logo
Kildare's Brendan Cawley to referee the All-Ireland senior football final

Kildare's Brendan Cawley to referee the All-Ireland senior football final

The 429 hours ago
KILDARE'S BRENDAN CAWLEY will referee this year's All-Ireland senior football final between Kerry and Donegal.
The clash on 27 July will be the first senior showpiece that Cawley has taken charge of.
A members of the Sarsfields club, Calwey was previously the referee for the 2024 All-Ireland senior club final, the 2023 Division 1 league final, and senior semi-finals in 2022 and 2024.
Advertisement
This season he has been in charge of Donegal against Derry and Donegal against Armagh in the Ulster championship. In the All-Ireland series he refereed Louth against Monaghan, Dublin against Derry, and the quarter-final tie between Kerry and Armagh.
His line umpires on the day will be Monaghan's Martin McNally and Meath's David Coldrick. Martin will be the standby referee, and the Sideline Official will be Thomas Murphy from Galway.
Also on duty will be Garreth Whelan, from Wicklow, who will be Hawk-Eye Official, along with Seán Laverty, from Antrim, who will be the Time Official.
Cawley's umpires on the day will be Dave Coady, Lee Moore (both from Ballykelly), Eoghan Fitzpatrick (Nurney) and Johnny Farrell (Rathangan).
*****
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Meet the former Rebel who makes the hurleys for Cork legend Patrick Horgan
Meet the former Rebel who makes the hurleys for Cork legend Patrick Horgan

Irish Examiner

timean hour ago

  • Irish Examiner

Meet the former Rebel who makes the hurleys for Cork legend Patrick Horgan

Former Cork senior hurler Aidan Walsh knows more than most about hurling. The Kanturk man, who now makes hurleys in his spare time, also knows that in the hands of a wizard like Cork hurling ace Patrick Horgan, a hurley is not just a piece of wood — it's a tool he can use to write another chapter in the storied history of the GAA. For over a decade, Aidan has been crafting the sticks that have helped the Glen Rovers sharp-shooter, renowned for his trademark accuracy from play and placed balls, become the highest scorer in championship history — three goals and 50 points this season alone to bring his championship total to a staggering 32 goals and 679 points. Cork's Patrick Horgan shoots over a point against Clare. Picture: Eddie O'Hare He has ensured that every curve, every ounce of weight, every grip on every hurley he has crafted for the lethal forward meets his specific requirements — each hurley built for moments when inches matter and split-second reactions decide games. He'll be watching closer than most on Sunday as the Rebels bid to end the 20-year drought, and Hoggie bids to win that elusive All-Ireland medal. 'He'll be playing on Sunday with the hurley I made him before the league final,' Aidan says. 'I make about three or four whenever he needs them, but he doesn't break many of them.' Aidan, who makes hurleys in his spare time in a small workshop in Kanturk, prefers to get his ash from England, Scotland or Wales, because the ash grown further east is of a lesser quality. 'It's a little lighter, so at the moment English ash is about the best,' he says. 'When I get a delivery in, I can see which planks look best, which have the best grain to suit Hoggie and I will pick those out and set them aside for him for when he needs a hurley.' Wood chippings fly as Aidan works on a new hurley in his workshop. Picture: Howard Crowdy And he makes a batch while Hoggie stands watching. It means that tweaks can be made at every stage of the production process to ensure the bespoke handcrafted product is just what Hoggie needs. 'The days of throwing a bag of hurleys on the ground and telling players to pick one are long gone,' he says. 'Most players at this elite intercounty level, especially if they are passionate about the sport, know exactly what style of hurley and what weight of hurley they want. Aidan cutting out the shape of the hurley. Picture: Howard Crowdy 'They will have a number one hurley that they will always try to use and number two, three and four as well. 'And to be honest, of all the hurleys I make, this one takes the longest time. 'I am fairly familiar with what he wants in a hurley, but we're able to make the small changes as we go to make sure that he's 100% happy with it.' A former intercounty footballer and hurler with Cork, Aidan won an U21 All-Ireland football medal in 2009 and went on to play senior under Conor Counihan. He played both codes during the 2014 season, winning a Munster Championship medal that year but focused on inter-county hurling only for 2015. He rejoined the Cork senior football team in the summer of 2016, and committed to the football team for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, before committing to the senior hurling squad from 2019 onwards. Aidan seen checking on a hurley during the sanding process in his workshop in Kanturk. Picture: Howard Crowdy However, later that year, he was told he would not be part of the management team's plans, and that spelled the end of his intercounty career. But he's played at that level, he knows the players, and what they need. So what is it about a Hoggie hurley that's so special? 'It's heavier than a normal hurley, it's almost the weight of a goalkeeper's hurley and it has a very big or thick bás,' Aidan says. 'The grip is more rounded than square and the champfer on the bás all the way down to the heel is deeper on one side than the other; it's the side that faces the ground when he's lifting the ball for a free. 'That makes it easier for him to get the bás closer to the ground and easier to pick the ball. 'It's the small details like that that are so important to get right.' He feels a certain amount of pressure but more so a sense of responsibility to make sure that Hoggie has the right hurley to do the job on the pitch. 'But I certainly have the easier job of the two of us. I just have to make the right hurley. He has to go out and perform on the pitch,' he says. 'Of course, I always want him to do well — they say if Hoggie's doing well, Cork is doing well. Aidan with his nearly completed hurley. Picture: Howard Crowdy 'There was panic stations the week before last year's All Ireland final when he broke his number one hurley and I had to drop everything to make a replacement. 'So I'll be a bit nervous alright this week hoping that he doesn't crack his number one hurley. 'He could go a whole year without breaking a hurley but anything can happen in a training session — one flick, one block here, or one clash there. Ash is very unforgiving that way. 'But rest assured, if he does break a hurley over the coming days, I will drop everything to make sure we will get it sorted.' Fanzone Meanwhile, as the scramble for All-Ireland tickets continues, free tickets to the Rebels' Fanzone event in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday are set to be released for booking on Thursday morning. The free, family-friendly, alcohol-free event will be fully ticketed, and u16s must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets will be made available from 7.30am on Thursday via Cork GAA's website Cork City Council's website and from Tickets will be limited to a maximum of five per person, and capacity is limited. Organisers have appealed to fans to only apply for tickets if they are certain they will use them A ticket transfer and cancellation window, including the ability to cancel or transfer some of your tickets, will be open until midnight on Saturday.

Kildare referee Brendan Cawley to take charge of All-Ireland senior football final
Kildare referee Brendan Cawley to take charge of All-Ireland senior football final

Irish Independent

time5 hours ago

  • Irish Independent

Kildare referee Brendan Cawley to take charge of All-Ireland senior football final

It will be the Sarsfields club man's first time taking charge of an All-Ireland senior football final, having made his senior inter-county debut as a referee six years ago. He officiated Kerry's All-Ireland quarter-final victory over Armagh last month as well as the Ulster final between Donegal and Armagh, which Jim McGuinness' side won after extra-time. He was also the man-in-the-middle for their provincial first-round victory over Derry. Monaghan's Martin McNally is his stand-by referee on the day, which will be Cawley's 30th championship game as referee. Kildare GAA lauded Cawley's 'dedication, consistency and composure' in a statement on X saying it was a matter of when rather than if he'd get the top job, having previously taken charge of the All-Ireland club football final in 2024 when Derry's Glen defeated Roscommon's St Brigid's. 'His dedication, consistency, and composure have long marked him out as one of the very best in the game, and it is fitting that he now takes charge of this prestigious fixture,' wrote Kildare GAA. Cawley follows in the footsteps of Sean Hurson who threw the ball-in for last year's decider between Armagh and Galway. He'll be the first Kildare man to referee the final since 2005 when Michael Monaghan took charge of Kerry's victory over Tyrone.

Reward on offer provides necessary motivation, not pressure, for Shels veteran Gannon
Reward on offer provides necessary motivation, not pressure, for Shels veteran Gannon

Irish Examiner

time6 hours ago

  • Irish Examiner

Reward on offer provides necessary motivation, not pressure, for Shels veteran Gannon

An hour up the road hosts an All-Ireland clash between Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry but Windsor Park stages the gateway to European riches for Linfield and Shelbourne. Only at full-time will Shels know if their glut of squandered chances at Tolka Park costs them the guarantee of three more rounds within UEFA's competition structures. Linfield boss David Healy seemed relieved coming away from the first leg hunting a single-goal deficit. The former Northern Ireland striker refused to countenance the phrase chase in the context of being at home for the second half of the Champions League tie. Both sides were probably glad when the draw pitted the respective title holders of the two leagues in the island of Ireland together but the evidence of the first leg posits the Reds as overwhelming favourites. That wasn't reflected on the scoreboard but with a carpet of a pitch for their attackers to gorge on and the 18,500-capacity venue, these days entitled the Clearer Twist National Stadium, expected to be no more than half full, they've reason to be confident. Whoever emerges through the tie – which allows for extra-time and penalties if needed – will be within one game of ensuring participation in the league phase of the Conference League. Neither club has passed that threshold but they each have a player returning from suspension who has. Chris Shields was part of the Dundalk team which made the 2011 Europa League group and his return will bolster the hosts' prospects. He was immersed in conversation at Tolka with his former Lilywhites teammate Seán Gannon. Both veterans were put up for pre-match media duties by their clubs and it's likely Gannon will sample his 58th European game, lurking to within five of Ronan Finn's record for a League of Ireland player. 'The rewards to players for getting through the tie are huge,' noted Gannon, who turned 34 last week. 'That's not pressure for us, only motivation. I've been lucky enough to have played in these games previously and every player wants to be part of the Champions League games. 'We're representing our league so it's a chance to showcase your talent and something to look back on.' Shelbourne's superior conditioning last week from being in-season won't be so decisive as Linfield are another week into their preparations for the traditional campaign kicking off next month. 'To be honest we could have played better,' said Shels boss Joey O'Brien, just three games into his permanent residency having stepped up to succeed his boss, Damien Duff. 'We were wasteful in possession, our touch in the final third wasn't as sharp and clean as what I'd have expected from the players. We've to tidy up on that but this is a completely different game. We were overall happy with the win but it's all to play for.' The prize awaiting them is a second-round tie next week against Azerbaijani champions Qarabağ and a spiking of their minimum €1m in earnings. Elimination of the supreme competition doesn't mean the end of their European adventure, only cascades them into a Conference League clash against the loser of Lithuanians Zalgiris or Hamrun Spartans of Malta. Healy has spoken calmly and confidently approaching the midway juncture of this tie, adamant his team can mark his milestone of 500 games at the helm with its high point. 'I've had the privilege of enjoying success,' he observed. 'We have won the league six times in nine seasons and I am coming up to 10 years here. "A second goal for Shels in the first leg would have made it really difficult but with the performance levels, the attitude, and most importantly speaking to the players after the game, and over the last few days, there is huge belief that we can build on that performance. "It would be brilliant if we did score in the first 10, 15 minutes and the tie is level but we don't need to. The most important thing is we build into the game. "I have no doubt, if and when we do take the lead, then the electricity and energy around this place becomes important as the players will be fuelled by the belief they can win the tie." No Claret Jug at stake but the rewards in this sport are about more than silverware.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store