Latest news with #EoinDowney
The Irish Sun
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘My word, what a sport' – TV viewers discovering new sport on BBC give it rave reviews after witnessing thriller
TV VIEWERS have given rave reviews after discovering a new sport on the BBC. The broadcaster showcased the 5 Tipperary beat Cork in the All-Ireland Hurling Championship final Credit: Sportsfile 5 Fans tuned in to watch the clash on BBC 2 Credit: Sportsfile 5 The sport gained many new fans who had not seen it before Credit: Sportsfile Cork took on Tipperary in the match at Croke Park in Dublin. And the match produced some incredible drama as underdogs Tipperary stunned Cork to claim victory. They were handed the advantage as Cork were reduced to 14 men as Eoin Downey was shown a red card. Tipperary took full advantage of the extra man as READ MORE ON SPORT The result meant further heartbreak for favourites Cork, who had now lost their last FIVE finals. The last time the team won the Liam MacCarthy trophy was 20 YEARS ago in 2005. For Tipperary, it meant they were able to reclaim the trophy for the first time since 2019. And fans were stunned by the competitive sport as they flocked to social media. Most read in GAA Hurling JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS One posted: "Randomly chanced across hurling on BBC2 and my word, what a sport." A second wrote: "BBC2. Something outrageous is about to start." RTE viewers loved Noel McGrath's post-match interview from accidental F-bomb to hilarious gag A third commented: "How have I never seen or heard of 'Hurling' before. "I have A fourth said: "The hurling on BBC2 is fantastic entertainment. What a great sport." A fifth joked: "Currently watching BBC2 and the All Ireland hurling championship… they're all completely mad." 5 Actor Paul Mescal, right, was in attendance for the match Credit: x 5 He was joined by retired jockey Rachael Blackmore Credit: Sportsfile Another added: "British people turn on BBC 2 to watch the greatest sport in the world." The sport already boasts some famous fans, as Gladiator 2 and Normal People actor Paul Mescal is a regular viewer. He was pictured at the match alongside retired jockey The BBC will continue to show the final until at least 2027, having signed a five-year deal back in 2022 with GAA.
Scottish Sun
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘My word, what a sport' – TV viewers discovering new sport on BBC give it rave reviews after witnessing thriller
There were some famous faces in the crowd HURL POWER 'My word, what a sport' – TV viewers discovering new sport on BBC give it rave reviews after witnessing thriller Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TV VIEWERS have given rave reviews after discovering a new sport on the BBC. The broadcaster showcased the All-Ireland Hurling Championship final today, leading to a huge interest from fans. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Tipperary beat Cork in the All-Ireland Hurling Championship final Credit: Sportsfile 5 Fans tuned in to watch the clash on BBC 2 Credit: Sportsfile 5 The sport gained many new fans who had not seen it before Credit: Sportsfile Cork took on Tipperary in the match at Croke Park in Dublin. And the match produced some incredible drama as underdogs Tipperary stunned Cork to claim victory. They were handed the advantage as Cork were reduced to 14 men as Eoin Downey was shown a red card. Tipperary took full advantage of the extra man as they stormed to a final score of 37-21. The result meant further heartbreak for favourites Cork, who had now lost their last FIVE finals. The last time the team won the Liam MacCarthy trophy was 20 YEARS ago in 2005. For Tipperary, it meant they were able to reclaim the trophy for the first time since 2019. And fans were stunned by the competitive sport as they flocked to social media. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS One posted: "Randomly chanced across hurling on BBC2 and my word, what a sport." A second wrote: "BBC2. Something outrageous is about to start." RTE viewers loved Noel McGrath's post-match interview from accidental F-bomb to hilarious gag A third commented: "How have I never seen or heard of 'Hurling' before. "I have no real idea of what's going on but I'm kinda interested with the game and the fit blokes playing it. I'm thanking BBC2 this afternoon." A fourth said: "The hurling on BBC2 is fantastic entertainment. What a great sport." A fifth joked: "Currently watching BBC2 and the All Ireland hurling championship… they're all completely mad." 5 Actor Paul Mescal, right, was in attendance for the match Credit: x 5 He was joined by retired jockey Rachael Blackmore Credit: Sportsfile Another added: "British people turn on BBC 2 to watch the greatest sport in the world." The sport already boasts some famous fans, as Gladiator 2 and Normal People actor Paul Mescal is a regular viewer. He was pictured at the match alongside retired jockey Rachel Blackmore. The BBC will continue to show the final until at least 2027, having signed a five-year deal back in 2022 with GAA.
Irish Times
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Cork player ratings: Shane Barrett starts strong but too many fail to reach final crescendo
1 Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig) At fault for Tipperary 's crucial first goal when mis-controlling a shot that was going over the crossbar. Should have been more decisive under a long ball for Tipp's second goal. 4/10 2 Niall O'Leary (Castlelyons) On a lot of ball in the first half when Cork were mostly comfortable at the back. Scored and made a point on his forays into attack. Ultimately couldn't handle Darragh McCarthy. 5/10 3 Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers) Coped reasonably well under the dropping ball in the first half but was losing his battle with John McGrath when he picked up a second yellow for conceding a penalty. 4/10 4 Seán O'Donoghue (Inniscara) Tipp were happy for O'Donoghue to be the first receiver on short puck-outs and his distribution was patchy. His least impressive game of an otherwise excellent season. 5/10 READ MORE Cork's Seán O'Donoghue in action against Tipperary's Jason Forde. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho 5 Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr) Fought hard as usual and kept going to the end. Held Jake Morris to a couple of points from play without negating his influence. Morris must now be favourite for Hurler of the Year. 5/10 6 Robert Downey (Glen Rovers) Absolutely commanding in the first half, dominating in the air and on the ground, but the centre didn't hold in the second half when Tipp started playing the ball in front of him. 6/10 7 Mark Coleman (Blarney) Made a blistering start, sweeping up around the Cork half-back line and starting attacks, but couldn't maintain that influence and faded as the game wore on. 6/10 8 Tim O'Mahony (Newtownshandrum) After a terrific season this was his least effective performance. Made an early assist and had a couple of score involvements late in the first half but otherwise offered little in attack. 4/10 Cork's Darragh Fitzgibbon. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho 9 Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville) Was the most influential of the four centre fielders in the first half, but Cork lost a grip in the middle third in the second half. Fought hard against the tide. Finished with three points from play. 6/10 10 Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold) For a young player starting just his third championship match he had a brilliant first half, scoring three points and assisting two. Couldn't get going after half-time and was eventually replaced. 6/10 11 Shane Barrett (Blarney) Superb in the opening half, rifling three points from play, including what seemed at the time like a vital goal in first-half stoppage time. Finished with 1-4 but couldn't influence the second half. 7/10 Shane Barrett celebrates scoring a goal for Cork. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho 12 Declan Dalton (Fr O'Neill's) Just like last year, he followed a terrific semi-final with an ineffective performance in the final. Landed a trademark long free in the first half, but faded badly before being replaced. 4/10 13 Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers) The most effective of Cork's inside forwards in the first half, scoring one from play and making another. Missed a free just after half-time and was replaced before the hour mark. 5/10 14 Alan Connolly (Blackrock) Got his only point shortly before half-time but had struggled to get his hands on the ball before that. Ironically, fluffed the only goal chance he created by making a poor handpass instead of shooting. 4/10 Cork's Brian Hayes in action for Cork. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho 15 Brian Hayes (St Finbarr's) Was smothered in the air by Ronan Maher. One of his flicks from a long puck-out resulted in a first half score, and was fouled for two frees, but was essentially neutralised by Tipp. 5/10 Bench Seamus Harnedy was lively as always, hitting the crossbar with a rasping shot for goal and scoring a late point. Damien Cahalane coped well as an emergency full back, apart from one ridiculous foul for charging. 5/10 Management Cork coped well with Tipp's extra defender in the first half but when the momentum of the game shifted violently after the break they didn't have any solutions. Too many players failed. 5/10
Irish Times
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Why Robert Downey still draws inspiration from Patrick Horgan
The four-year age gap means that Robert Downey didn't play a game of hurling alongside his brother Eoin until 2021. Since then, it's a rare day when they aren't taking to the field together. All the same, the pair grew up constantly pucking around on the streets and ball alleys of Cork's northside, honing their innate interplay which fuses the Rebel team around its defensive spine. While Eoin had Robert as a model of high performance, the older brother was not short of inspiration either. Patrick Horgan was always knocking around the Glen Rovers ball alley and would take on the teenagers once he'd outlasted his senior team-mates. 'I beat Hoggie. I remember beating him when I was quite young, actually,' says Downey of those one-touch games. 'In fairness to him, he is probably the best of us, but I think I could give him a good run for it!' READ MORE How did Hoggie take being beaten by a young buck? 'He was alright! I was nearly more surprised than him to be honest,' replies Downey. 'He'd be in there with the senior team, we might have been 13, 14, in the viewing area, watching him for hours and hours, and he'd call us in for the last two or three games. 'At that stage, the sliotar was worn out, but it gave us the bug to want to get to the levels he was at and to practise as hard as he did. 'It's funny now, even in the off-season, I could ring him or he could ring me and there'd be a few of us going to the alley again. We always find ourselves back there.' The influence of the hurling championship's record scorer runs deep in the Glen. Cork's Patrick Horgan, Robert Downey and Eoin Downey celebrate with the Munster championship trophy. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho 'We were lucky we had such close access to Hoggie,' reflects Downey. 'He was our role model and I suppose there's a reason we love it so much too and always pucking around and making up games. 'The nights we're not training with Cork, we're always up in the club watching Glen training. He's always there, still down pucking around.' Downey's uncle, Len, grew up playing football alongside Roy Keane on Rockmount and Irish underage teams. Snooker was his father's preferred game, but the same man was always a 'mad hurling fan'. The brothers still play a good bit of snooker alongside Hoggie and Brian Hayes. Not as skilfully as those ball-alley sessions, though. Robert estimates his highest break at 27, adding, 'I could be there months and I'd say I wouldn't get it again'. Horgan may be 37, but he retains that youthful enthusiasm on these big days. 'I remember seeing Hoggie getting on to the bus (for the Dublin game),' says Downey. 'I won't call him old, but he's the oldest on the team, and he was giddy, laughing. He knew: these days don't come around too often.' His younger brother wouldn't remember it, but Robert has a 'very vague memory' of watching at home the last time Cork captured Liam MacCarthy in 2005. On Sunday, he hopes to follow Seán Óg Ó hAilpín's footsteps up the Hogan Stand as captain. Pat Ryan has emphasised how this group is more player-led than ever before. In the minutes before they take to the field, the management team and subs vacate the dressingroom, leaving the starting 15 alone for a final few words. Downey keeps it simple in those moments: 'You're just telling fellas how hard we've worked and just to express ourselves really.' Downey grew up hurling at centre back for the Glen, although he was pushed up to full-forward for his final year as a Cork minor in 2017. Those attacking instincts showed when he bagged a goal-of-the-season contender in last year's All-Ireland final defeat to Clare. On the back of their displays, the Downeys were named together on the All-Star selection. Cork's Robert Downey after his side's semi-final win over Dublin. Photograph:Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho While he's since lifted league and Munster trophies, Robert has endured his frustrations in a year disrupted by niggly injuries. He has averaged 39 minutes per game played and missed the Waterford win entirely. That Déise clash was a far more nervous experience than if he had actually been taking part, although he had full confidence in his team-mates to extend their summer. The preceding Limerick loss was the lowest point, though. Those lessons will set the bar for Cork's performance on Sunday. 'We didn't tackle hard enough. You can talk about systems and tactics and game-plans, and they are very important, but when it boils down to it, it's the team that works hardest and tackles the most and wants the ball and wants to win will win the game at the end of the day. 'Limerick were streets ahead of us in those departments that day.' The prize for avenging that defeat was a four-week break as Munster champions. It enabled Downey to shake off any injury worries. Despite taking a bang to the neck and cramping up towards the end, the Dublin game was the closest the centre back has come to completing 70 minutes since the league final. Was that seven-goal exhibition as good as this team has produced? 'I'm not sure. That's up for ye guys to talk about it really,' Downey responds. 'Obviously, there's aspects of the performance that we were thrilled with, and like with any performance, there's things we can work on too. 'If we play like that the next day, it probably isn't good enough to win the All-Ireland. So we'll be knuckling down to nail things and tweak things coming into the Tipperary game.'
Irish Times
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
All-Ireland hurling final: Joe Canning's Cork player profiles
1 Patrick Collins Age : 28 Club : Ballinhassig Debut : v Limerick, 2021 His long puckouts to Brian Hayes are a key weapon for Cork , but Collins is good at medium-range deliveries too and his puckouts to Tim O'Mahony were particularly impressive in the semi-final. In some situations, like for Limerick 's goal in the Munster final , he needs to stay on his feet longer. READ MORE 2 Niall O'Leary Age : 27 Club : Castlelyons Debut : v Tipperary, 2019 O'Leary is a no-fuss kind of player: tight and tough. I don't think Cork will worry about match-ups in their full-back line. O'Leary loves a one-on-one battle and he'll be trusted to pick up whoever comes into his corner. One of Cork's best players in the league, he has carried that form into the championship. 3 Eoin Downey Eoin Downey of Cork will need to be at his most alert against John McGrath. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho Age : 22 Club : Glen Rovers Debut : v Tipperary, 2023 For many years after Diarmuid O'Sullivan retired, number three has been a problem for Cork. Downey has nailed down the position now. Occasionally he looks vulnerable in the air, but I don't think it's a weakness. He had a brilliant final last year, but John McGrath's movement and intelligence will ask some questions. 4 Seán O'Donoghue Age : 29 Club : Inniscarra Debut : v Clare, 2018 Lost the captaincy at the beginning of the year and it looked like he might be under pressure to hold his place. However, O'Donoghue has been brilliant this season. Marked Darragh McCarthy in the league final and was lined up to mark him again in the championship until McCarthy was sent off in the first minute. 5 Ciarán Joyce Dublin's Rian McBride is blocked by Ciarán Joyce of Cork during the All-Ireland SHC semi-final. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho Age : 23 Club : Castlemartyr Debut : v Limerick, 2022 Even though he likes to do a bit of hurling, Joyce is Cork's go-to man marker in the half-back line. I expect him to tag Jake Morris and the outcome of that duel will have an impact on the result. Has also done well at centre back during the championship when Robert Downey was injured. 6 Robert Downey Age : 25 Club : Glen Rovers Debut : v Limerick, 2019 Has had an injury-interrupted season but made an impact off the bench in the Munster final and was commanding against Dublin, especially under the high ball. Andrew Ormond will pose a different test this weekend and I think Tipp will target Downey's channel with pace. 7 Mark Coleman Age : 27 Club : Blarney Debut : v Wexford, 2016 Had a good final last year and his overall form this season is much better than last year. Very good going forward and delivers quick ball into his forwards, but not as effective going towards his own goal. Sam O'Farrell will have defensive duties in his own half, though, and that will suit Coleman. 8 Tim O'Mahony Cork's Tim O'Mahony scores his side's sixth goal against Dublin in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho Age : 28 Club : Newtownshandrum Debut : v Clare, 2018 O'Mahony is the engine of the team and when he's going well Cork seem to go well. When he didn't have an influence against Limerick in the round-robin game, Cork had no foothold in the middle third. He's been outstanding in the last two games, returning to the form he showed in the league. 9 Darragh Fitzgibbon Age : 28 Club : Charleville Debut : v Tipperary, 2017 Cork played him at centre forward for a lot of the year, but I think centre field is his best position. O'Mahony's capacity to break up the play makes him a perfect foil and gives Fitzgibbon the freedom to attack. Had a huge game in the Munster final when Cork really needed their leaders to stand up. 10 Diarmuid Healy Age : 21 Club : Lisgoold Debut : v Clare, 2025 Did exceptionally well in the Munster final and though he's a young player in his rookie season, there seems to be no question about his temperament. Had a quieter game against Dublin in the semi-final, but he has a very bright future. Tall, athletic, rangy with a good eye for a score. 11 Shane Barrett Cork's Shane Barrett holds off Dublin's Conor McHugh. Photograph: Tom O'Hanlon/Inpho Age : 24 Club : Blarney Debut : v Dublin, 2020 Was one of the favourites for Hurler of the Year going into last year's All-Ireland and came back to that kind of form against Limerick in the Munster final. His shooting was off against Dublin, but even on a day like that he's always busy and asking questions. Will force Tipp to think about their options at number six. 12 Declan Dalton Age : 27 Club : Fr O'Neill's Debut : v Tipperary, 2019 After a frustrating year with injuries, he came storming back to form in the semi-final against Dublin. He also had a hugely effective semi-final last year but failed to back it up against Clare. That experience will stand to him. Takes the pressure off Patrick Horgan with long-range frees. 13 Patrick Horgan Age : 37 Club : Glen Rovers Debut : v Tipperary 2008 Deserves to win an All-Ireland and maybe it will finally come on Sunday. Cork don't depend on him nearly as much as they have over the years, which is better for everyone. Has not hit his usual percentages with dead balls but still good for a couple of scores from play. 14 Alan Connolly Alan Connolly was outstanding for Cork in the semi-final against Dublin. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Age : 24 Club : Blackrock Debut : v Limerick, 2021 Had a spectacular match against Dublin but he doesn't always deliver. He strikes me as a confidence player who needs the first couple of possessions to go well. If that happens, he could be electric. Always thinking about a goal and has scored five against Tipp in his last three games against them. 15 Brian Hayes Age : 24 Club : St Finbarr's Debut : v Tipperary, 2023 With the biggest game of the year left, he's my Hurler of the Year. Everything goes through him in the Cork attack, whether it's a long puckout or a ball sent in from the middle third. His improvement over the last 14 months has been phenomenal and nothing seems to phase him. Bench With Séamus Harnedy not fit to start, he's a huge option to come on. As well as him, they have plenty of experience on the bench: Shane Kingston, Conor Lehane and Damien Cahalane have all been around a long time. Backroom team Pat Ryan (Manager) Donal O'Rourke, Brendan Coleman, Fergal Condon, Donal O'Mahony Pat Ryan has never looked for excuses on Cork's bad days and he's never blamed the players. That's a great trait in a manager and the players will appreciate that. The way he has handled himself and the team has been hugely impressive.
