THE SUNDAY GAME was back on our screens and it was the first major Sunday of the 2015 GAA championship.
We were following all the action from Ballybofey, Carrick-on-Shannon and Drogheda.
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‘We’re back’ is the roar of The Sunday Game. It’s the first big Sunday of the 2015 GAA season and we’re following the action all the way.
Here’s what’s in store today:
- Connacht SFC quarter-final: Galway v Leitrim, Páirc Sean MacDiarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, 3.30pm
- Leinster SFC first round: Louth v Westmeath, Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda, 3.30pm
- Ulster SFC preliminary round: Donegal v Tyrone, Ballybofey, 4pm
The lads are out in force on a wet and miserable day in Ballybofey. Everyone happy to see them back debating?
Here’s how they’ll line out in Carrick-on-Shannon.
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The Louth team that starts in Drogheda.
And here’s the Westmeath side they will face.
The first flicker of a row between Joe Brolly and Pat Spillane over last year’s All-Ireland final but it’s quickly quelled by Michael Lyster as he moves swiftly on.
You can take the boy out of Louth but not Louth out of the boy. Carlton’s Ciaran Byrne interested in seeing how his former teammates fare today.
Early season Connacht silverware for Mayo football. They’ve won the provincial junior final against Galway, the curtain-raiser today in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Result: Connacht JFC final – Mayo 1-12 Galway 0-13
Louth 0-2 Westmeath 0-1
Lively start in the scoring stakes. Derek Maguire and Colm Judge on target for Louth.
Leitrim 0-2 Galway 0-1
Sean McWeeney and Ronan Kennedy grab points for Leitrim after Paul Conroy had got Galway off the mark.
All over in the Ulster minor football championship opener with Donegal seeing off Tyrone by 1-11 to 0-8.
Couple of interesting late changes to the Tyrone team. Both Brennan and McShane are graduates from the recent triumphant U21 team.
Galway 0-3 Leitrim 0-2
Paul Conroy edges Galway in front.
Westmeath 0-5 Louth 0-3
Two point advantage for Tom Cribben’s side.
Westmeath 0-6 Louth 0-3
John Heslin wins a free, converts the free and Westmeath go three clear.
Interesting sign in Drogheda.
Donegal 0-1 Tyrone 0-0
Lightning start by Donegal as Frank McGlynn tears forward and pops over a neat point.
Donegal 0-2 Tyrone 0-0
Really good play from Donegal. Patient play around the middle before Michael Murphy’s delivery finds Patrick McBrearty. He skins his man and come in off the right flank to take his point.
Galway 0-6 Leitrim 0-3
Paul Conroy knocks over a free to stretch Galway’s lead to three.
Donegal 0-3 Tyrone 0-0
Tyrone are getting unlocked here at the back. Odhran MacNiallais does great approach work, plays it across to Neil Gallagher who finds Christy Toye in plenty space and he picks off his point.
Galway 1-7 Leitrim 0-4
Damien Comer was the start of Galway’s win over New York and he’s making a big impact again today as he fires in a the game’s opening goal.
Donegal 0-4 Tyrone 0-0
Martin McElhinney with another point, Donegal are absolutely flying.
Donegal 0-4 Tyrone 1-0
Where did that come from?! Tyrone have looked very tentative early on with Donegal dictating the terms but Mickey Harte’s have just rattled the back of the net. It’s a cracking finish by Darren McCurry but Donegal’s defence was surprisingly prised apart with Peter Harte finding McCurry in aces of room.
Half-Time: Westmeath 0-7 Louth 0-6
Delicately balanced in Drogheda.
Half-Time: Galway 1-7 Leitrim 0-6
Four point advantage for the Tribesmen.
Donegal 0-5 Tyrone 1-0
Colm McFadden settles Donegal after the concession of that goal as he hooks over a point off his right.
Donegal 0-6 Tyrone 1-1
Justin McMahon hits a point but Tyrone could have got a greater reward with the score coming from a rebound after Peter Harte came closing to hitting the net only for Paul Durcan to block his shot.
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Two scoring chances for Tyrone from frees but Darren McCurry off target with both. Those could be costly.
Donegal 0-6 Tyrone 1-2
Tyrone hanging in there as Sean Cavanagh knocks over a close-range free.
Goal for Westmeath’s Callum McCormack!
Donegal 0-7 Tyrone 1-2
Christy Toye relieves the pressure on Donegal with a point.
Donegal 0-7 Tyrone 1-3
Sean Cavanagh points a free for Tyrone after Peter Harte is fouled by Neil Gallagher. Tyrone have to be happy with this state of affairs given Donegal’s powerful start to the game.
Donegal 0-7 Tyrone 1-4
Great individual score by Matthew Donnelly, he shrugs off the challenge of Ryan McHugh and clips over a foot off his left.
Goal for Westmeath from Shane Dempsey.
Tyrone 1-5 Donegal 0-7
And now Tyrone go in front! Fine point from Sean Cavanagh after a mistake from Karl Lacey.
Tyrone 1-6 Donegal 0-7
Tyrone playing really good stuff now. Ronan McNamee adds a point to stretch their lead. Cavanagh, Harte and Donnelly really driving them on.
Goal for Donegal by Martin McElhinney!
Donegal 1-8 Tyrone 1-6
MacNiallais with the initial chance for Donegal but Michael O’Neill produces a brilliant block to deny him. The rebound falls to McElhinney and he strikes first time superbly to the net. McFadden has just knocked over a fine point to put Donegal two ahead.
Half-Time: Donegal 1-8 Tyrone 1-6
Some shenanigans at half-time as both sides come off the pitch in Ballybofey. A schemozzle being the correct term.
A third goal for Westmeath from Ray Connellan.
Westmeath 3-11 Louth 0-14
Thirteen minutes left and the advantage is with Westemath.
Can’t argue with this.
Galway 1-10 Leitrim 0-6
Kevin Walsh’s side are seven points clear with ten minutes left in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Schemozzle alert.
Galway 1-12 Leitrim 0-8
Time running out and Galway in control at Carrick-on-Shannon.
Donegal 1-8 Tyrone 1-7
Sean Cavanagh knocks over a free after his brother Colm is fouled.
Full-Time: Westmeath 3-14 Louth 0-16
Donegal 1-8 Tyrone 1-8
Now we’re all square thanks to a lovely point by Conor McAliskey.
Full-Time: Galway 1-13 Leitrim 0-8
Donegal 1-10 Tyrone 1-8
Karl Lacey stretches Donegal’s lead further with a neat score.
Donegal 1-10 Tyrone 1-9
Couple of good bits of news for Tyrone. Conor McAliskey points at one end and then at the other, Michael O’Neill produces a fabulous save to deny Patrick McBrearty.
Tyrone 1-11 Donegal 1-10
Good kick by Michael Murphy from a free and that puts Donegal back in front.
Another top-drawer save by Michael O’Neill in the Tyrone goal to deny Colm McFadden this time.
Donegal 1-12 Tyrone 1-10
But Michael Murphy taps over a free as McFadden had been fouled moments before.
Yellow card for Tyrone’s Justin McMahon. Donegal fans very happy to hear that.
Sub: Mark Bradley, another U21 graduate in for Tyrone, for McCurry.
Red card for Donegal’s Neil Gallagher.
Second yellow for Gallagher and that’s 14 men Donegal have to play with for the closing stages.
Sean Cavanagh is sent-off!
High challenge from Cavanagh and he receives a black card, which is followed by a red as he was already on yellow.
We should mention that Paul Durcan produced a brilliant late save to deny Peter Harte a few moments ago, clawing the ball away as Tyrone nearly grabbed a second goal.
Donegal 1-13 Tyrone 1-10
Is that the insurance score? Michael Murphy brilliantly strikes over a ’45.
Colm Cavanagh nearly rescues Tyrone with a goal but he palms the ball against the crossbar.
And Tyrone nearly hit the net again! Mattie Donnelly fires in a rocket of a shot but the balls flies wide.
Full-Time: Donegal 1-13 Tyrone 1-10
Three-point win for Donegal, they macrh on in the Ulster championship to face Armagh in the quarter-final. The qualifiers beckons for Tyrone but they gave it everything today and really pushed Donegal hard. Really interesting, good game to kickstart the 2015 football championship.
Legend Rob, thanks for the memories
@Brendan Phelan: I don’t understand much about rugby but say for example no other club came in for him at the end of the season , what would stop him playing on for Leinster?? If he wanted to of course and Leinster were happy for him to train and earn a place.
@John Jones: Nothing stopping that scenario. Would be a case of Leinster wanting him to stay and paying any contract, and Rob being happy with the terms of the contract.
@Peter McCarthy: given that most of Leinster’s financial security has been as a result of all the last decade of success which RK was a huge part of – they more than owe him. Not to mention how invaluable a mentor he would be.
He got paid about half a mill for playing about two games this year, I would take that as a brilliant sweet send off, best of luck to him.
@Pretty Ladee: The most outrageous contract ever signed in the history of the IRFU to the point of suspicion considering his role and influence within IRUPA.
There was never a point where that contract seemed likely to have been offered for rugby playing reasons given Kearney’s decline and complete lack of demand from teams abroad.
@Rochelle: the best full back Ireland ever had and all you can say is the IRFU got his contract wrong. I’d rather see an Irish legend get a decent paid day than a heap of mercenaries getting paid to block irish players.
@Chris Mc: He hasn’t been a great fullback in many years, players should be paid what they’re worth not given gratitude contracts for things they achieved in 2009.
@Rochelle: what decline? He was one of the few good players at RWC – key for Leinster in the only true challenge they faced all year and then systematically removed to suit a FB who was found out against England. Meanwhile Sexton who really was in a decline was handed captaincy and Murray who’s been in a decline for 2yrs was played ahead of the form player of the year. So if u want to talk about favouritism look in the right places.
@Rochelle: Kearney was Ireland and European poty in 2012, key to our 2wins over the ABs and best player on the pitch when we beat England for the GS. So don’t know what your reference to 2009 is?
@Rochelle: we should of spent the money on another South African to bolster any gaps leinster raised players are leaving in the Munster squad.
@Rochelle: unless you have a crystal ball how can you decide if a player will be good value over the period of their contract? Irelands greatest ever full back simple as that.
@ger: He only played against Japan, Russia and New Zealand and none of those were good days for Ireland!
@Gavin Quirke: bitter comment but the point Rochelle makes it right. He was on far to much money at that stage of his career. No other negative about the man. Class player in his. Consistant for a decade. You can’t deny he was overpaid. Heaslip got the same. Insane money at that age.
@Chris Mc: Treating a player/person less favourably because of their nationality is discrimation.
@Rochelle: with supporters like you it must be a sad place for our players at times.
He got paid about half a mill for playing about 2 games this year
@Pretty Ladee: he wanted to play considerably more – he signed a contract last year because Larmour was found out against Ulster and Leinster needed him against Toulouse. Had Leinster any tough opposition this year, he would have been badly needed. But Farrell who had such great form with selection decided to remove him for a FB who was found out against England while retaining the out of form Murray and the seriously in decline Sexton.
I’m sure any contracts due to expire at the end of the season will be honored past the printed date in the unlikely event we do see out the season, but this was likely Kearneys final season in blue anyway.
I’m sure there would be plenty of clubs happy to take him on, London Irish depending on what kind of sign off he’s looking for, I think the big money move ship has sailed.
@Sean Fahey: I wouldn’t be so sure. It would definitely be a nice gesture but financially the game is in trouble. Even in Ireland, we’ll need to tighten the belt.
you have always had an issue with him. So your opinion doesn’t hold much weight. He was outstanding in the GS winning match against England and against ABs in Aviva – that’s only 2 yrs ago. He was one of our few form players at RWC, starred for Leinster in the only challenge they faced all year and then was systematically removed to suit a FB who was found out against England. Meanwhile Sexton who really is in decline was handed captaincy and Murray who has been out of form for 2yrs was played ahead of the form player of the year. That’s where the favouritism in rugby lies not with Kearney who is now set not even to get an appropriate send off.
Kearney was short changed all year. He was vital for Leinster in their away match v Lyon and would have been key against Saracens. Larmour prices against England that he is no FB. and expect Addison in the jersey next season. Throwing Kearney away like Farrell has done was seriously irresponsible especially from the sane coach who wouldn’t start Cooney citing the importance of experience. Kearney was scapegoated so Farrell could win favour with the media. Leinster should keep him on if they can – he deserves a proper send off not one behind closed doors.
@ger: They beat Wales & Scotland without him…
Kearney might move to another Irish province should his time at Leinster be up. He’d certainly improve the Munster back three and would be an upgrade on Haley.
The lack of games and financial gains from the home fixtures is going to have a massive affect on world rugby and will lead to a rebalancing on players incomes.
The squads will be reduced dramatically as that is the quickest and easiest way to trim expenditure and people will just not get their contract renewed unless they are vital to the team.
Academy players will come through quicker as a necessity and overseas players will be let go to the wayside.
Check out the current position of rugby Australia as an absolute disaster of a position.
They have no sponsor after rejecting the current one and then failing to negotiate with anyone to take over. They have lost heavily twice in massive payouts to The fullback and the public are openly revolting against the management who are all kiwis
There is a better than 50/50 chance according to the Australian media that Rugby Australia will be forced to declare bankruptcy and they are putting it all down to the CEO rather than the covid 19.
They have massive problems on and off the pitch but I would like to think that Ireland are in a much healthier position and can last even if we don’t get to complete the six nations or indeed the Nov internationals