After Galway had beaten Sligo in this year’s Connacht semi-final with a last-minute goal, Padraic Joyce was asked why his team had been so listless. He said, “It’s very hard to motivate these players to play on a Saturday evening.” The good news for Padraic is that Galway don’t have to play Donegal in Croke Park […]
By Patrick Morrison Blaine Hughes (Armagh) v Shane Ryan (Kerry).Shaun Patton (Donegal) v Conor Gleeson (Galway). This weekend will see the penultimate round of the 2024 All-Ireland Football Championships take place while also seeing the final of the Tailteann Cup. The two semi-finals and Tailteann Cup will see crowds from all four provinces descend upon the capital […]
IN 1890, an Irish businessman and goalkeeper called William McCrum, from the small village of Milford in County Armagh, invented the penalty kick. Up until that point there had been no definitive infringement for fouls that were committed inside of the 18-yard square as well as for intentional handball to stop opponents from scoring He took […]
The dust has settled on the Ulster Championship with Donegal taking the title after another dramatic encounter. Michael McMullan names his team of the championship. 1 Shaun Patton (Donegal) IT’S hard to look past him despite the competition for his spot and missing out against Tyrone with injury. His kick-outs and control of the square […]
By Michael McMullan DONEGAL selector Colm McFadden knows a thing or two about Ulster finals. The St Michael’s clubman kicked four points when they ended a famine to land the county’s fifth Ulster title in 2011. His final act of that Clones showpiece was the final nail hammered into Derry. As the clock ticked towards […]
By Steven Poacher THIS Sunday we have an Ulster final that is a repeat of the Division Two National League final that saw Donegal defeat Armagh 0-15 to 0-14 in a passive enough encounter that only sprung to life with 15 minutes to go. It had looked as if Donegal were going to canter to […]
By Michael McMullan SHAUN Patton has been named to start in Sunday’s Ulster final against Armagh as Donegal aim to lift the Anglo Celt Cup for the first time since 2019. The St Eunan’s ‘keeper went off injured against Derry with Gavin Mulreaney taking over in the win over Tyrone. Patton was listed on the […]
By Michael McMullan TWO years after making his championship debut in a win over Armagh, Shane O’Donnell will be hoping his second taste of Ulster final action is a winning one. O’Donnell’s two points weren’t enough to stop Derry edging Donegal in an extra-time arm wrestle in Clones to land a first title in 24 […]
By Patrick Morrison ALL goalkeepers want to improve. It doesn’t matter what age, level or reason for playing as a goalkeeper, we all want to feel as if we are becoming better ‘keepers on a weekly basis. Any goalkeeper that is serious about their position will always strive to reach the pinnacle of their ability. […]
By Patrick Morrison WITH the newest ‘fly goalie’ phenomenon becoming ever present within Gaelic football, I regularly get asked for my thoughts on the evolution of the goalkeeping position. First and foremost I explain that is natural and something that should be embraced and nurtured rather than shunned because allowing it to evolve without resistance […]
