Month: September 2021

Updated May 27th 2019, 12:15 PM

JOE BROLLY HAS described Mayo’s surprise one-point Connacht SFC semi-final defeat to Roscommon as “the disaster of disasters”.

Mayo shipped two early goals en route to suffering their first championship defeat to Roscommon in Castlebar since 1986.

With James Horan’s unblemished record in Connacht over, his team head to the qualifiers for a fourth consecutive year.

Brolly didn’t hold back on The Sunday Game last night.

“The nation’s favourite tragic comedy unfolding again,” he said. “It is more enthralling watching Mayo losing, than watching any other team winning, including the Dubs.

“The sense of panic that seized Mayo after the two goals – and they were not able to show that composure. It became a kaleidoscope of disaster. The amount of unforced errors and that sense of panic.

“The sense of panic that seized Mayo after the two goals, which were awful goals, and then the fact that they were not able to show that sort of composure,” he continued.

“If that had been the Dubs for example, the Dubs would have said, ‘Hold on boys, Roscommon get an early goal, that’s it, you have had your fun, it’s over now.

"The nation's favourite tragic comedy unfolding again. It is more enthralling watching Mayo losing, than watching any other team winning, including the Dubs…" – Joe Brolly on Mayo's defeat to Roscommon pic.twitter.com/99L6ubF9G0

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 26, 2019

“But with Mayo it just became a kaleidoscope of disaster and the amount of unforced errors, the amount of kicking the ball into the keeper’s hands and that sense of panic.”

The former Derry forward then referenced the player-heave that saw joint-managers Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes ousted at the end of 2015. 

“It’s interesting that since the coup in 2015 in the Breaffy club rooms, that Mayo have won three championship games in Connacht – against Sligo, New York and London and they really needed a run in Connacht this year.

“To win Connacht, to show they can control championship games because there is a world of difference between championship games, league games, early round qualifiers…and they needed to do that to establish authority.

“It was the disaster of disasters. Compelling as always but it was like watching a car crash.”

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DAVY FITZGERALD HAS slammed the decision to send him from the sideline during Wexford’s clash with Galway, saying that the sideline official “wanted to make a name for himself.”

The Wexford boss was dismissed by referee Johnny Murphy following a verbal altercation with sideline official Mick Murtagh in the early stages of the second half.

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Speaking to RTÉ Sport after the game which ended in a draw, Fitzgerald explained that he was responding to an incident which saw Wexford defender Damien Reck get struck by a third-man tackle.

This is one of the most animated Davy Fitzgerald interviews in quite a while.

Lots of passion for @OfficialWexGAA and the belief the sideline official was "looking to make a name for himself and probably did." pic.twitter.com/YZBK4oMlZv

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 26, 2019

“It was an off the ball incident,” Fitzgerald began before adding that he felt the decision to send him off was unfair.

“He didn’t stay down for no reason and that cost us a score. I’ve seen other people come onto the field and make points and be just as animated.

Yet, I get sent [off] all the time. I don’t think it’s personally fair on myself and if you look at the whole thing I can promise you you’ll see more people giving out. That official wanted to make a name for himself and fair play to him, he probably did.”

Shortly after Fitzgerald was sent off, Wexford reduced the gap to four points through two Lee Chin frees before eventually going on to play out a draw against the reigning Leinster champions. 

When asked if the incident inspired his side to rally back into the contest, Fitzgerald said:

“He [the official] probably helped us out that way. I’m so proud of my lads, even after that, they stood up. And that’s what I believe Wexford are about. They’ll never give in and they’ll fight to the bitter end.”

Davy Fitzgerald dimissed after an exchange of words with an official on the sideline.

Watch live @rte2. Highlights on The Sunday Game at 9:30pm pic.twitter.com/WOXU9xJMvD

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 26, 2019

Wexford remain unbeaten in the Leinster championship after clinching two draws in the competition, and Fitzgerald says he is proud of how his players responded against Galway.

“I feel that we could have won the game. I am so proud of the lads. We had 10 wides in the first half and missed some easy scores.

“They showed courage, they showed heart. I don’t care what people say, what they think of the game. The tackles that went out were absolutely incredible today.

“It’s a point, we haven’t lost a game in the Leinster championship yet.” 

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ANOTHER WEEKEND OF provincial championship action done and dusted, another few man-of-the-match awards handed out.

Jamie Brennan, Conor Cox and Conor Whelan all got the nod.

Of the televised encounters, the Roscommon and Donegal footballers and the Galway hurlers had players honoured for their exploits.

The Rossies ended a 33-year wait for a championship victory over Mayo in Castlebar on Saturday night and Kerry native Conor Cox led the way for the winners with a 0-5 tally.

Of that return, three were from play and the Listowel Emmetts man showed his class throughout, his movement key and the well-taken scores lifting Roscommon time and time again.

And deservedly so, his starring role was honoured with the Sky Sports Man of the Match accolade.

Source: Roscommon GAA Twitter.

Likewise, Galway star forward Conor Whelan scooped The Sunday Game’s prize yesterday after his performance in the Tribe’s Leinster SHC round-robin draw with Wexford.

The Kinvara sharpshooter was a constant threat for Davy Fitzgerald’s defence and he finished with three points from play to his name.

Man of the match Conor Whelan says Galway should have scored more in the first-half when they had the wind advantage in Salthill pic.twitter.com/RiHCPisGT3

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 26, 2019

Elsewhere, in the Ulster SFC, Donegal picked up a hard-fought win over a stubborn Fermanagh side at Brewster Park with Jamie Brennan among those flying the flag there.

Brennan accounted for 0-4 of Donegal’s 0-15, with all of his contributions coming from play. And with the game shown live on BBC, he picked up their award.

Source: Official Donegal GAA Twitter.

Do you agree with the man-of-the-match winners? Let us know.

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SUCH WAS THE extent of Dublin’s complete dominance over Louth on Saturday evening, the only real talking points afterwards centred around Paul Mannion’s impending suspension and selection issues for Jim Gavin.

Cormac Costello’s 1-12 haul leaves a spot in Dublin’s attack as his to lose. He capitalised on Dean Rock’s absence through injury by converting 13 of his 18 scoring chances during the 26-point beating.

Elsewhere, Rory O’Carroll made his long-awaited return to the Dublin jersey after his three-year stint in New Zealand, while the window appears to be rapidly closing on Diarmuid Connolly’s potential recall to the squad.

Gavin didn’t rule out a sensational Connolly comeback, but his answer to the question about a possible return for the St Vincent’s ace was typically vague.

Asked if his championship panel for the summer has been decided, he replied: “No, it’s not.”

“We had league games on Wednesday, we were looking at those, we have league games tomorrow,” he continued. “We’ll have an early start to get out to watch some of those as well. I’d expect to see one or two fellas coming in from clubs who were out there.

“So we’ve always had an open door policy and if guys are playing well and we ask them and they want to commit to the Dublin football team then we’d be delighted to have them.”

It was then put to the Dublin manager that we may yet see Connolly rejoin the panel.

“Yeah, we could see…,” he started. “I’d open that net up wide for any player who has been performing well, be it at senior, intermediate or junior clubs in Dublin, we’re interested in them.”

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On 9 June, Dublin take on the winners of the Longford-Kildare replay in the Leinster semi-final.

Jim Gavin and Jason Sherlock in O’Moore Park on Saturday evening.

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

If the five-time All-Ireland winner hasn’t returned to the fold by that stage it’s unlikely he’ll be part of their plans for the Drive for Five, despite the increased speculation in recent weeks. 

O’Carroll first appearance for Dublin since 2015 was a fairly straight forward one. He came on for Jack McCaffrey in the 47th minute to a huge ovation from the travelling support and was deployed in the full-back line alongside Mick Fitzsimons. 

By that stage the Sky Blues were 2-15 to 0-5 in front and they outscored Louth by 3-6 to 0-5 over the next half-hour. As inter-county comebacks go, it was plain sailing for O’Carroll. 

We won’t get a real sense of his capacity to return to the standards he set before his departure until the Super 8s at the earliest. O’Carroll was the All-Star full-back in 2013 and 2015, with his first award arriving in the days when Dublin were an all-out attacking force with little protection for their full-back line.

In the time O’Carroll has been away, they’ve become a much harder team to break down defensively. Shortly after Mannion’s red card for a high challenge on Conal McKeever, Dublin dropped all 14 bodies behind the ball as they looked to regroup and re-establish control of the game.

Gavin did reveal that during his last year in New Zealand, the 29-year-old had been training away with the hope of returning to the county set-up.

We welcomed him back. But I suppose he’s in based on his performances with Kilmacud Crokes. He’s in based on his championship form. He’s back. It’s been a seamless transition for him.

“But it’s a mark of the man that he has applied himself so well, even last year down in New Zealand – training away to get himself ready for his return to Kilmacud Crokes and possibly to the (Dublin) senior football team.

“That shows his dedication. But we’ve gone into plenty of battles with Rory, back since his U21 days. And we know each other really well.

Rory O’Carroll made his comeback with Kilmacud Crokes recently.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

“We keep lines of communication open with all the players. You’ve got to respect every choice that a player makes. They have to make the choices that are right for their lifestyle and their ambitions in life. We’re glad that he’s back.”

Rock and Jonny Cooper missed the last eight clash through injury, while sickness ruled Eoin Murchan out. Veteran forward Bernard Brogan didn’t make the 26-man squad, but he remains part of Gavin’s plans.

“He certainly is, absolutely, yeah. Like them all, they’re applying themselves really, really hard. I have to say it’s tough picking 26 guys never mind the starting 15.”

Louth manager Wayne Kierans cut a disconsolate figure after the heavy defeat, admitting he was impressed at Dublin’s tenacity in the tackle throughout the 70 minutes.

“I don’t think it could go any worse, maybe if they had 15 men but it was pretty bad from our point of view,” he said.

“Obviously they have serious quality and it was a real eye opener up close how actually good they are and that’s not really a surprise, but the surprise was I thought we could have more quality and that’s the annoying thing.

“I wouldn’t have underestimated how good they are but I would have underestimated how much they would put you under pressure to force mistake and we made an awful lot of mistakes.”

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GAA PRESIDENT JOHN Horan has revealed the identity of the chairman of the new Fixtures Review Group and will hope they will bring back three proposals with a view to overhauling the current fixtures schedule.

Eddie Sullivan, a former secretary-general within the public service and chairman of Dublin club St Sylvester’s, will chair the committee that will look at the overall schedule and fixture programme this summer.

Horan believes there is ‘an appetite’ for a Tier 2 championship to reform the All-Ireland football structure and it could be implemented for the 2020 season.

“If it was easily solved it would have been a solved a long time ago,” stated Horan on RTÉ Radio 1′s Morning Ireland earlier today.

“I would be hoping that this group will come back with proposals that will be beneficial to the clubs on the ground.

“Key to it all I think is that I would like them to come back with three proposals. To come back with one proposal and were it to fall would not serve any great purpose from the work of the committee.

“The indication I will be giving to them when they do come together is to come in with three proposals because there is a debate out there whether provincial championships should survive or not survive.

“That will be a decision taken by the membership of the organisation at Congress 2020, but in the meantime that offer has to be put on the table. When you look at the championships in the last few weeks you see great local derbies and great matches.

“Then you see some games a little bit with too big a gap in the result. With a big gap in the result if you look at the draw we have made this morning you can see a large number of Division Three and Four teams already in the qualifiers.

“So our hope would be that at the next Central Council meeting in June to bring forward a proposal to look at the introduction of a Tier 2 championship for those teams in Division Three and Four.

“There is an appetite out there within the organisation for us to go ahead with a Tier 2 championship. Now, I feel, is the time to grab that when the appetite is out there. I think we will possibly get it through at Central Council and if we do we will call a Special Congress in September or October time to have a look at putting this forward to have it introduced next year.”

The make up of the review group will be announced shortly and Horan insisted the GAA are open to any idea being submitted by the committee.

“Everything is on the table, I’ve always said that. I’ve no fear putting this group together, giving them an opportunity to bring it in.

“There is lots of people out there with opinions on the problem, but when they take the whole complex nature of it into account they don’t necessarily have the simple solutions. So this committee are going to be given the opportunity to come in with whatever proposals, I’m not tying anybody’s hands behind their back.

“The ultimate decision will be made by the democratic process we have which is Congress.”

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1. Managing Cillian O’Connor’s return 

BACK IN JANUARY, Cillian O’Connor sat in the eir Sport offices at the Allianz Football League launch and said he hoped to return to training after knee surgery by early February. 

Cillian O’Connor before the Division 1 final in March.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

The 27-year-old clearly hit a few speedbumps in the rehab process and wasn’t even part of the Mayo squad against Roscommon at the weekend. He is believed to be close to a return, but James Horan didn’t want to risk him for the Connacht semi-final. 

Mayo badly missed O’Connor’s accuracy on placed balls in Castlebar. They went through four free-takers – Rob Hennelly, Jason Doherty, Evan Regan, and Kevin McLoughlin – with the latter missing a 75th minute free to send the game to extra-time. 

O’Connor is Mayo’s leading scorer and they’ll need to give him significant game-time to get him up to speed during the qualifiers, even if it means dropping a youngster that impressed during the league.

In addition, Horan will be keen to get Seamie O’Shea, Fionn McDonagh and Donie Vaughan back to full fitness to bolster his options.

2. Toll of another qualifier run

Before Saturday, Horan had overseen 18 wins from 18 in the province. However since 2016, Mayo have won just three games in Connacht – against Sligo, New York and London.

Mayo were on a high after delivering their first national title in 18 years, which seemingly turned them back into genuine All-Ireland contenders.

But the Roscommon defeat brought them crashing back down to earth and raised familiar question marks around whether they have the forwards to deliver Sam. They took the backdoor route to All-Ireland finals in 2016 and 2017, but the introduction of the Super 8s complicates things further.

If they’re to reach the decider from here, they’ll have to play seven games in eight weeks – which will be a major ask for some of Horan’s veterans.

Lee Keegan reacts to a missed chance.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

3. Address the shooting woes

Facing the team with the worst defence in Division 1, Mayo’s shooting badly let them down in MacHale Park. They converted just 17 of 38 scoring chances, for a conversion rate of 44% that is nowhere near good enough to win against any decent opposition.

“We made poor decisions. Our shot selection was poor,” said Horan.

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“We had a number of shots blocked down, we had a number of shots wide, we kicked under pressure. Maybe we didn’t back ourselves enough to make sure we took the right shot at the right time. 15 wides is just too many.”

Lee Keegan wasted a glorious late opportunity to send his team in front, while Andy Moran telegraphed his 72nd-minute shot that was blocked by Niall Daly. That missed chance started the move for Fintan Cregg’s winner. 

4. Improve their collective defending

Part of the reason Mayo ran Dublin so close over the years was the ability of their defenders to match-up one-on-one against Jim Gavin’s side.

Roscommon exposed some frailties in the Mayo rearguard, highlighted by Cathal Cregg’s early goal where he exploded past Keith Higgins with worrying ease.

And when Fintan Cregg popped up just inside the 45m line to pop over the decisive score, the Mayo defence gave him far too much space to get a shot away despite the presence of three defenders in his immediate vicinity.

Conor Cox and Andy Glennon caused their direct markers numerous problems in the full-forward line.

Both goals Mayo conceded were sloppy and they now have a month before their next game. Shoring things up at the back will be high up Horan’s list of priorities.

Mayo and Roscommon players clash during the game.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

5. Goalkeeping issues

David Clarke’s injury near the end of the league provided Hennelly with a chance to stamp down his claim for the number one jersey in the Division 1 final.

He performed brilliantly in the win over Kerry and deservedly retained his place for the championship opener against New York. But a misplaced kick-out led to Roscommon’s second goal, while the Breaffy man also missed three long-range frees.

With a two-time All-Star sitting on the bench, Hennelly will come under pressure from Clarke ahead of the qualifiers. Horan needs to make a call for their next game and stick with it for the rest of the season.

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FOR THE SECOND Saturday night in succession, a stadium in a county town was lit up by the joy generated from a landmark early summer victory.

The parallels can be easily drawn between events in Castlebar on Saturday night and those in Cavan a week previous.

The ending of barren spells against near neighbours, both Roscommon and Cavan witnessing 18-year losing runs grind to a halt.

The taste of championship success after both had plummeted from the heights of Division 1 in the league this spring.

And the claiming of major scalps in the championship arena, Roscommon disposing of league kingpins Mayo and Cavan dismantling last August’s All-Ireland semi-finalists Monaghan, that infuse the rest of their 2019 campaigns with anticipation.

Cavan may have paved the way for sides relegated from the top tier yet Roscommon’s win will generate the greater tremors. As is the way with championship upsets, that can be attributed to the tale of the vanquished. There is no team over the last decade more compelling or forensically studied than Mayo. Their loss at home in a Connacht semi-final will always thrust them into the spotlight and even more so when it arrives two months after a Croke Park breakthrough in the form of league silverware.

But Mayo’s local woes – after completing five-in-a-row in Connacht in 2015 they have not contested a final there since – and the challenge they will confront in embarking on another qualifier odyssey, should not detract from the sense of achievement that Roscommon can enjoy. A first championship success over Mayo since 2001 and a first in Castlebar since 1986 are milestones their supporters will cling to.

Andrew Glennon celebrates Roscommon’s victory over Mayo on Saturday night.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

For the current Roscommon players there have been enough setbacks to endure at the hands of Mayo and they should take plenty personal satisfaction from this result. Since 2011 their sides have had five attempts at taking down Mayo in a championship encounter but it has been a fruitless record with a quartet of defeats and a draw at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage two years ago.

Conor Devaney and Cathal Cregg are the survivors from the 2011 Connacht final loss by 0-13 to 0-11. Darren O’Malley, Niall Daly, Cregg, Diarmuid Murtagh and the Smith brothers were involved when they fell short by a point in a Connacht semi-final in 2014. Mayo were emphatic 12-point victors in the province in 2013 and the two-game All-Ireland saga in 2017 culminated with Roscommon being crushed as they shipped 4-19.

On Saturday Roscommon made amends. They got the boost of early goals, just like they did in the 2017 draw with Mayo, but this time managed to kick on sufficiently. Last summer they made a bright start in the Connacht final against Galway yet strikingly failed to score from play in the second half. With Mayo piling the pressure on during the second half on Saturday night, Roscommon’s capacity to raid for quality points from play by Conor Cox, Enda Smith and Fintan Cregg was a vital ingredient.

They had an important reserve of firepower to utilise as the match wore on. From those Croke Park 2017 clashes, the complexion of the Roscommon team has changed. They began with only four players – David Murray, Sean Mullooly, Tadhg O’Rourke and Niall Kilroy – who had started both games whereas Mayo’s teamsheets had eight names in common. It meant in the second half that Anthony Cunningham was able to nudge the Smith brothers, match-winner Cregg, Diarmuid Murtagh and Conor Devaney into the exchanges. They all put in the shifts that helped swing the game in Roscommon’s direction.

Donal Smith in action for Roscommon against Mayo’s Fergal Boland.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

It makes for a fine start to Cunningham’s championship reign. They had breezed past Leitrim as expected but a fortnight later achieved a win of greater significance for a side who are defended with added steel. They got some fortune in the manner in which Mayo spurned clearcut chances but Roscommon profited from being more clinical up front and not as porous at the back.

In May they have claimed two clean sheets in their Connacht ties after a league run that saw Roscommon concede ten goals across seven games. The inaugural Super 8s had not been kind to them either, Tyrone and Dublin both rattling off four goals in their meetings last summer. They lost out by an average of 13 points in that trio of ties in Group 2 and conceded 8-68 in the process.

Brushing shoulders with the elite has been a bruising experience for Roscommon. They are one of those sides that been on the fringes of the leading pack in the league and championship of late. Relegation from Division 1 in 2017 and 2019 sandwiched a Division 2 promotion in 2018. The championship has delivered a brilliant Connacht title in 2017 but they have lost two of the last three provincial finals to Galway and suffered resounding losses in the All-Ireland series over the past two summers.

They have spoken honestly about the eye-opening experience when they journeyed deep into the 2018 championship. Since last winter their squad have gathered under a new leader and resolved to improve. League outcomes may not have reflected that they had made strides but the championship to date has seen them make their mark. Another Connacht decider against Galway awaits and they are only one win away from a return to joining exalted company in the Super 8s.

Saturday against Mayo represented a statement win.

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What happens next for Roscommon will be the interesting part.

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HAVING SHIPPED 10-92 en-route to their Division 1 relegation in the spring, there was little to suggest Roscommon were capable of pulling off ambush against the league champions in Castlebar.

Conor Cox celebrates at the full-time whistle.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

The Rossies actually started the league in decent shape, conceding an average of 12 points in their opening three games against Mayo, Monaghan and Tyrone where they picked up a draw and a win.

But shipping three goals in a heavy defeat to Cavan really dented their confidence. In their final four games, all of which they lost, their average concession rate soared to 21 points per game.

New manager Anthony Cunningham introduced a more defensive structure but it didn’t appear to be working. Only Sligo conceded more than Roscommon across all four tiers in the league. 

The odds were stacked against the visitors at the weekend. They hadn’t beaten Mayo in Connacht since 2001 and were without a championship victory over their neighbours in Castlebar since 1986. 

James Horan’s men were buoyed by their Division 1 final defeat of Kerry, which came off the back of a campaign where they unearthed plenty of promising young talent like Matthew Ruane and Darren Coen. 

Yet when the final whistle sounded in the fading light of MacHale Park, it was Cunningham who was swamped by euphoric supporters wearing primrose and blue.

The TV cameras followed the Galway native across the field as he digested the achievement. The footage showed a host of Roscommon supporters in their 50s and 60s embracing their manager, slapping his back, shaking his hand and offering words of congratulations.

It was a significant victory for Cunningham in his second championship game in charge. Cathal Cregg spoke afterwards about the “edge and belief” the manager instilled in his players. 

Roscommon boss Anthony Cunningham.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

The formed a wall around the defensive scoring zone, withdrawing Ultan Harney out to the middle third in addition to two deep-lying wing-forwards. It was no coincidence that Mayo shot 15 wides – Roscommon forced them into shooting from uncomfortable angles.

They sprang a surprise by bringing Andy Glennon into the attack – star of the Michael Glaveys team that made the All-Ireland intermediate final last year – alongside Conor Cox. 

Glennon kicked a point and intercepted Rob Hennelly’s kick-out to set-up Roscommon’s second goal.

Cox, the former Kerry senior panellist, won man-of-the-match after his five-point haul. He was enticed to switch his county allegiances by Cunningham in the off-season and it proved to be a shrewd piece of business.

Then there was the quality Roscommon brought in off the bench: Diarmuid Murtagh, Donie Smith, Brian Stack, Conor Devaney, Enda Smith and Fintan Cregg.

Compare that with the subs Mayo introduced: Andy Moran, Conor Diskin, Conor Loftus and Ciaran Tracey.

Roscommon’s Conor Hussey celebrates after the game.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Cunningham deserves great credit for how he cultivated the Roscommon panel and a good deal of his steel has clearly rubbed off on his players.  You’d imagine that the scuffle that broke out between both sets of players as they went in for half-time wouldn’t have upset him too much either. 

His past successes across hurling and football at club and county level shows he’s a quality man-manager. Looking back, it was a major boost for Roscommon to appoint a man of Cunningham’s experience.

Following Kevin McStay’s departure, Aidan O’Rourke had been heavily linked to the job but the former Armagh defender withdrew late in the day.

Cunningham’s appointment was somewhat of a surprise. He was believed to be in the running to take over from Pat Gilroy as Dublin hurling manager after serving as coach the previous campaign. 

But on 3 November, Cuala’s double-All-Ireland winning manager Mattie Kenny replaced Gilroy. Six days later, Cunningham was ratified as Roscommon boss.

His CV across both codes speaks for itself. 

Cunningham hails from Peterswell in Galway’s hurling heartland. The St Thomas’ club man had no inkling for the big ball as a youngster. Drafted into the county minor hurling set-up while still just 15, Cunningham would play in the first of his three All-Ireland finals at the grade that year. 

He rounded off his minor career by skippering Galway to their first ever All-Ireland minor title in 1983 against a Dublin team that featured future Ireland striker Niall Quinn. Three years later captained the U21s to All-Ireland glory and by that stage he was already a regular on the senior team.

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Regarded as a skilfull and fast left-handed forward with a hurling brain to match, Cunningham would go on to line out in five Liam MacCarthy Cup deciders on the great Galway side of the late 1980s.

Galway’s Cunningham and Ger Loughnane of Clare during a league clash in 1987.

Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

He lifted the famous trophy on two occasions, in 1987 and 1988, in addition to a four Railway Cup medals. After the 1993 All-Ireland final defeat to Kilkenny, when Cunningham was an unused substitute, he retired from inter-county hurling.

His work as a computer engineer brought him to Athlone, where he still works in AIT. He set-up the family home in Kiltoom, on the Roscommon side of the border and home to the St Brigid’s club.

He was involved in the St Brigid’s development committee that helped develop the club’s impressive facilities during the mid-2000s: a floodlight main field that’s still used by the Roscommon seniors, a huge clubhouse with a bar and some surrounding training pitches. 

After a brief stint as Roscommon hurling manager in 2004 and despite his lack of football background, Cunningham was appointed as senior football boss of St Brigid’s in 2006. They were already county champions at that point, but Cunningham helped the Kiltoom outfit reach new heights. 

By the time he left at the end of 2008, they’d added two county titles and the club’s first ever Connacht crown – which arrived after Karol Mannion’s last-minute screamer downed Corofin in the 2006  final at Dr Hyde Park.

Cunningham celebrates after the 2006 Connacht club final.

Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

He moved on to Garrycastle across the Westmeath border in Athlone where more success followed. With Dessie Dolan in their ranks, Garrycastle won three Westmeath championships in-a-row and enjoyed a historic Leinster final victory in 2011.

They reached the All-Ireland final the following St Patrick’s Day where they fell to a Crossmaglen side at the peak of their powers.

From 2009 to 2011 he also served as Galway U21 manager and seven months after the Crossmaglen defeat, Cunningham won his first All-Ireland on the sideline. He brought in Mattie Kenny as one of his selectors and the pair helped steer the Tribesmen to U21 success in 2011.

A Galway outfit featuring Johnny Coen, Niall Donoghue (RIP), Niall Burke, David Burke, Conor Cooney and Davey Glennon delivered the crown with a 10-point win over Dublin at Semple Stadium.

The Galway team celebrate their U21 victory in 2011.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

Not long after that, he took charge of the Galway seniors. Cunningham cleared out the squad, dropping from his squad one-third of the XV that started the All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Waterford in the previous campaign. 

He called up 18 members of his U21 squad and the overhaul worked. That July they hammered Kilkenny by 10 points to claim the Leinster crown. Cunningham guided them to the All-Ireland final – Galway’s first in seven years – as Joe Canning’s stoppage-time free send the first game to a replay, but the Cats prevailed on the second day out. 

Cullingham became known for his willingness to challenge Brian Cody on the sideline when they met Kilkenny, when other managers would shy away from such confrontation.

Brian Cody and Anthony Cunningham during the 2014 Leinster semi-final.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

In 2015, Galway fell to the Cats in the provincial decider but made it back to the All-Ireland final. They led Kilkenny by three points at the interval, although 1-7 from TJ Reid steered the Cats to glory. 

He resigned as manager that November having been the victim of a player heave against him. An influential group of players demanded change after the loss to the Cats and in his resignation statement, Cunningham said that outside influences were to blame for the coup.

He later described the experience as “soul-destroying” but remained involved in the club scene and worked with the Laois footballers in 2016. Last year, he coached the Dublin hurlers and was held in high esteem in both camps.

It’s been quite the journey for Cunningham. Success has generally followed him wherever he’s gone, but if he were to beat Mayo and Galway on the way to a Connacht title it would rank right up there with his finest achievements.

Mayo have been accounted for and now only his native county stand in the way of an unlikely provincial title.

Is he underrated? 

Perhaps, but after Saturday night, the people of Mayo are well aware of his talents.

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THE FIRST ROUND of the All-Ireland football qualifiers will be split evenly across the weekend of 8-9 June after the GAA announced the fixture details today.

Conor McManus, Michael Quinlivan and John Heslin will all be in action in the All-Ireland qualifiers.

The draw took place yesterday morning for the opening round of the backdoor system for the counties that did not reach the semi-finals of this year’s provincial championships. 

The details were released today for the games with four scheduled for Saturday 8 June as Offaly take on London, Leitrim meet Wicklow, Wexford face Derry and it’ll be Louth against Antrim.

The following day, Sunday 9 June, will have four games pencilled in with Down hosting Tipperary, Monaghan meeting Fermanagh, Carlow going up against Kildare or Longford and Westmeath clash with Waterford.  

The losers of Sunday’s Leinster quarter-final replay between Kildare and Longford in Tullamore will complete the make up of the opening round of the qualifiers.

The draw for Round 2 will take place on Monday 10 June with the eight winners of the opening round meeting the eight defeated provincial semi-finalists.

Here’s the fixture details in full:

All-Ireland SFC Round 1

Saturday 8 June 

Offaly v London, Tullamore, 1.30pm
Leitrim v Wicklow, Carrick-on-Shannon, 3pm
Wexford v Derry, Innovate Wexford Park, 4.45pm
Louth v Antrim, Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda, 7pm

Sunday 9 June 

Down v Tipperary, Páirc Esler, Newry, 2pm
Monaghan v Fermanagh, St Tiernach’s Park, Clones, 2pm
Carlow v Kildare/Longford, Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow, 3pm
Westmeath v Waterford, TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, 3pm

Gavan Casey is joined by Murray Kinsella and Sean Farrell for a review of the 2018/19 season, and cast an eye forward to next year and the Rugby World Cup in Japan.:

Source: The42 Rugby Weekly/SoundCloud

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CORK WILL LOOK to put their disastrous 2019 league campaign behind them this weekend as they welcome high-flying Limerick to Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night [throw-in 7pm].

The Rebels aim to revitalise their squad ahead of this year’s Munster SFC and have included three Championship debutants for this weekend’s game on home turf.

Nathan Walsh comes in at corner-back for Ronan McCarthy’s side, while Liam O’Donovan is the only other new face in the Cork defence. He dons the number five shirt and will line out at half-back.

Knocknagree clubman Eoghan McSweeney takes his place in the half-forward line. Both he and O’Donovan lined out for the Cork U20 side that were beaten by Kerry in last year’s Munster final.

Walsh missed much of this year’s league campaign through injury.

McCarthy has turned to youth in an effort to kickstart Cork’s year after being relegated to Division 3 in the Spring – picking up just two wins from seven games.

They meet a Limerick side who are fresh off the back of an early Munster championship upset, getting the better of 2016 All-Ireland semi-finalists Tipperary two weeks ago.

Eoghan McSweeney lines out for Cork against Limerick in this year’s McGrath Cup.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Cork team (v Limerick)

1. Mark White (Clonakilty)

2. Nathan Walsh (Douglas)
3. James Loughrey (Mallow)
4. Kevin Flahive (Douglas)

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5. Liam O Donovan (Clonakilty)
6. Thomas Clancy (Clonakilty)
7. Mattie Taylor (Mallow)

8. Ian Maguire (St Finbarrs)
9. Killian O Hanlon (Kilshannig)

10. Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree)
11. Ruairi Deane (Bantry)
12. John O’ Rourke (Carbery Rangers)

13. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers)
14. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)
15. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)

Subs
16. Michael Martin (Nemo Rangers)
17. Kevin O ‘ Donovan (Nemo Rangers)
18. Sean White (Clonakilty)
19. Tomas Clancy (Fermoy)
20. Stephen Cronin (Nemo Rangers)
21. Aidan Browne (Newmarket)
22. Ronan O’ Toole (Eire Og)
23. Kevin O’ Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)
24. Michael Hurley (Castlehaven)
25. Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers)
26. Stephen Sherlock (St Finbarrs)

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