Tommy O'Brien: ‘I was thinking, this might be the end, my body is just not able for this'
Then, in keeping with his luckless run up to that point, O'Brien picked up yet another injury in training, which ruled him out of making the trip to France. Instead, the winger had to wait until April for his first Champions Cup start, which he duly marked with a try in Leinster's quarter-final win over Glasgow.
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The 42
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Ireland U20 team named for All-Blacks test on Wednesday
HEAD COACH NEIL Doak has named his Ireland Men's U20s squad for Wednesday's game in the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship against New Zealand. The game takes place at 17.00 (Irish time) in Calvisano. To reach the semi-finals this time, Ireland need to overhaul the Junior All Blacks at the top of Pool B, which means winning with a bonus point or winning and restricting New Zealand to a maximum of one bonus point. There are four changes to the starting XV from the loss to Italy last Friday. Conor Kennelly starts in the second row while Oisin Minogue, who scored the last minute try against Italy coming in to the back row. Jonny Scott comes into the centre and Daniel Green starts at full back. Ireland U20s 15. Daniel Green (Queens University Belfast RFC/Ulster) 14. Charlie Molony (UCD RFC/Leinster) 13. Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 12. Jonny Scott (Banbridge/Ulster) 11. Derry Moloney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 10. Tom Wood (Garryowen FC/Munster) 9. Will Wootton (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby) 1. Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster) 2. Henry Walker (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster) 3. Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 4. Conor Kennelly (Highfield RFC/Munster) 5. Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster) 6. Éanna McCarthy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)(Captain) 7. Oisin Minogue (Shannon RFC/Munster) 8. Luke Murphy (Young Munster RFC/Munster) Replacements: 16. Luke McLaughlin (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) 17. Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) 18. Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) 19. David Walsh (Terenure RFC/Leinster) 20. Bobby Power (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) 21. Clark Logan (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster) 22. Sam Wisniewski (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) 23. Gene O'Leary Kareem (UCC RFC/Munster) Advertisement
Sunday World
5 hours ago
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Dublin 1974 All-Ireland-winning captain Seán Doherty dies aged 78
He is the fourth member of the capital's team of the 1970s that helped to reshape Gaelic football to have died in recent years Dublin's 1974 All-Ireland-winning football captain Seán Doherty has sadly passed away after a short illness at the age of 78. He is the fourth member of the capital's team of the 1970s that helped to reshape Gaelic football to have died in recent years, following the deaths of Anton O'Toole, Brian Mullins and Paddy Cullen. Doherty was a full-back on the team that contested five successive All-Ireland finals between 1974 and 1978. He lost his place during the 1979 championship and then retired from inter-county football in the early 1980s. Doherty, who first joined the Dublin squad in 1969, was renowned for his strength and fearlessness as a defender and was entrusted with the captaincy when Kevin Heffernan returned to manage Dublin in late 1973. Heffernan liked his directness and robust nature, exemplified by his challenge in the 1975 All-Ireland final on Mickey Ned O'Sullivan as the Kerry captain went on a mazy run. Mickey Ned O'Sullivan and Seán Doherty with the Sam Maguire. O'Sullivan was taken off, such was the force of the collision, brought to hospital and was not able to collect the Sam Maguire Cup after the game, an honour that went to Pat Spillane instead. Doherty's catch towards the end of that epic 1977 All-Ireland semi-final is one of the most memorable moments of that era. The 'Doc', as he was affectionately known, also captained Dublin in that 1975 All-Ireland final defeat to Kerry but was replaced in the role by Tony Hanahoe the following season. He was a three-time All-Ireland winner, won six Leinster titles and was the All-Star full-back in 1974. Glenealy native Seán Doherty captained Dublin to All-Ireland glory in 1974. Photo: Sportsfile Doherty spent his early years in Glenealy, Wicklow and played for the county's U-21 team at one stage. But his family moved to Ballsbridge and Doherty eventually settled in south Dublin were he played his club football with Ballyboden Wanderers first and then Ballyboden St Enda's. By occupation, Doherty was a successful plumber and publican who ran a bar in Rockbrook at the foot of the Dublin mountains. In April, he was an integral part of a two-day trip to Kerry where the respective teams of the '70s enjoyed a 50th anniversary celebration of their storied rivalry. He was a successful club manager, guiding St Anne's in Dublin and Bray Emmets in Wicklow to county finals.
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
Former Dublin football captain Seán Doherty dies at age of 78
The death has taken place of Seán Doherty, captain of Kevin Heffernan's 1974 All-Ireland winners. He was 78 and is the fourth member of that ground-breaking team to pass away, after Anton O'Toole, Brian Mullins and earlier this year, Paddy Cullen. 'The Doc' was a traditional full back, a big presence under high ball and a physical marker. He won three All-Ireland medals, 1974, '76 and '77, and six Leinsters, 1974-79. In that breakthrough season of 51 years ago, his performances were described as 'outstanding' and he won that year's All Star in the position. In all, he played in five successive All-Ireland finals from 1974-78 and was a replacement in a sixth, the following year. Captain again in 1975 when Dublin lost their title to Mick O'Dwyer's youthful Kerry, he was succeeded the following season by Tony Hanahoe. READ MORE In the famous 1977 All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry, it was a towering catch by Doherty from a long free driven in by Ógie Moran that began the move for Bernard Brogan's goal, which sealed Dublin's comeback win with three minutes left. There was controversy in the 1975 All-Ireland when his challenge on Mickey Ned O'Sullivan took the opposing captain out of the match and hospitalised him. The pair were long reconciled and shared in the social reunions between Dublin and Kerry players. Dublin captain Seán Doherty lifts the Sam Maguire Cup after the 1974 All-Ireland SFC final. Photograph: Connolly Collection / Sportfile O'Sullivan told Dermot Crowe in the Sunday Independent earlier this year the two had never discussed it since, preferring to leave it 'behind the white lines'. His last championship was in 1979 and after retirement, he went on to be involved with the county at senior level. When Heffernan finally stepped away from management in 1985, he was replaced by a triumvirate of his players Brian Mullins, Robbie Kelleher and Seán Doherty. Although they served for only one year, he was retained as a selector in the succeeding management of Gerry McCaul, which won the 1987 NFL, defeating Kerry in the final and two years later, deposed Meath in Leinster before losing that year's All-Ireland semi-final to Cork. Doherty was born in Wicklow in 1946 and spent his early years there before moving to south Dublin where he was a member of Ballyboden Wanderers, later Ballyboden St Enda's. In later years he was also player manager with St Anne's. Although his first career was as a plumber, he subsequently became a well-known publican in Rathfarnham. In later years he returned to his native Wicklow in Glenealy.
