Ciara Mageean has unfinished business with the Olympics. The 24-year-old Down native ended her Rio campaign in disappointment at the semi-final stage when a 1500m run of 4:08.07 was only good enough for 11th place. Despite a strong race – bettering her first heat by three seconds – the Portaferry athlete died out in the final […]

10 years ago

This couldn’t have been easy. It hasn’t been a smooth run for Maurice Shanahan of late. The Waterford attacker could string up the best defender on his day but he had to listen to his own brother Dan tell him he wouldn’t be starting against Kilkenny. And it was the same story for the replay. […]

10 years ago

Go on, it’s okay. You’re not alone. Imagine the scene: the full time whistle blows at Bournemouth; United are after putting them to the sword at their leisure; the Jose Mourinho era already looks promising and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is already scoring. But Manchester United fans the world over are stuck on their seats, they’re deep […]

10 years ago

One game, seven goals, no glasses and a whole lot of running. Sadio Mané lighting the place up, Philippe Coutinho on bloody fire and last year’s runners up cast aside like limp rag dolls. As starts to a season go, it doesn’t get much more heavy metal than this. It doesn’t get much more Jurgen […]

10 years ago

Four American swimmers were held up at gunpoint and robbed in Rio on Saturday night. Ryan Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen were said to be returning from a party and headed back for the athletes’ Olympic Village when a car pulled them over and the incident took place. 12-time medalist, Lochte, told the […]

10 years ago

A top-20 finish, a personal best, a mountain of praise. It was a decent day’s work for Ireland’s Fionnuala McCormack in Rio who strode home in the women’s marathon in a time of 2:31:22. Despite the difficult conditions, it was a PB for the Wicklow native who ended up finishing in 20th place, seven minutes off […]

10 years ago

The day social media went too far. When your team conceded a fourth goal and goes 4-1 down at home, don’t use a hashtag to describe your emotions. When your team refuses to invest in the squad again and watches all around them get stronger again, just don’t say anything. Just go away. 63 minutes […]

10 years ago

Hyperbole? Maybe. Knee-jerk? Perhaps. But Manchester United’s 3-1 win at Bournemouth to start their Premier League campaign is cause for serious optimism. It took just 90 minutes to convince the world that they were finally on the incline back from the post Fergie era and there were five factors evident from this new team that […]

10 years ago

Right into medal contention

10 years ago

Republic of Ireland defender Marc Wilson is getting a good move to a good club to work under a good manager. The Aghagallon native hasn’t made a secret of his frustrations at Stoke and a departure from the Britannia seems imminent. He took for Twitter last week to air his frustrations. centre back mate. But […]

10 years ago

First Premier League team

10 years ago

Bloody but unbowed. It would be the easiest thing in the world for Bastian Schweinsteiger to disappear into the Old Trafford shadows and take a big-money move for himself anywhere else in the world. The German captain has been banished to the reserves by Jose Mourinho and is expected to depart the club but not […]

10 years ago

As number 15s go, you’d travel very far to find one more iconic than this pair. Cillian O’Connor and Bernard Brogan: two footballers of very similar abilities with very, very different loyalties. The Mayo and Dublin rivalry in recent years has been one of the fiercest in a long time. Whilst the capital have clinched […]

10 years ago

This is what it means. This is what it means to the rowing community, for the people who have given so much, for all the near-misses. This is what it means for Ireland. Neville Maxwell watched on at Gary and Paul O’Donovan’s amazing Olympic success and he couldn’t control himself. After the Cork brothers came […]

10 years ago

Limerick awaits. There’s one spot left for a minor team in Croke Park on the first Sunday of September, just one. Minor hurling champions Tipperary take on on westerners Galway on Sunday at 1.30pm and there’s an array of talent on show. Here’s the three men to watch at headquarters. Brian McGrath (Tipperary) Brother of […]

10 years ago

Support your local team

10 years ago

The GAA’s proposals are completely pointless

10 years ago

This man is a true hero

10 years ago

Unbelievable scenes

10 years ago

A bet’s a bet. And if you bet on a bet and lose, you lose the bet. Bet. Leicester City were 5,000/1 to win the Premier League but, let’s face it, we all probably would’ve offered longer odds to anyone. It wasn’t a thing or an idea or even a dream that was possible this […]

10 years ago

Leeds, Newcastle, Real Madrid, Middelsbrough, Spurs, Stoke, Middelsbrough. Liverpool. Jonathan Woodgate’s career doesn’t make much sense. Then again, Jonathan Woodgate never made much sense, did he? If you thought the defender’s two years in Spain were utterly pointless – like most of us did – you were wrong. Woodgate might be remembered in La Liga […]

10 years ago

“Every man has his day.” That’s how Colm McFadden signed off a record-breaking inter-county career. Modest, humble, understated. That’s how he marked his historic stint in Donegal colours and how he capped his unprecedented and unmatched service to his county. Every man has his day but, God, if Colm McFadden is like every man, what […]

10 years ago

Gold medal responses

10 years ago

Kalyn Ponga, remember that name. You won’t have to remember it soon enough, it’s going to be plastered everywhere. There’s a reason this Australian teenager is said to have been approached by clubs from three different codes over the last couple of years. There’ a reason Rugby League Week feature him and his incomprehensible skill. […]

10 years ago

For God’s sake, what are you all waiting on? Robbie Brady is a fine footballer. As a left back, he has gone past the stage of being accomplished where he’s actually just still a key player from that defensive position. As an attacker, he is deadly. Jesus, as a central midfielder, he’s bloody brilliant. If […]

10 years ago

He hasn’t even blogged

10 years ago

“I saw a lot of stuff about my personal life and stuff like that that I’ve had to endure but I’ve kept my peace.” Whatever you think of Aidan O’Shea as a footballer, what on earth has that got to do with what you don’t know about him as a person? Whether you think he […]

10 years ago

This has caused serious debate

10 years ago

It’s Wes, alright. From heretoforth, Wes Hoolahan will have one name: Wes. Like Zlatan, like Ronaldo, like Ronaldinho, when we say Wes, you know who we’re talking about. It’s a different season but it’s the same, old Wes. One game, one goal, one assist. And what a goal the Norwich gem picked out as he […]

10 years ago

Dublin are brilliant. Paul Mannion’s not even making the team, for God’s sake. They have the best ‘keeper the game has ever seen. They have the fastest, most direct midfield in the country. When he controls his aggression, Diarmuid Connolly’s talent is unmatched. As a unit, their attack is like nothing Gaelic Football has ever […]

10 years ago

A high pass is in over the heads of the Mayo backline, Connor McAliskey is waiting to fist home. There’s tension in the air, if Tyrone get a goal they’ll have something to hang onto. Bang. David Clarke takes man and ball. Not today, lads. Mattie Donnelly slices open the defence, Connor McAliskey collects and […]

10 years ago

Reports from Rio say a controlled explosion was carried out on Saturday before a live bullet was fired at the media tent. A suspect package was found near the finish line of the men’s road race. Reports in Brazil say a controlled explosion has been carried out on a suspect package near the finish line of […]

10 years ago

The Irish hockey anthem is usually Ireland’s Call, but not for the Olympics. Ireland’s first appearance at the Games as an independent nation (they last competed in 1908) caused confusion amongst viewers before the action even started. During the national anthem for their Group B opener against India, Amhrán na bhFiann played for the Irish team […]

10 years ago

Derek McGrath isn’t ashamed of feeling pressure. The Waterford manager has had to face up to criticism from all corners of the island after a 21-point Munster final defeat at the hands of Tipperary but he’s had to face more within his own county. That comes with the territory. A Waterford man taking a Waterford […]

10 years ago

This is horrible news. Christian Leali’ifano has been diagnosed with leukaemia after a brief illness. The New Zealand-born Wallabies international is just 28 years of age and had played 19 test games for Australia since making his debut in 2013 where he shone against the Lions in that series, despite his first game lasting less […]

10 years ago

Déjà vu. Different season, same problems. But it’s fair to say though that August 28 of 2011 changed the landscape of Gaelic Football. Jim McGuinness had just masterminded Donegal’s first Ulster title in 19 years and he brought Dublin unprecedentedly to their knees in the All-Ireland semi-final. It deserved respect and admiration even but, in […]

10 years ago

Jesus, this is going to be some game. At 4pm on Saturday, the All-Ireland football championship will explode into life with the most anticipated match of the season. Tyrone take on Mayo in what will be a hotly contested clash for a place in the All-Ireland semi-finals and, despite never failing to reach the last […]

10 years ago

The secret is… there is no secret. In 2010, Dublin’s goalkeeper coach Gary Matthews changed everything. All he had to do was tell Stephen Cluxton he could do whatever he wanted to. It was a decent decision. In that time, the Dublin stopper has gone from one of the most respected number ones in the […]

10 years ago

“St. Pat’s wants its decision to serve as a clear message to the FAI that it has utterly failed in its responsibility to the domestic game”

10 years ago

Michael Murphy gets asked these questions because he’s Michael Murphy. Even when he’s playing well, two points from play in five games raises eyebrows because the whole of the country is used to the Donegal captain dominating matches and bullying defenders. They’re used to watching on and thinking this man is the perfect footballer – […]

10 years ago

Only in the GAA

10 years ago

No-one remembers the semi-final loser. Semi-finals are about getting the job done. They’re about winning. One hour from an All-Ireland final, it’s the best and worst place to be. That’s the beauty of it all. That’s why we do it. On Sunday, a group of brave young men from Limerick and from Dublin will embark […]

10 years ago

Two giants of Gaelic Football collide, but only one can stay standing. They say that the Football Championship doesn’t come alive until August and it’s hard to think of a more mouth-watering quarter-final line-up in years than what’s in store at GAA HQ this weekend. You have to go back to 2010 for an All-Ireland […]

10 years ago

Are you one of these guys?

10 years ago

What a great bunch of lads

10 years ago

Form an orderly queue, ladies and gentlemen. Nike have announced that they would stop selling golf equipment, including clubs, bags, and golf balls. The company famed in golfing circles for its sponsorship of Tiger Woods and, in more recent years, Rory McIlroy, will continue pushing golf apparel but it is to withdraw from the golf […]

10 years ago

One for the future. AFC Wimbledon defender Ryan Sweeney is on the verge of signing with Stoke City. The 19-year-old Irish underage international played 10 games in League Two last season as the Kingston outfit won promotion but Mark Hughes has reportedly agreed a £250,000 deal to bring the promising youngster to the Britannia. According […]

10 years ago

How much closer can someone get to signing a player? It seems Manchester United have been nearing closer and closer to Paul Pogba, so much so that they surely must’ve passed ways by now. The Frenchman is on the verge of an Old Trafford return and, once again, news this Thursday morning is that the deal is closer than […]

10 years ago

Everlasting legacy

10 years ago

The RDS is undergoing a facelift but not the same one that was expected. A planning application has been submitted to Dublin City Council for the redevelopment of the Anglesea Stand, set to cost somewhere in the region of €26 million. The Ballsbridge location will undergo an improvement on the facilities of the stand and see an increase […]

10 years ago