Munster keen to pay tribute to mother of the late Anthony Foley and wife of Shaun Payne
Munster are hoping to have a mark of respect before Saturday's URC quarter-final away to the Sharks to honour two women with strong links to the squad who passed away in the last week.
Sheelagh Foley – the mother of former Munster/Ireland No 8 and head coach Anthony and ex-Ireland international Rosie and wife of current branch president Brendan – died last Wednesday, while Michelle Payne, wife of former player and team manager Shaun, also passed away.
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The Irish Sun
44 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
‘This isn't Cul camps' – Hurling icon rubbishes Wexford complaints about harshness of All-Ireland structure
KILKENNY legend Richie Hogan was bemused by the comments of Tony Dempsey regarding the Yellowbellies' early exit from the hurling championship. Former Wexford manager Dempsey claimed during the week hurling is "under threat" unless the hurling championship is moved to the prime summer months. 2 Wexford haven't reached a Leinster final since winning it in 2019 2 The hurling analyst was humoured by the Wexford native's comments This outburst came as his beloved Wexford as well as Clare and Waterford were knocked out of the All-Ireland series before the schools even close for Summer. Dempsey told RTE: "We're bitterly disappointed because the summer is when young people share the joy of school holidays with being able to watch their elite performers. "In our case Lee Chin and Rory O'Connor, and not only to watch them but to enjoy them without the problem of trying to attend school on a Monday. "So school holidays will now be a time for Wexford, Waterford and of course Clare and many other counties when the performers will be gone from there. Read more on GAA "We won't be able to see them." Hogan shot down the claims by Dempsey on The seven time All-Ireland winner joked: "As a man who is married to a teacher has two sisters who are teachers, brother's a teacher and 60-70% of my friends are teachers, I would love to see them get more school holidays." "This is not the Cul Camps, we can't all play on All-Ireland final day. Most read in GAA Hurling "Do they want some festival on Saturday and Sunday where every team gets a chance? "If you don't have consequences for losing there is no joy in winning." Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview - The four-time All-Star's stance on the matter is that the All-Ireland championship places have to be earned and not everyone can be included in the select few. Hogan went on to explain: "Waterford have lost three games, they have four Munster championship games. "I won an All-Ireland in 2015, we only played four games in the whole championship season." In 2015 Kilkenny were given an automatic spot in the Leinster semi-final where they overcame Wexford by 24 points before going through Galway then Waterford before playing Galway again on their way to All-Ireland victory. Waterford had a tough Munster championship campaign only recording one win against Clare, losing by six points to Limerick and Cork and nine points at the hands of Tipperary. The All-Ireland champions Clare disappointed in their attempt at retaining their title. They began with Similarly Wexford struggled in the Leinster championship, recording wins against Offaly and Antrim. But loses to Dublin and Galway meant their fate was sealed before
Extra.ie
an hour ago
- Extra.ie
Why URC failure has huge consequences for Leinster
One of the staples of the entertaining 'Offload' podcast every Friday is Donncha O'Callaghan's rants against Leinster and what he sees as their 'blue media' cheerleaders. It has been a hot topic all season, revolving around the central theme of O'Callaghan believing Leinster enjoy unfair advantages over the other provinces, and it ramped up big time in the wake of the province's shock departure from the European Cup. The good-cop, bad-cop approach alongside Tommy Bowe works well on an entertainment basis over a number of topics, but especially when the former Munster and Ireland stalwart is ripping into his old rivals — as he was last week with the URC up for debate. Leinster head coach Leo Cullen. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher 'The URC is not the prize Leinster were going for. Andrew Porter has said they are all about Europe. Who gives a s**t if Leinster win the URC?' said O'Callaghan, adding that he would prefer if Leinster's Lions were rested so they could be fresh for the summer tour to Australia. Controversial opinions are the bedrock of popular podcasts but this was still a particularly extreme position to take. Since the Champions Cup defeat by Northampton, a giant heat lamp has been trained on Leo Cullen, Jacques Nienaber and the Leinster squad — and it demands a reaction. Andrew Porter has said they are all about Europe. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile The immediate response to 'who gives a s**t if Leinster win the URC?' is: Leinster do. Indeed, given how this season has panned out (on the back of a trophy drought extending to 2021 and a Champions Cup void going back to 2018) you could say winning the URC title is now non-negotiable for Leinster. Put it this way, picture a scenario where Leinster lose in the next few weeks and imagine the fallout then. Ending yet another season empty-handed, despite having access to Jordie Barrett, RG Snyman and Rabah Slimani (after an initial IRFU ruling on no overseas prop signings), not to mention two-time World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber, would create a toxic fallout — one where there would be intense pressure for heads to roll. Jordie Barrett after Leinster crashed out of the Champions Cup. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile As the chief decision-makers, on and off the pitch, Cullen and Nienaber are most vulnerable but URC capitulation on the back of another Champions Cup flop would put pressure for change on the entire backroom staff. So, rather than be dismissed as an irrelevance, the URC has now assumed monumental importance for Leinster — with dire consequences for failure. And, although Leinster are overwhelming favourites to claim the URC trophy, it is far from a done deal. If they get past the Scarlets tomorrow (which they should do at home with relative ease), Leinster will face the winners of tonight's Glasgow-Stormers quarter-final. Leinster head coach Leo Cullen (right) with senior coach Jacques Nienaber. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy Glasgow are reigning champions, with a squad laced with internationals and should see off the South Africans at home but either side is capable of upsetting Leinster on their day. Then if they do make it to the final, Leinster will face either Munster, the Sharks or the Bulls (it is pretty safe to assume Edinburgh will not make it to the decider). Munster have shown their capacity for pulling out massive performances in knockout matches and if they make it past the Sharks tomorrow at a soldout Kings Park, they will be fuelled by the same levels of confidence and verve that took them all the way a couple of years ago. The Sharks have not been equal to the sum of their parts so far, but their squad is jammed with elite Springboks and, if they click, they can take anyone out. Meanwhile the Bulls, while not carting the same levels of South African stardust as the Sharks, still possess plenty of potency and have an impressive collective spirit — finishing second only to Leinster in the URC table, with 14 wins from 18 outings. Sharks stars Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth. Pic: Steve Haag Sports/REX/Shutterstock Key to all of this is the attitude of the South African sides. Unlike the apathy they reserve for the Champions Cup (South African sides competing in the European Cup has always seemed an ill-fit), they are all-in when it comes to the URC and it makes them extremely dangerous. Lots of pitfalls then for Leinster as they seek to justify their 4/9 favouritism. There is no question that Cullen has the tools at his disposal to reel off three knockout victories to end their trophyless hell. However, if the litany of nearmisses over the last few seasons has taught us anything, it is that Leinster's mental fortitude is questionable on the big stage. The nature of their Northampton defeat could have sent them one of two ways. Either, it has instilled a ruthless determination to put things right that will narrow focus all the way to glory, or it has riddled the squad and coaches with selfdoubt that will kick in whenever pressure comes on. We will not know which until the situation presents itself again but there is no questioning the desire to put things right. This is a rock and hard place situation for Cullen and crew. Win the title and the likes of O'Callaghan and a host of others dismiss it as the least that should be expected from this Leinster operation — fail to win the title, and you get absolutely rinsed with calls for change probably impossible to stave off in the fallout. However, there is one final aspect to all of this that people have overlooked. In 2007-08, Leinster had the same type of 'nearly men' tag that the current side labours under after years of coming up short. Leinster's 2008 league victory proved a springboard to sustained success. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile But under the radar, Michael Cheika was steadily introducing steel to the squad and, after a long tough campaign, they landed the league title. It got lost in the wash of Munster landing their second European Cup around the same time and Leinster's achievement was not seen as a significant step towards closing the gap on their southern rivals. But that is just what it was. Brian O'Driscoll has spoken many times about how that 2008 league win gave Leinster the belief they could go on to bigger and better things — and the following season they established a dominance in Irish rugby they have yet to relinquish. Cullen was part of that journey as a player and he will see similar opportunities now also. Win this title and it could be just the springboard this team is so desperately seeking — whatever others may think of it.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Rory Beggan is Monaghan's ace card who stops forwards at one end and puts fear in defenders down the other
The Rory Beggan conundrum continues. This weekend, the contestants trying to solve the puzzle are the Clare footballers. During my Dublin career, when it came to taking on Monaghan , the two players we immediately thought of were Beggan and Conor McManus . While the retirement of McManus has robbed Monaghan of their generational forward, the new rules in Gaelic football have armed their goalkeeper - also a generational talent - with a new set of arrows. I'm talking about two-pointers. Beggan was Monaghan's top scorer in the National Football League , finishing their successful Division Two campaign with 0-38. Within that total there were 17 two-pointers, all bar one of which came from a placed ball. READ MORE He was back at it against Louth last week, kicking a pair of two-pointers from placed balls in a game Monaghan won by six points . We'll return to the merits of two-point frees later, but first it's important to understand the dilemma facing teams in relation to Beggan's attributes within the new rules. The Monaghan No1 is among a crop of elite goalkeepers who changed the role and brought the position to a new level. When we were preparing to play Monaghan, there was a lot of emphasis on him, not just on his kickouts but also how best to deal with him when he comes beyond his natural area and roams further up the field. His foot-passing and general game awareness are of a very high quality. We were also conscious of his ability to kick frees from distance, but the arrival of two-pointers to Gaelic football has been a game changer. It has really empowered Beggan and Monaghan in terms of taking on long-range efforts. In short, it's worth the risk now. In a year their greatest ever forward retired, who would have predicted they would put up such high scoring tallies? That realisation challenges defenders and forces them to make split-second decisions that need to be perfect. Players who might normally tackle hard are being forced to reconsider their level of force against Monaghan. If they commit to a tackle against the Farney men, it better be right on the money. The jeopardy has increased. The risk-reward equation is weighted in favour of Monaghan as they have Beggan to attempt long-distance frees. For defending teams, it means the potential punishment for a foul has been doubled. It's almost too risky to tackle at times. All of this creates doubt among defenders. Anxious not to be the reason Monaghan score a two-pointer, they step off. This leads to the kind of defensive uncertainty forwards thrive on. Monaghan's Conor McCarthy in possession during last weekend's victory against Louth. Photograph: Ciaran Culligan /Inpho If you step off a little bit against Monaghan, you are in danger of enabling strong ball-carriers like Conor McCarthy, Micheál Bannigan and Stephen O'Hanlon to break through the lines and punish you in open play. It's a double-edged sword for defenders. Conceding a long-distance free is potentially momentum swinging in a game against Monaghan because you just know Beggan is going to come up and have a swing at it. There are even more elements to it as well. Monaghan will not only bring Beggan up to try bag the prize of two points, but as he prepares to take that kick, it is an ideal opportunity for his teammates to set up for the subsequent kickout. It used to be very hard, at times, to get set on a kickout. With the new rules, where the kickout has to go beyond the arc, it's a lot easier to get pressed up. Free kicks and set plays are perfect situations to target kick-outs and it is something Monaghan do well. Gabriel Bannigan's men were the highest scoring team across all four divisions of the National League this season. They amassed a combined total of 193 points in their seven group games. Kerry were next on that list, with 170. Monaghan's average from those seven league games was 27.5 points per outing. In a year their greatest ever forward retired, who would have predicted they would put up such high scoring tallies? They have put up decent scores in their two championship games so far this summer as well – 0-21 against Donegal and 1-23 against Louth. Their high-scoring return is largely down to the factors I have highlighted: Beggan having the licence to kick from distance without fear of criticism should they not all sail over, plus Monaghan's ball-carriers having the freedom to take on their man knowing if they don't create a scoring opportunity, there's a good chance they'll draw a foul. And when they do draw a foul, that man Beggan will run up to take it. Rory Beggan takes the ball forward for Monaghan during their Division Two match against Meath in March. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho Even if it doesn't yield a score, Monaghan will invariably be in a great position to keep the opposition pinned in and steal the kickout. There were occasions over the years when I questioned Beggan's decision to shoot from certain difficult angles. Purely from a free-taking perspective, his percentages probably weren't fantastic; I'd imagine they were below 50 per cent a lot of the time. But those kicks are worth the risk now because two points are on offer, along with a chance to squeeze the opposition kick-out. The Donegal game in the Ulster championship is the outlier. When Donegal were faced with the Beggan conundrum, they concluded that denying Monaghan frees would be the most effective way of negating their attack. To an extent it worked. That's why I think they shouldn't be worth two points Donegal defenders refused to commit themselves to any borderline tackles within scoreable range – which for Beggan is a considerable distance. Donegal were so disciplined that Beggan wasn't afforded any opportunity of knocking over a placed ball two-pointer. At full-time, all the Monaghan goalkeeper had contributed on the scoreboard was one point, from a 45. Monaghan still ran up a good tally of points in that game, but there were no frees from outside the arc registered. Indeed, only 0-2 of Monaghan's 0-21 total came from frees – Micheál Bannigan kicking over a pair from inside the arc. Donegal's gameplan was built on a logic of taking away the weapon of Beggan's frees. If imposed successfully - and it was - they knew their opponents would be reduced to scoring points from play. You can be sure Peter Keane and his Clare management team have been discussing how to approach the Beggan conundrum this week. It's a key area for any team trying to overcome the Farney County. Monaghan fans will travel to Sunday's match against Clare expecting to see the two-point flag waved. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho As for the two-point rule in general, while I'm not averse to the idea of two-pointers from open play, I think the punishment of conceding two points for what can often be an innocuous foul is very harsh. I don't feel the punishment fits the crime. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have been coming out with a protest against two-point frees if they were introduced during my Dublin career. But I honestly don't think many of those scores from long-range placed balls justify two points. Free takers are operating at such a high level now that many of those opportunities are well within their range. That's why I think they shouldn't be worth two points. Not that Monaghan are likely to be joining any campaign for change. Their victory over Louth has put them in a strong position in Group Three and if they get over Clare in Clones on Sunday, Gabriel Bannigan's side will be in pole position to top the table. It looks very likely that Rory Beggan will still be posing problems for opponents come All-Ireland quarter-final weekend.
