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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Paudie Clifford weighs in on whether Jack O'Connor will return as Kerry manager after All-Ireland run
Two county icons have tipped O'Connor to stay on STILL KING? Paudie Clifford weighs in on whether Jack O'Connor will return as Kerry manager after All-Ireland run PAUDIE Clifford has supplied a breadcrumb of information around the mystery of whether Jack O'Connor will remain as Kerry boss. In the immediate aftermath of the Kingdom reclaiming Sam Maguire, O'Connor had virtually stated that their final success over Donegal would serve as his swansong. 2 Clifford bossed proceedings as Donegal gave him the freedom of Croke Park 2 O'Connor is now only behind Mick O'Dwyer and Jim Gavin with five All-Ireland football titles to his name as manager The 64-year-old laid out: 'I think I was on record earlier in the year that it would probably be my last hurrah, do you know, so. I don't want to be telling ye lads before I tell anyone else. 'There's a lot more people down the corridor. Look, we'll do that in due course. There's no hurry. 'I was going out the door Thursday evening with the bag and my mrs took a picture of me going out the gate. 'I have a fair idea that will be up on the wall as my last hurrah. I'd say now she'll be firm on that one.' He repeated that line about his wife being insistent on him finally blowing the full-time whistle on his managerial career at that evening's victory banquet. However, other high-profile figures in the county such as Tomás Ó Sé and Pat Spillane have suggested it's more likely than not that O'Connor will be back on the sideline next year. When quizzed on The Sunday Game if he'd be keen on potentially replacing the Dromid Pearses clubman, Ó Sé remarked: "Jack said it there, Jack writes the script now. "He's in there with a fresh group. Why would you leave? As far as I know there's no vacancy in Kerry to be discussing." Now the elder Clifford brother has given his say on the matter - albeit he kept his cards close to his chest. He was asked on The Square Ball podcast about whether he expects O'Connor to row back on his previous public comments that indicated he was leaning towards walking away. TJ Reid and wife Niamh de Brun's gorgeous pregnancy reveal The Fossa playmaker concurred with the question's premise, adding: "I think so. I haven't been talking to him or anything about it, but I think he should. "Our squad depth was under-rated, but it's going to be very important for all those lads to keep pushing on. "It's no good doing it for one year. Winning two All-Irelands isn't enough for this team. We need to keep going. "There is nothing wrong with two All-Irelands but there wouldn't be much point resting on our laurels in our peak years." SULLY'S SAY The show is hosted by Dave McIntyre and All-Ireland winning captain Darran O'Sullivan who was happy to be far more free-wheeling with his choice of wording. The ex-Kerry speedster went so far as to argue: "Jack would be crazy to leave. This team is not even at the peak of its powers, it's only moving into that stage." It's easy to see why that view is so widely held when you consider the age profile of their core players. Paudie will turn 28 next month while brother David is 26. Sean O'Shea is 27 and breakout force Joe O'Connor is 25. Even captain Gavin White has plenty of prime years left at 28 - an age shared by Tom O'Sullivan - with established goalkeeper Shane Ryan just a year older. Realistically, Paul Geaney, Paul Murphy and Tadhg Morley are the only names from their panel that spring to mind as potential retirees over the off-season with the first two 34 while the latter's 32.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
As links to Dublin job intensify, Darcy may have to choose between blue masters
It was barely 24 hours after Dessie Farrell had stepped aside as Dublin manager that Declan Darcy was being pushed as his successor. Speaking on The Sunday Game highlights show, Paul Flynn, who won five of his six All-Irelands when Darcy was Jim Gavin's right-hand man, put his name forward. Flynn firstly suggested that the county board had been 'asleep at the wheel' for not developing managers from within their own ranks and acknowledged the credentials of his former teammate Ger Brennan, who was still in situ in Louth at the time, before saying: 'I think if I was the county board now I'd go and hunt Declan Darcy and try and get him back into the fold. He was phenomenal, when he was with Jim, for us.' Appointing Brennan seemed almost irresistible as he quit Louth a couple of days later, but that link seems to have cooled since. Last month, Brennan's St Vincent's clubmate said that 'I don't think that's going to happen now', while suggesting Darcy as an alternative. Rumours around Darcy have intensified in recent days, largely on the back of messages doing the rounds on WhatsApp. This, remember, is the forum that gave oxygen to a theory that all hell broke loose in the Cork dressing room at half-time in the All-Ireland hurling final - while they held a six-point lead. So, any suggestion that Darcy's appointment as the next Dublin manager is imminent should be treated with great suspicion. Yet, it appears that the speculation is not without foundation either. It is believed that discussions have taken place between Darcy and Dublin county board officials. There has been an assumption that, given his role with Leinster Rugby, Darcy couldn't take on the Dublin job. And it appears that the two roles are not compatible. Darcy works as a performance coach for the province. It's not a full-time job, but he is a contracted employee and gives them a few days a week. He is present at most training sessions and several home games, though the thrust of his work comes in one-on-one sessions with the players. Just as he was with Dublin, Darcy is highly regarded within that set up. Outside of that, he runs a construction company and has three children. Jim Gavin and Declan Darcy in 2014 One would imagine that something would have to give if managing the Dublin senior football team was landed on top of all that - and his role with Leinster is surely the most expendable. But is Darcy prepared to forego that to manage Dublin? If he does, how may he be compensated? Indeed, could Leinster seek compensation for losing a key employee? After departing with Gavin in late 2019, Darcy was touted as his possible successor but that was never likely. He had already given a sizeable chunk of service and, by all accounts, was keen to recharge at that stage. Yet, severing ties was more difficult than he envisaged it would be. Speaking on a podcast in August 2020, he admitted that 'it kind of caught me a little bit' and that he 'underestimated the personal connection'. 'When that stops, and the realisation is there that you're not going to be part of that journey any more, it was very, very hard for me to take,' he added. The number of remaining Dublin players from Darcy's time under Gavin continues to dwindle, and so that connection would clearly not be as vivid now. But it may still be strong enough for him to clear the boards to have a go at a job that, in all likelihood, probably won't come around for him again.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Gavin's former number two Darcy linked with Dublin job
Declan Darcy is being linked with a return to the Dublin senior football management set-up in the lead role. Darcy was selector and defensive coach with Jim Gavin for all of the county's six All-Ireland SFC successes between 2013 and '19. The St Brigid's man's association with the set-up ended when Gavin stepped down at the end of 2019 and was replaced by Dessie Farrell. He has been working in an advisory capacity with Leinster Rugby since 2022. Ger Brennan has also been associated with the position Farrell vacated in the immediate wake of June's All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Tyrone. This season, St Vincent's clubman Brennan brought Louth to their first Leinster SFC title in 68 years and he left the role early last month after two years to be replaced by Gavin Devlin. Former Dublin player Paul Flynn has backed Darcy to succeed Farrell. 'My number one choice is Declan Darcy,' he said on The Sunday Game in June. 'That's what I think the county board should do. I think it would be a tough job to get him to come back and do it, but he was Jim's number two, a phenomenal operator.' Meanwhile, Tony McEntee and Andy Moran are believed to be the leading candidates to succeed Kevin McStay as Mayo senior football manager. McEntee recently stepped down as Sligo manager after five seasons in charge. The Armagh 2002 All-Ireland SFC winner was previously a coach and selector in Mayo during Stephen Rochford's time in charge. If successful, the Crossmaglen Rangers man will be the first outside manager in Mayo since Mickey Moran in 2006, when he was aided by the late John Morrison as coach. Footballer of the year in 2017, Moran was Monaghan's assistant manager this season, having served for three years as Leitrim boss. Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan had credited the Ballaghaderreen man with playing an integral role in the county's strong season. Elsewhere, retiring Roscommon footballer Donie Smith has called for the board to appoint Davy Burke's successor from within the county. Roscommon have not had a sole native manager since Des Newton 13 years ago – Fergie O'Donnell co-managed with McStay – and the likes of Frankie Dolan and Nigel Dineen have been mentioned as possible candidates. 'I think it is time we trust fellas from Roscommon, who live in Roscommon and are mad about Roscommon,' Smith told the Roscommon Herald. 'I think we have plenty of good fellas about the place and I think it is time we went internal and put everything behind him.'
RTÉ News
01-08-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Women's All-Ireland SFC final: All You Need to Know
Meath and Dublin lock horns again in the decider, four years on from the Royals causing a surprise when winning a first title after defeating their Leinster rivals. The Royals followed up in 2022, with Dublin regaining their title the following year Sunday's decider at Croke Park throws in at 4.15pm, with Antrim v Louth getting things up and running in the junior final at 11.45am, followed by Laois v Tyrone in the intermediate decider at 1.45pm. ONLINE Live updates of the senior clash and match reports on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app. TV TG4 will broadcast live coverage of the senior and intermediate finals final, with the junior showdown on the TG4 Player. Watch highlights on The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player RADIO Live commentary on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 and on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an Lae. WEATHER Cloud and rain will clear from the southeast on Sunday morning and for the rest of the day there'll be a good amount of dry and bright weather, with just a few showers in the northwest. Cloud will slowly build from the southwest through the evening. Highest temperatures of 16 to 20 degrees with a moderate to fresh westerly wind, easing later. For more go to Meath v Dublin, Croke Park, 4.15pm Orlagh Nolan is named to start in the Dublin team. Nolan's 2024 season was cruelly cut short by an ACL injury sustained before the quarter-final clash with Galway but she returned against the same opposition in the recent semi-final – and performed well in a substitute's role as the Sky Blues won a dramatic game after extra-time. She comes in for Caoimhe O'Connor, who sustained a hamstring injury against Galway last time out. That's the only change in personnel from the semi-final, with Meath opting for an unchanged starting line-up. However, there may be a change in personnel for the Royal County, as key defender Katie Newe was forced off with a knee injury during the semi-final win against Kerry. Dublin won the most recent competitive clash between them, in the 2025 TG4 Leinster final. Meath's last victory against their old rivals was in a National League Division 1 group game – while the Royals last achieved a championship win against Dublin in 2022, in Leinster. The counties have not met in the All-Ireland series since the dramatic 2021 All-Ireland final. Dublin are readying themselves for the 14th Senior final in the county's history – and a win for the Sky Blues would hand them a seventh All-Ireland crown. They were previous winners in 2010, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023. Dublin: A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, N Donlon; S Goldrick, M Byrne, N Crowley; É O'Dowd, H McGinnis; N Owens, C Rowe (capt), O Nolan; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, K Sullivan. Meath: R Murray; Á Sheridan, MK Lynch, K Newe; A Cleary (capt), S Wall, K Kealy; O Sheehy, M Farrelly; M Thynne, N Gallogly, C Smyth; E Duggan, V Wall, K Cole. Antrim v Louth, Croke Park, 11.45pm Antrim: A Devlin; N McIntosh, M Blaney, M Mulholland; S O'Neill, C Brown, C McKenna; A Mulholland, Á Tubridy; T Mellon, M O'Neill, A Kelly; B Devlin (capt), O Dahunsi, L Agnew. Louth: R Lambe Fagan; R Beirth, E Hand, E Murray; H Lambe Sally, S McLaughlin, L Byrne; Á Breen (capt), A Halligan; L White, E Byrne, S Matthews; A Russell, K Flood, C Nolan. Laois v Tyrone, Croke Park, 1.45pm Laois: E Barry; S Farrelly, C Dunne, F McEvoy; A Gorman, A Moore, A Moran (capt.); F Dooley, J Moore; S Havill, E Galvin, C Crowley; E Lacey, E Lawlor, M Nerney.
The Irish Sun
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Jacqui Hurley's ‘Six pics to end July' show how RTE star had crazy busy schedule between GAA, Euros & playing commitment
A picture tells a thousand words and the first to come to mind around this one is "busy". Jacqui Hurley shared a collage that recapped her July in six images. Advertisement 2 A snapshot of her exceedingly busy month Credit: @jacquihurley7 2 Last weekend she hosted Up for the Match AND the season finale of The Sunday Game Credit: @jacquihurley7 Ever since the GAA implemented the more condensed inter-county Championship on account of the split season model, July has become the most hectic month in the Irish sporting calendar. 2025 proved particularly packed for her given there was also a major international soccer tournament mixed in with the now typically rushed climax to the Gaelic football Granted, the Girls in Green As if covering all that wasn't enough to have on her plate but the Cork native still somehow found time to play basketball for Ireland at a World Championships that Advertisement Read More On Irish Sport Considering all that, it's easy to see why her Paul responded: "Hope you enjoyed the football Jacqui. The radio you did when I heard it from lreland on long-wave was lovely." In addition to hosting The Sunday Game each week - apart from her Switzerland adventure where Damian Lawlor deputised - the men's All-Ireland finals threw up a further broadcasting commitment. She Advertisement Most read in Other Sports For the former the 41-year-old Her hair was styled by Sian Sharkey, her make-up by Julie Adam and her overall look by Catherine Manning. 'Aged like milk on a windowsill in July' - Watch BBC's GAA pundits ALL predict Donegal to beat Kerry Grateful for their work, Hurley emphasized: "It takes a village". Fans flocked to the comments on her social media post to praise her look, with one saying: "Looking fab girl!" Advertisement A second gushed: "Lovely meeting you last night! You looked gorgeous!" A third posted: "Wow!! You look just fabulous Jacqui!". A fourth reckoned: "Seriously, GAA never looked so glam." Lastly, someone else praised: "Gorgeous jumpsuit on you Jacqui, you look beautiful."
