Month: September 2021

OVER A DECADE serving as a player and a couple of seasons into his current role as a selector, provided Brian Geary with a perfect insight into those responsible for helping Limerick reach the hurling summit last Sunday.

All the figures in the dressing-room in Croke Park shared in the moment of All-Ireland glory after a 45-year wait.

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But it was the reaction of the Limerick players when they met JP McManus, the long-time sponsor and supporter of the county’s hurling teams under the Sporting Limerick branding, that struck Geary most.

The moment JP McManus lofted the Liam MacCarthy Cup high in a rapturous Limerick hurling dressing room in Croke Park #GAA #LLSport #hurling #Limerick pic.twitter.com/BeQaod8BqP

— Jerome O'Connell (@JeromeSport) August 20, 2018

“He’s a powerful man in everything he does. The lads there, 19, 20, 21-year-olds had never met the man (but) the respect they gave him straight away.

“Sure they know his history and what he’s done for the GAA and what he’s been trying to do. He doesn’t throw money at the thing willy-nilly but there’s something there and it’s very much appreciated what himself and Noreen do.”

Alongside Séamus Hickey, Geary was able to contrast the post-match emotions with the Limerick’s previous final appearance in 2007, when he was centre-back on a team soundly beaten by Kilkenny.

Brian Geary in action in the 2007 All-Ireland senior hurling final against Kilkenny.

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“I remember going in there (to the players’ lounge) in 2007, a totally different feeling. I saw the Kilkenny boys all content, sitting down, meeting their families.

“We were over in the corner trying to get a bite to eat into us as quick as possible, just get out of there. (On Sunday) we didn’t want to leave.

“Come here don’t get me wrong, the minute I got out onto the pitch, I wished I was playing but it’s brilliant to be involved. All the emotions after, I had my little cry, ah it was brilliant.

“They’re a good bunch. John keeps them well grounded. Everything went for us this year, injury wise we were very lucky and I think Galway were probably the same last year. You need everything going your way and we got it this year.

“We thoroughly deserved it alright on the balance of play but nervous enough when they got back to a point.

“I think we were better than them alright and you need to be a good bit better maybe to win your first. It doesn’t come that easy. We’ll take it and we’ll enjoy it.”

Brian Geary (second left, back) celebrates Limerick’s All-Ireland hurling title win.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

If the current team is populated by young players who are blazing a trail and enjoying success, Geary could appreciate the struggle endured by so many Limerick hurlers to reach this point.

After that wave of setbacks, he’ll seek to savour this triumph.

“It’s well documented all the so near episodes. I suppose that makes it a small bit sweeter.

“There’s plenty good teams went before. Serious, serious hurlers have no medals. I know they’re saying this bunch has a different mindset but there’s a huge amount of seriously talented hurlers went before them and unfortunately got no medal.

“Mícheál Donoghue spoke well in the dressing room, they’re going to be back fighting next year.

“He did say you need to enjoy it and you need to give the supporters a bit back, which is totally right after 45 years. The whole county has embraced this thing so we all need to celebrate it.”

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AN OVERWHELMING majority of Mayo clubs voted in favour of throwing reigning All-Ireland ladies senior club champions Carnacon out of the Mayo championship at a county board meeting last night.

It relates to Carnacon’s decision to withdraw all eight of their players, including vice-captain Fiona McHale and all-time leading scorer Cora Staunton, from Peter Leahy’s squad 10 days before they played Cavan in the first round of the All-Ireland qualifier group stage.

The42 understands delegates at the meeting voted 26-2 in favour of removing Carnacon from the championship, with one club abstaining from the vote. The motion was proposed from the floor by club delegates at last night’s meeting.

The decision was made under rule 288 of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association which relates to bringing the game into disrepute.

The rule states that “any member of the Association found guilty of conduct calculated to bring the Association into disrepute shall be liable to expulsion or suspension by the committee, board or council concerned.”

It means that Carnacon will be unable to defend their Mayo, Connacht and All-Ireland crowns unless the decision is overturned. The club have five days to lodge an appeal with the Connacht Council, and have called a meeting for this evening to begin preparing their case.

When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for the LGFA told The42 that the issue was currently a matter for the Mayo LGFA county board.

The controversy stems from a fall-out between Carnacon players and Mayo management during the early part of the summer. The club subsequently withdrew all eight of their players from the Mayo panel, citing ‘player welfare’ as the reason.

Leahy retained the backing of a majority of the squad and they went on to defeat Cavan by 3-23 to 4-13 after a week of intense scrutiny brought about by the exile of the Carnacon contingent.

Michael McHale from Carnacon, father of Fiona, also withdrew from the backroom team but he was acting as kit man rather than selector as was reported by some media outlets at the time.

Team captain Sarah Tierney and three players from other clubs left the squad at a later stage for personal reasons unrelated to the Carnacon contingent. All four players who later departed still had clubmates on the panel.

Mediation talks were held between all parties to find a resolution but they failed to reach an agreement. All present signed a confidentiality agreement afterwards to keep a lid on discussions.

– Reporting by Kevin O’Brien, Gavan Casey and Fintan O’Toole

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CORK MANAGER PAUDIE Murray has revealed that Briege Corkery was due to return to action with Cork last summer but the comeback was shelved when she became pregnant.

Corkery gave birth to her son Tadhg at the end of March and set her sights on making it back this year.

The 31-year-old was named on the match-day panel for the first time for last Saturday’s Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship Semi-Final victory over Tipperary and made a late cameo appearance – her first since the 2016 All-Ireland Final.

Murray hailed the influence the Cloughduv star has already exerted on the group.

“Briege has been back with us six weeks” said Murray. “To be very honest, she was coming back last year only something else happened, which I had no control over, let’s put it that way! So it was always in the plans to come back.

“She has a bit to go yet, no doubt about but she’s a great presence to have around the place and she’ll drive us on for the next two weeks hopefully.”

Briege Corkery (front row, second right) was part of Cork’s squad last Saturday.

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

Murray was unhappy with the pace of his charges’ play, especially in the first half against Tipp but is unconcerned by the unusual absence of a goal threat against a packed defence, opining that with the strength of the Kilkenny rearguard, Cork will need to be sharp with their shooting from further out to prevail.

“I’m not overly happy to be honest, I’m quite annoyed with certain things. I think we’ve two big weeks in front of us. I’m looking at getting to the level we need to be at and I’m annoyed with a lot of things

“I thought our tempo was poor at times, I thought our workrate was poor at times and you win nothing moving around the pitch like that.

“I watched Kilkenny in pieces of the first game – there’s no goals going in against Kilkenny with that defence, the way they’re playing. Their defence seems to be better than it was the last couple of years, so we’re not going to score goals.”

He played down the chances of either Cork or Kilkenny managing to pull a rabbit out of the hat, with both sides having met so often, competing in a third consecutive All-Ireland Final and fourth in five seasons, and also crossed swords in the last two National League deciders.

“I don’t think there’s any more surprises. Unless Rena comes back!” said Murray with a smile, in reference to last year’s All-Ireland-winning captain Rena Buckley, who announced her retirement prior to the commencement of the championship.

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TYRONE MIDFIELDER COLM Cavanagh has distanced himself from the back-and-forth between his manager Mickey Harte and former players-turned-pundits.

Red Hand manager Mickey Harte branded criticism from ex-Tyrone players now working the media as a ‘cheap shot’ at their All-Ireland final press event in Garvaghey GAA centre Monday.

Owen Mulligan and Sean Cavanagh — Colm’s brother — have both been critical of their county’s senior football boss of late, with Harte responding to the criticisms:

“Let people make their comments, and if they have substance to back it up, then I’ll appreciate it. And if they haven’t, I’ll recognise it for what it is – a cheap shot.”

And this morning as he collected his PwC GAA/GPA Player of the Month accolade, Cavanagh was asked if he’s stuck between a rock and a hard place as someone who’s soldiered with these ex-players through the years, and obviously the family connection.

“Not at all,” he said.

“To be honest, when you’re playing you focus on playing. You let everything else go, what’s being said in the media.

“To be honest, I don’t watch whatever’s being said in the media, and I don’t read any of the papers. The only thing I ever see is probably on social media.

“I stay away from whatever, myself and Seán obviously my brother. It’s light-hearted conversations about it. He knows as well as me that I have to concentrate on playing football and he can concentrate on doing his punditry.

The Cavanagh brothers helped Moy to the All-Ireland intermediate championship title in February.

Source: Ken Sutton/INPHO

“He’s entitled to his opinion and every other past player is entitled to their opinion. I know well they’re entitled to that, and that’s what they’re there to do. They’re there to analyse and give their opinions and that’s fair.

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“But while I’m playing and I’m part of Tyrone, I focus on playing football and winning, and that’s what the most important thing is for me.”

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TG4 WILL AIR a documentary on Sunday evening at 8.30pm called ‘Tír Eoghain: The Unbreakable Bond’ which looks back at the “untold narrative behind the most successful minor team in the history of the GAA – the Tyrone Class of 1997/1998.”

Cormac McAnallen, Kevin Hughes and Brian McGuigan celebrate their 1998 All-Ireland minor victory.

Source: INPHO

Under the guidance of current senior boss Mickey Harte, a talented Tyrone group were defeated by Laois in the ’97 All-Ireland MFC final before they beat the same opposition in the following year’s decider.

That group went on to win two All-Ireland U21 medals under Harte before 11 players graduated to senior level and helped the county deliver the Sam Maguire for the first time in 2003.

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The untold narrative behind the most successful minor team in the history of the GAA – the Tyrone 'Class of 1997/1998'. @officialgaa @ballsdotie pic.twitter.com/7VfR3mWTRk

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) August 22, 2018

The film investigates “how an extraordinary series of personal tragedies bonded a particular group of young men and how they triumphed in the face of adversity”, according to its description.

Clár faoin bhfoireann mionúr ab fhearr riamh i stair an spóirt – foireann mionúr Thír Eoghain 1997/1998. @TyroneGAALive @UlsterGAA @ballsdotie pic.twitter.com/wEF7w3UyCA

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) August 22, 2018

A number of big names including Mickey Harte, Peter Canavan, Mark Harte, Brian McGuigan, Enda McGinley and Daire O Cinneide are interviewed as part of the documentary.

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IN THE WAKE of the beating they suffered in early July in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Liam Cahill could take solace in the fact there was a safety net for his Tipperary U21 team.

Tipperary U21 hurling manager Liam Cahill.

Source: Ramsey Cardy/SPORTSFILE

They were the beneficiaries of the new system ushered in this season that provided a path back into contention for the defeated provincial finalists.

Tipperary have rebounded after that Munster decider and they will renew acquaintances with Cork in Sunday’s All-Ireland showdown.

Cahill was grateful for the second chance as manager. It’s just he wouldn’t have minded being afforded the same luxury in his own U21 playing days.

“It’s unique, it’s the first time ever you get a second chance at U21 level. I would have loved to have one when I was playing U21.

“We were beaten by Cork in the ’97 Munster final, last minute by a Timmy McCarthy goal. It happened in Thurles, we were out the gap we thought at that particular stage.

“But then that Cork team went on with Joe Deane, Sean Óg Ó hAilpín, Wayne Sherlock, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Donal Óg Cusack, sure it was basically the Cork senior team that went on to win All-Irelands after.

“Little did we know at the time, that was going to be the case. It was a real springboard for them, they really got wind in their sails after that Munster championship and went on to win the All-Ireland the same year, I think they did two back-to-back ’97 and ’98. It just proves the importance of the U21 grade and how beneficial it is to future development of hurlers.”

Timmy McCarthy in action for Cork in the 1998 All-Ireland U21 hurling final.

Source: Patrick Bolger/INPHO

Assembling young talents and working to help them progress, has been a theme of Cahill’s management career.

He first took charge of the Tipperary minor side in 2014, a shaky start followed by a wave of success.

“The appointment was done fairly quick and I didn’t have my house in order for my first 12 months involved with the Tipp minors,” recalls Cahill.

“Over that winter period we got the chance to put the right people in the right places in support roles with me. Thankfully it helped to make a couple of competitive teams over the remainder of the three years that I had after that.”

2015 and 2016 brought Munster titles and All-Ireland final appearances. Tipperary lost the first year to Galway, then triumphed on the second occasion in Croke Park against Limerick. His minor tenure concluded with a loss in an epic Munster semi-final replay to Cork last summer.

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He made the step up this season to take the U21 managerial reins, his coaching sidekick Mikey Bevans still working closely with him.

“Mikey and myself played minor and U21 together with Tipp. Mikey had a massive club career with Toomevara, winning eight county senior hurling medals, captaining them twice to Dan Breen. He was part of that very strong and tenacious Toomevara team.

Mikey Bevans lifts the trophy after the 2008 Tipperary senior hurling final.

Source: Lorraine O’Sullivan/INPHO

“We go back a long way and we get on well together as friends as well and that’s a help. Minor was the first time we coached together.

“We kind of met by accident one day, he was coaching a club side and I was doing a little bit with a Kilkenny club side as well. We just teamed up and got chatting and the rest is history as they say.”

With the Tipperary senior side exiting in mid-June, there had been a sharper focus in the county on the fortunes of the U21 outfit.

It’s been a season of fluctuating fortunes, taking down a star-studded Limerick side, the Munster final setback and then a strong response against Galway.

Jake Morris celebrates Tipperary’s victory over Galway.

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Just over seven weeks after falling 13 points adrift of Cork in their province, the task for Tipperary is to bridge that gap.

“You’re the last team standing in the county, people want to follow a Tipperary team,” says Cahill.

“Obviously the priority is our senior team number one, that’s the barometer you’re judged off all the time but in fairness to the Tipperary supporters they’ve got behind us great over the last couple of weeks and months.

“We’re going in as raging underdogs which is unique in a Tipperary situation in an All-Ireland final and we’re going to try to tap into that and get as much energy and encouragement.

“We will have to hurl out of our skins to win this All-Ireland and we’re well aware of that. We’re coming in, in a lovely position. I’m not going to insult anyone’s intelligence saying differently.

“It’s just a case of us bringing to the table now what we’re able to bring. If we do that and if Cork beat us, fair play to them.”

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CARNACON HAVE CONFIRMED they are in the process of preparing an appeal to the Connacht LGFA over their expulsion from the Mayo ladies football club championship.

At a county board meeting on Tuesday night, Mayo clubs voted 26-2 in favour of throwing Carnacon out of the senior league and championship for the 2018 season.

The decision was taken over Carnacon’s move to withdraw all eight of their players from the Mayo squad 10 days before they faced Cavan in the first round of the All-Ireland qualifier group stage in July.

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The eight players who left the squad later cited “player welfare issues that are personal and sensitive to the players involved” as the reason for their departures.

Mayo club delegates voted 29-4 that Carnacon had breached rule 288 of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association Official Guide by bringing the game into disrepute. The decision was then taken to disqualify them from the club competitions for the rest of the season.

As it stands the reigning county, provincial and All-Ireland champions will be unable to defend their titles unless the decision is overturned.

The club were notified yesterday they had five days to appeal the decision to the Connacht Council. At a club meeting last night, Carnacon began preparing that appeal. In a statement released to The42 today, the club said:

“Understandably, the entire panel, management, club officers, our families and supporters are devastated by the sequence of events which have transpired.

“The club is in the process of preparing an appeal of this decision to lodge with the Connacht LGFA, so at this point in time we feel it would be inappropriate to comment any further.

“We hope you can understand our position and respect our decision.

“At the end of the day – all our members want is to play football and we hope to get this opportunity again in the not too distant future.

“We would like to thank the general public for their support and goodwill in this
unprecedented situation.”

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AS WE REFLECT on the 2018 All-Ireland SHC, let’s take a look at 10 youngsters who made their mark on the senior stage this summer.

With a number of young stars impressing from the likes of Limerick, Cork and Kilkenny, we’ve decided to go with one player from each county. All players included are 23 or younger. 

*******

1. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork)

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Fitzgibbon is in line to collect his first All-Star after a stunning second campaign with the Cork senior side. The 21-year-old was a key man as Cork retained their Munster crown, scoring two points from midfield in the win over Clare. Fitzgibbon is hoping to lead a talented Rebels U21 side to All-Ireland glory this weekend against Tipperary in Limerick.

2. Kyle Hayes (Limerick)

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Any number of John Kiely’s young side could be selected for this honour, but Hayes gets the nod after winning man-of-the-match in last Sunday’s win over Galway. Hayes is just 20 but has featured in minor, U21 and senior All-Ireland finals since 2016. The versatile Kildimo/Pallaskenry star lined out at full-forward in the minor decider, centre-back in last year’s U21 success and at centre-forward at the weekend. He’s not even close to reaching his full potential.

3. Rory O’Connor (Wexford)

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

O’Connor made his debut in 2017 and took his game to new heights this season. Davy Fitzgerald generally employed O’Connor on the Wexford half-forward line and he also assumed free-taking duties – scoring 10 points in the All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Clare.

4. Ian Galvin (Clare)

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Galvin won a Fitzgibbon Cup title with UL earlier this year and brought his good form into the Clare senior set-up. He made several important interventions for the Banner during their run to the All-Ireland semi-finals, including his crucial goal that helped end Tipperary’s summer. He made big impacts in both of Clare’s semi-finals against Galway, bagging two points in either game after joining the action off the bench.

5. Billy McCarthy (Tipperary)

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

McCarthy made his senior championship for Tipperary against Limerick in May and was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing campaign for the Premier. He started all four of Tipp’s Munster round-robin games, scoring a goal in their last game against Clare. McCarthy is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury during a club game last month.

6. Conor Whelan (Galway)

Source: Oisin Keniry/INPHO

He’s on the scene for so long at this stage, it’s hard to believe Whelan is only 21-years-old. The Kinvara clubman played three years at minor level and first broke onto the Galway senior team at 18. He remains one of Galway’s most consistent forwards and had a wonderful semi-final replay against Clare, while he bagged a late goal in the final defeat to Limerick.

7. Eoghan Cahill (Offaly)

Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

The Birr native plays outfield with his club, but was Offaly’s outstanding player this season between the posts. He conceded five goals on his first championship start against Galway in Tullamore, yet came close to winning man-of-the-match after a heroic display in the nets. Cahill has an extremely long puck of the ball in his armoury and scored several long-range frees during the season.

8. Richie Leahy (Kilkenny)

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

An option for the Cats at midfield or half-forward, Leahy was in and out of the Kilkenny team during the summer. Part of a new crop of Kilkenny youngsters who’ve forced themselves into Brian Cody’s plans over the last year or two, Leahy bagged 0-4 off the bench in the All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Limerick.

9. Paddy Smyth (Dublin)

Source: Bryan Keane/INPHO

In a difficult campaign for Dublin where they came out the wrong side of a few tight games, Smyth stood out on his debut year in the corner. The Clontarf defender captained the Sky Blues to Leinster minor glory in 2016 but he’s quickly risen through the ranks and is highly rated by Pat Gilroy.

10. Tom Devine (Waterford)

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

At 23, Devine is the oldest player to make this list but he missed the 2017 season after deciding to spend the summer Stateside. The Modeligo clubman was a major physical presence for the Deise at full-forward in a year where they were decimated by injuries. He bagged 1-5 across four games in Munster and was one of the few Waterford players to see his stock rise during a campaign where they finished bottom of the round-robin format.

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LAST SUNDAY MAY have represented a seismic breakthrough for Limerick hurling after a fruitless 45-year spell, but for one member of the winning setup it was not entirely new territory.

An August Sunday with his native county in 2018 was preceded by a September Saturday in 2013 with Clare.

For Paul Kinnerk the outcome was the same on both occasions, helping direct a team from the sideline that claimed a landmark victory and carried the Liam MacCarthy Cup home with them.

Coaching two counties to claim All-Ireland hurling crowns in the space of six seasons represents a significant body of work but he’s not rushing to make comparisons.

“It’s absolutely fantastic to win it with Limerick and it was fantastic to win with Clare. I wouldn’t say one is superior to the other. They’re both equally special.

“Obviously it’s great to win one with the county you played with up along. But 2013, I would stress the point that was with a group of lads that I had six or seven years, I had an incredible relationship with. If I was in trouble in the morning, those Clare boys would be some of the first lads that I’d call.

Former Clare hurling trainer Paul Kinnerk.

Source: Cathal Noonan/INPHO

“If you were going to win it with two counties, they’d be the two. I mean Clare where my mother and father are from, I taught there (in St Caimin’s in Shannon) and I would have nearly grown up supporting them. Then the county where I lived all my life and who I played football with. It’s unbelievable.”

For outside observers, there can be neat parallels drawn between the triumphs. Clare’s arrived in the middle of three U21 crowns on the spin, Limerick’s has occurred on the back of similar victories in 2015 and 2017.

Last Sunday may have been the county’s first final appearance in 11 years and a maiden appearance in a senior decider for their starting fifteen but for Kinnerk it was never a game to file under learning experiences.

Such opportunities must be seized.

Paul Kinnerk (3rd back right) celebrating Limerick’s victory with players and management after the game.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

“It was an incredible way to win one but that’s the way it goes. You’ve to strike while the iron is hot. You’ve to take your chance.

“It was the same with us in 2013, we got on a roll, we made the most of it. That’s what we’ve done again this year. That’s how All-Irelands are won. You get on this wave of momentum.

“We’d a great lead in to it, great preparation and we knew it was going to take a brilliant performance to win but equally it was going to take a brilliant performance to beat us. Thankfully we held up our part of the bargain.”

Central to that performance was their approach to defending, a core element of the Limerick structure.

In Kinnerk’s eyes that began with their attackers – vividly portrayed by the early turnover by Graeme Mulcahy that yielded a converted free, Tom Morrissey robbing Gearoid McInerney before cutting through for their second goal and Peter Casey pounced to take possession off Adrian Tuohy, a moment that prompted Shane Dowling netting for the side’s third time.

GOAL LIMERICK! Shane Dowling with a great finish! pic.twitter.com/rerNCWfwik

— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 19, 2018

Then at the opposite end their rearguard restricted a Galway attack that contributed in total 1-6 from play. Cathal Mannion, Conor Cooney and Jonathan Glynn were held scoreless, while Conor Whelan’s solitary strike arrived with a goal in injury-time.

“In terms of the markers we set out, we probably hit a lot of them,” says Kinnerk.

“Our defence all year has started in our full-forward line. I think they set the tone in terms of the number of tackles, the number of turnovers that we made and how we squeezed them in the middle third.

“I think that was significant that we limited the quality ball that went into the Galway forward line and that helped our backs. Our backs obviously were very strong and disciplined in the structure that they kept throughout the game.

“I think it was really a combined effort from that point of view, the backs being fully supported by the work that the forwards and midfield were doing.”

On the pitch Limerick got it right but that was backed up by the proper framework they had established off the pitch.

Limerick manager John Kiely with coach Paul Kinnerk during the game against Waterford in June.

Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

“The biggest thing I would say and again I’d stress that point is I’ve been incredibly lucky to be part of two fantastic outfits from a management point of view and from a player point of view.

“In order to win an All-Ireland, all those parts need to be right. Thankfully we had that in 2013 and thankfully we had that again this year. They all have to click. It’s not just one component.

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“You need to have all sectors taken care of. We had that in 2013 and this year again I knew, we had that from a management point of view, we had all aspects taken care of from the psychology to the strength and conditioning to the selecting to the video analysis.

“You don’t win an All-Ireland these days without ticking all those boxes. You just need to have that right.”

If Sunday was the culmination of the 2018 journey, there were signals along the way pointing to Limerick’s success.

“I felt we’d a good thing but trying to define what this is, is another thing,” admits Kinnerk.

“We just, as cliched as it is, took each game as it came. We focused on each opponent to see where that took us.

“I don’t think we mentioned the part of the year it was, we didn’t mention finals. We built serious momentum in the Munster league and the league itself. It was a big part for us to try to build that confidence within the group.

“The one thing we said that we weren’t just happy with a promotion. We needed to maximise the performance we had.”

The success frees the county from the tales of past crushing disappointments and removes the unwanted tag that hung over them as their drought continued.

It paves the way for a more promising future.

“It’s hard to believe because literally it (past defeats) is all you’d listened to in Limerick,” says Kinnerk.

“From that side alone it’s great. These boys have always said they wanted to make their own history. I think the win has shown that. They’ve made their own history. That’s the biggest thing.

“It’s going to be unreal. It’s incredible. The biggest outcome of this is the effect that it’s going to have on the people because we are sporting mad down in Limerick.

“We’ve been starved of success in some aspects. What this will do for the kids and the clubs, I think that’s the biggest thing.

“They’ve now got new heroes that will really propel them in their sporting ambitions as well. Just the feel-good factor around the county I think shouldn’t be underestimated as well.”

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MAYO’S PLANS TO build a new training centre in Castlebar have “become a reality” according to county board chairman Mike Connolly.

Mayo GAA released a statement this afternoon confirming the purchase of 27 acres of land at Lough Lannagh in collaboration with Mayo County Council which they “intend to develop for the purposes of sport, tourism and recreation.”

Mayo GAA will develop a training centre which will comprise of three pitches to facilitate senior and underage teams, the Ladies football side and for high-performance teams that visit.

They’ll be located adjacent to Lannagh Holiday Village, the new Castlebar Swimming Pool and GMIT.

“The Mayo GAA Training Centre is something that we have been working on for a long time and I am delighted to be able to announce today that this will now become a reality,” said Connolly.

“Lough Lannagh is becoming a sporting hub in the Castlebar area with the tennis club, boxing club and new swimming pool already in situ and we are now delighted to become centrally involved in the area also.

“The Mayo GAA Training Centre is vitally important for the current generation of Mayo players as well as the future players who will wear the green and red. The Mayo GAA Training Centre will be a permanent training base for our senior football and hurlers as well as all our underage teams.

“It will also give us the opportunity to support the ladies in their training and development. It will be used to train and educate our players in both on field and off field activities.”

The County Council plan to develop their section of the grounds as part of an overall Sports Tourism Development Plan “which will see the existing walkways around the lake extended, as well as other leisure and sports tourism facilities.”

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