Latest news with #KatiePower
Irish Examiner
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
'I thought we were goosed' - Kelly admits Tipp enjoyed slice of fortune
All-Ireland camogie quarter-final: Tipperary 1-22 Kilkenny 0-19 AET Six points was the winning margin at the final whistle, just as it had been when Tipperary beat Kilkenny by 0-17 to 1-8 back in March in the league. But there wasn't a soul in Croke Park who felt that there was anything more than a whisker between the sides in yesterday's Glen Dimplex All-Ireland senior quarter-final. After 80 minutes, the game had been decided by the two moments where the ball hit the net – Clodagh McIntyre's stunning strike just before half-time in extra-time, and Caoimhe Keher Murtagh's one-handed sweep that wasn't allowed, as it came just after referee Ray Kelly blew his whistle for a foul on the Kilkenny sub, and a penalty. Laura Leenane saved Aoife Prendergast's penalty, and Tipp never looked back. 'I'll definitely be sending Ray a Christmas card for that one!' quipped Tipperary manager Denis Kelly afterwards, praising Leenane for her immense contribution since taking over the number one jersey this year. 'Look, they fall for you at times. I thought we were possibly goosed if that went in. 'Laura's been a huge find. We lost Nicole Walsh (who retired) so we needed someone to fill the boots and she's definitely done that. That was a huge save, as was Mairéad's,' he added, referring to Mairéad Eviston's block on a Keher Murtagh goal effort midway through the first half. 'All these things add up at the end of it, it's another game of inches.' It was a game of inches because of how Kilkenny put the shackles on a freescoring Tipp attack, holding the Premier County to 0-16 in the hour. Much of this was down to Tommy Shefflin deploying Maria Brennan as an extra defender, with Katie Power and Laura Murphy doing the work of three players to compensate at the other end. 'We brought Maria back as sweeper and just encouraged them to use the ball,' Shefflin said. 'When you're playing with five forwards you have to have good ball going in and in fairness to Katie Power, she got three wonderful scores in the first half when she was outnumbered. 'It's not a traditional thing for Kilkenny to play with a sweeper so we went against the curve with that. But we didn't want to come up here and leave ourselves wide open, maybe going a goal or two down after five or ten minutes. We wanted to stay in the match as long as we could to take belief from that, then to push up and attack the game with a few minutes to go to try and win it.' On paper, it's another quarter-final exit for Kilkenny but the mood in the Marble County will be very different to that on this day 12 months ago, when they were knocked out by Dublin in this fixture. 'We asked them for one thing – to give us something on the line that we can jump up and down, encourage each other, and to give the crowd something as well,' said Shefflin. 'The hooks, the blocks, the turnovers, at half-time we had 29 turnovers so that tells its own story. We couldn't have asked for any more." Kelly acknowledged that Kilkenny's set-up caused them some headaches, and noted that it was only after they were able to make adjustments at half-time that they found their feet. 'They were clever about it, to be fair. We were putting up big scores, they're a young team, they've a few experienced women but there's a lot of young players there. So I suppose they decided to put the sweeper there. 'At half time, we restructured that and we just decided to switch sides and get people into space a little bit more, pushing Karen (Kennedy) to centre-forward. While she wasn't having as much possessions as she normally has, she really drew them in around her." As for Jean Kelly, the Éire Óg Annacarty player was crucial to the win with three points after being introduced as a sub. 'Jean is so good off the bench. She's a little wizard there, she comes in and she gets her scores and she's zipping around. She gives us such impact off the bench.' Scorers for Tipperary: G O'Brien 0-9 (8fs); C McIntyre 1-0; C McCarthy, C Hennessy 0-2, J Kelly 0-3 each; M Burke, R Howard, C Maher, C Hennessy 0-1 each. Scorers for Kilkenny: A Prendergast 0-7 (4fs); L Murphy 0-5; K Power 0-4; L Greene 0-2; S Barcoe 0-1. TIPPERARY: L Leenane; M Eviston, K Blair, E Loughman; N Costigan, C McCarthy, S Corcoran; K Kennedy, C Maher; R Howard, M Burke, E Heffernan; C McIntyre, C Hennessy, G O'Brien. Subs: J Bourke for Costigan (23); J Kelly for Burke (46); L Purcell for McIntyre (48); N Cunneen for Howard (60+2); McIntyre for Purcell (full-time); Howard for Heffernan (79); E Cunneen for Hennessy (80). KILKENNY: A Norris; M Teehan, T Fitzgerald, D Quigley; K Doyle, N Deely, C Dowling; A O'Gorman, L Greene; S Fitzgerald, L Murphy, M O'Connell; A Prendergast, K Power, M Brennan. Subs: C Keher Murtagh for O'Connell (half-time); S Barcoe for O'Gorman (50); S Holden for Doyle (58); K Nolan for Brennan (67); S O'Dwyer for Power (74). Referee: Ray Kelly (Kildare).
ABC News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Is World Test Championship cricket's pinnacle?
Samantha Donovan: The Australian men's cricket team is taking to field at Lord's in London this evening for what could be the final day of the World Test Championship against South Africa. The Aussies are just in front but either side could win. The concept of a World Championship for Test cricket is relatively new and this is just the third time a final has been held. Commentators though say it's still too early to tell if the new format has been successful in revitalising the oldest form of the game. Luke Radford prepared this report. Luke Radford: It's patience, it's tactics, it's endurance, it's skill, it's poetry, it's Test cricket. Cricket Commentary: He's pitched up and he's bowled it all over the place right through bales go flying and Pat Cummins has got the wicket. Luke Radford: In London with the final of the World Test Championship on a knife's edge, Australian Katie Power is getting ready to head to Lord's for day three. Katie Power: It is being played at Lord's which is like Melbourne Cricket Club MCC is like the birthing place of cricket. Such a beautiful game with like such nuance in it as well. Luke Radford: But while it's considered the pinnacle of the sport, Test cricket is in decline around the world. Grounds are dwindling and shorter versions of the game like 2020 are taking over. Malcolm Conn is a former cricket writer for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian. Malcolm Conn: The reality is that the biggest competition in the world by the length of the straight is the IPL because all the best players play in the IPL. That generates enormous amounts of money in terms of television rights. Luke Radford: The IPL or Indian Premier League is a 2020 competition that pays the world's best players huge amounts of money. It's so big that some countries send teams full of reserve players to play Test matches so their biggest stars can play 2020 cricket. But cricket's governing body, the ICC, didn't want Test matches to die and out of concern was born the World Test Championship. This is just the third time a final has been held and it's between Australia and South Africa. Luke Radford: The way works is that the nine best countries in the world all play six Test matches. Three at home, three away. The top two then play the final at a neutral ground. Malcolm Conn says while it sounds like a great concept on paper, it has issues. Malcolm Conn: The main one which benefited South Africa was that they didn't play any of the big three, I suppose you would say, in Australia, India or England on their way through to the Test Championship. Luke Radford: The bigger problem is that despite its lofty title, players and fans alike think when it comes to Test cricket, being world champion doesn't actually mean you're the best in the world. Malcolm Conn says it's different for every country. Malcolm Conn: I think the pinnacle for Australian cricket would be actually to beat India in India because it's such a difficult thing to do. Australia's only won one Test series there since 1969. So if you're an Australian cricketer, you would love that. Luke Radford: Despite these issues, this year's World Test Championship final has been a classic so far. And if South Africa can win, it'll be a huge moment for a country that's struggled on the cricket stage for more than a decade. So is the concept worth sticking with? Malcolm Conn says it's too early to know. Malcolm Conn: I think the jury's still out. I think that while it has given Test cricket some publicity, I think that it's a little bit of a token gesture when you really do have to try and get the fabulously wealthy India and well-off countries like Australia and England and then the rest of the Test playing nations can hardly afford to play Test cricket. Samantha Donovan: That report from Luke Radford.
Irish Times
27-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Summer brings different vibes for Waterford and Tyrone
'This year,' Denis Walsh reminds us, 'the group stages of the hurling championship started before the end of Lent and finished before Gary Lineker'. For those, like Waterford, who didn't make it through, it's brutal . Their manager Peter Queally 'had conversations with players who couldn't face a winter of training and meaningless league matches, only for their year to be over in the last month of spring'. He's pining for a format change that would at least send their season in to summer. Tyrone's footballers are heading for summer with a pep in their step after beating Donegal in Ballybofey last Saturday, Conor McManus reckoning that, once again, you could see the impact of the new rules . And after turning out for his club side, he got 'a bit of hands-on experience' with them himself. Next up for Tyrone is Mayo in Omagh on Saturday, but the latter, reports Seán Moran, will be without Kevin McStay at the helm after he stepped back from his managerial role due to 'some personal health issues'. In camogie, Gordon Manning talks to Katie Power about the two-week protest against skorts that, for the Kilkenny captain, 'felt like two months'. She and her Dublin counterpart Aisling Maher 'emerged as the embodiment of the campaign' after they were photographed wearing shorts prior to their Leinster semi-final. READ MORE In rugby, we have, writes Gerry Thornley, arrived at 'the era of the French' , Bordeaux Bègles' Champions Cup triumph the fifth in a row for a country this is now 'the heartbeat' of the European game. Who can challenge them? Leinster, with their financial might, 'remain the most viable contender by a distance'. Gerry also hears from Leinster old-boy Ross Molony who collected a Challenge Cup winner's medal after Bath's victory over Lyon. 'It's done wonders for my career,' he says of his move to the English club. His old chums face Scarlets in the quarter-finals of the URC on Saturday, but John O'Sullivan brings news that they will do so without the injured Tadhg Furlong and Robbie Henshaw . Jordan Larmour is, though, closing in on a return. And in his Whistleblower column, Owen Doyle is not impressed by news from World Rugby that the 20-minute red card , long in place in southern hemisphere rugby, will now be trialled globally - including during this summer's Lions tour. In football, we hear from the-soon-to-retire Louise Quinn and new recruit Erin Healy in the build-up to Ireland's Nations League meetings with Turkey and Slovenia, and in athletics, Ian O'Riordan talks to Sarah Healy about her improving her 3,000m best by almost four seconds at the Diamond League in Morocco. In his Different Strokes column, Philip Reid rounds up the golf news, including a frustrated Pádraig Harrington's reflections on tying for second at the US Senior PGA Championship, having led by two strokes in the final round. And in racing, Brian O'Connor has word on Ted Walsh's successful appeal against a €3,000 fine imposed on him under 'Non-Trier' rules earlier this month. The alleged non-trying horse, Ta Na La, remains banned for 60 days, though. TV Watch: There's more coverage from the French tennis Open through the day on TNT Sports (from 10am), and TNT Sports 3 has the 16th stage of cycling's Giro d'Italia, Mexico's Isaac del Toro leading the overall standings.
Extra.ie
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Katie Power: 'It was great to have done it … but those two weeks were tough going'
Katie Power never intended to become one of the faces of a national campaign. When she lined up for the toss as Kilkenny captain alongside Dublin's Aisling Maher for the Leinster camogie semifinal, she never imagined that image with the match referee would become iconic in terms of the whole shorts and skorts controversy. Ordered back to the dressing room to change so that the match could proceed under the existing rules governing playing attire, that was the image that quickly went viral. Speaking at the official launch of the 2025 Glen Dimplex All-Ireland camogie championships at Croke Park, only a matter of days after delegates to Special Congress voted 98 per cent in favour of allowing players a choice, Power admits to being 'overwhelmed' by it all. Kilkenny captain Katie Power. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile How the whole episode was 'tough mentally' and 'very draining'. But how the legacy of that stance has been a powerful and positive one. She ended up being the target of podcasters, social media influencers – you name it. All are looking for a piece of her and to talk through the impact of the protest action that day, which snowballed into a national and even international debate. How had she found the last few weeks? 'I found them tough going. I didn't expect what happened to happen – we were just making the protest to voice our opinions. I definitely wasn't aware of what was going to come. 'The two weeks after that were tough mentally, very draining. The phone was just absolutely blowing up, but for the better. 'I'm happy that we decided to do it. Obviously, what came in the aftermath was huge, but it's done with now. Kilkenny captain Katie Power. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile 'It was great to have done it, for the future of camogie and the younger girls, it's great. But those two weeks felt like two months.' Right in that moment of the matchday protest, she didn't know if the backlash would be negative rather than an overwhelming tide of support for player choice. The picture of a male referee, Ray Kelly, instructing two female captains on playing gear carried a power all of its own. 'I was probably away with the birds a small bit. It was only after the match that it kind of dawned on me that I was obviously in for the toss, and that was what was going to go out, that picture. It just didn't dawn on me until after that. 'Aisling is obviously a rep with the GPA [Gaelic Players Association]. She was there, obviously in for the toss and she kind of understood what was going to happen more than myself maybe. I think we did it for the right reasons.' Pic: © INPHO/Tom Maher The campaign for immediate change led on to the Munster final being postponed when Cork and Waterford declared their intention to wear shorts, and culminated in the Camogie Association quickly calling a Special Congress to vote on the issue of players being allowed a choice. Power didn't hear the news until the next morning. As a personal trainer, she had a 5 am start, so she was tucked up in bed for the verdict. 'I was working early, up at five o'clock so I said, 'here, I'm not going to be able to change this now', and I woke up, checked the phone.' She was confident it would be passed, especially after the example of Kilkenny, where players had been mandated through their clubs, and the support for change was obvious. 'There was too much about it for it not to go through. 'In Kilkenny anyway, the surveys went out through all the clubs, and if it was the same in every other county, there was only going to be one decision.' Were there any messages from people she didn't expect? 'Oh, a huge amount. Famous people, famous influencers, podcasters. I was trying to work, and they'd be looking to talk, and I just didn't have time for that. 'I did not see that coming at all and it was great because it did give it a huge exposure. I suppose that's probably what gave it that extra push for it to just get passed and to bring the Special Congress forward as well.' Power is asked if she thinks there's a way of turning all the publicity of the last few weeks into a positive for the game. 'Oh, I think the whole thing can be turned into a positive,' she says. 'People that have never really taken notice of camogie have taken notice. The amount of messages that we got from mothers of young girls that play camogie. Or teachers in schools that teach girls, bring them to camogie games or the blitzes. 'So that's another positive, that they now have the choice.'
Irish Examiner
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Camogie chief hopes skort drama helps fill Croker
Kilkenny captain Katie Power has revealed she was 'overwhelmed' by the scale of the skorts versus shorts controversy, describing the last few weeks as 'tough'. Experienced Power, in her 18th season as a Kilkenny senior, took a lead role in the initial protest action taken by the Kilkenny and Dublin squads prior to the Leinster semi-final earlier this month. Power and Dublin counterpart Ashling Maher were memorably pictured before throw-in wearing shorts, instead of the mandated skorts, though the game only went ahead when all of the players changed into skorts. Similar protests followed around the country, prompting a historic Special Congress vote last week to allow players the choice between skorts and shorts. Power was speaking at the launch of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland camogie championships where the majority of players were photographed in their county strips, wearing shorts. "I won't tell you a lie, I found those weeks tough going," said Power. "I was overwhelmed with everything that came with it and it was something that maybe I wasn't expecting. I 100 percent didn't expect what happened to happen. We were just making the protest, to voice our opinions. "I definitely wasn't aware of what was going to come and the two weeks after that were tough, mentally, as in very draining. We didn't know what was going to happen, were we going to have matches or not? "The phone was just absolutely blowing up but for the better. I'm happy that we decided to do it. But obviously what came in the aftermath was huge. It's done with now and, looking back, it was great to have done it, great for the future of Camogie and the younger girls. But yeah, for those two weeks it was tough going, they felt like two months." The skorts versus shorts debate became an international story with The Guardian and The New York Times among outlets to carry the story. Power said she received a 'huge amount' of messages as well as opportunities to speak to various outlets about the issue. "Real famous people, famous influencers, podcasters," explained the personal trainer. "I was trying to work and they'd be looking to talk to you and I just didn't have time for that. But fair play, as in it was people taking a genuine interest. It was something I didn't see coming at all and it was great because it did give it a huge exposure and I suppose that's probably what gave it that extra push to bring the Special Congress forward and to get it passed." Power, 33, first played as a senior with Kilkenny when she was 15. "You see pictures and you wonder, how did I actually play in them?" she said of previous skorts. Cork captain Meabh Cahalane attended the launch and said the back-to-back All-Ireland winners 'felt a responsibility' to step up during the protest period. Cork and Waterford's scheduled Munster final fixture earlier this month was postponed after players signalled their intention to wear shorts. "If looking for a choice was something that girls wanted, we just felt we should speak up and speak on their behalf," said Cahalane. "It was obviously hugely disappointing that the Munster final did get cancelled because we had prepared for that really well." Both Kilkenny and Cork got their All-Ireland campaigns underway last weekend. Kilkenny defeated Derry by 3-26 to 0-9 while Cork were also at their ease when firing 6-25 beyond a stunned Limerick. Cork will take on Tipperary in Round 2 at The Ragg this Saturday. Armagh's Nicola Woods also attended the Championship launch and wore a skort at the event. "Personally, I prefer shorts myself even though I'm wearing a skort here today," said Woods. "I think everybody was just hoping to have the option, to have the choice to do what they prefer." Camogie President Brian Molloy acknowledged a 'challenging couple of weeks' for players and said he hopes the increased focus on camogie will translate into larger crowds. "I want all those people to keep their attention on camogie over the next number of weeks and months so that on August 10 (All-Ireland finals) we can fill the whole of Croke Park, we've never done it before," said Molloy.
