Former All-Ireland-winning hurler pleads not guilty to assaulting boy (12) with stick
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Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Cork v Tipperary, All-Ireland hurling final: TV details and all you need to know ahead of Croke Park showdown
Cork will square off against Tipperary in the All-Ireland senior hurling championship final later this month.
The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
Record eight Lions starters is a proud achievement for Irish rugby
IRELAND HAVE WON the Triple Crown in three out of the four years since the last Lions tour. They have played a combined 14 games against England, Wales, and Scotland during that time, winning 13 of them. The single defeat came down to a last-minute drop goal at Twickenham in 2024. And despite the understandable sense that this wasn't Ireland's best season, they did claim one of those Triple Crowns this year. When you zoom out and view things in this light, as well as factoring in Ireland picking up a Grand Slam and some big wins against Southern Hemisphere nations along the way, it's no great surprise that the Lions team for Saturday's first Test against Australia has an Irish core. Eight starters is an Irish record for the Lions in the pro era and there are three more to come off the bench. This is a proud achievement for Ireland, who have often had to play a supporting role when it comes to the Lions. There have always been Irish stars on Lions tours but they have not been the bulk suppliers before. Eight starters could possibly have been more, but for an injury to Garry Ringrose. His performance against the Brumbies appeared to have cemented his place in the Test team alongside Bundee Aki. But then Ringrose reported concussion symptoms and was ruled out for 12 days. In the end, Aki has also missed out on the starting XV as Farrell decided to go with the Scottish pairing of Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones. 'It isn't just the combinations, it's what's happening off the bench as well and the impact that they can have at any given time,' said Farrell of that decision. The 'Huwipulotu' partnership is an exciting one and they work well with out-half Finn Russell, but Ringrose and Aki could be excused for wondering what might have been. Lions and Ireland boss Andy Farrell. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO Mack Hansen also hoped to push for a place in the matchday 23 but a foot injury meant he wasn't available for selection and Farrell said it's likely the Connacht man will miss Tuesday's game against the First Nation & Pasifika XV as well. Nonetheless, it is remarkable for Irish rugby to provide eight starters for a Lions Test side and 11 of the overall matchday 23. It's reward for their consistency under Farrell. They have had bad spells during that time but they've largely been an excellent side. Who knows when it will happen again? Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, and Bundee Aki didn't come through the Irish rugby pathways, but there's no doubt that Irish rugby turned them into much better players than when they arrived. The residency rule being extended to five years might mean we don't see their likes again but they are hugely proud to be Irish and they're among the most popular in the national squad. The Lions did their jersey presentation in the Botanic Gardens in Brisbane this evening, with family members presenting the jerseys to each player. Where they couldn't make it in person, the families sent video messages and a Lions team-mate presented the jersey. The entire Lions travelling party was there and it must have been an emotional occasion for all involved. It must also have been challenging for those who missed out on Test selection. Advertisement But Farrell said it wasn't especially tough having to tell some of his Ireland players, including Josh van der Flier, that they hadn't made his first Test 23. 'No, you picked the players originally because you know their character and you have done your homework on who you are not as familiar with,' said Farrell. 'The characters who I have seen throughout the whole group, I wouldn't envisage there would be any problems along the way in regards to everyone putting the team first.' And Farrell pointed out again that those left out this time must be ready to go later if called upon. He pointed to van der Flier, Jac Morgan, and Henry Pollock in that regard. 'Josh, Jac and Henry, if someone fell over tomorrow you would be sad for whoever in the back row, but you know you would be well looked after in regards to those three who needed to step in,' said Farrell. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO 'And you know, you think they are going to be tough conversations but when players are playing well, I suppose it helps them to know what else could they have done. It is a nice, healthy position to be in when you are having those conversations.' While Farrell stressed again that players' nationality had nothing to do with selection, he has played a big role in several Irishmen getting to this point. Tadhg Beirne, Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan, Andrew Porter, and Bundee Aki were Ireland internationals before Farrell took over as boss, but he was the one to hand Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, Dan Sheehan, Rónan Kelleher, and Joe McCarthy their debuts. McCarthy is someone that Farrell has backed consistently over the last couple of seasons and though he might not have been in everyone's predicted Lions XVs even a year ago, the 24-year-old looks set to make a big impact against the Wallabies. 'He's worked out the type of player that he wants to be,' said Farrell. 'He always wanted to master the dark arts of a tighthead second row and we've had some learnings along the way. He's been mature enough to sort those out and that's why we're seeing him play his best rugby.' Farrell reckons that McCarthy won't flinch as he prepares for another big leap in his career. 'He's that type of player,' said the Lions boss. 'I've never really seen him take a backward step anyway, even when he came onto the scene as a youngster. 'He's certainly grown a lot since then as far as maturity's concerned but I've also seen his character and his attitude grow in the same vein and then we end up with him starting in a Lions series. It's fantastic to see.' McCarthy is one of many reasons for Irish rugby to be proud of this Lions selection. And there will be even more cause for pride if they can deliver a big performance in Brisbane on Saturday.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Cork v Tipperary: Puckout tactics, key battles, and what it will take to win All-Ireland final
The two most recent meetings between Cork and Tipperary paint similar pictures. In the League final, Cork delivered a commanding performance, winning 3-24 to 0-23, built on superior shot conversion and puckout strategy. The Munster Championship clash was more one-sided again, finishing 4-27 to 0-24, although the contest was skewed by the pre-throw-in red card to Darragh McCarthy – a blow that disrupted Tipp's structure and momentum from the outset. Despite the different contexts, Cork's consistency has stood out across both games – particularly their efficiency from puckouts, discipline in possession, and ruthless finishing in front of goal. Form of Hayes, Dalton & Barrett: Central to Cork's direct threat Cork's passing network vs Dublin. Passing weight refers to the frequency of that pass occurring The most telling feature of the passing network from the Dublin game (above) is how Brian Hayes and Declan Dalton served as the primary targets for progression. Brian Hayes, with 5-8 so far in this year's championship, is clearly the focal point of Cork's attack, receiving high-volume, high-weight passes – particularly from his 'keeper Patrick Collins and Darragh Fitzgibbon in midfield. Declan Dalton provides a second powerful outlet, often pulling to the left channel to win primary possession. He covered and retreated well on the Dublin puckouts and picked up breaks which created a platform for the Cork attack. Shane Barrett's role is also pivotal to Cork's puckout success. He regularly made sharp decoy runs and ran support loops into traditional puckout zones (45–65m), dragging markers out of position and opening lanes for Hayes or Dalton to receive clean ball. Cork's full forwards stay inside, leaving space for their half forward to receive long puckouts from Patrick Collins This Hayes-Dalton-Barrett trio operated as a fluid attacking triangle, combining power, pace, and support running, giving Cork multiple ways to unlock the Dublin defence. Ronan Maher vs Brian Hayes A pivotal battle. Hayes has been a revelation this season, and has been involved in 20 of the 35 Cork goals this year (10 goals, 10 assists) not just scoring, but in the way he links play and drags defenders out of position. Maher's capacity to man-mark and his overall defensive prowess will be thoroughly tested. If Hayes wins primary possession and breaks ball for Cork runners in the middle third, Cork's inside forwards will benefit hugely. Below we see Dan Morrissey pinning Brian Hayes during a Munster Championship puckout – targeting Hayes's catching and hurling arm while attacking the ball at its highest point. Dan Morrissey breaking up the Cork puckout by wrapping up Brian Hayes outside the referee's eyeline Once the physical contest is engaged, the key becomes defensive structure – and Limerick excel in this moment, providing strong cover and positioning around the breaking ball. Limerick got players to surround the high ball quickly and win breaks from Cork's puckouts Bryan O'Mara vs Declan Dalton O'Mara's positioning will be critical in managing Tipp's puckout threat. Dalton often drifts deep to contest or pick up the breaks from long puckouts, creating a dilemma for his marker. Does O'Mara push up and follow, hoping to win the break and maintain pressure? Or does he sit deeper and more central, to provide a puckout option for Shelly, as we saw with the second goal versus Kilkenny below? It's a classic risk-reward scenario. Push high to win the break and Tipp can launch an attack; get caught too far forward and Cork suddenly have space to exploit in behind, with runners like Fitzgibbon and O'Mahony. O'Mara's decisions in these moments could shape the rhythm of Tipp's defensive performance. Dublin's Conor Donohoe followed Dalton, and Collins exploited the space left in behind The midfield duel – Where the game could swing Willie Connors and Conor Stakelum will probably line out against Darragh Fitzgibbon and Tim O'Mahony in midfield, where Cork seem to have the edge. Fitzgibbon's athleticism and O'Mahony's distribution are crucial in Cork's build-up. Below we see O'Mahony's movement for Collins's restart that led to Connolly's goal against Dublin. Decoy runs from the Cork forward line gave space for midfielders like O'Mahony to win puckouts and start attacks, as was the case for this Connolly goal. Notice how Cork overload one side of the pitch Both Tipp men must track religiously and get goalside quickly when possession turns over. Failure to do so could open central lanes that Cork love to exploit with late runners. It's either sprint five yards or get goalside of your man – do neither, and it'll be a long afternoon. Tipperary can't afford for their midfielders to be lax tracking late runners, as Cork specialise in these attacks Tipp's restarts Rhys Shelly's puckout strategy is one of Tipperary's most important weapons. He strikes a fine balance between short, mid-range and long deliveries, making it extremely difficult for opposition teams – and even analysts – to identify consistent patterns. His one-step puckout causes problems: the quick trigger limits time for defensive set-ups and disguises his intended target. Shelly can ping accurate passes to the wings, float balls into space behind midfield, or deliver short to his half-backs under pressure. That unpredictability forces teams to second-guess their press and gives Tipp forwards a real advantage in timing their runs. Below we see him finding O'Mara over TJ Reid's head. Will this stop Dalton offering cover to his half-back line? Shelly's short restarts were used as a platform for attacks. Here, Bryan O'Mara receives the puckout to start a goalscoring move by Tipp The next puckout he hits is an 80-yard puckout behind Deegan to Ormond who identifies the space – and where there is space there is danger, particularly in Croke Park. Shelly's long-range puckouts can also be used to find Tipp's key forwards quickly Comes down to both inside lines Tipperary's inside line is higher-scoring, but Cork's looks the more lethal. Tipp's trio of Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath and Jason Forde have averaged 18 points per game across seven matches, while Cork's Horgan, Hayes and Connolly have averaged 17 in six. Tipp may have more volume, but Cork's attack carries greater efficiency and goal threat. [ All-Ireland hurling final: Throw-in time, where to watch, story so far Opens in new window ] Tipp's game intelligence was central to their dismantling of Kilkenny, driven by the sharp instincts of their inside forwards. So far in this year's championship, McGrath (5-14) and Forde (3-14) have led the scoring charge, with McCarthy offering energy and movement around them. McGrath gave Huw Lawlor a torrid time – using double movements, delayed runs and smart rotation to constantly unbalance Kilkenny's full-back line. A game rich with narratives awaits. Whether it's Cork's explosive structure or Tipp's hunger for redemption, this final could come down to moments of discipline, key matchups, and who displays the greatest composure and control going down the home stretch. Jeffrey Lynskey managed Galway to three All-Ireland minor hurling titles. He is also a former Galway under-20 manager and is currently an MSc student in Sports Performance Analysis at Setu Carlow.
