The race for Sam Maguire Cup begins in earnest this weekend with four first round games on Saturday and Sunday. The action gets under way in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday when newly crowned Munster champions Kerry play Roscommon, who were well beaten by Galway in the Connacht semi-final.
After being lucky enough to escape with a semi-final over Cork on a wet and windy Easter Saturday on Leeside the Kerry manager Jack O’Connor was much happier after their Munster final win over Clare in Killarney 10 days ago. O’Connor is happy, too, with the depth in the squad. He said: ‘‘There is fierce competition for places on the team. Against Clare we were missing the likes of Paudie Clifford, Diarmuid O’Connor and Paul Murphy; they will be raring to go in the next couple of weeks.”
At this stage, Kerry are one of the favorites to lift Sam in July, but O’Connor is realistic, saying: ‘‘Basically there are three cups up for grabs at the start of the year, the National League, the Munster Championship and the All-Ireland. We have won the first two, so we have to turn our attention now to the big one. But there is a lot of football to be played before we even think about hitting Croke Park. And of course we have to go back up to Pairc Ui Chaoimh again, but I think I think everybody will be forewarned this time.”
Meanwhile Galway, another of the favorites for Sam, will be fancied to beat Dublin in Salthill where the throw-in is at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Galway supporters felt they had enough possession to beat Armagh in last year’s All-Ireland final and the Tribesmen are fancied to make the closing stages of the competition again this year. Dublin manager Dessie Farrell didn’t seem too worried after their shock defeat to Meath in the Leinster semi-final in Portlaoise, so it will be interesting to see if the Dubs can re-group.
Galway beat Mayo in the Connacht final without star forwards Shane Walsh and Damien Comer. Walsh might be back on Saturday, but Comer is still doubtful. Then on Sunday Mayo, the perennial under-achievers, start their Sam Maguire campaign with a home game against Cavan in Castlebar. Let’s just say they should beat Cavan, but after that I’m not so sure. Also, on Sunday Clare play Down in Ennis.
DEMOGRAPHICS
IS A BURNS ISSUE
During Dublin’s dominance in the last decade many people were suggesting that the Dubs should be fielding two senior football teams, one from north of the Liffey and the other from the south side or the river. Former Meath star Colm O’Rourke often suggested that Dublin, with such a huge population, should be fielding three or four football teams, but no doubt O’Rourke often did so tongue in cheek, as he liked to be a bit controversial in his Sunday Independent column. But now GAA president Jarlath Burns is suggesting that Dublin clubs being restricted from accepting the top players transferring in from outside the capital. Burns was speaking on the GAA+ programme “Ratified,” in which he placed the issue of demographics as the most pressing of the remainder of his presidency and into the future.
Burns said, ‘‘Division One clubs in Dublin have enough players in their own area that they should be able to create their own thousands of members, they shouldn’t be having to take players in from other counties.’’ Among the high-profile transfers in recent years was Galway star Shane Walsh who joined Kilmacud Crokes from Kilkerrin-Clonberne. Burns also referenced the growing popular shift eastwards in Ireland with over 43.5 percent now living with 30 miles of the coast from Antrim to Wexford. He also suggested a new GAA membership that would cater for those who are not attached to a club.
GOUGH U-TURN
Having previously been extremely vocal in his criticism of the scale of new Gaelic football rules being introduced and how they were communicated to referees, David Gough has performed something of a U-turn by declaring that football’s new rules “have been great for us.” The Meath referee, who refereed the 2019 and 2023 All-Ireland football finals, previously described as “astonishing” the sheer volume of change being implemented all at once and lambasted how referees had to officiate the opening round of the National League without a rulebook. Gough said “the greatest one for us is one of the values that is based in the GAA, respect. And respect that is afforded to referees now on the pitch and from the sideline has increased greatly.’’
HEALTY IS NEW
KERRY FC BOSS
Colin Healty, the former Cork City manager and Republic of Ireland women's assistant coach was last week appointed as manager of Kerry FC. The 45-year-old succeeds Conor McCarthy at the helm of the Tralee-based side. McCarthy, however, will remain at the club as part of Healy’s coaching staff. The 26-year-old became the youngest League of Ireland manager when he was appointed ahead of the 2024 season.
IRISH FACE CHOICE:
LGAA OR AFLW
The number of Irish women playing in Aussie Rules this year has jumped to 39. And some of the Irish women could face a difficult choice next August when the AFLW season starts on Thursday, Aug. 14. That’s 11 days after the Ladies All-Ireland football final in which some of those 39 may be involved with their respective counties and might miss the start of the new season Down Under. According to the AFL website, ‘‘There is a growing belief among the Irish cohort that the days of playing both sports may be numbered, given the increasing demands of AFLW.’’
MCGOVERN IS
A CUP WINNER
Former Down footballer John McGovern recently helped Dungannon Swifts to an historic Irish Cup when they beat Cliftonville in a penalty shoot-out at Windsor Park. The striker opened the scoring in the final, but Cliftonville equalized in the second half. Despite playing a large part of the game with 10 men, Dungannon held out for a penalty shootout, which they won 4-3. The win, Dungannon’s first-ever in the Irish Cup, means the 22-year-old Ballyholland clubman now has an Irish Cup medal to go along with the Ulster under 20 and Tailteann Cup medals he won with Down in 2023 and ’24 respectively. Now he can also look forward to playing in the European Conference League next season.
BIG UPGRADE
FOR CRICKET
Plans for a new stadium and high-performance center for Cricket Ireland in Abbotstown, Dublin, have been lodged by Sport Ireland. The plans include a floodlit stadium with a seated capacity of 4,240 spectators and a two-story pavilion, where the sport’s high-performance center would be located. A proposal for an extra 7,760 non-permanent seats, which would bring the total capacity up to 12,000 for selected events, has also been put forward. Development of a new stadium was granted by the Irish government in August last year with the project earmarked for completion in 2028. In August Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom said the plan would allow Ireland to host the world’s top teams on an annual basis which would include co-hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with England and Scotland in 2030. Cricket Ireland officials are understood to have visited the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand and Hampshire’s Utilita Bowl in Southampton to gain inspiration for the new ground’s design.
WORLD RECORD
FOR CAMPBELL
Republic of Ireland international Megan Campbell has set a new Guinness world record after performing the longest ever throw-in by a female footballer. Campbell set the record at the London City Lionesses training ground in Kent on April 30. She was tasked with throwing the ball a minimum of 35 metres (114 feet and 9 inches). Campbell did so in style, with her best effort of 37.55 metres (123 feet and 2 inches) etching her into the record books. Megan, who has won 55 Irish caps, said: ‘‘It's an amazing achievement for me personally to have that now, as the first ever. But ultimately you want someone to beat you, I want someone to be more successful than me because then that means I’ve put another player in a better place.’’ Megan hails from Drogheda, the same town where her grandfather Eamonn Campbell was born. Eamonn started his career with Dermot O’Brien’s band and ended his career with The Dubliners.
TWO MUNSTER STARS
HANG UP THEIR BOOTS
Munster tighthead Stephen Archer is to retire from rugby at the end of the season, bringing to an end an 18-year association with the province. Archer, 37, recently became the first Munster player to make 300 provincial appearances, having previously earned two caps for Ireland. He said: “Growing up, my family were huge Munster supporters and I was lucky enough to be brought to lots of games when I was younger. “ A product of Christian Brothers College, UCC and Cork Con, Archer joined Munster’s academy in 2007 and made his first-team debut against Edinburgh two years later.
Also quitting is Limerick-born David Kilcoyne. The 36-year-old has been haunted by injury in the past few seasons. The loosehead prop has played 220 times for the province since making his debut in 2011, while he also won 56 caps for Ireland. He said: ‘‘Growing up living in Limerick, my dream was always to play for Munster and Ireland. To have done so for so long has been a dream come true. The last two years haven’t gone as planned with surgeries to my shoulder and Achilles. In a way, it’s easier that the decision to play on has been taken away from me.’’
