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The 42
3 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Players must make most of minutes in the Leinster machine
OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE limited in a squad as deep and competitive as Leinster's. This is something assistant coach Robin McBryde warned about earlier in the season, admitting the Leinster coaches had discussed the issue of getting enough minutes into their promising young players. 'It is tough,' McBryde said. 'I feel for them sometimes because it does stunt their development. I don't know what the answer is there.' Leinster try to rotate their squad and use that depth to their advantage, but, particularly as the season rolls into the business end, selection tends to fall into a more settled pattern. It presents a challenging scenario for players trying to nail down a spot in the squad, most notably those who are also starting to push through at Test level. Generally speaking, if a player is good enough to get capped in a November window or Six Nations, they tend to be highly important players at their clubs. For example, it's hard to imagine Cormac Izuchukwu going back to Ulster after winning his first Ireland cap last November and struggling to get into the Ulster 23. Likewise Cian Prendergast at Connacht or players like Munster pair Calvin Nash and Jack Crowley when they were first called in with Ireland. Further afield, Lions-bound Henry Pollock won his first England cap in the Six Nations and has built on that momentum by getting more experience in big club games – starting seven times for Northampton since returning from England camp. However there's a group of Leinster players who have worn the Ireland jersey this year, yet still been left disappointed on the big days with Leinster. Take Jack Boyle, who earlier this week was the only Irish player on the 16-strong URC Next-Gen Player of the Season shortlist. The 23-year-old prop is highly rated and came off the bench twice for Ireland in the Six Nations. That would usually be a springboard for greater exposure at club level but he's been stuck in a tough battle for minutes. Since the Six Nations finished, Boyle has started three games for Leinster. He's on the bench again today for the URC quarter-final meeting with Scarlets [KO 3pm, TG4/Premier Sports], with Andrew Porter firmly established as the first-choice loosehead and the soon-to-be-retired Cian Healy also clocking up four starts since the Six Nations. Advertisement Gus McCarthy falls into a similar bracket. The 21-year-old hooker faces some of the stiffest competition imaginable, with Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher, both set to tour with the Lions this summer, ahead of him in the queue. Gus McCarthy won't be involved against the Scarlets today. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO It's been a breakthrough season for McCarthy, who has played four times for Ireland – twice in November and twice in the Six Nations. Yet when Sheehan and Kelleher are both fit, McCarthy feels the squeeze at Leinster. Since the Six Nations he's played three games, with the URC round 15 win against Ulster his only start during that period. Earlier this month he lined out for Leinster A against Ulster A. McCarthy misses out again today, with Kelleher starting and Sheehan providing cover off the bench. A player like Jamie Osborne is in a slightly different situation, but can also fall on the wrong side of those selection calls. Osborne's versatility is one of his great strengths, and this season he's had starts at inside centre, outside centre, left wing and right wing. The 23-year-old is further along the line that many of Leinster teammates when it comes to international rugby. He memorably started both Tests against South Africa last summer and has added five caps across the November and Six Nations windows. In the Six Nations he earned two starts, at fullback v Wales and on the wing against France, and had been spoken about as an outside bet for the Lions. He's built on that with more time on the pitch at Leinster, starting five games since returning from the Six Nations, but notably he was left out of the Leinster 23 for their biggest game during that run – the Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton. Today he's back in the starting team, perhaps benefitting from the short-term injuries to Garry Ringrose (calf) and Tommy O'Brien (foot), who both miss out. It's a challenge not just confined to the province's younger squad players. Jimmy O'Brien, 28, is another Ireland international who watched the Northampton game from the stands, despite enjoying a good run in the team in the URC. At 27, Ciarán Frawley has been on the scene for some time now and looked to be hitting a new level last season. He was an important part of Leinster's run to the Champions Cup final defeat to Toulouse and played a starring role off the bench on Ireland's tour to South Africa. His form dipped earlier in this season and it's been a mixed bag since. Frawley was in the Six Nations squad but only got to pull on the Ireland jersey in an 'A' game against England. Lose ground, and it can be tough to claw your way back in. The Skerries man has had starts at 10 and 15 for Leinster over the last two months but has started the last three games – including today's quarter-final – on the bench. Frawley looked set for a big season coming out of that South Africa tour but as it stands at Leinster, Hugo Keenan is the locked-in first choice fullback, with Sam Prendergast the same at out-half. That fierce competition is part of the package when it comes to being a Leinster player, but it means that on days like today, they have to step up and make the most of their gametime. Leinster are expected to get the job done at Aviva Stadium and secure a home semi-final next week. Leo Cullen's side have three games to hurdle if they are to end their trophy drought. For some of those players who have been involved in tight selection calls across the campaign, there's still time to have a big say in how the season ends. LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (capt). Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley. SCARLETS: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Arhie Hughes; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas; Alex Craig, Sam Lousi; Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree. Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Kemsley Mathias, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Jarrod Taylor, Efan Jones, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page. Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU).
Extra.ie
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
‘Resounding' 98-2 vote in favour of shorts choice
Camogie players can now choose between shorts or skorts after delegates at Thursday night's Special Congress of the Camogie Association voted overwhelmingly in favour of a choice of playing attire. The meeting took place against the backdrop of inter-county player protests and a debate and push for change that garnered national and international headlines. In the end, 98 per cent of the 133 delegates present at Croke Park voted for change with just 2 per cent in favour of maintaining the status quo of skorts only. Camogie players can now choose between shorts or skorts after delegates at Thursday night's Special Congress of the Camogie Association voted overwhelmingly in favour of a choice of playing attire. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher '98-2 is a fairly resounding result in favour of choice for the players,' said Camogie president Brian Molloy, addressing the media afterwards. 'There was a very strong round of applause as soon as the vote was announced,' he revealed. 'People are very happy about this; people are very positive about this.' And so, 121 years after the association was founded, players will have a choice when it comes to playing attire. Camogie Association president Brian Molloy. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile Only last April, the same issue was put to delegates at a full Congress of the Camogie Association — and delegates voted it down 55 per cent to 45 per cent, well short of the two-thirds majority required. A survey of 650 inter-county players, however, carried out by the GPA, showed that 83 per cent would prefer to wear shorts. And that 70 per cent said they experienced discomfort while wearing skorts — shorts with a panel of fabric that makes them have the appearance of a skirt. That snowballed into a very public push for change that saw Dublin and Kilkenny players wear shorts in protest and the Munster final between Cork and Waterford postponed when the competing counties said they were prepared to do the same. 'From midnight tonight, each individual player will have the option to wear skorts or shorts — adding choice while maintaining the professionalism and uniformity of our team kits,' added Molloy. The meeting took place against the backdrop of inter-county player protests and a debate and push for change that garnered national and international headlines. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile 'I want to sincerely thank our incredible volunteers for their ongoing support over the last few weeks, and to our delegates for voting on behalf of over 120,000 members, including 94,000 playing members.' He said there was little contentious about Thursday night's debate. 'I'd had conversations with the delegate chairs, the county chairs and provincial chairs over the last couple of weeks directly and they were all very, very focused on engaging with their members and taking time to poll them and they did it in numerous different ways, but they were very focused on the importance of getting the players' voice and making sure it was heard. 'From my perspective, it's a fantastic victory for choice, it's a fantastic victory for the players and it's a fantastic opportunity for us to attract more players who maybe don't like playing in skorts and I've always recognised that.'
The 42
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
John Kiely: 'We got beaten by Cork twice last year. You have to deliver'
THE MOTIVATION THAT fuelled Limerick's drive to take down Cork today was easy to identify. Two championship defeats in 2024 at the hands of the same opposition was always going to sharpen Limerick's focus when they crossed paths in the Munster arena in 2025. John Kiely watched his team deliver in style, inflicting a 16-point beating on their opponents. Advertisement 'We got beaten by Cork twice last year. They are one of the top teams in the country. You're at home in the Gaelic Grounds in the championship, you only have two games here so we have to deliver on days like today. You have to deliver, you just have to. 'We had too much work put in, we had six months of really hard effort put in. We had a really difficult spring with injuries. If you saw the last two rounds of the league we had here against Wexford and above in Kilkenny, we were struggling. 'The cancelled Kilkenny game really hurt us. It upset our whole schedule and it took us a long time to recover from it and we never really did until we got away on camp a week after the last round in the league. We've had a great 10 weeks, the boys are in great shape, working really hard. 'There is a sense of enjoyment in the boys in their hurling and from being within the group, and even this morning, the 12 guys who trained exceptionally hard above in Castletroy College. It was just a joy to behold and it gets the guys off to a fantastic start. Everybody on the panel is pulling their weight and pushing the thing forward and that's what drives the team forward ultimately.' Limerick's short-passing style was a key ingredient in their first-half brilliance as they prised Cork apart. Limerick's Cian Lynch signs autographs for supporters after the game. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO 'I think Cian (Lynch) got the thing off to a really great start with his presence of mind in that first two minutes,' said Kiely. 'He could see it. And when the first couple get going, it encourages everybody to follow suit. Our use of the ball was very, very good today. I think most of all, our defence from 15 back to Nickie, we defended really well today. We got back in numbers, we got spoils in, we were absolutely dominant on the ground and we're just really, really happy with our attitude and our motivation levels are obviously absolutely through the roof.' Kiely hailed the Limerick support amongst the attendance of 42,477 and the input of his players. 'Listen, our supporters have been incredible over the years. But you can't take anything for granted. These players put in a huge, huge effort. Six months they're now training, that's five times a week. It means all of your other life habits are put on hold, if you like. Related Reads Tipperary guarantee their All-Ireland place with late blitz against Waterford 'They despise me' - Davy Fitz hits out at officials and plans to bring complaint to Croke Park 'When you put in that much of a sacrifice and that much of an effort, you need to be appreciated for that effort. I was really delighted with the response that we got from our supporters today. I thought they were there and very present in every moment of the game today and we look forward to seeing more of that next weekend.'
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Camogie players don shorts in protest against skorts diktat
Players say skorts are uncomfortable and deter girls and women from taking up camogie, a female version of the Gaelic game of hurling. Players say skorts are uncomfortable and deter girls and women from taking up camogie, a female version of the Gaelic game of hurling. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho/Rex/Shutterstock They are called skorts – a portmanteau of shorts and skirts – and the Irish camogie players who are obliged to wear them have had enough. Players from Dublin and Kilkenny instead wore forbidden shorts before a provincial game on Saturday, in a coordinated protest that has won support from politicians and commentators who say the dress rules for the female-only sport are archaic. Advertisement The players say skorts are uncomfortable and deter girls and women from taking up camogie, a female version of the Gaelic game of hurling, but the sport's ruling body insists upon the garment, which is considered more feminine than shorts. Niamh Gannon, the captain of Dublin's camogie team, told RTÉ: 'Players have spoken out about the effect this has had on their mental health, just in terms of not being comfortable or confident seeing pictures after games of themselves in skorts. 'And there are young girls, who have said that they've stopped playing camogie because they don't feel comfortable. In no other area in our lives are we told that we have to wear something that resembles a skirt.' After years of complaints about rule 6(b) of the sport's code, which says players must wear a 'skirt/skort/divided skirt', Dublin and Kilkenny players turned up at their provincial Leinster semi-final in shorts. After the referee threatened to abandon the game, they changed into skorts. But the protest has ignited wider calls for the Camogie Association of Ireland to drop the rule. Advertisement Simon Harris, Ireland's tánaiste, said on X: 'Rules forcing camogie players to wear skorts while playing are archaic. Players have made their views clearly known.' Alan Kelly, the chair of the Irish parliament's sports committee, said he would like to invite the Camogie Association to address the issue before the committee. He said: 'It's bananas that in today's day and age there are rules forcing our camogie players to wear skorts rather than their preferred choice of clothing when playing matches. 'We can't continue to ignore this. No sportsperson should have to tog out in gear that's unsuitable and uncomfortable.' The hybrid garment comprises an overlapping fabric panel over tight, compressor-type shorts, giving the impression of a skirt. In a recent Gaelic Players Association (GPA) survey, 70% of respondents cited 'discomfort' while wearing skorts and 83% wished to have a choice between shorts and skorts. Advertisement Aisling Maher, a co-chair of the GPA, said she loved the game but skorts were unfit for purpose. 'In no other facet of my life does someone dictate that I have to wear something resembling a skirt because I am a girl. Why is it happening in my sport?' she said. Camogie players at London's Gaelic Games Association club Thomas McCurtains launched a Shorts Not Skorts campaign in 2023. But a majority of delegates at the Camogie Association of Ireland's annual congress last year rejected two motions to amend the rule. In a statement on Sunday, the association said a democratic vote had retained the rule and a working group was examining playing wear. It said: 'A wide range of national and international manufactured skorts have been sourced. Testing of these skorts for comfort, fit and design will begin in mid-May and will include adult and juvenile players from club and county teams, as well as referees.'
The 42
28-04-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Marine Nationale and Fact To File all set for Punchestown showdown
BARRY CONNELL BELIEVES Marine Nationale is closing in on being the finished article ahead of his blockbuster clash with Fact To File in the William Hill Champion Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday. The undoubted highlight on the opening day of the festival sees the Queen Mother Champion Chase winner face off against Willie Mullins' impressive Ryanair Chase hero. Having missed the majority of his novice chase season, Connell, who owns and trains Marine Nationale, has been playing catch up in terms of experience, but he now appears to be reaching his peak. 'He didn't have much of a blow after the race. I think he was the easiest winner of the whole week and he's come out of the race in super shape,' said Connell, for whom the victory was an emotional one with the late Michael O'Sullivan having ridden Marine Nationale to Supreme Novices' Hurdle glory in 2023. Trainer Barry Connell. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO 'He hasn't had an over-taxing season really. We've been building up to the spring festivals so we're looking forward to him going to Punchestown. Hopefully we get the usual nice spring ground, which will suit him well. Advertisement 'The big thing with him was that he came into the season basically still a novice, lacking a lot of experience, and he was being pitched in against battle-hardened chasers and it's a difficult thing to do, particularly in the two-mile division, where jumping accuracy is so important. 'He kicked off low key in Naas. That was a big stepping stone. His two runs at Leopardstown were really good. He jumped well and as he usually does when he goes to Cheltenham, he comes alive, loves the place. It was all building towards getting the experience and fitness and everything came together at Cheltenham. 'His jumping was exemplary and it took him into the race without any great effort. And then the usual thing he does, when he jumps the last at Cheltenham, he just takes off. We couldn't be happier with him now.' Fact To File looked the real deal in the Ryanair and showed so much pace Mullins is happy to drop down to two miles with him. It will, though, be the first time Fact To File has raced over the minimum trip since he was beaten in the Cheltenham bumper in 2023. 'It's a bit of an unknown dropping back in trip, but Willie is happy with him and he's in good form,' said Frank Berry, owner JP McManus' racing manager. Mark Walsh on Fact To File celebrates after winning the Ryanair Chase. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO 'We're looking forward to seeing him and it should be a good race. He can jump at speed and he will be taking on the Champion Chase winner and it will be a great race – we hope for the best.' While only six go to post they also include a previous Champion Chase winner in Captain Guinness, dual Grade One scorer Solness and 2023 Arkle winner El Fabiolo. Mullins dominates the other Grade Ones on the card. He fields four of the six in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle, with Supreme winner Kopek Des Bordes meeting stablemate Salvator Mundi again. In the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase, he is responsible for five of the nine. Ballyburn, Champ Kiely, Ile Atlantique, Impaire Et Passe and Brown Advisory winner Lecky Watson come up against the Henry de Bromhead pair of Gorgeous Tom and Slade Steel. Polly Gundry's Don't Rightly Know is the sole UK runner in the Grade Ones on the opening day.
