The Na Piarsaigh and Patrickswell players before the 2015 county senior hurling final Source: Keith Wiseman/INPHO THE REIGNING ALL-Ireland senior club hurling champions have been pitted in the same group as the current county kingpins in next year’s Limerick senior hurling championship. The draws were made for the 2017 group stages last night with Na … Continue reading "All-Ireland champions pitted against county kingpins in Limerick senior hurling draw"

McGeeney and O’Rourke claimed an All-Ireland title together in 2002. Source: INPHO KIERAN MCGEENEY WILL need a new assistant manager in 2017 after Aidan O’Rourke has stepped away from the role with Armagh. O’Rourke has cited ‘pressures of time’ for his reason for departing from the position. “I wouldn’t be devoting the time that the … Continue reading "McGeeney needs new assistant manager as All-Ireland winning teammate steps away"

WEDNESDAY OF LAST week in a Dublin hotel and it’s the business end of the Philips Sports Manager of the Year Awards lunch. The gathered worthies of Irish sport have just polished off their desserts when Minister of Sport Patrick O’Donovan is ushered onto the stage. “I’m sorry I’m late,” says O’Donovan, boyish, rosy-cheeked and … Continue reading "Women’s sport has come a long way, but there’s still about a century to go"

Anthony Daly with Cian Dillon, Noel Connors and Shane Fives after last night’s win. Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO ANTHONY DALY HAS thrown his weight behind an idea to give the gate receipts to charity from the GAA Interprovincial football and hurling championships. The Clare man last night managed Munster to defeat Leinster in the hurling decider … Continue reading "‘I think funds could be raised because players have shown their interest’"

ALL-IRELAND CLUB champions Ballyboden St-Enda’s have turned to former Dublin footballer John O’Brien as their new manager. Andy McEntee has taken over as the new Meath senior football boss and brought his spell with the Dublin club to an end with this week’s Division 1 football league final victory. O’Brien has previously represented Dublin at … Continue reading "All-Ireland club champs Ballyboden turn to ex-Dublin player O’Brien as new manager"

THE SHORTLIST FOR RTÉ Sports Person of the Year is packed with worthy contenders. Today, Fintan O’Toole argues why Denise Gaule deserves to be on the shortlist. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO WHEN KILKENNY LIFTED the O’Duffy Cup in 1994, they hardly reckoned on Noreside that they would be waiting 22 years to claim the title again. … Continue reading "Sports Person of the Year 2016: Why Denise Gaule deserves her place on the shortlist"

David Breen celebrates Na Piarsaigh’s All-Ireland club triumph. Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO ON ST PATRICK’S Day last, David Breen finally hit the hurling jackpot. He’d been frustrated in his efforts to bag an All-Ireland medal with Limerick, a couple of shattering semi-final losses to Clare in 2013 and Kilkenny in 2014 the closest he came. Na … Continue reading "From All-Ireland hurling wins in Croke Park to Champions Cup rugby in the Sportsground"

JAMIE VARDY STUNNED Premier League followers last weekend, with a hat-trick against title contenders Man City to bring their run of dismal form to a stop. Elsewhere, Dylan Hartley was handed a six-week ban for striking Leinster’s Sean O’Brien and the reaction was largely critical. The proposed introduction of gender quotas on sporting bodies sparked … Continue reading "Jamie Vardy having another party, Dylan Hartley’s suspension and gender quotas in sport – It’s Comments of the Week"

FORMER MEATH FOOTBALLER Joe Sheridan is set to make an unexpected return to the inter-county fold following a three-year absence, according to the Irish Independent. Sheridan, who broke Louth hearts in the 2010 Leinster final, is understood to have been recalled to the panel as goalkeeper rather than as a forward, where he operated for … Continue reading "Joe Sheridan set to make a comeback to Meath football as a goalkeeper"

PAT HOLMES AND Noel Connelly have aired their grievances about the player revolt that ousted them as joint Mayo managers in 2015. It’s the first time they have spoken publically about their removal 14 months ago, which occured shortly after Mayo lost to eventual champions Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final replay. Speaking with the Irish … Continue reading "Mayo players threatened to strike in 2015 if Holmes and Connelly were not removed"