Latest news with #McGeeney
RTÉ News
29-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Kieran McGeeney rues 15 minutes he'd "like to forget"
Kieran McGeeney reflected on a 15 minutes he'd "like to forget" after Armagh were overwhelmed by Kerry in the second half of the All-Ireland quarter-final. All appeared to be going swimmingly for Armagh five minutes into the second half, a burst of scores from Rian O'Neill, Darragh McMullan and Oisín Conaty pushing them into a five-point lead. However, 15 minutes later, their campaign was on life-support and the game almost done and dusted. Kerry racked up 0-14 without reply, with just two two-pointers included in that haul, as Armagh were unable to secure possession from their own kickout. "It was probably a disappointing 15 minutes, that's what turned the tide," McGeeney told RTÉ Sport afterwards. "They (Armagh players) never stopped fighting so you have to give them credit. It was just a 15 minute period where Kerry were devastating and we just couldn't get our hands on the ball in the middle. "I think it was 11 out of our 13 kickouts (in that spell) that we lost. If you do that in this game, you have to commit for it and then you leave holes in behind. "Seán (O'Shea), no matter what he hit, was putting them over and everybody else was joining in. "It's a 15 minutes you'd like to forget. But it happens in sport. We've done it ourselves against other teams, so you just have to take it on the chin and move on. "For the first 45 minutes we were very well on top, but the only time to be on top really is at the end." Of that 15 minute spell, when Armagh were unable to gather possession on their own kickout, McGeeney shrugged that there was little that could be done on the sideline. "Listen, that's what we (the public) want. We just want to be able to kick the ball out and make it 50:50. People find that more exciting. That's the game and Kerry were better at it today that us. "I suppose we kept kicking it to the wings. If I could pinpoint the reason for you, we would have stopped it. We were too tied onto the sidelines. They were quicker on the breaking balls at that stage. "It was just their ability to punish. Seanie had just one of those days. He couldn't miss. That's just what happens. "And then three or four goal chances on our side that we miss. It's frustrating but we've all been around sport a long time. Outside of the Dublins and Kerrys, we lose more than we win." In the same seat 10 minutes earlier, his Kerry counterpart Jack O'Connor had taken aim at his team's critics. Kerry were in the rare position of underdogs amid an air of fatalism following their loss to Meath, but McGeeney said he didn't pay any heed. "Not really, it was the Kerry boys that were talking them down, so we wouldn't pass much remarks. "That's what Kerry do. My in-laws are from there. I would hear it direct. "Everyone was saying they weren't a team - National League champions, Munster champions, the highest scoring forward, the highest scorers going into it (the game). "Eamonn (Fitzmaurice) and the boys can write that stuff. But no one really believes it." McGeeney, after years of hard-toil and near-misses, helped deliver the county's second All-Ireland title 11 months ago. With their title defence done, the manager was in fairly reflective mood. "Listen, they've won an All-Ireland. They're only one of two (Armagh) teams in 140 odd years that have won it. They can hold their heads up high surely. "They've been one of the most consistent teams over the last three or four years. You get a few years to push at the top and you have to make the best of it. "Between Dublin and Kerry, they've won 50% of All-Ireland finals. So, you're up against a huge thing. "It's going to be a disappointing for them today. But they've got an All-Ireland medal in their back pocket. "And I'm sure those younger fellas there, and most of the squad, will want to push on and get another one." As for his own position at the end of 11 years in charge, McGeeney showed no indication he was getting tired of it. "I sit down every year and it's always about players. It's all about players, first and foremost, and what they want. And how much they want to push on. "My appetite for football has always been the same. I love it. I enjoy it. Despite the abuse. "It's just one of the things, like. I don't know. Maybe it's an addiction."
Irish Daily Mirror
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kieran McGeeney: Kerry spell "turned the tide"
Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney bemoaned a flat 15-minute period where Kerry got on top of his side in the All-Ireland quarter-final. The Orchard County were blitzed by the Kingdom in a second half spell where they conceded fourteen points without reply. On that spell, McGeeney said: "It was probably a disappointing 15 minutes. That's what turned the tide. I think they hit 13 points on the trot, maybe 15. "Yeah it was disappointing. They played well. Even at the end they kept on going, Shane had to pull off three saves off the line. They never stopped fighting. You have to give them credit. "It was just the 15 minute period where Kerry were devastating and we couldn't get our hands on the ball." "We probably made life difficult for ourselves on top of that, but listen that's sport, you have to take your hat off when somebody is scoring like that. It was just one of those days, you make mistakes and you get punished for them." When asked if Kerry were out for revenge after last year's semi-final, McGeeney said: "Listen, everybody will make something. For the first 45 minutes we were very well on top. The only time to be on top really is at the end. It's just one of those days." The Armagh boss felt the new rules added jeopardy to the kickouts but lauded them for making the game exciting. "Listen, that's what we want. We just want to be able to kick the ball out and make it 50/50. "People find that more exciting, that's the game and Kerry were better at it today than us." He singled out Sean O'Shea for his contribution against his side. "Ah, we have probably had spells like that, maybe not punished enough. We had I think 11 out of our 13 kickouts we lost. If you are going to do that in this game, because you have then to commit and you are leaving holes behind us. "Listen, it was just one of those days, Seanie [O'Shea], no matter what he hit, was putting them over and everybody else was joining in. "As I say it's a 15 minutes you'd like to forget. It happens in sport. We've done it ourselves to other teams. You just have to take it on the chin and move on." When asked about Jack O'Connor's comments on Kerry being written off pre-match, McGeeney said "It was the Kerry boys that were talking them down so we wouldn't pass much remarks to that. That's what Kerry do. My in-laws are form there, I would hear direct, everybody's saying they weren't the team, National League champions, Munster champions, highest scoring forwards, highest scoring team going into it, like, I know Eamonn and the boys will write that stuff but nobody really believes it." He said Kerry did nothing specific to nullify Ethan Rafferty's kickout. "Not really. I suppose we kept kicking it to the wings. Three or four things, it's just sometimes like it happens in sport. I'd love to give you….if I could pinpoint the reason for you we could have stopped it. "We were too tight onto the sidelines, getting sideline balls and they were quicker on the breaks than us probably at that stage. Again, it was their ability to punish. Seanie just had one of those days, he couldn't miss. "So, that's what happens. You have a forward of that calibre. Like, again, as I say, three or four goals chances on our side missing them. You might have been able to keep it closer. It's frustrating. "We've been all around sport a long time and outside of the Dubs and Kerry we lose a lot more than we win." He said that outside of Dublin and Kerry, teams have to make use of their time at the top table. "Listen, they have won an All-Ireland. They are only one of two teams in 140 odd years that have won it. They can hold their heads up high surely. "They have been one of the most consistent teams over the last three or four years. You seen today, Galway and ourselves, you get a few years to push at the top and you have to make the best of it for most counties outside of those two. "It's one of those things. Between Dublin and Kerry they have 80% participation in All-Ireland finals and won 50% of them. "You are up against a huge thing, but they have held their own. It's going to be disappointing for them today but they've got an All-Ireland medal in their back pocket and I'm sure those younger fellas there, most of that squad, will want to push on and try and get another one." When asked on his Armagh agreement and his future, he quipped; "I didn't know you had agreements with GAA (laughs). Ah, it's hard to know. I sit down every year. My thing is always about players. It's all about the players. First and foremost and what they want and how much they want to push on. "My appetite for football has always been the same. I love it. I enjoy it, despite the abuse. It's just one of those things. I don't know. Maybe it's an addiction. I haven't even thought about that." When asked if it was an abuse-free season after winning the All-Ireland title last term, he said: "Not really like. Whether it's the GAA themselves or the supporters, the GAA manager is the person that gets blamed for everything. "I always find it amusing sitting from the outside looking it at people doing their jobs and how they are graded and nobody ever looks in the mirror too much. "I know as a manager I've made a s***load of mistakes. Things like that there, but it's amazing how everybody else tends to have a mirror that only tends to go out the way rather than looking back at themselves. Is that cryptic enough for you?"
Irish Examiner
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
McGeeney still addicted to football despite abuse and Kerry defeat
After 11 seasons at the helm and an end to their All-Ireland title defence, the question was inevitable. What now of Kieran McGeeney on the Armagh sideline? 'Ah, it's hard to know,' said the man who's worn the main sideline bib since the throw-in of the 2015 season. 'I sit down every year. My thing is always about players. It's all about the players. First and foremost, what they want and how much they want to push on. My appetite for football has always been the same. I love it. I enjoy it, despite the abuse. It's just one of those things. I don't know, maybe it's an addiction. I haven't even thought about that.' Let's tease out mention of abuse in this campaign just concluded before teasing out how their time as champions had the curtains drawn. 'Whether it's the GAA themselves or the supporters, the GAA manager is the person that gets blamed for everything. I know as a manager I've made a shitload of mistakes. Things like that there, but it's amazing how everybody else tends to have a mirror that only tends to go out the way rather than looking back at themselves.' Kerry's sensational move from five behind to nine in front McGeeney described as '15 minutes you'd like to forget'. 'Eleven out of our 13 kickouts we lost. If I could pinpoint the reason [why we were losing them], we could have stopped it. Listen, it was just one of those days. Seánie [O'Shea], no matter what he hit, was putting them over and everybody else was joining in. 'It was just a 15-minute period where Kerry were devastating, and we couldn't get our hands on the ball.' Devastating by a Kerry team written off locally before throw-in. McGeeney saw and heard what was being written and said it didn't influence or interrupt Armagh's approach or matchday mindset. 'It was the Kerry boys that were talking them down so we wouldn't pass much remarks to that. That's what Kerry do. My in-laws are from there. I would hear direct. They were National League champions, Munster champions, highest scoring forwards, highest scoring team going into it, like. I know Éamonn [Fitzmaurice] and the boys will write that stuff but nobody really believes it.'
Irish Examiner
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Christy O'Connor: A whiff of Ulster dominance hanging in the air again
When Armagh won last year's All-Ireland, their story was as much a symbol of hope as success, especially with how Kieran McGeeney built that side from the ground up on such a difficult journey. In the previous decade under McGeeney, all Armagh had won was a Division 3 league title. This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in Take us with you this summer. Annual €130€65 Best value Monthly €12€6 / month
RTÉ News
18-06-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Oisín O'Neill: Kieran McGeeney's issue not with rules but constant tweaks
Kieran McGeeney's regular criticism of the FRC rule changes relates not to the rules themselves but the fact that they're constantly changing, according to Oisín O'Neill. This week saw the contentious 50m penalty for impeding a kickout mark buried before the commencement of the All-Ireland SFC knockout phase. This, despite earlier assurances in the wake of the league that the rules were set in stone for the rest of 2025, at least. Central Council voted - by 39 votes to one - to remove the 50m mark and replace with an on-the-spot free. On Saturday, it was confirmed that the FRC had proposed the abolition of the 50m penalty with immediate effect. Following his side's narrow defeat to Galway in Kingspan Breffni that evening, McGeeney lashed out at the decision to enact changes at a relatively late stage in the championship. "Some teams tell them to do something, I'd love that direct line," McGeeney said after the game. "Whoever has that direct line into Jim (Gavin) and Eamonn (Fitzmaurice), I would love that." Following the Cork-Kerry game in Round 2 of the group stage, both managers had criticised the 50m mark, with Jack O'Connor labelling it "ridiculous" and saying it was "going to have to be tidied up." While McGeeney has a reputation for being hostile to the FRC changes, O'Neill insists it's just the constant tweaking which was proving a headache for managers and players. "I think Kieran's biggest issue with them is they constantly change. We played half the league and they changed them," O'Neill said, at the launch of the All-Ireland SFC knockout stage. "They're talking about another change this week. There's four rounds of the championship left! "I think Kieran has no issue with the rules. It's more just that they're continuously changing. "As players, that's frustrating because you're working on one thing one week and then it might change." After five rounds of the league, the FRC introduced a major tweak, with teams now obliged to keep four players in their own half at all times to prevent the roaming goalkeeper functioning as an extra man in attack. "We probably had to tweak a few things that we've been working on and change certain things that we were trying to work on," O'Neill said. "Such as the mark, you know, you had to hold your hands up after going up and now you're being told you've five steps or whatever." As to whether he agreed with the kickout mark, O'Neill said it was fine as long as referees allowed players to compete for the ball. "I think if it's refereed in the spirit that the rules intended, you have to allow a little bit of leeway like for players to compete for the ball, but I think it's a reflection of how well coached you are. "And we were punished severely by it at the weekend, and it's something that we wouldn't be happy with." Follow a live blog on the All-Ireland Football Championship on Saturday and Sunday on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game at 9.15pm and The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
