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The 42
12-08-2025
- The 42
Galway win the big moments, Cork forwards shut down, referee criticism
1. Galway keep Cork firepower at bay Cork showed tremendous character to almost snatch a draw after playing the second half of yesterday's All-Ireland final with 14 players. Carrie Dolan's late free may have been the decisive score, yet Galway's All-Ireland success was built on winning key match-ups, particularly in defence. Four of Cork's starting forwards were taken off, including their inside line of Katrina Mackey, Sorcha McCartan and Amy O'Connor, while Emma Murphy (0-2) and Orlaith Cahalane (1-0) were the only starting forwards to score from play. Three of Cork's points in open play came from their midfield pairing of Hannah Looney and Ashling Thompson. Half-back Laura Hayes added another with a monstrous effort in the second half. O'Connor did win a penalty in the opening 10 minutes but was otherwise restricted to two points and one '45, before she was replaced by Cliona Healy in the 48th minute. Cork manager Ger Manley revealed after the game that she suffered a torn hamstring last week, and wasn't 'at full tilt' in the final. Amy O'Connor played the All-Ireland final with a torn hamstring. Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO Mackey also missed that penalty after a brilliant reflex save by Sarah Healy. Cork got three points from their bench in last year's final, but none from their substitutes yesterday. Orlaith Mullins hit 1-2 after she came on in the semi-final against Waterford but couldn't add to her tally after replacing McCartan in the 40th minute. Advertisement Hannah Looney's red card dismissal certainly impacted formations, as Saoirse McCarthy was forced to move to midfield in the second half. Galway centre-back Ciara Hickey conducted the sweeper role effectively for Galway throughout, and had just been called ashore before Orlaith Cahalane scored the goal that levelled the game in the final moments. But ultimately, Galway profited from their match-ups to win and put a halt to Cork's All-Ireland three-in-a-row dreams. ***** 2. First-half momentum swingers When O'Connor was hauled down by Aoife Donohue and Annmarie Starr for that penalty in the ninth minute, it was a draw game. Mackey kept her effort low and into the corner but Galway goalkeeper Sarah Healy dropped quickly to bat the ball out for a '45 which O'Connor scored. One point registered instead of the three that were on offer. Four minutes later, Galway created their first goal chance after Donohue raced through a gap and offloaded to Mairead Dillon who also opted for a low trajectory shot. The Kilconieron forward was successful with her attempt as Galway took a 1-3 to 0-4 advantage. Mairead Dillon scoring Galway's goal. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO In a game that ended in a one-point win for Galway, Caoimhe Kelly's score in the 21st minute has since become a big talking point. Kelly created the score after a turnover on Cork keeper Amy Lee who was trying to secure possession from a Laura Treacy pass. Kelly's goal-bound effort ended in a point and Cork manager Manley disputed the score after the game, pointing out Kelly pushed Lee. Arguably the biggest moment of the game occurred just before half-time. Cork midfielder Hannah Looney reacted to a push by Galway captain Carrie Dolan, resulting in a straight red card. Looney was a huge loss for Cork but they did manage to fight back from five points down and almost clinch a draw with that late Cahalane goal. ***** 3. Referee criticism The performance of referee Justin Heffernan has dominated much of the post-match conversation. Cork boss Manley was among his critics. During his briefing with the media after the game, he repeatedly came back to the disappointment he felt at some of Heffernan's decisions. The Looney red card along with the push on Lee were among his grievances. He also felt substitute Clodagh Finn was the victim of a push in the concluding moments, and questioned the injury-time foul on Dolan which she scored to settle the contest. Hannah Looney's sending off was a major talking point. Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO Victorious Galway manager Cathal Murray felt some of his players were wrongly penalised for charging but said camogie referees have improved to allow for a more free-flowing contest. 'Justin is a good referee and that's the way he referees it, he'll always shake hands and say 'I'm going to let it go as much as I can' and in fairness, most of the referees are doing that. You don't want a game of frees like we had in the past but I do think it was an unbelievable game of camogie.' It's a difficult position for match officials to achieve that balance between enforcing the rules and giving players the freedom to play. In previous years, there were complaints over too many frees being awarded in All-Ireland camogie finals. The 2025 final has been condemned by many for allowing too much physicality in the game. ***** Related Reads 'It's been a mad year' - Wedding and All-Ireland joy for Galway's Star of County Down 'All we heard all week was the three-in-a-row. We were there to take it off them' 'It's not sour grapes, I just thought the referee had a very poor match' 4. Camogie Association must improve promotion During the week, camogie president Brian Molloy announced that the association was targeting a crowd of 40,000 for the 2025 All-Ireland camogie finals. The attendance was 28,795, a slight improvement of last year's figure of 27,811. It's also well below the 48,089 who turned out for Dublin's demolition effort against Meath in last week's Ladies football All-Ireland final. Molloy was hoping that reversing the skorts narrative would encourage people to go to Croke Park. He called on all those who articulated their views about the players' right to choose between shorts and skorts, and asked them to demonstrate their support by coming to the All-Ireland finals. His tactic failed. Fans cannot be preached into attending a sports event. It must come from their own desire as a supporter of the team. Camogie president Brian Molloy before the junior All-Ireland final between Laois and Armagh. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO Another factor which affected the turnout was the throw-in times. Galway and Cork's battle didn't get underway until 5.15pm. That leaves families with a long journey back to either the western county, or back down south. And as a result, many obviously felt it was too big an undertaking. Ladies football and camogie All-Ireland finals day are a great opportunity for a family day out but the evening throw-in time created a major barrier for families to go and enjoy the 2025 event. Of course, holding the junior, intermediate and senior All-Ireland finals in the one day creates a tricky scheduling scenario. But starting with the junior final between Armagh and Laois at 1pm was a misguided call. Reverting to the 12pm, 2pm and 4pm throw-in times could certainly help with getting those crowd numbers up.
Irish Independent
06-08-2025
- Irish Independent
Irish cycling legend to take part in Tour de Munster
More than 100 amateur cyclists are preparing to take on a challenging 600km journey through the six counties of Munster, from Thursday to Sunday, August 7 - 10. The epic cycle is all in support of raising crucial funds for the Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI). This year's tour marks a major milestone, celebrating 25 years on the road for the renowned charity cycle. Since its launch in 2001, Tour de Munster has raised over €5 million for the Munster branches of DSI, making a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of children and adults with Down syndrome throughout the region. Carrick-on-Suir cycling legend Seán Kelly will once again join the four-day expedition, pedalling through Munster's cities, towns, and villages. His participation supports the vital work of the DSI Munster branches, which provide essential services and support to their members. While the journey is physically demanding, the cyclists share a powerful sense of purpose - raising crucial funds and awareness for Down Syndrome Ireland across the province. The 2025 Tour de Munster will kick off from the iconic English Market on Grand Parade in Cork city on Thursday, August 7. After four days of challenging cycling across Munster, the Tour will return to Cork on Sunday, August 10, where participants will face the demanding climb of St. Patrick's Hill to mark the grand finish. In Tipperary, the local branch of Down Syndrome Ireland (DSI) is already putting up the bunting and balloons to host the cyclists. Stage 1: Cork - Killaloe, on Thursday, August 7, will see the cyclists visit Clogheen DSI Tipperary for pasta and pastries in Clogheen Community Hall (1.15pm – 2pm), then on to Cahir at 2.30pm, Tipperary town at 3.30pm, and Ballykisteen for lunch at 3.40pm to 4.30pm. From there, the cyclists ride on to Limerick for a reception by DSI Limerick at King John's Castle at 5.50pm. It's then on to Barry's Cross at 6.35pm, before finishing the day at Killaloe's Lakeside Hotel at 7.15pm overlooking River Shannon, where they will treated to entertainment, some of it provided by members of DSI Tipperary based in Thurles. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Speaking ahead of this year's tour, Paul Sheridan, who established Tour de Munster, said: 'Reaching 25 years is a huge milestone, and it's a testament to the dedication and heart that surrounds this event. 'Taking on the Tour de Munster requires real commitment, with months of training, fundraising, and preparing for four challenging days on the road. But what keeps the wheels turning is the incredible spirit behind it all. 'The support from the public means everything. It lifts our cyclists mile after mile. Every cent raised goes directly to the Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland, making a genuine impact where it's needed most. 'From August 7 to 10, we're asking the people of Munster to rally behind us once again by cheering us on, donate if you can, and help us continue making a real difference together.' Speaking ahead of this year's Tour, Claire Power, Chairperson of Down Syndrome Waterford and South Kilkenny, said: 'We're so proud to be part of the Tour de Munster's 25th anniversary. 'The impact of this event on our community in Waterford and South Kilkenny cannot be overstated. Every cent raised goes toward providing vital services for our members, and the support from local businesses and the wider public is truly heart-warming. We look forward to lining the streets in support of the cyclists and wish them a safe and successful tour.'
RTÉ News
06-08-2025
- RTÉ News
Amy O'Connor: 'Everyone talking about' Cork's three-peat
Cork's Amy O'Connor admits there is no escaping talk of three in a row ahead of Sunday's Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie final against Galway at Croke Park. The Rebels have been able to secure back-to-back titles seven times since the early 90s, but a 'threepeat' has proved elusive for the 30-time champions. It's over 50 years since Cork won the competition three times on the spin, so there is a chance on Sunday to write this group of players into the history books. Players are often shielded from talk of such achievements, but O'Connor said the experienced Cork players are happy to factor in the magnitude of this year's final. Speaking to RTÉ Sport, O'Connor said the three-in-a-row factor is dominating conversations within the Rebel County. She revealed: "Everyone you talk to is talking about it. For ourselves, you have to acknowledge it. It's an unbelievable position to be in but it's not something we're going to focus on too much. "It's another final. Every final you get to you want to win so we're not trying to go out and specifically focus on the three in a row, we're focusing on the final and trying to win that. "I think pressure is like an external factor. We won't put too much pressure on ourselves and we've had a good year so far. We won the league and we had a good Munster Championship and then we had a good group round as well. We then beat Waterford in the semi-final. "I think pressure will be external and we'll just focus on ourselves." A clash with Galway is familiar for Cork. The Tribeswomen emerged three-point winners in the 2021 decider, before the Rebels extracted revenge by the same margin last year. It has been the Munster side with the upper hand in meetings so far this campaign and O'Connor is expecting another close call. She explained: "There's not much between us. They know us very well and we know them very well. "We always end up playing each other a couple of times throughout each year and we played them in the league final. It'll be a 50-50 battle on the day. "I think we've key players in every line. We've great experience in the back with Libby Coppinger, Meabh Cahalane and Pam and then out around the middle you with the likes of Laura Hayes, Ashling Thompson, Hannah Looney and Saoirse McCarthy. "Our inside forward line have done very well and there's huge competition for places. Everyone will be contributing on the day and we're really looking forward to it." It has been a period of sorrow for hurling within the county after the men's side sensationally wilted in their final against Tipperary last month at Croke Park, when appearing to be on the cusp of victory. O'Connor had sympathy for her counterparts and is aiming to lift the mood within Cork. "Unfortunately it just didn't work out that way for the lads," she said of the loss to Tipp. "They put in so much effort throughout the year and obviously they didn't want to go out and perform the way they did in the second half. "They'll be back and hopefully we can go on and do it and give the county a bit of a lift."
