Latest news with #DublinGAA
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘The things I do for these two' jokes Dublin GAA legend as he reveals hilarious gesture at best mate's glamorous wedding
BRIAN FENTON and fiancee Katie got dolled up for their best friends' wedding - with the ex-Dublin star going the extra mile for the bride. The 2 Brian Fenton and fiancee Katie attended their friends' wedding Credit: Instagram/brianfenton08 2 The former Dub went the extra mile for the bride Credit: Instagram/brianfenton08 The special day took place at the popular Cloughjordan House in Co Tipperary. Mother Nature threatened to put a dampener on the occasion when it started to rain on the newlyweds. Thinking quickly, the Ballymun Kickhams man expanded an umbrella to protect the bride from the conditions. Sharing a photo of the moment to his Instagram Story, the 32-year-old joked: "Things I do for these two". Read More on GAA The two-time All-Star and nine-time All-Ireland winner Alongside a series of photos from his decorated career, the Raheny man said: "Words will never suffice to explain the privilege it has been to represent this county. "Proud of that kid for chasing his dreams". Following his retirement, Dublin GAA described Fenton as "a hugely talented footballer and fan favourite who will forever be considered one of the greatest players". Most read in Sport Former teammate Ciaran Kilkenny, meanwhile, His absence left a massive hole that Dublin struggled to fill, with Dessie Farrell's Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview - Their The result came as a shock to most outside observers, but was predicted by former star Paul Flynn, who In the immediate aftermath of Fenton's retirement, Flynn told : 'It's catastrophic, it's actually unrecoverable. "I would go as far as to say they will be under pressure in Leinster. 'If they had lost four or five players, I still believe they could have built a competitive team with Fento in midfield. 'You could actually regenerate the squad with him there because he's so good he'll at least have a presence in midfield, fill in a couple of centre roles and carry a couple of players.' The news came just two weeks after nine-time All-Ireland winner James McCarthy Flynn, who won Sam Maguire four times alongside Fenton, added: 'If I'm Ger Brennan now, if I'm Robbie Brennan going in at Meath, if I'm Brian Flanagan in Kildare, you're getting confidence from this, you're sniffing blood. 'It's not a slam dunk, but they're coming back to the pack something fierce with James McCarthy and Brian Fenton gone.'
Irish Times
5 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Galway expertly forced mistakes from Dublin, and then had quality to punish them
Galway's superior efficiency and defensive steel helped them overcome Dublin at Parnell Park. While the raw scoreboard shows only a seven-point margin (0-29 to 3-15), the turnover battle told a much deeper story — one of Galway's structured intensity and ruthless transition play. An analysis of both halves through turnover maps reveals how Galway dominated key moments, especially through pressuring puckouts, blocking shots, and converting opposition mistakes. The high number of turnovers that Galway created on Dublin's puckouts helped set the tone for the game - six Galway points came directly off turnovers. First half – Galway set the tone From the outset, Galway displayed an aggressive and coordinated press on Dublin's puckouts. Their setup forced numerous mistakes, with turnovers from Dublin restarts notably clustered around the central third. These puckout wins formed the foundation for Galway's dominance in the opening 35 minutes. READ MORE Galway pressed up on Dublin puckouts while remaining zonal on long puckouts. Galway's turnovers were not just numerous — they were productive. The graphic's white dots show that six of these led directly to points, inside or just outside the D. Their ability to regain possession and convert quickly into scores was a key pillar of their first-half control. However, both sides lacked cohesion in the first quarter with both sets of players struggling with the breeze and distribution of deliveries to inside lines. Dublin in particular looked disjointed, with their backs hitting too much ball from too deep, as we can see below. Their inability to build play through the lines meant the Galway half backs were able to sit deeper and cut out deliveries. Too often Dublin went long with balls that suited the Galway defence rather than trying to work it short. With just two puckout wins from Galway restarts, they failed to establish any meaningful momentum off Galway's mistakes. Dublin's inefficiency was also evident in their conversion rate from play, with a 46% conversion rate (12/26) really hurting them, especially in the first half. While they did manage two scores from turnovers, many more ended in wides or were turned over again in contact. Galway's spatial awareness and anticipation often allowed them to collapse on ball carriers and force errors without overcommitting. David Burke's game sense and intelligence stood out, and his delivery of good ball to Anthony Burn's and Brian Concannon yielded scores in both halves for their inside line. Second half – Galway's discipline and execution The second-half turnover map highlights Galway's capacity to sustain their pressure while also defending with increasing composure. Once again, Galway forced multiple turnovers from Dublin puckouts − six yellow dots can be seen below − and, more importantly, they converted these into a string of scores. The turnover map for the second half again illustrates Galway's dominance Galway's attacking structure made full use of broken play. Their middle third operated as a pressing trap − forcing Dublin into panic decisions − while their forwards were consistently first to react to loose ball or mis-hit clearances. Galway's top three shooters from play − Concannon 0-5, Tom Monaghan 0-4 and Conor Whelan 0-3 − left Galway with a total shot count of 43, which yielded 29 scores. A 67% return was impressive on a breezy day, but Kilkenny backs won't be as generous with no-pressure shots in the Leinster final. One area of note for Galway's forwards was a lack of goal threat, however the numbers suggest that Galway have improved in shot creation and conversion over the course of the Leinster championship. And since the Offaly game there has been an improvement in the forward unit when it comes to winning ball and turning ball over. The pressing by the Galway forwards has improved in recent weeks. Here we see them attempt to close down Dublin bringing the ball out of defence - the aim is to use the sideline as a 'defender' and force Dublin down a tight channel. The Galway full back line of Fintan Burke, Daithi Burke and Pádraic Mannion seemed to enjoy the tight confines of Parnell Park. Their defensive organisation undermined Dublin's attempt at a late resurgence. With four blocked shots (black dots) visible near the D, Galway's defenders refused to yield even under heavy pressure. Time after time, Dublin broke through only to be met by a wall of maroon jerseys. These blocks were often as impactful as scores at the other end — denying Dublin crucial momentum. Conclusion This turnover numbers underline why Galway were fully deserving of the victory. Post-match possession stats reveal that Galway turned over just 42% of their possessions, compared to Dublin's 57% — a stark indicator of the latter's struggles with build-up play, decision-making, and team cohesion. Galway's superior pressure on puckouts, swift transitions, and scoring efficiency overwhelmed Dublin's system. Just as significant was their aforementioned defensive work, which denied Dublin any route back into the game. Although Dublin improved after the interval and converted more turnovers into points, they continued to falter in front of goal. Galway, by contrast, operated with clinical intent. The numbers tell us that this game was decided on turnovers − and Galway dominated those turnovers. 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.
BreakingNews.ie
25-05-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Sunday sport: Dublin take on Galway, Liverpool to be crowned Premier League champions
GAA Dublin and Galway have both already qualified from the round-robin but their clash at 2pm is effectively a semi-final. A draw would be enough for Galway to set up a provincial decider against reigning champions Kilkenny next month. Advertisement Ready to go 💪🔥 #UpTheDubs — Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) May 25, 2025 Kilkenny are already qualified for the final ahead of their trip to Wexford. While Antrim need a win away to Offaly if Davy Fitzgerald's team are to avoid dropping into the Joe McDonagh Cup for next year. Waterford need a win at Cork if they are to advance from Munster Hurling's round-robin for the first time. The Deise have dropped their captain Dessie Hutchinson for that 4pm throw-in on Leeside, while Cork know a win would see them advance to the final. Advertisement Last year's All-Ireland champions Clare round off their campaign with a trip to the Gaelic Grounds to face current table-toppers Limerick. The Connacht Ladies Football final is just getting underway between Mayo and Galway. While Kerry and Waterford contest the Munster decider at 2:30pm. Soccer Victory away at Fulham on the final day of the Premier League season will guarantee Manchester City a top five finish. Advertisement A point should be enough - barring other results going against them and a massive swing in goal difference. Five teams are battling it out for three Champions League qualification spots. Two sides hoping to qualify for the Champions League meet at the City Ground, as Nottingham Forest host Chelsea. Newcastle will finish in the top five if they win against Everton. Advertisement Brighton occupy 8th, which could be good enough for the Conference League, ahead of their game away to Europa League holders Tottenham. Brentford could overtake them if they beat Wolves. Champions Liverpool will lift the trophy after their match with FA Cup winners Crystal Palace at Anfield. Second placed Arsenal travel to bottom team Southampton. Advertisement Of the other sides already relegated, Ipswich meet West Ham and Leicester face Bournemouth. For the final time this season... Anfield awaits 🤩 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 25, 2025 Tennis World number one Aryna Sabalenka is through to the second-round at the French Open tennis. She's opened in style, losing just one game in seeing off Kamilla Rakhimov in straight sets in the first-round. Elina Svitolina is also safely through to round two at Roland Garros, but two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is out. Cricket Ireland are looking to seal a series victory over the West Indies in their third and final One-Day International at Clontarf. Paul Stirling won the toss and opted to put the visitors in to bat, the West Indies reached 131 runs for 2 wickets before rain halted play. Racing The Aidan O'Brien-trained Lake Victoria looks set to go off the favourite in this afternoon's one-thousand Guineas at the Curragh A field of 12 will go to field in the Classic, with the eight-race getting underway at twenty-past-one.
Irish Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Former Dublin GAA star Tomás Quinn on the challenges of a League of Ireland CEO
Tomás Quinn says the biggest challenge he faces as Shelbourne CEO is stemming the flow of money out of the club and making it self-sustaining. But it's a mission the former Dublin GAA star is ready to tackle head on as he swaps one code for another and beds into League of Ireland life. Reigning champions Shels recorded losses of €3.5 million over the last three years - more than any other club in that period. Their return to the Champions League this summer carries the potential of lucrative financial reward, depending how deep the Reds go. But Quinn wants to see Shels on a sounder financial footing as plans to revamp Tolka Park over the coming years come into sharper focus. He is only six weeks into his new job, having left Dublin GAA where he was Commercial and Marketing Director since 2013. Asked about shoring up the financial drain at Shels, Quinn said: 'That's a huge challenge and it's something I will learn in time. We have a plan to start reducing that. 'People ask me what's the difference between where I came from and where I am now and I'd say that a lot of the approaches in the past were very short-term and reactive. It wasn't too long ago that players were on short-term contracts, a lot of uncertainty. Look at our squad now and we have a lot of players who are on multi-year contracts. Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 'Players are not just playing for this season but have an idea for next season. Are we doing the same off the pitch? A lot of the relationships we have in terms of commercial perspective and generating revenue are very much year on year, it's short term. 'It's not week on week but a lot of it is. Take a step back as a club and increase the opportunities. And that's not just sponsors, that's matchday experience, what can you buy and enjoy in the stadium. We have challenges in Tolka, we are tight on space, the layout and the rest, but we are looking at that, to improve it for fans but also tie to that the revenue.' Quinn added: 'There's an onus on clubs to make sure they're operating in a responsible way and generating enough income to maintain having a men's team, a women's team, underage academy, everything else that goes with it. That's the biggest challenge for any club I would say, from my initial assessment.' When Quinn was strutting his stuff for Dublin, he was part of a team that were the only show in town. His involvement in inter-country spanned from 2003 to 2012 and in his early days on the panel, the Dubs were not yet the all-conquering behemoth they would become. But regardless of whether they were lifting silverware or not, Dublin were the kings of the capital, drawing exclusive support from north, south, east and west of the county. When the glory days rolled around under Jim Gavin, plenty of rival fans quite liked the half-baked idea of splitting the county into two GAA teams, north and south. But Dublin remained as Dublin - a one stop shop. For the last 11 years, 'Mossy' Quinn worked as Dublin GAA's Commercial and Marketing Director but that's all in the past now, after swapping codes. He is Shelbourne's new chief executive, a surprise appointment at the time and tasked with overseeing the running of the League of Ireland's Premier Division champions. As he said in Tolka Park yesterday, the role brings many new and varied challenges and chief among them is the fight for the hearts and minds of supporters. With four Premier Division clubs in the capital alone, it's a new dynamic for the All-Ireland winner with both Dublin and his club St if Dublin is big enough to sustain four big, successful football clubs, Quinn said: 'It's a good question, and that's what we're all striving to work towards. The hope is that yes is the answer. For anyone involved in football in Ireland, the thing is to see if we can get to that model.'The growth of the league is on an upward curve, but can we build on that or is it going to plateau now? That's the challenge for the league. There's so much going for it at the moment, the TV deal, the coverage, you can see it has enhanced it. There are brilliant characters around the league. The fact there are four Dublin Premier Division clubs does make it a challenge and it's different to Dublin GAA, where you have the whole county feeding into one.'Quinn was happy that Shelbourne fought to save Tolka Park, instead of moving into a redeveloped Dalymount Park with Bohemians. But he knows there are significant challenges associated with staying at the club's spiritual home, with plans slowly taking shape to revamp the dated ground. Quinn said: 'I see opportunity in it but there's massive cost associated with upgrading Tolka Park, but it goes hand in hand. The stand above us isn't open at the moment but if we were in a position to spend the money to do the retrograde works, then you potentially have more people coming in.'If there are more people coming in then you're generating more revenue, you've an ability to grow your fanbase. It's trying to have a structured plan and step-by-step approach to get to that place. Work of this nature, you start one thing and it has a knock-on effect to what else needs to be done. But we want to increase the enjoyment on match nights, potentially a family stand, engaging different communities, different fanbases.'Quinn continued: 'There's no agreed long-term plan. We're still working through the lease agreement with Dublin City Council. There's work to be done over the next year. But the obvious thing is funding. There's the ongoing cost of running a club and then the investment needed for Tolka Park.'But while Tolka's long-term future is at the centre of Quinn's vision, it's also dominating his short-term thinking too. Shels are in a race against time just to get the ground up to scratch for UEFA, to host Champions League matches in July. Playing Europa Conference League games there last summer was one thing, but Europe's premier club competition is another. Quinn explained: "We're working through it at the moment with UEFA. The hope and intention would be to play the first round at Tolka. If we're fortunate to progress to a certain round it has to be a UEFA approved stadium which is Tallaght or the Aviva. That would be a good problem to have as it means we're winning games. But first and foremost, Tolka Park is where we're playing European games."A week is a long time in Irish football, never mind six of them. But it's so far, so good for Quinn.'The best way I can describe it is I haven't driven home any day saying 'Jesus what am I after doing?'. I'm really enjoying it so far,' he why League of Ireland football?Quinn said: 'GAA was what I played my whole life but sport is my passion, across multiple sports. I was fortunate enough to be on the board of directors of Golf Ireland for the last year as well. How sport is run in the background is always something I've had a massive interest in.'I was fortunate enough to work in Dublin GAA for 11 years but I had opportunities within that time to spend time with other sports, from rugby to soccer to American football to different things so I've always had that natural interest. There's not that many jobs in Irish sport at a significant level where you can keep progressing, so what appealed to me was that opportunity.'It's a broader role than I was in with Dublin and, to be honest, it's outside my comfort zone a little bit. It's a great challenge for me, it's a great challenge for the club to keep evolving and keep developing and there's a huge amount of work that needs to go into that.'
Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
'Everybody sees the opportunity' — New Shels CEO Quinn on Tolka, gains and €1m losses
It's 25 minutes into a discussion with Shelbourne's new chief executive before the name of Damien Duff arises. Mossy Quinn – former All-Ireland winner with Dublin GAA – has an in-tray that eclipses even the League of Ireland's most recognisable figurehead. He's six weeks into a job he accepted after aligning with the vision outlined by co-owners Neil and Cathal Doyle. Quinn can distinguish from his job as commercial manager of Dublin GAA what constitutes investment and knows cash from the tech entrepreneurs will take many years to accrue a return. Three successive years of €1m losses aren't expected to be bucked in 2025 despite the looming windfall of Champions League entry earned by Duff overseeing a first title for 18 years. 'It's a huge challenge to do that,' admits Quinn about the dependence on benevolence of owners, including sports broadcasting giant Mickey O'Rourke. 'That's something we will learn in time and we have a plan to start reducing that. 'It's not good enough for me to come in and say: 'we lost a million last year, we can lose a million this year.' There is no quick fix, no simple solution. It will take putting structures in place and a lot of hard work but that is one of the things that appealed to me about the challenge that goes with the role. 'Unless the intent or purpose was the same as what I see, then it would have been very hard for me to accept the role. 'I know there have been other ownership models at Shelbourne in the past but I don't anticipate change in the short-term. Everybody sees the opportunity here.' Ultimate sustainability hinges on facilities. One half of that task was resolved this week when a long-term lease was signed to develop the AUL training centre but Tolka Park represents the most expensive project on Quinn's agenda. A supporters drive to disentangle from ground-sharing at the rebuilt Dalymount Park was successful but the 'Save Tolka Park' campaign will only bear fruit if the quaint but decaying venue is modernised. Incremental, rather than radical, works are scheduled. As Quinn was talking on Thursday, a crane was working on the roof of a stand that has been deemed unsafe for several years. Ironically, it was the newest built of the stands but declared a fire hazard. There could be up to another year of waiting before that area, housing 850 seats, is safe to be reopened. Of the current 5,700 capacity, just under half are accounted for by season-ticket holders. There's been certain matches over the past year when demand led to fans being turned away. Some cosmetic improvements are required before Uefa issues a green-light but the plan is for the first round of Champions League action to be staged at Tolka in early July. Progression beyond that may lead to the requirement for Tallaght Stadium to be rented for compliance purposes. 'There's no agreed long-term plan for Tolka yet,' he said about the potential for overhauling the venue. 'The obvious thing is funding. There's the ongoing cost of running a club and then the investment needed for Tolka Park - arguably two separate things. 'There's a brilliant buzz around the club and great energy around the league. Now we've to start moving from short-term operations, like sponsorship, to multi-year like the contracts we've agreed with players in recent years. 'I've six weeks in at this stage and I said to someone that the best way I can describe it is that I haven't driven home any day saying 'Jesus, what am I after doing?'. I'm really enjoying it so far.'
