The intercounty scene has been and gone for another season. Michael McMullan takes a look back his moments to remember… Armagh: There is only one place to start. Armagh are the story, the championship Kings. In interviews after their final win over Galway, Rian O’Neill and Kieran McGeeney both spoke of them being a small […]
Guinness: We want to build on Tailteann triumph
By Niall Gartland NEEDS must and Down footballer Daniel Guinness says he is proud of the way the team regrouped after their Ulster Championship defeat to Armagh, plotting a path to Tailteann Cup honours and a place in next year’s All-Ireland SFC series. The Mourne men lost out by only a single point to Armagh […]
Laverty savours Tailteann Cup triumph
By Niall Gartland DOWN boss Conor Laverty recognises that it was crucial they successfully put a halt to their losing streak in finals as he reflected on Saturday’s Tailteann Cup final triumph over Laois. All the positive psychology in the world couldn’t gloss over the fact that they’d endured a miserable record in finals not […]
Defeats can fuel Down: Laverty
By Shaun Casey IT’S small margins at the highest level and just over two months ago, Down proved their quality against Armagh in the Ulster semi-final, with the Orchard County shading the contest by the minimum of margins. On the same day that Down compete in their second Tailteann Cup final in as many seasons, […]
Tailteann Cup revamp could improve spectator appeal – Donnelly
By Niall Gartland THE Tailteann Cup doesn’t seem to have captured the imagination of the paying public, and Down selector Mickey Donnelly believes the GAA need to look at ways of making the competition more palatable for fans. Plummeting football championship attendances hit a new low a fortnight ago when fewer than 100 spectators watched the […]
Antrim not taking London lightly says Declan Lynch
By Shaun Casey LONDON haven’t really been on Antrim’s radar over the past couple of seasons but to progress through to the last eight of the Tailteann Cup, the Saffrons are going to have to overcome the Exiles this weekend. In fact, Antrim haven’t come up against the London since 2020, when the sides clashed […]
Top spot on the cards for Mourne footballers
By Niall Gartland DOWN are odds on favourites to cement a top-place finish as they gear up to take on Offaly at Kingspan Breffni in their third and final group stage match this Sunday. Conor Laverty’s side have won both their matches to date while Offaly having nothing to show for themselves after successive losses to […]
Donnelly hoping Fermanagh can nullify key Laois threats
By Katrina Brennan THE ‘carrot’ dangling before Fermanagh this Saturday is a home quarter-final and a week’s rest if they can overcome Laois, in Longford, and top the group. That’s a pretty tasty outcome and Fermanagh manager, Kieran Donnelly knows it. He also knows they’ll have to produce a top performance to beat Justin McNulty’s […]
Croker experience will stand to us: Laverty
By Niall Gartland DISAPPOINTED Down boss Conor Laverty hopes that their Tailteann Cup experience will ultimately stand to his team in future years. The Mourne men couldn’t have any complaints as they were out-gunned by a powerful Meath side at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon, but it still represented a disappointing end to the season. […]
Down not getting carried away says Laverty
By Niall Gartland WHILE Down couldn’t have been any more convincing winners in their Tailteann Cup semi-final rout of Laois, Conor Laverty acknowledged that it’s unlikely to be quite so simple in their final clash against Meath in a fortnight’s time. Down banged in eight goals in a supreme attacking performance against Billy Sheehan’s Laois, […]