Latest news with #CianLynch
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Limerick's devastating display against Cork was clinical, cohesive and composed
Limerick delivered a devastating statement of intent in the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday, tearing Cork apart in a one-sided Munster Championship clash that felt as much about settling scores as securing points. The defensive matchups by Cork, even though obvious − Robert Downey on Gearóid Hegarty and Ciaran Joyce on Cian Lynch − proved ineffective, as Lynch was back to his brilliant best. Throughout the first half, he showcased his full array of skills − sublime flicks, sharp offloads, and intelligent positioning that consistently unpicked Cork's defence. In the sequence leading to Limerick's first goal, Lynch exploited Cork's disorganisation. Joyce failed to track him, and neither Simon Donohoe nor Mark Coleman reacted in time to cut out the danger. Lynch was allowed to drift into space unmarked, receive the pass, and play the ball that fed Gillane. Cork too often allowed Cian Lynch to drift into space, where he was often not picked up. Here Lynch moves into space to pick up a pass from Barry Nash, which leads to the first Limerick goal. From the first whistle, the tone was set. Within three minutes, Limerick had 1-2 on the board − Tom Morrissey with two early points, before Gillane pounced on a Cork defensive slip and buried the ball past Patrick Collins. READ MORE Gillane was electric inside, while Adam English and William O'Donoghue dominated midfield. Cian Lynch was at his elegant best, linking attacks and picking passes at will. Limerick's second goal came in the 27th minute after a slick team move − English's run wasn't tracked by Ethan Twomey and Lynch opened the Cork defence with a perfectly-timed pass (see picture below). That saw the margin balloon to 13 points, and the contest was as good as over. Adam English's goal came from a slick team move that opened up the Cork defence. By half-time, Limerick led 2-15 to 0-9. All six starting forwards had scored from play, joined by Diarmaid Byrnes and Mike Casey from deeper. Cork, meanwhile, had lost the physical battles across the pitch and were relying almost entirely on Patrick Horgan's placed balls. Limerick's shot map below shows structured right-side attacks and inside-ball success; Cork on the hand struggled for efficiency and rarely threatened inside the D. Shot map from the first half of the Munster SHC game between Cork and Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds. The second half saw some spark from Cork. Seamus Harnedy came off the bench and added two points, while Cormac O'Brien won several turnovers. Between the 45th and 50th minutes, Cork hit four without reply and briefly cut the gap to 11. But Limerick, as ever, had answers. Even when Horgan struck a goal from a close-range free in the 61st minute – making it 2-22 to 1-15 – Limerick responded in kind. Gillane dispatched a penalty (dubious call against Eoin Downey) to seal his second goal and the game. In truth, Cork were never at the races. They lost almost every individual battle. Their defence struggled to live with Limerick's pace, power and variation, while their forwards were smothered by the full-back line of Finn, Morrissey and Casey. Below we can see how they struggled in front of the goal to make the ball stick and get shots off. Shot map from the second half of Limerick v Cork in the Munster SHC. Limerick's defence provided the platform for their dominance, matching Cork not only for pace but also for physicality. In the image below, we see Kyle Hayes in an excellent defensive position, sprinting back toward his own goal − a clear indication of Limerick's defensive discipline and transition work. This stood in stark contrast to Cork's first-half display, where their defensive structure was frequently unbalanced. Limerick's first-half performance was marked by their ability to bring Cian Lynch into the game between the lines, thus exposing gaps and creating scoring opportunities. Limerick worked incredibly hard during the game - here we see three defenders sprinting to cover the space. Limerick's Masterclass Puckouts as a platform: Limerick won 57 per cent of their own puckouts – Their ability to retain possession through short, sharp restarts or compete physically in the middle third suffocated Cork's options. Conversion efficiency: They converted 74 per cent of total shots, including 82 per cent from play – a testament to shot selection and patience in build-up. Even under pressure, they found scores from smart angles. Gillane hit 2-7 (1-0 from a penalty, 0-6 from frees), with Morrissey and English adding 0-5 and 1-2. Eleven Limerick players scored from play, underlining their depth and balance. Cork's Collapse Puckout disruption: Cork could only retain 47 per cent of their puckouts – meaning more than half were either turned over or contested. This limited their ability to build attacks and led to repeated pressure on their back line. Scoring struggles: Only 0-8 came from play. Their 54 per cent shot conversion showed signs of panic shooting, especially once they fell behind early. Brian Hayes was completely nullified by Dan Morrissey, thus denying Cork their primary ball-winner and link player. Ultimately, this was Limerick at their ruthless best − clinical, composed, and cohesive. They march on, with momentum fully restored. For Cork, the pressure now shifts to this weekend's do-or-die clash with Waterford. Jeffrey Lynskey managed Galway to three All-Ireland minor hurling titles. He is also a former Galway under-20 manager and is currently an MSc student in Sports Performance Analysis at Setu Carlow.
RTÉ News
20-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Best café, pub and more revealed at Irish Restaurant Awards
The All-Ireland Final of the 2025 Irish Restaurant Awards took place at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, where over 1,000 of the country's top hospitality professionals gathered to celebrate the finest establishments in Irish food and drink. The top honours on the night went to Dede at the Customs House, Baltimore, who were named Best Restaurant, while John Kelly of the Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate was awarded Best Chef in Ireland. Renowned Chef Neven Maguire was also honoured with the Outstanding Achievement Award recognising his contribution to Irish food and hospitality. Now in its 16th year, the Irish Restaurant Awards received a record-breaking 165,000 public nominations for restaurants, cafés and venues across the country. Here is the list of this year's winners: Best Restaurant - Sponsored by San Miguel Leinster: Thyme Restaurant Connaught: Lignum Ulster: MacNean House & Restaurant Dublin: Chapter One Munster: Dede at the Customs House, Baltimore All Ireland: Dede at the Customs House, Baltimore Best Chef - Sponsored by BWG Food Service Ulster: Ciaran Sweeney, The Olde Glen Bar, Restaurant & Bia Box Munster: Brian Murray, The Glass Curtain Dublin: Visham Sumputh, Etto Connaught: Yvonne Kathrein, Poacher Restaurant Leinster: John Kelly, Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate All Ireland: John Kelly, Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet Estate Best Restaurant Manager - Sponsored by Elavon Connaught: Shirley Stirzaker, Dining Room Leinster: William Wong, Saba Munster: Sophie McCauley, Homestead Cottage Ulster: Laura Connolly, The Oak Room Restaurant Dublin: Cian Lynch, Uno Mas All Ireland: Cian Lynch, Uno Mas Best Hotel & Guesthouse Restaurant - Sponsored by Frylite Ulster: Snaffles Restaurant at Castle Leslie Estate Leinster: The Sea Rooms at Kelly's Resort Munster: Landline at Park Hotel Kenmare Dublin: The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne Connaught: George V at Ashford Castle All Ireland: George V at Ashford Castle Best Use of Social Media – Sponsored by GRID Finance Leinster: Little Acorn Cafe Dublin: Kicky's Connaught: Hooked Ulster: Sonder Munster: Hotel Woodstock All Ireland: Hotel Woodstock Employee Excellence Award - Sponsored by Peninsula Leinster: Jackie Cullen, Mary Barry's Bar Connaught: Emma Cavanagh, Nook Cafe and Restaurant Munster: Geraldine Ward, Everett's Restaurant Ulster: Liam McKenna, Armagh City Hotel Dublin: Charlie O'Reilly, Happy Out x Together Academy All Ireland: Charlie O'Reilly, Happy Out x Together Academy Best Casual Dining - Sponsored by Musgrave MarketPlace Munster: Momo Restaurant Ulster: Frae Leinster: The Valley Inn Connaught: Guys Seafood Bar Dublin: Crudo All Ireland: Crudo Gastro Pub - Sponsored by Paynt Ulster: Murph's Gastro Pub Dublin: HERA Leinster: The Glyde Inn Munster: J. M. Reidy's Connaught: McSwiggans All Ireland: McSwiggans Best Café - Sponsored by Lavazza Dublin: Two Boys Brew Munster: Seagull Bakery Connaught: POTA Ulster: Ursa Minor Leinster: Strandfield All Ireland: Strandfield Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine - Sponsored by FBD Insurance Connaught: The Lavender Restaurant Dublin: Volpe Nera Munster: Saint Francis Provisions Leinster: Arán Artisan Bakery & Bistro Ulster: The Olde Post Inn All Ireland: The Olde Post Inn Best Newcomer - Sponsored by Square Munster: Baba'de Connaught: Oifig An Fish Ulster: No. 9 Market Square Dublin: Forêt Leinster: Bearú All Ireland: Bearú Pub of the Year - Sponsored by istil.38 Dublin: Neary's Ulster: The Reel Inn Connaught: Matt Molloy's Munster: An Siopa Dubh Leinster: Sean's Bar All Ireland: Sean's Bar Best Wine Experience - Sponsored by Bibendum Ulster: OX Leinster: Ballyfin Demesne Munster: UNioN Wine Bar & Kitchen Connaught: Daróg Wine Bar Dublin: Bar Pez All Ireland: Bar Pez Best Customer Service - Sponsored by provided by Dolmen Leinster: Monart Connaught: Arno's Bistrot Ulster: Noble Dublin: Roly's Bistro Munster: Restaurant Chestnut All Ireland: Restaurant Chestnut Best World Cuisine – Sponsored by National Chef de Partie Apprenticeship & National Sous Chef Apprenticeship Programmes Connaught: Mama Rich Woodquay Ulster: Chilli Lounge Leinster: Tābú Munster: Tango Street Food Dublin: Rasam Restaurant All Ireland: Rasam Restaurant Best Sustainable Practices - Sponsored by Familia Torres & the Findlater Group Dublin: Glas Restaurant Munster: Ballygarry Estate Hotel Leinster: Ballykilcavan Farm and Brewery Connaught: Honestly Farm Kitchen Ulster: Lir All Ireland: Lir Innovator of the Year - Sponsored by Diageo Ulster: Foam Connaught: Ugly D's Pizza Leinster: Fiona Egan, Cloughan Farm & Cookery School Munster: Trawler Boyz Ballycotton Dublin: Bar 1661 All Ireland: Bar 1661 Local Food Hero - Sponsored by Sugar Snap Leinster: Tom and Laura Sinnott, Wexford Home Preserves Munster: Kasha Connolly, Hazel Mountain Chocolate Connaught: The Calvey Family, Calveys Achill Mountain Lamb Dublin: Jess Kelly, The Village Butcher Ulster: Jonny Cuddy, Ispini Charcuterie All Ireland: Jonny Cuddy, Ispini Charcuterie Best Cocktail Experience – Sponsored by Monin All Ireland: Darren Geraghty, Hawksmoor Food Truck of the Year – Sponsored by provided by Dolmen All Ireland: Julia's Lobster Truck Best Cookery School – Avonmore All Ireland: Dingle Cookery School Best Learning and Development - Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet All Ireland: O'Dwyers
Irish Examiner
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Fuelled on fury, Limerick's green machine rolls over Rebels
Munster SHC: Limerick 3-26 Cork 1-16 In full technicolor, this was the backlash. All the grievance, all the fury, all the frustration Limerick had stored since last July was taken out on the Cork team who had obliterated their five-in-a-row tilt. As John Kiely said afterwards, his players' 'motivation levels are obviously absolutely through the roof'. Fourteen years ago, Kilkenny had to wait a whole year before they struck back at Tipperary for ending their dreams of a fifth straight All-Ireland title. Limerick had to be patient two months less and even at that this act of revenge may the first of three battles, the second probably coming in a couple of weeks. This meant more than just quasi-qualification for a seventh consecutive Munster final for Limerick. If there is no better sauce than hunger than there is no superior stock for it than defeat. That two-point reverse to Cork had been Limerick's first in knockout championship in five seasons. What was rare was woeful. It felt from early doors that Cork were on a hiding to nothing. Not that excuses how inferior they were to Limerick but the opposition they faced on the sod and the stands, even if on both counts they were equal in size, was ferocious. The coin toss in Limerick's favour and Cian Lynch opting to harness the breeze in the first half helped too, yet there was a sense in the opening quarter there was only going to be one winner regardless of the elements. So many individual battles were lost by Cork and when Pat Ryan rolls the review tape in the coming days, he won't have to add much commentary. 'I suppose looking at workrate, it wasn't high enough,' he rued. 'I guess that was the thing. We stood off Limerick and left them use the ball as they can. They were at a really, really good pitch, they were really up for it.' In less than three minutes, Limerick were five points to the good. Tom Morrissey sent over a brace of points and then Aaron Gillane found the net having exploited a slip by Niall O'Leary after rescuing the ball from going wide. He then jigged past Ciarán Joyce and dispatched past Patrick Collins. It truly was a taste of what was to come. Cork answered with three points but before Declan Dalton retired with a leg injury Limerick had another sight of goal only for Barry Nash to put the ball wide. With four points in succession, Limerick stormed into a six-point lead. The amount of ball landing on top of the Cork full-backs was causing so much bother and Gillane penalised a couple of infringements while Adam English opened his ledger and Morrissey added a third. In the Limerick half, Kyle Hayes performed a beautiful dispossession to deny Shane Barrett a run on goal. It was one of the many individual battles Limerick were winning and after a Brian Hayes point they hit Cork for another four scores without response. By the time, Nickie Quaid kept out Patrick Horgan in the 23rd minute, the margin was eight points. Lynch was weaving wonderful link play and he was integral to recognising a goal was on for English in the 27th minute that put Limerick 13 up. He added a point seconds later in a gorgeous 60 seconds of play for the two-time hurler of the year. The hits just kept on coming for Cork. David Reidy became the final Limerick forward to score from play in the 29th minute and Diarmaid Byrnes their ninth scorer in total just before half-time. Fifteen points down, Cork were in damage limitation mode and were far tighter on the likes of Lynch and Gearóid Hegarty. Cormac O'Brien was winning plenty of ball and another substitute Seamus Harnedy sent over a couple of points. Cork strung together four points between the 45th and 49th minutes to offset the gap to 11 but Limerick were still finding so much space on Cork's right flank. A Horgan goal from a free in the 61st minute made it a 10-point game only for Gillane to cancel it out with a green flag from a penalty he won against Eoin Downey. Before the end, Horgan rasped the crossbar and Limerick's catalogue of scorers had jumped to 11, their point more than made that their hurling still carries plenty of weight. 'We'd be a bit disappointed with a couple of pieces in the first 12 to 15 minutes of the second half,' reviewed Kiely. 'We just made a few mistakes, dropped a few breaking balls that we had initially won and they turned them over. They punished you every single time so we'd be disappointed with that but really happy with the way we responded to that phase of play. 'Sometimes, that can get engrained in you and you almost sense things are sliding if you like and our response to that was super and we won the last quarter. For us to do that, it's a huge takeaway. The last day (v Waterford) and the previous day (v Tipperary), the fourth quarter was the weakest quarter so we'll take a lot from the final quarter and the impact from the bench I was delighted with that as well.' Last autumn, Kiely spoke of Limerick being the hunters once again. Now that Clare are out, who exactly are they chasing? Cork will undoubtedly give a better account of themselves in future fixtures but this was a reminder that old money remains good money. Scorers for Limerick: A. Gillane (2-7, 1-0 pen, 0-6 frees); A. English (1-2); T. Morrissey (0-5); G. Hegarty (0-3); C. O'Neill, P. Casey (0-2 each); M. Casey, S. O'Brien, C. Lynch, D. Reidy, D. Byrnes (0-1 each). Scorers for Cork: P. Horgan (1-9, 1-8 frees); S. Harnedy (0-2); M. Coleman, R. Downey, B. Hayes, S. Barrett, B. Roche (0-1 each). LIMERICK: N. Quaid; M. Casey, D. Morrissey, S. Finn; D. Byrnes, K. Hayes, B. Nash; A. English, W. O'Donoghue; G. Hegarty, C. Lynch (c), T. Morrissey; A. Gillane, S. O'Brien, D. Reidy. Subs: D. O'Donovan for W. O'Donoghue (temp 37-40); S. Flanagan for S. O'Brien, C. O'Neill for T. Morrissey (both 51); P. Casey for D. Reidy (58); C. Coughlan for M. Casey (inj 67); A. O'Connor for D. Byrnes (68); B. Murphy for D. Morrissey (temp 70+3 to f-t). CORK: P. Collins; N. O'Leary, E. Downey, S. O'Donoghue; M. Coleman, C. Joyce, R. Downey (c); T. O'Mahony, E. Twomey; D. Dalton, D. Fitzgibbon, S. Barrett; P. Horgan, A. Connolly, B. Hayes. Subs: B. Roche for D. Dalton (inj 8); C. O'Brien for R. Downey, S. Harnedy for E. Twomey (both h-t); D. Cahalane for N. O'Leary (inj 55); R. O'Flynn for A. Connolly (66). Referee: L. Gordon (Galway)
Irish Times
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Limerick's monumental display a stark reminder of their enduring power
The Munster Championship is alive and dead. Technically, mathematically, statistically, it has a pulse. But after a Sunday that felt clarifying in the extreme, Limerick's monumental display against Cork has left it weakened. John Kiely's side had 16 points to spare in the Gaelic Grounds and are all but guaranteed a tilt at a seventh Munster title in a row. Is that your idea of competition? Everyone else has to satisfy themselves with various half loaves. Tipperary's win over Waterford in Thurles guarantees them knockout hurling in June. READ MORE Cork have Waterford at home next week and if they handle their business, they'll see Limerick again in the final. Waterford beat Cork last year so they can maybe convince themselves a repeat is possible. At this time of year, no act of self-deception should be dismissed out of hand. That kind of thing isn't Limerick's vibe though. They gave Cork the full Ezekiel 25:17 treatment in front of a full house on the Ennis Road. Great vengeance, furious anger, the lot. Aaron Gillane ran in 2-7 for himself, all loose-limbed panther menace. Cian Lynch was a one-man variety act, juggling knives, drumming with his knees, playing Beethoven's Fifth on the harmonica. They scored 2-18 from 25 shots in the first half. Cork were 15 points down at the break, worse even than the 2021 All-Ireland final when the gap was 13 at half-time. The tills finally stopped ringing at 3-26 to 1-16 to Limerick. Talk about taking the good out of it for everyone else. Tim O'Mahony looks dejected late in the game during the Munster championship defeat to Limerick at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho 'We got beaten by Cork twice last year,' said John Kiely afterwards, just in case anyone was wondering where his team's display came from. 'They are one of the top teams in the country. You're at home in the Gaelic Grounds in the championship, you only have two games here so we have to deliver on days like today. You have to deliver. You just have to. We had too much work put in.' Thing is, so had everyone else. And at the start of the day it was still possible for every team in Munster to kid themselves that there was something to aim for. Two points separated top from bottom, leaving ample room for bargaining. Even Clare, hobbled and winless from their first three games, weren't quite toast yet. It would take a moon shot combination of results, allied to a prevailing wind and the sum of the square on the hypotenuse for them to pull it off. But it wasn't impossible. It is now. Tipperary's 1-30 to 1-21 victory over Waterford means that the All-Ireland champions have no route to a continued defence of Liam MacCarthy. Brian Lohan's team are the first champions not to at least make the following year's All-Ireland quarter-finals since they themselves fell in the qualifiers in 2014. It has been a wretched few months but at least the agony has ended for them now. Tipperary's Oisín O'Donoghue celebrates scoring a goal against Waterford at FBD Semple Stadium. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho Waterford are the obvious favourites to be the next to join them. Peter Queally's side couldn't make the best of their fast start in Thurles – after they sprinted out to a 1-3 to 0-1 lead in the fourth minute, they lost the rest of the way by 14 points. So many of their players looked shrunken and listless against the more purposeful Tipperary, with maybe only Jamie Barron coming out of it with any real credit. It means their showdown with Cork next Sunday could be a nervy affair between two teams who have spent the week getting over a hammering. The next seven days assume a vulgar simplicity for Queally and his squad. Cork will survive with a draw but anything short of a win and Waterford are gone. 'They just need to get their heads around it now,' Queally said afterwards. 'It's not over. It's the nature of the Munster championship, the nature of the round-robin. A win next week will hopefully get us through. That's what we need to be mindful of now. There's no point in dwelling on it, no point in feeling sorry for ourselves.' That's the way of it for all of them. Get up and get on. Limerick's shadow is back hovering over the province like Gulliver doing jumping jacks so they have to bathe in the shards of light they can find. When it was all over in Thurles, a string of Waterford players came up to Liam Cahill and congratulated their former manager on his success. All the while, his young daughter clung to his leg, resplendent in her communion dress, a magnet for almost as many well-dones as her father. Limerick are looming, big and bad and forbidding as ever they were. But nobody needed to convince Cahill that there was good in the day for him and his county too.
The Irish Sun
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
GAA fans convinced ‘wizard' Cian Lynch ‘plays hurling in slow motion' after moment of magic during Limerick vs Cork
CIAN LYNCH was at his very best in the first-half of Limerick's clash against Cork in the Munster senior hurling championship. And one moment of magic left fans convinced that the Patrickswell man "plays hurling in slow motion". Advertisement 1 Cian Lynch was in electric form for Limerick against Cork Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile The Treaty men faced the Rebels in a mouth-watering tie which was a rematch of last year's All-Ireland hurling semi-final. Cork won on that occasion, before losing to Clare in the final, and Limerick were hungry to put that defeat to bed on Sunday. An electric opening period saw John Kiely's men race into a 2-18 to 0-9 lead at the half-time break. Cian Lynch was integral to all of this, with the former Hurler of the Year providing a magic touch in the lead up to the second goal. Advertisement Read More on GAA He feigned to take a shot at the posts, which suckered the defender in before flicking the sliotar into Adam English, who fired into the bottom corner. Fans flocked to social media to praise the Limerick talisman for the moment of ingenuity. One said: "Cian Lynch plays hurling in slow motion while everyone around him is in fast forward" A second posted: "Haven't been active much recently, but I thought I'd make a return. Cian lynch is a f***ing wizard lads." Advertisement Most read in GAA Hurling A third commented: "Cian Lynch would have been tried for witchcraft if he played back in the day" A fourth said: "Cian Lynch is the greatest hurler of all time" Inside Lee Chin's life including day job as Wexford forward even stars during RTE GAA ad breaks with Johnny B A fifth said: "Don't know much about this Hurling stuff but Cian Lynch seems to be the GOAT "Pure magic" Advertisement And a sixth posted: "Cian Lynch's world and we're all living in it" Limerick are on for a seventh provincial title on the bounce, while Cork are the favourites - among many - for the All-Ireland title. And Andrew O'Shaughnessy warned the Treaty that they O'Shaughnessy told SunSport: "From midfield up, the Cork lads are all absolute flyers and they love to bomb forward. Advertisement "But with the angles he cuts and his pace going out wide and stuff, Darragh Fitz is just so dangerous. For Limerick to get a result, they'll need to curtail him a good bit. 'If he does end up mostly at centre-forward, he'll probably be on Kyle Hayes and that'd be an interesting battle. "Of all the Limerick players, the one you'd say who has the athleticism and the ability to get back at speed is Kyle Hayes."
