Latest news with #BenMcShane
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘It's not about the money' jokes Bryan O'Mara as Tipperary GAA star gives update on hurley lost after league match
BRYAN O'MARA'S missing hurley has never been found. The Tipperary ace lost his beloved camán after the county's NHL win over Clare in Thurles on March 22. Advertisement 2 Bryan O'Mara lost his hurley after Tipperary's league win over Clare Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile 2 He revealed he still hasn't got it back Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile The Premier issued a public appeal for the return of the stick, saying: 'Bryan O'Mara's Hurley was taken from Semple Stadium last night. If the person or anyone that knows the person that might have taken it, could they please let any member of the county team / board know. Once returned there will be no repercussions.' But the appeal was fruitless and the case remains a mystery ahead of today's All-Ireland final against Cork. O'Mara said: 'No, I never got it back! People were calling me mean for not just buying a new one, but it's not about the money. 'I just left it down to sign a few hurls and it was whipped, gone! So yeah, I didn't think someone would do it, I was thick! Advertisement Read More on GAA 'There was a funny fella on Twitter who said he was going to cut off a piece every hour until he was paid. It turned into a bit of craic.'
The Irish Sun
16-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Shelbourne into next round of Champions League qualifiers as Joey O'Brien's men seal aggregate win over Linfield
THERE was no tie at this stage of the competition with a shorter distance between the two teams. So nobody should be surprised that it was decided by fine margins. 2 Shelbourne are through to the next round of the Champions League qualifiers Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile 2 Joey O'Brien's men clinched an aggregate win over Linfield Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile Predictions that Shelbourne would stroll through were fanciful but, nor did it come as a shock that Linfield fell short over two legs. They will have plenty of cause for regret, failing to capitalise on goalkeeping errors in each half with Ben Hall's dismissal effectively ensuring there was no grandstand finish. But, still, this game did not lack drama with Chris Shields rolling back the years with a polished display on his return from suspension. His pre-match good-natured geographical jibe out his car window to the Road served as a reminder that this was not your average Read More on Shelbourne Shels will feel it could have been more comfortable, particularly as they had a goal disallowed, but will feel relieved their opponents were not clinical enough to punish more of their mistakes as they secured a daunting second qualifying round tie against Qarabag. Joey O'Brien faces an anxious wait to see if captain Mark Coyle and keeper Conor Kearns can feature in that after they went off injured in the first half. Even before their departures, it had been a difficult start with just 12 seconds gone when Paddy Barrett pulled down Matthew Fitzpatrick off the ball. Kirk Millar swung the ball in beyond the far post where Ethan McGee was well positioned to head it back across goal. With Shels scrambling, Hall could not punish them with his effort off target . Most read in Football Then, in the 13th minute, Kearns gifted Linfield a chance to level the tie when he received a back pass from Harry Wood. He had a first bad touch and an even worse second one with his attempted clearance going straight to Fitzpatrick. RTE pundit's one-liner about Damien Duff makes Joey O'Brien laugh after Shelbourne's win vs Linfield The Blues striker hit his first-time effort wide when he could have taken a touch. Shels weathered that early storm and began to impose themselves on the game with JJ Lunney looking capable of picking holes in the hosts' defence with some clever deliveries. Twice he picked out Tyreke Wilson but a weak header failed to trouble Chris Johns and, for the second, he appealed in vain for a penalty when he had simply been outmuscled by Matthew Orr. In between, Wood had failed to trouble Johns with a free-kick after Mipo Odubeko - scorer of the only goal in the first leg - had been fouled by Hall. Midway through the half, Coyle - who had earlier picked up a knock - did not look too happy to be called ashore with Sean Gannon replacing the Shels' skipper. Soon after his introduction, Shels took the lead in the 25th minute. Kameron Ledwidge's cross from the left came to Wood with his shot kept out by Shields' heroic efforts on the goal-line. But, when McGee could head the ball only as far as the edge of the box, Shels made the most of their second chance as Coote steadied himself before rolling the ball into the net. Shels lost another player to injury just after the half-hour mark with Kearns, who looked in pain when he picked the ball, coming off with Lorcan Healy coming on for only his fifth appearance for Shels. He almost got as far as half-time with his goal intact but, in stoppage time, could not keep out a Shields' penalty, awarded for a handball by Wilson. Shields had crossed from the right with McGee exchanging passes with Millar before dinking the ball into the far post. Wilson's outstretched arm prevented the ball reaching Hall. The spot-kick was duly awarded and then converted but there was still time for more drama before the interval. Shels thought they had retaken the lead on the night through a well-worked corner. Wood played it short to Wilson on the byline who returned the pass with the Englishman picking out Kerr McInroy who had peeled off to find space before firing home. Shields protested angrily and, after replays were shown/ The ex-Dundalk midfielder was marking Barrett but, when Euan East went to track McInroy's run, the Shels centre-half grabbed his jersey which explained why McInroy had so much space to fire home. Shels might have felt aggrieved but they could have no complaints when Madeley disallowed the goal which would more than likely have stood if there was no VAR in operation. DISASTER Still, after a disrupted opening 45 minutes, Shels could be reasonably happy at the break, particularly as they knew they had a fitness edge on their out-of-season opponents. But disaster almost struck almost straight from the restart with an almost carbon copy of the earlier incident with Kearns and Fitzpatrick. This time, Healy passed the ball to Callumn Morrison but he was no more clinical with the goal at his mercy with the keeper sticking out a leg to keep it out. Linfield also knew where the self-destruct button was and pressed it in the 65th minute. When Orr passed the ball straight to Odubeko, Hall had little choice but to try a sliding tackle to stop the striker getting away. He caught the man but not the ball and was duly shown a red card. Shels could have put the tie to bed within five minutes of his dismissal when Madeley played advantage when Coote was taken out by East. The ball went to Odubeko on the left who cut back and passed to McInroy just outside the box. He in turn picked out Evan Caffrey on the right who played a neat one-two with Wood but his first-time shot was just wide of the upright. Predictably, Linfield found it hard to mount a salvage operation with a curling effort by Kieran Offord, comfortably dealt with by Healy, the best they could muster. SUN STAR MAN Kerr McInroy (Shelbourne) LINFIELD : Johns 7; Mcgee 7 (McCullough 77, 4), Orr 5, Hall 5, East 6, Millar 7 (Allen 83, 4); Archer 7, Mulgrew 6 (Offord 77, 5), Shields 8; Fitzpatrick 6, C Morrison 6 (McKee 68, 5) SHELBOURNE : Kearns 5 (Healy 32, 6); Caffrey 7, Coyle 6 (Gannon 22, 7), Barrett 6, Ledwidge 7, Wilson 5 (Norris 83, 5); Lunney 8, McInroy 8; Wood 7, Coote 7 (Boyd 83, 5); Odubeko 7. REFEREE : A Madley (England) 7
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Joey O'Brien warns Champions League qualifier ‘is well alive' after Shelbourne seal first leg win over Linfield
SHELBOURNE are on the march in Europe after defeating Linfield - but insist there is still work to be done. The League of Ireland champions were Advertisement 2 Mipo Odubeko scored the only goal as Shelbourne beat Linfield Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile 2 Joey O'Brien warned it is still all to play for Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile One of the substitutes, Seán Boyd, got the better of two opponents to set up Mipo Odubeko who scored for the third game in a row. But O'Brien - in his first European game as manager - said: 'I thought in the first half, it was a really good performance. 'We attacked the game really well and we created a lot of chances. 'In a European tie, it's four halves of football . Sometimes you don't get what you deserve but it was about resetting. I thought we had chances again and we were happy to get the winner. Advertisement Read More on Shelbourne 'It was a tough team to pick because I know how important these games are for players but I said the bench would be important. 'And Boydy was a handful when he came on. He did brilliantly. 'But the game is well alive and it's all to play for next week. 'Going up there, we're going to attack the game, play on the front foot, try to dominate and look to win the tie. The game is still in the balance, everything is to play for, I can't wait for next week. Advertisement Most read in Sport 'They're at home so it's going to be difficult with their support. I'm sure the place up there will be rocking as well.' That was echoed by Harry Wood who said: 'It's a tough place to go, we know only 50 percent of the job is done. We know we have work to do but it is good to go there with a win. League of Ireland mascots compete in charity race in Naas 'Our mindset is to go and try to win the game. Whatever the score was here, we were going to try to go there to win. 'This is what you want to be playing in when you're a kid. It's the biggest competition in world football, especially club football, and you want to be playing in these, high-pressure moments.' Advertisement A delighted Odubeko added: 'The first half was really frustrating. I don't think I really touched the ball so to see the ball bobble into the bottom corner I'm really happy. 'I think we put on a good show. I love playing at Tolka Park, I love playing for Shels and most importantly scoring goals for Shels.'
Extra.ie
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Time, venue, channels: All Ireland Football quarter-finals as Kerry take on Armagh
It's still all to play for in the All Ireland Senior Football championships as Meath take on Galway and Kerry face current champions Armagh on Sunday in the second round of quarter-finals. Saturday saw Donegal victorious over Monaghan with a score of 1-26 to 1-20, while Dublin bowed out against Tyrone on a score of 23 points to 16. The quarter-final stages of the championship are being played at Croke Park ahead of the semi-finals which take place in two weeks time. Saturday saw Donegal victorious over Monaghan with a score of 1-26 to 1-20, while Dublin bowed out against Tyrone on a score of 23 points to 16. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile Sunday will give GAA fans a clearer sight of what is to come in the coming weeks as two more teams bow out and the semi-finals draw takes place. Here is everything you need to know… Meath and Galway are the first to face off at Croker on Sunday afternoon, with kick off at 1.45pm. It's still all to play for in the All Ireland Senior Football championships as Meath take on Galway and Kerry face current champions Armagh on Sunday in the second round of quarter-finals. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile Both teams championship stats are the same with five wins, one draw and one loss throughout their bid for national glory. Connacht champions Galway will be hoping to advance to their third semi-final in four seasons, while Leinster runner-ups Meath will be hoping to get to the semi-finals for the first time since 2009. The quarter-final clash will be live on The Sunday Game on RTÉ 2. The show will begin at 1.15pm. Straight after current All Ireland champions Armagh will face the most successful team in the history of the championship, Kerry. Pic: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo Straight after, current All Ireland champions Armagh will face the most successful team in the history of the championship, Kerry. Last year, Armagh lifted the Sam Maguire for only the second time ever after they beat Galway 1-11 to 13 points. Meanwhile, Kerry's last All Ireland victory was in 2022 when they also beat Galway. In 2023, the green and yellow side lost the final to Dublin. Throw-in is at 4pm at Croke Park, with the game aired live on RTÉ 2 and the RTÉ Player.
The Irish Sun
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Power ranking All-Ireland quarter-finalists from Shane Walsh reliant Galway, to consistent Donegal, and formidable Kerry
WE'RE just four weeks away from seeing Jarlath Burns hand over Sam Maguire — yet it's hard to recall a time when forecasting a winner at this stage of the Championship was such a conundrum. The finely balanced match-ups thrown up by the draw have made this weekend's quarter-final bill hugely exciting. 9 Graham Geraghty power ranks the All-Ireland quarter-finalists Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile At 11-4 each, Meath and Monaghan are the biggest outsiders to reach the last four. Still, given the form and calibre of both teams, it would not go down as a major shock if either, or even both, were to advance. Given that nobody can seem to agree on who is in pole position to claim All-Ireland SFC glory on July 27, here is my own pecking order in the race for Sam . . . 8) GALWAY THIS one might raise eyebrows straight off the bat. Read More on GAA And such are the fine margins at play, there will be no great surprise on my behalf if 9 Shane Walsh of Galway reacts during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship preliminary quarter-final against Down Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile But for me, a Tribe side capable of blowing hot and cold are not as formidable as they were 12 months ago. When Shane Walsh does not catch fire , they tend not to function well as a unit. They have coped without Damien Comer, though the different dimension he can provide would be a huge asset for them. Most read in GAA Football After losing an All-Ireland final by a point, the road to atonement is long and arduous. Both mentally and physically, there is a lot of mileage on the clock. 'So much integrity' - RTE viewers hail Stephen Cluxton for 'principled stand' Dublin GAA icon took during Parnells saga 7) MEATH BEATING Galway tomorrow is well within Meath's capability. The Royals have excelled under the new rules and they have become a very confident outfit under Robbie Brennan. It is as if the shackles have been taken off, particularly for the younger players as they have really started to express themselves. 9 Ciarán Caulfield, left, and Aaron Lynch of Meath after the Leinster semi-final win over Dublin Credit: Ray McManus/Sportsfile Meath have done extremely well to persevere in the face of injuries to some important players. But that has left them a bit light on the bench. Losing Martin Corey and Joe McMahon from the backroom staff was a massive blow in March. Having since taken the scalps of 6) ARMAGH PLENTY of perplexed Armagh faces are sure to await me at Croker tomorrow after having the nerve to consign the All-Ireland champions to such a lowly position! The strength of their panel is one of the things I have really admired this year. 9 Armagh are reigning All-Ireland champions Credit: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile However, with Soupy Campbell and Oisín O'Neill out injured, they suddenly look much weaker in that regard. Such a talented team led by a man like Kieran McGeeney are more than capable of shoving this ranking back down my throat. But we are at the Championship now. And as I learned in 1997 after Meath's reign as All-Ireland champions was ended by hunted . 5) TYRONE OF the teams remaining, Any side that can hold Peter Harte and Ruairí Canavan in reserve is clearly in good nick. 9 Aidan Clarke of Tyrone in action against Cian Madden of Cavan Credit: Ben McShane/Sportsfile Apart from their big men in the middle, they are mostly a small, nippy team so Croke Park might suit them in one sense. And if they can consistently hit the heights that they did against The concern would be whether they can handle the rough and tumble over 70-plus minutes at this stage of the Championship. 4) MONAGHAN THIS is a Monaghan team I have a lot of time for. And while they will be up against it in today's meeting with Donegal, a win could do wonders for them if they can get over the line. On the one hand, they were not tested massively in the group stages. 9 Jack McCarron could be a big influence on Monaghan Credit: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile That being said, there is also a sense that we have not yet seen the best of them. Jack McCarron is a fantastic player to have back in and they would have been disappointed to have lost two Donegal by two points in Ulster on a day when they were caught by the hooter. Gabriel Bannigan's charges are a good By all accounts, Andy Moran has had a massive impact behind the scenes too. 3) DUBLIN ASIDE from a brilliant display in Salthill when their backs were against the wall after losing to Meath, Dublin have flattered to deceive. Are they still capable of setting the world alight? 9 Con O'Callaghan in action for Dublin Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile If Con O'Callaghan is fully fit, today might be the day to answer that question. The wake-up call they got against Meath was a catalyst for significant improvement for the Dubs. There is no doubt about that. They have been good at times but there is still more in them. And their team is still packed with players who know more than anybody else about what is required to win on the big days at Croke Park. 2) DONEGAL NOTWITHSTANDING their defeat to Tyrone, Donegal have probably been the most consistent team throughout the season. Are they depending too heavily on Michael Murphy? Perhaps that is unfair to the supporting cast. 9 Donegal manager Jim McGuinness, left, and Michael Murphy Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Nevertheless, they cannot afford for their prodigal son to be off-form. They cut loose in the second half against Louth and the Wee County were no match for them. Getting over Monaghan would be a huge step for Donegal as this is no easy task. You would certainly sympathise with them over the six-day turnaround. Having said that, if they were playing in the second game tomorrow instead, Jim McGuinness would complain that they were getting home too late on a Sunday night. It is all part of the siege mentality he is aiming to generate. In his eyes, it's Donegal against the rest of the world. And that could ultimately work in their favour. 1) KERRY WHEN you back a team like Kerry into a corner, expect them to come out fighting. And with 9 David Clifford of Kerry celebrates after scoring his side's second goal against Cavan Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Since the defeat to Meath, there has been a bit of deflecting going on in the Kingdom. By playing down their chances, people like Darragh Ó Sé have been doing their bit to try to take the pressure off them. Going to Croke Park as underdogs is an unusual scenario for Kerry to find themselves in. But they will relish that too. While they have been badly hit by injuries, Jack O'Connor is still taking a squad packed full of talent up to the capital tomorrow. Even if he fielded his second-best XV, they would still probably trouble most teams. The season starts tomorrow for Kerry. Write them off at your peril.
