
Louth denied victory by late flurry of Mayo points
Nickey Rackard Cup - Round 3 Mayo 2-25 Louth 2-18
The Argus
'For me, looking at today, I wouldn't mind another shot at those [Mayo] boys,' said Louth manager Trevor Hilliard after he saw his side push Mayo all the way in their third round Rackard Cup encounter at Castlebar.
'The score didn't show where we were. We led this game the whole way. I can't fault the boys for their effort. People were giving us no chance down here but by God, Louth brought their game today. I'm very proud of the way the lads played.'

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Irish Independent
9 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Students from Wexford and Kilkenny schools to feature in new RTÉ documentary
Over five years in the making, the series is a landmark documentary production, exploring the evolution of Gaelic football from its inception to the modern day, and the invaluable contribution which the sport has made to Irish life. Filmed in cinema-quality 4K, the series also features the final television interviews conducted with GAA stalwarts Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Kerry's Seán Murphy and Mick O'Dwyer, Dublin's Jimmy Gray and Mayo's John O'Mahony and Dr. Mick Loftus. Chronicling how the game has changed through more than a century of rebellion and revolution, bitter rivalries, triumphs, upsets and comebacks, the series is both a celebration and exploration of a unique arm of Irish life. Its unique story is told through the testimonies of players, managers and expert commentators, captivating archive and stunning visuals. Hell for Leather: The Story of Gaelic Football tells the story of a game born out of necessity, dreamt up by a nation in search of a social identity and something that could challenge the pre-eminence of foreign games. Gaelic football later took root in the northern counties and became a truly all-island sport - a game of and for the Irish people. A sport with a presence in just about every village in Ireland, Gaelic football has a hugely important legacy, and this is the story of that legacy. The entire series consists of over 80 interviews conducted with, among others, Michael Murphy, David Clifford, Jack McCaffery, Juliet Murphy, Shane Walsh, Brian Fenton, Mick O'Connell, Cora Staunton, Joe Brolly, Tony Hanahoe, Colm Cooper and Briege Corkery. It also features contributions from managers past and present - Jim McGuinness, Padraic Joyce, Seán Boylan and Kevin McStay. Meanwhile, school children from Catherine McAuley Junior School, New Ross Educate Together and Marymount NS The Rower feature in the series, with players from Rathgarogue Cushinstown GAA also included. Produced by Crossing the Line Productions, one of the producers, Siobhán Ward is a native of The Rower in south Kilkenny, and is proud to have worked on the series from her hometown, and to see the local areas and participants also included in the production. The first episode, The Renaissance, will see Brian Fenton fighting back tears as he details his love of the game, while David Clifford's magical feet are revealed in slow motion and Shane Walsh kicks the paint off the gable wall at his family home. The series debut takes the viewers from these modern magicians on a journey back in time, to the rough and tumble origins of Gaelic Football. Through rebellion and civil war, it exploded like a prairie fire to become the most played game in Ireland.

The 42
a day ago
- The 42
Farewell to the format that sought to give Gaelic football the showcase it deserves
THEY SAY DETAILS make perfection and perfection is not a detail. This may be football's summer of love but it will also be the last one to be played to this beat as the concept of incorporating a league structure to championship football ends the weekend after next. It is likely that not too many will mourn its departure given that the relationship developed between supporters and championship structures tend to be about as sustainable, deep and meaningful as the ball on a tee is to a high-handicap golfer. And just like the latter, when it inevitably goes out of bounds or enters terrain where livestock could be lost, there is always a brand new shiny one to be pulled from the bag. If you think we are exaggerating here is a stat to chew on: since the introduction of the qualifiers 25 years ago, next year will see the ninth change to the format. We have seen it all: a reduction in the qualifier rounds to facilitate the Tommy Murphy Cup, splitting the qualifiers in two to create schedule breathing space, the introduction of the Super 8s, the return of the retro straight knock-out compliments of a global pandemic, the return of the qualifiers to kill time, the introduction of the Tailteann Cup and, of course, the soon to be departed All-Ireland series league format. Those who argue that the GAA have spent a quarter of a century chasing its tail have their case strengthened by the fact that the latest incarnation feels more like a tribute band to the original headline act back in 2001, with the tweak that there will be a second chance to the second chance. Eight first-round games will see the winners hit a second round where they will play off for four All-Ireland quarter-final berths, while the eight first-round losers will play off to make it into a preliminary quarter-final, where they will face the four first-round winners who did not make it to the quarter-finals. We hope you understand, but perhaps it is best that you don't because there will probably be another one coming down the track someday very soon, so it is advisable not to get too invested. Armagh's win over Dublin guaranteed their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO The one thing that has not changed are the provincial championships; a concept so flawed that they triggered the last quarter of a century of format meddling to try and bring balance and fairness to a system where there was none. Advertisement In truth, it is not quite right to say that they have not changed. In fact, they have become the antithesis of hiding in plain sight. They can't be missed to the naked eye, yet, in terms of their impact on the All-Ireland championship, they have never mattered less. In that way, they serve the best of both worlds – most pointedly given Louth's joy last month – but long-term, the game would be better served in their detachment as pre-championship standalone competitions. In the argument of geographical entitlement against sporting merit, the game as a competitive spectacle can only prosper when the latter wins out. And that is why as we wave off the league element of the All-Ireland series, we should do so with the expressed hope that we will see it back again some day soon. Because of all the format changes, it was the one that sought to give football the summer showcase it deserves. It was why the former GAA Director General Paraic Duffy came up with the Super 8s, inspired by the idea of importing the one competition that has worked – the Allianz League – to the summer to make up for a deficit in competitive and high-end games. The flaw in the Super 8s was that they were elitist, but that was always going to be addressed by ensuring that every team at every level would get to play games at their level. Cavan and Donegal are level on two points apiece heading into the final round of matches. Leah Scholes / INPHO Leah Scholes / INPHO / INPHO The irony is that as we say farewell to the group stages after their third and final season, they have never worked as well. Practically every team has something to play for in the final round: Donegal, Mayo, Tyrone and Cavan all grouped together on two points; Galway, Dublin and Derry are vying for two knock-out places in Group Four; Cork/Roscommon and Louth/Clare have been distilled down to knockout games; while Kerry/Meath and Down/Monaghan are playing for direct entry to the quarter-finals. The irony is that had that happened over the past two seasons, there would have been no move to shelve the league series but the truth is that the format just got lucky this time. But when you neglect detail, all you have left to lean on is luck and the thing about luck is that it lends, it does not give. The initial decision to allow three teams to advance from each group – thereby playing 24 games to eliminate four teams – was always going to feed the public perception of a lack of jeopardy. It was done to ensure that 'dead rubbers' would not feature in the final round, but not only did that kill the intrigue of the round robin series, the promise that the Sam Maguire would become more accessible by merit was not delivered on. One of the hooks was that it would be linked to league status – which will also apply to the new format – offering the incentive for teams promoted from Division 3 a shot at playing in the Sam Maguire. Over the past three seasons, Westmeath were the only one out of six teams promoted from Division 3 to be rewarded with a place in the Sam Maguire, with those places being taken by a team of lower league status that reached a provincial final. For the past two seasons, Clare have reached the Sam Maguire by beating Waterford and Tipperary. Last year, they lost to Down in a final-round promotion decider by 11 points, yet by virtue of beating the 32nd placed team in the league, they took Down's place in the Sam Maguire. That most likely would not have happened had the GAA legislated for provincial councils for their draws to be seeded by league status. More to the point, at a Central Council meeting last September, a decision was taken that the All-Ireland league series was not fit for purpose, but a decision was made to keep it for one more year. It begs a question as to why they did need not at least seek to address the flaws that were so evident for this season? Why did they not cut the number of teams to two emerging from the group stages, thereby eliminating the need for the preliminary quarter-finals that demands teams play three weekends in a row and allow the All-Ireland play-offs badly needed breathing space? Why did they not seek to curb the threat of dead rubbers by not pre-determining the sequence of fixtures in the groups to ensure that the two opening round winners met in the second round? Indeed, given that the link between league and championship has not worked, had the four bottom-placed teams faced playing in two relegation finals with both Tailteann Cup finalists getting promoted, there would be no dead rubbers and there would be clarity 12 months in advance as to what competition teams would be playing in. Instead, by not digging deep into the detail, they have buried the future. The irony is that as the game has never been easier to look at, we will get to see less of it. Go figure.


Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Venues for All-Ireland SFC group games announced as Donegal face longer trek
The final round of fixtures for the All-Ireland SFC group stage have been confirmed, with Donegal-Mayo fixed for Dr Hyde Park. Derry-Dublin, one of the other eye-catching ties as the group stages come to a climax, will be played at Newry's Páirc Esler, with no games for Croke Park, as expected. Mayo will be quietly pleased to be going to Roscommon, which is hardly a halfway house for the fixture, as it's a shorter trek, they play at the venue on a much more regular basis and have a good record there. Donegal boss Jim McGuinness had said that he didn't want the game to be played at Croke Park as 'our supporters have been through the ringer financially up to this point', though the alternative won't have taken much of the edge off in that respect. Sligo's Markievicz Park is a more natural neutral venue but it was off the table as works are being carried out on the playing surface there, though the game will be live on RTE on Sunday week. Both sides need a result to be sure of extending their season, with all four teams in Group One currently on two points each. The other game in the group, between Cavan and Tyrone, will be in Brewster Park in Enniskillen, also throwing in a 4pm. Earlier that afternoon, Group Three will see Louth-Clare take place in Portlaoise and Monaghan-Down in Armagh, both at 2pm. It will be a GAA+ live double header on Saturday week in Group Four, with Armagh and Galway facing off in Breffni Park at 6.30pm, while Dublin and Derry meet in a winner-takes-all tie in Newry. Earlier that day, Kerry and Meath will clash in Tullamore, while the Roscommon-Cork tie is fixed for Portlaoise and will also be live on GAA+. Saturday, June 14 Group Two Kerry v Meath, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 4.15pm Roscommon v Cork, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 4.15pm, live on GAA+ Armagh v Galway, Breffni Park, 6.30pm, live GAA+ Dublin v Derry, Páirc Esler, 6.30pm, live GAA+ Sunday, June 15 Donegal v Mayo, King & Moffatt Dr Hyde Park, 4pm, live on RTE Tyrone v Cavan, Brewster Park, 4pm Louth v Clare, Laois Hire O'Moore Park, 2pm Monaghan v Down, BOX-IT Athletic Grounds, 2pm, live on RTE