Latest news with #JoeMcDonagh
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Wexford star Lee Chin calls for major All-Ireland SHC shake-up with four teams qualifying from Leinster and Munster
Chin says the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists deserve a break and insists extra provincial spots would boost competitiveness in the Championship ALL CHANGE Wexford star Lee Chin calls for major All-Ireland SHC shake-up with four teams qualifying from Leinster and Munster WEXFORD captain Lee Chin has added his voice to calls for four teams to qualify for the All-Ireland SHC from both Leinster and Munster. GAA president Jarlath Burns has vowed to review the current structure of the hurling Championship, admitting that the pathway into the All-Ireland series for the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists could be abolished. 2 County icon Chin says the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists deserve a break and insists more provincial spots would boost competitiveness 2 Wexford skipper Lee Chin has called for a major adjustment to the senior hurling championship campaign Along with the likes of Clare's Tony Kelly and Waterford's Stephen Bennett. Chin was one of many leading players whose season ended in May after Wexford failed to secure the top-three finish required to advance from the provincial stages. He said: "Every inter-county hurler wants to be hurling as late into the year as they can. It'll be interesting to see what will come if they do potentially change what way the format goes. "My own feelings on it would be that if they're going to keep the same one, maybe change it so that four teams come out of each province. "I mean this with the greatest respect, but the teams that are coming up from the Joe McDonagh over the last number of years, their games in the preliminary quarter-final just haven't really been competitive.' In light of the introduction of participation in the top-tier of Championship hurling as a bonus for Joe McDonagh teams, the 2019 win for Laois over Dublin remains an outlier. Since then, the eight preliminary quarter-finals have ended in victories for the Liam MacCarthy Cup sides by an average margin of more than 17 points. Chin added: "It's quite unfair on them too that they have to go out and play again only a week after playing their All-Ireland. "They're not able to put in the best week of preparation as a result and it's probably something that just needs to change. "If those places were taken by the teams who finished fourth in the provinces, I think it would just add more competitiveness to the rest of the Championship. Scottie Scheffler suffers major blow ahead of PGA Tour playoff event after $43 million season earnings are revealed "From a player welfare point of view, let the Joe McDonagh finalists have their few days to celebrate afterwards or whatever it might be because the bodies wouldn't necessarily be right to go into a high-intensity Championship game. "If there's not going to be any change to that – and I don't know where it's going to be found – then they're going to have to give those teams an extra week or two to be ready for it. "But if the same timeframe is there, the more appropriate alternative would be to have four teams coming out of both Munster and Leinster." Chin's next outing will be the annual Hurling for Cancer Research game at Netwatch Cullen Park, where he will be among an array of big names lining out on Monday evening. He said: "It's an absolutely fantastic occasion each year. I'm privileged to be involved in it and I love heading up to see the players, the coaches and the crowds that have gathered over the years. "Since my first year involved, which was 2015 or 2016, there's been a huge difference in the size of the crowds attending the game and the number of people who have bought into it. "Fair play to everybody who continues to make it happen because it's a brilliant thing they're doing for such a great cause."
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Larry O'Gorman fears Joe McDonagh future may await Wexford
Wexford great Larry O'Gorman reckons things could get worse for his county before they get better, acknowledging that relegation to the Joe McDonagh Cup remains a possibility. The Model County only missed out on qualification for the All-Ireland series this year on scoring difference to Dublin and were just two points off a Leinster final spot. Former Hurler of the Year O'Gorman noted too that it was a 'blunder by the referee' in their narrow provincial group defeat to Dublin - a goal was awarded to the Dubs in error - that 'cost us the game'. But the 1996 All-Ireland winner said the bigger picture is that the county isn't producing enough high quality young players and is suffering from a relatively poor standard in the local club championship. Speaking at the launch of the 2025 Beko Club Champion, O'Gorman painted a gloomy picture for his county. "I said it last year that we could end up in the Joe McDonagh," said O'Gorman, who hasn't changed his opinion and is concerned by the progress being made by Offaly and McDonagh Cup winners Kildare. "Kildare are going to be a threat to Wexford as well. They're great hurlers. At the level we're at, I wouldn't be surprised if Kildare could even beat us." It'll be 30 years in 2026 since Wexford's last All-Ireland win though an anniversary MacCarthy Cup success seems unlikely, even if talisman Lee Chin has signed up again. Asked if things could get worse for Wexford, O'Gorman nodded. "I think we're heading that road," said the Faythe Harriers man. "We have the likes of Dee O'Keeffe, Liam Og McGovern, Matthew O'Hanlon who have retired. We have Lee Chin, probably one of our best hurlers for decades, we have Liam Ryan, Mark Fanning. These lads are getting on as well, they are 32, 33 years of age. "The younger generation are coming in but there's a big gap between them. They haven't really gelled together yet. They're not really hurling well as a unit." O'Gorman's suggestion is that Wexford go back to basics and put an increased emphasis on producing underage talent. "I was involved in 2014, 2015, 2016, maybe 2017 as well with Wexford underage," said O'Gorman. "I looked at a programme the other day, from 2015, out of 64 players, there was only two of them playing (senior in 2025) for Wexford. We've only Richie Lawlor and Conor Foley. There's another lad, in the extended panel, Tomas 'Tucker' Kinsella, that's all that have come through. "In Kilkenny, you have to serve your time as a senior hurler. In Wexford, we had three or four or five lads that came off the U-20 team with Keith Rossitter and they were put in straight away. But they were green going in, didn't of them didn't even play as senior hurlers for their club. It was their first year probably ever playing senior hurling for their club as well. So it's a big step up. "It takes a lot of effort, a lot of commitment and you can't expect the likes of Lee Chin and a few other lads to pull them along because they'll get tired pulling them along. You need good, top quality young lads coming through and, at the moment, we have good players. But to be at the level of Cork, Limerick and Tipperary, we'll have to be at a higher level, higher quality." O'Gorman said he'd love Wexford to appoint a figure like Anthony Daly to head up a major, long-term investment in underage hurling. "It could be a five-year plan, or a 10-year plan, and I think that's the only way it can work for Wexford," he said. Wexford did enjoy a golden period under Davy Fitzgerald, winning the 2019 Leinster title. O'Gorman said he's still haunted by their failure to beat Tipperary in that season's All-Ireland semi-final. As for the overall championship structure, he believes it should be tweaked to allow the fourth placed teams in Leinster and Munster - Wexford and Clare this year - to advance to the All-Ireland series, instead of the Joe McDonagh Cup finalists. "No disrespect to Laois or Kildare - they had their All-Ireland (final) the previous week and then they get an opportunity to come out to play in the All-Ireland qualifiers. It's no disrespect to them but I do think the likes of Clare, Waterford, whoever, Wexford, I think they should get another bite at the cherry." *For more information on the Beko Club Champion see
Irish Daily Mirror
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Galway v Tipperary TV info, throw-in time, date and more for All-Ireland clash
The All-Ireland quarter-finals begin this weekend with Galway taking on Tipperary. Galway skipped the prelims after their Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny. Meanwhile, Tipp took care of business against Joe McDonagh finalists Laois in the prelims, winning by 3-32 to 0-18 in Portlaoise. This was the opening fixture of the league for both teams, with the Premier County running out 12-point winners that day in January. Here's what you need to know about the big game: Saturday, June 21. The Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. The game is due to begin at 6:15pm. Yes, the game is being shown on RTÉ 2. Galway: 5/2 Draw: 10/1 Tipperary: 4/9
Irish Daily Mirror
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
What time and channel is Kildare v Dublin on in the All-Ireland Championship?
After their thrilling Joe McDonagh success, Kildare are now looking forward to an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final with Dublin. The Lilywhites have been one of the stories of this year's Championship, and their victory over Laois in the Joe McDonagh Cup final capped a rapid rise. They will be the underdogs, though, against a Dublin side who finished third in the Leinster Championship. Here is all you need to know about the match: The match is scheduled for a 4pm throw-in at Cedral St Conleths Park on Saturday, 14 June. To the consternation of many GAA fans, the match is not being televised. Highlights will be shown on The Sunday Game. And you can follow all the action right here on Irish Mirror Sport. Kildare 11/1 Draw 16/1 Dublin 1/18
RTÉ News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Wounded Laois ready for 'huge' Tipperary test
Laois hurler Pádraig Delaney has labelled this Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Tipperary a "huge test" as they look to bounce back from Joe McDonagh Cup final agony. The O'Moore County fell at the hands of neighbours Kildare in Croke Park last Sunday, 12 months on from another agonising loss to Offaly in the same fixture. They would ultimately go on to lose to Wexford a week later but are buoyed by the prospect of taking a major scalp this time around. "It's a big test just a week after. It's great to have a game like that. We'll be back training tonight and hopefully we'll prepare as best we can for it," Delaney told RTÉ Sport. "It's going to be a huge test, we know that, but we'll try and prepare as best we can." Tipperary finished the Munster championship level on points with finalists Cork and Limerick, suggesting a huge task awaits the Midlanders, but Delaney is aware of where his county men need to improve ahead of Saturday's encounter in Portlaoise. "I think the game got away from us there in the second half. We got a goal after half-time, and I thought we would push on. Cathal [Dunne] made a few great saves as well, but they just tagged on the scores easier than we did. "We struggled on our own puck-outs and that's disappointing." The Harps centre-back started in every game for Laois across the McDonagh Cup campaign, scoring in each of their six games. There is no doubt that losses can leave a scar. Laois were All-Ireland quarter-finalists back in 2019, when they lost to eventual champions Tipperary. But there's no hang-up towards Kildare's history-making result. "It's a tough one to take after two years. Kildare were full value, they're a great side with some brilliant players there and we are just disappointed overall," added Delaney. The target now is on a home showdown with another neighbour, before looking to go all the way in the Joe McDonagh next year, and return to the Leinster Championship. "We want to get back to Leinster Championship and to do that, we have to win the Joe McDonagh, and we have to consistently beat these teams. So hopefully we're back again next year and we'll go again." Despite the short turnaround between the Joe McDonagh final and the preliminary quarter-final, Delaney and co are enjoying the challenge. "We're going to have to pick ourselves up. It's a tough championship, like it's week on week, but it's enjoyable. So we'll go back training tonight and we'll try and try and pick the lads up and we'll go again on Saturday."
