Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke reacts to Dublin win as he gives Michael McKernan injury update
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The 42
39 minutes ago
- The 42
Career lessons and soccer tactics: What will Andy Moran bring to Mayo?
AFTER THE BLUNT break-up that ended Kevin McStay's tenure, the appointment of a recent Mayo GAA hero has at least reinjected a bit of hope into a county which has drifted away from All-Ireland contention. Mission one already accomplished for Andy Moran. What's to follow will be harder to achieve, but it's a task he has been preparing for ever since the moment he announced his retirement. In one of the exit interviews from his playing days, there was little doubt what Moran had in mind as he spoke about going down the coaching route. 'I've been dreaming about winning an All-Ireland since I was five years of age. Hopefully, my story isn't finished with Mayo yet,' he said. The 41-year-old's career was a story of personal growth. Having emerged as a roaming half-back/half-forward, a broken leg and cruciate injury triggered his transformation into a full-forward. He studied soccer strikers to learn the inside movement required, as well as contemporaries such as Paul Geaney, Con O'Callaghan, and Ollie Murphy. His career as a gym owner, much like TJ Reid, helped him produce his best football into his thirties. Following his 15th season of inter-county football, Moran was named Footballer of the Year for 2017, a day after his 34th birthday. James Horan convinced him to give one more year in 2019. In a similar vein, one of Moran's first calls is likely to be to 33-year-old former teammate Cillian O'Connor, enquiring whether the championship's record scorer fancies another spin. Mayo's Andy Moran taking on Michael Fitzsimons of Dublin during the 2017 All-Ireland final. Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO Moran would've relished Gaelic football's new rules (much like O'Connor would). He coached a Monaghan side who were early embracers of those opportunities. The Farney's 58 two-pointers were more than any other county, averaging 4.5 per game. Attacking returns have too often been Mayo's greatest fallibility. After joining Gabriel Bannigan's backroom team last autumn, Moran identified moving the ball quicker as a priority and impressed the opportunity of squeezing up on opponents. They were beliefs that chimed with the intent of the Football Review Committee's modifications. 'I believe in football being a forward-based game, in terms of being progressive,' he told the Farney Army Pod last October. He added: 'I think (Gaelic) has taken an awful lot from soccer, but I think it has taken the bad stuff if you ask me. If you look at the real top teams now playing soccer, all their passes are forward. They might go back once, but the next one has to be forward. We need to take that into our game, where it's more of a forward transition game than a backward passing game. Advertisement 'We're nearly taking soccer from back in the 1992 Euros, pass it back to the keeper and use it, but we need to get to the modern soccer, which is pass the ball forward. 'Like most teams, when they're attacking, they've five fellas across the front line. If you look at Arsenal now, they'd have Saka one side, they'd have a left back the other side, Martinelli, Havertz, and somebody else in the middle. They'd have five guys up. 'In Gaelic, we're taking the bad stuff out of the possession, instead of getting it forward.' That experience of Ulster football served as a final apprenticeship to sharpen him for his home role. Moran set about learning his trade outside the county bounds as he was appointed Leitrim manager ahead of the 2022 season. His tenure featured some bad luck in penalty shoot-outs. They were eliminated in the Tailteann Cup quarter-finals by Sligo on penalties in 2022 before the lowest point, losing to New York at Gaelic Park in another shoot-out. His third and final year brought promotion from Division 4 and, doubling up as U20 manager, a stunning triumph over Mayo. Andy Moran was appointed Leitrim manager ahead of the 2022 season. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO The Leitrim County Board hailed his 'boundless levels of energy and enthusiasm' upon his departure that summer. With Monaghan, Moran was involved in a Division 2 title and a run to the All-Ireland quarter-finals. His Mayo backroom team has also caught the eye. Colm Boyle is another hero of that 2010s era, who, like Moran, earned a reputation as an insightful pundit upon his retirement. Paddy Tally is coming off a tumultuous year as Derry manager, but holds an impressive coaching CV. He has been involved in All-Irelands with Tyrone (2003) and Kerry (2022), while helping Down to the 2010 final. Moran's final game as a player was the All-Ireland semi-final loss to Dublin in 2019. Since then, the goalkeeper, the entire defence bar Stephen Coen, half of the midfield pairing, and four of the substitutes called upon that day have retired. Enough time has passed to ease the potential awkwardness of managing former teammates. The slight fall off in support highlights that expectations aren't immediately set sky high, although Moran knows where the bar is fixed from his playing career. The board statement reaffirmed their belief in the county's stature in the game when stating: 'The level of interest and calibre of applicants once again highlights the strength and reputation of Mayo football.' Their victory over Tyrone and the nature of their narrow loss to Donegal underline that Mayo aren't far away on their day. Their defeat to Cavan and shaky Connacht displays show that they are miles away when off form. An early aim will be to bring the consistent application which defined Moran's career. Another will surely be to halt Galway's five-in-a-row Connacht bid. The playing resources aren't what they were in his playing days. He will need to build around the remaining leaders from then. Beyond recruiting Cillian O'Connor, pressing matters include getting the most out of the remaining years in Aidan O'Shea (perhaps in an Andy Moran-type role) and a clear run of fitness for Paddy Durcan, Tommy Conroy, Diarmuid O'Connor, and Eoghan McLaughlin. Ryan O'Donoghue has been too often starved of support. He needs back-up. Otherwise, teams that succeed in snuffing out his influence will continue to beat Mayo. Given his career trajectory, Moran will hope to inspire improvements from the in-between generation, who are approaching their peak years. Infusing some of the young stars from their U20 Connacht champions is another important step. That team produced some exciting attacking displays, which are just what Mayo need, before falling one point short in an All-Ireland semi-final. Their minor teams have also reached the semi-finals in the past two campaigns, which will form the basis of next year's U20 offering. Translating that promise to higher grades hasn't always come easily. Still, if they can add those attacking reinforcements, there is enough of a base there to regain their status as a contender. The new man will need patience and loyalty from the board, but he could be just the man to return the feel-good factor to Mayo football.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Ger Brennan management team set to include Dean Rock and Denis Bastick
New Dublin manager Ger Brennan's coaching ticket is set to include former team-mates Dean Rock and Denis Bastick. Brennan was appointed to succeed Dessie Farrell last week on a three-year term. Dublin GAA announced the two-time All-Ireland winner last week with his backroom team to be confirmed in due course. It is understood that is set to include former midfielder Denis Bastick, who retired in 2018. Bastick won five All-Ireland senior titles during his county career. Ballymun Kickhams man Dean Rock retired after the 2023 campaign. He won eight All-Ireland senior titles and three All-Stars. Brennan's long-time advisor Professor Niall Moyna is also expected to be involved. Moyna was part of the Louth coaching team last year as Brennan steered them to their first Leinster crown in 68 years. The DCU Health and Human Performance man was part of the backroom team for the 2011 All-Ireland triumph. Dublin's appointment, as well as the confirmation of Andy Moran in Mayo and Paul Madden in Clare, means that the number of counties with vacancies now stands at four: Roscommon, Waterford, Antrim and Westmeath are still in the hunt. Kevin O'Brien is the new Westmeath senior hurling manager. File picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile Elsewhere, Kevin O'Brien was officially ratified as the new Westmeath senior hurling manager on Tuesday night at a County Committee meeting. O'Brien previously managed the county's U20s and replaces Seoirse Bulfin, who stepped down in June after only one season in charge. The new boss was handed a two-year term with the option of a third. Westmeath were relegated last season to Division 2 of the Allianz Hurling League and finished fourth in the Joe McDonagh Cup. Westmeath chairman Frank Mescall expressed his frustration at how the process was covered in the media. Several names were linked to the role in recent weeks. 'I Am really disappointed that the whole process seemed to play out on media - social media, newspapers. How it happens, I do not know. But almost everything we did was on social media. It is fine for the person who gets the job, they won't mind. But you have other people involved who are not successful and you have to be respectful of them,' he said, as reported by the Westmeath Examiner.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
LIV trio Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia and Tyrrell Hatton join Irish Open field
The LIV trio Brooks Koepka , Sergio Garcia and Tyrrell Hatton have been confirmed to take part in the Amgen Irish Open at The K Club from September 4th to 7th. The five-time Major winner Koepka will make his debut at the event, while Garcia is a former winner of the tournament where he won in Druids Glen in 1999. Hatton is ranked 24th in the world and is set to make the Ryder Cup team. Koepka has also been confirmed for the Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour, with the LIV season wrapping up in August. The trio will join Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and the best of the Irish players in the field at the DP World Tour event, which should serve as a tune-up for the Ryder Cup in Bethpage Black. Rasmus Hojgaard will defend his title after he broke McIlroy's heart with a late surge to win at Royal County Down last year. READ MORE Tickets are still available for the event in Straffan, which are €45 for general admission on Thursday, €55 on Friday and €60 on Sunday.
