‘You just want to perform' – Lisa O'Rourke and her sister Aoife hoping for knockout appearance at Hyrox World Championships
With a packed sporting schedule of Gaelic football with Roscommon, boxing with Ireland and her new-found love of Hyrox – the multi-talented Lisa O'Rourke is really going to have to roll with the punches this summer.
Fresh from an emphatic victory in the 70kg category at the National Elite Boxing Championships last week, which followed her IBA World Championship silver medal win in March, the 23-year-old now finds herself jetting off to compete for Ireland at the Hyrox World Championships in Chicago, which starts today and runs until Sunday.
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Irish Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Home away from home - Mayo's Hyde Park record as they face Donegal in crunch tie
With the way their 2001 Championship campaign wound up, Mayo would have been happy to steer well clear of Dr Hyde Park for some time to come. The reigning League champions were leading Roscommon by two points in the Connacht final with time almost up when they were suckerpunched by a Gerry Lohan goal. In the first year of the qualifier system, they were back there three weeks later for a round four tie against an emerging Westmeath team. The sides were level after 70 minutes but Mayo pushed two points clear by half-time in extra-time only to fail to score again as Damien Gavin famously punched the winning point for Luke Dempsey's side. But what a venue the now grandly titled King and Moffatt Dr Hyde Park has been for Mayo since. In the intervening 24 years they have played 14 League and Championship games at the ground and not lost one of them, as they return for Sunday's pivotal meeting with Donegal. Indeed, the only time they failed to register a victory was on their last visit, a draw with Dublin in the final round of group games in last year's Championship as Cormac Costello equalised at the death, though they had already beaten Roscommon twice there earlier in the campaign. Right now, they would gladly take a share of the spoils on Sunday to ensure their progress to the knockout stages, though a win would be enough to see them straight through to a quarter-final unless Cavan were to beat Tyrone. Donegal boss Jim McGuinness insisted that the game shouldn't be played in Croke Park given the financial toll on their supporters - but he may have had a rethink on that given the alternative. Perhaps the most natural neutral venue for this game was Markievicz Park but Sligo's county ground is currently closed due to a pitch regeneration project, while Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada in Carrick-on-Shannon is too small. Breffni Park is hosting Armagh-Galway tomorrow and Cavan are in action against Tyrone in Mayo and Donegal's group on Sunday meaning that that venue wasn't feasible either. So the CCCC turned to Hyde Park, just a 40-minute drive from the Mayo border. Given their record there, the Mayo players would undoubtedly have reacted warmly to the news having already had a fillup with their gutsy win over Tyrone. Indeed, their home record in Castlebar pales by comparison, albeit they obviously play there much more frequently. But this year alone, Mayo have lost Championship games at home to Galway, the fourth time in succession that their greatest rivals have sacked the venue, and Cavan. Last year, a struggling Derry side still left MacHale Park with a penalty shootout win to knock Mayo out, just six days after they had performed so well against Dublin at the Hyde. The examples are numerous, with their home League record is patchy at best over the past decade or so, often leaving Mayo slugging it out to avoid relegation. Of course, it is Roscommon that have suffered most from Mayo's excursions to their county ground. Eight visits since that 2001 Connacht final, eight wins. Yet Roscommon have beaten them in Castlebar in 2019 and '23. There have also been a couple of Connacht final victories over Sligo at Hyde Park and qualifier wins against Limerick and Cavan and even a 'home' League win over Armagh in 2022 while the pitch in Castlebar was being resurfaced. Moreover, Mayo's record against Sunday's opponents is pretty formidable too: in their 12 League and Championship meetings since Donegal beat them in the 2012 All-Ireland final, Mayo have lost just once - a League game in Ballybofey in February 2016. It's been a dramatic, and even traumatic, month or so for Mayo - but on Sunday they return to a venue where they have repeatedly found solace. MAYO'S RECORD AT DR HYDE PARK SINCE 2002 2002 All-Ireland qualifiers, round three: Mayo 0-13 Limerick 1-9 2005 Connacht semi-final: Roscommon 0-11 Mayo 1-16 2005 All-Ireland qualifiers, round four: Mayo 0-11 Cavan 0-8 2011 Connacht final: Roscommon 0-11 Mayo 0-13 2012 Connacht final: Mayo 0-12 Sligo 0-10 2014 Connacht semi-final: Roscommon 1-9 Mayo 0-13 2015 Connacht final: Mayo 6-25 Sligo 2-11 2016 Allianz Football League, Division One: Roscommon 1-7 Mayo 1-11 2020 Connacht semi-final: Roscommon 0-13 Mayo 1-16 2022 Allianz Football League, Division One: Mayo 0-15 Armagh 1-10 2023 Allianz Football League, Division One: Roscommon 2-11 Mayo 1-16 2024 Connacht semi-final: Roscommon 0-13 Mayo 1-15 2024 All Ireland series, Group 2: Roscommon 2-11 Mayo 1-16 2024 All Ireland series, Group 2: Mayo 0-17 Dublin 0-17 Played 14, won 13, drew 1, lost 0.
Irish Examiner
17 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Nine big questions ahead of a blockbuster weekend of Sam Maguire Series drama
There are eight seismic fixtures taking place in the final round of the Sam Maguire group stages. It also signals the end of this current system. The group phase will be abolished after this year with a new qualifier-style format in place next year. Several intercounty managers have criticised this move, which was voted on at Congress last February. Was it the right call? This is just one of many big questions ahead of a blockbuster weekend. Should we get rid of this format? All-Ireland winning manager Kieran McGeeney is adamant that the GAA made the wrong move. Galway boss Pádraic Joyce and Wicklow's Oisín McConville have said similar. 'It is great this year,' agreed former Mayo manager James Horan on the Irish Examiner's Gaelic football podcast. 'Everything seems to be working right this year, with rules and everything else. It is all combining and working out ok. Should we get rid of it? If you take this year on its own, you would say no but what were we saying this time last year or the year before that? Too many games etc. Overall, the sample size of one year isn't enough to make a decision. Changing it might be the right play.' Next year, the last 16 will play in a Round 1 with provincial finals and league positions still determining placings. They will then be divided into Round 2A and 2B. Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney feels the GAA made the wrong move with the current format. File picture: Ryan Byrne/Inpho The eight Round 1 winners will comprise Round 2A with the victors advancing to the All-Ireland quarter-finals. The losers will meet the winners of the losers' stage in Round 2B to fill the remain four places in the last eight. 'I would get rid of it,' agreed Paul Rouse on the Examiner podcast. 'I think it's worth trying the new one.' How will Cork defend? Roscommon's front six against Meath was frightening. Dylan Ruane, Ciaráin Murtagh, Enda Smith, Diarmuid Murtagh, Daire Cregg and Ben O'Carroll all started and scored. Cork must combat that threat. Enda Smith didn't have a shot in his previous two games against Galway or Kerry but he caught fire in Dr Hyde Park, kicking three two-pointers from four attempts. Ben O'Carroll is their leading assister in championship as well as scoring 1-10 from play. They are the priority. 'Traditionally I was man-on-man everywhere; it evolved over time,' said Horan. Cork will take on Roscommon in Round 3 of the All-Ireland SFC. File picture: Tom Beary/Sportsfile 'I haven't coached with the new rules yet but in games in the past we had very good man-markers to go specific on an influential player for the opposition. But players are so smart now, they go ahead of the ball, get their marker and pull him out past the ball to create little zones for players to run through. 'If I'm centre-half back and Ben O'Carroll is there, running out away from the ball where you know he isn't really a shooting risk even if he gets the play, I am not moving away from the direction of the ball. On those occasions, you let him go and hold strong.' Do Kerry need to chase two-pointers? After a league lacking in orange flags, Kerry kicked seven two-pointers last time out. Plenty of that was due to officiating and two-point frees. From play, they converted three of six attempts. Meath consistently shoot from outside the arc, converting five against Roscommon. Don't expect Kerry to go chasing them, but they will create opportunities for David Clifford and Sean O'Shea. Who is the leading contender for Player of the Year? The current favourite remains David Clifford or his brother, Paudie. Michael Murphy is nearby. That says as much about their All-Ireland ambitions as it does their form. Right now, as we begin to move towards knockout football, who else has impressed? 'Conor Glass for the sheer majesty of his performance against Galway,' said Rouse. Once again, Kingdom talisman David Clifford is one of the hot favourites to be crowned the Player of the Year. File picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile James Horan went for Armagh's Oisin Conaty: 'When did he get to this level? I think he has been absolutely amazing. That left footed point the last day, took the ball running away from goal and ran around a few, that is a serious level this guy is operating at now consistently.' Galway's Matthew Thompson is the current runaway favourite for Young Footballer of the Year. Can a player survive in the new rules without pace? 'They will struggle,' according to Galway boss Joyce. 'That has been the case at intercounty over the last few years. Unless you have pace, you will struggle. Probably more so now. 'You are going away from the traditional positions on the pitch. It is three back, eight workhorses in the middle and three up top. When the ball goes up, you need your wing-backs and wing-forwards coming at pace up the pitch and being able to control the ball at high speed.' Do you need height? In a late blitz, Mayo made widespread late changes. Sean Morahan came in at full-back. Even without Donnacha McHugh, David McBrien was able to operate further out the pitch and let Morahan take Mark Bradley, with Jack Coyne on Darragh Canavan and Enda Hession on Darren McCurry. Cathal McShane's departure has left Tyrone struggling for height in attack. File picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile Tyrone's lack of height inside made it easier to defend against them. The news last month that Cathal McShane had stepped away from the panel has left a void. Can Clare throw a spanner in the works? Eight games without a win. Clare's history in this version of the All-Ireland SFC is not good. However, they now face Leinster champions Louth, who lost their last two since a historic outing in Croke Park. Are Down the kickout innovators? Ronan Burns has been in sensational form for Down. He made two point blank saves from Daire Ó Baoill and Aaron Doherty against Donegal. The 20-year-old has remarkable variety with his kickouts, getting a whole host of them off short despite the new limitation on the ball having to travel outside the arc. 'They are getting away a high percentage of kickouts for sure but the way I look at it, the press that was put on for some of those was watery at best,' said Horan. 'It would spur you on as an opposition. Maybe set a trap, let them have a few and go in for the smash. The kickouts, I don't think that much has happened yet. It is bog standard, an overload here and a run there. We are at the early stages.' Can Mayo get after Donegal in the middle? Colm Reape went long with every kickout against Tyrone. Donegal have shown a huge reliance on Michael Murphy for restarts and Shaun Patton's fitness is a live concern. Personnel will dictate so much on Sunday. Patton, Jason McGee, Donnacha McHugh and Diarmuid O'Connor are required for their respective teams.
The Irish Sun
18 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
UK Government's Casement Park boost hailed as ‘milestone' by GAA
THE DECISION of the UK Government to contribute €59million to the redevelopment of Casement Park has been described as 'a milestone' by the GAA. Amid a row over funding, uncertainty surrounded the future of the west Belfast venue since it lost its 2 Pacemaker Press 04-09-2024: Casement Park principal Gaelic games stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Picture By: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press. 2 GAA President Jarlath Burns welcomed the decision by the UK government - but more funds are still needed But the latest commitment from Westminster is a considerable boost as €140m has already been pledged by the GAA, the Stormont Executive and the Irish Government. 'We thank the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, the Chancellor of The Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, and the UK Government for their positive and generous contribution to ensure our provincial stadium at Casement Park is finally realised. 'From taking office, the Secretary of State was clear that Casement Park needs to be delivered. read more on gaa 'He recognised the GAA's commitment and goodwill in sharing venues for the benefit of everyone in our society. 'His support and that of the UK Government now represents a critical opportunity to finish this NI Executive flagship project, delivering the last remaining stadium of the 14-year Regional Stadia Programme and helping to leave a lasting legacy for all of society.' But with the Casement Park project set to cost approximately €305m, a shortfall of over €100m must still be met. Burns added: 'We know, however, that this is not the final piece of the jigsaw. Most read in GAA Football 'There is much more work to do.' GAA fans 'loved seeing and hearing' the late Micheal O Muircheartaigh as he features in RTE documentary Hell for Leather
