John Small named on Dublin bench as Cluxton due to start Leinster semi-final
JOHN SMALL HAS been named on the Dublin bench for their Leinster SFC semi-final against Meath this weekend.
The seven-time All-Ireland winner was not expected to feature for Dessie Farrell's side this season, with his teammate Ciarán Kilkenny responding to speculation about his availability by saying Small was 'unlikely' to be involved with the squad in 2025.
But the Ballymun Kickhams star is included among the replacements for Dublin's final-four clash in Portlaoise on Sunday.
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Stephen Cluxton has been selected to start in goals, replacing Hugh O'Sullivan who made his debut in Dublin's nine-point win over Wicklow. Evan Comerford is named on the bench this weekend as Dublin hope to maintain their Leinster 15-in-a-row bid.
Dessie Farrell has named his Dublin Senior Football panel for Sunday's Leinster Semi Final against Meath in Portlaoise 👕#UpTheDubs pic.twitter.com/mxGAdkcUfM — Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) April 24, 2025
Dublin XV v Meath
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells)
2. David Byrne (Naomh Ólaf), 3. Theo Clancy (Kilmacud Crokes), 4. Conor Tyrell (St Oliver Plunkett/ ER(
5. Brian Howard (Raheny), 6. Greg McEnaney (Skerries Harps), 7. Tom Lahiff (St Judes)
8. Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne (Cuala), 9. Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock)
10. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge St), 11. Seán Bugler (St Oliver Plunkett/ ER), 12. Kevin Lahiff (St Judes)
13. Ross McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda's), 14. Con O'Callaghan (Cuala), 15.Colm Basquel (Ballyboden St Enda's)

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Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Kilkenny dominate Leinster but questions remain about readiness for All-Ireland semi-final
Kilkenny would have you believe this championship is more three-legged stool than two-pony field. We know the sturdiness of the Cork and Limerick legs. Their robustness was reexamined and reaffirmed on Saturday night. The third leg, though, remains without weight pressed down upon it. Kilkenny bookended another Cup-on-the-bus Leinster campaign with another comfortable victory over Galway. An aggregate 20-point winning margin against their supposed closest challenger. Cork and Limerick players watched Saturday's penalty shootout sitting on their backsides such was the collective exhaustion from 90 minutes of on-the-edge and over-the-edge combat. Kilkenny, a day later, skipped out of Leinster with an average winning margin of eight points. Aside from 20 second-half minutes against Dublin in Round 4 and 11 minutes from Galway yesterday, Kilkenny had no honours level Leaving Cert paper put in front of them. They've not been extended or exhausted by anyone. Limerick, barring an upset, will be their All-Ireland semi-final opponents in four weeks' time. Right now, Kilkenny, through no fault of their own, are thoroughly unprepared for that exam. Derek Lyng, as you'd expect, took a different view. 'I think we have,' he replied when asked if Kilkenny have been sufficiently road tested in reaching the second last weekend of the championship. 'From the start of the Leinster campaign, we're always spoken about as being favourites. But we put a huge amount of work into each game, and we prepare for each game like any other. It doesn't matter who you're playing. 'It's probably taken for granted that we're going to go out and win these games, but a huge amount of work goes into it, particularly from the players. We've been tested in different games, at different stages. 'We lost to Wexford, and Dublin we would have been disappointed with a spell in that game as well, and likewise today, so, regardless of who we are playing, we know we're going to have to find another gear or two for the next day. We go into a knockout phase. Everything ramps up. 'We're Leinster champions, and that was the objective, but at the same time, we know we've a lot of work to do.' Lyng is excited to roll up the sleeves and commence that work. Kilkenny's League concluded on March 9. They had six weeks to themselves before the championship threw in. They threw in with a 12-point hammering of Galway. Lyng will hope this second block of training will have at the end a performance to surpass that of Nowlan Park on the championship's opening weekend. It will need to if they are to be involved in the championship's closing weekend. 'This year we've had a very competitive squad and training has been really good, so we just need to probably pick it up again. During the campaign, you don't really get a chance for lots of games [in-house]. You're going week to week, it's nearly about recovery more than anything else. 'But in the run-up to the Leinster campaign, we had a good run at it, and coming into the first game against Galway, we had a lot of work done. We hit the ground running, and we need to get back to that now, use the next couple of weeks to build that momentum again and raise the standard. 'It's a great place to be. The alternative was you'd be out in two weeks and it would be do-or-die.' They were never in danger of being back out in two weeks. Fintan Burke batted away the first three balls that rained down on top of him and TJ Reid. But Reid's 33rd minute catch drew a game-ending save from Éanna Murphy and rebound finish from Martin Keoghan. After Galway's 1-6 burst to bring the margin to four, it was TJ who caught Eoin Murphy's puckout and offloaded to Adrian Mullen for the score to break Galway's streak. It was Martin Keoghan who again followed in for his second and the game's decisive goal. At the far end, there was a fielding exhibition from Huw Lawlor. Brian Concannon, in the process, was reduced to anonymity. 'They were massive catches. It's a brilliant skill to have, somebody that can attack the ball and just pluck it from the sky like that. 'I do remember one in particular, he came up the field and Billy Ryan finished off a super score. For any full-back coming out, it's important that he gets it to a teammate because if you're turned over, you have to be careful of that, but it was a great score. 'It's about the team all the time, defending together and attacking together, so Huw was well able to travel up when he needs to. 'I thought the bit of resilience there to take back the game under our control near the end was very positive as well.'


RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Jack Conan: Leinster ready to 'silence a few more critics'
It's not quite Millwall and the old "No one likes us, we don't care" motto, but as Leinster look to rediscover their mojo, they're leaning heavily into the words of their critics. They won't be the first, and they won't be the last, but the province are embracing their status as the team the neutrals want to see beaten. It's understandable that they're in that position; a squad laden with Ireland internationals and central contracts, as well as three top quality foreign imports. A team that breezes their way through the early stages of seasons, only to fluff their lines in semi-finals and finals in recent seasons. They're an easy target. In the day or two leading up to Saturday's URC semi-final against Glasgow Warriors, the province made an Instagram post calling on Leinster fans to rally behind their team, which started with a series of damning headlines about this current Leinster side being under pressure and in a funk, which was contradicted by the caption: "We're not here to prove people wrong. We're here to prove ourselves right." Speaking to RTÉ Sport after Saturday's win, Joe McCarthy's comments would suggest that the considerable schadenfreude about Leinster's recent malaise has been a major motivational tool this week. "We know everyone loves to hate Leinster so that definitely drives us on," the second row said. Those comments by McCarthy were put to Jack Conan on Saturday evening, and while the Leinster captain did make a semantic adjustment to what his team-mate had said, he echoed the sentiment. "I don't think everyone hates Leinster but I think people definitely revel in us underachieving at times," Conan said. "We get enough flak and stuff. As Leo [Cullen] said, I wouldn't be one much for social media either so you try to block out that noise because it's irrelevant but what we appreciate is the people who come out to see us week in week out, when the days are good and the days are bad. "Those are the people we are doing it for, the staff, the lads in the changing room, the people that give everything to this club and you try to block out the noise. "It's always nice to prove some people wrong and hopefully we can go again next week and silence a few more critics." A four-time winner of the old Pro14, Conan has now gone four years without getting his hands on a trophy in a Leinster shirt. As well as the disappointment of losing three Champions Cup finals and most recently a semi-final, the province lost in the URC semi-finals in 2022, 2023 and 2024, with Saturday's win against Glasgow putting them into the decider of this competition for the first time since the arrival of the South African big four. Next Saturday's final pits the province against the Bulls at Croke Park, with Jake White's side defeating Leinster in two of those three previous semi-finals. "It's definitely harder than it's ever been," Conan (above) added. "Add in those away trips to South Africa, they always come at a tricky time for us, the lads went down this year and lost against the Bulls but they put in a hell of an effort and beat the Sharks and that sets us up really well for the tail end of the season. "It's incredibly tough, everyone's out to be at their best and beat everyone and that's no different for us. "This week, we'll take it moment by moment and enjoy it. It's a special time, with a great group of lads, great staff, everyone. We want to make it a special week, we don't want to be worried about results, it's all about performance and that's what we're building for. "We won't be overawed by the occasion, we'll enjoy it and whatever happens, happens." The province will issue a squad update on Monday, with Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose possibly in contention to recover from minor injuries, although Hugo Keenan and Tadhg Furlong are less likely to recover in time, with both players out with calf issues. Saturday's final will be a final outing for some Leinster stalwarts. Cian Healy (below) is set to retire this summer after a career than has spanned 18 years and more than 420 games for club and country. Similarly, long-serving out-half Ross Byrne is moving on to Gloucester this summer, while Jordie Barrett will be hoping to cap off his sabbatical at the province with a trophy. 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RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
The Sunday Game panel: Kilkenny in the mix to 'go all the way'
It's ten years since Kilkenny last brought home the Liam MacCarthy and while much of the narrative has been about Munster's hegemony since, the panel on The Sunday Game feel that Derek Lyng's side have a great chance to reign supreme come the third weekend in July. On Sunday, the Cats completed a Leinster six-timer when accounting for Galway at Croke Park. They now have four weeks to prepare for an All-Ireland semi-final. But for now, Anthony Daly was quick to credit them for standing tall in the province again. "It's incredible going," he said. "We all mention the era of the round-robin in how you could slip up and get caught but they're the dominant force in the province, great achievement. "I'm delighted for Derek, taking over from Brian (Cody), that was always going to be tough going. I think he's doing a really good job and I think they have a chance of going all the way. I'd be a small bit worried that they lull a bit in a lot of games and they'll have to iron that out. "They have a few weeks off now and we're looking at the potential of a few big clashes down the line. We won't get ahead of ourselves but congrats to them today." Also on the programme, Ursula Jacob spoke about them having to now step it up in a month's time and the strength they have down the spine of their team. "They have obviously been very dominant in Leinster and the challenge is can they drive on from that?," said the former Wexford camogie star. "To win today without Eoin Cody, who is one of their star players, was really impressive. "Their back line looked very comfortable, maybe part of that was down to Galway not applying a whole lot of pressure. They looked very impressive down the spine; Huw Lawlor was immense, Richie Reid was dominant and then you have TJ (Reid) and Mossy Keoghan scoring goals for fun. The Sunday Game panel believe that this Kilkenny team have played themselves into the contenders conversation for the All-Ireland title. Galway perhaps a touch defensive in their set-up, says Anthony Daly. #rtegaa #TheSundayGame — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 8, 2025 "You have to say that Kilkenny thrive off the space and the pitch at Croke Park. When they get to an All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park, they are a dangerous animal, and they'll also be hurting from last year's loss to Clare. They will want to show the Munster teams that they are there or thereabouts." Brendan Cummins, who was between the posts for a number of All-Ireland final clashes with Kilkenny, is in no doubt where they stand in the pecking order, when saying: "Kilkenny are definitely in the top three teams in the country". And the prospect of likely facing Munster opposition in the semis will motivate them even more in the view of Cummins. "Last year, Clare had everything to do to beat them. I think they like that fact that everyone talks about Munster hurling. If they end up playing Limerick further down the road, they will be licking their lips at that. Eoin Cody will be back and the narrative will be that you keep the score down as best you can, but Kilkenny are a very proud county. "I don't know the last time someone hammered Kilkenny. There is something inside Kilkenny and it's a long time since they won an All-Ireland and let us be the ones to do that. They have a great chance."