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The 42
4 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Kerry have been cut tight to the bone, relying on a great player to get past Armagh
IN THE WEE hours of the morning after their 2022 All-Ireland final win, one Kerry friend of this column was more looking through rather than drinking out of a half empty glass. Amid giddy talk of one fallen blue dynasty begetting a new green and gold one, he offered up a more sober perspective of what the future would hold for the newly crowned All-Ireland champions with a measure that would be easily if uncomfortably understood by every Kerry person. 'I will tell you now, if David Clifford ends up with the same All-Ireland medal haul as Maurice Fitzgerald, he will do well,' he suggested, albeit to some derision. With every passing year, what was once seen as a modest molehill to clamber takes on the look of an ever steeper hill to scale. Maurice Fitzgerald ended with two, which is still twice as many as Clifford, but the disparity feels even greater than that. The Caherciveen maestro won his medals at the end of a career that once only offered – or, perhaps, more likely threatened – a legacy as the best player from the county not to win a Celtic Cross, inflating their worth in the process. Clifford, somehow an even more illuminating talent, won his one early enough in his career to invite the prospect of having several others for show, which if it does not come to pass will only have a deflationary impact on those who measure worth by numbers. And the real fear in Kerry today as they head to Croke Park to take on the All-Ireland champions Armagh is that the only counting they will have to do is to simply count out another year. Advertisement That stark? Pretty much so. Others who make their living out of counting think so too; Kerry the standout favourites at the start of the summer are the very obvious 6/4 underdogs this afternoon, and given that the market factors in tradition when pricing the Kingdom, the price based purely on form is even bigger than that. Kerry's hope is that with their backs pressed against the wall, they will find something deep that will deliver a performance that will give them a real chance. Perhaps, one on a scale of what they managed in the first half of the 2022 semi-final against Dublin, but which exhausted them to the point that they spent most of the second half, fighting on the ropes and gasping for air. The good news for them is finding that should not take a lot of searching, given that it is Armagh they face. It's hardly no coincidence that Kerry's best performance of a patchy season was in the penultimate round league game in Tralee when last year's semi-final defeat to the Orchard County was on their mind, as they racked up a 10-point win playing with such fire that Kieran McGeeney opined afterwards that his players were 'bullied' off the pitch. Mind, they were played off it too. But it is hard to ignore the truth in that old line that if revenge is all that you have got going, it is best to dig two graves, including one for yourself. The Limerick hurlers found that out this summer when in expunging last year's semi-final loss to Cork, they vaporised the Rebels with the perfect display in a group game, the result of which did not really matter and after that found that their capacity to be the best versions of their great selves had been drained empty. It is not that Kerry will have been sated by a league win, but the price for it has left them in significant debt as two minutes from the end of that game, the mood of their season had already coloured a shade darker when Diarmuid O'Connor went to ground clutching his shoulder. He had added further to his citation that evening as the game's top midfielder during the spring with another dominant performance, assisting for three points but even more importantly freeing up Joe O'Connor to thrive in a half-forward line alongside Paudie Clifford, with the prospect of Sean O'Shea still to come back. It was the lack of physicality in that line in particular which Armagh had so pointedly exploited in last year's semi-final, and it felt prior to O'Connor's injury – one despite efforts to rehabilitate has haunted the player – Kerry had constructed a fix. But no longer as O'Connor's absence compounded by ongoing fitness concerns about Paudie Clifford – who is named to start today on the bench – and with Joe O'Connor likely to have to put his shoulder to the wheel in a deeper role, Kerry may well return to Croke Park today as an angrier team than 12 months ago, but hardly as a better one. And that's not just because of bad luck; in a condensed season and in a new game far more demanding of players, injuries are a fact of life which every one has to factor in, but only the strongest and deepest can do so well. A group like Armagh, for instance, who for large swathes of the season have been without key players such as Aaron McKay, Aidan Forker, Niall Grimley, Oisin O'Neill and Rian O'Neill among others, but have continued to evolve and become better, not least because of what the likes of Ethan Rafferty, Ross McQuillan, Darragh McMullan and a rejuvenated Jarly Óg Burns has brought to them. That is why Armagh, a team deemed by many to be one-off champions, have the feel of a back-to-back championship winning team. And it is why Kerry look like pretty much what they are; a team cut hopelessly tight to the bone with a great player rolling a boulder up a sheer hill face. Where the only counting doing business is the number of times it rolls back down. ***** Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
Daily Record
10-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Falkirk cemetery memorial marks almost 1500 people given 'paupers' burial'
MP Euan Stainbank and Strathcarron singers were among those who attended the ceremony A service to remember nearly 1500 children and adults buried in what was once called a 'paupers' grave' was held on Saturday in Larbert cemetery. A small crowd braved torrential rain to attend the service which was organised in a personal capacity by Falkirk councillor Billy Buchanan, who had been shocked to discover so many people buried in the site with nothing to mark their graves. Falkirk MP Euan Stainbank helped to unveil a large panel with information about the large grassy area, beside a simple Celtic cross to remember the 1466 children and adults buried there because they did not have the means to pay for a burial. Those interred on the common ground between 1902 and 1980, include a substantial number of children and adults who passed away while resident at either the Royal Scottish National Hospital (RSNH) or Bellsdyke, the hospital for mentally ill people. Where residents from RSNH and Bellsdyke were buried before 1902 is not recorded. Joining Mr Stainbank in unveiling the board was Dave McQueen, who Baillie Buchanan thanked for being "a wonderful benefactor". Mr McQueen, along with piper Kevin McLean, formed "a coalition group" with Baillie Buchanan to pledge that those buried in the common ground there would be "forgotten no more". Baillie Buchanan said: "We have done a wonderful thing today in remember 1466 individuals that have been lying in this area here." The Strathcarron Singers performed three hymns, including Abide With Me, while piper Kevin McLean led a short procession to the memorial then played a lament before a two-minute silence. Prayers were led by the Reverend Andrew Moore, who also gave a blessing and flowers were placed beside the Celtic Cross. Baillie Buchanan particularly thanked Ian Edwards of Falkirk Council who researched the details of the common ground, including the names of those interred.
Irish Independent
31-05-2025
- Irish Independent
‘Monstrous' headstones being erected in Tipperary cemetery in the middle of the night
That was the claim made by Cashel councillor Liam Browne at the May meeting of the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel Municipal District, who said that Tipperary County Council were turning a blind eye to the enforcement of by-laws in Cormac's Cemetery in Cashel which governs the height that headstones can be. Responding to Cllr Browne's calls, Cllr Roger Kennedy said that 'it's not fair on the ordinary people, who have a gravestone under four foot six, and the one beside it has an eight foot high monstrosity.' Speaking to the Irish Independent, Cllr Browne said that council by-laws are being ignored not just by people putting in headstones, but by the council as well who should be policing and enforcing the bylaws. "We have Tipperary County Council burial by-laws and to be quite frank, what I said at the meeting was that they're being ignored. "They're not just being ignored by the people putting up the headstones, which are out of size and scale for what they should be, but they're also being ignored by the council who should be policing the headstones that go in, and once they go in, there seems to be an acceptance by the council that there's nothing they can do about it,' Cllr Browne said. Large headstones are being erected at nighttime, Cllr Browne said, with Tipperary County Council officials encountering a contractor who was putting in an 'illegally sized' headstone under the cover of darkness. "The council did come across a contractor putting in an illegally sized headstone a couple of months ago, and they stopped the contractor from putting it in, they told them they were not an authorised contractor, and the contractor left, but they came back two days later at two or three o'clock in the morning and finished off the headstone,' Cllr Browne explained. "They then basically rang the council and said look, it's up now and ye can do what ye like with it, ye can take it down if ye like but as far as he was concerned, he had fulfilled what he was supposed to do, which was put it up,' the Cashel-based councillor added. Calling on the council to enforce the bylaws that are in place, Cllr Browne said that they should go after the contractors who are installing these headstones. "The council know that this is happening and whether they should be going after the contractor, I think they should because the contractor's obviously broken the law, but they don't, and then the families who are putting the headstones up, as sensitive a subject as it is, if you don't address it, I do believe it's going to get worse,' Mr Browne added. ADVERTISEMENT The Tipperary County Council burial ground bylaws state that headstones should be no taller than 4' 11', or 7' in the case of a Celtic Cross, but headstones that far exceed these rules have been installed in Cormac's Cemetery. At the May meeting of the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel MD, Cathaoirleach of the district Cllr John Crosse said that the council were not ignoring the issue and that a meeting and a site visit would be held to discuss the issue. 'I have to disagree [with Cllr Crosse] on that, we are ignoring it, we have been ignoring it, and we've been ignoring it in more than Cashel, we've been ignoring it in graveyards across the county because Cashel is not the only place that have complained,' Cllr Browne said. Action needs to be taken on these 'illegal' headstones according to the Cashel councillor, saying that people should be made aware that if they erect a headstone that doesn't comply with the burial ground bylaws, it can be taken down. "As much as I hate to think that it would have to be done, there may be a case, it has been done in the past, there is precedent of taking headstones back down again, you cannot just say look, if a headstone's gone up and it's in breach of a law, that it stays up, there's other cases of breaches of planning legislation around the county, you could look at modular homes, you could talk about extensions, but they would be very quick to move on the people involved, and use the law to have them taken back down again,' Cllr Browne said. "I've had conversations with members of the travelling community, and that suggestion has been made to them and some of them are quite happy with the suggestion that yes, they can still put up what they would consider 'fancy' memorials as they put it, but they would still have to remain within the bylaws,' the independent councillor added. "I believe that in too many cases, too many people talk for the traveller community, and not to the traveller community … sometimes if you sit down and have a chat with the local travelling community in the towns who are long-standing members of the town, due to the sensitivity of this, I don't think we chat enough to the travelling community themselves and see what can be accepted,' the Cashel councillor concluded. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
The Irish Sun
31-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Meath showed further signs of progress in win over Cork – they will fancy their chances against Roscommon in All-Ireland
PÁIRC TAILTEANN was the venue last weekend for the first Championship meeting of Meath and Cork since the 2007 All-Ireland SFC semi-final. A great rivalry once existed between the Royals and the Rebels. When I won my second Celtic Cross in 1999, it was the fourth final in 13 years contested by the two counties. Advertisement 2 Meath manager Robbie Brennan celebrates during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 1 match against Cork Credit: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile 2 Graham Geraghty of the 1999 All-Ireland winning Meath football jubilee team Credit: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile However, such halcyon days seemed a distant memory last Saturday in Navan. It's been a long time since either side was a contender. After As for Advertisement Read More on GAA After pushing Given how poor Having struggled at midfield in the first half against the Rebels, they addressed the problem. If they can prevent similar issues from arising at Dr Hyde Park, the running power of Mathew Costello and the threat posed by Jordan Morris could be decisive. Advertisement Most read in GAA Football Although they are not the finished article, Meath's improvements have been encouraging. And facing Kerry with four points from a possible four would be a great position to find themselves in. Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview - What Cork will conjure up today at Páirc Uí Chaoimh is anyone's guess as they are capable of raising their game when the old enemy comes to town. In Meath and Cork, the struggle for consistency continues. Advertisement That is what separates the top sides from the chasing pack
The Irish Sun
25-04-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Major blow for Jack O'Connor as Kerry GAA star ‘who has overtaken David Clifford' in danger of missing Clare clash
KERRY look set to be without Paudie Clifford for the Munster final against Clare after failing to overturn the red card he picked up against Cork. The Fossa man was dismissed for a high tackle on Matty Taylor in the 2 Jack O'Connor's Kerry will face Clare in the Munster football semi-finals Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile 2 Paudie Clifford will miss the game after being shown a red card against Cork Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile The decision was appealed, but the GAA's Central Hearings Committee has upheld referee Barry Tiernan's original call. Clifford was charged with a breach of Rule 7.2 (b), Category III, T.O. 2025, that is, 'Behaving in any way which is dangerous to an opponent'. A hearing took place on April 24, with the CHC finding that the infraction had been proven. As a result, he has been slapped with a one match suspension, which will mean missing the Munster final against Clare on Sunday, May 4. Read More on GAA He has the option of further appealing the CHC's decision. Clifford has been Kerry's talisman as they look to regain the All-Ireland that they last won in 2023. He was Player of the Match as the He kicked 0-4 on the day and made the Kerry attack tick, while brother David helped himself to 0-8. Most read in GAA Football The 26-year-old has been the crown jewel since his senior breakthrough, and has helped them to five Munster titles and an All-Ireland since his 2018 debut. Alongside that has been individual brilliance the measure of which being five All-Stars. RTE pundit Peter Canavan angers fans after leaving notable county out of his 'big four' All-Ireland contenders Brother Paudie, meanwhile, is a three-time All-Star while also having a Celtic Cross and three provincial titles to his name. And speaking on He said: "In terms of their key player at the minute, I think he has overtaken David as the most valuable player to this Kerry team. "Against Tyrone, he got over 50 possessions, today he got well over 40, and the majority of them were constructive." Former Dublin star Paul Flynn, meanwhile, believes the Fossa man has reached a level akin to playing a different sport altogether. He reasoned: "At times, it is like he is playing a different game. "They always say the guys that can create space are the ones to look out for. He literally can create space when he is getting manmarked. "Enda Hession was trying his best to shut him down today but he just couldn't. "It doesn't matter if you are right on top of him, he will create a pocket of space. "He is soloing the ball with his head up so he can already look to see where the danger is. "It is not always a 55-metre kick pass, it is those little hand passes that are even as dangerous for a backdoor cut. "He was phenomenal today. He was the one positive from that game."
