No sign of the GAA starting back so I am going to continue with some of my lists. This is probably one of the more difficult ones as there has been some cracker of All-Ireland hurling finals between 2000 to 2020.
2010 Tipperary 4-17 Kilkenny 1-18 – This was a game for the history books for sure. Brian Cody’s Kilkenny were going for five All-Ireland titles in a row, but Liam Sheedy’s men put a stop to that as they ran out 8 point winners in a fearless display. Lar Corbett netted a hat trick of goals for the Premier men which halted the drive for five that many thought the Cats would get.
2. 2014 Tipperary 1-28 Kilkenny 3-22 – This was the drawn that had everything. John O’Dwyer had a free from around 97m to win the game for Tipperary, however it was deemed wide by Hawk-Eye. If Hawkeye wasn’t around I wonder would have it been given? Who knows. TJ Reid shot the lights out with 1-08, Richie Hogan put in a masterclass with 0-06. For Tipperary, Bubbles and Seamie Callanan hit 0-14 between them, 0-10 from play. Kilkenny would go on to win the replay to 2-14 three weeks later.
3. 2013 – Clare 0-25 Cork 2-19 – A cracking game that ended in a draw thanks to a last gasp point from Clare corner back Domhnall O’Donovan. Colin Ryan knocked over 12 points in a super performance, with Pat Horgan doing the majority of scoring for Cork. Clare would on to win the replay, 5-16 to 3-16 two weeks later with Shane O’Donnell bagging 3-03 in a man of the match performance.
4. 2018 – Limerick 3-16 Galway 2-18 – A massive year for Limerick winning their first title since 1973. Graeme Mulcahy, Tom Morrissey and Shane Dowling bagged the goals for the Shannonsiders. Kyle Hayes put in a man of the match performance. One of the good days for Limerick supporters.
5. 2017 – Galway 0-26 Waterford 2-17 – Many thought it was going to be Waterford’s year were the famine would end. Incidentally, it was a famine for Galway as well no title since 1988. Joe Canning registered 0-09, while David Burke’s put in an inspiring performance in midfield. Burke would go on to win man of the match and Liam McCarthy headed west for the first time in 29 years.
That completes my list of the top 5 All-Ireland Finals 2000 to 2020. Keep an eye over the coming days and weeks for some more of my favourites top 5 lists.
Co. Cork-born jockey Johnny Allen won his third South Australian Derby with this morning’s victory aboard race favourite Russian Camelot in the 2500m (1m 4½f) $400,000 Group 1 centrepiece at Morphettville, Adelaide.
The Victoria-based rider and the Irish-bred Danny O’Brien-trained colt, a son of Coolmore’s 2012 Investec Derby winner Camelot, defeated Dalasan by one-and-three-quarter lengths with the winner of the Victoria Derby, Warning, a further length behind in third.
Corkman Allen, who previously won the race on the Darren Weir-trained horses Howard Be Thy Name (2016) and Volatile Mix (2017), kept the favourite wide throughout the contest, and was hugely impressed with Russian Camelot’s performance, in this the colt’s third win, admitting:
“Obviously, he’s an exceptional horse. A lot’s been made of his preparation, but I think the bigger factor is he’s still six months younger than these horses. If he can beat them now, when he’s only just turned three, imagine what he can in six months or a year’s time.”
Russian Camelot, the first northern hemisphere-bred colt to win a Derby in Australia, crept into the race from his wide berth rounding the home turn, moving into the lead in the final 150 metres, and putting daylight between himself and his rivals.
There was a sting in the bail for the Irishman, however, following his 9th Australian Group 1 success, when stewards found him guilty of careless riding early in the race. Allen was deemed to have tightened Exalted Ambition as he moved the favourite inwards towards the rail at the 2000 metre mark.
As a result, he has been suspended for five South Australian meetings, starting after next Saturday’s Group 1 meeting at Morphettville.
Russsian Camelot was the final part of a Saturday treble for Allen who had earlier won the Group 3 TAB SA Sires’ Produce Stakes over 1400m (7f) with Ringbolt and the Listed 1600m (1 mile) Adelaide Galvanising Adelaide Guineas on Game Keeper.
After this morning’s impressive win, Russian Camelot has been promoted to favourite for the 2020 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on 3rd November.
The USA women’s soccer team will appeal a district court decision which was handed out last week . The case which their claims for equal pay.
The court through out the case in which the players had claimed they were underpaid in comparison to male footballers. Gary Klausner, District Court judge deemed that the players were paid more on a per game and a cumulative basis. The judge said on his decision, “”This approach — merely comparing what each team would have made under the other team’s CBA — is untenable in this case because it ignores the reality that the MNT and WNT bargained for different agreements which reflect different preferences, and that the WNT explicitly rejected the terms they now seek to retroactively impose on themselves,”. This evidence is insufficient to create a genuine issue of material fact for trial.” This has now led to the women’s World Cup Champions to proceed higher up the ladder.
Megan Rapinoe, who is a star in terms of women’s football in America said, “You can look at the total compensation and say, ‘Oh, the women’s team made a little bit more.’ In that time that we made just a little bit more, we’ve won two World Cups and we’ve won just about every single game that we’ve played in. So the rate of pay is just so different. And it’s just so frustrating. To be honest, I think so many women go through this.”
Molly Levinson, a spokesperson on behalf of the players stated, “Equal pay means paying women players the same rate for winning a game as men get paid,”. Furthermore, she said, “The argument that women are paid enough if they make close to the same amount as men while winning more than twice as often is not equal pay”. The men’s football team also issued a statement in support of their female counterparts, “For a year and a half the USMNT players have made proposals to the Federation that would achieve equal pay for the USMNT and USWNT players. We understand the WNT players plan to appeal last week’s decision and we support them.”
RTE Sport report that the players were seeking 66 million dollars in damages under the Equal Pay Act. Women’s pay has always risen questions in regards to the game. Ada Hederberg is currently the highest female paid soccer player in the world with an annual salary of around 340,000.a year In comparison Barcelona’s Lionel Messi is the highest paid male player with 100 million euros . He takes home 71 million after tax and earns over 20 million in endorsements.
World Football governing body, FIFA, have approved a temporary rule change which will allow five subs per match, while also the halting of VAR for a period of time.
RTE report that proposals to allow an additional two substitutes which were put forward by FIFA in order protect player welfare owing to Covid 19. The International Football Association Board approved the new rules changes. FIFA released a statement with the news, “As football begins to consider resumption of competitions across the world following the Covid-19 pandemic, the International Football Association Board (The IFAB) has agreed to make a temporary amendment to the laws of the game based on a proposal received from FIFA seeking to protect player welfare”.
It continued, “For competitions which have either started or are intended to start, but are scheduled to be completed by 31 December 2020, the IFAB has approved FIFA’s proposal to introduce a temporary amendment to Law 3 – The Players, which will allow for a maximum of five substitutes to be made per team”.
“The decision on whether to apply this temporary amendment will remain at the discretion of each individual competition organiser, while The IFAB and FIFA will determine at a later stage whether this temporary amendment would need to be extended further (e.g. for competitions due to be completed in 2021).
In the closing of the statement, “In relation to competitions in which the video assistant referee (VAR) system is implemented, these competitions are permitted to cease its use upon restart at the discretion of each individual competition organiser. “However, where VAR is used, all aspects of the laws of the game and, by extension, the VAR protocol will remain in place.”
With the GAA still a couple of months away from returning to some sort of normality, I have once again decided to look at the top 5 full in Gaelic Football from 2000-2020.
Darren Fay (Meath) – Fay had a remarkable career with the Royal county. He made his debut in 1996 and retired in 2008. He won 2 All-Ireland titles, 3 Leinster titles, 1 National League and 3-all-star awards. The Trim man simply has to go down as one of the toughest defenders that played the game.
2. Francie Bellew (Armagh) – Bellew played for the Orchard county from 2002 to 2009 making over 40 appearances. In that time he won 5 Ulster titles, 1 All-Ireland title, 1 National League and 1 all-star. With Crossmaglen he won 13 County titles, 7 Ulster titles and 5 All-Ireland titles. He will go down as one of the best to play the game.
3. Neil McGee (Donegal) – McGee has been a remarkable and still is for club and county. The Gaoth Dobhair club man has made over 170 appearances since 2005 with Donegal. He has gone on to win 5 Ulster titles, 1 All-Ireland, 1 National League and 3 all-star awards. His all-star awards came in 2011, 2012 and 2014. A tough man marker and any day you would away with a few scores would be seen as a good one.
4. Paddy Christie (Dublin) – Christie played with Dublin from 1995 to 2007. In that time the Ballymun club man won 3 Leinster titles and 1-all star. That all-star award came in 2002. A no nonsense defender that always gave 100% to the Sky Blue jersey of Dulin
5. Barry Owens (Fermanagh) – Probably doesn’t get the recognition he deserves so we simply have to put on the list. He was certainly one of the best full backs around but called it a day in 2014. He made his debut in 2001 for the Ernersiders and would claim all-star awards in 2004 and 2006.
That completes my top 5 full backs in Gaelic football 2000-2020 list. Be sure to keep an eye for a few more over the next couple of days !
We are getting well used to watching of highlights of sporting events and there is a big weekend of sport on TG4 – Italia ’90 World Cup, Celtic League Rugby and GAA All-Ireland Gold all feature on this weekends highlight reel.
Tonight, Friday 8 May
7.30pm World Cup Gold
A gem from the Sports Archives – Republic of Ireland v Netherlands from the 1990 FIFA World Cup at Stadio La Favorita in Palermo. The golden age of Irish soccer provides the basis for this archive-based international soccer series. Jack Charlton’s Irish team included such players as Packie Bonner, Ray Houghton, Mick McCarthy, John Aldridge, Paul McGrath and Kevin Moran. The Netherland’s team included stars such as Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman. This was the final match of the group stages.
Tomorrow, Saturday 9 May
10.05am Soccer – Third Level Finals Highlights 2020
The 100th Collingwood Cup Final from Dalymount Park features 1st-time finalists DCU against Ulster University, seeking their first title since 2006.
7.15pm Rugbai Gold
A look back at the Celtic League meeting between Leinster and Connacht at Donnybrook in September 2002. Reigning Champions Leinster are in impressive form and haven’t been defeated at the venue for three years. Connacht are hoping for a domestic upset with a first away win against Leinster in seventeen years. There are reasons for optimism as they come into this interpro having won their first two league matches against Borders and Cardiff.
Sunday 10 May
2.40pm All Ireland Gold
Dublin v Armagh in the 2002 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi Final from Croke Park. This pulsating match was played in front of 79,386 spectators with Joe Kernan’s Armagh team hoping to qualify for the final and win their first All-Ireland.
4.05pm All Ireland Gold
A chance to see Galway v Tipperary in the 1988 All Ireland Hurling Final. Now established as the two top teams in the game, these intense rivals met in the previous year’s semi-final, a fast and furious encounter won by Galway. Tipp have relieved their opponents of the National League title the previous spring and look to bridge a long gap back to 1971 when they last took Liam McCarthy home. Galway have their own ambitions – the first back-to-back All-Ireland sequence in the county’s hurling history. This will be a tightly contested final, in the balance right up to its thunderous conclusion.
5.40pm Cloch le Carn – Jimmy Magee
This episode of Cloch Le Carn looks back at the career of Jimmy Magee through the eyes of those who knew him best. His children Linda, Patricia and Mark recall a loving father and family man while Fr Brian D’Arcy and Des Cahill remember a man who was great company and always up for a bit of devilment! There are also contributions from Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Seán Bán Breathnach and Tadhg de Brún.
What type of Football All-Ireland might we see in 2020?
Yesterday the GAA ruled out any inter-county games before October. If All-Ireland titles are to be awarded in 2020, there is a relatively short window to do so. Last year Football championship started in New York on the 5th of May. It was twenty weeks later when Dublin lifted Sam Maguire after a replay victory over Kerry. Sports News Ireland have come up with a Proposed All-Ireland Football Championship for 2020.
The timescale would present less of a problem in Hurling championship due to only 12 teams competing in the Liam McCarthy cup last year.
How will the GAA find a winner for this year’s Sam Maguire?
An open-draw knockout Championship structure would be the quickest route. There is an opportunity to run a straight knockout competition over five weekends. Assuming that there will be no climax to the National Football leagues and the GAA focus on the All-Ireland Championship there would be 12 weekends available before the end of the year.
Barring postponements and replays the five rounds of games could then be spaced over ten weekends. GAA President, John Horan stated last week on RTÉ radio One, that the 2020 Championship may be pushed back into 2021. However, this would have a knock-on effect on next years league and championship campaigns.
Starting a competition in October would come with plenty of potential pitfalls. If there was a fortnight between rounds, then the business end of the competition would be well into December. Perhaps the All-Ireland final could take place on St.Patrick’s day 2021? Until two years ago the AIB Club finals on Paddy’s day was one of the highlights of the GAA calendar.
This year’s Allianz leagues are highly unlikely to be completed. However, rather than completely ignore the five rounds of fixtures that were already fulfilled, the GAA has an opportunity to reward those counties who performed well in their respective divisions. The current league positions of each county could be used as seedings for the 2020 championship (see table 1-A).
How would this work?
The last inter-county football game to be played was on Saturday, March 7th when Armagh enjoyed a 3-14 v 0-10 win over Fermanagh in a rescheduled Allianz league two game at Brewster Park. This left each of the 32 counties across all four divisions with 5 games played.
Table 1-A: The 4 Allianz league divisions provide an ideal number for a 32 team knockout competition.
Sports News Ireland Proposed All-Ireland Football Championship 2020
Galway, who sit top of division 1 would be 1st seed, while London who sit bottom of Division 4 would be the 32nd seed. Here we hit our first snag – at this stage with international travel looking like a distant memory, would London be in a position to fulfil this fixture? If not there is an opportunity for Kilkenny to field a team in the Sam Maguire for the first since 1982.
Fixtures in round 1 where Division 1 sides play Division 4 sides would see home advantage being awarded to the lower league sides. The potentially more balanced fixtures between Division 2 versus Division 3 sides could be played at neutral venues.
The seeding would work in amirrored fashion. 1st would play 32nd, 2nd v 31st, 3rd v 30th and so on. The draw would also be divided into two sides A & B. This would allow the fixture planners to narrow down the possible pairings in order to plan venues in advance. The odd number fixtures would then form side one of the draw (A). While the even-numbered fixtures would be on the opposite side (B).
Table 1-b: This is how the Round 1 draw would look using the current Allianz Football League standing.
Weekend 1 of the championship would see 16 matches over the two days. 8 games from side A of the draw on Saturday and the 8 from side B on Sunday (see diagram 1-B). Weekend two would see the eight winners face off over the two days. By the third weekend, we would be at the quarter-final stage (see table 1-c). By weekend four the teams would be whittled down to the last four. The semi-finals would take place at Croke Park on consecutive days. By week 5 we would be left with just two counties competing for the Sam Maguire Cup.
Why might this not work?
One of the most obvious stumbling blocks to this suggested format would be the lack of Provincial Championships. Would the four provincial councils agree to their showpiece event being cancelled even as a one-off event?
However, the proposed format would throw up some interesting encounters. The first four ties on each side of the draw would give division four sides a taste of the big time against top tier opposition.
The prospect of the Dubs travelling to face Sligo in Markievicz Park would surely attract large numbers of the Hill 16 army for the weekend. It would also serve as a huge boost to the local economy. While the eight ties between division two and division three sides should be fiercely competitive encounters.
Table 1-c. Proposed All-Ireland football championship rounds 2 – 5.
The shortlists have been announced for the Energia All-Ireland League awards. The awards themselves will be broadcast virtually on Energia’s Facebook and Youtube channels on Friday the 8th of May.
Rugby fans across the island will be in for a full line-up of special guests including Irish Rugby Players Peter O’Mahony, Keith Earls, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour and Irish Rugby Coaches Andy Farrell and Adam Griggs all presenting awards on the night. The event will be hosted by comedian Mario Rosenstock who will surely be banging out some of his favourite rugby impersonations.
The nominations for the AIL men’s player of the year shows a list of five, these include Cork Con’s Brian Hayes, Miah Cronin of Highfield, Brad Roberts of Rainey Old Boys, Killian Marmion of Greystones and Paul O’Loughlin of Skerries rugby club. In the women’s category three players are up for the award. Blackrock’s Hannah O’Connor, Chloe Pearse of UL Bohemians and Steph Carroll of Railway Union.
There are five players up for the award for men’s try of the year. These are Conor O’Brien of Nenagh, Peter Cashell of Dungannon rugby club, Jack Crowley of Cork Con, Kelvin Brown of Galwegians and Scott Finlay of Malone RFC. In the women’s equivalent four players are up for the award. These include, Nichola Fryday of Old Belvedere, Alana McInerney of UL Bohemians, Stephanie Nunan of UL Bohemians, and Jenni Burke of Blackrock College.
In addition to these awards, the shortlists for other categories in the All-Ireland league have been announced the rising star of each division will be announced, women’s coach of the year, mens’ coach of the year, club scene award and the Energia Positive Energy award.
The award ceremony will take place at 8pm on Friday on the Youtube and Facebook platforms of Energia.
Energia AIL Award Shortlists include:
Energia AIL Men’s player of the year
• Division 1A: Brian Hayes, Cork Constitution
• Div 1B: Miah Cronin, Highfield
• Div 2A: Brad Roberts, Rainey OB
• Division 2B: Killian Marmion, Greystones
• Div 2C: Paul O’Loghlen, Skerries
Energia AIL Women’s player of the year
• Hannah O’Connor – Blackrock College
• Chloe Pearse – UL Bohemian
• Steph Carroll – Railway Union
Energia AIL Men’s Try of the Year award
• Conor O’Brien – Nenagh Ormond RFC
• Peter Cashel – Dungannon RFC
• Jack Crowley – Cork Constitution FC
• Kelvin Brown – Shannon RFC
• Scott Finlay – Malone RFC
Energia AIL Women’s Try of the Year award
• Nichola Fryday – Old Belvedere RFC
• Alana McInerney – UL Bohemian RFC
• Stephanie Nunan – UL Bohemian RFC
• Jenni Burke – Blackrock College
Real Madrid and Barcelona player have undergone testing for Coronavirus. The tests come after La Liga clubs plan to return to restrictive training ahead of a season resumption next month.
RTE Sport that Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and French World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann were among players pictured arriving one by one in their cars at the clubs training facilities on Thursday morning. Real Madrid players which included Karim Benzema and Eden Hazard also undertook health checks on Thursday morning at Madrid’s training facilities.
The testing comes on the back of the strict La Liga protocol which teams must comply with before a return to training. The results of the tests are expected in the 48 hours. Atletico Madrid will also carry out testing today and they are aiming to get back to training once results are known, providing everything is okay.
The Spanish Government announced a four phase programme earlier last week. In terms of football, the first phase would allow players to train alone, with a maximum of six players allowed on the pitch at anyone time. RTE report that players will be expected to arrive for training dressed in team kit, they must also wear a mask and gloves when not training. They will also be given a bag with clothes for the next day after each session.
The fourth stage which is scheduled for June would allow for outdoor events to take place. However, such events could go only go ahead with less than 400 people. The Straits Times report that La Liga are proposing to play the rest of the season behind closed doors with games to begin in the middle of June.
La Liga President Javier Tebas has also said this stating, “Circumstances are unprecedented, but we hope to start playing again in June and finish our 19/20 season this summer.”
The British Boxing Boxing Board of Control Organisation said last week that boxing could return in July without spectators. However, Eddie Hearn said Joshua would fight behind closed doors as a last resort. Gotsev said due to the measures in England in place. They are currently looking a new territory for the fight to take place. He said, “We have given ourselves four weeks to look for a new territory if the situation and measures in England do not change”. He continued, “We are discussing Croatia, there is a unique Roman stadium – Pula Arena – there and we are in active talks,” he said, adding that the fight would most probably take place in August or September”.
Pula Arena has hosted events in the past with several concerts taking place there. Singers such as Sinead O’Connor, Elton John and Andrea Bocelli all singing there to name but a few. Two ice hockey games also took place there in 2012. Gotsev said there needs to be a mutual agreement and the terms and conditions would have to benefit both parties. He said, “There needs to be a mutual agreement. We want the terms and conditions to be beneficial for both parties”.
“They can’t meet in Bulgaria because Joshua will not agree. He wanted to fight at home, but force majeure brought a change. Kubrat, however, was ready to fight in Joshua’s backyard, even if the judges were his family.”
Joshua currently holds the WBA, WBO and IBF belts after beating Andy Ruiz in a rematch in Saudi Arabia in December. Incidentally, Joshua, was due to fight Pulev in 2017 in Cardiff. The Bulgarian had to withdraw from the fight the fight with a shoulder injury.
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