Back in the day when lads of my own age were involved in GAA at Juvenile level – and for decades before that probably – it wasn’t uncommon for a mentor from one of the competing teams to step in as referee. As when anybody takes up the whistle they are of course admired and… Read More Underage proposals are well intentioned but pointed in the wrong direction
The inner sanctum of the GAA at any given time and its surviving elders are about as receptive to change as one would be to a fart in a space suit. To that end, it’s actually quite astounding that initiatives like the Back Door, the introduction of red and yellow cards and the belated adoption… Read More One step forward, at least four back
July 11th last marked a dozen years since Joe Sheridan scored the most controversial goal ever recorded in Croke Park. A guess would be hazarded that even at this stage Meath supporters are sick talking about it. Yet in recent days, once again, it has been returned to for comparative purposes. You see, only weeks… Read More Even silage sides wouldn’t save some of the load from being a problem this time
This corner has often opined that an idle mind is a dangerous thing. Speaking wholly from personal experience, it can be a grave threat to one’s mental stability. On that score, An Fear Rua never had any such worries. Now read on… Liam Cahill slipped quietly out of the world last week. From what I… Read More This Lad owes his spot in the Press Box to AFR
FOGRA: The below was the first non-GAA related piece I ever sent to the late Liam Cahill for his much loved and sadly missed website http://www.anfearrua.com Never for a minute thinking he would print it. But he did, and not only did it open up a whole new avenue of writing for me, it stands as a… Read More Fields of Gold – Previously posted in 2006
Limerick… 1-25 Waterford… 0-17 Peter Casey’s moment of madness will be the main talking point, but what shone through most was Limerick’s mental and physical strength as they qualified for a third All Ireland Final in four years. The corner forward saw red after becoming involved in a tangle with Waterford’s Conor Gleeson, but, as… Read More Limerick’s big men make their point
Limerick… 0-30 Waterford… 0-19 All Ireland Hurling Final day in 1999 was atrocious. Windy, wet, and hardly condusive to open, entertaining hurling. Two weeks thereafter, the weather was identically drab, yet Meath and Cork managed to produce a close, exciting encounter worthy of the occasion. Highlighted by brilliant goals by Cork’s. Joe Kavanagh and Ollie… Read More Take your points and you won’t need goals
Though it seems a lifetime ago now and maybe even a tad unbelievable, Brian Cody actually lost his first All Ireland SHC Final as Kilkenny manager in 1999. In possibly the worst such contest this writer can recall. Not that it mattered a jot to Cork. It doesn’t matter how you win once you win.… Read More Two contrasting epics, one mouthwatering outcome – Act I