Tag: Leinster GAA

  • 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…

  • Martin I. Kelly – Dunboyne and Dunshaughlin – RIP

    Martin I. Kelly – Dunboyne and Dunshaughlin – RIP

    It can probably be fairly safely assumed that it was a parent or a similar leadership figure who first planted the love of sport within. It certainly was with yours truly, and while that initially manifested as da bringing me to internal matches involving my own class mates in primary school. That then evolved to…

  • Experience trumps ingenuity but still positives to take

    Experience trumps ingenuity but still positives to take

    MEATH… 0-15 OFFALY… 2-13 First off, nobody likes losing any game, and the Meath camp would have loved the opportunity to get more top level mileage into the legs of their younger recruits. But, chances are, in the overall context of the season the Royal entourage will probably lose far less sleep about tonight’s outcome…

  • New names, same old bravery, heart and skill

    New names, same old bravery, heart and skill

    MEATH… 2-11 WICKLOW… 1-12 Meath won’t have shortened in the betting for the All Ireland, or the Leinster Championship or even promotion out of Div. 2 of the National Football League. But, taken for what it was, John McCarthy – head of Meath’s Development Squads – would have to have been delighted with the progress…

  • Auditions begin for season two of Robbie’s Royals

    Auditions begin for season two of Robbie’s Royals

    Conor Gray, Daithi McGowan and Diarmuid Moriarity provide a smidgeon of experience as Robbie Brennan unveils a largely experimental side for his team’s season opener against Wicklow in the resuscitated Dioralyte O’Byrne in Aughrim’s Echelon Park. Throw in among the Wicklow hills is at 1.30pm and the match will be shown live on Clubber TV.…

  • One change for Meath ahead of litmus test

    One change for Meath ahead of litmus test

    On taking on the role of Meath senior football manager, Colm O’Rourke opined that the true test of a Meath player or managers’ character and success or failure was how they fared against Dublin. If the retired school Principal really believes that truly is the barometer by which things should be judged, then the verdict…

  • Alive or dead balls – it doesn’t matter once they go where you want them

    Alive or dead balls – it doesn’t matter once they go where you want them

    MEATH… 0-19 KILDARE… 1-08 A question which has gone unanswered for 32 years can now be checked off the list. Would what I like to refer to as ‘The Mudbath Ulster Final’ of 1993 between Derry and Donegal be allowed go ahead in this day and age? Now, the following is not in the slightest…

  • Almost as you were for Meath

    Almost as you were for Meath

    Meath have made only minimal alterations to their side ahead of this (Tuesday)  evening’s Leinster U-20 FC semi final against Kildare at Donaghmore/Asbourne. The only ‘Change’ to the side which defeated Wexford a week ago sees Kilbride’s Finn White switch from centre back out to the left wing with Fiach Hartigan (Dunshauglin)  going in the…

  • Stop-start Meath keep ticking over to advance

    Stop-start Meath keep ticking over to advance

    MEATH…1-19 LONGFORD…3-10 My late father would have called it a performance that was like the Curate’s Egg – good in spots. But the Meath Minors were good in enough spots to keep themselves ticking over as they saw off the challenge of a plucky home side in Clonguish on Thursday night to advance to the…

  • With Captain Mainwairing’s torch we can see the light

    With Captain Mainwairing’s torch we can see the light

    MEATH…1-25 OFFALY…0-21 When under the black cloud that is depression, sometimes something as simple as a comedy on the television can start the engine running to start the wheels turning again. However, where people of a certain age group might go for an episode of Friends or The Big Bang Theory or, Lord help us…