Tag: Armagh GAA

  • All Ireland SFC Round 1

    All Ireland SFC Round 1

    It’s a case of play it again for Sam after the draw for the first round of the All Ireland SFC which was completed this lunchtime at Croke Park. Reason being that the draw has thrown up repeats of the National Football League Div. 1 and 2 finals with Cork playing host to Meath and…

  • Hanging the hat on hope once again

    Hanging the hat on hope once again

    Peter Quinn was the first GAA President of whom there is proper recollection in this seat. Perhaps obviously, because he was the first holder of the office I met. Since then, Jack Boothman, Joe McDonagh, Sean McCague  (God rest all three of them), Nicky Brennan, Sean Kelly and Liam O’Neill have all been encountered along…

  • Working away in the shade

    Working away in the shade

    What is probably close to thirty years ago now, a word manufacturing machine being propelled by yours truly produced a piece headlined exactly as above. Back then, it mostly centred on how the All Ireland successes carved out by Down (twice), Derry and Donegal could be – and as it happened, was – ground breaking…

  • Housekeeping with one eye on the next part of the odyssey

    Housekeeping with one eye on the next part of the odyssey

    A couple of horrendous refereeing decisions – which of course the whistler will not face any censure for – may have cost Meath a place in the Lidl LNFL Div. 1 final, but it can still regarded as a successful spring sojourn for the green and gold. With that in mind, manager Shane McCormack has…

  • Devine leadership assured as Maeve is on the move

    Devine leadership assured as Maeve is on the move

    Leah Devine from the Na Fianna club will captain the Meath senior Camogie team for 2025, beginning tomorrow (Saturday) when she will anchor the Royal County defence in the first round of the Very Ireland National Camogie League against Armagh at Dunganny. With throw in scheduled for 1.00pm. The game marks a first competitive outing…

  • Geezer eventually gets to rock the establishment with deliverence day

    Geezer eventually gets to rock the establishment with deliverence day

    Maybe I do know what I’m at after all. At the outset here, a shameless confession – outside of Meath, obviously, I’ve a fondness for Armagh greater than any other county. Perhaps for no particular reason, but broadly based upon: their people, their back-story, their song, Geezer, Francie, Jarlath Burns, Crossmaglen Rangers and the way…

  • Evolution of Jimmy Ball decides the finalists but the architect misses out

    Evolution of Jimmy Ball decides the finalists but the architect misses out

    There was something very fitting about Rian O’Neill emerging from under the crossbar at the Canal End seconds before David Gough blew for full time. Armagh football pedigrees don’t come more purebred. McConville. Crossmaglen. Besides that though, nobody has typified Kieran McGeeney’s Armagh model more than the fair haired forward. Remember the piece which appeared…

  • The call is from heroism, who will accept?

    The call is from heroism, who will accept?

    Perhaps if one had been around for the glorious yet curious duopoly between Dublin and Kerry in the 1970s and early 80s, it might be easier to reason with Dublin’s domination for the last decade and a half. Just to be clear, that is not in any way a criticism of those who are currently…

  • Do not adjust your sets – I agree with Mickey Harte!

    Do not adjust your sets – I agree with Mickey Harte!

    It’s probably an understatement to point out that Meath’s defeat of Dublin in the 1975 NFL Final was a major turn up. With it being well before my time, I’m not sure what division of the league Meath were in at the time. What is of course known is the fact that Kevin Heffernan’s side…

  • My Jarlath Burns Wishlist

    My Jarlath Burns Wishlist

    Following on from my first piece relating to the new President of the GAA, Jarlath Burns, as promised, I do have a broader wish list of what I’d hope/like to see the former Armagh midfielder address during his stewardship of the Association. Before going forward to that though, let me first go back to that…