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RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Paul Flynn previews Derry-Galway & Dublin-Armagh
Derry v Galway: A must-win showdown Galway's championship this year is certainly turning into a bit of a rollercoaster. Their provincial triumph over Mayo feels like a distant memory now after that lacklustre performance against Dublin. And while Dublin were decent that day, Galway's key players were effectively shut down - a scenario they cannot afford to repeat if they hope to leave Derry with a win. Paul Conroy has to be the heartbeat of the Galway attack and if Derry man-mark him, they rest of the guys have to step up and help free him up to get him on the ball. They need Shane Walsh to perform, to find his rhythm after his injury. A big performance from him is really, really required. Up front, Rob Finnerty and Matthew Thompson have been good and now they need to rest of the attack to support them. Their midfield, typically their strength, faltered against Dublin and faces another stern test against Derry's formidable quartet of Conor Glass, Anton Tohill, Dan Higgins and Brendan Rogers - whichever formation of them start. The outcome of that midfield battle will be decisive. Derry's attack, we know they have talismanic forwards, and Paul Cassidy and Shane McGuigan played well the last day, scoring ten between them against Armagh. " /> Like Galway, Derry will need more of a collective effort in attack to prevail. These team played out a draw in the league in February and that feels like a long time ago now. It's going to be another tight contest, one that is really hard to call. But for me, it's so hard to see last year's All-Ireland finalists bowing out of the championship now and I expect Galway to find a way to grind out a victory here. Dublin v Armagh: Expect a Croker classic Armagh and Dublin meet in the championship for the first time since 2010. I played in that game, and let me tell you, it wasn't pretty. Dublin scraped an ugly win, and they'd gladly take the same result this weekend. Dublin have been formidable in Croke Park this season, at times looking like a different team compared to the other performances, but this is their toughest test yet, with Con O'Callaghan now absent from the squad. As always with the way team announcements are made now, we likely won't know the full picture of who's playing where until throw-in. Armagh have been excellent in recent weeks, showing real quality even in their loss against Donegal. Against Derry, they dominated the game for 55 minutes before a little bit of a lapse in concentration flattered the scoreboard a bit. They have got depth, they have got talent, and now have the magic of Rian O'Neill back who thrives in Croke Park. O'Neill isn't alone; Oisin Conaty has been in super form, Conor Turbitt was excellent off the bench the last day and Rory Grugan is still the main link in attack. That said, Armagh will need to perform for 70 minutes this weekend. Any lapse and Dublin's high energy and high-press style will really punish them. Ciarán Kilkenny's form will be crucial in the attack to try and penetrate that Armagh zonal defence. But for me, I really want to see Lorcan O'Dell, Killian McGuinness and Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne build on their strong performances against Galway. If Dublin bring their high intensity power-plays and have their key players firing, they can win. But without the energy - and without O'Callaghan - this might be a stretch too far for them. This game has all the makings of a classic. Watch Dublin v Armagh in the All-Ireland Football Championship on Sunday from 3.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on and the RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Highlights on The Sunday Game at 9.30pm
Dublin Live
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Dublin Live
Galway v Dublin All-Ireland Football Championship: Throw-in time, TV channel and stream
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Dublin need a response after below par showings against Meath, Wicklow and Tyrone. Galway's range of long kickout targets - John Maher, Paul Conroy, Matthew Tierney and Cein Darcy - could cause Dublin issues. They're not huge in the middle eight, or brilliant fielders, bar Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne. There will be a breeze. It's Salthill. Galway know it well and they're patient as well as having two point shooters galore, particularly with Shane Walsh selected in the side. He hasn't played since going off at half-time early on in the League against Dublin. Liam Silke and Johnny McGrath will probably tag Paddy Small and Con O'Callaghan. Dublin still have serious physical power up front and a scoring threat, Irish Mirror reports. This is likely to go to the wire. Where is the game being played? The game is being played at Pearse Stadium, Salthill. What time is throw-in? Throw in is at 5pm. Can I watch the game on TV? No, the game is not on TV. Is the game being streamed online? The game is being live streamed on GAA+ Betting Odds: Galway: 4/6 Draw: 7/1 Dublin: 17/10 Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
What time, TV channel is Galway v Dublin on today in All-Ireland Championship?
Dublin need a response after below par showings against Meath, Wicklow and Tyrone. Galway's range of long kickout targets - John Maher, Paul Conroy, Matthew Tierney and Cein Darcy - could cause Dublin issues. They're not huge in the middle eight, or brilliant fielders, bar Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne. There will be a breeze. It's Salthill. Galway know it well and they're patient as well as having two point shooters galore, particularly with Shane Walsh selected in the side. He hasn't played since going off at half-time early on in the League against Dublin. Liam Silke and Johnny McGrath will probably tag Paddy Small and Con O'Callaghan. Dublin still have serious physical power up front and a scoring threat. This is likely to go to the wire. Where is the game being played? The game is being played at Pearse Stadium, Salthill. What time is throw-in? Throw in is at 5pm. Can I watch the game on TV? No, the game is not on TV. Is the game being streamed online? The game is being live streamed on GAA+ Betting Odds: Galway: 4/6 Draw: 7/1 Dublin: 17/10
Sunday World
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Sunday World
Pat Spillane: I now see four counties leading the race for Sam
sam team | While the Tribesmen look like they mean business, the Connacht championship hasn't been up to its usual standard, so it's hard to know what to make of them We had an absolute cracker of a championship match in the Connacht final meeting of Galway and Mayo. We've had many fine games in the 2025 championship so far, but this was the best yet. Christ, it had everything: tension, drama, physicality, man-to-man contests, intensity and superb individual displays from the likes of Dylan McHugh, Paul Conroy and Cillian McDaid. Jordan Flynn of Mayo in action against Galway's Seán Mulkerrin during the Connacht SFC final at MacHale Park in Castlebar. Photo: Seb Daly/Sportsfile News in 90 seconds - 12th May 2025 We saw displays of supreme skill: Connor Gleeson's save from Enda Hession; Conroy's two-point shooting; McHugh's block on Paul Towey; McDaid's lung-bursting solo run towards the end. And the penalty score by Matthew Tierney, planted with perfection into the corner of the net. Unstoppable. Of course, there were a lot of talking points. The penalty was very harsh and should not have been awarded. But it was a captivating match, in which the result was in doubt right up to the final whistle, generating a fantastic atmosphere before a full house in Castlebar. Everything you desired from a sporting contest was unfolding before your eyes over 70-plus minutes at MacHale Park in that contest. I was in a state of bliss watching on. I now see four counties leading the race for Sam. In no particular order, they are: Kerry, Galway, Armagh and Donegal. Dublin and Tyrone are behind them in a chasing pack of two. Let's look at Galway. They were very impressive. If you told me beforehand that Galway wouldn't have their two best forwards – Damien Comer and Shane Walsh – available for a Connacht final in Castlebar, I would say they would be seriously up against it. But this Galway championship team of 2025 has looked a very serious beast so far. They have improved on last year when they could, indeed should, have won an All-Ireland. This year, they have built a strong panel. They have the physicality and athleticism and strong runners suited to this modern game. We know how important kick-outs are under the new rules. Well, Galway have the best high-fielders in the middle third in the game. I thought their game management which, remember, let them down in last year's All-Ireland final, was spot on. With 17 minutes to go, Mayo drew level and had momentum and the wind, yet Galway outscored them 0-4 to 0-2 to the finish. Their composure was exceptional. After a bad start when falling 1-2 to 0-2 down after six minutes, they took control in outscoring Mayo 1-8 to 0-0. What I liked about their attack was that after a couple of failed efforts at two-pointers, they introduced variety to the attack and worked the ball nearer the goal for their scores. From 22 shots, they had 18 scores. That is a seriously good return. Their decision-making was good too, always finding the right options in attack when getting a shooter into space. And of course, the final thing: the press on Mayo's kick-out was key. Are they the finished article? I'm not sure. I don't think the Connacht championship this year was up to its usual standard, so we'll have to wait and see. They will still need Comer and Walsh for the big games in Croke Park, that's for sure. And then there is the little matter of the group of death they are in with Dublin, Derry and the losers of the Ulster final. What can I say about Mayo? Again, glorious in defeat; they died with their boots on. A really battling performance but, sadly, yet another defeat. To be fair, there was a lot to like about their performance. Their game management in the first 12 minutes was good, they had 73 per cent of the possession, outscored Galway and were a goal in front. Their high press, attacking variation and turnover count was top class. And star forward Ryan O'Donoghue, after a slow first half, stood up and was counted. Am I writing off Mayo? Definitely not! They're a resilient bunch and will take a scalp or two in the group stages and maybe even beyond. But will Sam be heading to Mayo? Not on the evidence of what I've seen so far. I saw so many worrying stats. Twenty-eight minutes of the first half with no score. Only five out of 11 kick-outs were successful. Their kick-out win rate was a mere 30pc for the entire game, which in the modern game is fatal. I am beginning to think Mayo are perfect exponents of the well-worn definition of insanity, where you do the same thing over and over again and expect different results. Mayo's failing over the years can be narrowed down to two categories: attacking shortcomings and game management flaws in the vital last quarter. Their shooting spread stats were abysmal. Five scorers in total – and that includes the goalie. Twenty-eight shots, six more than Galway, but only 16 out of the 28 converted. That's not good enough. A lack of shooters from distance. They had nine two-point attempts but converted just one third of them. But the key is that final quarter. With the finish line in sight and possible victory, not for the first time, their game management, lack of composure, decision-making, shot execution and lack of leadership came to the fore. Their build-up play was slow, their movement on and off the ball was very poor. And let's look at that final 17 minutes when the teams were tied at 1-13 apiece. Ten attacks from Mayo were mounted in that period. So many didn't come to fruition. Davitt Neary was pulled for over-carrying having taken the ball into traffic. A kicked pass from Matthew Ruane bounced over O'Donoghue. The other eight raids resulted in shots but yielded only two points from frees. Towey kicked a point effort wide when off balance. Towey kicked another wide under pressure. Jack Carney had a shot blocked down. O'Donoghue had a free that dropped short. That's fear. If that was in Belmullet, then O'Donoghue would put that one over the bar. But in a Connacht final that is fear and lack of conviction. Hession had a goal attempt saved by Gleeson, the wrong man in the right place; he needed to shoot low. McHugh's block down on Towey was another failed attempt. And then it goes to the last play and, trailing by two, you would expect all counties to have a strategy in place to try and work a two-point score with the last kick of the game. You have to get your best shooter on the ball in the best possible position to have a go. They didn't manage that, and didn't seem to know how. They ended up with Ruane getting the ball well out on the side and kicking a low percentage shot with the outside of the right foot that screwed wide. It never looked likely to land. Sadly, in a way, that 17 minutes was a microcosm of Mayo's failings over the last 12 years or so. When will they learn? Kerry star David Clifford scored 2-5 from seven shots against Clare in the Munster SFC final at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Only one contender here: the Kerry v Clare Munster final. After three-and-a-half minutes with the score at 1-2 to 0-0 in Kerry's favour, I wrote on my sheet of paper 'game over', and I was proved right. Not much analysis is needed. This was men versus boys, a Division 1 team against a Division 3 side. You might well ask what is the difference? The main difference is speed of thought and speed of action. Kerry's superior speed and reactions severely punished Clare, who found out that they don't have the time and space they had in Division 3. The positive for Clare is that their heads never dropped and they won the second half 14 points to 10. Scoring 21 points against Kerry is a good day's work Let's be honest, they were never going to win the game. But the failure to press up on Kerry's kick-out was a kamikaze tactic. Handing easy possession to a team of Kerry's quality can only mean one thing, and that's what happened. What can Kerry take from their latest outing? They were very impressive in the first half, scoring 4-10 to 0-7. Their use of the extra man when Clare went down to 14 was also effective, and they really hammered home the advantage, scoring 2-2 to Clare's 0-1 in that spell. And David Clifford got 2-5 from seven shots. Wow! Even though it was one-sided, I could still see some improvement and learnings from the Cork game. They were better on two-pointers, scoring three. Scoring two-pointers is vital if they are to win the All-Ireland. Their shooting efficiency also improved, the 12 wides against Cork reduced to four against Clare. And here is a class stat. Against Cork, during the 20 minutes of extra-time, Kerry scored 1-4 and hit no wides. It was the 30th minute before they kicked their first wide. That means in 50 minutes of actual playing time, they scored 5-11 without kicking a wide. There is no doubt that the new rules suit Kerry's kicking style. They are clearly going for goals: 24 were registered in 10 league and championship games. Last year in two Munster championship games, they scored no goals; they have seven from two this year. They dropped a level in the second half, but that was to be expected. Dublin camogie star Aisling Maher of Dublin in action against Laura Murphy of Kilkenny. Photo: George Tewkesbury/Sportsfile If the ball is touched en route from a two-point shot, you only get one point. Pray tell, who came up with this daft idea? Or could an All-Ireland final be decided by a mere fingernail touching a ball? It is a joke and needs to be sorted out. The TV and ground clocks need to be synchronised. There was over three minutes of a discrepancy in the Mayo-Galway game. Surely to God it wouldn't take much to sort that out? A quick mention of the skorts controversy – thankfully, it looks as though the Camogie Association has rescued the situation, but what an own goal it was in the first place. Finally, while I am on about being tone deaf, you might have noticed in the Sunday Independent Ireland Thinks May 2025 poll, people were asked when should the GAA All-Ireland finals take place? Six per cent stated July, 21pc August and 53pc September, while 20pc didn't know. Given that Tom Ryan suggested it needs to be moved, and Jarlath Burns too, the president's comments last week that nothing is going to happen, with no change in 2026, is tone deaf and very much against public opinion among the majority of GAA supporters. But of course, he let the cat out of the bag when he said that Croke Park was now vital in creating money for the GAA courtesy of its hosting of concerts and American football, and whatever you're having yourself. It is a case of he who pays the piper calls the tune, and Croke Park stadium is now in control. I think it is a major own goal that we are not catering for our two top competitions and our leading football and hurling stars. Jarlath, a man who likes to lead, should have shown more leadership in this regard. Not a major change, but at least a tweaking, a recognition that it needs to change.
RTÉ News
04-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Galway maturity pleases winning boss Pádraic Joyce
A Connacht four-in-a-row for Galway was built on a maturity that saw the Tribesmen show a steely resolve coming down the stretch, according to manager Pádraic Joyce. The Tribesmen left Castlebar with the provincial bragging orders, but it was a hard-fought victory over their bitter rivals Mayo, who threatened to pull off a comeback victory in front of a lively crowd at MacHale Park. With a strong breeze behind them and 2024 Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy showing his prowess from the two-point range, the visitors led by eight at the break. Kevin McStay's side however dug deep and with 10 minutes remaining the sides were level. However a black card to Rory Brickenden was a key moment and the Tribesmen kicked three of the final four points to continue their Connacht dominance. "It's brilliant," Joyce told RTÉ Sport afterwards. "I thought it was a fantastic advert for the provincial championships and why they should still be kept in there. Mayo were unlucky at the end, they got it down to a kick of the ball. Every score we got today we earned. "In the end we showed a bit maturity and cleverness." His Mayo counterpart Kevin McStay lamented the fact that for all the resilience shown by his team to draw level, they were simply unable to finish it off. "We just couldn't get our noses in front," he told RTÉ Sport. "There was plenty of time to do it and we nearly did once or twice. Those wides, especially the ones on the nearside, are almost unforgivable, they're the ones that come back to hurt you. "We'll go back and have a good think about where it went wrong for us. This is our third or fourth big game as a group now in the last 12 months and we're coming out the wrong side of them. "I suppose we'll take a little but of solace, this time last year Armagh were in the same position, had lost their provincial title on penalties and yet were able to turn it around so that's the big challenge for us now to get competitive in this group series." Mayo's bright start into the wind had Galway under pressure, but Paul Conroy once again delivered a kicking masterclass, accounting for his team's first three scores, all of which raised orange flags. He ended up with 0-07 in total, but Joyce felt the midfielder wasn't offered enough protection around the middle of the pitch. "He (Conroy) probably won it for us in the first half," he said. "He was being held down all day, couldn't get at the ball, couldn't get jumping. It's amazing how officials didn't pick it up. He was being pulled and dragged before the ball ever came out, but he got on with it. "Physicality in the game is more than welcome, but we seemed to get a lot of it. I don't know if that is because we caught so much ball the last day, but we get on with it." Donegal or Armagh, Dublin and Derry await in the so-called group of death, but Joyce isn't overly concerned with the level of opposition they will face in the All-Ireland series – "we have been in the group of death the previous two years as well and we seem to have managed okay" – and will hope to have key forwards Damien Comer and Shane Walsh to call upon with the business end of the season coming into view. Walsh has not featured for Galway since March in a league encounter against Dublin, while Comer, who came off the bench in the semi-final victory over Roscommon, wasn't deemed fit enough to make the match-day panel in Castlebar. "Shane and Damien have dug us out of big holes over the years," Joyce said, adding that John Maher injury appears to be a dead leg and not a serious setback. "Any coach would love to have them fit, but they are not fit at the minute. It is testament to the lads that they didn't need them today."
