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Irish Examiner
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Jarlath Burns: All-Ireland finals will not return to August in 2026
GAA president Jarlath Burns has stated the All-Ireland finals will not return to August in 2026. Despite last year floating the idea of the inter-county season returning to a finish in September, Burns ruled out the deciders being played in the eighth month of the year and suggested it will be a matter for his successor. 'It's not a non-runner for the future. This year it's out, next year it's out as well,' he told the GAA+ magazine programme Ratified on which he made the September comments 12 months ago. 'But it's going to be the next president who will make that decision, whether or not we go into August. 'It's probably not going to be my decision, but I would be open to it, notwithstanding the health warning that comes with the whole area of starting the club championship. We were showing so little respect to the club player that there was literally a group set up called the Club Player Association and they had one word, fixtures. 'We solved that for them. Let's not now go and unsolve it. So you fix one problem and you create another problem. But I think that there is generally an understanding that moving into the first and third weeks of August mightn't be the worst thing. 'But you have to remember this also – we have LGFA, they have their All-Ireland finals as well. And we have camogie, they have their All-Ireland finals here too. And we also have to allow for a replay in hurling and football and a replay in LGFA and Camogie. So that takes up a good bit of August. 'And I'm going to say the next thing without any apology – we also have concerts in this. And the Croke Park is now the major funding organ of the GAA. Let's not forget that. This stadium is keeping our organisation financially viable. Because without the €16 million or €18m that is given by Croke Park to the GAA, it costs us €20m every year to pay the 350 coaches we have going around full-time promoting our games.' Admitting he was severely criticised for supporting the GPA's proposal to suspend the pre-season competitions, Burns said the Ulster Council lost €250,000 as a result of the McKenna Cup. 'If there's anything that I got the most severe criticism over, it was supporting the GPA over the ending of the pre-season competitions. In my own province, I went to the Ulster Convention and they were queueing up to criticise me over that. 'That cost about about a quarter of a million dollars to the Ulster Council and I would understand why they'd be cross with me supporting the GPA, but I did it for player welfare. That's what the GAA president has to be always cognisant of." Burns said he was surprised by the negative reaction to the Football Review Committee making changes to their list of rules after the fifth round of the Allianz Football League. He said that entitlement was part of the enabling motion that was passed at Special Congress last November. He added that it will be 10 years before the moves being overseen by the hurling development committee to expand the game in weaker counties will come to fruition.
RTÉ News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Tyrone-Armagh clash invoking cherished memories
The first Ulster football semi-final down for decision this weekend will serve as a reminder of the one of the most intense, if relatively short-lived rivalries in the game. Saturday's clash between Armagh and Tyrone in Clones is the 46th time the sides will cross paths in championship fare, with the Orchard County edging the overall head-to-head with 22 victories to 18 of the Red Hand. It brings together two of the All-Ireland champions from the last four seasons, both sides emerging as unlikely winners from the outset of their respective seasons. Among the general football public, there is a hope that we could return to the heyday of the fixture, when the sides met six times in the championship between 2002 and 2005. Armagh's maiden Sam Maguire in 02 was immediately followed by a s miliar feat by Mickey Harte's men, who would add two more Celtic Crosses. Those wins saw Tyrone down their rivals at the penultimate stage (05) as well as the final itself (03). Add into the mix an Ulster final between the sides at Croke Park that went to a replay and fans were treated to enthralling fare. Speaking on the RTÉ GAA podcast, former Tyrone player Enda McGinley recalled the gripping rivalry "Those were easily the most tense games," he said. "Both teams were at the peak of their powers. I remember the tension in the ground and stands. "The intensity on the pitch was unmatched in my playing career. It was before the era of controlled possession, so looking back on the games now, it seems like kamikaze football. "It was a phenomenal time for both counties." McGinley feels that 2005, with three titanic tussles at Croke Park, was the high-water mark of the rivalry. Supporters just couldn't get enough of it as the biggest names and characters in the game went toe-to-toe, best demonstrated by a McKenna Cup game in January 2006 that drew 20,000 fans through the turnstiles at Casement Park. "That was what 2005 led to. It was crazy times." Numerous players on both sides have referenced the fact both sides brought out the best in each other, with McGinley stating that Armagh's breakthrough was a huge factor in their own success. He sees parallels now, with Tyrone – and indeed a number of teams chasing ultimate glory – seeing Armagh's success last year and wanting that for themselves. "We didn't see Armagh as a better team than us (in 2002)," he says. "We knew they were an excellent team, there was no doubt about that. They had been longer on the road than us and deserved their win in 2002, but we thought, hang on a minute, that should be us. "It impacted out mindset. That first All-Ireland title for Tyrone, that it shouldn't be this otherworldly thing, it should be achievable for us. "Now there is a feeling – not just in Tyrone, but across the board - that because we are now out of that dominant Dublin era, the All-Ireland is there for the taking. Throw in the new rules and it feels like such an open field this year. "This weekend is the first true challenger to step up to Armagh to take a shot, and I think they (Armagh) will relish that."
Irish Times
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Conor McManus: Donegal set and sprang the trap for impatient Monaghan
A contrasting weekend. I arrived in Brewster Park early for the Saturday BBC broadcast of Fermanagh v Down . It looked awful. The stand was empty, the terrace was empty, there was nobody coming in. It was raining and the pitch was in poor shape. First thoughts were this is going to be a disaster. We were thinking there'd be more at McKenna Cup games. Now, to be fair, despite all these negative first impressions, it actually turned into quite a good game. I suppose that's what the new rules bring to it. The one thing that was really highlighted was that it's fatal if you start losing your own kick-out. It's how Down turned things around. Daniel Guinness supplied the shots with the two-pointer that started the scoreboard run and then the goal but Fermanagh couldn't get out on their own kick-out. READ MORE I think they'll also be hugely disappointed with the defending that facilitated Down getting back into the match and then winning it. I'm still not a fan of the two-pointers. We have enough scores and the adjusted game is open enough without turning the scorelines into these massive totals. I accept that it has created an incentive and we are seeing more long-range kicking, but in my view it's at the expense of goals. There's no massive reason to go for goals and that was very evident in the Monaghan - Donegal match in Clones on Sunday. I don't think there was a single out-and-out, clearcut chance. As mentioned here last week, it was a battle of the 'keepers. Shaun Patton was immense on his own kick-out. Some of his kicking was absolutely top-drawer. Donegal's Shaun Patton. His kicking was very impressive against Monaghan at Clones. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho A couple of times we were looking at his options thinking, there is nowhere to go with this. All of a sudden, he'd just float a mid-range 45-55-metre kick-out over the press and literally into a two-square-foot area, which was the only place he could land it. There was one he kicked out to Ciarán Moore in the second half and despite the press, guided it right out on the sideline into his arms. That got Donegal into the opposition 45 because referee David Coldrick didn't notice him dropping the mark and gave a 50-metre bonus for obstruction. Monaghan were dominated on their own kick-out in the first half and weren't allowed any short options. I don't think they were looking for short kick-outs initially even though they tried to get some away midway through the half. Anyway, anything that went out long, Donegal won it. Monaghan made a change to the middle of the field, five minutes before half-time and things got slightly better after that, and the kick-out was better in the second half, They missed seven two-point opportunities, usually an area of strength for them. In the first half, I think they needed to be more patient in their play. Against a stiff enough breeze, they forced things and between drop-shorts and turnovers, this really fed into Donegal's game plan. It's well-known that Jim McGuinness's team feed off turnovers and mistakes – and no better team to punish you on the break. Monaghan had their fair share of possession in the first half, and if they had just controlled it a bit more, maybe tried to work an extra pass or two in closer to the goal to prevent the ball dropping short, it would have made a huge difference. They actually had more shots than Donegal in the first half but if you're dropping ball short against them, you're in serious, serious trouble. Monaghan's Mícheál Bannigan blocks a shot from Michael Langan of Donegal at Clones. Photograph: Leah Scholes/Inpho The Ulster champions were clever. They looked intent on not defending around the arc and were happier to let Monaghan in through the D and then set up the swarm, to defend deep. Let Monaghan into that area, and then get them turned over. This meant no frees being conceded within two-pointer range for Rory Beggan, whose long-range potential – such an important part of Monaghan's weaponry – was effectively annulled. Donegal fouled Monaghan twice in that area in the first half. One was just before half-time and a little inside the arc. Micheál Bannigan kicked the one-pointer free. The other incident was a foul outside the D and David Coldrick had his hand up for an advantage. Monaghan actually played on and got a one-pointer, as opposed to stopping the play and calling Rory up. They wouldn't have even had to bring the ball out. Rory got up a good bit in the second half and got involved but the only actual chance I remember, he popped the ball into Gary Mohan rather than taking a shot. Donegal's defence was excellent, though. Ryan McHugh dropped back into a kind of sweeper role, and it pushed out from there. I read somewhere that in his first period in charge, McGuinness absolutely hammered them in training if they fouled inside the scoring zone. I'd say that was a huge emphasis for them on Sunday. Monaghan now have a long four weeks before the All-Ireland group stages. Donegal might not have been at their best but Ulster is a tough environment and they are two from two, unscathed and still on course for the provincial final.
