No hint on Louth future from a refective Ger Brennan
Louth manager Ger Brennan was giving nothing away about his future with the county following Sunday's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-final 16-point defeat to Donegal in Ballybofey.
With two years done, two Leinster finals and a first Delaney Cup in 68 years, as well as Division Two league status maintained, Brennan has the option of a third year.
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Irish Independent
5 hours ago
- Irish Independent
‘We've only half the job done' – Athlone's Shauna Brennan targets Champions League progression with tough four-day turnaround
A reward for Wednesday's 4-0 trouncing of Welsh side Cardiff City was another qualifier, also at home, against a more experienced Agram from Croatia, where the winners of that one-legged tie will move into the semi-final stage of the qualification rounds, where likes of Roma and Sparta Prague are already through with a bye. Athlone's players were all making their Champions League debuts against Cardiff and they are keen to extend their European season as far as possible. "It'll definitely be a different challenge on Saturday and we're expecting that. We know that we've only half the job done. Wednesday means nothing without Saturday so that's our focus,' says Athlone's Galway-born Shauna Brennan. "We know they're going to be a new challenge, they're going to be a good side. They've won the Croatian League but we'll look at their key players and we'll be ready for whatever comes at us.' Town's home ground was packed for the Cardiff game and another sell-out is expected for the visit of the Croatians as Brennan says that – despite the gloss of that 4-0 scoreline – the crowd did play a role. 'We haven't had a crowd like that before. It was a record crowd so it was great to see the support from everybody in Athlone to actually sell out the stadium. We were hoping it would be a sell out but obviously that depends on the fans and it was great to see them all come out and they're in blue and black,' she says. "I think it helped us in the first 10 minutes. We hit the ground running and I think the crowd really got behind us to do that and it helped us to win them tackles, the cheers from the crowd. They definitely did help us to get up for the game and be ready.' With a debate within the game overall about recovery and a mandated rest period between games, it's a big ask for the Athlone players – many of whom are part-time – to turn around and play two Champions League ties in four days. "It's tough,' says Brennan, who parked her Gaelic football career with Galway to focus on soccer with Athlone. 'We do have a lot of players that are full-time in Athlone but then there's the likes of myself and some of the other girls that are working or in college. "We stayed up on Wednesday night to get our recovery in and we'll do a light session on Friday night, a walkthrough probably and we'll be ready to go.'
The 42
5 hours ago
- The 42
'I probably won't play for the Lions again. I want this to be a good memory'
EVEN THOUGH HE jokes that he'd prefer if Tadhg Furlong wasn't starting for the Lions tomorrow, Joe Schmidt has as much respect for the Wexford man's achievement as anyone else. Starting nine Lions Tests in a row in a magnificent feat, all the more so in a position as demanding as tighthead prop. At the age of 32, Tadhg Furlong is already a great of Irish rugby, even if being a prop means he won't be as regularly mentioned as others in those kinds of discussions. And the Leinster man's status as a Lions legend is now well beyond debate. 'He's such a gifted player and such a good character,' said Wallabies boss Schmidt, who was the Leinster head coach when Furlong joined the province. 'The first time I met him, he came in with his Mum and Dad with Collie McEntee, who was coaching the Leinster academy. I was coaching there, and he got brought into the office and introduced himself. He blocked the sun briefly, and those shoulders haven't got any smaller since. 'He's certainly an impressive young man and a world-class player, so if he wants a day off on Saturday I'd be happy to see that.' Schmidt remembers tough times for Furlong at the start, initially due to injuries and then the kind of teething problems that any young prop faces in professional rugby. Ireland's tour of South Africa in 2016 was 'a baptism of fire' for Furlong at scrum time, recalled Schmidt, but he soon began to thrive and by 2017, he was the Lions' first-choice tighthead. Furlong and Schmidt with Ireland in 2017. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO Schmidt gave Furlong his Ireland debut in 2015 and benefited massively from the Wexford man's 'multi-purpose' ability in the years that followed. 'I'll never forget the deft little offload he gave to Bundee Aki to go through a gap to give CJ Stander a try at Twickenham [in 2018],' said Schmidt. 'Those skills he has with the ball, his ability to carry himself, and he's very good, quite dynamic in the defensive line. 'We were here [in Australia] on tour in 2018 and I remember David Pocock was just about to decide to get over the ball and Tadhg Furlong put him back a couple of metres from the ball. Advertisement 'He's a pretty well-rounded, literally well-rounded, character.' Furlong himself would probably laugh at that last tongue-in-cheek comment from Schmidt. He has always come across as someone with an endearing, self-depracating humour. Not that he's not entirely serious about his craft. Furlong's work ethic and resilience have helped him to get to this point of a huge achievement with the Lions. He is a smart rugby player, someone whose role in the Ireland and Lions leadership groups isn't about shouting and roaring, but more about providing calm messages and contributing to discussions around how the team should play. Not all tighthead props are as tactically aware as Furlong. Even the way he describes how he has had to change with the game across three Lions tours illustrates that. 'Rugby was so different back then,' said Furlong of his first tour in 2017. 'You're around the corner, you're just working hard and then the game kind of got into one-out carriers and I found my mould there. Furlong celebrates the Lions' second Test win. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO 'Then the game changed to more of a pass and options at the line and it kind of changed my game. 'And it's changed in a way to a hybrid of all of them at the minute, I feel. So, you try to change your game as the game changes.' Many people doubted that Furlong would get to this point where he has started all three of the Tests on this tour. That was down to the recurring hamstring and calf issues he had all season, meaning he only played once for Ireland and eight times for Leinster. But Furlong always had faith he would be right for the Lions tour. 'It wasn't a big enough injury to warrant it,' said Furlong. 'It was like, we need to get back and play here, lads, because it's on your calendar. You want it so badly. I think the cruel thing is when you go on one, you just want to go on more. You go on that first one, and you take it all in. 'The second one is kind of like you want to perform and the third one, you just want to appreciate it all because you don't want it to pass you by, you know that kind of way? 'There was a stage this season where we were having conversations with medical staff. It's like, 'What is going on here? We need to nip this stuff in the bud.' They managed to do that, and Furlong has thrived. Lions boss Andy Farrell had faith that the experienced tighthead would deliver on the big occasions. Furlong at the Lions captain's run today. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO Furlong has been rooming with Ireland and Leinster team-mate Thomas Clarkson this week as the latter continues to gain valuable experience while remaining on tour with Farrell's men. There's no one better for Clarkson to be learning from. Furlong is still only 32 and he'll hope that this tour is only the start of a period of better luck on the injury front. But he senses that tomorrow's Test will be his final one for the Lions. 'I'm not going to say I won't, I probably won't… I probably won't play for the Lions again. 'It's been very good to me. It's been very good to my career. You want to play well in it. 'I'm kind of leaving a lot of that emotional stuff behind us. Without being clinical about it, you want to give the best version of yourself to it. 'Sometimes the last memory is the lasting memory you have in a jersey. I want it to be a good one.'
The 42
5 hours ago
- The 42
Dublin and Meath name teams for All-Ireland final showdown
DUBLIN AND MEATH have named their starting teams for Sunday's All-Ireland ladies senior football final. Dublin have made one change in personnel, with Orlagh Nolan replacing Caoimhe O'Connor, while Meath are unchanged. Nolan is in line for a first inter-county start since the 2024 All-Ireland series after recovering from an ACL injury. O'Connor suffered a hamstring setback in Dublin's All-Ireland quarter-final win over Galway, but she's fit enough to make the bench. Nolan replaced O'Connor after 27 minutes on that occasion to make her return, capping an impressive substitute appearance with 0-1 — and an assist for Carla Rowe's brilliant back-heel goal in extra-time. Meath have announced the same starting fifteen that dethroned Kerry in the semi-final — and for the seventh successive game — but key defender Katie Newe is a doubt after suffering a knee injury that day. Rivals Dublin and Meath renew their rivalry in a repeat of the 2021 final, when the Royals ended the Drive for Five to win their first All-Ireland title. Advertisement Throw-in at Croke Park on Sunday is 4.15pm, with the game live on TG4. Dublin 1. Abby Shiels (Lucan Sarsfields) 2. Jess Tobin (Cuala), 3. Leah Caffrey (Na Fianna), 4. Niamh Donlon (St Oliver Punkett ER) 5. Sinéad Goldrick (Foxrock-Cabinteely), 6. Martha Byrne (Cuala), 7. Niamh Crowley (Fingallians) 8. Éilish O'Dowd (Na Fianna), 9. Hannah McGinnis (Skerries Harps) 10. Nicole Owens (St Sylvester's) 11. Carla Rowe (Clann Mhuire — captain), 12. Orlagh Nolan (Ballinteer St Johns) 13. Hannah Tyrrell (Na Fianna), 14. Niamh Hetherton (Clontarf), 15. Kate Sullivan (St Sylvester's). Meath 1. Robyn Murray (Navan O'Mahonys) 2. Áine Sheridan (St Michael's), 3. Mary Kate Lynch (Summerhill), 4. Katie Newe (Ratoath) 5. Aoibhín Cleary (Donaghmore Ashbourne, captain), 6. Sarah Wall (St Peter's Dunboyne), 7. Karla Kealy (Dunshaughlin Royal Gaels) 8. Orlaith Sheehy (Dee Rangers), 9. Marion Farrelly (St Michael's) 10. Megan Thynne (Dunsany) 11. Niamh Gallogly (Dunshaughlin Royal Gaels), 12. Ciara Smyth (Skryne) 13. Emma Duggan (St Peter's Dunboyne), 14. Vikki Wall (St Peter's Dunboyne), 15. Kerrie Cole (Na Fianna) ***** Laois and Tyrone, and Antrim and Louth, have also named their teams for the intermediate and junior finals. You can see them here. Dublin's full matchday squad is available to view here. *****
