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Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kildare out to make the most of rare opportunity at Joe McDonagh Cup glory
Joe McDonagh Cup final Kildare v Laois Croke Park Throw-in: Sunday, 1.45pm Referee: Michael Kennedy (Tipperary) Live on RTÉ2 When Kildare lost their opening Joe McDonagh Cup game to Kerry in mid-April, the odds on them making the final and Kerry being relegated were lengthy. That was Kildare's ninth ever game in the competition and their ninth consecutive defeat, suggesting more misery for the side just out of the Christy Ring Cup. Seven weeks and four unlikely wins later, experienced goalkeeper Paddy McKenna is on the verge of the most significant, and perhaps unexpected, achievement of his career. "This was probably only in the far off depths of my brain at that stage," said McKenna of a final fixture after the defeat to Kerry. "Thankfully we didn't make it to 10 losses in a row. Look, it was just getting back to basics, realising that we had to show up for every single game." So when exactly did Kildare start to think of actually winning the competition? "Probably when we got the result in Carlow, to be honest, that was a big monkey off our backs," said the five-time Ring Cup winner. "They've had some massive results in the last few years, drawing with Kilkenny in the Leinster championship last year, beating Waterford in the league earlier, maintaining their status in Division 1B. "That's the standard we want to be at so we knew that if we were able to get a result against beating Laois and Westmeath as well, the three teams that had been up in the Leinster championship, that's kind of where we got the drive and the realisation that, yeah, it could be on for us." The thing is, Kildare didn't just sneak into the final. They topped the group while Laois had to conjure a late, late goal to draw with Carlow and nudge the Barrowsiders out on scoring difference. Laois are still favourites to win and to make up for last year's final loss to Offaly. Three of their starting defenders - Lee Cleere, Padraig Delaney and Ryan Mullaney - along with half-forward Paddy Purcell, lined out in the 2019 final win. But what they hold over Kildare in experience and hurling tradition could be trumped by the sheer desperation of Brian Dowling's Lilywhites to make the most of this rare opportunity. "It's going to be tough and I'd say Laois will have their homework done on us," said McKenna. "I'd say they found out an awful lot about us when we played them in O'Moore Park a couple of weeks ago." The one certainty is that Kildare will play Dublin or Tipperary in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final in Newbridge next weekend.
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
June Bank Holiday weekend in Roscommon: Top things to do
For those looking for something a bit more exciting this weekend, we've picked out four of the biggest events happening in the county over the long weekend. There is only once place to start: Roscommon v Meath This weekend, the biggest show in town – any town in Roscommon, for that matter – will be in Dr Hyde Park. On Saturday, the Roscommon senior footballers welcome Meath to the Hyde as Davy Burke's men go in search of their first win in the All-Ireland series. They escaped their group last year despite losing to Mayo and Dublin, but a win is essential if Roscommon want to secure second place and dodge the preliminary quarter-finals. Meath come to town seeking to secure two wins from two after an encouraging home win over Cork. Roscommon town will get another twist on Sunday when the Hyde hosts the Tailteann Cup meeting of Sligo and Kildare. Expect far more to flock there on Saturday though. Roscommon's All-Ireland Series Round 2 meeting with Meath throws in at 6pm on Saturday, May 31, in Dr Hyde Park in Roscommon. Mid Summer Wedding Showcase Busy getting ready for your wedding and have to give the football a miss? Well then the place for you is the Abbey Hotel, which hosts its Mid Summer Wedding Showcase on Sunday June 1 from 2pm to 5pm ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Attendees will meet the hotel's wedding team, chat with their award-winning chefs and enquire about their various wedding packages. To register, email weddings@ For enquiries, call 090 6666211. Famine Summer School A host of distinguished speakers, including a former Irish lacrosse international, will be among those attending this year's Famine Summer School at the National Famine Museum in Strokestown. Entitled 'Humanitarianism and Hunger', the programme will focus on how global communities - including those in North America, India, the Ottoman Empire, and beyond - reacted to the Great Irish Famine. The event will be addressed by Michael Kennedy, the aforementioned lacrosse player, who global headlines when he and the Irish lacrosse team gave up their place in the 2022 World Games so that the Iroquois Nationals could participate. Other noteworthy speakers include; Professor Christine Kinealy, Director of Ireland's Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University; Professor Mark G McGowan; and Professor LeAnne Howe of the Choctaw Nation. The 2025 Famine Summer School runs from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, June 1. The full programmes and registration details are available on the National Famine Museum's official website. Strokestown Golf Club Classic As well as learning about The Great Famine, you can also squeeze in a bit of golf in Strokestown this weekend. That's because the local golf club are hosting their annual fundraising golf classic from Saturday, May 30, to Monday, June 2. Registration is €100 for teams for four. Further information on bookings can be found on Strokestown Golf Club's Facebook page.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
NOLA jail worker being used as scapegoat, his attorney says
(NewsNation) — Maintenance worker Sterling Williams is accused of helping 10 inmates escape from a New Orleans jail by turning off water to the cell from which they fled. His attorney, Michael Kennedy, tells 'Banfield' his client is being railroaded for the embarrassing jailbreak to divert attention. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CTV News
21-05-2025
- CTV News
Lawyer says worker accused of helping New Orleans jailbreak was unclogging toilet, not aiding escape
The Orleans Parish jail is pictured in New Orleans on Friday, May 16, 2025.(Brett Duke /The Advocate via AP) NEW ORLEANS — A worker charged with aiding the New Orleans jailbreak by 10 prisoners shut off water to unclog a toilet, not to allow the men to cut the pipe to create an opening for their escape, the employee's lawyer told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Sterling Williams, a 33-year-old maintenance worker at the jail, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the jailbreak. Authorities previously said that Williams had been instructed by one of the inmates to turn off the water to a toilet. Behind the toilet was a hole that 10 men slipped through in Friday's escape. 'It would seem obvious to me that filling up the toilet, clogging the toilet, was a portion of the escapee's plan,' attorney Michael Kennedy said. 'They would know that whoever the maintenance person was would have to turn off the water ... because it was overflowing into the tier.' Williams told law enforcement during an interview that an inmate had threatened to 'shank' him if he did not turn off the water, authorities said. Williams had plenty of opportunity to not only report the threat but also the escape plan, authorities said. They asserted that because Williams turned the water off, the inmates were 'able to successfully make good' on their escape. Jack Brook, The Associated Press
Arab News
21-05-2025
- Arab News
Lawyer says worker accused of helping New Orleans jailbreak was unclogging toilet, not aiding escape
NEW ORLEANS: A worker charged with aiding the New Orleans jailbreak by 10 prisoners shut off water to unclog a toilet, not to allow the men to cut the pipe to create an opening for their escape, the employee's lawyer told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Sterling Williams, a 33-year-old maintenance worker at the jail, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the jailbreak. Authorities previously said that Williams had been instructed by one of the inmates to turn off the water to a toilet. Behind the toilet was a hole that 10 men slipped through in Friday's escape. 'It would seem obvious to me that filling up the toilet, clogging the toilet, was a portion of the escapee's plan,' attorney Michael Kennedy said. 'They would know that whoever the maintenance person was would have to turn off the water ... because it was overflowing into the tier.' Williams told law enforcement during an interview that an inmate had threatened to 'shank' him if he did not turn off the water, authorities said. Williams had plenty of opportunity to not only report the threat but also the escape plan, authorities said. They asserted that because Williams turned the water off, the inmates were 'able to successfully make good' on their escape.
