All-Ireland Championship Archives - SportsNewsIreland

No fear of the Kingdom for ferocious Tribes

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 21 Jul 2022 18:19:26 +0000

Kerry favourites to lift their 38th All-Ireland

Kerry’s 37 All-Ireland crowns ensures that the Kingdom are rightly feared and respected by footballing purists wherever the game is played. Their status as the kingpins of the game is due to generation after generation of fast, strong and stylish footballers. This legacy has created an aura around Kerry sides in the past, particularly for final opponents. Despite this reputation, Kerry hold no fears for the current Galway squad.

One of the counties most scarred by the sight of the Green and Gold jerseys are Galway’s near neighbors to the north, Mayo. They lost out to the Munster aristocrats in the finals of 1997, 2004 & 2006. The 1997 final in particular makes for a good study in sports psychology. A far-from vintage Kerry side overcame a Mayo team who had lost to Meath after a replay the previous year. Maurice Fitzgerald kicked 0-9 and was by far the most impressive player for either side. Their winning total of 13 points was one of the lowest winning totals in the last forty years. Pre-game favourites Mayo meanwhile repeatedly failed to find the target. Shooting wide after wide as the pressure and expectation of winning an All-Ireland title got the better of them.

The crop of 2022

This year the Kerry men have finally beaten a Dublin side who have had the edge over them in big games in recent history. After Sean O’Shea’s dramatic semi-final injury-time free, the bookies have installed Jack O’Connor’s side as 1/3 favorites to lift their 38th All-Ireland title. (Technically it will be their 31st Sam as their first seven titles pre-date Sam’s first appearance. The first Sam Maguire trophy was presented to Kildare in 1928 after their win over Cavan. This trophy was then replaced by an identical Sam in 1989. I just thought I’d clear that up for the pedants out there!).

Sean O’Shea stands over Galway’s Gary O’Donnell during a league meeting between the sides in February 2019 in Tuam. Photo credit: Shane Tighe

Kerry Confidence

Despite an almost decade-long dominance from the Dubs, Kerry sides still consider themselves superior to every other county in the land. This confidence comes from their success not just at Senior All-Ireland level, but also from countless victories at all levels of the game. Current superstar, David Clifford’s eye-catching 4-04 in the 2017 minor final win over Derry earmarked the Fossa youngster for greatness. Five minor titles in a row from 2014-18 and a runners-up spot in 2020 has continued on the green and gold production line.

In recent years, however, that air of invincibility has lost some of its lustre at Senior level. Kerry’s most recent All-Ireland title came in the 2014 win over Donegal. Eight years is practically a famine by the standards of their illustrious past. Defeats to Dublin in the finals of 2015 and 2019 have created doubts in their previously unparalleled levels of self-belief. Particularly the 6-point defeat in the replayed 2019 final.

In the first half of the drawn match, the dismissal of Jonny Cooper handed a sizeable advantage to Peter Keane’s side. They had come from five points in arrears to edge ahead in the closing stages. A converted free from Dean Rock four minutes into stoppage time gave Jim Gavin’s Dublin a second bite at securing their historic five in a row. It was a game that the Kerry fans felt they left behind them. 0-8 from 17 first-half scoring chances, which included a Paul Geaney penalty saved by Stephen Cluxton, was a poor return by their standards.

Kerry hold no fears for the current Galway squad

Sunday’s final opponents Galway have none of the big game experience on All-Ireland final day that their opponents have. This is the Tribesmen’s first final since their 2001 victory over Meath. Current manager Padraig Joyce kicked ten points in a comprehensive 0-17 v 0-8 win. Despite the lack of exposure to the pressures that a final appearance can bring, this crop of Galway players are unlikely to be overawed.

Galway football is riding the crest of a wave at the moment. Last Friday week their minors lifted the Tommy Markham cup defeating Mayo in the All-Ireland final in Hyde pk, Roscommon. Earlier this year a NUI Galway side defeated University of Limerick 0-12 to 1-6 in the Sigerson Cup final in Carlow. The aforementioned David Clifford ended up on the losing side despite scoring 1-2. An IT Tralee side with a large Kerry contingent had been beaten in the semi-final in Rathkeale 0-18 v 0-15 a week previously.

Galway’s Matthew Tierney was part of that victorious side and he also enjoyed success at u20 level in 2020. That Galway side defeated Kerry in the semi-final in the Gaelic grounds in Limerick before beating Dublin in the final. When reminded of his track record against some of the opponents he’ll face on Sunday he said “That’s not down to me, it’s down to the teammates as well. We have a load of leaders out there, ….It’s very enjoyable at the moment, so hopefully we’ll keep the success going”.

Tierney’s mother Marie hails from Castleisland in Kerry. When questioned about the loyalties of his mum Matthew said “I won’t talk to her now for the week”. Coincidentally Marie went to school with David Clifford’s mother Eileen. “I have the phone taken off her, don’t worry!” Matthew joked as he shot down any possibilities of a Kerry mole within the camp.

Relevance of past battles

When questioned on whether previous underage success bore any relevance to facing some of the same faces at Croke Park on Sunday Matthew said “I suppose you get a bit of confidence every time you win. But, it’s a different competition and a different Kerry side”. John Concannon a selector with this year’s team then interjected, “The belief that these young lads have from winning the Sigerson, from winning the under 20 All-Ireland, even the lads in 2017 that beat Kerry with a lot of the current team on it. These lads growing up now have a belief that they are winners”. Concannon went on to add “They fear no one, which is great and that’s one thing I’ve learned from them since we came in”.

John Concannon was first involved alongside current manager Padraig Joyce and fellow selector John Divilly at under 20 level in 2019. Five of the current side played for them at that grade. Concannon is impressed by the attitude he sees within the current squad. “Every county is the same to them, they go out with the belief they can win”. He added, “We’re going to believe we can win on Sunday and they are going to go in with that attitude”.

Galway’s captain on Sunday is Moycullen’s Sean Kelly. Alongside Tierney, he was also part of this year’s victorious Sigerson Cup team. He also spoke of the belief instilled in this group of players. “Padraig spoke to us and we believe we should be fighting for All-Irelands. Thankfully, this year now we’ve kicked on an extra step and we are in one”. He was involved in the 2017 u21 semi-final win over Kerry (the final year at that age grade before it changed to u20 in 2018). “We got over the line that day, a lot of those young lads have come through” (to the senior squad). On the prospect of facing Kerry Kelly said “It’s not something we’re scared of, you can’t be scared of someone else. We’re looking forward to it. We know it’s going to be a tough battle”.

Galway’s Cillian McDaid kicks a first-half point in a man-of-the-match display against Armagh. Photo credit: Shane Tighe

Shock on the cards?

Galway will go into Sunday’s final as outsiders. As mentioned earlier Kerry are strong favourites with the bookies offering the westerners at 10/3. It’s a similar price to what was being offered for Andy Farrell’s Irish side ahead of the third test in Wellington last weekend. I see similar value based on this growing and maturing Galway side.

They have shown that they can win games in different ways and have grown as the championship has progressed. Obviously, the instant classic quarter-final penalty shoot-out win over Armagh grabbed the most column inches. It also put the team in the national spotlight. The win over Mayo in Castlebar gave the squad the belief that they could compete with the best. The Connacht final win over Roscommon gave them the silverware to back that up. The Derry semi-final saw them grind out a convincing victory after a very poor start.

The swagger is back in Galway football and red-hot favourites Kerry will hold no fears for Padraig Joyce’s side. Kerry may be the All-Blacks of Gaelic football. But just as the All-Blacks invincible aura was shattered in Chicago, Kerry hold no fears for the current Galway squad. The Tribesmen believe that the time has come to bridge a gap of 21 years. Padraig Joyce’s men are primed to lift the Sam Maguire this Sunday.

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Galway forward Shane Walsh thinks TMO could work in GAA

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 13:52:18 +0000

Galway senior footballer Shane Walsh believes that a television match official (TMO), as seen in rugby, could be used in Gaelic sports.

The TMO is someone who watches the match action on a television screen outside of the ground and informs the referee of anything they may have missed or helps to make a tough decision easier through the use of replays from different angles.

Walsh went down in the 27th minute of the Connacht final after an off-the-ball collision with Padraig O’Hora.

The centre forward was able to continue after a painkiller injection before the second half but O’Hora went unpunished for his actions and the Galwegian’s let their five-point lead slip.

The 28-year-old believes that the introduction of a TMO could prevent refereeing mistakes such as this from occurring and stop Gaelic football’s dive into cynicism.

Speaking at the launch of the John West Féile 50^th anniversary celebrations, the Two-time JJ Nestor Cup winner said: “No one was coached how to play football that way.

“When you were coached how to tackle, it’s tackling the ball, you’re staying on your feet, you’re trying to turn them to their weaker side.

“They’re the elements of defending, it’s not the kind of things you see going on in a game.

“That’s only one incident. Numerous incidents go on in games. It needs to be cut out. You have young kids seeing that, and if they see that kind of carry-on, they do the exact same thing.

“In cases like that, we need to provide supports to the referees. They’re not going to see everything that happens.

“I just believe that could definitely be something that could be looked at, the TMO side of things or something to that effect, where there’s an extra eye watching what’s going on in the game.

“That is the biggest thing, that would cut out the cynicism that’s in the game at the moment.”

In 2013, the GAA introduced HawkEye to games held at Croke Park when Kildare faced Offaly in a Leinster championship clash following a trial period.

The technology has been a success since being introduced and is currently available in three stadiums across Ireland – Croke Park, Semple Stadium and Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

HawkEye, like Walsh’s TMO suggestion, was present in other sports such as tennis previous to its introduction to the Gaelic games.

The introduction of a TMO could help the referee to focus on maintaining the fluidity of a game with the safety net of an extra eye on the game installed so that they can be informed of anything they missed.

Walsh believes that a TMO could help improve the sport further on top of Proposal B, which he supports.

“We need to adapt to it, and you need to provide supports to the referees. They’re not going to see everything that happens.

“I just believe that could definitely be something that could be looked at, the TMO side of things or something to that effect, where there’s an extra eye watching what’s going on in the game.

“If something happens in the game, they buzz the referee. If they want a camera on the side of the pitch, but it should be another referee looking after it, saying to the match referee, ‘look, I spotted an off-the-ball incident, we’re in black card territory. You can look at it if you want, but I’d be saying black card’.

“And then the ref goes and makes that call. Simple as. That way then, if that happens more, it would cut out the kind of stuff that goes on off the ball.”

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Monaghan Football Boss ‘Banty’ McEnaney To Stay On In 2022

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 12:15:22 +0000

Monaghan GAA have announced that Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney will stay on as head coach of the county’s senior footballers for the 2022 season.

Banty will take charge for a third season of his second stint with the Farney Army after a strong season for the inter-county side.

McEnaney returned to the role in 2020, having previously managed the side for six years from 2004 to 2010.

The manager replaced Malachy O’Rourke in the role, after the latter stepped down following a qualifier defeat to Armagh in 2019.

O’Rourke brought the county their most recent Ulster Championship titles in 2013 and 2015 and reached the All-Ireland semi-final in 2018.

A statement on the Monaghan GAA website reads: “Following a management meeting last night, Wednesday the 15th, Monaghan GAA have re-ratified Seamus McEnaney & his backroom team as our Senior Management Team.”

Monaghan reached their first Ulster final since 2015 under the Corduff-born manager earlier this year but lost out to eventual All-Ireland champions Tyrone by a point.

In Banty’s first year, the side failed to get past eventual Anglo-Celt Cup winners Cavan in the preliminary round of the Ulster senior football championship.

The Oriel County have struggled in the league in the past two years but they still maintain Division One status for 2022 after a relegation play-off win over Galway in extra-time.

McEnaney was suspended for 12 weeks by the county board following his team’s training breach at the beginning of the 2021 season.

In his first stint with the Ulster side, Banty and Monaghan won Division Two in 2005 and reached two provincial finals in 2007 and 2010 – losing to Mickey Harte’s Tyrone on both occasions.

The Corduff clubman has previously been at the helm of the Meath and Wexford senior footballers, as well as the Monaghan minor team.

The two-time Monaghan boss has a backroom that consists of Donie Buckley, Peter Donnelly, Conor Laverty, David McCague and Ray Boyne currently.

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All-Ireland Poc Fada finals announced on 60 year anniversary

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 10:24:48 +0000

The 2021 M. Donnelly GAA All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals were officially launched by Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Larry McCarthy and Uachtarán a Cumann Camógaíochta, Hilda Breslin in Croke Park yesterday

This year’s competition is an invitational event that will see recent competitors return to Annaverna Mountain in what promises to be a highly competitive field. Also, it marks 60 years of All-Ireland Poc Fada competition.

There will be celebrations in honour of the very first Poc Fada which saw six Under 16 boys compete on Annaverna Mountain. The four surviving players and their family members have been invited to the event this year.

The competition will also remember two great Poc Fada loyalists, former champion Oliver Gough (1964) and Lester Ryan who championed the competition at every level and was responsible for so many others driving this unique event.

The unique Gaelic Games contest promises to be a great day of sport. Speaking at the launch Larry McCarthy said:

“I am delighted to see the return of this unique sporting event which embodies the broad cultural and historical significance of our unique game of hurling.

We are honouring that designation by holding an event which sustains and secures a heritage dating back to Cu Chulainn.”

Fourth place finish for Limerick and Pallasgreen hurler Colin Ryan in All Ireland Poc Fada final on Cooley Mountains today. Just four shots behind winner. Great to see so many of his Limerick inter-county colleagues in Louth to support #LLSport #hurling #GAA pic.twitter.com/9MMmMqaYlM

— Jerome O'Connell (@JeromeSport) August 3, 2019

Speaking about this year’s Finals Uachtarán an Cumann Camógaíochta Hilda Breslin said:

“It’s fantastic to see the All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals return this year in what is always an exciting day in the Camogie calendar. I am particularly enthused to see such a star-studded field taking part on what should be a fantastic occasion at the Annaverna Mountain.”

Defending senior hurling champion Cillian Kiely puts his crown on the line against a high calibre field that includes his brother Cathal and players of the calibre of Kilkenny’s Eoin Murphy.

The Kiely’s finished in 1st and 2nd place in 2019 with Cillian finishing with one less poc than his younger sibling, Cathal.

On the Camogie side, champion Caitriona Daly from Galway defends her title against a field that includes recent All-Ireland Intermediate medal winner from Antrim Roisin McCormack.

Abbey Donnelly, from Meath continues a family tradition by following in the footsteps of her father, and grandfather who was a joint winner in 1962. All-Ireland Senior winning goalkeeper Sarah Healy from Galway and Lyndsey Condell from Carlow will also compete.

Unfortunately, due to Covid 19 restrictions that have been in place in the months leading up to the event, there will be no Under 16 competitions this year.

The M. Donnelly GAA All-Ireland Poc Fada Final proceedings will get under way at 12 noon on Annaverna Mountain, in the Cooley Range, Ravensdale, Co. Louth on Saturday, September 25th.

#OnThisDay in 1999

Davy Fitzgerald won the M Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada title. pic.twitter.com/f7YYLS0LIj

— sportsfile (@sportsfile) August 7, 2020

Hurling Playing Order:

1. Paddy McKillian (Tyrone)

2. Colin Ryan (Limerick)

3. Gareth Johnson (Down)

4. Sean Nugent (Galway)

5. Darren Geoghegan (Louth)

6. Callum Quirke (Wexford)

7. Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny)

8. Tadhg Haran (Galway)

9. Ronan Taaffe (Clare)

10. Sponsors Guest TBC

11. Cathal Kiely (Offaly)

12. Cillian Kiely (Offaly)

Camogie Playing Order:

1. Aideen Lyons (Galway)

2. Roisin McCormack (Antrim)

3. Lyndsey Condell (Carlow)

4. Martina McMahon (Limerick)

5. Abbye Donnelly (Meath)

6. Áine Slattery (Tipperary)

7. Aoife Murray (Cork)

8. Sarah Healy (Galway)

9. Molly Lynch (Cork)

10. Caitriona Daly (Galway)

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Kerry GAA Searching For ‘Next Senior Football Manager’

JoeNa Connacht — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 08:00:45 +0000

Kerry GAA have announced that they have begun the search for the county’s next senior football manager in a statement on the county board’s website.

The announcement was made after the conclusion of the All-Ireland Championship, where the Munster champions were beaten by eventual champions Tyrone in extra-time of their semi-final.

There has been speculation that Kerry senior football manager Peter Keane will not be in charge of the side next season as they look to bring an end to an All-Ireland drought.

The statement by Kerry’s county board reads: “The process of appointing the next Kerry Senior Football Manager has commenced.

“The Kerry GAA Management Committee has appointed the following sub-committee who will revert with a recommendation at the earliest opportunity.

“Tim Murphy (Chairperson) Eamon Whelan (Vice Chairperson) Peter Twiss (Secretary) John O’ Leary (Munster Council Delegate) Donal Daly (Kerry Games Manager).

“No further comment will be made until this process has concluded.”

The most successful team competing for the Sam Maguire have not brought it back to the county since 2014.

Keane brought his side to an All-Ireland final in 2019 where opponents Dublin forced a replay after a poor first-half and broke Kerry’s long-standing record of four-in-a-row with a win in the replay.

His side have not reached the final fixture of the inter-county Gaelic football calendar since, having fallen short in the last two years.

The Kerry footballers have won two Munster titles under the former Kerry underage star after his appointment following his minor team’s success from 2016-2018.

The former St. Mary’s player won three Munster and All-Ireland minor titles in a row as manager of the county’s underage side.

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All-Ireland Final: Mayo v Tyrone – Preview, Lineups, Odds, TV Coverage

JoeNa Connacht — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 14:27:28 +0000

Mayo and Tyrone will face-off against each other in the All-Ireland final on the evening of Saturday, September 11 at 5 pm.

Both sides are looking to end long droughts and bring home the Sam Maguire to their county – Tyrone have not won since 2008 while Mayo have not won in 70 years.

Mayo were All-Ireland finalists last year and conceded an early goal – something not unfamiliar to them at this stage of the competition.

James Horan’s side recovered from the early setback but the power of Dublin proved too much.

However, this year, things are different – after a poor first half in the All-Ireland semi-final against their rivals, Mayo rallied and put in an exceptional performance to end Dublin’s reign over Gaelic football and progress to the final.

Tyrone also came up against a long-standing rival in Kerry – the last time the two sides had met saw the Munster champions run out 6-15 to 1-14 winners over Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan’s side.

Tyrone have been a different animal in the championship though, winning the Anglo-Celt Cup and looking hungry for more, even after a Covid outbreak within the camp.

It is Tyrone’s first appearance in an All-Ireland final since 2018, where they also fell foul to the well-oiled machine from the capital.

Yet, both sides have banished old rivals and set up an exciting showdown at Croke Park – excitement is something the predictability of Gaelic football had lacked in recent years.

This final is unpredictable and that’s what makes it such an interesting match-up – two teams who have unique traits but also some that are very similar will battle it out for the biggest achievement in Gaelic football.

And we sit and watch it unfold.

Lineups

Mayo: Hennelly; O’Hora, Keegan, Plunkett; Durcan, Coen, Mullin; Ruane, Loftus; O’Connor, O’Shea (C), Walsh; McLoughlin, Conroy, O’Donoghue.

Tyrone: Morgan; McKernan, McNamee, Hampsey; Burns, Harte, K McGeary; Kennedy, Kilpatrick; Meyler, O’Neill, Sludden; McCurry, Donnelly, McKenna.

Subs: Quinn, Bradley, Canavan, Donaghy, Kelly, McCann, McDonnell, HP McGeary, McShane, J Munroe, Shields/C Munroe.

Odds

Mayo 10/11

Draw 7/1

Tyrone 11/8

TV Coverage

The game will be available to watch on RTÉ 2 and Sky Sports Arena. Coverage begins at 3:30 pm on RTÉ with Sky starting their coverage at 4 pm.

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Wexford Appoint Former Tipp Coach Egan As Senior Hurling Manager

JoeNa Connacht — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 12:51:12 +0000

Wexford GAA have appointed former Tipperary coach Darragh Egan as their new senior hurling manager.

The 35-year-old will replace Davy Fitzgerald in the role after the former Clare hurler left the job in July.

The appointment is on a two-year basis, with an option of a further year included.

Egan was a selector in Liam Sheedy’s backroom staff and was part of the coaching setup that won the All-Ireland with the Premier County in 2019.

The 35-year-old has also coached the Tipperary under-16 hurlers, a job he held previous to his role as selector.

Egan stepped away from his role with Tipperary when Liam Sheedy brought an end to his second tenure in charge of the 28-time All-Ireland champions.

The new Wexford coach has also won two All-Ireland titles as a player on the Tipperary and brings the 11 years of experience he has as a player to the Model County.

Egan’s role with his club Kildangan GAA has seen the side rise from the junior championship to become the county’s senior champions last year.

Wexford GAA Chairperson, Michaél Martin, in welcoming Darragh to the Wexford GAA fold, said:

“Our strategic plan, “Ar Aghaidh Linn le Chéile”, is the most ambitious plan ever launched in the history of Wexford GAA with clear and specific goals for on and off the pitch. We are conscious that the performance of our senior hurling team is a key element in the social wellbeing of our county.

Darragh Egan is a sharp, enthusiastic and energetic leader who understands performance at an elite level. He is process-driven and has a hunger for success. He has experience of leading in a high-performance environment and I have no doubt that he will bring a wealth of knowledge to Wexford hurling as we aim to take the next step on the journey to success.”

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Shane O’Neill Steps Down As Galway Senior Hurling Manager

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 17:57:34 +0000

Shane O’Neill has stepped down from his role as manager of the Galway senior hurling team, Galway GAA have announced.

O’Neill decided against extending his time in charge and leaves the inter-county side after two years in the role.

The 47-year-old won Division One of the Allianz National Hurling League this year after his side finished top of Group A – they shared the title with Group B winners Kilkenny.

However, provincial and All-Ireland success eluded Galway under the former Limerick hurler.

His side finished runners-up in Leinster last year and fell to eventual champions Limerick in a three-point loss at the All-Ireland semi-final stage at the end of 2020.

Galway regressed this year and failed to reach the Leinster final after a shock loss to Mattie Kenny’s Dublin.

The side were beaten by eventual semi-finalists Waterford in their only All-Ireland qualifier in July in a match where they avoided a humiliating scoreline and almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

In a statement, O’Neill said: “I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to the Galway County Board and the Hurling Committee for their unwavering support throughout my tenure,” O’Neill said in a statement released by Galway GAA.

“I am extremely grateful to them for their most professional and proactive approach to all matters related to the Galway Senior Hurling Team.

“I wish to acknowledge and commend the efforts of each and every one of the members of the backroom team. You are too numerous to mention but I must especially thank our management team of John Fitzgerald, Lukasz Kirszenstein, Fergal Healy, David Forde and Colm Callanan.

“I would like to thank the players for their hard work and dedication. It was a special privilege to be involved with some of the greats of the game.

“I wish them every success in the future.”

Galway GAA would like to thank O’Neill and his entire backroom team for their efforts over the past two seasons and has cited their commitment, dedication and professionalism as “exemplary.”

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Wicklow Boss Davy Burke Resigns After Two Years

JoeNa Connacht — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 15:52:15 +0000

Davy Burke has stepped down from his position as manager of the Wicklow senior football team after two years in the job.

Burke was at the helm for Wicklow’s promotion from Division Four in 2020 and their success in retaining Division Three status for 2022.

The side beat then-Ulster champions Cavan by two points to secure third-tier football for another year in a shock win.

They reached the quarter-finals of the 2020 Leinster Senior Football Championship after a win over Wexford but fell to the same opponent in this year’s Championship in the preliminary round.

Wicklow GAA have thanked Burke for his contributions to their senior football team over the past two seasons: “Wicklow GAA would like to sincerely thank Davy Burke and his management team for all their hard work and dedication over the past two years.

“Both the 2020 and 2021 seasons were severely hampered with COVID restrictions, but the constant drive from Davy to improve standards resulted in promotion to Division 3 for 2022.

“We wish Davy the very best in the future and thank him for everything he has done for Wicklow GAA.”

Burke has issued a statement on his decision: “I would like to thank the group of Wicklow players that I was extremely lucky to have worked with over the past 2 years.

“I am very proud of the group and what they have achieved in gaining promotion from division 4 and retaining division 3 status for 2022 in what were very challenging times.

“I can’t thank my management team of Mike Hassett and Gary Jameson enough for their huge effort and unwavering support over the 2 years.

“I would also like to thank our backroom team for their time, commitment and expertise they each brought to our setup.

“Finally, I would like to thank the Wicklow County Board, the Wicklow Clubs and our team sponsor Renault for their invaluable support.

“Wicklow Football is in a very strong position and I look forward to following their continued progress in the coming years.”

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All-Ireland Semi-Final & Final Times Confirmed

JoeNa Connacht — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 11:00:19 +0000

The GAA have confirmed the throw-in times for the two outstanding fixtures on the inter-county football calendar – Kerry v Tyrone and the All-Ireland final.

The second All-Ireland semi-final will start at 3.30 pm on Saturday, August 28 at Croke Park and the winners of the tie will face Mayo in the All-Ireland final at 5 pm on Saturday, September 11.

The fixtures were delayed for a second time after Tyrone announced they could not fulfil their upcoming fixture on Saturday, August 21 after a Covid outbreak in the camp.

The Covid outbreak in the setup has caused the county to play without some players in the Ulster Senior Football Championship final against Monaghan.

Their semi-final was originally intended to be played on the same weekend as Mayo’s victory over the defending champions Dublin.

The GAA say the revised schedule has been finalised with the integrity of the championship in mind and to ensure that Kerry were not denied a semi-final outing.

Tyrone’s county board have welcomed the decision made by the CCCC to postpone their fixture for a second time.

A statement released on the Tyrone GAA website reads: “Tyrone GAA welcomes the decision taken by the CCCC at national level, this evening, to defer the All-Ireland football semifinal between Tyrone and Kerry to Saturday 28th August, as a result of the transmission of the Covid19 virus among a number of players on the Tyrone panel.

“

Tyrone has also paid tribute to Kerry GAA and its senior football team for its assistance and co-operation in creating the circumstances that allowed this decision to be reached.

“The Tyrone players and management will prepare as safely as possible, in the continuing difficult circumstances, to ensure that the best available team will now fulfil this very important fixture.”

Both games will be shown live on RTÉ 2 and on the RTÉ Player.

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