Latest news with #AlanConnolly
The Irish Sun
23-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Cork were right to cancel their homecoming – let's hope it starts a new trend for All-Ireland losers
CORK were right to cancel their homecoming. Some quarters on Leeside are upset by A Monday morning county board statement read: 'At the request of the team and management, there is no event planned for the return of the Cork hurlers. 'They would again like to thank all the entire county for their unwavering support throughout the year.' Surely, that's more than fair. These Cork players have been through enough. Read More On GAA There's no explaining that second-half capitulation against Tipperary in which they only scored two points If those 35 minutes are impossible to fathom as a neutral journalist, how do Ryan and his players feel about it? Cork were electric for much of the year as they won the National League and After Most read in GAA Hurling Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes, Shane Barrett and Darragh Fitzgibbon were in top form. Tipp were rising from the ashes for sure but Cork were further down the road and this would be their time. Sharlene Mawdsley takes part in hilarious road race as part of Tipperary's All-Ireland celebration Fans got tattoos. The 25-C-LIAM number plates were printed and sold — and many Tipperary fans bought them in Drumcondra after Sunday's game. All-time hero Patrick Horgan would get his medal at 37 and the red sea would party to The Frank and Walters at Croke Park. The cutlery was on the table, the famine was about to end. But we all have a plan until we get punched in the face. All-Ireland finals and all of the pressure that comes with them can do funny things. Ask the Kerry footballers of 1982, Kilkenny in 2010 or any Mayo player who never reached the summit despite making it to six SFC finals in the ten seasons from 2012 to 2021. The last place any of those panels wanted to be the day after the game was up on a stage in front of their own with no silverware to show off to them. They want to find the biggest hole to jump into. They want to lock themselves away for months on end as they come to terms with what happened. Of course, thousands of fans spend eye-watering amounts of their hard-earned cash to follow their counties. And many of those lucky enough to get All-Ireland tickets put themselves through torture before they actually secure them. PLAYERS PUT IN MORE But the dedication and sacrifices of the players are unmatched. Entire lives are put on hold. Weddings and family occasions are skipped and relationships even hit the rocks. They do not deserve to have to wallow in the despair of losing an All-Ireland final. You won't hear many inter-county players say they enjoy those homecomings after losing a final. Who wants live music at a wake? Who would send their child into a sweetshop and tell them they can't have anything? Those stages must be the loneliest places in the world when thousands of fans are staring back at you, wondering why there's no cup. Talk about rubbing their noses in it. 1 Imagine the dejection Cork's players must still be feeling The Cork players will endure enough questions and flak in the coming weeks and months as to why they failed to perform without this unnecessary event. Sunday was Tipp's day and they got to celebrate it when they arrived in Thurles as heroes on Monday night. They had Liam MacCarthy and were only delighted to parade him in the square in front of the adoring masses. But a dark winter lies ahead on Leeside before the team can again try to put things right. The last thing the panel needed was the shame of facing their crestfallen public just over 24 hours after the game. Bin this nonsense for good.
Irish Daily Mirror
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
What time and TV channel is Cork v Tipperary on today in the All-Ireland final
There have been epic meetings between Cork and Tipperary in the Munster championship over the years and the two old rivals even met in an All-Ireland SHC semi-final in 2014. Yet, remarkably, this is the first time the the Rebels and the Premier will go to war in an All-Ireland decider. The desire and want for the game's ultimate prize is keenly felt on both sides but, since Tipp last lifted the MacCarthy Cup in 2019, when they beat Kilkenny in the final, Cork have lost out twice on the biggest day in the hurling calendar, including in last year's thriller against Clare. In fact it is now 20 years since Cork last won an All-Ireland, a remarkable occurrence considering their 1995 triumph meant they went back to back, and they missed out on the three-in-a-row in the '96 final to Kilkenny. Cork hold the upper hand in terms of the most recent championship meetings - winning three of the last four and drawing the other, as well as delivering a comprehensive victory in the League final last April. Pat Ryan's men are also Munster champions, after beating Limerick on penalties in the provincial final. Tipp bounced back brilliantly after losing by 15 points to the Rebels in the second round of Munster's round robin and will believe they can prevail after overcoming Galway and Kilkenny in the All-Ireland quarter-final and semi-final respectively. Their performances in the knock-out stages of the championship have made the Premier the most improved side of the summer. Where is the game being played? The game is being played at Croke Park. What time is throw-in? Throw in is at 3.30pm. Where can I watch the game on TV? The game is live on RTE 2 and BBC 2 NI. Is the game being streamed online? Yes, the game will be live streamed on BBC iPlayer. Betting Odds: Cork: 2/5 Draw: 8/1 Tipperary: 11/4 Key The key for Liam Cahill's charges is to somehow shackle the Cork forwards - Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes in particular. But the Rebels are an outfit that has improved on last year - one that has no real weaknesses in their line-up and has plenty of game-changing bench options. If Tipp do manage to contain Cork's scintillating attacking game then they do have the weapons themselves to win the game. The difficulty for Cahill is that Ryan has more at his disposal, including plenty in reserve. Tipp will look to stay in the contest into the second half and Cork's long wait could then become a factor. It's a big ask against a Rebels side that has been the best team in the championship to date. Verdict: Cork Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O'Leary, Eoin Downey, Sean O'Donoghue; Ciarán Joyce, Rob Downey, Mark Coleman; Tim O'Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Diarmuid Healy, Shane Barrett, Declan Dalton; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes. Subs: Brion Saunderson, Damie Cahalane, Ger Millerick, Cormac O'Brien, Tommy O'Connell, Luke Meade, Brian Roche, Séamus Harnedy, Robbie O'Flynn, Conor Lehane, Shane Kingston. Tipperary: Rhys Shelly; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen; Craig Morgan, Ronan Maher (capt), Bryan O'Mara; Willie Connors, Conor Stakelum; Jake Morris, Andrew Ormond, Sam O'Farrell; Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath, Jason Forde. Subs: Barry Hogan, Joe Caesar, Seamus Kennedy, Paddy McCormack, Brian McGrath, Noel McGrath, Peter McGarry, Oisin O'Donoghue, Johnny Ryan, Darragh Stakelum, Alan Tynan. Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
Irish Examiner
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
All-Ireland SHC final: 10 things recent Cork-Tipp meetings have told us
1. There will be goals And first prize for stating the obvious goes to… yes, we get you. When the two finalists who combined have scored 31 goals (Cork 17, Tipperary 14) and conceded 24 (Cork 11, Tipperary 13) it's an easy conclusion to reach. But it's what they bring out in each other that is the greatest reason to believe green flags will be plentiful. Their last eight championship meetings have yielded three goals or more and the average is almost four goals per match while Cork have scored four in each of their last three clashes. 2. Alan Connolly likes playing Tipperary Back-to-back hat-tricks would be a tall order for most but the Blackrock man achieved that feat in last year's league and later scored a trio of goals against Tipperary in their championship meeting. In three SHC clashes with the neighbours, he has scored 5-1, his latest goal coming three months ago. 3. Jake Morris likes playing Cork With late scores, Morris going back to his under-age years has been the bane of Cork. Also, in four straight senior championship games, he found the net against them and in each of his last three has produced three points from play. His total in the counties' three 2025 meetings is 1-7. 4. We have some indication of match-ups… some In their Munster meeting the match-ups began: Seán O'Donoghue v Darragh McCarthy, Eoin Downey v John McGrath, Niall O'Leary v Jason Forde, Ciarán Joyce v Darragh Stakelum, Rob Downey v Jake Morris, Mark Coleman v Conor Bowe and Robert Doyle v Alan Connolly, Eoghan Connolly v Brian Hayes, Michael Breen v Patrick Horgan, Sam O'Farrell v Seamus Harnedy, Ronan Maher v Darragh Fitzgibbon and Bryan O'Mara v Declan Dalton. McCarthy's red card before the throw-in made a hash of some of Cahill's plans and U20 All-Ireland winning captain O'Farrell is now in the forwards. Cahill probably didn't get a true indication of whether O'Mara is more suited to marking Dalton or speedster Barrett. Eoghan Connolly would seem tailor-made to shadow Hayes again. At the other end, O'Donoghue will surely pick up McCarthy again. Rob Downey will have a height advantage on Andrew Ormond but Ormond is resilient. Joyce has to be the man for Morris. 5. There won't be any more pre-match flare-ups It's one thing to start poking hurleys into each other in the second round of the Munster SHC but on hurling's biggest day referee Liam Gordon isn't going to tolerate the mass of clashes that broke out prior to their meeting in April. Besides, it can be counter-productive, Waterford's moves prior to the 2008 All-Ireland final against Kilkenny being the case in point. Too much is on the line to be too silly. 6. Cork won't mind having given out that Munster drubbing Cork will be hoping Tipperary don't come back to avenge their Munster defeat as Clare eventually did in 2013. However, it is the only time in four all-Munster All-Ireland finals in which the team victorious in the province has lost on the ultimate stage. Clare pulled off two wins over Cork last year as their predecessors did against Tipperary in 1997 as Limerick did in 2020 when they beat Waterford twice. And best mention league-All-Ireland final doubles too. Cork are aiming to emulate the likes of Limerick two years ago, Kilkenny in 2009 and '14 and Tipperary in 1950. No team has reversed a league defeat in the All-Ireland decider against the same opposition. 7. Tipperary won't mind having taken that Munster drubbing One can imagine Noel McGrath this week telling his younger team-mates about 2010 and '19 and how Tipperary came back from 10 and 12-point tankings against Cork and Limerick in Munster to later win All-Irelands. And those losses were with 15 men. Tipperary parked April's 15-point loss to Cork when they beat Clare in Ennis two weeks later, something Cork had failed to do the previous month. If one other hurling county has a superiority complex, it's Tipperary. 8. Three months is a long time in hurling Conor Bowe started the game in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh yet can't make the Tipperary panel now. Gearóid O'Connor came off the bench in that game having began the Division 1 final at the same venue three weeks earlier yet has also been absent from the squad. That game was goalkeeper Barry Hogan's last before being replaced by Rhy Shelly. As for Cork, Ethan Twomey seems to be the biggest fall guy from Cork's one defeat to Limerick. After three starts, he has seen no action since being dropped for the final Munster SHC round victory over Waterford. 9. The stats that weigh heavy in Cork's favour Obviously, all the Cork group know what it takes and feels like to defeat Tipperary in championship but only seven of the Tipp panel have experienced the boot being on the other foot. Breen, Ronan Maher, John and Noel McGrath, Forde, Morris and Willie Connors all played in November 2020 when the county defeated Cork in an All-Ireland qualifier. Since then, the SHC record reads three Cork wins and one draw and their average margin in those wins is a pounding 15 points. 10. Tipperary's inside line is scoring more but not as deadly as Cork's We will preface our point by stating the incredible statistic by Peter McNamara that leading hurler of the year candidate Hayes has scored or assisted 20 of Cork's 35 championship goals (10 goals, 10 direct assists). However, Tipperary's triumvirate of McCarthy, McGrath and Forde in seven SHC appearances have amassed 9-90 (an average of 18 points per game and McCarthy was suspended for one game) compared to the Cork's trio of Horgan, Hayes and Connolly's 12-67 in six (17 points per game). However, 45% of those Tipp's scores came from frees/65s whereas Horgan's placed balls account for less than 40%.
Extra.ie
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Inside Alan Connolly's life off the pitch
Cork's Alan Connolly will be hoping his 24th birthday celebrations will double up as All Ireland celebrations as the Senior Hurling team vy for their first title in 20 years. The 23-year-old from Blackrock was the well deserved Bord Gáis Man of the Match on Saturday following the Rebels 20-point win over Dublin. On the day, the full-forward earned a hattrick as he contributed three goals and two points to Cork's 7-26 win. Cork's Alan Connolly will be hoping his 24th birthday celebrations will double up as All Ireland celebrations as the Senior Hurling team vy for their first title in 20 years. Pic: INPHO/Leah Scholes Cork take on Tipperary in the All Ireland Senior Hurling final on Sunday, July 20 with Alan celebrating his 24th birthday the day before, Saturday, July 19. The youngster comes from a family steeped in GAA and is often proudly supported by his girlfriend, Alanna. Here's a look at his life off the pitch… As with many young lads, Alan started his hurling career at club level and played both juvenile and underage for Blackrock before progressing to the Senior team. In 2018, Alan made his debut on the county panel when he played for the minor team. Two years later he had a successful stint with the U20 team, claiming both Munster and All Ireland titles. The Cork man has been on the senior team since 2021 and made his debut in May 2021 when he came on as a substitute for Shane Barrett and scored two goals against Waterford. On the day, the full-forward earned a hattrick as he contributed three goals and two points to Cork's 7-26 win. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne Alan comes from a family steeped in Cork GAA with his grandfather Mick Cashman a goalkeeper for the Cork senior team and his granduncle was also on the Cork squad. Uncles Tom and Jim Cashman have also been county hurlers and boast six All-Ireland medals between them when playing with the Rebel County from 1977 to 1990. The up and coming star will be hoping to add to the family's medal haul in two weeks time. Alan Connolly is in a relationship with Alanna O'Flynn who is regularly seen at matches on support duties. Pic: Instagram/ Alan Connolly Alan is currently studying Business Information Systems at Munster Technological University in Cork (formerly Cork Institute of Technology). He has played for the college as part of their Fitzgibbon Cup panel since 2023. Cork Beo also report that Alan is a part-time bartender at Blackrock National Hurling Cup. Alan is in a relationship with Alanna O'Flynn who is regularly seen at matches on support duties. The pair often share pictures of each other on their respective social media, and appear to love travelling and music, having both attending Electric Picnic last year.
Irish Times
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Croke Park scoreboards still in shock after blistering hurling semi-finals
So 'mesmerising' a contest was Sunday's All Ireland semi-final between Tipperary and Kilkenny, the scoreboards struggled to keep up , it taking nearly two hours after the game for the GAA to confirm the margin of Tipp's victory. But, writes Denis Walsh, win they did, producing, by a distance, their best performance since the 2019 All-Ireland final . Gordon Manning reports on a game that was ultimately settled by Oisín O'Donoghue's 'outrageous goal' , the result 'a resounding success' for Liam Cahill, Seán Moran hearing from the Tipp manager after. Cahill, says Nicky English, 'deserves great credit for patiently rebuilding the team' , and while Cork will be favourites in the final, this Tipp side 'won't be easily beaten by anyone'. And as Seán points out in his report on Cork's demolition of Dublin , the Munster champions 'may have wished for more of a test', the Dubs unable to cope with their pitch-perfect full-forward line . Few, notes Denis, shone more brightly than Alan Connolly. In camogie, Waterford had a 10-point win over Clare on Saturday in the All-Ireland quarter-finals, their reward a semi-final meeting with reigning champions Cork. Tipperary, though, needed extra-time to overcome Kilkenny , Galway their opponents in the last four. READ MORE And in women's football, the semi-final line-up is also complete: champions Kerry will play Meath and Dublin will be up against Galway , all four counties having comfortable enough victories at the weekend. The young men of Tyrone, meanwhile, are celebrating their ninth All-Ireland minor football title after a remarkable finish against Kerry on Sunday. In rugby, Gerry Thornley reports on an unconvincing victory for the Lions over the Waratahs in Sydney, where Andy Farrell suspected a bit of pitch-watering had gone on . Johnny Watterson rates the players and picks out five things we learned from the game . Australia weren't too convincing themselves in their controversial win over Fiji on Sunday, Gerry at the Newcastle International Sports Centre to see a game that left Joe Schmidt with plenty of food for thought . Over in Tbilisi, John O'Sullivan saw Ireland overcome both Georgia and brutal weather conditions , interim head coach Paul O'Connell expressing 'a quiet satisfaction' with the performance . How satisfied he was with his six debutants' singing abilities after they were presented with their caps, he didn't say. In golf, Philip Reid saw the brilliant 21-year-old English amateur Lottie Woad stroll to a six-stroke victory at the Irish Open at Carton House on Sunday, Anna Foster the best of the Irish with a tied-for-12th placing. And ahead of the first of Roy Keane's three sold-out evenings of conversation with Roddy Doyle in Cork, Denis looks at how his relationship with his home patch 'has evolved over time'. That 24,000 punters have paid €83.55 apiece to hear him chat suggests the relationship is in a good place. TV Watch: Wimbledon enters its second week and BBC and Premier Sports have close enough to 12 hours of live coverage today (from 11am). TG4 and TNT Sports 1 have stage three of the Tour de France (from noon) and RTÉ 2 & UTV have two live Euro 2025 games: Spain v Belgium (5pm) and Portugal v Italy (8pm).
