WE PANELLED THREE respected performance analysts for a roundtable discussion on the current state of analytics in the GAA. The panel: Rob Carroll, International Rules Analyst, The42 columnist Ray Boyne, Dublin GAA Head of Performance Analysis Paudie McCarthy, Kerry Senior Football Performance Analyst Note: Some of the answers have been edited for clarity. Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO The42: … Continue reading "GAA Analytics Roundtable: How numbers have changed the game"

From the Hill to the hospital: 25 pictures that capture Dublin’s brilliant Gaelic football year Previous 1 / 25Next Ballyboden St Enda’s captain Darragh Nelson lifts the Andy Merrigan Cup on St Patrick’s Day. Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO Stephen Cluxton lifts the trophy after Dublin’s triumph in the Division 1 league final Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO Dublin … Continue reading "From the Hill to the hospital: 25 pictures that capture Dublin’s brilliant Gaelic football year"

FROM ROBBIE BRADY to Rio de Janeiro, 2016 has been another busy year for Irish sport. But how well do you remember those big moments and the people who were at the heart of it all? We tested some of Ireland’s top sports stars with 10 questions in The42’s first-ever Christmas quiz. Yesterday saw Colm Cooper … Continue reading "Hurler of the Year Austin Gleeson takes on The42 Christmas Quiz"

THE LIAM MACCARTHY cup found a new home in 2016 when Tipperary ended a six-year thirst and surprised holders Kilkenny. It was also a year where Austin Gleeson ascended to new heights at just 21 years of age while at the other end of the age scale, Jackie Tyrrell withdrew from the inter-county game after … Continue reading "6 of the best hurling scores of the year"

Updated at 21.56 What was the name of Eamon Dunphy's diary on life as a Millwall player? Showbiz baby! The Lion's Den Only a game? A good player, not a great player What performance-enhancing drugs did Paul Kimmage talk of taking in his autobiography Rough Ride? Human Growth Hormone Creatine EPO Amphetamines What was the … Continue reading "How many of these classic Irish sports books have you read?"

THE 100-year anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising was always going to be particularly poignant in Rathfarnham, a sprawling suburb on the south side of Dublin, where Irish revolutionary Patrick Pearse’s legacy is still a main attraction. After relocating his St Enda’s school from Ranelagh to Rathfarnham in 1910 to continue his liberal approach to … Continue reading "Double sporting success makes 2016 a year to remember in Dublin suburb"

IF YOU DON’T get time to sit down and watch this one this evening, hit the record button. Donal O’Grady, All-Ireland senior medallist with the Cork hurlers as a player and manager, is on a journey through history to uncover the origins of the county’s famous GAA jersey. What he discovered will surprise many people … Continue reading "The link between the Cork GAA jersey and the battle for freedom is an incredible tale"

IT WAS A few days after Tipperary’s final Allianz League Division 3 outing against Sligo when a “no holds barred” meeting involving players and team management took place at Dr. Morris Park in Thurles. Strength and conditioning coach Dave Moriarty left deflated, wondering where the team was headed and questioning why he’d decided to get … Continue reading "From doubters to believers – the inside story of Tipperary’s incredible football year"

MICHAEL SOLAN’S AN infrequent Twitter user. “Not very active” is how he’d describe his experience of the social medium. At 34 years of age, and manager of an All-Ireland winning team, Solan doesn’t need to log on to a computer or reach for his smartphone to seek approval and affirmation. The sense of satisfaction that … Continue reading "Mayo manager on All-Ireland glory, Twitter use and his brother’s Arsenal experience"

SARAH ROWE HAS a pretty tough decision to make over the next few weeks, but at the same time it’s a pretty nice position she finds herself in. Source: Tom Beary/INPHO Click Here: West Coast Eagles Guernsey Splitting her life between gaelic football in Mayo and soccer and college in Dublin, the 21-year-old decided this … Continue reading "Torn between Champions League and inter-county football: A day in the life of Sarah Rowe"