After scoring seven goals in their semi-final win over Dublin a few weeks back, Cork will start as favorites to win Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling final against Tipperary. It’s been 20 years since the MacCarthy Cup was paraded on Leeside and the Rebels have never had to wait so long for a senior hurling final win; up to now their longest wait was 12 years, from 1954 to 1966.
Back in 2005 a Cork team captained by Seán Og O hAilpin beat Galway to win their 30th senior hurling final, but they are waiting those two full decades for their 31st title. In goal for Cork that day was Donal Og Cusack, who has since become a leading hurling analyst with RTE. The team of 2005 also featured big names like Diarmuid “The Rock” O’Sullivan at full-back.
Tipperary’s last final win was in 2019 when they beat Kilkenny to lift the MacCarthy Cup for the 28th time. Tipp were captained by All-Star Seamus Callinan that day. Now both counties have new managers and new stars, but Tipp still have a few of their 2019 winning team. Cork are now managed by Pat Ryan, who took the Rebels to the final last year, losing after extra time to Clare. Now they are back and should be too strong for Tipp on Sunday.
In their semi-final win over Dublin, Cork’s full forward line of Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes scored 5-5 from play between them and the question posed to Dublin manager Niall O Ceallacháin after the game was, should they have used a sweeper? When next Sunday’s finalists met in the Munster championship in April Cork scored four goals in a big win over their old rivals. Tipperary manager Liam Cahill might be tempted to employ a sweeper for the start of the game on Sunday to allow his team settle. Despite a few poor seasons the Tipp County Board persevered with Cahill, having unceremoniously axed former manager Colm Bonner in July 2022. Cahill knows what it’s like to play in a final, having come as a sub in 1997 when Tipp lost to Clare. Since then Liam has served his apprenticeship by managing Tipp minor and under 20 teams to win All-Ireland titles and he also had a spell as senior manager in Waterford.
Tipp can also score goals and they got four in their hard-fought semi-final win over Kilkenny; the fourth and winning goal coming from sub Oisin O’Donoghue in the 69th minute. Last year against Clare, Cork were denied a replay when sub Robbie O’Flynn was being fouled as his effort went wide in the dying seconds. O’Flynn will be on the bench again on Sunday; wouldn’t it be nice to see him get the winner this time? I fancy Cork to end that MacCarthy Cup famine. The referee on Sunday will be Galway’s Liam Gordon, a first senior final appointment for the Killimor clubman.
FAI CUP KICKS OFF
Beating Derry City to win FAI Cup last November meant Drogheda United qualified for this season’s Conference League. But the Drogs were not allowed to compete as their owners Trivela also own Danish club Silkeborg. It was the Danes who were allowed to take part the Conference League spot as they finished higher in their league than the Drogs did in the League of Ireland. In recent years UEFA tend to prioritize league places over winners of cup competitions. The County Louth club could qualify via a league place next season, but the Cup is also a good route. This year’s FAI Cup 2nd round gets under way next weekend where the League of Ireland Premier and First Division clubs are joined by 10 non-league clubs. The Drogs have what looks like an easy draw, at home to non-league Dublin club Crumlin United on Friday night. We are guaranteed at least one junior club in the 3rd round as Salthill Devon and St Michael’s from Tipperary meet at Salthill’s scenic ground in Drom on Saturday. Shamrock Rovers are the cup experts with 25 wins, but the Hoops have not had much luck in the cup in recent years. On Friday night they should be too strong for Wexford at Tallaght Stadium.
MANAGERIAL EXITS
It’s difficult to keep up with all the GAA inter-county managerial changes. Already gone are football managers Kevin McStay (Mayo), Ger Brennan (Louth), Paddy Tally (Derry), Raymond Galligan (Cavan), Tony McEntee (Sligo) and Paul Shankey (Waterford). In Mayo, former manager Liam Horan has ruled himself out of taking over the team for a third term. Horan said last week: ‘‘I won’t be applying for the Mayo manager position, I had a go at that and I think it’s time for Mayo to look at someone different or something different. I’m just a supporter and happy to be going to games with my young son and cheering the team on.’’
Meanwhile former Armagh star Oisin McConville confirmed last week that he is staying with Wicklow for two more years and Mickey Harte is staying on as Offaly’s joint manager for another year. Also former Stephen Rochford, who was part of Kevin McStay’s backroom team in Mayo, has now joined Offaly cub Tullamore as coach.
MURPHY FINED, BANNED
Irish-born jockey Oisín Murphy has been fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months after admitting to drink driving after he crashed his car into a tree earlier this year. Murphy appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court recently where he pleaded guilty to one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol. The Killarney native was not asked to plead on another count of failing to cooperate with a preliminary test at the roadside.
KEANE IN DEMAND
Last week I had a few calls from old Cork friends looking for a ticket, for Croke Park, but no calls from former Manchester United and Ireland star Roy Keane, who said last week at an event in Cork that he will definitely be there. Roy is a regular at Croker on All-Ireland final day and he is usually spotted by photographers in the Premium Level. A few months back Keane initially agreed to one event for promoter Peter Aiken at their Live at the Marque event, but demand was so high that the event was extended to three nights, with almost full houses every night. Keane spoke to his biographer Roddy Doyle three nights in a row; Doyle wrote Roy’s second book, while Eamon Dunphy was the ghost writer for his first book. Fans weren’t left disappointed as Roy touched on virtually all issues of interest, including Saipan. Keane said that he stood over his position and had no regrets over the fallout which resulted in a small army of TV crews, reporters and photographers being camped outside his Manchester home after he came home just as the World Cup was about to start. Footage of him walking his dog.
Asked to nominate his World XI of players he’s played against, Keane’s list was dominated by players from Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus and AC Milan. For the record, here are the players: Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich, Germany), Lilian Thuram (Juventus, France), Ronald Koeman (Barcelona, Netherlands), Franco Baresi (AC Milan, Italy), Paolo Maldini (AC Milan, Italy), Didier Deschamps (Juventus, France), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool, England), Gheorghe Hagi (Barcelona, Romania), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid, France), Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona, Bulgaria) and Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Brazil). Roy is certainly box-office material, but I find it strange that people are willing to pay to hear him talk about Saipan, which happened 23 years ago. Also, there is speculation in Cork that Roy and some of his friends might be about to take over first division club Cobh Ramblers, where he started his senior career.
SEM DOHERTY, 78
The death occurred last week of former Dublin full-back Sem Doherty at the age of 78. Born in Glenealy, Co. Wicklow, he moved to Dublin where he played for Ballyboden Wanderers and St Annes of Bohernabreena. He was a tough defender and captained the Dubs when they made the big breakthrough in 1974 when beating Galway in the All-Ireland final. Former Kerry star Pat Spillane said that Doherty was a traditional high-fielding full-back, a man who minded the house, protected the square and his goalkeeper Paddy Cullen. He later served as joint manager of the Dublin senior team alongside Gerry McCaul and Tony Hempenstall. Doherty liked to tell the story of how former Dublin manager Kevin Heffernan asked him to check out newcomer Kevin Moran’s temperament. When St Annes were playing Moran’s club Good Counsel in a Dublin Senior League game Heffo asked Doherty to give young Moran a few belts, which he did. The future Manchester United star Moran took the punishment, got up and didn’t retaliate. That was enough for Heffo to give young man from Drimnagh the Dublin No. 6 jersey.
