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Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Meabh Cahalane hoping focus will turn to 'the actual game' after skorts debate
Meabh Cahalane's mother was chatting to an uncle in America at the weekend, filling him in on how Cork had got on against Limerick. Meabh captained the Cork camogie team to a landslide Round 1 win, setting them up nicely for this Saturday's anticipated stiffer test in Tipperary, though the result wasn't the main focus of the conversation. "I have an uncle in America and he was on the phone to my mother wondering if we were wearing shorts or skorts at the weekend," said Cahalane, referencing a debate which gained far more headlines than the opening round of games did. "She was trying to tell him about results and different things! It's one of those things that got huge coverage and hopefully now camogie, the actual game, will get the same coverage." It remains to be seen if that will happen though Cork are doing their damnedest to get people talking about what they're doing on the pitch. Back-to-back Glen Dimplex All-Ireland title winners, National League champions, Munster finalists. Whatever competition you choose to focus on, they're at the top of the tree right now and they gave Limerick a licking last weekend in that All-Ireland group opener, posting 6-25. Cork's appetite for destruction clearly hasn't been sated by success. "It's really hard to get into the starting 15, and into the 20," said defender Cahalane. "For any team that's a huge positive but especially coming in after winning last year, I don't think anyone has taken any sort of backwards step. We seem to be really hungry and really going after it again this year. "I think that was proven in the league. So the hunger is definitely still there and you're seeing that in the competition for places." The funny thing is, it's only two years ago they were talking about Cork camogie going through a famine period of sorts. They'd failed to win any of the four All-Irelands between 2019 and 2022 and had been passed out by Galway and Kilkenny. Cahalane points to the 2022 All-Ireland final loss to Kilkenny as a turning point. "I think losing that game to Kilkenny made us realise that we probably had to find another couple of players and since then we've had Sorcha McCartan come into the panel, Orlaith Cahalane, Aoife Healy and now you have Clodagh Finn, Cliona Healy and girls like Saoirse McCarthy and Laura Hayes who have all got that bit older and stronger and more experienced," said Cahalane. "I suppose that age group are really the driving force behind the team now. They're driving standards and making the older players really work for their positions. You can see it in Ashling Thompson, for example, she's absolutely flying. And that probably comes down to the younger girls pushing her for her place." Even at this early stage of the Championship, Saturday's trip to Tipp and The Ragg could be a shoot-out for top spot in the table, and a semi-final place. It's a meeting of the two teams from the group that competed in the top flight of this year's league. Down native McCartan and Libby Coppinger didn't feature in the Limerick game due to injuries. "There are another few girls in the panel with niggles and stuff too," said Cahalane. "We're not able to play full 15 v 15 games in training at the moment. Hopefully those girls can get those injuries right, without any complications, because the season is so short. "Sorcha is back in training now, she might be touch and go (this weekend) but Libby will probably be another couple of weeks alright." Cahalane said the drive for three All-Ireland titles in a row isn't a topic that's necessarily been placed off limits. "I think it's important that we see it as an opportunity," she said. "We have Gemma O'Connor involved with us this year. She has played the game her whole life and she has encouraged us to see it as an opportunity to go after. "In order to do that it's important to be present and not to let the year pass us by and then be wondering in August, 'Why weren't we able to do it?' I think it's important for us, if we want to get there, to take it game by game because when you're going in as defending champions, there's always going to be a target on your back."
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
‘Those two weeks felt like two months': Kilkenny captain Katie Power reveals overwhelming toll of skorts protest
Katie Power admits the reaction to the Kilkenny-Dublin skorts protest was, at times, overwhelming. The Kilkenny captain and her Dublin counterpart Aisling Maher emerged as the embodiment of the campaign following an Irish Times photograph of the pair wearing shorts prior to their Leinster semi-final. The momentum gained from that initial stance ultimately led to last Thursday's Special Congress, at which 98 per cent of delegates supported a motion to provide players with a choice of wearing shorts or skorts. Power was happy with the outcome but admits the level of attention generated by the protest was difficult to manage. READ MORE 'I won't tell you a lie, I found those few weeks tough going,' she said at the launch of the 2025 Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie Championships. 'Overwhelmed, I suppose, with everything that came with it. 'I 100 per cent didn't expect what happened to happen. We were just making the protest, obviously to voice our opinions, but I definitely wasn't aware of what was going to come afterwards. 'The two weeks after that were tough mentally – very draining. My phone was just absolutely blowing up, but for the better. 'It was only after the match that it kind of dawned on me that I was in for the toss and that was the picture that was going to go out. Kilkenny captain Katie Power and Dublin counterpart Aisling Maher, both wearing shorts, are addressed by referee Ray Kelly before the Leinster semi-final. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 'I'm happy that we decided to do it, but obviously what came in the aftermath was huge. It's done with now and looking back, it was great to have done it for the future of camogie and the younger girls. It's great now, but those two weeks were tough going, they felt like two months.' Power, who is entering her 18th season with Kilkenny, works as a personal trainer. She had to be up at 5am last Friday morning, which meant she was tucked up in bed as delegates were voting at Special Congress the night before. 'I didn't even look at the phone until the next morning,' she said. 'I was in bed, I was working early. I was [able to sleep]; I was nervous about it at the beginning, but in the few days beforehand there was too much about it for the motion not to pass.' Of the eight players present at Croke Park on Monday for the launch of the 2025 championships, seven wore shorts. Armagh's Nicola Woods wore a skort and the defender pointed out that nearly all her teammates togged out in skorts for last weekend's championship clash against Roscommon. I have an uncle in America and he was on the phone to my mother wondering if we were wearing shorts or skorts at the weekend — Méabh Cahalane 'Personally, I prefer shorts even though I'm wearing a skort here today,' said Woods. 'I think everybody just wanted players to have a choice. 'Unlike probably many counties, a lot of the Armagh girls are keen to keep the skort. For our game on Saturday, I think I was the only one on the team who wore the shorts.' Cork captain Méabh Cahalane also supported the campaign for players to have a choice. The late postponement of the Munster final between Cork and Waterford denied Cahalane the opportunity of leading her team to a possible provincial title earlier this month. [ Camogie president targets filling Croke Park for All-Ireland final Opens in new window ] [ Nicky English: Improving Galway will be serious opposition in Leinster final but nervous Cork continue to struggle Opens in new window ] There remains uncertainty around when the Munster final will be refixed because there is very little space in the calendar with the All-Ireland series now ongoing. However, Cahalane is pleased a resolution was found on the skorts-shorts issue. 'It obviously got huge coverage both on social media and in the news, it travelled fast and travelled wide,' she said. 'I have an uncle in America and he was on the phone to my mother wondering if we were wearing shorts or skorts at the weekend. I suppose it got huge coverage and hopefully now camogie, the game, will get the same coverage. 'Getting the result that a choice would be introduced, we were just delighted.'
Irish Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Camogie round-up: Wins for Cork, Galway, Kilkenny and Clare
Galway , Cork , Kilkenny and Clare all picked up victories in the first round of games in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior camogie championship this afternoon, with the two western counties going well to come through tough contests in front of their home supporters. Galway opened their championship campaign with a 0-15 to 1-6 victory over Dublin at a rain soaked Kenny Park in Athenry. The visitors made a strong start with a goal after 10 minutes from Aisling Gannon, while points from Sinéad Wylde and Aisling Maher (free) had the visitors 1-2 to 0-2 ahead after 18 minutes, threatening an upset win for the Dubs against last year's All-Ireland finalists. Galway leaned heavily on the expertise of team captain Carrie Dolan and her dead ball skills in the first half as she was the only scorer for the Tribeswomen in that opening 30 minutes, registering four frees, one 45 and two from play, while points from Wylde and Grace O'Shea scores left the sides level at half time, 0-7 to 1-4. Galway proved too strong in the second half, outscoring the visitors by 0-8 to 0-2 in what were incredibly difficult conditions for the teams to show their quality. READ MORE Dolan added four from placed balls while Sabina Rabbitte, Mairéad Dillon, Caoimhe Kelly and Niamh Mallon also chipped in. Two Aisling Maher frees were all that Dublin could add to their tally in the second half as the home side ran out winners. The other Group Two fixture saw Kilkenny record a 3-26 to 0-9 win over Derry in Owenbeg, with the Cats in complete control throughout. Kilkenny led by 0-9 to 0-2 and already had six different scorers on the board when Katie Nolan fired their first goal of the afternoon after 16 minutes. The visitors led by 1-15 to 0-3 at the interval with Sarah Barcoe picking off three from play. Orlaith Hull tallied all three of Derry's scores from frees during the first half. The half-time interval didn't change the flow of the game as Kilkenny picked up from where they left off in the second period, with Sophie Holden and Steffi Fitzgerald adding goals. Derry got second-half points through Sinéad and Áine McGill, but the Ulster side were left in no doubt as to the task on their hands if they are to rebuild their championship in advance of another fiercely tough test against Galway next Saturday. Kilkenny will go back home and play host to Waterford next weekend, with Dublin on a bye before taking on the Cats in round three. In Cusack Park in Ennis, the home side overcame Wexford on a 0-15 to 1-9 scoreline. A tough and competitive game saw Clare take a 0-10 to 1-5 lead into the interval before the scores became even harder to come by in the second half. Ziyan Spillane struck five first half points for the Banner (three frees) while Róisín Begley landed three from play. Joanne Dillon struck four placed balls for Wexford at the other end while the highlight reels will be dominated by a superb goal from Wexford's Anais Curran, a brilliant shot to the top right-hand corner. The second half was equally competitive, but Clare shaded the scoring with Ellen Casey tallying two vital scores. Dillon added two at the other end, bringing her personal tally to 0-6 for the afternoon, but it was not enough as Wexford could not find a way to engineer the second goal they badly needed. There was no surprise in Páirc Uí Rinn were reigning champions Cork recorded a facile victory over Limerick. Ger Manley's charges ran out 6-25 to 0-5 winners over the Treaty county, who now face into a crucial battle with Wexford next weekend in Rathkeale. First half goals from Amy O'Connor, Katrina Mackey, and Orlaith Cahalane saw the Leesiders lead by 3-12 to 0-1 at half time. Limerick's sole scoring coming from a Caoimhe Costelloe free. It did not get much better for Limerick in the second half, with Cork adding goals through Cahalane, and two from Clodagh Finn, while they also racked up another 13 points for good measure. O'Connor (1-7), Cahalane (2-3), Finn (2-3) and Mackey (1-4) all had productive afternoons in front of the posts for the Rebels, with Laura Southern hitting two point from play for Limerick to go with Costelloe's three frees. Cork will travel to Tipperary next weekend, with Clare resting up in this group.
Belfast Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Rory McIlroy climbs Rich List leaderboard as NI's richest young person with £260m fortune
With Masters prize money of $4.2m (£3.5m) swelling the coffers, the 36-year-old now has a fortune of £260m, according to the annual list. That makes him our richest person under 40 — and 19th on the list of the UK's wealthiest people under 40. McIlroy's wealth has risen by £35m over the last year, the Sunday Times research said, a bigger jump than the £25m rise reported a year earlier. Robert Watts, the compiler of The Sunday Times Rich List 2025, said: 'McIlroy earlier this year became the second golfer after Tiger Woods to have earned in excess of $100m (£75m) on the PGA Tour during his career. "Since launching his career 15 years ago he has chalked up nearly 30 victories from more than 260 events on the tour. "The bulk of McIlroy's fortune stems from sponsorship deals and other tie-ups with Nike, Omega and TaylorMade. He has also prospered from property in Dubai, New York and Florida.' The news comes as McIlroy competes at the US PGA at the Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina. 'Dream come true' - Rory McIlroy finally completes grand slam with Masters win Yet for all the riches sporting prowess can bring, the golfer, from Holywood in Co Down, can't gain entry to the big league of names from business who dominate the Northern Ireland Rich List. At number one for another year are Lady Ballyedmond (77) and her family, with a wealth of £922m. She is the widow of Lord Ballyedmond, who founded Newry veterinary pharmaceuticals firm Norbrook and was killed in a helicopter crash in 2014. Their fortune from the family's continued ownership of Norbrook has gone up by £8m over the last year, the Sunday Times said. The Naughtons, another family behind a business with roots in Newry, are at number two with their fortune of £825m. Patriarch Martin Naughton (86) founded the Glen Dimplex company in Newry in 1973, beginning with manufacturing oil-filled radiators. Glen Dimplex underwent a radical restructuring which began in 2024, with the family's fortune declining by £25m. The Belfast Telegraph Top 100 Companies this week revealed that their company, Glen Electric, recorded the highest pre-tax profits in Northern Ireland of the last year at £468.6m. The Rich List also reveals that the wealth of Belfast-based father and son Robert (80) and William Barnett (49) and their family climbed by £2m over the year to reach £647m, placing them at number three. Their family business, W&R Barnett, has interests ranging from commodity trading to agribusiness and industry. The success of LCC Group in Cookstown, an energy supplier and owner of Go petrol stations, has given founder Michael Loughran (74) and his family a fortune of £530m — down from £604m the year before. Eoin McCann (68) and the other family members behind the concrete company FP McCann Group in Magherafelt has the highest increase in wealth of the big hitters in Northern Ireland, according to the list. Their wealth grew by £51m over the year to a total of £462m in 2025. Derek Keys (59), owner of Euro Auctions in Dromore, Co Tyrone, made it into the list for the first time with riches of £400m. Mr Keys' company carries out plant and machinery auction sales in the UK, Europe, Australia, Abu Dhabi, Canada and the US. As well as revealing the wealth of the 350 richest people in Britain, the weekend's 76-page special edition of The Sunday Times Magazine also reveals The Sunday Times Giving List in association with the Charities Aid Foundation. It found that the 100 most philanthropic people on the list gave £3.7bn to charity. But The Sunday Times said familiar names on the list had faced significant financial challenges. This year's list of 350 individuals and families together hold a combined wealth of £772.8bn — 3% down on last year. The minimum entry level had flatlined at £350m, which The Sunday Times said was 'another indicator of a subdued year'. Mr Watts said: 'The Sunday Times Rich List is changing. Our billionaire count is down and the combined wealth of those who feature in our research is falling. We are also finding fewer of the world's super rich are coming to live in the UK. 'This year we were also struck by the strength of criticism for Rachel Reeves's Treasury. We expected the abolition of non-dom status would anger affluent people from overseas. But homegrown young tech entrepreneurs and those running centuries-old family firms are also warning of serious consequences to a range of tax changes unveiled in last October's budget. 'Our research continues to find a wide variety of self-made entrepreneurs building fortunes not just from artificial intelligence, video games and new technologies but also mundane, everyday items such as makeup, radiators and jogging bottoms. "We know many of our readers find these people and their stories inspiring — especially the many who had tough starts or setbacks to their lives and careers.'
