Month: September 2021

NEW KERRY BOSS Peter Keane must shuffle his pack for the first two games of the upcoming league campaign due to injures and player availability – including star forward David Clifford who looks set to miss out.

Keane also cited club commitments and Sigerson Cup involvement as reasons why he would have to explore his options.

As well as this, the 47-year-old confirmed that as of now the gates of Fitzgerald Stadium will be open to the public.

The move was in an effort to appease Kerry supporters who still grate with Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s decision to shut the gates back in 2014 which resulted in the infamous ‘Treegate’ before the year’s All-Ireland final.

As Kerry prepare to face last year’s beaten finalists Tyrone on Sunday week in Killarney, Keane will only to able to field a very experimental side.

“Jason Foley picked up a knock and David Moran will not be back from his honeymoon,” he said.

“[Moran] is back the day after the first game, but whether he will be available for our away game to Cavan is debatable. He’ll need time to settle in after being away for a month.

Kevin McCarthy is unavailable with a broken hand, while David Clifford is also unavailable. Mark Griffin picked up a knock about a week ago and we hoped he might be OK.

“We are currently just assessing him. Then, of course, the Crokes boys are out until after they win or exit the club championships.”

David Clifford looks set to miss out on the opening rounds of Kerry’s league campaign.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

But amid all the doom and gloom, Keane confirmed that Tommy Walsh is back training and could well be involved against Tyrone.

There is also over a dozen lads still in Sigerson Cup action, but the Kerry boss is hoping that some may be available to him.

It’s a difficult one because you want them to play Sigerson football which is important for them. We have 13 or 14 players involved in Sigerson.

“We have three involved on Sunday with IT Tralee; Gavin Crowley, Michael Potts and Dara Moynihan. Then we have lads in UCC, CIT and UL as well but both UCC and UL having come through and they will have a few weeks broken until 6 February.

“We’re hopeful that Seanie O’Shea and Brian Begley will also be available for us on Sunday week.”

Players who may start include Shane Ryan in goal, Jack Sherwood at back with Peter Crowley, Paul Murphy, Killian Young and Tom O’Sullivan.

The Na Gaeil pairing of Jack Barry and young debutant Diarmuid O’Connor could start in midfield, in the absences of Moran.

Former wing back Jonathon Lyne may move to wing forward while Sean O’Shea, Paul Geaney and Stephen O’Brien look set to be chosen up front.

Keane did reveal that he has strengthened his backroom team led by Jason McGahan, who is the new head of athletic performance.

“We have Jason and Niall O’Mahony in charge of strength and conditioning. Chris Flannery and Podge Murphy are the two new physiotherapists in plus Colm Whelan.

“It was a bit of a chance and fellows are getting used to each other and getting to know the players as well.”

Keane acknowledged that there is a big difference between his roles as an All-Ireland winning minor manager to that of being the senior manager.

“There is something going on all the time but I would say that there a good group around me even within the county board where you are getting help.

“There is much bigger workload, but I cannot quantify it. It’s a huge job and you are always busy with things going on.”

As a successful businessman in Killorglin and supermarket owner, he admits people are happy to engage with him about all things Kerry football now.

There are a way more people will come up to know wanting to talk football than when I was minor manager because I suppose minor football was very much under the radar.

“It only came of an issue in July and August. It’s not annoying in any way because if I am feeling stressful in January it will get a lot more stressful I imagine as the year goes on.

“I think you can only embrace that because if you don’t – you are sunk.”

Ahead of the final weekend of European pool games, Murray Kinsella, Andy Dunne and Gavan Casey look at what each of the provinces can expect, and who impressed last weekend:

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Source: Heineken Rugby Weekly on The42/SoundCloud

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THE PROPOSED HANDPASS rule has been ditched ahead of the 2019 National Football Leagues but the other four experimental rules will continue, the GAA have confirmed.

Ciaran Kilkenny ready to handpass the ball.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Central Council met at Croke Park today to decide on the proposed changes and agreed that four of the five will undergo further examination through the league.

The new sin-bin, kickout, sideline kick and forward mark rules have all gotten the green light, but the controversial handpass change — which limits fisted passes to three before the ball must be kicked –  will not continue.

Trialled throughout this month’s pre-season competitions, the handpass rule was the one that cut the most ice, with critics, players and managers alike all slamming it and saying it does nothing to eradicate deep, blanket defences, as intended.

The trial rules will not apply to the 2019 Championship, the GAA also confirmed.

#GAA news: Ard Chomhairle has decided not to continue with the restricted hand pass experimental rule in the upcoming #AllianzLeagues!

— The GAA (@officialgaa) January 19, 2019

Here’s a reminder of the four rule changes that were finalised by the GAA’s standing committee on playing rules (SCPR) in November before they were implemented in inter-county fixtures: (The now-scrapped handpass rule has been excluded.)

1. Sideline Kick

The ball shall be played forward from the kick except where the kick is inside the 20m line of the opposing team.

Penalty: Cancel side-line kick. Throw-in the ball in accordance with Rule 2.2 Exception (v)

2. The Advanced Mark 

To extend the application of the mark to the clean catching of the ball inside a 45m line from a kick in play (i.e. not from set-play) delivered by an attacking player on or beyond the opposing team’s 45m line, that travels a minimum of  20 metres and without it touching the ground.

Kildare’s Fergal Conway and Daniel Flynn with Aidan O’Shea of Mayo.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

The application of the mark shall be standardised as follows: 15 seconds shall be allowed for a free to be taken from a mark.

If the referee determines that the player who makes the mark has been injured in the process and unable to take the kick, the referee shall direct the player’s nearest team mate to take the kick, but this may only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.

A player shall signify he is taking a mark by immediately raising an arm upright.

A player that ‘plays on’ may be challenged/tackled.

A score may be made from a free awarded for a mark in all cases.

In the case of a mark being awarded to an attacking player on or inside the 13m line, the free, if availed of, shall be taken from the point on the 13m line directly in line with where the mark is awarded.

In the case of a mark being awarded to a defending player on or inside the 13m line, the free kick, if availed of, shall be taken from the point where the mark is awarded.

The normal rules governing free-kicks shall apply (e.g. players being 13m from the ball before it is kicked).

Exception: A free-kick from a mark shall be taken from the hand(s) only.

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3. The sin-bin 

To have a penalty on the day for a black card Infraction by ordering off the offending player for ten minutes in a sin-bin.

The 10 minutes shall commence with the ordering off to the sin-bin and shall end on the expiry of the 10 minutes, irrespective of delays.

Armagh’s Andrew Murnin sees yellow.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

The 10 minutes shall be monitored by the 4th Official, where operating, and otherwise by the Referee.

The player may only re-join the game at a break in play and on the instruction of the fourth official or referee.

A subsequent black card Infraction shall be penalised by the showing of a black card followed by a red card.

In this case there shall be no substitution allowed.

• The maximum number of substitutions in normal time to return to five.
• The duties of a Referee and Sideline Official to be amended in accordance with the main proposal.

4. Kick-out

The kick-out shall be taken off the ground from a point on the part of the 20 m line that forms the semi-circular arc.

The ball shall not be played by a defending player until the ball has crossed the 45m line (nearest the kick-out point) or is played by an opposing player.

All players, other than the Goalkeeper (and another player if the goalkeeper is not taking the kick-out) shall be outside the 20m line, outside the arc and 13m from the ball until it has been kicked.

Monaghan keeper Rory Beggan.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Penalties: For another player on the team taking a kick-out to play the ball before it has crossed the 45m line (nearest the kick-out point) or has been played by an opposing player:

• Cancel kick-out
• Throw in the ball on defenders’ 20m line in front of the scoring space.

For an opposing player not being outside the 20m line, outside the arc and 13m from the ball when it is kicked:

• Free kick 13m more advantageous than place of original kick-out.

For another player on the team taking a kick-out not being outside the 20m line, outside the arc and 13m from the ball until it has been kicked:

• Cancel kick-out
• Throw-in the ball on defenders’ 20m line in front of the scoring space.

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Charleville (Cork) 1-15

Graigue-Ballycallan (Kilkenny) 1-13

CORK’S CHARLEVILLE HAVE booked their All-Ireland club intermediate hurling championship final date after an two-point win over Kilkenny kingpins Graigue-Ballycallan at Semple Stadium.

Coached by Ben O’Connor and with Cork star Darragh Fitzgibbon one of their key players, that experience was key for Charleville on the day.

Fitzgibbon hit the ground running, scoring all of their five points (two frees) in the first 19 minutes to make it 0-5 to 0-3. He added a later point to bring his total tally to 0-6.

Kevin O’Connor stepped up to notch their next score, followed by Jack Doyle, and it was 0-7 to 0-5 with 22 minutes on the clock.

From there though, Declan Browne’s Graigue-Ballycallan — inspired by Conor Murphy both from frees and play — took full advantage until half time, hitting the next four points and keeping Charleville scoreless.

.@CHARLEVILLEGAA are through to the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Final! A two point win in the end after a hard fought battle against @graiguebcGAA! 👏🏼 #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/s5tXQMV0Ir

— AIB_GAA (@AIB_GAA) January 19, 2019

At the break it was 0-9 to 0-7 in favour of the Kilkenny side who boast inter-county players Eddie Brennan and Billy Ryan, and it was tit-for-tat on the restart until the Cork men rattled the net to make it 1-12 to 0-11.

Kevin O’Connor’s initial shot was saved, as was Fitzgibbon’s rebound but it was third time lucky for Andrew Cagney as Charleville finally made the breakthrough.

They kept the scoreboard ticking over and looked to be in control, but not without a late scare as Graigue-Ballycallan scored a goal of their own with two minutes left to put two between the sides. 

Teams for today, All Ireland Intermediate Club Championship Semi Final pic.twitter.com/41fFwyw5Jm

— Graigueballycallan (@graiguebcGAA) January 19, 2019

Charleville held on after that Brennan goal though and it finished 1-15 to 1-13. They now face either Galway’s Oranmore-Maree or Antrim’s St Galls in the All-Ireland club IHC final in Croke Park on Sunday, 10 February.

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The second semi-final takes place tomorrow.

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THE GAA HAVE confirmed several ticket price increases for the 2019 season.

In the Allianz Leagues, tickets for Division 1 and 2 football matches and Division 1A and 1B hurling clashes will rise by €5, from €15 to €20.  

When pre-purchased before match day, they’ll still increase by €3, from €12 to €15. Admission for students and senior citizens will be €15.

In the Division 3 and 4 National Football Leagues and Divisions 2 and 3 in hurling, the prices remain unchanged at €10 and €5.

Juveniles (U16) will still get into league matches for free –  except where matches are all-ticket, meaning admission will then be €5.

All-Ireland final stand tickets will go up by a tenner, from €80 to €90, and there’ll be a €5 increase for Hill 16 tickets to €45. Semi-final stand prices increase to €50, and to €35 for the terraces.

All-Ireland quarter final ticket prices remain unchanged but there are further increases in the earlier rounds of championship.

Admission to the All-Ireland football qualifiers will increase from €15 to €20 for Rounds 1,2 & 3 and there’ll be a rise from €20 to €25 for Round 4.

The GAA confirmed these changes in a news release today following Central Council’s meeting at Croke Park, and “made a firm commitment to distribute all additional revenue back out into the Association at club and county level.”

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Armagh 0-14

Tyrone 0-16

Declan Bogue reports from Athletic Grounds, Armagh.

WITH the GAA’S Central Council voting down the controversial and little-loved restriction on hand-passing there was a more familiar look about Saturday night’s Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup final.

Unfortunately for Armagh the flow of play was disturbingly familiar too.

After profiting from three successful dead ball conversions in the first eleven minutes they found themselves 0-4 to 0-1 up and looked to be up to the pitch of the game more than their neighbours.

However, only two more points followed from then as Tyrone, fielding a much-weakened starting side, showed that they are so much further down the road in terms of decision-making once the hectic start died down.

Tempers flared in tonight’s McKenna Cup final.

Source: Philip McGowan/INPHO

Five first-half pointed frees from Darren McCurry helped them along but Armagh could have little to complain about, having committed a total of 18 fouls in the first half alone, with four of the six starting defenders booked before half-time.

The second half was a rash of bust-ups and scores exchanged, with three red cards and two of those – Tyrone’s Ronan McNamee and Armagh’s Aaron McKay, continuing to fire shots at each other even after being red carded.

Armagh had a late chance to win it with a Rory Grugan penalty after Kieran McGeary touched the ball on the ground trying to clear it off the line, but Grugan’s effort flew over the bar.

Scorers for Armagh: Niall Grimley (0-5, 4f, 1x’45′), Rory Grugan (0-5, 4f, 0-1 pen), Stefan Campbell (0-2), Rian O’Neill 0-1, Jamie Clarke 0-1m

Scorers for Tyrone: Darren McCurry (0-9, 8f), Niall Sludden (0-2), Cathal McShane 0-2, 1m), Ronan McNamee, D McClure 0-1 each, Niall Morgan (0-1f)

Armagh

1. Blaine Hughes (Carrickcuppin)

2. Connaire Mackin (Shane O’Neills)
17. Aaron McKay (Dromintee)
4. James Morgan (Crossmaglen)

30. Ruairi McCaughley (Wolfe Tones)
6. Brendan Donaghy (Clonmore)
7. Greg McCabe (Shane O’Neills)

8. Stephen Sheridan (Forkhill)
9. Niall Grimley (Madden)

10. Jemar Hall (Forkhill)
11. Rory Grugan (Ballymacnab)
12. Ryan McShane (Armagh Harps)

13. Stefan Campbell (Clann na Gael)
14. Rian O’Neill (Crossmaglen)
15. Jamie Clarke (Crossmaglen)

Subs

18. Jarlath Óg Burns (Silverbridge) for McShane (HT)
20. Joe McElroy (Armagh Harps) for Donaghy (HT)
21. Charlie Vernon (Armagh Harps) for McCabe (50m)
22. Jason Duffy for Clarke (60m)
24. Ross McQuillan (Cullyhanna) for Hall (63m)

Tyrone

1. Niall Morgan (Edendork)

2. Ciaran McLaughlin (Omagh)
3. Ronan McNamee (Aghyaran)
4. Liam Rafferty (Galbally)

5. Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher)
6. Aidan McCrory (Errigal Ciaran)
7. Michael Cassidy (Ardboe)

8. Conan Grugan (Omagh)
9. Declan McClure (Clonoe)

10. Niall Sludden (Dromore)
11. Ronan O’Neill (Omagh)
12. Conal McCann (Killyclogher)

13. Darren McCurry (Edendork)
14. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciaran)
15. Cathal McShane (Eoghan Roes)

Subs

20. Matthew Donnelly (Trillick) for Cassidy (43)
25. Conor Meyler (Omagh) for C McCann (43)
18. Darragh Canavan (Errigal Ciaran) for O’Neill (50)
24. Kieran McGeary (Pomeroy) for Rafferty (50)
19. Kyle Coney (Ardboe) for Grugan (61)

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)

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CLARE HURLER CIAN Dillon thought he was ready for a 10th year on the road with the Banner.

Clare’s Cian Dillon [left] alongside Conor Ryan and Patrick O’Connor after winning the 2013 All-Ireland final.

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

The Crusheen defender was present and correct when the squad reconvened for their first session of the new season in November ahead of their trip to Boston for the Fenway Classic.

But an injury at that session ruled him out of the state-side clash with Cork, which gave him time to think things over. Doubts started to creep in about his commitment to another season.

He questioned his inter-county future a bit further when he saw the heavy training load that was coming up in December, and informed management of his decision to retire earlier this month after returning home from his honeymoon in South Africa.

The hunger just wasn’t there anymore.

“I had the lads up at the house yesterday,” Dillon tells The42 as he adjusts to life outside the inter-county circle. 

“They were slagging me that I’ll probably let myself go eating all around me. It’s one of my first evenings off where I don’t have to be anywhere.

“It just dawned on me but it’s great, I’m happy out.”

Dillon finishes his Clare career with more than most in his cabinet. All-Ireland medals at U21 and senior level, along with a Division 1 National League title is a tidy collection of silverware to carry off into the sunset.

Dillon had never played inter-county hurling prior to winning that All-Ireland U21 title with Clare in 2009, but he made an impressive transition.

Even the broken foot he sustained shortly before their Munster semi-final didn’t halt his progression.

He was sprung from the bench in Clare’s All-Ireland semi-final victory over Galway and was handed a starting berth for the final.

Dillon tackling Kilkenny’s James Nolan in the 2009 U21 All-Ireland final.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

They came up against a strong Kilkenny outfit that day which included the likes of Richie Hogan and Colin Fennelly, but they managed to squeeze through with a one-point win.

“They had plenty of senior talent and a lot of them were after winning a senior All-Ireland the previous week.

I remember one of the lads commiserating with Richie Hogan and saying that at least they had senior but he was adamant that they wanted this.

“It was our first day up there and it was our first All-Ireland for the county at that level.

There was renewed optimism around the county that there was going to be success at senior down the line. We know from other counties that that doesn’t happen. We were glad to at least achieve that.”

Clare delivered on that promise four years later by collecting the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time since 1997.

But Dillon and the other members of that successful U21 team had to endure a steep learning curve when they joined the senior fold.

Dillon in action against Waterford in 2010.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

“We were in Division 2 so we were travelling to Carlow, Antrim, Down,” says Dillon as he reflects on those barren years.

“They were the games I ended up playing with Clare first. 

“A lot of us came in from the U21′s and all we knew was winning but obviously the expectation was so different at the time.

It was kind of a lose-lose situation from a personal point of view. You’re starting off with your first game in senior hurling and you’re playing teams that you’re expected to beat.

“If you played well, no-one really knew if you were going to be up for it come championship and if you didn’t play well, you were almost a shoo-in not to be playing well come championship.”

Dillon would have to wait until 2012 for his first senior championship win with Clare and there was a particularly dark day for the county during the 2011 All-Ireland qualifiers.

The Banner suffered a 17-point defeat to neighbours Galway which included an impressive haul of 1-9 for Joe Canning.

Joe Canning celebrating a goal against Clare in 2011.

Source: James Crombie

Dillon presumed he would picking up the Portumna star that day before a late positional switch pushed him out of full-back and into one of the corners.

“It wasn’t my lad doing the damage but it was still a bad day,” says Dillon.

“That was a low, low point for sure. The previous game, we lost to Tipperary by eight or nine points but they were All-Ireland champions and we were doing well.

“We fizzled out and we knew we needed to search for a big improvement. Davy Fitz came in as manager in 2012 and started to input a style of play that was going to suit us. We recognised that we’d a younger team at that point and he brought in even younger players from then.

“We started utilising a running game that suited us. I suppose everything kind of improved after that in fairness and built up to that wonderful season in 2013.”

That fairytale 2013 championship for Clare consisted of victories over Laois and Wexford in the qualifiers before they accounted for Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

A semi-final victory against Munster champions Limerick followed on from that to set-up an All-Ireland decider against a Cork side who had dumped Clare out of the provincial championship.

“I know it’s kind of cliched but genuinely, the occasion didn’t get to us,” Dillon remembers.

“A lot of us had the experience of playing there in 2009 so that stood to us as well. Generally, we just got on with it and it was well managed by the lads.

“Because we had the wins under our belt, we were able to focus on hurling and make sure we were gonna have the best chance of putting in our best performance.”

Unsurprisingly, that Domhnall O’Donovan equaliser which ensured the All-Ireland final would go to a replay, is Dillon’s first thought when he reminisces on that magical time for Clare.

Domhnall O’Donovan nailing the equaliser that sent the 2013 All-Ireland final to a replay.

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

“He’d be the very lad you’d be shouting at not to go for points at training, you’d be telling to go back.

I remember in the qualifier against Laois that year, all the backs had scored and he was the only one that didn’t and we were slagging him.

“And then he got the most important one of the year then. He fairly made us eat our words.

“It was mad, I remember seeing everyone running over to him. I literally just put my hands on the hips and looked up at the stand.

“Then the sense of absolute relief at the end. All of a sudden when we got back in the dressing room and regrouped we just put our focus into the following game and how lucky we were to be given the chance to go again.”

Clare edged out the second act of that All-Ireland final after another thriller against Cork, with a 19-year-old Shane O’Donnell starring for Davy Fitzgerald’s side.

Dillon and his teammates were able to savour the final few seconds after a late Darach Honan goal put them six points clear before their dreams became reality at the final whistle.

It was brilliant to see out the last minute or two in the knowledge that we had it. There’s no greater feeling than when you know there’s a minute or two to play but you know that we had it in our grasp.

“It was euphoria really when the whistle went.

“It went by so quick. The first few days were unbelievable, the homecoming and all the elements that go with it. The crowds that were at the reception, I’d never seen anything like it.

Dillon holding the Liam MacCarthy Cup at the homecoming in Clare.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

“That was all very surreal to all of us. We couldn’t believe we had done it.

“After that it was fairly quiet, I think we had club the following week. You can’t really afford the time too much to celebrate it. All of sudden you’re focused on the following year and you’re hoping to put up a title defence.

“If there’s one nearly regret, it’s that I didn’t really enjoy it enough. But it was definitely unreal memories.”

The subsequent years were difficult for Clare and it would be 2016 before they picked up another major trophy when they clinched the Allianz league title.

Dillon was joint captain of the team that year along with Tony Kelly when they defeated Waterford after a replay in the Division 1 final.

It looked like Clare’s fortunes were about to improve but they failed to really capitalise on that momentum when the championship rolled around later that year.

Dillon’s place among the regular starters came under threat the following season. After playing the full league campaign, he found himself slipping in and out of the team during the championship.

He missed the start of the 2018 season when he took a career break to go travelling and struggled to get much game time after that.

Pure euphoria for Dillon in 2013.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

The Primary School teacher is certain he would have given it another shot this year if he still had the hunger to hurl for Clare, but that flame isn’t roaring inside anymore.

He’ll give his last years to Crusheen and he can step away from Clare with plenty of happy memories to reflect on.

“I think I had seven or eight consecutive years where I think I played every championship game and was only taken off in one when we were winning by a large margin.

“I had a good lot of years where I was a mainstay on the team and I can be happy with that.

“I can be happy too that I’m relatively injury-free. I only have the one bad hip,” he laughs. After putting in 10 years of training, it can have its effect but I’ll hopefully have a good couple of years where I can perform for the club.

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Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa gives a PowerPoint presentation to the media during a press conference at Thorp Arch, Leeds.

Source: PA Wire/PA Images

1. So where, then, has the outrage come from? Largely, it’s been imagined and invented. Both by the pundit class, the vast and diseased corpus of professional opinion-formers whose livelihood depends on finding something about which to be outraged every week for money, and by the mind-dustbin of social media, the vast and diseased corpus of amateur opinion-formers whose self-worth depends on finding someone outraged to laugh at every week for likes. For both, the issue of Bielsa’s spying, and even Bielsa himself, has been simply a handy canvas upon which to enact a theatrical masked joust only tangentially connected with reality.

The only thing remarkable about Bielsa’s 70-minute Powerpoint presentation at Thorp Arch on Wednesday wasn’t any of its content, but the fact that Bielsa had chosen to make it public. The research itself – both in its volume and level of detail – would have been fairly familiar to any coach working at a reasonable level. None of which seemed to stymie the predictable consensus on social media that Bielsa had totally stuck it to the gammons , absolutely triggered the proper football men, showed two fingers to Tommy Robinson, fnaw fnaw, please click on this Patreon link to buy my self-published book, etc.

Jonathan Liew proposes that Marcelo Bielsa’s ‘Spygate’ is no more than another tiresome chapter in football’s culture war.

Andy Murray waves to the crowd after being defeated by Roberto Bautista Agut at the Australian Open.

Source: AAP/PA Images

2. He’s one of the most emotionally intense players on the ATP Tour, but he’s also one of the least sentimental, and reliably, when asked a question, he thinks about it and makes an effort to answer honestly. I happen to think this quality is directly related to the way he plays tennis, and that it’s an essential part of what’s made him such a thrilling player to watch for so many years. It also runs directly counter to the demands of the typical star-player-retires story, which calls for exaggeration and wise little lessons and sentiment. I’m afraid that what might be a perfectly nice tribute for most athletes — a smooth description of his return game, a fable about never giving up—would, in Murray’s case, miss everything that’s made him so special, so beloved.

In public, he is wonderfully—and considering his profession, almost freakishly—committed to reality. The world where Roger Federer lives is very beautiful, but Andy Murray lives on Earth. You see this most clearly, of course, in his interviews, which are marked by a kind of dry, sensitive scrupulousness. I’ve been to Murray’s press conferences after big losses; the atmosphere is unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced in sports. In a way, I’ve learned more from them than I have from expert tennis analysis because Murray—tears still drying in his eyes, voice trailing away at the ends of thoughts—actually takes stock of himself and tells you what he sees. Not because he relishes giving a room full of reporters and photographers intimate access to his brain. Because it isn’t in his nature to prevaricate. No one is better to listen to than a reticent person who sees answering questions thoughtfully as a mark of basic respect.

The Ringer’s Brian Phillips outlines what has always separated Andy Murray from his fellow tennis greats.

Manchester United attacker Juan Mata helped ESPN writer Andy Mitten’s younger brother after the passing of their father.

Source: Carlos Sanchez Martinez

3. I miss my dad every day, but can cherish the best part of 45 years of memories. My 12-year-old brother who has lost his father, his hero, the man who watched him play every week, cannot say the same.

As a football club Manchester United were superb regarding my father’s death. And then on Wednesday night midfielder Juan Mata showed up in the bitter cold at my brother’s training session for his junior team in Wythenshawe, south Manchester. The mother of one of my brother’s teammates knew Mata and his girlfriend, Evelina, as she had previously looked after their dog when they were away. She mentioned to Juan that one of the young players had lost his father and was struggling and wondered if it would be possible to get something signed for him.

Mata agreed and said that he would get a signed shirt — one that he had worn in a game. Evelina heard this and chipped in “if the young boy can wait, maybe you can present it to him in person.” Mata agreed.

That’s why Mata and Evelina drove to Wythenshawe — once Europe’s largest council estate — on Wednesday. Mata wore a hat to thwart the cold and so the boys didn’t recognise him initially. One mentioned that he looked like Juan Mata. The others, suddenly realising it was him, stared at him in disbelief. What on earth was he doing among them?

ESPN’s Andy Mitten explains how Juan Mata came through for his 12-year-old brother during the most difficult time of his young life.

Brid Stack, one of four players to ever have won 11 football All-Irelands, has retired from inter-county duty with Cork.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

4. Last Saturday night in Larry Tompkins pub, they gathered for their now annual catch-up. The reunion of, as Bríd Stack calls them, The Over-30s Who Still Think They’re Under 30 club’. The Cork crew who rewrote the book on Ladies Football. The old yarns spilled out after 3.30am yesterday, beers empty, tongues tired. The little vignettes cropping up time and again.

Like the All-Ireland morning walk.

“That was the emotional thing,” says Stack, who has announced her retirement from inter-county football, bringing an end to an unfathomable 11-All-Ireland, seven All-Star career in red. In doing so, the 2016 player of the year breaks the link to Cork’s first title in 2005, the last to retire from that group of pioneers. She is one of only four Cork girls with 11 All-Ireland medals — Deirdre O’Reilly, Briege Corkery and Rena Buckley the others — and the native of Rockchapel played every minute in each of those Croke Park victories.

“I am talking fierce emotional,” she says of that matchday stroll. “We’d walk down the road from the Red Cow Hotel, and on the way back we’d stop at the same spot. It was nothing, a small patch in front of a mechanic’s yard. A random place. We’d gather in, shoulder to shoulder, and each of the management would say their piece. That was their moment.

Examiner sports editor Tony Leen sits down with the great Brid Stack, who has called time on her illustrious career with Cork.

Prince William and Mesut Ozil attend the graduation ceremony of 30 Young Peace Leaders from Football at London’s Olympic Park.

Source: PA Wire/PA Images

5. Despite being presented as a prime example of successful integration by the DFB, Mesut Özil has remained alien to many football fans in Germany over recent years. He seldom perceived interviews as an opportunity, but rather as a chore. He only reluctantly attended media appointments and even let them fall through from time to time. Too many times was he supposed to justify himself. Why doesn’t he sing the national anthem? Why did he have his picture taken in Mecca? Why the photo in the changing rooms with Angela Merkel in 2010? Why the photo with Erdogan? His former teacher Jochen Herrmann once told the ‘Welt’, that Özil had already been “somewhat autistic” as a child. Another teacher, Christian Krabbe, put it less drastic when speaking to 11FREUNDE: “He was modest and didn’t like to be at the centre of attention. He really only wanted to play football. And that’s remained the same to this day.”

People from Özil’s personal environment offered him help following the photo with Erdogan. They wanted to write a statement for him or find journalists who would conduct a clarifying interview in a relaxed atmosphere. Yet, Özil either didn’t even react or categorically turned down their proposals. He didn’t want to justify himself, didn’t want to apologise.

Some football pros spend years working on their external representation with agents and media coaches. Several grow from shy young players into eloquent leaders. On the other hand, despite a substantial advisory staff, Özil appears to lose control when he leaves the orderly lines of the pitch and has to step into the bright camera lights. Özil has built his world far away from spoken word; a world of social media channels followed by millions of fans. Here he feels secure, just like he does in the company of his family and friends.

The team at 11Freunde explore the curious case of Mesut Özil, who has polarised the nation for whom he played 92 times.

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ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS Cork survived an extremely stern examination from Tipperary to get their Littlewoods Ireland Camogie League Division 1 campaign off to a winning start, 0-10 to 0-7 at The Ragg.

Tipp are looking to build on a progressive 2018 under Bill Mullaney, when they reached the last four of the championship. Cork ended their aspirations and went on to complete a famous three-in-a-row but there was enough evidence here to suggest that the Premiers will prove a tough nut to crack for any opposition in the year ahead.

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Niamh Treacy capitalised on a loose clearance to give the hosts an early lead but All-Ireland Final heroine, Orla Cotter slotted the first of her six points to level and Linda Collins moved the Rebels in front.

Tipp were able to hold their own in the physical exchanges and Cáit Devane was accurate from placed balls, as they went in at the interval leading by 0-5 to 0-4. It might have been even better but Devane opted for a point from a penalty.

Their goalkeeper Caoimhe Burke was rock solid under pressure under the high ball on a number of occasions in that opening period and was just as good in the second half, denying Collins a goal with one excellent intervention.

Tipperary’s Shauna Quirke with Briege Corkery and Leanne O’Sullivan of Cork.

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

The teams were level on 0-6 apiece entering the last quarter, with Cotter and Treacy providing the pick of the scores from play, but Cork showed why they are so difficult to overcome, four points in the context of the overall trend of the game a significant yield in that closing period.

Cotter set up Libby Coppinger for a score and then slotted a close-in free, before Chloe Sigerson and Orla Cronin sealed the verdict.

Meanwhile Kilkenny got their bid for a fourth consecutive title off to a promising start but they too were pushed hard by a youthful Clare before leaving the John Lockes ground in Callan with the spoils, 1-9 to 0-7.

Denise Gaule, Michelle Quilty and the eye-catching Danielle Morrissey had the Black and Amber on the front foot early on and though Róisín Begley and Amy Keating settled Clare nerves, a Gaule goal from a penalty just before the change of ends left it 1-6 to 0-3.

Kilkenny’s Denise Gaule.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

The Bannerwomen refused to be cowed by that setback or the vaunted opposition and restricted Ann Downey’s charges to just three points after the resumption, from Player of the Year Anne Dalton, Gaule and Morrissey.

Indeed Clare ‘won’ the second half, with Keating the prime beneficiary of her teammates endeavours to convert four frees and give them plenty to build on for the remainder of the campaign.

Beth Carton’s increasing profile, and that of Camogie in Waterford, was illustrated by the Déise’s first ever All-Star being named WLR/Granville Hotel Waterford GAA Award winner for 2018 last weekend.

And she showed just why with nine points as the Donal O’Rourke’s side survived a Wexford third-quarter rally to prevail by 1-13 to 1-5 at St Patrick’s Park in Enniscorthy.

Five of those scores came in the first half, when debutant Sarah Lacey also showed well at corner-forward and finished with two points by the end of proceedings. Skipper Niamh Rockett struck for a goal just before the interval, at which juncture it was 1-7 to 0-3.

Tipperary’s Cait Devane and Ashling Thompson of Cork.

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

Wexford resumed with intent and Anais Curran’s goal reduced the margin to two with 20 minutes left. But they were unable to score again, while Carton kept stretching the gap.
Caoimhe Costelloe was the star for Limerick with two late points and nine in total as the Shannonsiders left St Rynagh’s, Banagher with a 1-12 to 0-13 triumph.

The visitors settled into the tie very quickly and five Costelloe points, allied with Róisín Ambrose’s goal put six between the teams.

Mairéad Teehan had two of her seven points by that stage, and did the business from four frees as the deficit down to one at the break, 1-6 to 0-8.

Arlene Watkins and Teehan gave Offaly the lead early in the second half and it was over and back all the way to the end, until Costelloe’s final, telling thrust.

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1. Galway stand for national anthem

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

2. Ireland’s Lauren Delany is tackled

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

3. Ulster’s Rory Best after the game against Leicester Tigers

Source: Gary Carr/INPHO

4. Leinster’s Tadhg Furlong with Joe Launchbury and Will Rowlands of Wasps

Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

5. Exeter Chiefs Jonny Hill loses his jersey 

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

6. DIT’s Brian Howard is tackled by Eoghan Lawless of UL

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

7. Saracens’ Brad Barritt and Tommy Seymour of Glasgow Warriors

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

8. Tributes are made for former Liverpool player and manager Bob Paisley prior to kick-off during the Premier League match at Anfield

Source: Darren Staples

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9. Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer poses for a selfie with a fan

Source: Anthony Devlin

10. Shane Lowry of Ireland holds the trophy after winning the final round of the Abu Dhabi Championship golf tournament

Source: Kamran Jebreili

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WESTMEATH BEGIN THEIR Division 3 campaign away to Offaly this weekend and they do so with a strong pre-season campaign behind them.

Under new boss Jack Cooney, the Lake County annexed their first O’Byrne Cup title in 31 years and just their fourth overall on Friday night – albeit against Dublin’s third-string outfit. 

“It’ll shorten the journey for sure, it’s nice to get a bit of silverware in January and I’m just delighted for the lads,” said Cooney afterwards.

“We’ve worked hard since we got back together, and we weren’t going to make a big thing out of it if we won or lost, because it’s all about the league.

We can focus in on the league now, but having said that winning it is really nice because we haven’t won it in 31 years, so it’s special.

“The thing about it is when you want to progress and improve expectations increase, so it’s hard to get one without the other. We have no problem dealing with expectations as long as we are making progress.”

Experienced campaigners like James Dolan, Ger Egan and Kieran Martin were fitted around some newer faces, with Egan particularly impressing in his half-forward role up front. 

The Tyrrellspass man posted 1-5 and his 58th-minute goal effectively killed off the Dublin challenge. 

“The goal came at the right time,” explained Cooney.

“In the last couple of games we’ve scored goals the right times and it probably just knocked the wind out of Dublin a bit as well. They were getting good momentum at that stage.

“But in the second half we just looked that little bit more potent in our half forward line and into the attack, and we weren’t committing enough to that in the first half. The lads took that on well in the second half.”

Killian Daly lifts the trophy.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

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The task for Westmeath’s first native manager in 26 years is to keep his bodies fresh as a number of his younger players juggle county and college commitments.

“We just have to go in now and see where lads are at in terms of fatigue and tiredness, there’s a few boys that played college games during the week and there’s more college games next week.

“This was our fourth game in three weeks, we are going into our fifth game in four weeks and certainly the accumulation of all those games and fatigue is going to show.

We need to manage that, we’ll take stock of how lads are and get recovery in and then just really get down and focus.

“We’ve been focussing on the league all along and taking maximum value from the games in the O’Byrne Cup. But now we really get to focus in on the league.”

In recent years Dublin’s O’Byrne Cup teams have unearthed future stars in Niall Scully and Brian Howard.

While they lacked the experience of their opponents, there were several All-Ireland medals in the Dublin ranks from underage or club level, in addition to senior squad members from 2018 – Conor Mullally, Aaron Byrne, Conor McHugh and Colm Basquel.

Dublin’s stand-in manager Paul Clarke was satisfied with how the competition went overall, although he’d have liked to have more than the two games to assess his options.

“In previous years, we would have had the three games on the trot. It would have been nice to have more games and get more game time into guys and see how they go.

What we got was fellas who had finished last season with their clubs playing really good football that stood out in the senior and intermediate championships.

“It gave them the opportunity to come into an environment and test them against inter-county teams at senior level. And for a lot of them, it was their first chance at senior inter-county football.

“So we learned a good bit about our players and their development and hopefully, they will take this on board. The journey isn’t finished. It’s a long road.

Paul Clarke before the game.

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

“Some of them will be looked at for a national league panel and some of them will go back to their clubs, hopefully after garnering some sort of information or knowledge.

“We’ll continue to look at them.”

Clarke plans on sitting down with Jim Gavin over the coming days to discuss potential additions to the squad as they prepare for a tit at history.

“Dublin management will analyse the game and decide what to do. I haven’t been involved with the group that are back together and the National League panel.

This has been my sole concentration. I’ll sit down and go through a report and have a chat with Jim about it and then he’ll have a look at the two games and take it from there 

“There’s a number of guys who have pedigree at minor and U21 and have done well. They represented themselves really well over the last number of weeks.

“They represented their clubs really well. They’ve all got a certain skill set that is required to play. But again, it’s a step up. It’s a big ask to go up and play against experienced teams.

“So we’ll look at everybody’s strengths and take it from there.”

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