Latest news with #MalachyO'Rourke
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'No excuses' for Tyrone in Mayo loss - O'Rourke
Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke felt his side did not "get to the pitch of the game" in their 2-17 to 1-13 defeat by Mayo. Coming into the All-Ireland round-robin contest off an impressive win over Ulster champions Donegal seven days prior, the Red Hands found themselves 1-9 to 0-4 down at half-time. Advertisement Although they would cut the deficit to a point in the second half, Mayo, under the charge of Stephen Rochford after Kevin McStay stepped away for health reasons, pulled away to bounce back from their opening-round loss to Cavan. "We'd a great win last week and we came here knowing, after the disappointment of the Cavan game, Mayo would be coming here with real hunger," said O'Rourke. "We knew we'd have to meet that head on and I suppose that's the most disappointing thing, we felt in the first half we didn't get to the pitch of the game. "We were a bit flat and left ourselves with a lot to do. In fairness to the boys, we dug in well, we got it back to a point but we made too many mistakes, we weren't playing well enough and Mayo deserved the victory. We've no excuses." Advertisement While Tyrone were in action on consecutive weekends, Mayo had a week's break from their last outing, although O'Rourke did not feel that was the telling reason for his side's flat performance. "There's no doubt that the week turnaround is very small and it could have some effect, but we're not using that as an excuse either," he added. "We knew what the story was, we knew exactly what Mayo would bring and we were hoping we'd be able to meet that and get another really good performance. "For all of us in the changing room, we didn't get to the level that we need to get to and the level we expect of ourselves." Tyrone will conclude their round-robin action against Cavan at a neutral venue during the weekend of 14/15 June.
Extra.ie
6 days ago
- Sport
- Extra.ie
O'Rourke has pedigree to land Tyrone's fifth All-Ireland
For a calm man with a studied demeanour, Malachy O'Rourke has a long record of explosive impacts. The roll-call of achievements from his first season in a job is staggeringly good. In 2008, he led his native Fermanagh to their first Ulster final in 26 years, and they only lost to Armagh after a replay. In 2013, his debut season in charge of Monaghan brought their first Ulster title in 28 years. They reached the finals of 2014 and 2015 as well, winning in the latter campaign. Tyrone boss Malachy O'Rourke has a consoling word with Jim McGuinness. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile In 2021, he took Glen to their first-ever Derry championship; they went on to win the next two, and crowned their success with the All-Ireland club title in 2024. His appointment as Tyrone manager was hailed as a wise move, but also perhaps not fully appreciated, given just how good O'Rourke is. That reputation endures even in a football landscape transformed by rules which might have been expected to hamper his more conservative instincts. The Allianz League hinted, but only modestly, at the potential in a partnership of a veteran, wily manager and a playing group that is a tantalising mix of experienced All-Ireland winners and the bounty of successive exceptional Under 20 teams. Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile Wednesday's riotous second-half performance against Louth gave Tyrone their third All-Ireland title at that grade in four years, and only fattened already robust expectations of what could be achieved in this season and in campaigns to come. There is no county better equipped for the years to come — but given O'Rourke's pedigree and the proven quality already available, hope grows within Tyrone that this year could yet deliver Sam Maguire. That the League ended in relegation was the result of some clunky form but it was also a freak; Tyrone won three of their seven matches, drawing another one, and were relegated on seven points. Kerry took second place in the table and a League final place with eight points. And the evidence of the Championship so far is that of a team steadily finding its groove. O'Rourke was certainly among the managers who had reservations about the Football Review Committee (FRC) overhaul during the League — despite his role with Jim Gavin's committee, which he left upon his appointment to the Tyrone role. Ciaran Daly, left, and Darren McCurry of Tyrone. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile He had reservations about the new kick-out rules and the initial rules around the 3v3 in the event of a player being sent off. But tellingly, he also predicted that the transformative effect of the changes would be most felt when pitches dried and hardened. And it's true that football's glorious rebirth began through the baking days of late April and the first half of May. But it's also a fact that one of the most impressive performances of the Championship so far was delivered by O'Rourke's side on a night of squalls and showers in against Donegal in Ballybofey last Saturday. Deliverance came through the boots of Darren McCurry and Peter Harte late on, a pair of hardy veterans, but Seánie O'Donnell, an alumnus of the 2022 U20 champions, filched two goals and also pinned Ryan McHugh back. The return of Pádraig Hampsey strengthened a defence playing behind the best keeper in the country in Niall Morgan. Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile Every time he places a ball on the tee, he has the reassurance of looking out at the best midfield in the country, the pairing of Brian Kennedy and Conn Kilpatrick. And now O'Rourke can harvest U20s from this year's winning side to supplement plans which already extend to the knock-out stages, given the importance of last weekend's win. They also look good to make it two out of two in Omagh tomorrow night, with a fragile-looking Mayo visiting Healy Park. Their loss to Cavan in their first group game was disastrous, while the sombre news of Kevin McStay's health concerns obliging him to step away from the sideline, is a further complication. If beating fancied Donegal in their imposing home patch has transformed the look of Tyrone's season, the 5-16 to 0-17 win the U20s recorded over Louth in Armagh on Wednesday has lightened the mood even further. Noah Grimes. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile It was a performance featuring many of the impressive characteristics of the three All-Ireland-winning teams to emerge from Tyrone in the past three years, in particular the composure of players on the ball and in tight contests. Because this was a gripping contest for 40 minutes, with Tyrone eking out a two-point lead but then devastating Louth over the final quarter of an hour; they out-scored the Leinster champions 3-7 to 0-4. Noah Grimes scored 2-6 and was named man of the match, with Eoin McElholm landing 2-4. The latter, man of the match in last year's victorious final, has already established himself in the senior squad and came off the bench in Ballybofey. He is sure to become more central to O'Rourke's plans in the coming weeks, and that attacking edge is perhaps the one area of the game where Tyrone have looked unconvincing this year. Their defence was ropy-looking during the spring, too, but the return of Hampsey after missing the League following shoulder surgery is a major corrective, while the half-back line of Michael McKernan, Rory Brennan and Kieran McGeary is key on both sides of the ball. Losing to Mayo would not have much of an impact on their progression to the knock-out stages, but it would be a rare blip in a season that has taken off. Even their Ulster semi-final defeat to Armagh came in a classic as they lost by a point in 45-point game. O'Rourke's strong record of delivery brought excitement to Fermanagh, joy to Monaghan and unprecedented jubilation to a small club in Derry. Delivering Tyrone's fifth-ever All-Ireland would be his greatest feat yet. It's an ambition that grows more convincing with every game they play.
The 42
25-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
'We didn't play for whatever reason' - Jim McGuinness on first Ballybofey defeat
WHAT HAVE THE following got in common; Padraic Joyce, John Cleary, Eamonn Fitzmaurice, James Horan and Pat Gilroy got in common? They are all managers that have beaten Jim McGuinness' Donegal in championship football. But Malachy O'Rourke has now faced McGuinness three times; the Ulster finals of 2013 and 2014 and the first round of Group 1 in the All-Ireland round robin, and he shades the head to head, 2-1. Tyrone's win here had much to recommend it. It was an evening for digging in and dogging it out. And when Tyrone's Fear Iáidir in Padraig Hamspey and Brian Kennedy had to be withdrawn through injury it looked a cause beyond them. Especially because after all the good work had been done to build a bit of a lead in the third quarter, it was wiped away. It began with a foul by Darragh Canavan on Ryan McHugh – the kind of needless challenge that can sometimes be committed by a play who knows he has been seriously underpar and spilled too much ball. That brought a two-point free from Michael Murphy who was the subject of a constant love-bomb from the home crowd. Soon after, Michael Langan landed a two pointer, jinking inside his man and nailing the chance. Then he repeated the same dance to level the game on 58 minutes. All the same, Donegal had rattled up seven wides in the second half. But they brought on their key decision-makers in Patrick McBrearty and Peader Mogan off the bench. Malachy O'Rourke went a different direction, taking off Mattie Donnelly and Rory Brennan. When McBrearty hoofed a shot over to put Donegal two in front with seven minutes left, it looked inevitable. Advertisement Donegal manager Jim McGuinness. John McVitty / INPHO John McVitty / INPHO / INPHO But then Tyrone got on a roll, through the genius of Darren McCurry. Gavin Mulreany looked for Michael Murphy from every kickout and Peter Teague dominated him. Peter Harte landed a two-pointer and it all changed. 16 games, league and championship, boy and man, Jim McGuinness has managed Donegal in Ballybofey. And they were never beaten in any of them. Until now. 'Very, very disappointed. Didn't turn up at all, we didn't play, that's just the bottom line, we didn't play for whatever reason,' said McGuinness afterwards. 'Couldn't get our hands on the ball and when we did get our hands on the ball we didn't take care of the ball, that's it in a nutshell. And even at that we were two points up with seven minutes to go and we gave the ball away and we never got the ball back again. '…So very, very disappointed, very disappointed for everybody in MacCumhaill Park tonight, all them people that have come. That's not us, it's not even remotely close to us and everything was off so it'll be a difficult review I would imagine.' This defeat makes it that three of the four provincial winners were beaten in the opening round of the round robins. Surely something to put alarm into the minds of managers in future? In the meantime, Tyrone were sitting in, not so much long grass, but head-high rushes, behind barbed wire. There is a school of thought, advanced regularly by, ohhh, me, that Tyrone need to be written off in order to have a chance. The month off for them, and the sense that they didn't truly have a cut at Armagh in the Ulster semi-final, was perhaps a blessing for them. 'We had a bit of a gap from the last game and we were hoping to brush up on a few things. We were hoping to have fellas back fit and just in better form,' explained Malachy O'Rourke. Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke. John McVitty / INPHO John McVitty / INPHO / INPHO 'Having said that, we weren't sure exactly where we were because we felt against Armagh. We didn't play. Armagh were the better team, deserved to win. 'We could have stolen something at the end, but we knew that our level of performance had to go up an extreme, I suppose, tonight if we were going to compete with Donegal.' The record in Ballybofey might have been mentioned. Or might not. Either way, they couldn't not have been aware of it. 'Donegal is a great team. They're Ulster champions, you know, they're one of the best teams in the country,' O'Rourke deflected. 'We were going to have to play really well, have to show an awful lot of grit and an awful lot of character and just fight for every ball and fight for each other if we want to get anything out of it. 'And I'm just pleased to see that the boys did that, you know, every one of them. We just held our composure, held our nerve, worked really hard for each other and got some quality scores and just glad we did.' It leaves group 1 of the All Ireland round robin looking especially tasty. Cavan may not be many people's idea of All Ireland challengers but they routinely give Donegal a good wrassle for their money. Tyrone have Mayo coming to Omagh next weekend. While the first concern will rightly be on Mayo manager Kevin McStay's health, there will still be a game to be played there too. Either way, Donegal will leave this game behind them with some regrets. Read Next Related Reads Meath's win over Dublin has lost some of its shine - can the Royals really roll with the punches? Here we go: The eight teams that start the race for Sam Maguire this weekend The feeling, the heart, the soul: Clones and Croke Park get us in the guts They continue to be loved by their people. Even when the game was there for the winning for Tyrone, it was the name of 'Donegal' that was being chanted across the terraces, with barely a whimper in support of Tyrone. With an All-Ireland U20 final on Wednesday night against Louth, and Mayo coming to Omagh on Saturday evening, it is a big week ahead for Tyrone football. It would be nice for them to see more supporters, surely. 'Yeah, there's no doubt, look it, you know, I suppose we were outnumbered here again tonight,' said O'Rourke. 'But I suppose we have to do our job on the field and make sure that that we give the supporters something to come out and cheer, and I think the way the boys have played themselves tonight and the way they worked and the character showed, I think that a lot of people will be glad to get behind that team.' Let's see. * Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Football previews: Ulster rivalries make for close encounters
Saturday All-Ireland SFC Donegal v Tyrone, Ballybofey, 7pm (Live, GAA+) – Donegal beat Armagh by a late score in extra time to retain the Ulster title. In the semi-final, Armagh beat Tyrone with the last kick of the match. That's how little separates the teams on paper. Jim McGuinness has had Tyrone's number so far in both of his periods of management but against that, this weekend's counterpart is not Mickey Harte nor Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan but Malachy O'Rourke, who twice led Monaghan to Ulster final victories over Donegal. Tyrone didn't deserve to be as close to Armagh as they were but they very nearly won and O'Rourke has had four weeks with the team since then and is bound to have devised a plan for this. They are also strengthened by the return of Mattie Donnelly and Conor Meyler, which raises their ceiling. The Ulster champions though are able to recall a valuable player of their own, as Eoin Bán Gallagher returns from injury. They were very impressive in the provincial final, leading for a great deal of the match and inspired by Michael Murphy's renaissance as an intercounty player. They are not as prone as Armagh to tune out of matches and look likely to make their proven assets of relentlessness and focus count. Verdict: Donegal Armagh v Derry, Athletic Grounds, 5pm – This fixture last year was a horror show for Derry and they will be mindful not to revisit it but already they have improved on last year's championship by being less catastrophically undone by Donegal. This is their first match since then, as opposed to 12 months ago when they had added a comprehensive defeat by Galway to their CV before taking on Armagh. READ MORE Derry have had a dispiriting year to date. Relegation followed a campaign in which late scores in a couple of matches cost them dearly. They were generally competitive and can be so again here. The All-Ireland champions have to internalise another Ulster final defeat but they have been beaten in 70 minutes just once in the past three years of championship fixtures. Rian O'Neill, who was prominent in last year's thumping, continues his return to play protocols and isn't named in this weekend's match panel. Verdict: Armagh Louth's Sam Mulroy during the Leinster final againt Meath. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Louth v Monaghan, St Conleth's Park, 4.45pm (Live, GAA+) – A certain amount of disgruntlement in Monaghan about the venue for this given that they have been providing a home from home for Louth in Inniskeen while their new grounds are developed, but the Leinster champions have opted for Newbridge as their preferred location. They were well beaten by Monaghan in the league and the counties drew in last year's championship. It will be a function of how successfully Louth can park their great success from a fortnight ago. Their calm demeanour when behind and in protecting the lead in the closing minutes spoke volumes for their confidence. Monaghan however were highly competitive against Donegal and as a bonus, welcome back Killian Lavelle from injury. The highest scoring team in the league, they will be confident of getting scores. Verdict: Monaghan Meath v Cork, Páirc Tailteann, 3pm – An old rivalry from the 1980s and '90s is rebooted. Both had epic provincial semi-finals, Meath to lower the curtain on Dublin's perennial dominance and Cork by taking Kerry to extra time and coming within fractions of winning or forcing penalties. Leinster final disappointment has intervened for Meath but on a more positive note, Jordan Morris is back. Home advantage might be worth something but Cork have a more settled look around centrefield and although Brian Hurley is not fit, they have enough up front to win. Verdict: Cork
The Irish Sun
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Malachy O'Rourke insists Tyrone will bounce back after dramatic Ulster SFC semi-final defeat to Armagh
TYRONE boss Malachy O'Rourke insists they will rise again after falling agonisingly short against Armagh. The Red Hands looked dead and buried when Advertisement 2 Tyrone came up on the wrong end of an Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship semi-final cracker against Armagh at St Tiernach's Park in Clones 2 Tyrone manager Malachy O'Rourke insisted his side will bounce back after the defeat But O'Rourke's men produced a stunning surge of 0-7 in a row to go ahead on the hour mark thanks to Eoin McElholm and two-pointers from Peter Harte and Darren McCurry. Armagh showed their experience as All-Ireland champions and turned the game again when Jarly Óg Burns and Stefan Campbell scored before Rory Grugan's last-gasp free after the hooter sounded. O'Rourke knows Tyrone were flat for large spells as stopper Niall Morgan was nullified and they were heavily reliant on 10-point hero McCurry for scores. But the Fermanagh native hailed their spirit ahead of the All-Ireland SFC group stages next month, despite missing out on a first Ulster final since 2021. Advertisement read more on gaa He said: 'The most pleasing thing about it was that when we went five or six down, we didn't throw in the towel, there was a good fight there. 'There was good character shown and that's what our number one aim, is to have that, first of all – that we'll fight right to the final whistle. 'We got that but we're just obviously disappointed the quality of our play wasn't what we would have liked. We struggled on both kick-outs a lot of times. 'So, there's a lot of things that we need to get much better but at the same time, we got ourselves into a great position to win the game. We're just disappointed we didn't quite end it. Advertisement Most read in GAA Football 'I thought in the second half, at that period when we went behind, we did start to really go at Armagh. In fairness to them, they showed the quality, they showed why they're All-Ireland champions over the way they finished the game. 'We may be a wee bit disappointed in that. But, you know, at least that's the good thing – we live to fight another day. RTE pundit Peter Canavan angers fans after leaving notable county out of his 'big four' All-Ireland contenders "That's the Ulster championship gone but we have a go at the All-Ireland Series, and we look forward to that.' But O'Rourke cursed some of the calls that went Armagh's way. The Tyrone fans fumed when ref David Gough waved play on after Orchard stopper Ethan Rafferty appeared to foul Darragh Canavan in the middle of their comeback. Advertisement He also questioned Grugan's free when Peter Harte was penalised for a foul on Conor Turbitt just as the hooter went and the game was heading for extra-time. Gough was criticised by Armagh gaffer He said: 'I'd say that the boys felt that the last free wasn't a foul. But there's no point me saying from the angle I was in. 'I could say something here and then see it clearly in the video later on that it was a foul. Advertisement "But there was a couple of ones that were a bit controversial and we felt at times, we could have got the rub of the green but that's all part of it, I suppose. 'There were a couple of very strange ones there. I thought Ethan Rafferty seemed to roll and touched it on the ground. 'So, there were a couple of controversial calls there alright but I suppose it went for both teams and we're not going to use that as an excuse. 'We got ourselves in a good position without playing our best, and we're just disappointed we didn't finish it off.' Advertisement ARMAGH 0-23 TYRONE 0-22 ARMAGH: E Rafferty 0-1; P Burns, B McCambridge, T McCormack; R McQuillan 0-2, G McCabe, J Óg Burns 0-2; C O'Neill 0-3, B Crealey 0-1; D McMullan, O Conaty 0-4, P McGrane; R Grugan 0-3, 2f, A Murnin 0-2, O O'Neill 0-3, 1tp. Subs: C Turbitt 0-1 for O'Neill 52mins; J Hall for Crealey 54, C McConville for McMullan 60, S Campbell 0-1 for Murnin 64, S McPartlan for McGrane 67 TYRONE: N Morgan; C Quinn, P Teague, N Devlin; M McKernan 0-2, 1tp, R Brennan, K McGeary; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick 0-2, 1tp; A Donaghy, J Oguz, C Daly; D McCurry 0-10, 4f, 1tpf, R Canavan, D Canavan 0-4, 2f. Subs: S O'Donnell for Donaghy 42mins; B McDonnell for Oguz 47, E McElholm 0-2 for R Canavan 47, P Harte 0-2, 1tp for Daly 54, P Hampsey for Quinn 58 (blood) Advertisement REFEREE: D Gough (Meath) UP NEXT Armagh face DONEGAL/DOWN in the Ulster final on May 10/11. Tyrone will be third seeds in the All-Ireland SFC group stages next month. Advertisement
