Latest news with #Spillane
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Spillane slams GAA and RTE over 'own goal' & questions 'absence of common sense'
Pat Spillane has blasted RTE and the GAA for an 'absolute absence of common sense' over the decision not to show any live All-Ireland Football Championship matches the weekend before last on free-to-air TV. The Kerry legend noted how no Premier League games were being shown on the same day due to the last round of fixtures all being played on the Sunday, stating that RTE and the GAA had scored 'a major own goal'. Louth v Monaghan and Donegal v Tyrone were both shown on GAA+. He wrote in his Sunday World column: "We had Meath v Cork, which was always going to be a close and competitive game. Louth, the Cinderella story of the championship to date, were playing Monaghan. "Last year's All-Ireland champions Armagh met last year's Division 1 league winners Derry. And we had an absolute blockbuster between two of the big guns, Donegal and Tyrone. "In a congested season, this was another glaring example of poor promotion." Spillane also took issue with the fact on the day that all four matches took place, RTE showed three hours of racing from the Curragh as the Irish 2,000 Guineas, a race worth €495,000, took place. He said the meeting had an attendance smaller than the smallest crowd at any of the four football clashes that afternoon and also questioned RTE's decision to show "three-and-a-half hours of Champions Cup rugby with no Irish interest". The selection of Saturday evening entertainment by RTE didn't impress the eight-time All-Ireland winner either. "How about a GAA game at 7.0 on Saturday night – prime-time viewing – on RTÉ2? No such luck, as RTÉ2 were showing Super Dogs with Extraordinary Jobs," stated Spillane.
Irish Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Spillane questions Galway's All-Ireland credentials as he he looks for evidence
Former Sunday Game analyst Pat Spillane has questioned Galway's credentials after their one-point defeat to Dublin last weekend. The Kerry man put Galway second in his power rankings before the beginning of the All-Ireland series, only behind his native county. The game was certainly a litmus test for both sides, with Galway aiming to back up their league form and Connacht title with a win over a reeling Dublin, who lost in the Leinster championship this year for the first time since 2010. Their group has been named the group of death as it also contains heavyweights in Derry and Armagh, with the Orchard County relying on Ethan Rafferty to come through a late Derry resurgence unblemished. Spillane wrote in his Sunday World column: "[Galway] can console themselves with a sub-par show and the fact that they lost by just a point. But everything that was good about Galway lately, the middle third, the high fielders, the powerful runners, was nowhere to be seen. "Not for the first time, they played a less than fully fit Shane Walsh. They were clearly in trouble with their kick-outs. For the last play they were set up very poorly defensively as Lahiff found himself with nobody on him. That shouldn't happen to well-coached teams in a last play." The Tribesmen came up against New York, Roscommon and Mayo in their successful 2025 Connacht title defense, with Spillane suggesting that these sides made Galway look better than their true performance levels. He said: 'Perhaps we were fooled by those Galway performances in Connacht against fairly average opposition. "And the critics may now ask: how could you get it so wrong? How did you write off the Dubs? 'Truth is, I never wrote them off for this year's All-Ireland. But as a GAA analyst you are looking for evidence and that comes from current form.' The current form is indeed swinging in Dublin's favour after a much-needed victory against Padraic Joyce's Galway, but whether they'll be there or thereabouts towards the sharp end remains to be seen, however it does feel silly to write off the Dubs this early on.
Extra.ie
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Pat Spillane rethinks predictions and names FOUR All-Ireland favourites
Pat Spillane called Donegal the team to beat in this year's All-Ireland football championship just a month ago, but he is now including others on a par with the Ulster champions. Donegal saw off Armagh in the Anglo-Celt Cup decider for a second consecutive year under Jim McGuinness. It marks a third trophy overall under the Glenties man since his 2024 return – with a Division 2 league crown delivered last year. Pat Spillane. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile Kerry icon Spillane praised their fitness levels as 'off the charts' based on league and provincial displays and they crowned that progress with their Ulster final success. The county have been boosted by the return of talismanic forward Michael Murphy, who has been restored to a potent forward line also including Paddy McBrearty, who now captains the side. Michael Murphy has returned to the Donegal panel. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile Murphy's return after more than two years away from the game is sure to serve as a season-long ace up the sleeve for Donegal, as showcased when he rolled back the years with his display in the Clones decider. But Spillane now believes others in the chasing pack are in with a fighting chance too, with his native Kerry getting a nod as well as reigning champions Armagh and last year's beaten finalists Galway. Pat Spillane believes last year's All-Ireland finalists Armagh and Galway are strong contenders once again in 2025. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile 'I now see four counties leading the race for Sam,' he wrote in the Sunday World. 'In no particular order, they are: Kerry, Galway, Armagh and Donegal. 'Dublin and Tyrone are behind them in a chasing pack of two.' Spillane's prediction of the top four teams in the country mirrors last year's last four, when Armagh overcame Kerry and Galway dumped Donegal out in their respective semi-finals.
Irish Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Pat Spillane falls for hilarious sporting lookalike over social media post
Kerry football legend and former Sunday Game pundit Pat Spillane was led on badly by an X post comparing a Donegal footballer to a Premier League star. Spillane has had a long and fruitful career behind the mic, broadcasting on the Sunday Game for over 30 years, so perhaps he is excused the occasional gaffe. Appearing on the Indo Sport podcast, he spoke on the strengths of Donegal under Jim McGuinness after they claimed the Ulster football championship last weekend. The Forgotten County came on top after extra time in a barnstormer against Armagh which easily could have been, and may still be the All-Ireland Final come July. He then moved on to sing the praises of wing-back Ciaran Moore for his industrious performance before being taken off in the final. He continued on the merits of the player before making the fatal error, saying, "What did I see this week, he was with Brighton" He was undoubtedly led astray by a post online joking that the St Eunan's man was prized away from Brighton & Hove Albion due to the resemblance to Brighton defender Valentin Barco. It wasn't long before the error was caught, with many online finding the funny side of it. Barco is currently on loan at Strasbourg in Ligue 1 from Brighton, with the 20-year-old Argentine generally operating at left back. Spillane's experience undoubtedly puts the proof in the adage "Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear", especially when you find it on social media.
Extra.ie
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Pat Spillane falls for prank online after confusion over picture post
Pat Spillane fell foul to an online prank as he analysed Donegal – with the ex-pundit thinking one star had played for Brighton. The Kingdom legend is no stranger to running the rule on players and teams having served as a GAA pundit with RTE for 30 years until 2022. He is still GAA-mad watching on from afar, with his hot takes remaining a catalyst for conversation and debate within the sport. Pat Spillane. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile Donegal were successful in retaining the Anglo-Celt Cup last weekend as they saw off Armagh in a thrilling Ulster decider – just as they did 12 months ago in Jim McGuinness' return season. That makes it five Ulster titles overall for McGuinness and the big news this year has been the return of influential talisman Michael Murphy. The Glenswilly man lifted the Sam Maguire Cup under McGuinness in 2012 and having retired in 2022, he was coaxed out of it and returned for 2025 to lift the county's chances of serious glories this year. Ciaran Moore scored Donegal's second goal in the Ulster final win over Armagh in Clones, last weekend. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile On the topic of returns, Spillane was fascinated by McGuinness' power in luring stars back into the squad he previously declared favourites for this year's All-Ireland. Away from Murphy, he focused on utility man Ciaran Moore – before claiming he had returned from playing football with Brighton in England. Valentin Barco playing for Brighton. Pic:It appears as though Spillane was hoodwinked by a previous joke post on X which featured a side-by-side of Moore and Seagulls defender Valentin Barco. The image was aimed at pointing out the resemblance between the two stars of different sports, however Spillane fell hook, line and sinker and believed he was seeing the same person in both shots. 'What did I see this week, he was with Brighton,' Spillane commented in an interview on the Indo Sport podcast. Moore made his Donegal debut in 2024 having been spotted by McGuinness in the county championship, where he was representing St Eunan's – the club with whom he made his senior debut just three years ago.
