Search Results for 'Pat Gilroy'

Isn’t it a long season for our inter-county footballers when you consider they had their first match of the year last Sunday week, and some or most of them will be involved at either club or county level for another nine or 10 months. I know that the footballers who take their preparation seriously rarely take a week off, and during those two months of so called inactivity at the end of the year will undertake a maintenance programme so as to not lose their superior levels of fitness. It is very easy to pick these guys out if you attend early season matches as they are normally the players that catch the eye. Pat Kelly, Austin O’Malley, Alan Dillon, and Peadar Gardiner are players that spring to mind immediately when I think of players that live as close to a monastic lifestyle as is possible for young men these days. That is one of the primary reasons why they are right up there when it comes to selecting man of the match performances in the FBD league and early rounds of the National Football league.

It is suggested that trying to retain a title is one of the most difficult things to do in sport. Tyrone kick- started their campaign last Sunday and provided their thousands of supporters with sufficient evidence to suggest that they just might have to plan for a long summer following the Red Hand up and down the country after their very creditable dismantling of the current Ulster champions Armagh. The GAA hierarchy have been keeping their fingers crossed for some quality football after the debacle between Monaghan and Derry, and they got it. This was a great game of football, played by two quality teams and both teams deserve credit for contributing to a wonderful afternoon’s entertainment that made for compelling viewing.

The writing was on the wall for quite some time now, but last weekend’s home defeat to Donegal confirmed Westmeath’s return to division two of the National Football League for 2010. Meanwhile a disappointing defeat to Carlow last weekend means that our hurlers face an uphill battle to remain in division two, with two games remaining.

With both club and county championships up and running for the past few weeks, it is an opportune time to cast an eye over the likely winners and losers for the year ahead. Whether you like a small flutter or just a fantasy bet, here are my predictions, for what they’re worth. It’s worth bearing in mind that I’ll probably put the blight on my chosen teams.

Last Sunday’s clash between Cork and Kerry reminded me so much of Mayo’s All-Ireland final versus Meath in 1996. Mayo could and should have won in 1996. Cork could and should have won last Sunday. Cork were ahead by five points with 15 minutes remaining but were clinging on in those final minutes when Kerry came storming back into the game in typical bullish fashion. Cork have only themselves to blame as they should have been out of sight, notwithstanding the fact that referee Maurice Deegan stands accused of leaning very much in favour of Kerry in the closing stages of the match. He had indicated two minutes of additional time to be played in the second half, but left the clock running. Cork managed to edge in front with a converted 45 within those two minutes and appeared to have pulled off a sensational victory. But inexplicably Deegan managed to extend playing time by a further two minutes and, to add insult to injury, advanced the last free awarded to Kerry by 20 metres, giving Bryan Sheehan the easiest of chances to convert and level the game. The additional time played created a lot of debate after the game and Mick Curley, the chairman of the National Referees’ Association, was invited by RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss the matter. Curley, himself a former referee, understandably wasn’t ever going to land his former referee colleagues in the manure and went on to defend Deegan stoutly. I was on the same radio show and decided that I should come to the defence of both Deegan and Marty Duffy (Croke Park referee), reminding listeners that a young Pat McEneaney, who refereed the All Ireland in 1996, had a terrible game and we here in Mayo managed to forgive him for some of his bizarre decisions in both the drawn and replayed final of that year. Mick Curley did go on to suggest that he would be personally in favour of a countdown clock similar to that used so effectively in ladies football, rugby, and basketball, that would make life so much easier for referees. You know I’m not so sure about this at all. I never minded a draw in football, as long as I wasn’t involved in any way with a participating team. A drawn game creates great debate afterwards. Also I am delighted to have the opportunity to see these two teams have another go at progressing to a Munster final tomorrow evening. TV3 has again decided to televise the match at 5pm, and with a live Leinster championship encounter involving Kildare and Wexford also beamed into our living rooms at 7pm, we can have no complaints about our national broadcaster. If Cork do manage to prevail next Saturday evening, they will advance with great confidence and it will take a very good performance to beat them later in the year.

Gaelic football, played at its brilliant best, excites me. It is a game that provides heroes and role models, moments of glory, and great sporting occasions, with the potential to lift the spirits of whole communities and providing a focus for local loyalty and a real sense of community. Unfortunately this year’s championship hasn’t yet done any of that and has provided only one game of real quality so far, that of Cork v Kerry.

I was delighted to hear on Saturday evening that Ronan McGarrity had participated in the A v B game in McHale Park, it was good news for all concerned and his inclusion in the Mayo team announced on Wednesday night gives the county and the player himself a great boost going into this weekend’s Connacht final. Normally before matches of this nature, I’m fairly confident in predicting in advance who will win, but this time I’m finding it difficult. Mayo’s performances in the championship to date have been hugely impressive albeit against weak opposition. And on the other hand Galway have been deteriorating since half time in the league game in Tuam, when Mayo came back in the second half in impressive style to win the game. Since half time in that game, every time Galway have togged out they have had question marks hanging over them. In Sligo they were very lucky and had to use six different combinations at midfield to see off the Yeats county men who, if they had a bit more conviction when goal chances were presented, could have sent Liam Sammon’s side into the qualifiers at that stage.

After Kerry hammering the lard out of Dublin last Monday it is difficult to predict any victors now with any huge degree of confidence.

It is often said that the penultimate day in a major golf classic is moving day. Well if that is the situation, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, then last weekend was definitely moving weekend as far as this year’s football championship is concerned. All the main protagonists were in action and, some more than others, issued a statement or two regarding their ambitions. You may recall around this time last year it was Tyrone who had limped through the back door before giving a warning to any other pretenders to the throne. Same scenario in 2009, only difference this time is that it was Kerry who jumped to the front of the queue with the performance of the year so far.

The Leaving Cert class of 2009 might have found out their fate on Wednesday of this week but the club footballers of Westmeath are anxiously awaiting, results of this weekends games to know exactly where they stand.