logo
'A bit of a disgrace' to put club game before Louth's win over Kildare, says Brennan

'A bit of a disgrace' to put club game before Louth's win over Kildare, says Brennan

Irish Examiner02-05-2025

Louth manager Ger Brennan has described as 'horseshit' the decision to put a Leinster club football game on as a curtain-raiser before the county's provincial SFC semi-final win over Kildare in Tullamore last Sunday.
Speaking at the launch of the Leinster final at The Battle of The Boyne Visitor Centre outside Drogheda yesterday, Brennan said he was upset Louth didn't have access to two dressing rooms for their clash in Glenisk O'Connor Park as the two other changing areas were required by Kildare's Milltown and Westmeath club Rosemount.
"It was a silly venue and there was a Leinster intermediate league final on before the Louth and Kildare match, so we didn't have access to two dressing rooms," explained Brennan. "We were all squashed into one dressing room. How that was organised before a semi-final of the Leinster championship was just incredible.'
Brennan claims the experience was a difficult one for Kildare too. 'I was talking to Brian Flanagan beforehand, I know him over the years and he's a sound fella. And we were there looking at each other because you have the guts of 15 or 16 in a backroom team and then you have 30 lads togging out, your 26 and your four reserves. And you have another seven or eight fellas who didn't make the squad or are injured. We were like sardines in one changing room. Dare I say, it was a bit of a disgrace and badly organised from the Leinster Council."
Brennan only became aware of it when the priest that married him and his wife Aisling and baptised his children, Fr Joe Campbell, told him the match was on. 'He's from the parish and he said, 'I'll be down supporting Rosemount before your match' and he sent me on the advertisement for it. So I rang the county board and asked them were they aware of it and they said no. It was just horseshit."
The former Dublin defender felt the game should have been staged in Croke Park. 'I know the Louth and Kildare lads would rather have played in Croke Park, so I actually don't think it was a good move to take the semi-finals out of Croke Park on this occasion. But then would Meath have finished the game as strongly? I don't know."
Over 32,000 tickets have already been sold for Sunday week's Louth-Meath Leinster SFC final. The attendance is on course to be the biggest for the event since 47,027 attended the Dublin-Meath decider in 2019. The 2010 Louth-Meath decider attracted 48,875.
At the launch, Leinster vice-chairman Martin Byrne said: 'I think the council showed a good bit of leadership this year. We tried a few things, we brought the semi-finals out of Croke Park for the first time in a long time. Kildare played their first game in a Leinster championship at home this year, Dublin went to Wicklow. All those things help create the occasions for those special days, which ends up with where we are on Sunday week.'
Meanwhile, Louth captain Sam Mulroy has welcomed the news that funding has been secured for the county board to go ahead with the first phase of a new 14,000-capacity stadium outside Dundalk.
"There has been a big push on to get it done over the last number of years. I think everyone who saw the news the other day was absolutely buzzing that they were getting the green light and can push it on again. I know in the background from talking to Seán [McClean, county chairman] and even Peter [Fitzpatrick, former chairman] in times gone past how hard they have worked to get it done and it's great credit to them. It's a massive thing for Louth's future and somewhere to call home."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Kerry make five changes as Mark O'Shea set to make first championship start
Kerry make five changes as Mark O'Shea set to make first championship start

Irish Examiner

timean hour ago

  • Irish Examiner

Kerry make five changes as Mark O'Shea set to make first championship start

The Kerry team announced to start Saturday's All-Ireland SFC Group 2 final round game against Meath in Tullamore shows five changes from the side that began the Round 2 win over Cork. Barry Dan O'Sullivan (knee), Paudie Clifford (hamstring) and Paul Geaney (shoulder) were not expected to start and in come Mark O'Shea for a starting championship debut, Killian Spillane and Dylan Geaney. In defence, Dylan Casey and Brian Ó Beaglaoich make way for the experienced pair of Paul Murphy and Tadhg Morley, although Austin Stacks's man Casey is among the substitutes where Dara Moynihan returns. Morley was a late replacement for Ó Beaglaoich in Cork last month. It's certainly a depleted Kerry group that make the trip to Glenisk O'Connor Park as Diarmuid O'Connor (groin) is still unavailable. A win or a draw will be enough for The Kingdom to top the table and earn an automatic All-Ireland quarter-final place and a two-week break. KERRY (SFC v Meath): S. Ryan; P. Murphy, J. Foley, T. O'Sullivan; T. Morley, M. Breen, G. White (c); J. O'Connor, M. O'Shea; G. O'Sullivan, S. O'Shea, M. Burns; D. Clifford, K. Spillane, D. Geaney. Subs: S. Murphy, D. Casey, T. Brosnan, A. Heinrich, C. Geaney, E. Looney, S. O'Brien, T.L. O'Sullivan, D. Lyne, C. Trant, R. Murphy, D. Bourke, D. Moynihan.

Leinster handed massive boost ahead of URC Grand Final as Leo Cullen announces team for Croke Park decider
Leinster handed massive boost ahead of URC Grand Final as Leo Cullen announces team for Croke Park decider

The Irish Sun

time6 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

Leinster handed massive boost ahead of URC Grand Final as Leo Cullen announces team for Croke Park decider

LEO Cullen has been given a huge boost ahead of Leinster's URC final showdown with Bulls Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose have shaken off injury concerns to take their place in the 2 Leon Cullen and Leinster have been handed a huge boost ahead of the URC final against the Bulls 2 Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose have been passed fit for the decider at Croke Park But it's not all roses as the clash comes too soon for Meanwhile, 2022 World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier proved his fitness after picking up a hamstring knock in last week's semi-final win over Glasgow. Ringrose returns from a calf injury to a strong midfield pairing with Jordie Barrett. They are the only changes from last week's triumph at Aviva Stadium. read more on rugby On the bench, Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, and Rabah Slimani provide front-row depth, with RG Snyman and Max Deegan among the forward reinforcements. Jamie Osborne is joined by Luke McGrath and the departing Ross Byrne, who is set to make his 186th and final appearance for Leinster. The action gets underway from 5pm KO, live on TG4 and Premier Sports 1. Leinster team to face Bulls: Most read in Rugby Union Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (capt). Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Jamie Osborne. Bulls team to face Leinster: Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw; Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden; Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje (capt), Marcell Coetzee. Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Keagan Johannes, Devon Williams.

Owen Farrell to be Sky Sports pundit for Lions opener against Argentina
Owen Farrell to be Sky Sports pundit for Lions opener against Argentina

Irish Times

time6 hours ago

  • Irish Times

Owen Farrell to be Sky Sports pundit for Lions opener against Argentina

Owen Farrell will run the rule over the first match for the British & Irish Lions , against Argentina next week, after joining Sky Sports' punditry team. The 33-year-old will be at the Aviva Stadium next Friday to give his views on how the side, coached by his dad, Andy, fares. Farrell jnr has been part of the three previous tours, having made his bow against Australia in 2013, but was omitted from the 38-man squad last month after a torrid first season with Racing 92. Finn Russell, Fin Smith and Marcus Smith were preferred as the outhalves. His insight into how the Lions perform against the Pumas will be intriguing. When announcing his squad, Farrell snr left the door open for his son – who has made six Lions Test appearances – to be called upon at a later stage but he was not among the additional players recruited for the training camp in Portugal this week. Instead, he will be pitchside in Dublin as part of a Sky Sports lineup forline-upour that includes Sam Warburton, Dan Biggar, Ronan O'Gara, Will Greenwood, Kyle Sinckler, John Barclay, Conor Murray and Nolli Waterman as well as the former Lions coaches Warren Gatland and Ian McGeechan. READ MORE Farrell is not scheduled to be in Australia, ensuring he will be available for selection. He has not featured for Racing since suffering a head injury during their Challenge Cup semi-final loss to Lyon last month. While still under contract at Racing, Farrell has informed the Top 14 club of his desire to leave early and return to the Premiership. Saracens are keen to re-sign the former England captain, but will need to agree personal terms as well as a compensation package with Racing. The former England head coach Eddie Jones will be working on the tour for TalkSport, the station announced last month. Jones has had two spells in charge of the Wallabies, either side of his six-and-a-half year stint leading England. – Guardian

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store