A new video from Three gives a great insight into the Racing Métro out-half’s longstanding determination to succeed, as it charts Sexton’s journey from Kerry to St. Mary’s to Ireland’s grand slam.
James Galvin set to be appointed as new CEO of Federation of Irish Sport
Bishopstown, Cork City native James Galvin former Aide de Camp to the President of Ireland in 2012 and more recently Senior Delivery Manager/Vice President at Investment banker BNY Mellon in Dublin, is set to become the new Chief Executive of the Federation of Irish Sport, succeeding Sarah O’Connor who is returning to the private sector as Head of Sport at WHPR.
An official announcement is due ‘shortly’ according to sources on the banks of the Lee and also by the usually well informed website “SportforBusiness” in Dublin.
Educated at Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown , Galvin has had a long spell in the Irish Defence Forces and served with NATO in both Kabul, Afghanistan and Monrovia ,Liberia.
He studied later at Dublin City University (DCU) gaining an MBA in International Relations (2004-2006) and later EMBA (2009-11) and among his many skills on LinkedIn he includes both Operational and Crisis Management.
Having to deal directly and/or indirectly with the Government on Budget issues and liaising closely with other sporting bodies one wishes him well and hopes that he can apply some of his vast Military experience in “knocking heads together”
when the need arises.
Situations like the long running Billy Walsh saga at the IABA would surely never have been allowed to fester for so long had the Irish Sports Council and Dept of Sport under Paschal Donohue and Michael Ring been able to call upon
someone like James Galvin to support the efforts of Kieran Mulvey and John Treacy.
The fact that he will have a major role in the new ‘Sport Ireland’/National Campus/Irish Sports Council set up in Abbotstown will also help, even more so when the High Performance Unit (Boxing) links up there with other sports later this year or early next.
It is understand that Galvin will take up the reins at the Federation on 1st October We wish him well in his vital role for Irish sport ahead. Not much time to settle in before such a big year of Sport and vital Budget decisions ahead in 2016.
GAA panel of experts choose their football team of the 80s never to have won an all ireland senior medal 2013 09 09
Post No longer available
You can go to the HOMEPAGE
Ice skating clara peters makes history to takes bronze 2013-08-26
Ice Skating: Clara Peters takes Bronze – a first ever medal for an Irish skater in Senior International Competition
At the annual ‘Skate Down Under’ Championships in Sydney, Australia, Clara Peters took bronze in the senior ladies event.
It was another ground-breaking moment for Irish skating as it marks the first time that an Irish skater has medalled at a senior international competition.
Skating to music from the “Downton Abbey” soundtrack, Peters executed two Level 4 spins and two double axel. A triple salchow was just short on rotation, but it now appears just a matter of time before she is successful with the most difficult element in her programmes.
The Dubliner came second in the free skating segment of the competition with a score of 63.96 points, but she had to be content with third place with a total of 97.75 points.
Nevertheless, this represents a promising start to the season for Peters who is now looking ahead to her next event in just three weeks’ time in Salt Lake City, Utah. Five weeks from now, she will also be vying to qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi when she participates in the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany.
HERE IS VIDEO OF CLARA EARLIER IN THE YEAR
teenage jockey jane mangan announced as sportswoman of the month 2013 05 08
Teenage Irish Jockey, Jane Mangan has today been named The Irish Times / Irish Sports Council ‘Sportswoman of the Month’ for April 2013.
The 19 year old, is rising up the ranks in Ireland racing . Jane has been around horses her whole life. With brother Paddy and father Jimmy Mangan are both well known in the racing world a professional jockey and her father as trainer and Aintree Grand National in winnner 2003 with Monty’s Pass,
Irish jockey Jane a Cork native
Winning the Irish Times/Irish Sports Council ‘Sportswoman of the Month’ means Jane will be the fifth of 12 sportswomen to be in the running for the prestigious title of ‘Sportswoman of the Year’ at an awards ceremony in December 2013.
More racing News
St. Brigids beat the Crossmaglen to reach All-Ireland club final
St. Brigids finally avenged their 2011 All-Ireland Final defeat to Crossmaglen Rangers, as they beat the defending champions 2-07 to 1-09 in an excellent game at Cusack Park.
Rangers came into this All-Ireland Club Football semi-final looking for an unprecedented three titles in a row. However, in St. Brigids they faced a very talented side that had undoubtedly matured since the heartbreak of 2011.
The game began at a ferocious pace with Crossmaglen opening the scoring from a well-taken Kyle Carragher point after just sixteen seconds. St. Brigids reacted in the best possible manner, with some excellent attacking football resulting in a Frankie Dolan goal in the second minute. The St. Brigids talisman received the ball in a great position, and his deflected shot looped over the keeper and into the back of the net. 1-0 to 0-1 St. Brigids.
Darren Dolan had a great chance for a goal soon after but struck the ball over the bar from close range on six minutes. This was to be the last time St. Brigids would score from play in the first half.
It was now 1-02 to 0-1 to Brigids, and they were very much in control. However, Crossmaglen are the defending champions for a reason and stepped it up a gear to dominate the midfield battle. Their hard work paid dividends and they replied with a great goal. A long ball was played into Jamie Clarke from midfield and he released the oncoming Paul Hughes who made no mistake and finished with aplomb.
St. Brigids were stunned by the goal and successive quick-fire points from Aaron Kernan and Kyle Carragher put the Armagh men in front by a point 1-03 to 1-2.
A Senan Kilbride free levelled the sides on twenty minutes, but Crossmaglen were dealt a crushing blow soon after when they lost talisman Óisín McConville to injury. His replacement, Kyle Brennan, started well and scored a point within minutes of entering the game. A Jamie Clark point followed and Rangers went in at halftime leading 1-05 to 1-03.
St. Brigids went in knowing that they only had themselves to blame for the deficit, as they closed out the half with three misses from scorable positions.
Crossmaglen were quickest out of the traps in the second half and had a great chance for the maximum after just thirty seconds. The Rangers forwards tore through the St. Brigids defence but Kyle Brennan somehow put the ball wide from all of five yards. A massive turning point in the game that gave St. Brigids the wake-up call they needed.
Points from Senan Kilbride and Frankie Dolan levelled the scores and there was a palpable tension in the air. Brigids were in control from here on out, and an excellent point from subper-sub Cathal McHugh, followed by another from Frankie Dolan made it four it 1-7 to 1-5 to the Roscommon champion. That was four points in a row for St. Brigids and the momentum was clearly in their favour.
Rangers’ David McKenna finally got his side’s first point of the half in the 50th minute, and another from Jamie Clarke made it 1-07 apiece. They went ahead with an Aaron Kernan point just a minute later, after he lost his marker and stroked the ball over the bar. That made it 1-08 t- 1-07 to Crossmaglen after three points in as many minutes.
However, the defining moment came in the 56th minute, when persistence from the St. Brigids forwards paid off and the ball dropped kindly for Conor McHugh to score into an empty net. This was a crushing blow to Crossmaglen’s three-in-a-row hopes and the sending off of Shane Curran, following an off-the-ball incident with the St. Brigids keeper, compounded their misery.
Crossmaglen gave it their all in the three minutes of added time, but couldn’t penetrate the Brigids defence. A Jamie Clarke point in injury time gave them an ounce of hope, but it was not to be and St. Brigids won the match on a scoreline of 2-07 to 1-09. The final whistle led to emotional scenes as an inevitable pitch invasion displayed how much the victory meant to the Roscommon side. They now await the winners of Dr. Crokes and Ballmun Kickhams in the other semi-final.
Weekend GAA club championship match previews
Padraic Collins & Eddie Kirwin preview some of the top Club matches for around the country this weekend. Plus a full list of the weekends fixtures with betting.
Wolfe Tones v Summerhill, 2pm Sunday,Parc Tailteann.
Championship favourites Wolfe Tones meet this year’s surprise package Summerhill in Sunday’s SFC semi-final at Parc Tailteann, Navan, throw in at 2pm.
Wolfe Tones, situated four miles outside Navan, finished top of Group A, maintaining a 100% record along the way and defeated this weekend’s opposition by seven points only last month. This set up a quarter-final appearance against Walterstown, whom they defeated with proficiency 3-14 to 0-9.
It was county star Cian Ward, ably abetted by younger brother Fiachra, who did the damage on the day scoring 1-3. The former set up two goals in two minutes during the opening half, skilfully setting up Stephen Sheppard and a minute later Fiachra, to leave Walterstown helplessly adrift at half-time. Ten minutes into the second-half the Meath forward helped himself to a goal to seal ‘The Blacks’ fate.
Summerhill finished runners up in the same group and that meant they had dubious task of taking on the much fancied Navan O’ Mahonys in the previous round. However, two early goals from Stephen Kennedy laid the foundations for their shock victory as the 2008 finalists gained revenge for that defeat by O’ Mahonys.
Summerhills early group form was quite good but recent defeats to Trim and Wolfe Tones saw a slump in confidence and the majority of punters believed they would struggle against the stronger Brew Hill side. Despite a comeback from O’ Mahonys, Summerhill held on due, in no part, to a top drawer performance from goalkeeper Tony McDonnell, who pulled off a number of superb saves.
Tones have already defeated Summerhill in the group stage and with forward Cian Ward in blistering form for the purple and gold, Summerhill will have be on top form to pull off another shock win.
Verdict: Wolfe Tones
Donaghmore/Ashbourne V Dunshaughlin, 3:45pm Sunday
The senior football championship in Meath is down to the latter stages and the second semi-final sees Donaghmore/Ashbourne go up against Dunshaughlin with the latter going into the game as underdogs.
Donaghmore/Ashbourne enjoyed a great run in the group stages of the championship. After a poor start when they lost to Navan O’Mahonys and Rathkenny, they then went on a good run beating next Sundays opponents on a scoreline of 0-14 to 0-8 before also disposing of Nobber and Seneschalstown to book a place in the knock-out stages. In the quarter-final, they really caught fire, hitting 3-14 in an 11 point win over St Peters. There are no star players on this Donaghmore/Ashbourne team and it is really a question of the sum of the parts being better than any individual but he likes of Eoin Reilly and Bryan Menton are the go to guys.
Dunshaughlin are one of the names one associates with Meath football and they are back in a semi-final again. They come in as underdogs following their defeat to Sunday’s opposition in the group stages. In that phase, they did record wins over Seneschalstown, Nobber and Rathkenny to book a place in the quarter-finals where they beat Simonstown Gaels by a single point. Meath star Caoimhin King will anchor the defence while another former Meath great, Richie Kealy is also still on the scene.
Verdict: Donaghmore/Ashbourne
Garrycastle v Tyrellspass, 2pm Sunday, Cusack Park.
Champions Garrycastle will continue their quest for an unprecedented three in-a-row this coming weekend as they take on Tyrellspass in the Westmeath SFC semi-final at Cusack Park. Throw in 2pm.
In the quarter-final, the 2009 and 2010 county champions made light work of nearest rivals Mullingar Shamrocks, in a repeat of last year’s final, demolishing them 2-10 to 0-7. The reigning champions showed sheer ruthlessness to dispatch the Mullingar men and attained all this without talisman Des Dolan.
The match itself was a real let-down as the weather played havoc to both sides. However, ‘Castle showed, as they have all season, they’re once again real contenders for the Flanagan cup and every other club must be at odds as to how to stop them.
Tyrellspass approach this game on the back of some average performances and have stuttered their way through the championship to date. A recent league draw, preceded by a narrow victory, didn’t bode well for The Tidy Town ahead of their quarter-final against The Downs. However, a strong second-half display in a hard fought game was enough to secure a 1-14 to 1-08 victory and set up a tantalising encounter against champions Garrycastle.
While favourites Garrycastle will be seeking a third consecutive Westmeath Senior County Championship, Anthony Cunningham’s men will be wary of an experienced Tyrellspass side containing county captain Denis Glennon and former inter-county footballer Martin Flanagan and will be looking no further than this weekend’s match.
Mullingar Shamrocks V St Lomans, 4pm Sunday
The Westmeath Senior Football Championship is also down to the latter stages and in the semi-finals this weekend, Mullingar Shamrocks take on St Lomans of Mullingar in Cusack Park. With this game being a local derby, there is more than a county final place at stake as local bragging rights will also be a factor.
Mullingar Shamrocks come into this game after emerging from Group 2 of the championship. They enjoyed wins over The Downs, Maryland, Bunbrosna and Athlone with a 2-10 to 0-7 defeat to Garrycastle being the only blot on their copybook. In the quarter-finals, they went to town on Castledaly winning by 3-9 to 0-7 points to set them up for this weekend’s clash with St Lomans. Once again, they will look to Simon Quinn to lead the attack while former Westmeath full-back, Donal O’Donoghue will line out at centre-back as Shamrocks bid to lift the title for the first time since 2000.
St Lomans cruised through Group 1 of the championship, seeing off Tyrrellspass, Castledaly, Killucan, St Malachys and Tubberclair to finish in top spot and go straight through to the semi-finals. St Lomans’ will be missing Westmeath’s 19 year old great midfielder, John Heslin who has departed for the Richmond Tigers Australian Rules team and what a loss he will be. They will therefore look to the likes of Westmeath forward, Conor Lynam and Paul Sharry to lead them to the final.
Verdict: Mullingar Shamrocks
Longford Slashers V Clonguish, 4pm Sunday.
It is the big day in the Longford GAA calendar and it brings together two of the big hitters in Longford football as Longford Slashers and Clonguish go head to head in the county final on Sunday.
The Slashers are the holders having seen off Dromard in last year’s final while Clonguish won two in a row before that. It’s a bit like the Kilkenny V Tipperary rivalry in hurling and this one could go either way.
The Slashers look in a determined mood to retain their title and have reached this final after an impressive quarter-final victory over Abbeylara when they won by 0-13 to 1-8. They put up the exact same margin in the semi-final when beating Colm Cille who only managed 0-8. Once again, Colin Smith will be on the frees while county players such as Barry Gilleran, Dermot Brady and David Sheridan will be expected to lead from the front.
Clonguish have really come to the fore in Longford football over the last few years winning three titles since 2003. On the run to this final, they saw off Mostrim by 2-10 to 0-8 in the quarter-final before they enjoyed an emphatic 1-18 to 1-7 victory over Fr Manning Gaels in the semi-final. Once again, they will go into this County final, led by their greatest player, Paul Barden who has been the star of Longford football over the last decade. However, they are not a one man team as another Longford star, Paddy Dowd will start alongside Paul at midfield while his younger brother David will play in attack.
Verdict: Clonguish
| 9 Sept 2011 | |||||||||
| 19:30 | Kinsale (11/8) | v (13/2) | Youghal (8/11) |  |
|||||
| 20:00 | Tempo (8/13) | v (15/2) | Teemore (19/10) | |
|||||
| 20:30 | Burren (6/5) | v (13/2) | Mayobridge (1) | |
|||||
| 20:30 | Dromore (4/7) | v (15/2) | Ardboe (15/8) | |
|||||
| 10 September 2011 | |||||||||
| 13:00 | Horeswood (4/6) | v (13/2) | Rathangan (6/4) | |
|||||
| 14:30 | Gusserane (4/11) | v (17/2) | Fethard (10/3) | |
|||||
| 15:00 | Rhode (1/10) | v (16) | Walsh Island (7) | |
|||||
| 16:00 | Baltinglass (1/19) | v (16) | Annacurra (15/2) | |
|||||
| 16:00 | Cellbridge (4/7) | v (15/2) | Clane (21/10) | |
|||||
| 16:30 | Sarsfields (4/5) | v (13/2) | Adamstown (5/4) | |
|||||
| 17:00 | Castletownbere (2/5) | v (15/2) | Cloyne (5/2) | |
|||||
| 17:00 | Clyda Rovers (4/5) | v (13/2) | Mallow (6/4) | |
|||||
| 17:30 | Carberry Rangers (1/2) | v (8) | Newcestown (9/4) | |
|||||
| 17:30 | Loughinisland (6/4) | v (13/2) | Clonduff (4/6) | |
|||||
| 17:45 | St Laurences (13/5) | v (8) | Moorefield (2/5) | |
|||||
| 17:45 | St Patricks (1/14) | v (14) | Donard/Glen (13/2) | |
|||||
| 18:00 | Belturbet (11/8) | v (15/2) | Castlerahan (5/4) | |
|||||
| 18:00 | Castletown (1/9) | v (14) | Shelmaliers (11/2) | |
|||||
| 18:00 | Mattock Rangers (7/5) | v (13/2) | St Patricks (6/5) | |
|||||
| 18:00 | Slaughtneil (4/5) | v (15/2) | Kilrea (21/10) | |
|||||
| 19:00 | Kildorrey (11/10) | v (13/2) | Eire Og (11/10) | |
|||||
| 20:00 | Ballinacourty (2/11) | v (10) | Clashmore (4) | |
|||||
| 20:00 | St Saviours (11/8) | v (7) | Ardmore (4/6) | |
|||||
| 11 September 2011 | |||||||||
| 13:30 | Kilrossanty (6/4) | v (7) | Rathgormack (8/13) | |
|||||
| 13:30 | Stradbally (11/10) | v (13/2) | The Nire (10/11) | |
|||||
| 14:00 | An Rinn (4/9) | v (15/2) | Ballinameela (2) | |
|||||
| 14:00 | Gaultier (8/11) | v (7) | Brickey Rangers (5/4) | |
|||||
| 14:00 | Wolfe Tones (5/6) | v (7) | Summerhill (6/4) | |
|||||
| 14:30 | Cavan Gaels (2/7) | v (10) | Ballinagh (7/2) | |
|||||
| 14:30 | Garrycastle (1/4) | v (9) | Tyrrellspass (4) | |
|||||
| 14:30 | St Marys (4/7) | v (7) | Hollywood (13/8) | |
|||||
| 14:30 | St Michaels (4/6) | v (7) | Glenfin (13/8) | |
|||||
| 14:45 | Coleraine (1/3) | v (10) | Loup (7/2) | |
|||||
| 15:00 | Curry (6/5) | v (13/2) | Coolera / Strandhill (1) | |
|||||
| 15:30 | Elphin (4/6) | v (15/2) | Kilbride (9/4) | |
|||||
| 15:30 | Newmarket (9/5) | v (7) | St Vincents (4/7) | |
|||||
| 15:30 | Newtown Blues (4/11) | v (15/2) | Naomh Martin (5/2) | |
|||||
| 15:30 | Newtown Blues (4/11) | v (17/2) | St Martins (3) | |
|||||
| 15:30 | Roslea (8/15) | v (15/2) | Devenish (19/10) | |
|||||
| 15:45 | Donaghmore/Ashbourne (1/2) | v (15/2) | Dunshaughlin (9/4) | |
|||||
| 16:00 | Carbury (4/7) | v (15/2) | Allenwood (7/4) | |
|||||
| 16:00 | Longford Slashers (11/10) | v (7) | Clonguish (5/4) | |
|||||
| 16:00 | Mullingar Shamrocks (4/6) | v (7) | St Lomans (15/8) | |
|||||
| 16:00 | Mullingar Shamrocks (8/13) | v (13/2) | St Lomans Mullingar (13/8) | |
|||||
| 16:15 | Micheal Breathnachs (21/10) | v (15/2) | Mountbellew / Moylough(8/13) | |
|||||
| 16:15 | Rathnew (1/5) | v (9) | Blessington (4) | |
|||||
| 16:45 | Eastern Harps (10/11) | v (7) | Tourlestrane (6/4) | |
|||||
| 17:00 | Ballyholland (8/11) | v (15/2) | Rostrevor (13/8) | |
|||||
| 17:00 | Dungiven (11/10) | v (7) | Ballinascreen (1) | |
|||||
| 17:00 | Western Gaels (14/5) | v (8) | St Brigids (1/2) | |
|||||
| 17:30 | Glenswilly (8/13) | v (15/2) | Kilcar (2) | |
|||||
| 17:45 | Athy (6/4) | v (7) | Sarsfields (10/11) | |
|||||
| 18:00 | Coalisland (13/8) | v (7) | Omagh St Endas (4/5) | |
|||||
| 18:30 | Ballinderry (4/9) | v (8) | Bellaghy (10/3) | |
|||||
| 18:30 | Bryansford (6/5) | v (13/2) | Kilcoo (11/10) | |
|||||
| 16 September 2011 | |||||||||
| 20:30 | Carrickmore St Colmcilles(8/15) | v (7) | Clonoe ORahilly (9/5) | |
|||||
| 20:30 | Carrickmore (4/7) | v (7) | Clonoe (2) | |
|||||
Sports News 24/7© SportsNews Ireland
List of Ireland’s most admired Sports Personalities announced
Olympic Gold medallist , Katie Taylor has jumped from rank 8th to 1st to assume the status as Ireland’s most admired sports personality overall, according to the latest Onside Star Monitor 2012, released by leading marketing consultancy Onside Sponsorship.
Taylor has replaced Brian O’Driscoll, who had topped the Onside poll since 2009, with 1 in 4 of those naming their most admired sport star overall singling out the new Olympic Champion. Registering the highest levels achieved by any sports star in the Most Admired Sports Star Overall category of the Onside tracker over the past 5 years, Taylor’s appeal was most marked among Irish 25-44 year olds at 30%, while a high of 29% of adults in Munster named the Bray based boxer.
Other personalities growing their place at the top end of the ongoing survey included Ronan O’Gara and Henry Shefflin, while golfers Rory McIlroy and Padraig Harrington remained in the Top 10 of the Onside leaderboard, albeit both losing some ground as Taylor dominated the summer headlines.
John Trainor, Founder and Managing Director of Onside said, “ In real terms, an extra ½ million Irish adults now see Katie as the most admirable personality in Irish sport when compared with 2011, and with this growth she has managed to unlock real potential around her marketability in the future.”
Interestingly, recently retired Irish international goalkeeper Shay Given leapfrogged Robbie and Roy Keane to earn the recognition as the Irish personality admired most in Soccer overall. Ireland team-mate Damian Duff, who also recently hung up his international boots, also increased his performance in the Onside survey by 8% year on year, while Richard Dunne increased his appeal by 7% year on year. Meanwhile Robbie Keane admiration levels in the soccer space returned to 2008 levels and were almost half those compared to 2011.
Jamie & Emma Spencer ”Living apart” after details of affair become common knowledge
The racing world has been dealt a blow with the news that former champion flat jockey, Jamie Spencer had an affair.
Spencer, an Irish native from County Tipperary in Ireland, married Emma Ramsden in February of 2005 but are now currently “living apart”. In recent months and years Emma Spencer was thought to be the one playing the field but it has now come to light that those rumours were pure fabrication. We can now categorically confirm that Mr. Spencer is the one playing away from home. So who is the temptress that caused Spencer to give up his wife and three kids? None other than former champion apprentice Hayley Turner.
Hayley Turner, 27, was born in Nottingham, England. It has taken the young woman years to reach the heights of her current job with Michael Bell. Bell who is a classic winning trainer employs both Spencer and Turner at his Newmarket base in Suffolk and both ride regularly for Bell who is one of the Queens trainers. It is here their relationship was said to have started and then continued to blossom. It is understood that Bell now knows of the ‘arrangement’ between the two champion jockeys but as of yet he hasn’t spoken or done anything publicly about the matter.
So what would cause Spencer to act so foolishly and betray the beautiful face of Channel Four Racing? It is understood that the relationship between the Spencer’s had been rocky for quite some time before Spencer and Turner ever got serious. Mrs. Spencer was said to have noticed the relationship growing but was then outraged as Jamie brought his new mistress into the martial home. This was the last straw and Spencer moved out of the family home in November 2009. So how has the matter resurfaced?
Last Saturday, the 24th of April, Turner rode the winner of the weekends biggest handicap race as she guided Brunston (40-1) to victory in the Spring Cup at Newbury. As channel four were covering the event Emma Spencer was obliged to work. The customary post race jockey interview had to be done but Emma refused to carry it out. Her Channel Four co-host, Mike Cattermole, had to be summoned quickly to carry out the job and duly done so. When questions started to be asked after T.V coverage ceased a Channel Four spokesperson stated “Emma would prefer not to interview Hayley – it is in the interests of both parties to avoid any unnecessary tensions”.
Although Mrs. Spencer refused to interview Turner after the race, she says she is willing to speak to her estranged husband if, and when, he wins a race televised by Channel 4. She went on to say “I don’t think it would be awkward interviewing Jamie. I would like to think I am professional and he is professional. We have three children and are on good terms”.
So who knows where this story will end for the Spencers, who were dubbed the Posh and Becks of the racing world. Jamie and Hayley are said to not be an “item” but still continue to work with each other on a regular basis.