‘Still trying to get Mammy home' – RTE's Des Cahill hops on Donegal bandwagon as wife roars them on at Croke Park
And if there was any doubt as to whether he'd fully embrace hopping on the bandwagon, the below photo from
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Look-alike son Paul is also firmly behind Jim McGuinness' men
Credit: @sportsdes
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They demolished Meath by 3-26 to 0-15 on Sunday
The former Sunday Game host captioned it: "Still trying to get the Mammy home..!!
"Donegal were excellent, but fair play to Meath - they've given their supporters a summer to remember!"
Twelve months since Jim McGuinness admitted that his side 'ran out of steam' in their bid to reach the All-Ireland SFC final, Donegal delivered the goods as they charged towards a first showpiece since 2014 like a freight train.
In the wake of
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But having seen his team hit 3-13 after the change of ends at a packed
The Royals have already tasted unlikely Championship victories over Dublin, Kerry
But Robbie Brennan's superb first season at the helm was brought to an end in chastening fashion. Even at half-time, things looked ominous for Meath as they trailed by 0-13 to 0-8.
With a Sam Maguire decider
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Murphy made way just moments after kicking his side into an eight-point lead. By then, the Ulster champions had also bagged the first of three second-half goals.
Donegal can now look forward to a first All-Ireland final appearance since the defeat to the Kingdom 11 years ago. McGuinness' side played five games in 99 days to reach that stage then.
'Easiest interview I've ever had' jokes RTE GAA host after pundits go back and forth before Meath vs Donegal
It has taken them twice as many outings in the same number of days to do it again.
Every facet of Donegal's output was impressive here. Singling out just one of their awesome attackers would do a disservice to the others.
At the back, high standards were set by the colossal contributions of Brendan McCole and Finnbarr Roarty.
On a day when Paddy McBrearty came off the bench and kicked 0-3, McGuinness noted that the strength of his panel has been a key factor in taking Donegal a step further than in 2024.
McGUINNESS VIEW
He said: "We didn't know at that stage the rule changes that were coming down the line and the physical demands of the rule changes, but certainly we knew that we needed people to come in and give us more depth and strengthen.
"We knew we had to be stronger and it would build its own energy within the group because it'd be more competitive and people want to play naturally, so I think we did see that today.
"We were able to make those changes the whole way through the game and going in to play Kerry in an All-Ireland final, you're going to need every man that you've got.
"That's a huge challenge and they're so confident about what they do.
"There's a rite of passage there almost in terms of winning All-Irelands, so that's the first thing we're going to have to meet head on.
"But certainly it'll not be 15 players, it'll be every single player that can get onto the pitch that'll be needed."
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Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'You don't know what's around the corner': Conor Lehane resilient through Cork ups and downs
The last time I sat opposite Conor Lehane was at Midleton's 2021 county final press evening. The last question I put to him inquired about a return to red. After 10 seasons on the inter-county stage, 2021 was his first time out of the Cork loop. His focus was exclusively trained on club matters. He was tearing up the same club arena. A top-scoring total of 0-42 - 0-25 from the placed-ball - in Midleton's five game run to the local decider. And so as our conversation was approaching full-time, I asked if he was hopeful of a Cork recall in 2022. 'I wouldn't think anything past tonight even,' replied Lehane. 'If your head is elsewhere, you wouldn't be fully in where you are, so you don't want to be doing it for other reasons, which is unfair to everyone.' His 2021 story, not that everyone doesn't already know the ending, finished with a winning 0-13 county final haul and a return ticket to the Cork set-up. That red sequel, mind, has been neither smooth nor straightforward. His introduction three minutes into second-half injury-time against Waterford on May 25 was only his third involvement of 2025 and first championship involvement in 337 days. His 65th minute point last time out against Dublin was his first Croke Park score going right the way back to the same semi-final stage of the 2018 championship. 'I didn't realise that. That's kind of sad,' he half laughs in reply to our pointing out of that seven-year stat at last week's All-Ireland final press evening. 'You genuinely don't know what's around the corner. As you get older, you'd understand that a bit better, and you've to go through the ups and downs of something to appreciate that a bit more. 'You're always aware of it but until it actually happens, you get a real insight then of how gutting it can be when things don't go as expected. But it's your reaction to it and how you apply yourself to the next thing is key, and that starts way, way before something might happen. 'Seven years later, the good mentality for that could happen years prior, so it's key just to make sure the disappointment that's there is addressed, parked, and then it's what's up next and make sure you're bringing your best self to that.' His 56th minute point against Limerick seven years ago shoved Cork six clear. Limerick roared back and roared on. Lehane was sat at home for the 2021 All-Ireland final defeat to the same green machine and sat unused in the Hogan Stand 12 months ago when Clare kept the famine going on Leeside. All thrown together, he's still waiting 12 years later for further All-Ireland final involvement. The events of 12 months ago were the latest example in Lehane's red story that very few sporting careers run in linear fashion. Of the 10 outfield players on Cork's 2024 All-Ireland final bench, only two - Lehane and Pádraig Power - didn't get a look in during the 90 minutes. His response is fascinating. He doesn't shy away from how he felt when overlooked. 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He heaped praise on the 32-year-old for never raising his voice and forever keeping his head down during those barren times. Read More Seánie McGrath: Tipperary yet to prove they can live with destructive Cork trio 'He came back this year and have I ever seen him complain or look pissed off? No. There's a lot of fellas who are pissed off and should be because they're not getting game-time, it's very, very hard, but I've never looked at him once and said, 'he's not happy tonight',' Sherlock remarked. 'He just comes in, keeps the head down, gets his work done. The way he has performed [in training] since before the Munster final, he deserves every minute he gets on the pitch.' The doors slid favourably and fortunately for him on the night of the Munster final. He was sent into action at the end of the third of four injury-time allotted minutes. Aaron Gillane was lining up a potentially match-winning free further down the Mackey Stand. The free was off-target, as were Ciarán Joyce and Darragh O'Donovan in an erratic and exhilarating finish. Had any of the three pointed, Lehane would never have got the 20 extra-time minutes where he spectacularly re-emerged in red. He sniped a pair of points. He assisted a third. He nailed the penalty that resuscitated Cork early in the shootout. 'It's brilliant to get that opportunity to have that 20 minutes and just showcase or do whatever you can to impact the game,' continued the Bulmers employee. 'It was unreal to experience [penalties], especially the way I'd been out for a while and not really involved, and then when the opportunity came you don't be thinking about that because you'd be a bag of nerves otherwise. 'To be involved in the way it ended, the aftermath and the dressing room, it's worth any bit of hardship you went through throughout the year to experience that. 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Irish Examiner
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Meet the former Rebel who makes the hurleys for Cork legend Patrick Horgan
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Irish Independent
7 hours ago
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Kildare referee Brendan Cawley to take charge of All-Ireland senior football final
It will be the Sarsfields club man's first time taking charge of an All-Ireland senior football final, having made his senior inter-county debut as a referee six years ago. He officiated Kerry's All-Ireland quarter-final victory over Armagh last month as well as the Ulster final between Donegal and Armagh, which Jim McGuinness' side won after extra-time. He was also the man-in-the-middle for their provincial first-round victory over Derry. Monaghan's Martin McNally is his stand-by referee on the day, which will be Cawley's 30th championship game as referee. Kildare GAA lauded Cawley's 'dedication, consistency and composure' in a statement on X saying it was a matter of when rather than if he'd get the top job, having previously taken charge of the All-Ireland club football final in 2024 when Derry's Glen defeated Roscommon's St Brigid's. 'His dedication, consistency, and composure have long marked him out as one of the very best in the game, and it is fitting that he now takes charge of this prestigious fixture,' wrote Kildare GAA. Cawley follows in the footsteps of Sean Hurson who threw the ball-in for last year's decider between Armagh and Galway. He'll be the first Kildare man to referee the final since 2005 when Michael Monaghan took charge of Kerry's victory over Tyrone.
