mayo for a second time in 2013, as early majors from debutant Jason Whelan and the increasingly impressive Mannion helped them on their way towards a 2-16 to 0-16 triumph, when the latter finished with a grand total of 1-4.

This set things up rather nicely for the grand finale, and while some of the play on the day was perhaps more open than it would be at the advanced stages of the Championship, it was highly compelling fare nonetheless, and after an entertaining opening half, the sides were tied at 0-10 apiece upon the resumption. Tyrone netminder Niall Morgan, who has lined out with Dungannon Swifts in the Irish League in recent times, has proven to be a major source of scores for his team so far this year, and he brought his tally to 0-3 with a massive effort after the restart.

Scores from Mannion (two) and Bernard Brogan kept Dublin in contention, but Tyrone held a slender 0-15 to 0-14 cushion moving into the

final ten minutes after Morgan had, incredibly, kicked his fifth point from a distance of 52 metres.

At this point, Tyrone looked like they held all the aces, but some wasteful shooting allowed Dublin to edge their way back into the reckoning, and with Dublin captain and custodian Stephen Cluxton joining Morgan on the scoresheet, Dublin were able to push on to raise crucial white flags courtesy of Rock (two) and half-back Jack McCaffrey, and held out on a scoreline of 0-18 to 0-17 despite some nervy moments late on.

In winning the NFL title, Dublin succeed Cork, who had started the year chasing four consecutive league successes, but had to settle for a fifth place finish after losing their opening two games of the campaign to Dublin and Kildare, and their final two encounters to Kerry and Mayo.

Their long-standing provincial rivals, Kerry, had looked set for relegation to Division 2 after losing four games from four to Mayo, Dublin, Kildare and Donegal, but with new boss Eamon Fitzmaurice finally beginning to settle into his role, and the Kingdom attack galvanised by the return of Colm Cooper, Paul Galvin and Declan O’Sullivan, they recorded their first competitive win of 2013 against Down, and followed it up with victories over Cork and Tyrone.

With Tyrone already having sealed their place in the semi-finals, Kerry produced a scintillating half of football to lead 1-13 to 0-5 at the break in Omagh, but a much-improved performance by the hosts in the second period meant that they had to hold out for a one-point winning margin (1-16 to 2-12). With Donegal leading for much of their clash with Dublin on the same day, it appeared that Kerry were destined to come up short, but a dramatic equaliser from Paul Mannion meant that the Munster giants survived by the skin of their teeth, and Donegal joined their Ulster compatriots Down in being relegated to the second tier.

Taking their place in the top division will be Derry and Westmeath, who faced each other in the Division 2 showdown in Croke Park three weeks after their previous encounter at Celtic Park. The Oak Leaf county overcame Westmeath with 15 points to spare (2-17 to 1-5) on that occasion, but with the latter already having secured their place in the decider, they opted to give game time to their fringe panellists.

Westmeath had earned gutsy victories over Louth, Longford, Laois, Wexford and Armagh en route to the decider, along with a hard-earned draw against Galway, whereas Brian McIver’s recovered from an opening round defeat to the latter to secure back-to-back triumphs over Laois and Wexford, along with convincing successes over Longford, Louth and Westmeath following a March 9th draw with Derry.

With the Lake County calling upon their regular starting XV again, the Division 2 Final (a curtain-raiser to Dublin V Tyrone on April 28th) was a lively affair, and with John Heslin and James Kielt exerting their influence for Westmeath and Derry respectively, the sides were tied at 0-10 apiece by the half-way mark.

As this stage it was difficult to determine who would secure the silverware on offer, and extra-time looked to be a distinct possibility when they remained deadlocked at the end of normal time, but a 1-3 salvo in stoppage Mickey Harte, Tyrone manager along with Darren Curry. Allianz Football League Division 1 Final, Dublin v Tyrone

time from Derry, include an insurance three-pointer from substitute Emmet McGuckin, gave them their first piece of national silverware since their Division 1 triumph in 2008.

with eight minutes remaining. A third Meath goal from dynamic forward Stephen Bray did throw a spanner into the works, but a 68th minute Kieran Hughes goal sealed a 2-16 to 3-8 victory for the Farney County.

Division 2 had been highly competitive during 2013, as a number of teams were within touching distance of promotion heading into the final weeks of action, while the relegation battle also had plenty of tense moments.

Fermanagh and Roscommon were the closest to breaking into the promotion places, as their four wins and one draw saw them finishing just a point behind the top two. Cavan finished in fifth despite recording early round victories over both Monaghan and Meath, while Sligo looked in a perilous position before finally achieving safety with a final round win against Wicklow.

Laois finished in third place with nine points (two points off the top two), and will head into the Leinster Championship with a degree of confidence as a result of wins over Armagh, Galway, Longford and Wexford, but they were ultimately squeezed out in their quest for an automatic return to Division 1 due to three winless games in succession against Derry, Louth and Westmeath. Louth and Galway accumulated seven points apiece from their seven league encounters, and though both had fairly mixed campaigns, the former will perhaps be the happier of the two, as former Armagh footballer Aidan O’Rourke is still aiming to find his feet as manager of the Wee County.

Armagh had been staring relegation to Division 3 in the face having achieved victory in just one of their opening six games (against bottom side Longford), but an impressive 0-20 to 1-12 win on home turf against Galway in the final round helped them to maintain their second-tier status.

Two of the Orchard County’s games ended in draws, and a 3-8 to 3-8 thriller in the Athletic Grounds on Saturday February 23rd ultimately sealed Wexford’s fate. Defeats to Derry, Westmeath, Galway and Laois also cost them in the end, and they return to Division 3 along with last year’s third-tier champions, Longford, who failed to pick up a single point in spite of their game efforts.

Division 2 promises to be very intriguing in 2014, though, as Monaghan and Meath recovered from last year’s disappointing relegation campaigns by finishing in the top two spots in Division 3. The two sides had met on the opening weekend of the Allianz NFL, when Monaghan were vastly superior in a comprehensive 12-point victory (1-18 to 2-3).

Monaghan’s promotion push did suffer something of a set-back when Cavan got the better of them a week later, but a trio of consecutive triumphs over Sligo, Fermanagh and Wicklow restored their confidence, and despite losing to Roscommon in a low-scoring clash on March 24th, a fifth victory over Antrim was enough to book their place in the divisional decider.

The Royals overcame their opening day blues away to Malachy O’Rourke’s charges, and a similarly underwhelming 0-15 to 1-6 defeat to Cavan, with wins away to Wicklow, Roscommon and Antrim, and home successes against Sligo and Fermanagh.

The latter will now return to Division 4 along with Antrim, who only recorded a single victory between them, with Limerick and Offaly moving in the opposite direction. Six wins from seven had seen Maurice Horan’s Limerick finishing top of the group, while Offaly did lose two of their outings, but had two points to spare over both Tipperary and Clare nevertheless.

Slowly but surely, new boss Emmett McDonnell has been rebuilding the Offaly spirit, and they led by five points (1-5 to 0-3) with 22 minutes gone in the Division 4 final on April 27th (the goal coming from centre-back Ross Brady), but five unanswered Limerick points meant that the sides were even upon the resumption.

In a tight second period, Offaly looked like they might hold out when they led by two points (1-11 to 0-12) with ten minutes remaining, but a late rally from Limerick, which yielded scores through Stephen Lavin, Derry O’Connor, Eoghan O’Connor and Seamus O’Carroll, gave the Munster outfit a dramatic 0-16 to 1-11 win.

Division 4 has proven to be a tough division to get out of, as all the teams who compete are desperate to push on to the next level, but Tipperary and Clare (who are currently being guided by the legendary Mick O’Dwyer) can take some encouragement ahead of their respective Munster campaigns.

Having started the season by winning the FBD Connacht League for the very first time, Leitrim won three and lost four from seven league games, with Waterford finishing with an identical record. Behind them in seventh place were Carlow, who registered just two wins during the league, while London propped up the table, but did record a morale-boosting success over Waterford. n

Although the two teams had already secured promotion, there was plenty of drive and commitment from both sets of players when they met once more on Saturday April 27th, as Meath responded to an early burst by Monaghan (which included a goal by half-forward Eoin Duffy) by finding the back of the opposition net through Mickey Newman and Davy Dalton.

This meant that the teams were on level terms (1-9 to 2-6) at the start of the second period, but Monaghan regained a stranglehold to lead by four

Paul Mannion, Donegal v Dublin

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Richie Hogan, Kilkenny, in action against Conor O’Brien, Tipperary.

Kilkenny v Tipperary

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he switch of Michael Fennelly from his customary midfield spot to centre-half forward proved to be a masterstroke in Nowlan Park on May 4th, as his 2-3 salvo helped Kilkenny to retain their Allianz National Hurling League crown with a 2-16 to 0-20 victory over longstanding rivals Tipperary on their home turf.

They will now move up a level in the Allianz National Hurling League, while Westmeath will once again battle for promotion during 2014, with Kerry (who defeated Westmeath, Wicklow, Kildare and Derry, but crucially lost to Laois) hoping to improve on their 2013 campaign when the league recommences next February.

This was the second game that the highly-respected Cody was absent from (his selectors Michael Dempsey and Martin Fogarty assumed temporary control), as he also sat out the semi-final triumph over Galway. Kilkenny reached this stage of the league despite losing their opening two encounters to both Galway and Tipperary, which did briefly find the 2012 All-Ireland Champions looking over their shoulders in a tightly contested division.

from Paul Ryan in the opening half, which gave the Munster side a 1-7 to 1-6 lead, but with the ever-dependable Ryan finishing with a personal tally of 1-8, Dublin were able to hold out for the narrowest of victories, as Limerick once again found themselves losing out in a 1B finale.

Limerick had defeated Dublin in their earlier clash at Croke Park by 1-21 to 1-15, and this fine result had come after two closer than expected wins over Antrim and Carlow, with their fourth win from four against Offaly book their place in the final before they played out a final round stalemate with Wexford.

However, as was expected, they settled into their customary groove with three narrow wins over Waterford, Clare and Cork ensured that they achieved their minimum aim of a semi-final spot.

Joining Kilkenny and Tipperary in the semi-finals were third placed Galway and Division 1B champions Dublin, who reached this stage as a result of their second-tier triumph over Limerick. The Tribesmen’s campaign had been somewhat erratic, as despite getting the better of Leinster counterparts Kilkenny in their first game (when Davy Glennon, Damien Hayes and Niall Healy scored goals), they fell to a brace of defeats against Clare and Tipperary, and a draw to Cork, in their next three games.

This left them needing a win in their final outing against Waterford to be certain of safety, but when other results fell in their favour, a 0-15 to 0-12 win over the Deise men meant that they qualified for the knockout stages.

However, despite making a positive start in the penultimate round against Kilkenny with a goal from the industrious Cyril Donnellan, the influential inside pairing of Richie Hogan and Colin Fennelly (who showed great initiative to find a way past the otherwise impenetrable Colm Callanan) helped Kilkenny to finish with seven points to spare (1-24 to 1-17).

While the eventual outcome of this game appeared to be determined well before the end, it was an even more one-sided in the other semi-final, as Tipperary found themselves 3-11 to 0-8 to the good during the interval, with the goals coming from Shane Bourke, Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher and Seamus Callanan (penalty). Dublin did their level best upon the resumption to claim some sort of consolation in the contest, but a fourth Tipperary major from Mikey Heffernan sealed a comfortable 4-20 to 0-17 win.

Daire WALSH

always in control of their destiny, and a third goal from full-forward Tommy Fitzgerald propelled them towards a 3-14 to 1-9 victory.

Noel McGrath, Tipperary.

Kilkenny v Tipperary

This was The Cats’ sixth league success under the stewardship of manager Brian Cody, but the James Stephens club man was missing from the touchline for this game, as he is currently recovering from pre-planned heart surgery.

Tipperary also recovered from a shaky beginning to their campaign (when Cork easily defeated them on a scoreline of 0-26 to 1-11) to record their first win under Eamon O’Shea against Kilkenny, when the returning Lar Corbett found the back of the net in a one-point success (2-17 to 1-19), and even though they suffered a second defeat to Waterford in their fourth league outing, comfortable victories over Galway and Clare helped them to finish in second place.

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This enabled Kilkenny and Tipperary to renew an old rivalry, but two goals from the towering Michael Fennelly gave the former an edge in the early moments, and though Tipperary did settle (with Brendan Maher and Noel McGrath leading their charge) Kilkenny had a two-point hold (2-7 to 0-11) at the break.

This left the game in the melting pot, but the 45th minute dismissals of former Player Of The Year recipients JJ Delaney (Kilkenny) and Lar Corbett (Tipperary) did disrupt the tempo of the play. Maher and McGrath continued to take the game to Kilkenny as the action moved into the final quarter, but with Kieran Joyce, Michael Rice and Lester Ryan all landing scores from distance, Kilkenny were able to add to their already impressive trophy cabinet.

Elsewhere in the division, Waterford retained their Division 1 status by finishing fourth for a second successive season, as one-point wins over Clare and Tipperary and a draw with Cork kept them away from trouble. Cork looked like they might push for top spot after their excellent win over Tipperary, but their two aforementioned draws, and a brace of defeats to Clare and Waterford, left them facing a relegation play-off with Clare, who had performed above expectations in their first season back in the top-flight.

They were particularly noteworthy in defeating Cork 1-22 to 1-16 in their earlier encounter, but it was a much closer affair second time around, as late scores for the Banner county from Tony Kelly and Colin Ryan sent the game into extra-time after Luke O’Farrell and Pa Cronin scored goals for Cork in the second half. This late burst from Clare gave them an edge in the additional periods, as they outscored Cork 0-8 to 0-6 to hold on to their place in Division 1 with a 0-31 to 2-23 success. Cork will now swap places with Dublin, who narrowly got the better of John Allen’s Limerick in the Division 1B decider (1-16 to 1-15).

Declan Hannon’s goal from a free for Limerick matched a similar effort

Dublin, who claimed the Division 1 crown in 2011 before being relegated the following year, suffered their only defeat to Limerick, as victories in their four remaining fixtures helped them to comfortably book their place in the final. Finishing behind them in third place were Offaly, who did get the better of Antrim, Carlow (in dramatic circumstances) and Wexford, but fell short against Dublin and Limerick despite threatening to upset the odds in both games.

Ollie Baker’s team are still very much a work in progress, but they did gain bragging rights in defeating Wexford 0-16 to 0-14 in O’Connor Park on March 10th. Wexford’s only victories of the campaign came against Antrim and Carlow, who were forced to battle it out in a relegation play-off for the right to remain in Division 1B. Antrim were favourites to beat the drop after beating Carlow 3-14 to 0-13 on March 24th, but with Shane Kavanagh and Richard Coady finding the target, the underdogs led by 0-8 to 0-4 during the break. Antrim had a strong breeze at their disposal in the closing 35 minutes, though, and thanks in no small part to a 0-9 contribution by Neil McManus, the Ulster champions held on to their divisional status by a margin of four points (0-15 to 0-11).

As competitive as Division 1A was, Division 2A was even more of a minefield, and Carlow will be acutely aware of how difficult it is going to be to achieve an automatic return to the second-tier. Laois, Westmeath and Kerry all finished on eight points with four wins and one defeat from five matches, but the superior scoring averages of the Leinster teams meant that they moved forward to the 2A final on April 14th.

With Westmeath having to contend with a series of injuries to the team, the O’Moore County were the favourites to move forward to Division 1B, and with the help of a brace of goals from John Brophy, they led 2-7 to 0-6 at half-time. Seven points from Derek McNicholas, and goal from Brendan Murtagh did offer Westmeath some hope in the second period, but Laois were

Derry maintained their 2A status with wins over Wicklow and Kildare, who were paired together in the relegation play-off in mid-April. Wicklow had narrowly defeated Kildare (3-13 to 2-14) in Croke Park on March 10th, but despite being on a five game losing streak, the Lilywhites rallied to overcome Wicklow on a score-line of 2-12 to 0-12 with the help of goals from Gerry Keegan and Tony Murphy.

Wicklow’s place in Division 2A will be taken by London, who enjoyed a 1-16 to 1-14 triumph over Meath in Newbridge on the same day as the divisional decider. The Royals did battle until the bitter end with some fine scores from Stephen Clynch and substitute Noel Kirby, but a 1-7 haul from Galway native Gerard Hennelly meant that Meath succumbed to their second consecutive league final defeat.

Three wins from five helped Down to finish third in the Division 2B table, while a win and a draw against Armagh and Roscommon respectively meant that Mayo were able to narrowly survive slipping into the bottom two positions. Unlike the higher divisions, there was no relegation play-off for Division 2B, and Roscommon’s final round defeat to Down meant that they are demoted to Division 3A for next year after accumulating just one point from five league outings.

Swapping places with The Rossies are Fingal, who are starting to make significant progress after a settling in period following their inception in 2008. Their final against Donegal on April 13th in Kingspan Breffni Park wasn’t the greatest of spectacles, but that was of little concern to Mick Kennedy and his side, who finished with four points to spare (1-9 to 1-5) following a second-half major from the influential Peter Daly.

Louth were the only team to take points off Fingal throughout the 3A campaign (they drew with the division winners in Swords on the opening day of the league), and they narrowly missed out on a final appearance with three wins and one loss from their four remaining games. Newly-promoted Fermanagh’s two wins over Tyrone and Monaghan prevented them from making an immediate return to the bottom tier, and the latter will also remain in 3A next year after gaining revenge for an earlier defeat by Tyrone with a 2-15 to 1-16 success on April 13th.

Completing the Allianz National Hurling League was the four team Division 3B, which saw Longford and Sligo qualifying for the final, with Warwickshire and Leitrim achieving third and fourth placed finishes respectively. Longford had already defeated Sligo in comfortable fashion on March 31st, and though it was a hard-fought encounter in the 3B final a fortnight later, Longford ultimately replicated their efforts in a 1-8 to 0-9 victory at Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada. n

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Ursula Jacob, Wexford, in action against Denise Cronin, Cork. Cork v Wexford

M

idfielder Orla Cotter was in terrific form for Cork in Nowlan Park on Sunday May 5th, as the Munster giants retained their National Camogie League Division 1 title with a determined performance against All-Ireland Champions Wexford in the Kilkenny City venue. This was the first time that the sides had met since their September Championship showdown, when Wexford ended with seven points to spare (3-13 to 3-6).

The Rebel County had defeated their Leinster rivals in the previous year’s final (1-8 to 0-9), and although the Slaneysiders did start brightly with points from Ursula Jacob and Fiona Kavanagh, Cotter was on hand to cancel out these scores with a brace of frees, and with Sile Burns, Julie White and Briege Corkery contributing further scores, Cork held a 0-7 to 0-3 cushion at the break.

An intriguing second period lay ahead, but it wasn’t until Jacob’s 39th minute free arrived that we had the game’s next score, and we had to wait another nine minutes for the follow-up, a fine point for Cork from Katrina Mackey. The holders then pushed into an impressive position with scores through Mackey, Kate Kelly (two) and Cotter, but a goal from a penalty by the ever-reliable Jacob did set-up a tantalising conclusion.

A late Fiona Neville point did enable Paudie Murray’s charges to secure a two-point winning margin, though, ensuring that Cork ended their league season with a 16th ever victory, which followed a group campaign that saw them winning all four of their Division 1 Group 1 games against Tipperary, Offaly, Kilkenny and Derry. Their Munster counterparts did make life difficult for them in their opening round game on February 24th, but eventually Cork came through by 0-19 to 2-10, and despite having also been made to work for their 1-10 to 1-8 success over Kilkenny on March 31st, they enjoyed comprehensive victories over Offaly and Derry either side of it.

It came as no surprise that the clash between themselves and The Cats was such a tight affair, as Kilkenny had come into that game on the back of impressive wins over Derry (2-16 to 1-7) and Tipperary (2-9 to 1-8) in their opening two encounters. They also bounced back from their first defeat of the season Katriona by booking Mackey, their place Cork. Cork v in the Wexford knockout

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Daire WALSH

stages with a 2-13 to 0-10 victory against Offaly.

winner of their clash would make the big progression.

Of the three remaining teams, Derry were seen as the one that would struggle the most, but surprise triumphs for the Oak Leaf county against Tipperary and Offaly kept them well away from danger. The latter’s only win of the campaign came against the former on March 31st, which left Tipperary without a win from their four ties.

In truth, it was a game that either team could have won, but Armagh squeezed through on a scoreline of 3-5 to 2-7 at Cullion, and they subsequently met Dublin in the April 21st Division 3 semi-final. Five points from the dependable Georgina Kelly helped Dublin to record a 1-10 to 1-5 win, while Louise Mahony and Niamh Dollard were on song for Laois in a well-deserved eightpoint success (1-12 to 1-4) against an overwhelmed Roscommon.

As the top two teams in the Group, Cork and Kilkenny progressed to the Division 1 semi-finals where they faced Group 2 outfits Clare and Wexford respectively.

With four teams in Group 2 (as opposed to five in Group 1), both Clare and Wexford finished with two wins and one defeat from three games, and despite beating them 1-10 to 0-9 in their final round encounter, the Leinster girls had to make do with a runner-up spot, as Clare had a slightly superior scoring average. After starting with a professional 0-15 to 1-5 victory over Dublin, Clare then effectively sealed their place in the last-four with a surprise 0-11 to 0-7 success over Galway, who had gotten their season off to a losing start with a narrow 2-10 to 1-10 loss to Wexford.

Dublin had pulled off a shock of their own in overcoming Wexford with seven points to spare (1-8 to 0-4) on the same day, but the Sky Blues were denied a possible spot in the semis by virtue of a 2-10 to 1-7 reversal to Galway at the end of March. Clare’s achievement in making this stage of the competition shows just how far they have progressed, and they further enhanced their reputation when they forced Cork into extra-time in Kilmallock on Sunday April 21st.

Additional period points from Orla Cotter, Fiona Neville and Katrina Mackey helped the Rebelettes to see off the stubborn challenge from the Claire McMahon-inspired Banner County, while the other semi-final was a meeting between two great Leinster rivals. Ursula Jacob was in devastating from in this game, though, as her impressive 1-7 tally helped Wexford to record a 1-10 to 1-5 victory.

However, there is plenty of reason for the Kilkenny camogie faithful to be positive, as they also have a fully functional second team, who finished top of the National Camogie League Division 2 Group 1 with three wins and one draw from four outings. Their successes came against Tipperary, Down and Kildare, with their only dropped points coming at home to Cork on March 31st, when the sides played out a memorable 4-7 to 2-13 tie.

Going into their final group games in Division 2 Group 2, both Limerick and Waterford had three wins from four games, with Waterford’s most recent success being a low-scoring one over their main competitors. Limerick had enjoyed previous wins against Antrim, Wexford (2nds) and Meath, while Waterford had defeated Galway (2nds) and Wexford, having their lost their opening game against Meath. Limerick were then made to dig deep for their final round triumph over Galway (0-10 to 1-5), though Antrim also had it tough in a 2-14 to 2-10 winning performance against Antrim.

Outside of the top two places, Meath with six points (two wins and two draws) ended with their heads held high, and Galway with five points (two wins and one draw) also had some fine moments. Antrim were unfortunate in a number of the games they lost, though they did register a magnificent 6-12 to 2-6 victory on March 30th over bottom side Wexford.

The Limerick and Kilkenny semi-final pairing had the makings of a thriller, but a first-half hat-trick from Mary O’Callaghan helped the Munster side towards an eye-opening 4-12 to 0-12 success. Their opponents in the final would be Kildare, who showed excellent discipline to hold off Waterford in a 0-12 to 0-8 win, when star forward Susie O’Carroll chipped in with nine points.

Celbridge’s O’Carroll had an even better return of 0-10 in the Division 2 final, but she was her side’s only scorer on this occasion, and with a greater variety of scorers – including goals from Dympna O’Brien, Mary O’Callaghan and substitute Marie Keating – Limerick booked their place in the top-flight of the camogie league with a 3-14 to 0-10 triumph.

Finishing second to them, just a point ahead of the Cork 2nds, were Kildare, who are quickly turning into one of the emerging inter-county camogie teams having secured the Division 4 and Division 3 titles in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

As we move down the divisions, we find a more straightforward approach to the knockout stages, with only one group comprising of five teams in both Division 3 and Division 4. In the third-tier, Dublin’s second team booked their semi-final date with relative ease, as they churned out victories over Armagh, Westmeath, Roscommon and Laois in their four group games. This gave them a two-point hold over the second placed Laois, who had been guaranteed a runner-up finish following their three successes against Roscommon, Westmeath and Armagh.

They did conclude the group stages with a two-goal defeat to Kilkenny, but they had already qualified for the Division 2 semi-final with wins over Down, Cork and Tipperary. Their draw with Kilkenny, and a 1-12 to 1-6 loss to Kildare, ultimately cost Cork a chance to pit their wits against the Group 2 sides, but they did collect two points against Tipperary and Down (whose only victory was against the Premier County).

It was therefore left to the remaining teams (Roscommon, Armagh and Westmeath) to battle for the final two semi-final spots, but with their league campaign completed before their two rivals, the Rossies were able to advance with a win over Westmeath and a draw with Armagh. Westmeath had no points heading into their final round meeting with Armagh, but the Orchard County had only one point to their name, so both sides knew that the

Thanks to their 0-14 to 0-7 triumph against Laois in the group stages, Dublin were favourites to secure back-to-back promotions when the allLeinster Division 3 showcase took place at Cusack Park, Mullingar on May 4th. It was always a much closer affair between the sides second time around, however, and with the teams tied at 0-7 apiece with ten minutes remaining, it really was anyone’s game.

It was at this time that the finale’s decisive moment arrived, as Laois goalkeeper Laura Dunne produced two point-blank saves from Roisin Collins and Emma Flanagan, which was the catalyst that Laois needed during the dying moments, and with Sile Burke and Sarah Ann Fitzgerald on target, the O’Moore County recorded a memorable 0-9 to 0-7 victory.

Completing the Irish Daily Star National Camogie League was Division 4, the semi-final for which had been mostly decided from day one, as Wicklow pulled out of the competition, meaning that the four remaining teams already had a win each to their name, and were always going to progress to the last-four. The only matter up for discussion was the exact pairings for the penultimate round, and Carlow made sure they had the best draw possible thanks to facile wins against Cavan, Tyrone and Kildare’s 2nds. Despite their disappointing loss to Carlow, Tyrone took second place with victories over Kildare and Cavan (as well as the Wicklow walkover), while Cavan and Kildare’s only non-Wicklow points were in a 2-6 apiece draw with each other in mid-March.

Carlow were up against Kildare in the first semi-final, and having beaten the Lilywhites in the last game of the group, they once again had it all too easy, as majors from Ciara Quirke, Eleanor Treacy and Kate Nolan sealed a 3-11 to 0-0 victory. They moved forward to the Division 4 final in good spirits, and Tyrone would unsurprisingly be their opposition, as green flag contributions from Niamh McNulty, Maria Jordan and Julie Lagan put Cavan to the sword by 3-10 to 1-4.

Their group defeat to the same opponents meant that Tyrone were underdogs in the decider against Carlow, but early goals from Caoimhe Rafferty and Niamh McNulty really threw a spanner in the works, and Carlow needed a Ciara Quirke major to bring the deficit down to five (2-3 to 1-1) in time for the break.

In a tightly contested second period, Tyrone looked like they might be able to hold on, but full-back Marian Doyle stepped forward to snatch the honours for Carlow with a final minute goal in a 2-6 to 2-4 victory. n

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THE HURLEY SOCK The Hurley Sock is a newly developed GAA hurling grip which is revolutionising the way grip tape is applied to handcraft hurleys and camogie sticks.

The HURLEYSOCK allows room to include a club crest the grip itself with the county colours of choice.

Pipeline grip includes extra features like embossing and customization.

The HURLEYSOCK produce offers a new level of grip and comfort. It is a unique design targeted at a wide range of players in the game of hurling from kids under 10s to adults over 30s. While it improves the gripping along the shaft of the hurley, the HURLEYSOCK’s unique design coes in the form of a sock that slides onto the handle of the hurley with a comfort patch positioned on the curve of the handle to provide extra comfort.

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Peter Curran has been developing and improving upon Hurling equipment for over 20 years. As a former county player with over 20 years playing experience at the highest level along with decades of coaching experience, Peter brings his vast knowledge of hurling to every product he manufactures and develops.

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Personalising your sporting wear is something that has become more and more prevalent over the last number of years and now the world of GAA has embraced this world.

Simon Born is the man behind ‘Hurley Sock’ a brand new, one of a kind hurling grip which is revolutionising the way grip tape is applied to handcraft hurleys and camogie sticks.

The Hurley Sock is a one piece grip tape that covers the entire hook end of the hurley. Its unique design is being finalised in conjunction with hurley makers to ensure a perfect fit over the complete hook end of the hurl. One major benefit is that once the hook end is covered by The Hurley Sock, it is already in perfect line for continuing the grip down the shaft of the hurl making application of a grip child’s play.

“Everything started about three years ago”, Simon explains.

“My children had started to play for our local GAA club and I wanted to contribute to the club in some way.

“We have had tremendous feedback from the likes of Daithí Regan and the Cork senior hurling panel, which is great to see.

All the young kids within the clubs that we have shown our samples to love the product too so hopefully the business will continue to grow and grow.

Whether you are a senior hurling championship player, or just starting out, you can personalise your Hurley Sock with your own colour, logo or wording for GAA Camogie and Hurling Clubs as well as individuals.

The Hurley Sock conforms to GAA Ireland hurling and camogie regulations. n

WM.Nevilles of Youghal are proud suppliers of top quality Irish and European clothing in the East Cork area since 1945. As well as stocking all the top brands we also have a complete Embroidery service to give your club sportswear it’s unique identity or add personal touches to your clothes.

We cater for all occasions from casual to formal wear, with top brands such as, REMUS, BEN SHERMAN, MUSTANG, to mention just a few. We can deliver in a timely fashion with the excellent levels of service you’ve come to expect from us at Wm. Neville.

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NETFIX While many GAA player dream of bursting the back of the net in Croke Park to win an All-Ireland championship, one company, Netfix will always ensure that no matter how hard a player rifles a ball into the goal, the netting will always be securely fastened.

In the mid-1990s John Dennis, a keen sports fan noticed a need for a uniform, safe & efficient method of attaching nets to goalposts. This thought process led to the establishment of Roy Industries, who produce Netfix, which is based in Lusk, Co. Dublin.

Many sports clubs at the time used impractical, time consuming and unsafe methods such as hooks, tape and strings to attach their nets to goalposts.

The company was conceived to develop and ensure a fast, affordable, safe and professional net to goal attachment system is available to clubs and organisations.

Netfix is a proven system for attaching nets to goalposts which is safe, durable, and simple to use – the ideal solution for sport clubs. One end of the Net Toggle is fastened to the net which resembles a cable tie. The other end is a bulb head or a button which slides into the Post Slot.

Along with John, his partner Phil Dennis provides a top class service for sporting clubs around the country and is justifiably proud of the business that they have built up over the last number of years.

“When we first set up the company, there was no real service for linking up the netting to the goalpost. At the time people would use tape which didn’t last very long. Now thanks to Netfix, the lifespan of netting is substantially increased, which means that clubs do not have to consistently pay out money for new netting.

“The company has grown a lot since we first started. The fact that Croke Park use Netfix is a huge endorsement of what we do.

To have the premier GAA stadium in Ireland using our product says it all.

“We also supply to one company in Scotland, so our name and brand is continuing to grow year on year and we would hope that it continues on that upward curve for the foreseeable future. We get a lot of repeat business, because we feel that we offer a very safe and cost effective way of maintaining the netting for clubs.

It is a proven system that works. All the slots that we provide will last for a long time. Everyone knows that money is tight, especially for sports clubs, so anything that can help clubs is always welcomed.

Netfix has been installed and used with great success by soccer, Gaelic football and hurling clubs both at home and abroad. Indeed many top class stadia currently use Netfix including Ireland’s largest, and most high profile GAA stadium, Croke Park. n

Netfix - a proven system for attaching nets to goalposts which is safe, durable, and simple to use – the ideal solution for sport clubs Safe There are no sharp edges – Netfix is crafted to avoid the hazards associated with some other fixing systems.

Simple to Use The attachments are connected in an easy single action to achieve a perfect secure net every time.

Time Saving With this innovation nets can be attached to the goal post within minutes by one person from ground level.

Our aim is to supply a wide range of top quality products at competitive prices to those who are passionate about playing and supporting Gaelic sports, both at individual and club level.

Our product range is continually being developed and we now supply a wide range of specialist products such as goalposts, catch nets, training equipment, balls and accessories needed for all aspects and levels of Gaelic games, many of which are not available from traditional High Street stores.

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THE ROAD TO CROKER with Bruce Betting GAA tipster Gavin Gillespie.

The 2013 GAA Football and Hurling championships are upon us and here is a brief guide to who are the value bets of this year’s campaigns.

Leinster SFC – Dublin 1/3, Kildare 4/1, Meath 9/1, 16/1 + others.

By all accounts Dublin look good things for the Leinster SFC. They have a huge panel, a title already under their belt and look two months ahead of the opposition fitness wise. So their odds are representative of their chances, but to me it’s too short. A team who are overpriced in my opinion are Meath. The draw really suits them, they should get through to a Leinster final without beating too much. Then there I fancy them to be playing Dublin, the one team in Leinster Dublin still hold a slight inside fear of is Meath, and when facing the Dubs they have the ability to raise their game. Meath are under new manager Mick O’Dowd and were promoted in the league so are in decent form. At 7/1 I think Meath are a cracking bet as they won’t be 9/1 to beat Dublin in the Leinster Final where I think they will be.

Munster SFC – Kerry 8/13, Cork 6/5, Clare 80/1.

Another year another two team provincial question, will it be Cork or Kerry. Cork have taken a walk in the betting after a poor National League campaign and losing Colm O Neill for the season. Kerry on the other hand after a poor start to the league have come back into form, another rookie manager, Eamonn Fitzmaurice has the class at his disposal in Kerry to get over Cork, later on in the Championship is another story. Verdict is Kerry at 8/13.

Ulster SFC – Donegal 1/3, Down 13/2, Monaghan 7/1, Cavan 14/1, 25/1 + others Donegal versus Tyrone was the marquee game of the championship last weekend. To me Tyrone were unlucky, Donegal got their goals at crucial times of the game and Tyrone tapped over the bar some great goal chances, I see Tyrone as major player in the back door and would not be surprised at all to see them in the semis later on in the year. Donegal now look good things to win out Ulster and the only team I can see who might cause them a slight concern is Monaghan. Monaghan won the National Football League Division Three in style disposing of an up and coming Meath team.

Connacht SFC – Mayo 10/11, Galway 7/2, Roscommon 9/2, Sligo 5/1 and 20/1 + others.

Mayo or Roscommon, and you would have to be a mad man in my opinion to see anything other than a Mayo win. One thing going for Roscommon in my opinion is that I think Mayo looked better than they are because Galway were so bad. This might stand to them and as complete outsiders they have nothing to lose.

When it comes to the knockout stages of the football here is how I see it. Dublin at 5/2 to lift Sam is too short and Dublin could wilt under the favourite’s tag! Its Jim Gavin’s rookie season and I fancy they’ll come up just short in September.

Although Kerry I think will get out of Munster I can also see

them going out at the semi-final stage, their ageing team won’t have the legs to keep up with the younger sides at the business end of things. Anther semi-finalist I feel will be Donegal, I fancy them to progress through to the semis and maybe final but for me they won’t win it outright. My All Ireland SFC fancy even though beaten by Donegal already are Tyrone, the influence of Matthew and Mark Donnelly has grown. There were flashes in the latter stages of the league that their suffocating defensive system is in good order. Provided they stay healthy, Seán Cavanagh and Stephen O’Neill can influence games like few others, at odds of 16/1 with Bruce Betting, Tyrone are my bet!

All Ireland SHC – Kilkenny 4/5, Tipperary 3/1, Galway 9/2 and 16/1 + others.

This year by all accounts is a three horse race with Kilkenny as expected hot favourites followed by Tipperary and Galway.

KILKENNY Kilkenny are favourites to retain their All-Ireland crown and while the Cats chase a third consecutive title, they also seek a record 10th under the mercurial leadership of Brian Cody who will enter his 15th season at the helm. Their firepower is as strong as ever. Eoin Larkin, Richie Power and Richie Hogan will be the main men and Kilkenny will need them firing on all cylinders so they can make their required push for the Liam McCarthy Cup. TIPPERARY Tipperary coach Declan Ryan stepped down following the Premier County ‘s comprehensive 21 points defeat to the Cats in the All-Ireland semi-final in August. Ryan delivered backto-back provincial titles in his two years in charge in 2011 and 2012 but he failed to emulate his predecessor Liam Sheedy who delivered the coveted All-Ireland title in 2010.

The Premier County will be under the astute leadership of Eamon O’Shea who was appointed on September 25th and the NUI Galway lecturer will aim to challenge the might of Cody and the Cats in the Championship. Tipperary seems to have, from league form, fixed their broken system under Ryan and should be a thorn in the side of Kilkenny come August/September.

GALWAY Anthony Cunningham’s side will not be in action until the semi-final stage to defend their first ever Leinster title after the Tribesmen beat Kilkenny by a staggering 10 points in the final in July. Cunningham’s charges though lost by the same margin of points to the Cats in the All-Ireland final replay on September 30 after the two sides played out a draw in the earlier meeting on September 9. In order to lift the Liam McCarthy cup they will need to show the same tenacity as Galway club St. Thomas’ who are the All Ireland Club Champions. As always Joe Canning will be instrumental in everything Galway do.

Where my money will be going is quite simple, Kilkenny seem too good. I can’t put up an argument as to why they will be beaten and for me that’s good enough. Although 4/5 is short a winner is a winner! n

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ANDREW SHORE PROUD TO WEAR THE PURPLE AND YELLOW JERSEY OF HIS NATIVE COUNTY.

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t is the time of the year that all GAA players love. The start of the summer not only brings the hope (and want) of decent weather, but the prospect of having a tremendously successful summer that will lead, hopefully to the promise land of either the Liam McCarthy or Sam Maguire cup making its way back to any of the competing counties in Ireland.

To be in the hallowed stadium in September holding either trophy aloft is the fuel that keeps players and teams going throughout the long winter months. Indeed it is something to shorten the nights.

For Wexford and Andrew Shore, that feeling, that sense of anticipation and excitement is as prevalent as it was the first year when he pulled on the purple and yellow jersey of his native county.

Like any boy growing up, sports played a developmental role in Shore’s childhood. While one could fully expect him to be enthused by football teams across the water, it was the twin peaks of GAA and, surprisingly enough, basketball that ignited the sporting fires within Shore as a youngster.

“People always get taken a bit by surprise when I mention basketball”, he jokes. “Like everyone I played a lot of sports growing up.

Given where I came from GAA always played a big role in what sports I played.

“I was always interested in playing hurling more than football. It wasn’t until I was about 17 that I decided to combine the two codes.

“Growing up all, my sporting heroes, if you like, came from the hurling sphere. There were the likes of DJ Carey playing when I was younger, and if I was pressed to name one player that I looked up to more than any other, it would be him.

“There was something about the way that he played the game that caught my imagination. He was a brilliant all round player, and obviously hugely successful to boot as well, so he would have been one of my earliest inspirations.”

Having such players like Carey to look up to, meant that the desire to compete at the top level was always something that Shore wanted to achieve.

However the road to intercounty status would not go totally according to plan.

Making the break through when you are at one of the traditional ‘big’ clubs in a county is a difficult enough job. When you come from one of the less well known clubs, that task becomes even more difficult. This is what happened in the case of Shore.

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Indeed having made the decision to focus full-time on hurling Shore’s form has blossomed. A naturally competitive and physical player, Shore has become one of the most influential players for both Wexford and his club side, Parnell’s of Dublin.

His club form has mirrored his rise at inter-county level. Shore currently plys his trade with Parnell’s in Dublin and is enthusiastically positive when you mention the set-up within the club. “The standard at the club is tremendous at the moment.

“I would say the standard of training is up at inter-county level. It is a very professional set-up at the moment, and it is terrific to be a part of it.

“The good thing about training at such a high standard with you club, is that when you come back into the inter-county scene you can maintain the standards that you have been working up to, and hopefully raise the bar a little bit higher.

“We have had a decent season so far (with Parnell’s) so hopefully we can kick on for the rest of the season and hopefully pick up some silverware.”

Silverware is the name of the game for Shore at the moment, be it at club or inter-county level. Having narrowly missed out on the Walsh Cup to Dublin, earlier on in the campaign, Shore and Wexford are looking forward to what promises to be an exciting and hopefully a long summer.

“That’s the plan anyway”, Shore says. “We really targeted the Walsh Cup earlier on and we came close, although Dublin played very well in the final. Despite that loss we felt that we progressed throughout the league campaign, which was great to see “Like every county our main goal is to do well in the championship.

There is a tremendous buzz within the camp at the moment. We have a lot of young guys that have come in and made a great impact.

“The whole idea is to try and link your club form with your intercounty form. You want to bring the good level that you have with your club into the county set-up and visa versa. All the gym work, all the training sessions that you put yourself through, it is all geared towards becoming successful, both as a team and as an individual.

“It can be tough going at times, but it is something that you wouldn’t swap. The feeling that you get from pulling on your club or county jersey is something else, and it reminds you of why you play the game, for that moment that you run out in front of your home supporters.

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“There is a nice blend of youth and experience within the panel, and we don’t have too many injuries, which is something that you need if you are going to be successful in the championship. Liam Dunne has done a great job and we are in a good place.

“This is the time of the year that we as players really look forward to. June is when things really kick off, so it is a really exciting time of year.”

Exciting times indeed. We won’t have to wait long for more memories to be created in that famous purple and yellow jersey.

There is no Shorer thing for Wexford GAA. n

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“It was tough to break into the squad initially”, Shore admits. “I suppose when you are not playing with one of the bigger teams you are less likely to get noticed. All I could do was play my game and if that proved to be good enough then so be it. Thankfully it was in the end”.

Having made the step up from club to county level, Shore’s ascent through the ranks continued a pace and he was soon lining up with players that he watched from a far only a few years previously.

Given the speed of his inter-county rise, was there much sense of trepidation when he did make his senior debut for Wexford?

“Without a doubt”, he laughingly shoots back. “I was very nervous making my debut. It was a massive step up from the level that I had been playing at, so there was a little worry about if I was ready to play at senior level.

“Luckily there were a couple of guys that I played at minor level with so we all kind of made the jump at the same time. That was a help and soon the nerves faded away and I got on with things. The senior guys within the panel made things a lot easier, be it a quiet word in your ear or giving you bits of advice on the field. That gave me a lot of confidence and definitely made the transition that bit easier.”

Recently Shore has made the decision to concentrate fulltime on hurling, a choice that seemed to be fully vindicated as Wexford only

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found Dublin too good in this seasons Walsh Cup. Like many players that play GAA, Shore combined both football and hurling, along with trying to juggle a normal working week in Dublin.

As one can imagine, trying to juggle so many things can become tiresome and eventually Shore reached the fork in the road, where he had to make a decision. Would it be football or hurling that would take up his focus?

In the end Shore came down on the side of hurling. He admits that the decision to put football to one side wasn’t an easy one, however, as he explains, there were certain factors that swayed him into sticking with hurling.

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“I sought advice from my parents, team mates and my friends, so it wasn’t something that I rushed into. There were a lot of factors to consider but it isn’t a decision that I have regretted.”

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“Travelling was one factor”, he explains. “I work in Dublin, so to commute back down to Wexford for both hurling and football training was something, I felt, was too much. If I was living and working in Wexford things may have panned out differently, but that is the decision that I have made.

“I also got a bad ankle injury a while ago, and while hurling is a physically demanding game, it is less strenuous than football, so that was another big factor in me taking this decision.

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1-7 to his name), along with points from Craig Moran, Gavin Dawson and Calum Frawley, and a third goal Thanks to their memorable from Cronin, helped them to seal a 1-11 to 1-9 All-Ireland Senior comfortable victory.

Club Hurling Championship This represented an excellent final victory over Kilcormac/ start to the present campaign Killoughey on March 17th, for the Fermoy minors, and they Galway club St Thomas’ are followed it up with another success currently on the crest of a wave. against Ballyhea on their home turf.

They became the seventh team In general, this was a much closer from the county to secure this contest, and despite some good title, and will be expected to be passages of play, which produced remain as major challengers scores from Eric Delaney (four), Cian for top honours in the next few O’Carroll (two), Craig Moran, Ronan years due to the age profile O’Hagan and Tom Keane, they trailed of their side. Indeed, a total of 1-7 to 0-9 at the mid-way point. six players who featured in the However, the Fermoy performance club’s finest hour in Croke Park was galvanised after the restart, were on the Thomas’ Under and with O’Hagan chipping in with a 21 team, who were recently crucial 1-2 salvo, and Richie Cronin Thomas Geraghty, Kilcormac-Killoughey, in action crowned County Under 21 ‘A’ against Seán Burke and Daivd Burke, right, St. Thomas’. also grabbing a three-pointer, Fermoy Champions following a nailrecorded a vital 2-16 to 2-10 victory, Offaly, v St. Thomas biting encounter with Tynagh/ which places them in excellent stead Abbey Duniry in Athenry. ahead of an extended break in action Conor Cooney has already because of the upcoming exams. featured prominently at senior inter-county level with Galway (who All across the country, the annual Feile competitions are seen as are managed by fellow Thomas’ club man Anthony Cunningham), and major events in the GAA calendar, and it is no different in Kildare, he was once again on top form, as three excellent points from the where the Feile (Under 14) ‘A’ Football Final took place in St Conleth’s centre-forward gave his side a 0-6 to 0-1 lead by the 16th minute.

Park, Newbridge on Sunday April 21st. The Kildare GAA county County panellist Shane Maloney was keeping Abbey Duniry in touch grounds are the regular venue for these finals, but it was particularly during the opening period, but a well-taken major by teenage prodigy suitable on this occasion, as the town’s two local clubs, Sarsfields and Shane Cooney meant that Thomas’ brought a five-point advantage Moorefield, were battling it out for top Feile honours.

(1-7 to 0-5) into the second half.

The game did take a while to get going, though, and it wasn’t The breeze was blowing in Abbey Duniry’s favour upon the until Sash centre-forward Kevin Kyne burst through for an excellent resumption, though, and with Shane Maloney continuing to find individual goal 20 minutes in that it really came to life. This was the the target, and Padraig Brehony starting to probe effectively, the catalyst for Sarsfields to push on for the remainder of the half, and Thomas’ challenge was slowly being reined in. Conor Cooney was with captain Tony Keogh splitting the posts on three occasions, and an inspirational presence throughout the contest, however, and he corner-forward Daragh Ryan also getting in on the act, they held a 1-4 registered all three of Thomas’ scores in the final 30 minutes of play, which ensured that they held out for a marginal 1-10 to 0-11 triumph. to 0-1 lead at the half-way mark.

Cork outfit Fermoy got their Minor ‘A’ Hurling League campaign off The Moores were finding it difficult to truly settle into the reckoning, to a winning start at the beginning of May, as they finished with ten and when Keogh broke through for a terrific goal just two minutes points to spare (3-15 to 1-11) in an away fixture against Dromtariffe, into the second period, it was looking very ominous indeed for The which helped to cast aside memories of the loss they suffered when Curragh-based outfit. Moorefield were not going to go down without the teams last faced each other. a fight, however, and when tenacious full-forward Robbie Higgins Their chances of success in Duhallow were enhanced from a very fired past Sarsfields custodian Cian McQuillan, they were afforded a early stage in the proceedings, as midfielder Eric Delaney displayed significant lifeline. great composure to find the back of the Dromtariffe net. They did Unfortunately, the momentum was short-lived, as Kyne grabbed give away a somewhat soft goal soon after, but with Delaney on fine his second goal moments after half-back Brian McDonald has neatly shooting form, and players like Shane Aherne, Richie Cronin, Craig struck between the uprights, and influential skipper Keogh joined Kyne Moran and Cian O’Carroll also finding the target, they held a 1-10 to in grabbing a brace of majors when he struck a 48th minute firmly 1-4 interval lead. penalty past James Drealing in The Moores goal.

Their counterparts did have a purple patch during the middle part This brought Keogh’s tally to 2-4 for the final, and this fourth goal of the second half – when they struck four points without reply – but for Sarsfields effectively put the final outcome beyond any doubt. either side of this Fermoy continued to dominate, and even though Moorefield did continue to battle until the bitter end, and got their James Condon had to depart the scenes through injury, a second just reward with a consolation goal from Jo Jo Conlon (also from major from substitute Davy Roche helped them to re-assert their the penalty spot), but Sarsfields had done more than enough by this superiority. This enabled Fermoy to finish the game in strong fashion, stage to ensure that they were crowned Champions on a 4-7 to 2-3 and a further brace from Delaney (who finished as top-scorer with scoreline. n

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INTERNATIONAL SPORT SURFACES Sports surfaces comprise all surface constructions and layers, on which the different sports are performed (from athletics to sports games to gymnastics).The sports surface is often the main element of a sports facility and certainly the most important component for the effective performance of the athletes.

matter what the weather conditions are, teams are able to train and play on the surface.

With that in mind, one Irish company, over the course of the last number of years, has led the way in developing sport surfaces that rival any grass surface within Ireland.

“I think the time will come, soon enough, where artificial surfaces will be nearly identical to a grass surface. We all know that you will never get a 100% replication of a traditional grass surface, but I feel that there will be something that will be almost comparable to it shortly, and we at International Sports Surfaces will be there, striving to offer these surfaces to clubs and clients throughout the sporting world”.

International Sports Surfaces is an Irish based company that has been in business since the mid 1990’s. Established by Kevin Kilmurray, International Sports Surfaces, has grown and developed into one of, if not the leading, companies in the sports surfaces sector.

The growth of artificial sports surfaces is something that has steadily growing over the last number of years. More and more teams are now switching to artificial surfaces, something which means that they can train in any weather conditions at any time during the year.

“Obviously that is something that teams find attractive”, explains Kilmurray. “Given the unpredictable nature of the Irish weather, teams may not be able to train on traditional grass surfaces as some points during the year.

“One of the major benefits of having a non-grass surface is that, no

“The evolution of sport surfaces is something that we have been involved in since we have started the company. Things have come a long way, but I still think there is scope for more development.

That continued evolution and development of the sport surface means that International Sports Surfaces are at the cutting edge of the latest developments within the sports surface world, a position that Kilmurray is keen to maintain.

“That is the goal. Business is going very well at the moment, but in this game, like any other business, if you stand still, then you fall behind the pack.

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Rosemount GAA Club, Co.Westmeath

Leixlip GAA Club, Co.Kildare

Glynn Barn GAA Club, Co. Wexford

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St. Laurance College, Loughlinstown, Dublin

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