GAA championship: Louth v Monaghan – Follow all today's action as it happens
Live |
Welcome to Independent.ie's GAA championship live blog with Gaelic football's All-Ireland qualifiers the main focus of today's action.
Meanwhile in hurling, there's some Lory Meagher and Joe McDonagh Cup action down for decision.
Follow all the action here.
Just now
26' Louth 2-01 Monaghan 1-10
Micheal Bannigan has tagged on two more points to increase Monaghan's lead as we approach half-time. The latter score was a beautifully measured free into the driving wind and rain. Curled it delightfully from right to left.
5 minutes ago
All-Ireland Football Series - Group Stage
Armagh 0-05 Derry 0-01 (10 mins)
Conor Glass opened the scoring for Derry but Armagh have reeled off the last 5 unanswered scores with one taking the form of a two-pointer scored by Oisin Conaty.
9 minutes ago
21' Louth 2-01 Monaghan 1-08
Monaghan have responded well to the concession of that goal with two scores from Stephen Mooney preceding a fine point from Ciaran Duffy who burst though a gap to convert.
15 minutes ago
13' Louth 2-01 Monaghan 1-05
GOAL! It's raining goals in Newbridge as Ciaran Downey takes on the shot which is saved by Rory Beggan. The ball falls kindly for Tommy Durnin who followed in to draw a boot on it and lash it to an empty net.
Micheal Bannigan hits back for the Farney men at the other end to open his account.
19 minutes ago
11' Louth 1-01 Monaghan 1-04
Sam Mulroy fires over a free from close range, but in the next passage of play the Wee County break the three-man rule as Brendan Cawley is informed of the rule breach.
Rory Beggan trots up the field to drill over a two-pointer from the free as Stephen O'Hanlon follows up with a point of his own.
22 minutes ago
7' Louth 1-00 Monaghan 1-01
GOAL! A minute after a point from Dessie Ward, Tommy Durnin fires in a beautiful pass to Sam Mulroy who drills it past Rory Beggan! Beautiful response from Ger Brennan's side.
25 minutes ago
2' Louth 0-00 Monaghan 1-00
GOAL! A dream start for Monaghan as Conor McCarthy hares up the right sideline to handpass it in to Stephen O'Hanlon who squeezes his effort past Niall McDonnell in the Louth goal. He got fingertips to it but couldn't keep it out!
29 minutes ago
1' The ball is thrown in and we are off! It's not quite as sunny as weekends gone by in Newbridge. A stronger southerly breeze is accompanied by rain showers and temperatures of around 15 degrees this afternoon.
The referee for this afternoon's game is Brendan Cawley hailing from the Sarsfields GAA Club in County Kildare.
30 minutes ago
After their Leinster triumph, former Monaghan footballer Dick Clerkin believes Louth have to back up their success with consistency over the All-Ireland series campaign:
Dick Clerkin: Having climbed their Leinster mountain, Louth must now prove they can stay in the race with the game's big boys
Back in June 2002, I lined out centre half-back when Monaghan hosted Louth in a first-round qualifier. In a damp and sparsely attended St Tiernach's Park, Clones, it was one of those largely irrelevant first-round clashes during the early days of the qualifiers. For some, the main prize on offer was seeing who could book their flights to the States first.
www.independent.ie
31 minutes ago
All-Ireland Football Series - Group Stage
Meath 1-13 Cork 0-12 (Full-time)
Robbie Brennan and Meath bounce back from their Leinster final heartbreak with victory over the Rebels this afternoon at a wet and windy Pairc Tailteann.
Jordan Morris bagged the crucial goal in the first-half and although Colm O'Callaghan and Mark Cronin managed two-pointers for Cork, it wasn't to be fore John Cleary's men in the end.
32 minutes ago
HERE'S THE MONAGHAN LINE UP:
Gabriel Bannigan will be hoping his side can spring an upset on the newly crowned Leinster champions today in Newbridge. Rory Beggan starts in goals and offers considerable threat from placed balls out the field.
Ryan Wylie is one of the Farney's elder statesmen with ample knowhow, while Conor McCarthy loves to get forward from half-back. Stephen O'Hanlon and Micheal Bannigan form a strong half-forward line.
Three late changes sees Killian Lavelle, Stephen Mooney and Ryan McAnespie start ahead of Ciaran McNulty, David Garland and Jack McCarron.
@monaghangaa on Twitter / X
📣TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT Monaghan Senior Football Manager Gabriel has announced the Monaghan team to play Louth this Saturday as we commence our All-Ireland Championship Campaign!🆚Louth🏟️Cedral St Conleth's Newbridge ⏱️16:45@activ8energies @McAreeEng @MoffettAuto #shoecity pic.twitter.com/EyzXIcx0wD— @monaghangaa (@monaghangaa) May 22, 2025
33 minutes ago
LOUTH TEAM NEWS:
A few late changes to the Louth team from the graphic below as Dermot Campbell and Peter Lynch have been ruled out of the squad. Emmet Carolan and Dan Corcoran come into the side.
After their Leinster provincial success, Louth announced their team to face Monaghan on Thursday night. The Wee County set up under manager Ger Brennan with Niall McDonnell in goals and the offensive-minded Craig Lennon at left half-back. Vice-captain Tommy Durnin starts in midfield with half-forward Conor Grimes and full-forward Sam Mulroy as well as Ryan Burns the standout names in attack:
Louth GAA on Twitter / X
❗️TEAM NEWS DROPPED❗️Ger Brennan names his 26 man panel for this Saturday's; Sam Maguire Cup opener with Monaghan in Newbridge!📝🏟️LúAbú❤️🤍❤️🤍❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/5p9J2Vroqm— Louth GAA (@louthgaa) May 22, 2025
46 minutes ago
All-Ireland Football Series - Group Stage
Meath 1-12 Cork 0-12 (64 mins)
A frantic few minutes in Pairc Tailteann have just passed as Cork briefly cut the deficit to a solitary score thanks to a two-pointer from Mark Cronin and a Chris Og Jones effort.
Meath have steadied the ship and survived the Rebels' storm once again with a free from Matthew Costello and James Conlon converting from open play.
53 minutes ago
All-Ireland Football Series - Group Stage
Meath 1-10 Cork 0-09 (56 mins)
Jordan Morris and Sean Coffey reel off two fine scores for the Royals before second-half substitute Ruairi Deane responded for Cork.
The Rebels have since introduced Rory Maguire and Eanna O'Hanlon for Sean Dore and Cathail O'Mahony.
Matty Taylor of Cork in action against Ruairí Kinsella of Meath. Sportsfile
Today 11:13 AM
All-Ireland Football Series - Group Stage
Meath 1-08 Cork 0-08 (50 mins)
Eoghan Frayne split the posts with a free a couple of minutes before Matthew Costello raised the umpire's white flag from play. James Conlon opens his account for the day with his first score to restore the 3-point lead.
The Royals are first to call upon the cavalry as Keith Curtis and Adam O'Neill replace Frayne and Jack Flynn.
Today 11:02 AM
All-Ireland Football Series - Group Stage
Meath 1-05 Cork 0-08 (39 mins)
The second-half is back underway in Navan and Cork have eaten into the Royals' half-time lead to restore parity. Marry Taylor clipped over a point a minute before midfielder Colm O'Callaghan availed of the wind to fire over the first two-point score of the game from the edge of the 40-metre arc.
Today 10:49 AM
All-Ireland Football Series - Group Stage
Meath 1-05 Cork 0-05 (Half-time)
Still very much all to play for at the interval in Pairc Tailteann as the Royals head into the dressing rooms with a lead courtesy of Jordan Morris' goal on 31 minutes.
Chris Og Jones (0-3) coupled with a pair of Mark Cronin frees keeps the Rebels in touch. Worth mentioning Cork were playing into the wind in that half, so it'll be interesting to see if they can take advantage of it after the break.
Today 10:45 AM
Joe McDonagh Cup
Kerry 1-14 Westmeath 2-28 (Full-time)
Killian Doyle kept up his consistent scoring after the break while David O'Reilly surged in for a goal in the 41st-minute. Westmeath tagged on a further 1-12 in total after the break to the Kingdom's 0-9 which ensured the double-scores win.
Carlow 2-17 Laois 1-20 (Full-time)
Dramatic scenes at the death in Cullen Park as Laois snatch a final berth in the Joe McDonagh Cup courtesy of a last minute goal. Such was the chaos caused by the free dropped into the large parallelogram, it's unknown who actually got the final touch. The Lilywhites await them in the final.
Kildare 1-26 Down 1-14 (Full-time)
Brian Dowling's men tagged on their fourth win of the Joe McDonagh Cup campaign with a routine win over Down. The Mourne men bagged a consolation goal at the death through Shea Pucci, but the likes of David Qualter (1-13), Darragh Melville and Gerry Keegan (0-3, each) ensured their place in the final.
Today 10:34 AM
All-Ireland Football Series - Group Stage
Meath 1-03 Cork 0-05 (31 mins)
GOAL! Shortly after Matthew Costello's point, Jordan Morris takes full advantage of the space in front of him. He scythed his way through the Cork half-back line and sold the dummy before blasting it past Micheal Aodh Martin.
Today 10:25 AM
All-Ireland Football Series - Group Stage
Meath 0-02 Cork 0-04 (23 mins)
Eoghan Frayne coverts from a placed ball before the Rebels open up a narrow lead as Chris Og Jones fires over two scores either side of a Mark Cronin free.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Goal-shy Galway reliant on deadly accurate Cathal Mannion
Against Kilkenny, Dublin and Wexford in this year's Leinster championship Galway managed just three goal chances, while their opposition combined for a total of 19. Despite winning two of those three games en route to this afternoon's Leinster hurling decider against Kilkenny - Galway conceded eight goals and scored just the one. That sole green flag came against Wexford in added time to give the Tribesmen an eight-point lead. Ultimately when they face the Cats again at Croke Park, Galway will need to create more goal chances and concede much fewer if they are to reverse the 12 point-deficit in April. Kilkenny scored three of half a dozen chances in that comfortable first-round victory in Nowlan Park on a day when the visitors failed to create even one half goalscoring chance. In their victories over Wexford and Dublin, the Tribesmen scored one goal from three chances. Those two missed chances were both easily saved from tight angles under extreme defensive pressure and they were rather fortunate to concede just five goals from 13 chances. While Galway have been short on goals they haven't lacked for points - raising by far the most white flags of any county prior to the provincial finals. That tallies 131 in five matches, and in those three games they managed 79 points compared to 55 from the other teams combined. Central to that has been Cathal Mannion. The Ahascragh-Fohenagh forward has scored 2-43 in four games, with 1-28 from placed balls and 1-15 from play. In the county's three biggest tests to date against Kilkenny, Dublin and Wexford he scored a total of 0-35. The 2015 All Star has been in sensational scoring form for his team and in those three encounters his scores and assists have accounted for 54% of his team's total. The 2017 All-Ireland winner has assisted 0-08 as well as winning two of the frees he converted himself. His other start came against Offaly when he scored 2-08, assisted 0-05 and was fouled for two of the three frees he floated over the bar. In his four Leinster outings this season, the 30-year old has scored or assisted 56% (2-56) of his team's combined scoring. If he'd featured in the 28-point demolition of Antrim his numbers would be off the charts. Mannion's scoring is all the more impressive when you consider his shooting accuracy. From 24 in-play shots so far this championship he has scored 1-15. He has worn the free-taking responsibility lightly. In his maiden campaign at inter-county level with placed-ball duties, Mannion has scored almost 81% from his 36 attempts in Leinster, with five of his seven misses coming from his own half. Looking at the three games against Kilkenny, Dublin and Wexford in isolation he has scored 24 of 27 attempts, showing not only an impressive range, which was to be expected given his scoring ability from general play, but also an excellent temperament under pressure. On average (in-play) Mannion has been directly involved in over 10 scoring opportunities per game. In total he is averaging six shots and just under 0-05 from play per game, almost 0-8 from placed balls, and 0-03 in assists per match so far in the 2025 championship. While Mannion's form will give Galway fans hope, the reliance on him is a cause for concern. One of Galway's biggest scorers in recent seasons, St Thomas' Conor Cooney has started four of his team's five games off the bench. Along with his 11 points (nine frees) when starting against Antrim, in those three substitute appearances he has amassed 1-03 from play making him the highest scoring substitute so far in the Leinster championship. While eight Kilkenny hurlers have contributed to their team's scoring as replacements, only three Galway players have. Nevertheless in a tight encounter, if Micheál Donoghue again opts against starting the 2017 All Star, he could prove the difference maker when introduced. It was Cooney who scored his team's only goal in the games against Kilkenny, Dublin or Wexford. However, even if Cooney provides a similar impact off the bench and Mannion continues his free-scoring form - Galway will need a huge slice of fortune to win any game when conceding so many goal chances and creating so few.
The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
Kildare's Joe McDonagh dream - 'This was probably only in the far off depths of my brain'
SHORTLY AFTER WINNING the Christy Ring Cup yet again last year, Kildare goalkeeper Paddy McKenna and his colleagues met with manager Brian Dowling to discuss pushing on. No county had won the competition more times and, frankly, none of the Kildare players fancied winning it ever again. McKenna was involved in all five of Kildare's Ring Cup triumphs, between 2014 and 2024, and was desperate to operate regularly at a higher level. Hitting new standards of fitness was a prerequisite, the players felt. A number of alterations were made to Dowling's backroom and perhaps the most significant was the addition of strength and conditioning expert Mickey Gillick. Truth be told, the players were pushing an open door with Dowling who sensed the need for a fresh approach himself. 'He was in agreement with us, he had it pretty much set up before we even went to him,' said McKenna. 'He knew himself that, right, we're going to need something big here going up to the Joe Mac.' It was a tough winter of physical investment but the dividend has been impressive. 'It's the fittest I've certainly ever been anyway,' said McKenna. 'That's probably an easy enough feat as a goalkeeper but for the lads out the field, they're all in great nick as well. And they're wanting more too. That's what we wanted really.' It hasn't been quite a straight line between last year's Ring Cup win and qualifying for tomorrow's Joe McDonagh Cup final against Laois though. In fact, when Kildare began this season's competition with a Round 1 defeat to Kerry, it looked as if their old habit of falling flat on their faces at the higher grade was repeating itself. Advertisement McKenna lifting the Christy Ring Cup last June. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO That was Kildare's ninth ever game in the McDonagh Cup, across three different campaigns — 2021, 2023 and 2025 — and their ninth consecutive defeat. Seven weeks and four unlikely wins later, McKenna is on the verge of the most significant achievement of his career. Truth be told, just staying up in the second tier of hurling this year would have been progress. 'This was probably only in the far off depths of my brain at that stage,' said McKenna of a Croke Park final fixture after the defeat to Kerry. 'Thankfully we didn't make it to 10 losses in a row. Look, it was just getting back to basics, realising that we had to show up for every single game.' So when exactly did Kildare start to think of actually winning the competition and of an audacious bid for Leinster SHC activity in 2026? 'Probably when we got the result in Carlow, to be honest, that was a big monkey off our backs,' said the five-time Ring Cup winner, referencing their Round 3 win. 'Carlow have had some massive results in the last few years, drawing with Kilkenny in the Leinster championship last year, beating Waterford in the league earlier this year, maintaining their status in Division 1B. 'That's the standard we want to be competing at regularly so we knew that if we were able to get a result against them…and beating Laois and Westmeath as well, the three teams that had been up in the Leinster championship, that's kind of where we got the drive and the realisation that, yeah, it could be on for us.' Kildare manager Brian Dowling. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO The thing is, Kildare didn't just sneak into tomorrow's Croke Park decider. They topped the group while it was Laois that had to conjure the late goal just to draw with Carlow and nudge the Barrowsiders out on scoring difference. Laois are still favourites to win and to make up for last year's final loss to Offaly. Three of their starting defenders – Lee Cleere, Padraig Delaney and Ryan Mullaney – along with half-forward Paddy Purcell, lined out in the 2019 final win. Several more 2019 performers are retained on the bench for this season's final. But what they hold over Kildare in experience and hurling tradition could be trumped by the sheer desperation of Brian Dowling's Lilywhites to make the most of this rare opportunity. 'It's going to be tough and I'd say Laois will have their homework done on us,' said McKenna. 'I'd say they found out an awful lot about us when we played them in O'Moore Park a couple of weeks ago.' The one certainty is that Kildare will play Dublin or Tipperary in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final in Newbridge next weekend. Win tomorrow and their dubious reward will be a date with Tipperary. Lose and it will be the Dubs coming to the redeveloped St Conleth's Park. For some, parachuting the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists back into the race for the MacCarthy Cup is unnecessary, even unfair. Reigning All-Ireland champions Clare are gone from the competition already after all, along with Waterford, Wexford, Offaly and Antrim. 'I can see both sides of the coin on that,' said McKenna. 'The fact that the Joe McDonagh is its own competition and, like, there's no other competition in the GAA where the winners of it go into a separately run competition that you could possibly win without playing the earlier games in it. A general view of the Joe McDonagh Cup (file photo). James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO 'But then it's a great carrot as well, knowing that we have another two weeks of this and you're summing hurling as well which is great. That's when hurling is at its best.' Kildare have already been promoted to Division 1B of next season's National League. Getting to the Leinster SHC would cap their greatest season in decades. The last time they competed in Leinster was 2004. McKenna is confident that the success is sustainable, pointing to the growth of hurling around the county. 'There's hurling again in Round Towers, for example,' he said. 'A lot of south Kildare would have had a tradition of hurling when it was strong in the '60s and '70s and they're coming alive again. 'Towers, Twomilehouse, there's even hurling going on in Kilcullen as well, and Moorefield are after going senior now which is huge. That would be a so-called football club, with Leinster club titles, but they're showing that they're well able to hurl as well. 'For hurling to be sustainable in Kildare, we need every club going like that and making players available and that's what's happening.'
Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Tredagh Boxing Academy enjoy gold rush up North at Armagh/Down Championships
Three of their fighters saw Friday night action at the Armagh/Down Open Championships in Craigavon where Daniel Mathews boxed very well in his semi-final against Dundalk opposition and was unlucky to be edged out on a split decision. Daniel, only back from a long injury, was very impressive in the first half of the bout but lost the last round, with his inactivity for the past two months a key factor. Callum Carragher boxed his final against a very sharp Jake Daly from D Box. This was in the senior section and it was Callum's first experience of three rounds of three minutes duration, with no headguard. This was undoubtedly the fight of the night as it showcased two very talented boxers. Callum's advanced technical combinations and hard-hitting backhands were very impressive in a high-tempo contest and he was crowned as an Armagh/Down Open senior champion by unanimous decision. Darragh Smyth was in action against a very strong, game boxer Christian Mc Masters from Portavogie Boxing Club and this was another high-tempo, tough bout. Darragh's skillset has really improved over the past year and this, mixed with his natural strength and hard-hitting backhand, was the difference as he was also crowned as an Armagh/Down Open champion. The Saturday was another busy day as boxers and coaches from Tredagh Academy took off in different directions. At the All-Ireland Cadet Championships in the National Stadium both Cian Smyth and Charlie Flanagan were in action again after their impressive wins in the same competition the weekend before. Cian Smyth was up first and he faced Se O'Neill from St Janice's Boxing Club in what turned out to be another fantastic bout. The Tredagh fighter was particularly impressive in rounds two and three but lost out on the dreaded split decision. Nevertheless, there was plenty to admire about Cian who is technically still a novice and yet won one bout on his National Stadium debut and very nearly progressed to the semi-finals. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Charlie Flanagan from Tredagh faced the current All-Ireland champion from Avona, took the first round and was winning the second when he tripped and injured his knee. Unfortunately, Charlie had to retire and is having the issue medically addressed. Like young Cian, Charlie really excelled in this competition, coming through two rounds, and it didn't go unnoticed as he was invited onto the coveted Leinster Development Squad. The same weekend Tredagh also sent a number of boxers to Craigavon for their respective Armagh/Down finals. Kailin Morris had a cracking contest with Ethan Mulligan (Camlough) and lost narrowly, while James Hackett also fought opposition from Camlough, boxed very well at range and triggered his aggressive, hard-hitting backhand to become an Armagh/Down Open champion by unanimous decision. Jamie Campbell was also involved in a tough three-round battle against a strong lad in Toryn Simpson (SOTS BC). Jamie bit down on his gumshield hard and showed great determination and will to earn the decision and get crowned as an Armagh/Down Open champion. Emma O'Gorman had a repeat of her All-Ireland final against an opponent from Castleblayney and raised her game. So much son that the Tredagh corner felt she had won, but the outcome went the other way on a split decision. There was better fortune for Keith Muma who gave a technical masterclass with aggression to beat Eoin Bennett (John McCoy BC) by unanimous decision and win another Armagh/Down title. Meanwhile, Ceejay Sheelan and Andrew Mathews attended Leinster Development Squad training in Carlow recently, while Michael James McDonagh and Simon McDonagh boxed at the exhibition show in Bay City BC in Dublin. Tredagh's head coach Padraig McCullough attended weekend four of the Sport Ireland Coach Developer Course in Limerick University. Overall, in the past few weeks Tredagh Academy have won seven golds and three silvers in the senior Armagh/Down Championships and seven golds and one silver at the equivalent junior competition - the club's biggest ever number of champions in those two tournaments.
