Latest news with #BernardBrogan
BreakingNews.ie
08-06-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Dublin's Niamh Donlon keen to inspire the next generation
From growing up watching her idols to playing alongside them in a Dublin jersey, it has been quite the journey for Niamh Donlon. The first woman from St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh to play for Dublin, the club was best known for producing Bernard and Alan Brogan, two of Dublin's greatest players. Advertisement The 21-year-old, who won her first All-Ireland title in 2023, is keen to be a role model for the next generation at her club and be the first of many in the blue of Dublin. "It is good just to have someone representing the club. I know it is me, but if it was anyone else I would have been just as happy for someone from Plunkett's to be on the senior team. "If you can't see it, you can't be it, and the younger girls really love seeing me down at the club. It is to inspire them and keep the club going as well. "In their first All-Ireland in 2017 of the four-in-a-row, I was only under 13s with development squads. Seeing the likes of Goldie (Sinéad Goldrick) still playing and playing with them, it is kind of surreal. Advertisement "It is having those role models for younger kids to drive on and keep Dublin ladies football on the map." A student at DCU, Donlon has quickly became an important part of Dublin's defence at a young age. In this Dublin side is a mix of experienced players who were part of the four in-a-row, alongside the likes of Donlon who is continuing to grow, a mix which she thinks could be key in the weeks to come. "The knowledge that they bring those older players is insane. They say a lot of the younger players bring a lot of enthusiasm, bring a lot of energy, we all go thriving for the same goals. Advertisement "That altogether gels it really nicely." After a difficult league campaign, Dublin got back on track by winning the Leinster championship, defeating Meath in the final. Sport Cáit Lynch thought Kerry days were over before ret... Read More Having won the All-Ireland in 2023, the Dublin ladies suffered the same faith as the men, by being defeated by Galway in the quarter-finals. This would turn out to be the last game Mick Bohan had in charge of Dublin. Despite changes, Donlon says the squad is determined to be back in Croke Park in August. "I think it is the fact people want to redeem themselves. They have such a will to win that they wouldn't want to leave on such a low. If people are going to go, they are going to it on a high and in the right way. "Our main goal as a team is to get to that final on the third of August. The job should be done on the day if we get there."
BBC News
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Dublin v Armagh headlines bumper All-Ireland weekend
And now the championship really gets going. After an opening round split across two weekends to allow provincial finalists a bit of breathing space, all 16 teams with ambitions of becoming All-Ireland champions are in action this weekend. The first batch of games produced a couple of eyebrow-raising shocks, namely Cavan's win in Mayo and Tyrone stunning Ulster champions Donegal in four games apiece on Saturday and Sunday, another healthy dose of drama is guaranteed as teams jostle for position in their respective groups. The pick of the bunch is unquestionably Armagh's first trip back to Croke Park since lifting the Sam Maguire Cup last summer, so that's where we'll start. Remarkably, Sunday's Group Four contest will be Dublin and Armagh's first championship meeting since the 2010 All-Ireland qualifiers. In that game at Croke Park, Bernard Brogan hit nine points to help the Dubs see off Paddy O'Rourke's Orchardmen 0-14 to 0-11. And not only is it Armagh's first trip back to headquarters since that momentous day last summer, it is the first time they have faced Dublin in Croke Park since the opening round of the 2022 Division One campaign (which was only the second time Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney has faced the Dubs during his 11-year reign). The star of the show that night? Rian O'Neill - and with the Armagh ace having ended his self-imposed inter-county exile in last week's win over Derry, he will surely relish another blockbuster outing at Croke Park. Armagh in a 'brilliant place' for Dubs test Dublin, like Armagh, are coming off a win. Having crashed out of the Leinster championship at the hands of Meath, Dessie Farrell's side rebounded impressively to beat Galway in Salthill, meaning the winners of Sunday's game will more than likely top Group Four and earn straight passage through to the quarter-finals. "Dublin are not where they were at," says Armagh legend and BBC pundit Oisin McConville. "But there's still a little bit of fight in them. They will enjoy Croke Park but Armagh will too; obviously they have lovely memories from the last time they were."Apart from winning the Ulster Championship, Armagh have ticked all the boxes this year. They've gotten a lot of players back from injury so I think they're in a brilliant place for this game."Already without All-Ireland winning stalwarts Brian Fenton, James McCarthy and Michael Fitzsimons among others, Dublin must cope with the absence of injured three-time All-Star Con O'Callaghan on Sunday."They need absolutely everybody right now. The biggest thing they need is experience," added McConville."The fact that O'Callaghan won't be there - or we're led to believe he won't be there - definitely helps Armagh and detracts from Dublin's forward line." Preceding Dublin v Armagh on Sunday is Derry's must-win game against Galway at Celtic Park. Back-to-back Ulster champions and strong All-Ireland contenders as recently as two years ago, Derry have endured a miserable first year under Paddy Tally, who is still searching for his first win since replacing Mickey Harte. While Derry earned a draw with Galway in the league, overcoming Padraic Joyce's men in the championship pressure-cooker is a big ask, especially for an Oak Leaf unit still shorn of All-Star quality in Gareth McKinless and Conor McCluskey. "Derry must take something from the last 10 or 15 minutes against Armagh when they ripped them apart at times and could have three or four more goals," said McConville. "You wouldn't have argued if that game ended a draw but now it's about results, it's not about anymore hard luck stories and the fact they have Galway at home makes it even more must-win."In Sunday's two other games, Donegal will attempt to regroup against a rejuvenated Cavan at Breffni Park while Monaghan, who beat Louth in their opener, hope to strengthen their position in Group Three when they host Clare. For Tyrone, Saturday evening presents a golden chance to take a significant step towards the last eight when they welcome Mayo to Omagh in Group the Red Hands basking in the glow of their win over Donegal and their latest All-Ireland triumph at Under-20 level, Malachy O'Rourke's side are firm favourites to dispatch a Mayo side for whom the past couple of weeks have been turbulent. Having fallen to Cavan in their opener, manager Kevin McStay stepped back to deal with health issues before an extraordinary meeting of the county committee on Monday which followed recent reports of the board's financial situation. Also at that meeting, GAA president Jarlath Burns condemned "bullying, intimidation and threats" directed at Mayo county board officers. With McStay stepping back, Stephen Rochford leads Mayo against Tyrone in what is a rerun of the 2021 All-Ireland final, which was won by the Ulster county."A lot of things have gone against Mayo and that's usually when they'll give you something so Tyrone need to be on their game but I can't see anything other than a Tyrone win," said McConville."Mayo have history in this regard. They've been written off previously. The performance against Cavan was so alarmingly poor so there's a lot of work to be done. "But Tyrone have the ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over. I don't think Mayo have that."In Group Three, Down hope to make it two wins from two when they welcome Leinster champions Louth to Pairc Esler. Having comfortably dispatched Clare last time out, victory over Louth would leave Conor Laverty's Mournemen in a commanding position before facing Monaghan at a neutral venue in the final round of group games in a fortnight. On Sunday, there are two Ulster counties in Tailteann Cup action as Antrim take on London and Fermanagh face Wexford in the final round-robin games. After defeats by Westmeath and Limerick, Antrim must win to secure an away preliminary quarter-final, while Fermanagh can still top Group Four if they beat Ernemen's game will be played at Croke Park as the curtain-raiser to Dublin v Armagh. Finally, there is a triple-header of hurling finals at Croke Park on Saturday with two Ulster counties vying for silverware. Cavan face New York in the Lory Meagher Cup final before Derry take on London in the Christy Ring Cup decider. Mayo face Roscommon in the Nicky Rackard Cup final. All-Ireland SFC fixtures All times BSTSaturday 31 May Group Two: Cork v Kerry, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 16:45Group Two: Roscommon v Meath, Dr Hyde Park, 18:00Group Three: Down v Louth, Pairc Esler, 17:30 Group One: Tyrone v Mayo, Healy Park, 19:00Sunday 1 JuneGroup One: Cavan v Donegal, Breffni Park, 14:00Group Four: Derry v Galway, Celtic Park, 14:00Group Three: Monaghan v Clare, Clones, 16:00Group Four: Dublin v Armagh, Croke Park, 16:00 Tailteann Cup fixtures Saturday 31 May Group Three: Westmeath v Limerick, Portlaoise, 14:00 Group Two: Offaly v Laois, Newbridge, 18:00Group Two: Wicklow v Waterford, Wexford Park, 18:00Sunday 1 JuneGroup Four: Carlow v Longford, Tullamore, 13:45Group Three: Antrim v London, Pairc Esler, 13:45Group One: Leitrim v Tipperary, Mullingar, 13:45Group Four: Fermanagh v Wexford, Croke Park, 13:45Group One: Kildare v Sligo, Dr Hyde Park, 14:00 Hurling fixtures Nicky Rackard Cup final: Mayo v Roscommon, Croke Park, 13:00 Lory Meagher Cup final: Cavan v New York, Croke Park, 15:00Christy Ring Cup final: Derry v London, Croke Park, 17:00
