Latest news with #KieranMcGeeney
RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Kieran McGeeney rues missed goal chances but happy that Armagh topped group
Kieran McGeeney felt both his Armagh side and Dublin failed to hit the heights in their clash at Croke Park, while also lamenting the number of goal chances spurned by the All-Ireland SFC champions. A five-point win at GAA HQ ensured the Ulster county's progression through to the quarter-finals of this year's race for Sam Maguire, with the Dubs now needing to avoid defeat in their final-round encounter against Derry to ensure that they remain involved. It was a deserved win for Armagh, this despite the 17 wides that Dessie Farrell's side chalked up and their 4/3 breaches. For McGeeney, he felt his side could have made a greater indent on the scoreboard by way of raising green flags. Speaking to RTÉ Sport, he summed up the clash by saying: "Both teams weren't at their best." On the failure to put the ball past Stephen Cluxton, he said: "We missed a lot of goal chances in the first half and they missed a lot of chances overall. "There wouldn't have been much in it if they had their shooting boots on. We had four one-on-ones with Stephen and got nothing out of it and I think they got three points from our 12-point chances. Look, it was great to win the game and we top the group, so that's a big thing for us." That said, the Orchard County boss was less than impressed by what he witnessed. Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney sees plenty of room for improvement with his side's performance, despite their five point victory over Dublin at Croke Park, a win that sends them into the to All-Ireland quarter-finals. #RTEGAA #TheSundayGame — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 1, 2025 He added: "You can see the pace of Dublin when they go on the attack and they are frightening when they go through that middle part. We were happy with some parts but if we are to progress any further we will need a big improvement. "We did a lot of good stuff but at this level you have to take those chances. Cluxton is a top keeper but we made it easy for them and I'm sure Dessie is in there giving them loads for missing those point chances." His opposite number also lamented his side's accuracy in front of the posts, Farrell commenting: "It was disappointing in that I thought we prepared well but we were sloppy out there. Shooting efficiency cost us dearly and we had a couple of those technical breaches as well, which was very unlike us. "That cost us five points and you won't get way with that against a team like Armagh. At this stage we have to stay on script and keep driving on; it's about development, growth, taking the lessons, and continuing to build for ourselves. There are ups and downs along the way. Today wasn't a good day and we're into knockout football now." Dublin boss Dessie Farrell was left to rue wayward shooting and technical infringements as his side suffered a five point defeat to Armagh at Croke Park. #RTEGAA #TheSundayGame — The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 1, 2025 What will frustrate Farrell even more was that his troops started brightly but could not regain the initiative when Armagh got on top after the 20-minute mark in the opening half. "The first quarter was really good and we looked very sharp and very clinical. We then lost our way and we'll try and unpack that from a mental perspective as well as everything else. "That second quarter before half-time was costly, we were constantly chasing and though at times were getting a foothold, getting at their kickout which was very difficult to do. "That was giving us a bit of momentum but we could not convert off that and had a lot of bad wides, coupled with poor decision-making. "Shot selection in the last quarter could have had us closer but ultimately it didn't happen for us because we didn't perform the way we would have wanted to."
Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kieran McGeeney: 'They were told they would never get out of the group of death – they topped the group of death'
All-Ireland SFC Group 4: Dublin 0-19 (0-3-13) Armagh 0-24 (0-5-14) "They were told they would never get out of the group of death – they topped the group of death,' Kieran McGeeney rallied supporters at Armagh's All-Ireland SFC homecoming in the Athletic Grounds last July. After just two rounds, Armagh have again ensured they will finish best out of a viper's nest with a quarter-final on June 28/29 to anticipate. The pangs of another Ulster final loss have once more been parked and this time the champions are wearing the crown well. Plenty will be made of Con O'Callaghan not being available and Dublin's comedy of errors (18 wides, three shots that dropped short and one that struck the post aside) but Armagh looked assured from the moment they went ahead for the first time in the 26th minute. They will point to be without some of their stars too, the likes of All-Star and captain Aidan Forker, Aaron McKay and Oisín O'Neill, who had been providing regular two-pointers up to the Ulster final. Here, his brother Rian took over that mantle, kicking three of them. O'Neill is what Michael Murphy should be to Donegal – the icing on the cake. His team don't see him as a crutch but when he raises orange flags like his floating first effort here, he is a weapon of destruction. Kieran McGeeney was pleased if not satisfied with his charges's display. 'I thought we missed a hell of a bit, I think we had four or five goal chances and missed a lot. They had 17 wides, but at least, I would say, 10 of those were well within their range. 'You could argue the bit out, it would be closer or not, the conversion rates are important. Their wides would look bigger, but I think there are four or five goal chances, actually Dublin scored three or four points off them. 'Good saves, but you still want to be at least converting one or two of those if we're at this level. Definitely a mix of the good and the bad, but listen with the way the other results went, you take it every day of the week. To be able to top the group is a testament to the way the boys put their shoulders to the wheel.' Watched by a slightly disappointing crowd of 38,763, Armagh led by 0-13 to 0-9 at half-time and capitalised on three consecutive three up/four back transgressions by an insipid Dublin to extend their lead to seven by the 45th minute. The frequency of the infractions was a bad look for Dublin who compensated with a couple of two-pointers to draw within five points with 17 minutes remaining. Seán Bugler kicked the second of them only to then kick a couple of wides, the second from a relatively easy position. Read More Farrell will have a serious talk with players about technical fouls Armagh were simply a more clued-in side. In the second half, Ben Crealey and Darragh McMullan gave them a platform in the middle and the latter put them seven up in the 50th minute and the game seemed to be over when O'Neill thumped over his third two-pointer, the first from a free, in the 59th minute and Armagh were eight to the good. A desperate Dublin searched for two-pointers and bagged a third via Paddy Small but the wide count kept ticking and the total of 18 told plenty about their day. There wasn't much efficiency in the first half either. Armagh had two goal shots kept out by Stephen Cluxton and missed another six attempts at goal but Dublin were guilty of more erratic finishing. Cormac Costello ended the half with his side's seventh wide and 10th miss for the opening half. Ironically, Costello had been his team's best player in that period, scoring three points from play and winning a free he converted. Colm Basquel struck two wides inside the first 15 minutes and was withdrawn five minutes later. Dublin looked the part in the opening 11 minutes when they pushed 0-6 to 0-3 playing into Hill 16, but were hauled back courtesy of a Rory Grugan two-pointer and Jarlath Óg Burns's second point from play. Cluxton made his first save in the 19th minute from Oisín Conaty and Dublin made plenty of the let-off with the next couple of points to go two up. There was pace in their football and their inside line were enjoying the duels that came off it. However, what followed was an Armagh blitz, seven points in six minutes, two of them two-point scores, an enduring kick from O'Neill, which followed an equivalent score from a Grugan free outside the arc. Dublin were being walloped on their kick-out, the frenzied efforts of their half-forward preventing Cluxton from finding pockets and forcing him long where the likes of Crealey and Ross McQuillan were breaking ball. Conor Turbitt sent over his second score courtesy of the restart that came after O'Neill's kick and Conaty also brought his total to two points on the half-hour mark to stretch Armagh's lead to five points. Costello did sent over a free, Dublin's first point in 12 minutes, in the 34th minute but the wide he added over a minute later typified his team's performance if not his own. 'I think in the first quarter we were quite clinical but then lost our way for some reason,' reviewed Dessie Farrell. 'And we never really regained our composure, struggled to get momentum maybe outside of a period in the second half where we got at the Armagh kick-out. That gave us a very good platform but we failed to convert and execute from that platform, so that was very disappointing. 'And then perhaps some decision-making around shot selection, chasing the game, chasing two-pointers. That potentially we would regret now looking back on that at this point.' Scorers for Dublin: C. Costello (0-8, 1tp, 3 frees); P. Small (0-4, 1tp); S. Bugler (0-3, 1tp); L. Gannon (0-2); L. O'Dell, B. Howard (0-1 each). Scorers for Armagh: R. Grugan (0-8, 1tp, 1tpf, 4 frees); R. O'Neill (0-6, 2 tps, 1tpf); J. Burns, O. Conaty, C. Turbitt (0-2 each); E. Rafferty, D. McMullan, S. Campbell, J. McElroy (0-1 each). DUBLIN: S. Cluxton; D. Byrne, T. Clancy, A. Gavin; N. Scully, B. Howard. S. MacMahon; P. Ó Cofaigh-Byrne, C. Kilkenny (c); K. McGinnis, S. Bugler, C. Basquel; P. Small, C. Costello, L. O'Dell. Subs: L. Gannon for C. Basquel (20); J. Small for A. Gavin (h-t); T. Lahiff for K. McGinnis, L. Breathnach for L. O'Dell (both 48); E. O'Donnell for N. Scully (61). ARMAGH: E. Rafferty; B. McCambridge, P. Burns, P. McGrane; R. McQuillan, T. Kelly, J. Burns; J. Duffy, B. Crealey; D. McMullan, O. Conaty, A. Murnin; R. Grugan (c), R. O'Neill, C. Turbitt. Subs: S. Campbell for C. Turbitt (53); J. McElroy for J. Duffy (64); T. McCormack for R. Grugan (67); N. Grimley for R. O'Neill (68). Referee: J. McQuillan (Cavan).
Irish Times
13 hours ago
- General
- Irish Times
Armagh give wasteful Dublin a hard lesson in the new world order
All-Ireland SFC: Dublin 0-19 Armagh 0-24 Kieran McGeeney was asked if he felt Armagh are a better team this season. The manager of the All-Ireland champions took a philosophical approach to answering the question, but seemed to say it's too early to tell. 'As you know, it's like everything else,' he said. 'All the writing is done at the end. No matter what I say now, no matter what you say, it doesn't make any difference. It's always the final chapter when it comes to sport that determines the content of the book. 'You look at it from a different perspective when you're the last man standing. In sport, unfortunately, that's the only way it goes. I more than most would know that story all too well.' McGeeney was speaking after his team had comprehensive seen off Dublin . The five-point winning margin did not do Armagh justice. From the moment Rian O'Neill dropped a two-pointer over the bar at the start of the second half to push the margin to six, Dublin never got closer than five and the margin extended to eight at one stage. READ MORE The result was enough to guarantee top spot in Group 4 with a match to go. Their last match in the group comes against Galway , who they beat in last year's All-Ireland final. McGeeney pointed to Dublin's profligacy as a concern for him, as more accurate finishing on their part might have changed the complexion of the game. Dublin manager Dessie Farrell sighed when asked about his team's extravagant rate of wides - 18 plus four dropped short. Farrell said: 'I think in the first quarter we were quite clinical, but then lost our way for some reason and we never really regained our composure. [We] struggled to get momentum, outside of a period in the second half where we got at the Armagh kickout. 'That gave us a very good platform, but we failed to convert and execute from that platform, so that was very disappointing. And then, perhaps some decision-making around shot selection, chasing the game, chasing two-pointers that potentially we would regret now.' The loss to injury of captain Con O'Callaghan was a major factor in the team's poor shooting stats but he was also missed in terms of presence and leadership. Dublin will need him back on the field for the decisive match against Derry in two weeks. A good phase at the start saw Cormac Costello in sharp form, with three points from play. Dublin led 0-6 to 0-3 by the 11th minute. Paddy Small kicked in a couple as well but the wides had started to roll even by that stage. Armagh found their rhythm, helped by their successful attack on the Stephen Cluxton kickout – which the veteran goalkeeper redeemed with a couple of fine saves from Oisín Conaty and Andrew Murnin. Bit by bit, they turned the screw. Rory Grugan, who had an excellent match, kicked a two-pointer, Conaty, O'Neill and Conor Turbitt also got in on the act and they finished the half strongly to lead by four at the break, 0-13 to 0-9. Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney (left) shakes hands with Dublin counterpart Dessie Farrell after the game. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Already, it looked a steep climb for Dublin, particularly given their inaccuracies. Farrell's men did little to help themselves. The second half was marked by three breaches of the 4v3 rule, which handed an already superior Armagh the equivalent of a goal. 'It just shouldn't be happening,' said Farrell. 'Whether they're marginal calls or not, we shouldn't be putting ourselves in that position.' He added a different technical breach, after a mark, had cost them a further two points. Armagh were superior in how they stitched together moves and above all, in how they finished them. During his absence earlier in the season, it was remarked that O'Neill would be an obvious beneficiary of the two-pointers. Against Dublin, he demonstrated why people held that view – raising the roof with his first in the 27th minute as his county's sizeable contingent in the 38,763 crowd signalled approval. As Farrell indicated, Dublin started chasing two-pointers. Sadly for the Sky Blues, they lacked cohesion in their approach to such a tactic. Seán Bugler, Costello and Small got one each but also missed plenty between them. In O'Callaghan's absence, Dublin don't have too many two-pointers up their sleeve Armagh continued to work the scoreboard. Ethan Rafferty, on an excursion from goal with Paddy Small chasing, kicked a point from play to highlight the disparity between the teams' scoring capacity. [ The Schemozzle: Tiered hurling system sending ill-prepared counties round in circles Opens in new window ] [ Monaghan turn seven-point deficit around to beat Clare in Clones Opens in new window ] McGeeney reflected on the recovery from losing a third successive Ulster final and suggested that as All-Ireland holders, their priorities may have been re-ordered. 'Was it easier than last year? It depends. The provincial titles for me meant a lot when I was playing. They were hard coming, they were the big things. I think things have changed. I do think people are pushing for the big one. When you get it, you're looking for another one. 'I know all the players wanted to win that [Ulster] final when we were there. They still want to win one, but they still know that in sport it's always about the big prize. That's what you're pushing for the whole time.' Farrell's views carried a more bleak tone. 'We were chasing them and that becomes too hard,' he said. 'Sometimes you can chase and get to grips with it and get yourself back into it. But one or two players that we needed something from – we needed a score or two from - they just never came and the gap was always too big. They were able to ride it out in the end.' DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Byrne, T Clancy, A Gavin; S McMahon, B Howard (0-0-1), S Bugler (0-1-1); P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, C Kilkenny (capt); K McGinnis, L O'Dell (0-0-1), N Scully; P Small (0-1-2), C Costello (0-1-6, 3f), C Basquel. Subs: L Gannon (0-0-2) for Basquel (20 mins); J Small for Gavin (h-t), T Lahiff for McGinnis, L Breathnach for O'Dell (both 48), E O'Donnell for Scully (61). ARMAGH: E Rafferty (0-0-1); B McCambridge, P Burns, P McGrane; R McQuillan, T Kelly, J Óg Burns (0-0-2); J Duffy, B Crealey; D McMullan (0-0-1), O Conaty (0-0-2), A Murnin; R Grugan (capt) (0-2-4, 1tpf, 4f), R O'Neill (0-3-0, 1 tpf), C Turbitt (0-0-2). Subs: S Campbell (0-0-1) for Turbitt (53 mins); J McElroy (0-0-1) for Duffy (64); T McCormack for Grugan (67); N Grimley for O'Neill (68). Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).
The Journal
17 hours ago
- Sport
- The Journal
Armagh book All-Ireland quarter-final place as Derry and Galway play out thrilling draw
LAST UPDATE | 14 mins ago The 42 The 42 is the home of quality journalism for passionate Irish sports fans, bringing you closer to the stories that matter through insightful analysis and sharp sportswriting. Armagh 0-24 Dublin 0-19 A FIVE-POINT victory over Dublin, a successful return to Croke Park, and the comfort of an All-Ireland quarter-final spot nailed down with a round of group games still to play. It all added up to a thoroughly satisfactory afternoon's work for Armagh, Kieran McGeeney's side powering on to triumph impressively. They are now guaranteed to top the group, a strong response to their Ulster final loss to Donegal, while Dublin must get something out of their last outing against Derry. The 42 Subscribers can read the full match report here (€) Advertisement Galway and Derry battle for possession in Celtic Park. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO Derry 2-20 Galway 4-14 DERRY AND GALWAY have given themselves a chance of advancing from the group of death after their draw on Sunday afternoon in Celtic Park. A late Conor Doherty point settled the game after Matthew Tierney hit a fourth Galway goal. Derry had failed to kill off the game and when Tierney hit the game's last goal, Doherty levelled the game with the last kick. The 42 Subscribers can read the full match report here (€) The 42′s award-winning team produces original content that you won't find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women's sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye.
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Dublin and Armagh
Over playing and management careers with their native counties that, when combined, comes up just short of half a century, Armagh's Kieran McGeeney and Dublin's Dessie Farrell have come into championship opposition for a scant 140 minutes plus change. The two bosses, who formed a faithful bond as former Na Fianna team-mates and early GPA representatives, will do battle in the All-Ireland round-robin in Sunday at Croke Park in what will be just the sixth championship meeting between the counties. It's perhaps not too surprising given Dublin's standing as a GAA giant and Armagh's as a footballing half pint – until recent times anyway – but a low figure nonetheless with the Orchard County's few peaks aligning with the Metropolitans' few troughs. Prior to 2001, when backdoor football came into the equation, Armagh had nine runs in the All-Ireland series and only twice did Dublin triumph in Leinster in the same year. That led to the first of their championship clashes as both won provincial championships in 1902 but things were never simple back then. The match itself was only played in June 1904 and Dublin were represented by Wicklow outfit Bray Emmets, who had co-opted in the best club players from the capital. Hosted in Drogheda, the Armagh team were accompanied by bands and pipers but it would have been laments on the special train home as Dublin eased to victory. Some 75 years would pass before their championship paths crossed again, this time in the 1977 All-Ireland final. Another mismatch, Joe Kernan's two fine goals taking some of the embarrassment off the scoreline for the Ulster side. Kernan's championship history with Dublin wasn't finished there and he oversaw Armagh's first win in the fixture – a seminal 2002 All-Ireland semi-final win. Croke Park manager Peter McKenna had estimated 120,000 tickets could have been sold for the game and in an unusual move, after pressure from the Ulster side and approval from Gardaí, 10% of Armagh's 20,000 allocation was for Hill 16 with a visible orange swathe splitting the usual sky blue print. Level at the break, Cavan's Gearoid McKiernan amongst the youngsters participating in the half-time Go Games, Kernan whipped out his 1977 All-Ireland final jersey and asked his squad did they want one for themselves. Kernan always felt a jersey was a special thing and swapping it with an opponent turned his stomach. "I see it like a Western; I'm not going to give my scalp to f***ing someone else," he said in a book 20 years later. Paddy McKeever and Ciaran Whelan exchanged goals inside a minute in a manic second half before Ray Cosgrove's late free into the Hill rebounded off the post and Armagh were on their way to Sam. The following year, as champions, they returned to Croke Park and ended Dublin's season with a 0-15 to 0-11 qualifier win making it two wins for two for McGeeney against Farrell and co. McKeever was sent off early in the second half when Dublin led by four, but a red card for Stephen Cluxton for petulantly kicking out at Stevie McDonnell swung momentum back Armagh's way. Afterwards, Dublin manager Tommy Lyons took aim at his goalkeeper and it was reported Cluxton was close to walking away with a number of League of Ireland clubs circling. How GAA history may have changed if he had followed through on those thoughts. The last meeting of the counties came back in 2010. Down legend Paddy O'Rourke was managing Armagh but was never really accepted, while Dublin were trying to bounce back from their "startled earwigs" loss to Kerry the year before. Bernard Brogan's nine points proved decisive in his breakout season with Brian Mallon's goal chance cleared off the line with nine minutes to go when Armagh were just a point behind. A dull enough affair for a rivalry that has had plenty of spark and sparkle despite its small sample size. Championship games may be few and far between but McGeeney and Farrell have used their close kinship to regularly arrange challenge games between the counties. The latter wasn't in charge in an infamous challenge game in 2016 that saw Dublin's Davy Byrne suffer a broken nose prior to throw in. At Croke Park on Sunday, the stakes will be ramped up and there could be fireworks on the field. Just don't expect them on the sideline.
