football – GAA Zone

“I’ve got a sneaky feeling about Cork” – Fans make bold predictions for the weekend.

May 25, 2023 by Patrick Sharkey, posted in Antrim, Armagh, Connacht, Croke Park, Dublin, Favourites, football, Galway, Hurling, inter-county, interview, Podcast, Ulster

By Patrick Sharkey,

Episode 56: Westmeath aim to raid Orchard and send Saffrons packing – The GAA Zone podcast

Welcome to the GAA Zone podcast on Anchor FM! In Episode 56, we fall deep into the thrilling world of Gaelic football. Join us as we focus on an upcoming clash that implies intense competition and captivating action. In this episode, titled "Westmeath Aim to Raid Orchard and Send Saffrons Packing," we look at an exciting match on the horizon. Our expert hosts analyse the strategies, key players, and historical context surrounding the clash between Westmeath and their formidable opponents, Armagh (known as the Orchard County) and Antrim (the Saffron). With fighting discussions and insightful analysis, we provide an in-depth understanding of the game, making this episode a must-listen for both die-hard fans and newcomers to Gaelic football. Tune in to discover. — Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gaazone/message

Calling all sports enthusiasts and Gaelic football fans! Prepare to immerse yourself in the exciting world of Gaelic football with the latest episode of the GAA Zone podcast. In this thrilling instalment, we delve into the upcoming clash between Westmeath and two formidable opponents, Armagh (the Orchard County) and Antrim (the Saffron). Connect us as we uncover the strategies, key players, and intense rivalries that make this match a must-watch. The GAA have reiterated to units their rules.

In this highly anticipated episode, we bring you expert analysis, engaging discussions, and captivating insights into the world of Gaelic football. The expert this time round is Aaron Maher Prendergast.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan or new to Gaelic football, this episode is packed with riveting content.

Don’t miss out on the latest episodes of the GAA Zone podcast. Mr Maher Prendergast gives his backing to Louth as he says: “Yeah, it’s a hard one to know to be honest with you, because Louth obviously coming in on the back of a 21-point defeat to, to Dublin, Whereas Cork is obviously coming in, I suppose, with the ehm, obviously they got beat by Clare, but Cork, Cork have probably been waiting in the, the wings, for a walk, they obviously would have known, they would have been loud, the team they would have been playing. Ehm, so yeah like I think I think it’ll be a close one”.

Maher Prendergast added: “I’ve got a sneaky feeling about Cork but I think one thing we know about Cork is that they tend to raise their game when they play better teams but when they play the likes of Louth or know clearly their levels just seem to drop and I just don’t have much confidence that Cork can do that but to be honest with you I’d fancy I’d actually fancy Clare or sorry I’d fancy Louth to get the victory ehm so I think they’re at home as well aren’t they so I think they will be too strong for ehm for four. I think Mickey Harte will get the troops back on the side. Go and see how Cork is able to deal with Sam Mulroy or some of the other lads there. So yeah, I’d fancy Louth to win it.” Subscribe.

Consolidate us on this audio journey as we explore the excitement, drama, and raw talent of Gaelic football. Aaron sees all that in the Armagh v Westmeath football clash saying: “Yeah I mean I don’t know if David Brady may be mentioned or maybe I suppose or maybe his plan was to actually mention the Westmeath hurlers and shock eh with Wexford and maybe that’s exactly what he was meant to say I don’t know but yeah I’d be very surprised to be honest with you to see you know sorry to wreck me cause any shocking and Armagh like they’re a division three side they barely won a game all year ehm won a couple of games in this mid-table threw a huge lead away versus Louth as well. Ehm they’ve been very poor all year Westmeath. They haven’t really kicked off the way we would have since eh Jack Cooney stepped away and Dessie Dolan came in. It just hasn’t been the same sort of Westmeath side so. Yeah, I just don’t see it. Like there’s a few things you could see cause a shock here or there like Sligo will come in good form against Kildare in fairness despite that kind of final off”.

“We are very badly depleted” – Noamh Bríd finds division two life difficult.

May 6, 2023May 6, 2023 by Patrick Sharkey, posted in Buncrana GAA, Fermanagh, football

By Patrick Sharkey,

There was a lot of hope in Balintra in 2022 after Naomh Bríd got promoted from division three of the Donegal Club football league and planned for 2023 to be the year when Naomh Bríd put it up to the big boys in division two. Five games into the 2023 Marley Coaches Division two season and Naomh Brid struggle as they are yet to find their first win in the 2023 league. This was in full show tonight.

The Green and Blacks made the long journey to Buncrana but were unable to turn their fortunes.

Buncrana won the game on a scoreline of 3-11 to 0-6. Naomh Bríd manabger John Muprhy was well used to it.

Mr Murphy travelled to South Donegal having been involved in a Derrygonelly Harps team that won five Fermanagh senior football championships in a row but he has been finding it difficult to get wins.

Naomh Bríd trailed throughout the game and failed to really put it up to Buncrana. Murphy reflected on it by saying: “Here look at, it one of those games where we can’t really keep going about. We are very badly depleted at Naomh Bríd. I think we are missing a lot of good players now and look at it Buncrana are on a different level than us. You know they are probably between fitter and used to the standard of football. Coming up from division three, for a lot of these boys, here look at it, it is a learning curve for them to be honest with you. We are not going to lose heart. I still have a lot of belief in the boys. They are trying hard in training and look at it, all we can do is what we can do”.

John added: “We keep coming out. We keep the jersey, and we keep trying to play football the Naomh Bríd way. Look that is all we can do. Until the boys come back from being injured we get the full hand from being dealt with. It’s all we can do, keep showing up.” It was pouring down with heavy rain in the first 20 minutes but regardless of weather conditions, Buncrana was able to keep on going.

The Derrygonelly Harps man isn’t too fixated on the aim of staying up. The Fermanagh man said “It’s like anything else. First and foremost, get a performance. We have been performing well in patches at times.”

The referee added: “We have shown up at times but that level of consistency, we need to try and get a consistent performance first. Yes, the aim is to stay up but at the same time, it hasn’t been simple for us at the end of the day you know. Keep trying and that is all we can do and keep pushing on”.

John Murphy however was still proud of his team’s performance and wasn’t willing to single out any particular player. Mr Murphy said: “They really show their hand at times. They can’t really comment on that. There is more in them, to be honest with you. They have probably been harder in training than they have played in matches you know.” Buncrana isn’t expected to get a challenge that easy next time.

Murphy took up the role only this year and claims to know little to nothing about the club football.

Well not in Fermanagh but this is the first club management role for the Derrygonelly Harp man in Donegal. The Fermanagh man made it clear: “Well again I am just new to Naomh Bríd and I don’t know. Whatever has happened in the past stays in the past but then again the likes of Buncrana we are following here there and everywhere at times. They seem to have a group of young lads coming through. Naomh Brís from what I hear, there are a lot of people emigrating and stuff like that and that’s fair play.”

The referee added: Each person to their own but at the same time, a club like Noamh Bríd need to stick together and that kind of way you know. Keep pushing on.” Buncrana will play senior opposition next time round.

Kerry 4-10 Mayo 0-13 – Kerry ladies look ahead to All Ireland final

July 16, 2022July 17, 2022 by Patrick Sharkey, posted in football, leinster, Mayo

By Patrick Sharkey at Croke Park.

Kerry finished this semi-final with a flourish to secure an All-Ireland final against Donegal or Meath.

The game started with Danielle O Leary’s shot at goal easily being saved by the Mayo goalkeeper.

Shauna Howley then go the first score for Mayo in the fourth minute from a free kick but then Aishling O’Connell responded with a goal and a point before Emma Costello got a point. Louise Ní Muircheartaigh got her first Kerry point. Sinéad Walsh then respomded for Mayo. Síofra O’Shea then however kept Kerry on their toes with a goal. Niamh Carmody then got a Kerry point before Mayo got two thanks to Lisa Cafferky and Shauna Howley. Shauna Howly then came out on top and got her first point from open play. Louise Ní Muircheartaigh then got the point again for Kerry. Niamh Carmody then got a wide for Kerry in the 23rd minute. Síofra O’Shea then got herself another goal.
The halftime score was Kerry 3-6 Mayo 0-9. It was clear to see that Kerry was going for the goals.

Mayo got the first score of the second half within the first three minutes when Aoife Geraghty scored the point. Tara Needham however did not have the same luck afterward when she hit it wide.

It could not be rectified when another wide followed. Tara Needham then got her first score with a point two minutes later.

Cáit Lynch however then got herself a point for Kerry on the stroke of halftime. Fion McHale responded for Mayo though a point keeping them within touching distance of Kerry.

Danielle O’Leary got a piece of the action getting her first point in the 27th minute for Kerry putting them seven points ahead. Louise Ní Muircheartaigh then responded with a point for Kerry they weren’t going to be too far ahead. Louise Ní Muircheartaigh then got a point, but Aoife Geraghty had an answer for Mayo with a point. Tara Needham then failed to convert a free kick opportunity for Mayo. Louise Ní Muircheartaigh took full advantage when she managed to get her fourth point with 10 minutes left. Kayleigh Cronin then got a point for Kerry to put them seven points up. Paris McCarthy then got a goal to put Kerry 10 points up with 18 minutes to go. Tamara O’Connor then missed out on a chance for Mayo to salvage something with a wide with 10 minutes to go. Tara Needman then came to the rescue for Mayo when she narrowed the deficit down to nine points until Hawkeye ruled it out. Sinéad Cafferky was then the Mayo player who ended up delivering it and bringing it down to nine points. With seven minutes left Kerry showed weakness when Loraine Scanlon had her shot go wide. The substitute Erica McGlynn didn’t have any luck either getting a wide with five minutes left. Louise Ní Muircheartaigh then got punished for overcarrying the ball. The crossbar was no friend of Tara Needham as she tried to get a point for Mayo with two minutes to go.

Kerry: C Butler; J O’Sullivan, K Cronin, E Lynch; A O’Connell (1-01), E Costello (0-01), C Murphy; L Scanlon, C Lynch (0-01); N Carmody (0-01), S O’Shea (2-00), A Galvin; P McCarthy (1-00), D O’Leary (0-01), L Ní Mhuircheartaigh (0-05).

Subs: A Dillane for O’Sullivan (30), E McGlynn for McCarthy (45), N Ni Chonchuir for O’Leary (52), N Broderick for Murphy (54), C Evans for Carmody (56).

Mayo: A Tarpey; É Ronayne, R Flynn, D Caldwell; T O’Connor, F McHale, K Sullivan; S Cafferky (0-02), A Geraghty (0-02); S Howley (0-04, 2f), S Walsh, S Mulvihill (0-01); L Cafferky (0-01), C Whyte (0-01), T Needham (0-02).

Subs: C Nyland for Mulvihill (30), L Wallace for Sullivan (47), S McCarney for Whyte (52), J Mortimer for McHale (56), S El Massry for Ronayne (56).

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).

Player of the match: Kerry would have to thank Julie O’Sullivan and Louise Ní Mhuireachtaigh for showing leadership on either side of the pitch and the same could be said for the Mayo pair of Danielle Caldwell and Lisa Cafferky but the player of the match has to be Kayleigh Cronin. Cronin didn’t score anything but she pulled her socks up as she was given the tough task of marking the inside forwards for Mayo. Kayleigh clearly listened to her instructions to read the breaking ball. The Dr.Crokes club woman won every single individual battle that came her way. The Strength and Conditioning (S&C) coach dominated every single ball that entered the airspace of the Kerry half. Cronin sent alarm bells ringing for the Mayo corner forwards. Kayleigh changed the game. The Dr.Crokes club woman often found herself in a ring of scavenging half-backs and half-forwards who failed to take the ball off her. The S&C coach built her game around possession. The Kingdom has nothing to worry about with Cronin at the back. The number three means nothing to Kayleigh as she did the job that had to be done, no matter where it was on the pitch. The Dr.Crokes woman began the game on the right terms she got a few simple touches to get herself into the game. The 25-year-old is very different from the rest of the team in her unique role. The S&C coach adapted to the team shape when the Munster side had to take their game up a gear. Cronin turned the game into a game of chess when both teams tried to suss out each move. Kayleigh could also kick the ball off the ground the furthest. The kick-outs were a key factor of the game.

“We got our tactics right” – Kildare wonders what could have been once more

July 15, 2022July 15, 2022 by Patrick Sharkey, posted in Championship, Connacht, Dublin, football, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, leinster, Leitrim, Mayo, Munster, Podcast, Tyrone, Ulster

By Patrick Sharkey,

Episode 56: Westmeath aim to raid Orchard and send Saffrons packing – The GAA Zone podcast

The GAA will allow an additional water carrier and permit water bottles to be placed around the pitch for Sunday’s All-Ireland senior hurling final. With temperatures in Croke Park anticipated to reach at least 25 degrees by 3.30pm throw-in, the Central Competitions Control Committee is taking extra measures to ensure player safety. In hurling, teams can have three water/hurley carriers, but that number will increase to four for the Kilkenny-Limerick clash. However, players must come into the perimeter of the field to take water as the carriers can only enter the field of play to replace a hurley. The counties will also be given the green light to make water bottles to be accessible in areas other than each goal mouth, the manager’s boxes, and the carriers’ areas so that players can readily hydrate. The GAA did away with water breaks in January of this year following the easing of restrictions. While they didn’t forbid their return in the future, the intervals had been used by teams to pass on tactical advice to players. In the wake of the removal of the breaks, teams were reminded that selectors, backroom team members, or players not on the match-day panel could double up as carriers. Extra details have been revealed for the big screen event taking place.

The weather could be a real factor, with temperatures of up to 30 degrees expected. This is a novelty in the championship this year because the split season started earlier with temperatures averaging at around 11oc on the first day of Kildare’s Leinster championship with their midfielder Kevin Feely talking about it on episode 48 of the GAA Zone podcast saying: “O yeah, the Louth game was very good yeah”.

A doctor has been hailed a lifesaver after a medical emergency at her local GAA club. Kildare nearly needed a similar kind of miracle when Westmeath held them on the ropes but Mr.Feely said: “That was a strange game. It was played at a very low-intensity kind of. From both sides it was quite passive. I don’t know whether it was nerves on both sides or the first game of the year in Croke Park”.

Westmeath footballer Luke Loughlin has bravely shared the story of his 10-year battle with addiction. Perhaps the bravest thing in Leinster football since Kildare played attacking football against Dublin.

Glen Emmets v Lannléire is the Division 3A title decider in Louth. It will probably be more competitive than the Leinster final when Feely said: “We had a lot of guys playing their first Leinster final in that situation, making defensive mistakes that were unusual for them that they never normally would make. You would probably put that down to nerves more so than anything else”.

Up for the Match is back! One match Kildare was up for was the Mayo game and Kevin talked about it saying: “Obviously it was a huge improvement in the performance in that game. We got our tactics right; we got our team right and our system right. We played with a lot more freedom obviously.”

Kerry defender Gavin White seems unlikely to play in the All-Ireland football final as he awaits the results of a scan on his knee. None of the Kildare players will be -playing either as they came up short.

In Louth, all the momentum appears to be with the Ardee men now as they bid to deliver back-to-back Cardinal O’Donnell Cup titles to Páirc Mhuire. The athletic therapist named players on the Kildare panel that helps their momentum saying:” I would say Ryan Houlihan and our cornerbacks”.

“Kerry is the team to beat” – The Kingdom looks to reign supreme once more!

July 11, 2022 by Patrick Sharkey, posted in Connacht, football, Galway, Kildare, leinster, Mayo, Monaghan, Ulster

By Patrick Sharkey,

Episode 56: Westmeath aim to raid Orchard and send Saffrons packing – The GAA Zone podcast

There are five games live on TV next weekend as the All-Ireland hurling, camogie, and ladies football championships enter the crunch stage. TG4 has the ladies’ football double-header live from Croke Park next Saturday afternoon as Mayo, Kerry, Meath, and Donegal all partake. RTÉ will have their cameras in Semple Stadium for the camogie quarterfinals featuring Limerick, Waterford, Dublin, and Kilkenny. Then on Sunday, it’s RTÉ and Sky Sports with live reporting for the hurling decider involving Limerick and Kilkenny. The All-Ireland hurling final sees the traditional Up for The Match build-up.

Former GAA President Sean Kelly has urged the association to withhold any money it owes to the operators of HawkEye – following its latest clanger at Croke Park. Mayo had no excuses for Hawkeye when they were well beaten by Kerry in the division one football when Mayo-based journalist Chloe Lynch talked about it on episode 47 of the GAA Zone podcast saying: “Well, I was at that game. I had brilliant seats in the lower hogan. Obviously not the result expected. You know like Kerry are the team to beat, the team of it all like. They had a run of it from the get-go. You know it was embarrassing to be sitting there wearing the Mayo colours. You know watching that, You wouldn’t think it was the Mayo footballers. You were looking at what was the biggest wake-up call.”

Its determination to signal Shane Walsh’s 45 as a wide was shambolic and undermined Brendan Cawley’s umpires.

Sean O’Shea is the pride of The Kingdom today, after nailing a monster free with the last kick of the game to send Kerry through to the All-Ireland final after a rip-roaring battle with Dublin. It was the likes of Comer and Walsh who sent Mayo out of the Connacht championship with Lynch saying: “I was at that game as well. I thought we had it. I didn’t expect the loss. It was all in the great atmosphere you know being back in McHale Park. You know again, we didn’t perform again. It was two massive games for Mayo, and we were just like ‘o sugar’. Like what do we do now? You know now, we see the likes of David Clifford and Damien Comer are the two top best footballers in the world. It’s hard to explain being a Mayo fan. You try to get a bit of positivity out of it. It was two massive embarrassing games. You know in the Galway game; we just didn’t show any fight. You know we were leaving it to the last minute to do our signature comeback in the last few minutes but obviously didn’t have enough. You know as we were saying before the injury list just got bad again and that was mainly the factor throughout the whole season, and I just think they were two games you know when just got the shock of their lives. You know it was an amazing day just to be back in McHale Park after so long but obviously, it wasn’t the homecoming we were wanting.” O’Shea began and closed the match with scores for his team, an early birthday present from the 23-year-old to himself, as he is due to celebrate his 24th year next week, as the match proved a close call all the way through. Affectionately nicknamed by friends and family – and his own social media monikers – as Seánie, the player, a teacher by vocation, may have shone yesterday, but he has been showing exceptional promise on the pitch from a very young age. As over 73,000 fans of the game looked on yesterday to see Kerry’s first victory over Dublin in the Championship since 2009, Sean proved that his years of training in the fields of Kenmare had more than paid off. However, Sean was singled out.