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Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Louth's Darren Geoghegan in the running as Annaverna plays host to All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals
Competitors taking part this year are of the highest calibre, with many holding All-Star Awards, All Ireland Club and County medals. The modern Poc Fada recreates the legendary journey of Cú Chulainn who as the seven-year-old boy Setanta decided he had waited long enough to become a member of the famous Red Branch Knights of Ulster. So he set off from his home in Dundalk for the Macra, the Red Branch Knights school in Armagh, some 60km away. While crossing the Cooley Mountains, Setanta hit his sliotar far ahead and ran forward to catch it on his hurley stick before it hit the ground. Today's contenders compete over the same Cooley mountains as Setanta once passed. The 5km Senior Hurling and 2.5 km Senior Camogie and U16 courses provide ample opportunity to practice pocs, as on average the Senior Hurling takes 46 pocs to win. The modern All-Ireland Poc Fada dates back to 1960 when six boys from Dundalk (Mal Begley, Peter Crilly, Sean Mc Aeney, Jerome Mc Donagh, Peter Myles and the first-ever winner Damien Callan) under the watchful eye of An tAthair Pól Mac Shean, took part in the very first Poc Fada. The first All-Ireland Poc Fada took place the following year in 1961. First sponsored by Martin Donnelly more than 25 years ago, the MD Sports All-Ireland Poc Fada Finals represent one of the longest-running sponsorships within the GAA and Camogie Association. Spectators are very welcome to come along to Annaverna Mountain on Monday for 11am. PLAYING ORDER Senior Hurling 1. Cathal Dillon, Tipperary 2. Pearce Smyth, Down 3. Noel Fallon, Roscommon 4. Sean Og McLaren, Antrim 5. Killian Phelan, Kilkenny 6. Cillian Kiely, Offaly 7. Darren Geoghegan, Louth 8. Brendan Cummins, Tipperary 9. Pat Burke, Westmeath 10. Bobby Douglas, Mayo 11. Colin Ryan, Limerick 12. Fionan Mackessy, Kilkenny Senior Camogie 1. Isobelle McInerney, Clare 2. Ellen Leech, Antrim 3. Patricia Coote, Westmeath 4. Maeve Muldoon, Galway 5. Sara Louise Graffin, Down ADVERTISEMENT Learn more 6. Molly Lynch, Cork U16 Hurling 1. Donnacha Collins, Derry 2. Oran Stratford, Galway 3. Sean Og O'Regan, Waterford 4. Conor Raleigh, Westmeath U16 Camogie 1. Siofra Ginty, Offaly 2. Kayla Garrett, Galway 3. Saoirse Ryan, Tipperary 4. Eimear Ward, Antrim
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Christy O'Connor Talking Points: McHugh looking to do something no player has done in at least a century
When Donegal won the 2012 All-Ireland, Ryan McHugh was the county minor captain. McHugh was in a similar position to Patrick McBrearty the previous year, a uniquely talented player destined to play senior. It was never a matter of if with McHugh and McBrearty, just when. Jim McGuinness fast-tracked McBrearty's progression to the senior team, introducing him as a substitute in the first round of the 2011 Ulster championship against Antrim, just an hour after McBrearty had already played for the minors against Antrim. This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in Take us with you this summer. Annual €130€65 Best value Monthly €12€6 / month
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Davy Fitzgerald set to stay in charge of Antrim hurlers for 2026 season
Davy Fitzgerald looks set to extend his stay as Antrim senior hurling manager into a second season with the 2013 All-Ireland SHC-winning boss expected to remain in charge for 2026.
Irish Times
22-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Reliance ‘powering forward' in its centenary year as revenues jump
Reliance, the Cork-headquartered engineering and robotics component distributor where former tánaiste Simon Coveney was appointed as a non-executive director earlier this year, reported revenues of close to €20 million last year as domestic sales jumped 14 per cent. Accounts filed recently for the Reliance Bearing and Gear Company, which celebrates a century in business this year, reveal turnover climbed by more than 11 per cent to just under €19.6 million in 2024. Reliance distributes a range of mechanical, electrical and agricultural products, specialising in automation and robotics. The family-owned company is based in Little Island, Co Cork, but opened a 60,000sq ft facility on the eastern outskirts of Limerick city in 2019 and opened another facility in Antrim last year. Operating profits at Reliance were up slightly to €958,033 in 2024 from €913,422 in 2023, according to the accounts. READ MORE After-tax profits, meanwhile, dipped to €829,380 from more than €2.3 million in 2023. However, the 2023 figures were impacted by a nearly €1.2 million one-off exceptional item, related to the write-back of an asset revaluation in previous years. Speaking to The Irish Times on Monday, Reliance chief executive Peter Creighton said the company is 'very in tune' with the wider Irish economy and consequently performed well last year. David McWilliams on how 'big incentives' to build could save Dublin city Listen | 36:51 He said the company is 'powering forward' in its centenary year and will be opening up a facility in Dundalk, Co Louth, in 2025 on the 'automation and robotics side' of the business. Mr Creighton said that 2025 has so far been a little bit flatter than last year. 'An awful lot of that has to do with what's happening, the uncertainty with tariffs and Trump and all that stuff,' he said. Earlier this year, the company, which employed 50 people in 2024, announced that Mr Coveney would join Reliance's board as a non-executive director in his first private sector appointment after leaving politics. [ Simon Coveney joins Reliance board as non-executive director Opens in new window ] Mr Creighton said at the time that Mr Coveney's 'extensive experience and proven leadership' will be an important addition to the company. The former Fine Gael TD for Cork South-Central, who held several senior cabinet positions during his career, was subsequently hired by EY Ireland as a consultant to its geopolitical strategy unit. Reliance is a fourth-generation company that was founded in 1925 by Mr Creighton's great-grandfather, Horace Rhodes Kenworthy, as the Reliance Bearing and Gear Company. Mr Creighton holds almost 50 per cent of the company's shares, according to its most recent annual return, while Horace and Laura Kenworthy hold a combined stake of just under 40 per cent.
Irish Daily Mirror
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Gerwyn Price and Daryl Gurney involved in heated exchange at World Matchplay
Gerwyn Price found himself embroiled in a fiery confrontation with rival Daryl Gurney following the Welshman's commanding 10-7 triumph in their World Matchplay opening round encounter in Blackpool. The duo exchanged a tense handshake after Price wrapped up victory on double 12, before Gurney seemingly objected to his opponent's on-stage theatrics. Gurney had slipped to a 6-2 deficit but sparked hope by claiming the ninth leg, marking the moment by copying Price's signature fist-pumping routine. The Derry native came within one dart of drawing level at 8-8 before Price, the 2022 runner-up, kept his composure to break clear and secure the win. Antrim's Josh Rock – Gurney's partner in last month's World Cup of Darts triumph – enjoyed greater fortune as he stormed to a comprehensive 10-5 victory over 14th seed Ross Smith. Rock rattled off the opening five legs without allowing his rival a glimpse of a finishing double, with the 24 year old completing proceedings with a blistering 104 average to exact revenge for last year's first round defeat to the same opponent. Rock's reward is a clash with Michael van Gerwen, who laboured through a taxing 10-6 success against veteran Dutch adversary Raymond van Barneveld. Van Gerwen, a three-time champion, profited from a string of squandered opportunities by his rival and admitted he derived little pleasure from his display. "I made it so difficult for myself and when you make it difficult it's a hard game," Van Gerwen told Sky Sports. "From the position I'm coming from, I didn't play a lot of tournaments, and that makes it hard. We all know I'm a winner, I hate losing, and I think it's the start of something nice." In the first match of the tournament's third day, sixth seed Chris Dobey managed to secure a 10-5 victory over Germany's Ricardo Pietreczko.
