Latest news with #All-IrelandIntermediate
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'There's nothing between the teams' says McDade ahead of Wexford
Skyscraper! For the new rules have certainly benefitted Lisnaskea and Fermanagh midfielder Joe McDade. And the sight of the towering McDade plucking the O'Neill's from the clouds has become one of the iconic images in the Erne County and beyond. As a boy, he admired the late great Brian Óg Maguire and Marty McGrath, powerful men, who like Cristiano Ronaldo, seemed to hang in the air before making those jaw-dropping catches. Still only 23 McDade is in his fifth season in the county senior colours and is enjoying every minute of it. 'Those old-style midfield battles had kind of gone away with all those short kick-outs but the new rules have given midfielders like me a new lease of life and an opportunity to put myself in the game," he said. 'With 80 per cent of the kick-outs going short in recent years it is a nice change to be able to compete for the ball in the middle of the field and I really enjoy that element. 'When I was younger, I looked up to the late Brian Óg Maguire and he was on the Skea team that won the All-Ireland Intermediate title in 2011, and Marty McGrath for the county. 'Sadly, Brian passed away the following year and that was a terrible tragedy, and he is still deeply missed." Joe made his competitive debut against Antrim in the NFL in 2021 and he had to go off injured after 15 minutes in Kieran Donnelly's first year in charge so that was not a great start. McDade who is a shop manager for his father in Clogher and Ballygawley, added that he is really enjoying the lifestyle of a county footballer. 'I am working in Clogher and Ballygawley, and Ballygawley is a very good football town as you might guess. 'It's never easy when you are not playing, and those first few years are hard when you are trying to get into the team. 'But once you are in, the enjoyment levels are huge, and we are a very tight and close-knit squad. 'So, there is that aspect and I would not have it any other way. It's another job but you would not give it up for the world. McDade has arguably been Fermanagh's stand-out performer in a decidedly mixed season pockmarked by two disappointing defeats to Down (a game they literally threw away) and a shock defeat to Carlow. There was redemption of sorts last weekend with a big win over lowly Longford. But Division Four table toppers Wexford are up next weekend in Croke Park in a must-win match for the Erne County. 'In the Carlow game, there was probably a bit of a hangover and a bit of soreness going into the Carlow game from the Down game," he added. 'With the new rules, you never know what any team is going to bring especially those teams who can hit two-pointers. 'But we knew going into the Longford game, it was all or nothing for us and I think when we have our backs against the wall, we do tend to perform a wee bit better, so it was good to put in a better performance in the second half.' Fermanagh now have some considerable height and physique in central slots in Che and Lee Cullen, McDade, Darragh McGurn, Conor McGee, Ryan Lyons and Garvan Jones and Brandon Horan has been on the bench. So how much of a boost is this improved aerial power? 'That physical power is vital with the new rules and the kick-outs going long and contests at an all-time high and it is good to have that physicality and size around the middle. 'It is the one thing you can't coach so we have a squad of lads who are well capable of fielding a high ball and that can only be a good thing.' Before the Carlow game Fermanagh were being rated as one of the sides who could go all the way and actually win the Tailteann Cup. 'But in every division, there is less and less between the top teams and that is why you are seeing so many so-called better teams being overturned, and I think the new rules feeds into that with less certainty in winning possession and especially the two pointers who have had a huge impact on results already. 'Fermanagh would believe we can beat any of the teams in the Tailteann Cup on any given day, but the likes of Wexford bring that element of two-pointers with them. 'They waltzed through Division Four but did not do themselves justice against Limerick in the final in Croke Park.' But they will use that hurt to go far in the Tailteann Cup and they will see Fermanagh as a scalp they can take and both teams will be fairly confident they can win. Wexford grabbed a draw with Fermanagh with a last-minute pointed free from keeper Darragh Brookes, but McDade was out that year through injury. 'It just shows there is nothing between the teams, a bounce of a ball.'
Irish Independent
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Sligo's Corman Finn secures brilliant semi-final win
Eleven All-Ireland 40x20 semi-finals, in which Connacht winners faced off against Ulster opposition, were hosted at the Haddington Road venue over three courts on Sunday. Ballymote club junior ladies handballer, Laura Finn, lined out against Limerick's Noelle Dowling for a place in next weekend's decider and the talented Connaught Champion got off to an excellent start as she won the opening game in style on a 21-13 scoreline. However, she lost the second on a 21 aces to 10 scoreline and had her chances in the tie-break third before losing it 11 aces to 6. Later that same afternoon, Cormac Finn lined out against the All-Ireland Intermediate doubles All-Ireland champion, the experienced Caolan Daly from Tyrone, in a career defining contest and a place in the All-Ireland Intermediate singles final. Finn totally dominated the early proceeding in the opening game with a combination of powerful kills and passing shots to lead 11 aces to 3 at one stage, Daly did narrow the gap to four aces at 15-11 but that was as close at it got for the Tyrone man as Finn wrapped up the opening game with a excellent trade-mark kill to seal it 21-15. Finn totally dominated the second game and looked set to seal his place in the final when he led 18 aces to 11 at one stage. However, in a remarkable turnaround, Daly levelled matters at 18 a piece and forced the contest to a tie-break third by winning this one 21 aces to 19. This turnaround in a match previously dominated by the Sligo man was most concerning, however, it was still all to play for in the tie-break. This was as much about true grit and character as anything else and as he has done so often, Finn started well to lead 4 aces to one before falling heavily in his attempt to retrieve the ball. Following a lengthy injury time-out, Finn was back on his feet and he took control despite Daly's spirited efforts to lead 8 aces to 6 and complete the task with three trade-mark kills to seal his place in his first final on an 11 aces to 6 scoreline. A remarkable result over all for Cormac Finn who now faces Kilkenny's Jack Dowling, who had a 21-14, 21-14 semi-final win over Rory Grace of Tipperary in his semi-final, on Sunday at Headquarters. Cavan's Paul Brady secured yet another senior singles title in dramatic fashion at Headquarters on Saturday afternoon against Cork's David Walsh on a 21-20, 13-21, 11-9 scoreline despite a serious leg injury in the tie-break third game. Brady announced that it was to be his last game in Irish competition, which didn't really come as a surprise to any one, although he did not rule out one more appearance in the US Open in a few weeks' time.
Irish Examiner
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'We're so sick of it at this stage' - Kerry All-Ireland winner Niamh Leen on skorts debate
Kerry camogie stalwart Niamh Leen fully supports the action taken by the Dublin and Kilkenny players last weekend on the wearing of skorts and is behind the drive by the GPA and the players to get rid of them. 'We've wanted to get rid of the skorts for years," she insists. "They're so uncomfortable. The fit of them, the design of them, everything about them. I don't understand why players aren't being listened to.' All-Ireland winner Leen is centre-back on the intermediate team that will face Cork in the Munster Final on Sunday week. She led her club Clanmaurice to back-to-back All-Ireland Intermediate titles in 2023 and 2024. Her sister Anne Marie also plays with Kerry and Clanmaurice, while father John is a former treasurer of Kerry Camogie County Board. But Niamh believes strongly that county boards are just not listening to their players. "It goes to Congress to change every year and you've delegates of county boards going up, and they're clearly not listening to players, because 83% of players voted to get rid of the skorts (or allow choice), yet it didn't show that at Congress. "The players are talking to their county boards and they're going against them. It's really maddening. The people who are having a say and having a vote on this don't have to go out and put on the skort and go and play. We're so sick of it at this stage. "I feel like we're constantly fighting a losing battle. Fair play to Kilkenny and Dublin, we were kind of waiting to see what they would do, because I feel it's the senior teams that really need to push this. "It has gained serious media traction and I think the only way forward now to create change is pushing it.' Read More Camogie Association propose 2026 solution to skorts protest Leen explains that playing camogie in a short skort poses problems for girls and says photos taken are often unflattering. "I'm a tall girl and I spend the majority of the game pulling the skort down,' she explains. 'They're really uncomfortable. They're constantly rising up the minute you start running. And like that you're bent over, you're falling over, and you're sometimes on display and that's really embarrassing. "There's photos after online and the cheeks of your arse are basically on display. If that was in anything else there would be war." The sterling defender believes it is essential to move with the times. "I know the president of the Camogie Association wrote to us and said they're looking into alternative skorts from across the globe, but at this stage they just need to get rid of them. I know there's the element of tradition and all that, but things change, move on, move with the times. "I wouldn't go on a night out wearing something as short as the skort. It's as simple as that, yet I'm being asked to go and run around a field in it for 60 minutes. "We went to a challenge game there on Sunday and not one girl wore a skort for the challenge game. No girl ever comes to training in a skort, and I know that's not just us. Our club or our county or whatever. it would be unanimous across the country.' Leen believes that skorts are turning young girls away from the game. 'We are losing girls playing between the ages of 12 and 16, because girls are uncomfortable, they're new to getting periods. There is that embarrassment element. "The LGFA are moving with the times, they made sure that every team is wearing either black or navy shorts. The rugby has moved with it, but camogie is still here. "We're green skorts. There's teams that wear white skorts, that's really difficult for girls. It's just so infuriating, because it feels like nobody is listening." Leen praises the GPA's efforts. 'Because of all the media coverage now I do think they have to look and be like, 'look, the girls clearly aren't happy'.' 'I just don't even understand why they're trying to fight this. Will they not just let us wear shorts? A lot of us play football as well, so literally the only time we have to wear skorts is when we're going out playing official camogie games. "It's just so maddening.'
BBC News
30-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Antrim and Fermanagh promoted to Division Three
Antrim and Fermanagh secured promotion and spots in the Ladies Football League Division Four Final after victories in high-scoring contests on Sunday. The Saffrons earned a 5-8 to 3-10 win over last year's All-Ireland Intermediate champions Leitrim at Kingscourt with Fermanagh beating Sligo 5-12 to 3-13 at Tarmonbarry in county goals from Omolara Danhunsi, Anna Mulholland and skipper Bronagh Devlin helped the Saffrons lead Leitrim 3-6 to 2-5 at Jones fired in Antrim's fourth major in the second half with Devlin completing a 2-3 haul as she fired in the Saffrons' closing goal three minutes from were determined to achieve promotion after losing in the Division Four semi-finals last season and Eimear Smyth's 1-8 and Joanne Doonan's 2-1 helped them battle past hit the opening three points but Doonan's opening goal in the 11th minute was soon followed by Smyth finding the net which helped the Erne women into a five-point Yeats County were back in front after Ciara Walsh and Cara King netted but their lead didn't last long as Doonan's second goal and a Cliodhna Martin strike left Fermanagh 4-4 to 2-6 up at the put further daylight between the teams after the resumption with a run of 1-3 which included their fifth goal from Sinead the impressive Smyth continued to tag on points, Fermanagh were never really under threat in the closing quarter despite Carol Coleman's late Sligo goal and they can now look forward to the Division Four Final on 13 Division Two, Donegal were beaten 1-8 to 0-8 by Cork, who will face Galway in the decider, with the Rebels and Tribeswomen having secured promotion to Division One. Cavan will meet Wexford in the Division Three Final safe in the knowledge that promotion has been Breffni defeated Limerick 0-10 to 0-9 on Sunday in what was a dead rubber with both promotion and their final spot already National Ladies Football League resultsDivision OneDublin 2-12 Kerry 2-10Kildare 4-10 Tyrone 2-8Meath 2-12 Armagh 4-5Waterford 2-13 Mayo 1-6Division TwoCork 1-8 Donegal 0-8Galway 4-22 Clare 0-5Westmeath 2-11 Monaghan 0-13Tipperary 1-12 Roscommon 0-10Division ThreeLouth 7-12 Offaly 1-8Cavan 0-10 Limerick 0-9Down v Carlow - Down walkoverWexford 3-9 Laois 0-10Division Four semi-finalsFermanagh 5-12 Sligo 3-13Antrim 5-08 Leitrim 3-10
