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Irish Daily Mirror
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Armagh vs Derry LIVE score updates from All-Ireland SFC Group Four clash
For the second year in a row, Armagh and Derry meet in the group stage of the All-Ireland series as the Ulster rivals go head-to-head at the Box-It Athletic Grounds. For the third successive year, the Orchard County go into the All-Ireland series as beaten Ulster finalists after losing out to Donegal after extra-time in a pulsating provincial decider earlier this month. This time around, however, Kieran McGeeney's men are the All-Ireland champions and, as such, have a huge target on their backs. Derry have had seven weeks to prepare for this contest after being beaten by Donegal by 10 points in the Ulster SFC preliminary round in Ballybofey at the start of April. The Oak Leafers were comprehensively beaten in Celtic Park when these sides met this June and their subsequent victory over Westmeath in Newry was the last time Derry won a game in 70 minutes. They defeated Mayo on penalties in the preliminary quarter-finals and salvaged a draw against Galway in the League, but are winless under Paddy Tally, something the Tyrone native will be keen to address as soon as possible. With games against Galway and Dublin to come for both counties, Armagh and Derry can ill-afford not to take something from this evening's all-Ulster battle. We'll have all the latest team news and build-up ahead of throw-in at 5pm. Armagh have received what Aaron Kernan describes as an 'unbelievable boost' to their All-Ireland defence with the return of Rian O'Neill to the squad ahead of the Ulster final. His Crossmaglen Rangers clubmate didn't make the matchday 26 for that one-point extra time defeat to Donegal but Kernan expects him to be phased back in soon. 'The soundbites are that yeah, it is a possibility," Kernan told the Irish Mirror. "Whether it's this weekend or not, I'm not sure, but certainly he has been back in training with the squad since the week prior to the Ulster final. 'Obviously he would have missed a lot of football since the All-Ireland last year and since his club campaign last year, but still, he's a young man. He'll not be long getting up to the speed of it.'But yeah, like I mentioned, just whether it's this weekend and he makes an actual panel of 26, I'm not sure. The inner workings of that group, if you bump into them in the street, they ain't going to tell you anyway.'O'Neill has yet to feature for Armagh under the new rules - but the two-point arc appears tailor made for a player of his kicking added: 'I think he showed his full array of talent with that two-point arc, even though it was only that Railway Cup competition at the end of the year to test out the new rules.'So I would certainly see, as he's being eased back in, that will be the role or that's where you'll see him most prominent will be in those two-point zones.' All-Ireland SFC round two: Derry 0-15 Armagh 3-17 Derry slipped to a third consecutive Championship loss at Celtic Park as Armagh claimed a facile 11-point win. The result leaves Kieran McGeeney's men in pole position to top Group One as a draw against Galway in a fortnight's time will be enough for the Orchard County to progress straight through to the last eight. Derry, meanwhile, take on Westmeath in their final group game knowing that anything less than a win would see them exit the All-Ireland series. Mickey Harte's men have shipped nine goal in their three Championship defeats and they could have conceded more as they suffered a malfunction in front of the home support for the second time in three outings. Armagh butchered two more goal chances with Oisin Conaty hitting the post in the first half while Aidan Forker played one pass too many with Barry McCambridge unable to turn the ball home at the far post. Derry also finished with 14 players with Ciaran McFaul sent off after picking up a black card when already booked. It compounded another day to forgot for Harte's side. They were 2-8 to 0-6 down at the break with Conor Turbitt and Ross McQuillan finding the net. They managed to land the first three scores of the second half via Conor Glass, Shane McGuigan (free) and Ethan Doherty. However, they were unable to keep Armagh at bay and a 10-minute spell without a score undermined their efforts and Rian O'Neill struck for his side's third goal to end the game as a contest before McFaul dragged down Joe McElroy for his black card. Armagh had 13 different scorers on a day when 3-13 of their 3-17 tally came from open play. With Galway and Armagh set to finish in the top two, Derry must beat Westmeath to finish third in the group, meaning the best they can hope for is a preliminary quarter-final away from home. Derry scorers: Shane McGuigan 0-7 (0-4fs), Conor Glass 0-3 (0-1m), Ethan Doherty 0-1, Paul Cassidy 0-1, Lachlan Murray 0-1, Diarmuid Baker 0-1, Emmett Bradley 0-1. Armagh scorers: Conor Turbitt 1-4 (0-1f, 0-1m), Rian O'Neill 1-1, Ross McQuillan 1-0, Oisin Conaty 0-2, Tiernan Kelly 0-2, Barry McCambridge 0-1, Aidan Forker 0-1, Rory Grugan 0-1, Niall Grimley 0-1, Oisin O'Neill 0-1, Aidan Nugent 0-1 (0-1f), Shane McPartlan 0-1, Ben Crealey 0-1 (0-1m).
Irish Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Dubs win pumps up pressure on Armagh says Orchard legend as O'Neill nears return
Dublin's win in Galway has raised the stakes for Armagh's Group 4 clash with Derry on Saturday considerably, says former Orchard star Aaron Kernan. Although the Dubs' victory was hardly a seismic shock, it was still unexpected in the context of their struggles against Meath, with Galway seen as frontline All-Ireland contenders having just picked up a fourth successive Connacht title. But the result means that any suggestion that last year's All-Ireland finalists would battle it out for top spot while Dublin and Derry scrapped for third is out the window. 'You're sitting watching the game, and as exciting as it was, and it looked like Dublin was going to win, I was starting to wonder, 'Is this actually a good thing from an Armagh point of view?'' said Kernan. 'I think last weekend's result will certainly have heightened them to make sure that they're fully tuned in [to play Derry]. 'I'm not even sure whether they're worried about getting a performance, they're just worried about getting off to a win. Then it just gives you that bit more breathing space and heaps that wee bit more pressure on Derry as well. 'So yeah, it's a huge game for them to make sure that they get a winning start and, like I said, worry about a performance afterwards.' He added: 'There might have been a bit of feeling out in the first 25 minutes, first half. But Dublin have now gone to Galway and absolutely thrown a spanner in the works of what everyone had envisaged for how this group was going to play out. 'I think it just adds even more importance to this Derry-Armagh game." Armagh have received what Kernan describes as an 'unbelievable boost' to their All-Ireland defence with the return of Rian O'Neill to the squad ahead of the Ulster final. His Crossmaglen Rangers clubmate didn't make the matchday 26 for that one-point extra time defeat to Donegal but Kernan expects him to be phased back in soon. 'The soundbites are that yeah, it is a possibility. Whether it's this weekend or not, I'm not sure, but certainly he has been back in training with the squad since the week prior to the Ulster final. 'Obviously he would have missed a lot of football since the All-Ireland last year and since his club campaign last year, but still, he's a young man. He'll not be long getting up to the speed of it. 'But yeah, like I mentioned, just whether it's this weekend and he makes an actual panel of 26, I'm not sure. The inner workings of that group, if you bump into them in the street, they ain't going to tell you anyway.' O'Neill has yet to feature for Armagh under the new rules - but the two-point arc appears tailor made for a player of his kicking ability. Kernan added: 'I think he showed his full array of talent with that two-point arc, even though it was only that Railway Cup competition at the end of the year to test out the new rules. 'So I would certainly see, as he's being eased back in, that will be the role or that's where you'll see him most prominent will be in those two-point zones.' Aaron Kernan is a BoyleSports ambassador.
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Passing of much loved former county Sligo GAA player and referee
John gave a lifetime service to the GAA and was also a highly esteemed employee of Sligo University Hospital where he worked for many years. He was very well known in Sligo GAA circles firstly as an outstanding goalkeeper who was man of the match at the opening of the famous Marcievicz Park in 1955. John was working as a steward but was pressed into service and made nationwide headlines for his quite unique debut. And his ardent GAA father James Lee was a Director of the Park having been one of 50 people to donate £100 to pay for its construction which was a huge sum in those days. John played for Sligo in goals from 1955-1960 including in a Connacht final against the all- conquering Galway side in later took up the whistle in 1970 and went to referee all over the north- west and west including the Railway Cup final of 1978 and an All-Ireland Colleges final. John kept at the whistle until the 1990s and was a well- known figure at Sligo IT matches. He refereed right up until the late 1990s when he was well in his 50s and was and is a very well- known figure around the town. And, in a town much more noted for its rich soccer heritage John was a torch bearer for Craobh Ruadh, whose original base was Circular Road and the GAA in Sligo town. He also won three Sligo county championships with Craobh Ruadh as a teenager from 1952-1954-a remarkable achievement by any standards at a time when the real powerhouse of Sligo GAA was in the south of the county. Apart from goals, John also lined out at wing back for his beloved Craobh Ruadh. But his passion for Sligo GAA was undimmed and had a great grá for Sligo Rovers as well, the club came looking for him in the 1950s, but his father would not allow him to cross the great divide in the days of the infamous ban. John always believed there was an All-Ireland title in the Sligo team of 2002 and is convinced they were robbed of a certain goal in the drawn All-Ireland Quarter Final with Armagh. John had an interesting working career as well beginning with Heron and Banks Hardware Shop in High Street and then to the famous Snia factory. He later got employment as a porter in Sligo General Hospital where he became a very well- known figure and was very popular with the patients and staff. A natural seanchaí John had a great recall of old characters of Sligo and had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the town he loved so well. John passed away on April 30th, dearly loved husband of Mollie and father of Áine, Máire, Ailbhe and Maeve. Removal from Sean Feehily's Funeral Home, Cartron Cross to Saint Joseph's Church, Ballytivnan, Sligo took place on Thursday last with Mass of the Resurrection at 11.30am on Friday May 2 with burial afterwards in Sligo cemetery.
