JOE BROLLY: Be Clare, not Donegal


ARMAGH must be Clare, not Donegal. Gaelic football has become two dull defensive formulas competing soullessly, with all the emotion of a game played on X box. The resemblance to modern soccer is uncanny. Everyone looks the same, plays the same, sounds the same. Great sport, in the end, is about courage, imagination, intuition, self-expression, science […]


JOHNNY McINTOSH: Players deserve better


IT was a phenomenal All-Ireland hurling final and hats off to both sets of players – amateurs after all – who played the shirt off their backs for more than 90 minutes. It was a brilliant achievement for Clare but to be honest I thought it’s a total nonsense that a replay wasn’t called for at the end […]


Where will Liam MAcCarthy be heading this year?


Ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC showdown between Cork and Clare, Shaun Casey asked three players from the province for their take on the big day Gerard Gilmore (Donegal) GOING on recent results, they are the best two teams in Ireland. Cork put in a massive performance against Limerick which was great to see because this past two […]


Preview: Another decision day for Donegal


All-Ireland SFC Round Three Donegal v Clare Saturday, Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, 3pm By Michael McMullan WHAT a difference a year can make. Just ask the people of Donegal. Just over a year ago, they travelled to Clare for the opening game of the All-Ireland series with more questions than answers. Advertisement A round four […]


Preview: Tyrone must be on guard


By Niall Gartland CLARE are rank outsiders for their first ever championship outing against Tyrone this Sunday, but that makes for the perfect ambush situation so the Red Hands will have to be on their guard in their All-Ireland SFC Round Two match. The Banner County are a solid outfit that finished third in Division […]


Antrim’s fate in their own hands


By Michael McMullan ON the same weekend their ladies’ team travel to Clare, Antrim men also make the trip to the Banner County. After winning their first two games, Andy McEntee’s side have lost three on the bounce with relegation now a possibility. Wicklow and Limerick, who have both lost all five games, with lock […]


Derry advance to the last eight as group winners


All-Ireland SFC Round 3 Derry 1-19 Clare 1-13 By Michael McMullan A POWERFUL opening to the second-half saw Derry book their spot in the quarter-finals as group winners with victory over Clare on Saturday night in Longford. Advertisement Ciaran Meenagh’s side now have the luxury of a weekend off as they scan over next weekend’s […]


Derry name team to face Clare


By Michael McMullan DERRY manager Ciaran Meenagh has named his side for Saturday’s final All-Ireland SFC group game with Clare in Longford (6pm). There is one change since the win over Donegal with Niall Loughlin listed to start of Benny Heron who was given the nod ahead of Loughlin in Ballybofey. Reserve goalkeeper Ryan Scullion, […]


MATCH PREVIEW: Derry must focus on their side of the bargain


All-Ireland SFC Round THREE Clare v Derry Saturday, Glennon Brothers Pearse Park, 6pm By Michael McMullan Advertisement THE moment Karl O’Connell hit his 74th-minute equaliser at Celtic Park, Derry’s desire to top their group was out of their own hands. But it could’ve been worse. Three points in arrears, on two separate occasions, Derry were […]


Experienced heads still key for Corey


All-Ireland SFC Round 2 Monaghan v Clare Sunday, St Tiernach’s Park, 2pm By Shaun Casey YOU can’t teach old dogs new tricks, but then again, sometimes you don’t have to. Although Monaghan seem to be trying to turn a corner, when the going gets tough, it’s the old battle-hardened warriors that still stand up to […]