Latest news with #Rathmore
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Kerry welcomed home by a sea of green and gold as Jack O'Connor backed for President
Rathmore Railway Station in Kerry was not the final destination for the newly-crowned All-Ireland champions on Monday. However, in keeping with tradition, the Kerry footballers stopped off there. Fog horns blasted and roars of approval sounded as it was announced that the team's train was pulling into the station. The first two people on the platformwere local heroes – Kerry goalkeeper Shane Ryan and wing back Paul Murphy. Deafening cheers rang out and a sea of green and gold flags were raised as the team and management – wearing biscuit-coloured polo shirts – lined out for the crowd. READ MORE 'We are tired and a bit shook after the night but you have lifted our spirits,' manager Jack O'Connor told the crowd of several hundred who assembled from east Kerry and Sliabh Luachra. Kerry fans welcome the team home to Tralee. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho A Kerry fan dressed in the county colours for the team's homecoming. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Paul Geaney, Paudie Clifford, Joe O'Connor, Dylan Casey and Shane Ryan with the Sam Maguire Cup at the team's homecoming. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho The Rathmore contribution to Kerry football 'goes back a long way', O'Connor said. He recalledpast victories with Declan O'Keeffe on the team of 2000, as well as Tom O'Sullivan and Aidan O'Mahony in the great Kerry team of the 2000s. 'This club has made a massive contribution to Kerry football and long may it continue,' he said. Goalkeeper Ryan said both he and Murphy were indebted to everyone who had supported them in Rathmore. It brought great joy to see all the young people and plenty of goalkeeper jerseys, he said, referring to the children in attendance. Murphy recalled how, as a young boy, hewelcomed O'Sullivan and O'Mahony home 19 years ago. He then spoke of his belief that some of the children present for the team of 2025 would star for Kerry in the future. Football expertise is nurtured young in Kerry, as Patrick McDonnell from Rathmore shows. He may only be seven and in first class, but his football knowledge is already very impressive. Not only can he name the entire Kerry team by name, he correctly predicted Gavin White as man of the match. Patrick was also able to name all the Donegal players from Sunday's final. . Rathmore's claim to fame is about more than producing great footballers. Last Saturday night, the club's bingo machine correctly predicted the 10-point winning margin for the Kingdom. There was a busy trade in '25 KY Sam' number plates. At €5 each , the county board-produced plates were for a good cause. The funds are going towards the Kerry team holiday, as was announced by MC and chair of Rathmore GAA, Kieran O'Keeffe. He thanked Irish Rail for continuing with the customary Rathmore stop on the victors' way through Kerry. The team received a massive cheer as the train pulled away following the 20-minute stop-off. The rain started on the way to Tralee but it didn't dampen anyone's spirits. Young Kerry fans out in force for the team's return home. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Kerry fans celebrate as the team returns to Tralee. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Led by a garda car, the Kerry players – now soaked to the skin – was paraded on an open-top bus through Tralee, as per tradition. Thousands of people came out to welcome them. Supporters gathered along Castle Street and packed out Denny Street all the way to the Ashe Memorial Hall. There, the players were introduced one by one to huge cheers. Waiting in Tralee to welcome home Sam Maguire was Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley. Mayor of Tralee, Terry O'Brien, was also in attendance to celebrate the newly-crowned champions. 'Jack is going for President of Ireland – and we'd be in safe hands,' said O'Brien of the Kerry manager. His remark was greeted with warm approval from the crowd. A special roar of welcome was reserved for local Austin Stacks hero Joe O'Connor. Meanwhile, in Killarney, home of the Clifford brothers, David and Paudie, and team captain Gavin White, one of the town's big car parks was cordoned off. The team made their way by open-top bus from Fitzgerald Stadium to the Glebe where huge crowds gathered.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Kerry player ratings: The Clifford brothers star as Kingdom lift Sam Maguire
1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore) Had some wobbles in the second half, unlucky to slip before his long-range free effort, but kept enough variety and accuracy in his kickouts to ensure Kerry won enough of the midfield battle. Rating: 7 2. Paul Murphy (Rathmore) Proved himself Kerry's Mr Dependable once again, helping to restrict Oisin Gallen to just two points. Not far off his man-of-the-match display against Donegal in 2014, ferocious in his tackling as always, excellent reading of play. Rating: 8 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue) Stood up admirably against Michael Murphy, ensuring zero goal threat throughout. Brought his usual pace and energy to the position, never losing sight of his task at hand, fighting hard for every ball. Rating: 8 Donegal's Michael Murphy tackled by Jason Foley of Kerry. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho 4. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks) Completed the full-back line of resistance with his ceaseless commitment, even if Conor O'Donnell caused him trouble at times. Displayed great energy and courage throughout, utterly committed to every ball. Rating: 7 READ MORE 5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht) Once again brought his unlimited reserves of football ability, attacking with sheer intent with every chance he got. Sent one shot wide, but that just reflected his attacking mood. Helped keep the Donegal half backs quiet. Rating: 8 6. Mike Breen (Beaufort) Went about his business with all his trademark focus and sharpness, central to Kerry's running game, in both attack and retreat. Ran himself into the ground too, gave it his absolute all. Rating: 8 7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes) Played his captain's role to the glorious limit, leading from the start and playing wonderful football throughout. Finished with three points from play, a performance almost entirely without fault. Rating: 9 Donegal's Finnbarr Roarty and Gavin White of Kerry. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho 8. Seán O'Brien (Beaufort) Capped off his remarkable season in style, scoring two first half points in his first All-Ireland final debut, Battled hard for every kick out, superb particularly under the high ball. Rating: 7 9. Mark O'Shea (Dr Crokes) Brought all his club form to the county table when needed, once Diarmuid O'Connor was injured, and stuck to his job with now trademark coolness and courage, in his senior debut season. Rating: 8 10. Joe O'Connor (Austin Stacks) Rose to the challenge here with all his style and substance, repeatedly orchestrating and inspiring the Kerry attacks, and showing brilliant skill in possession. His blazing goal at the death, majestically finished, was utterly deserved. Rating: 9 Kerry's Joe O'Connor celebrates scoring a goal. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho 11. Seán O'Shea (Kenmare Shamrocks) Kerry needed another big game from him and he didn't disappoint, twice scoring two-point frees when Kerry needed them, his role in setting up scores equally critical. Donegal couldn't contain him. Rating: 8 12. Graham O'Sullivan (Dromid Pearses) A big influence around the middle third throughout, tracking back when needed, but also playing a central role going forward. Tactically outplayed the Donegal half backs too, cool and committed. Rating: 7 13. David Clifford (Fossa) Wow. Under all the pressure any All-Ireland final could bring, Clifford calmly did what he does best, his three two-pointers in the first half spreading confidence throughout the team. Finished with 0-9, adding to his 8-53 already scored in this championship. Rating: 9 Kerry's David Clifford. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho 14. Paudie Clifford (Fossa) Saved the best game of his season until last, running ceaselessly, scoring three points from play, winning frees when Kerry needed them. Plenty of sibling intuition with David too, a joy to watch. Rating: 9 15. Dylan Geaney (Dingle) Took on the game with aggression from the start, finishing with three points from play, always dangerous when running at goal, even if a little off target with one of his first efforts. Rating: 8 Substitutes: None of them were required to make anything like a match-turning impact, but Diarmuid O'Connor helped bring some added energy to midfield, Evan Looney also getting on some ball in his debut season. Tadhg Morley had the honour of setting up the icing on the cake, Joe O'Connor's late goal. Rating: 7 Management An eighth All-Ireland final for Jack O'Connor, this time flanked by Aodán Mac Gearailt, James Costello, Cian O'Neill, O'Connor steps away after one of his finest, his fifth win. After an emotionally draining season, the team were in absolute peak condition, dominant winners over a highly rated Donegal team. Rating: 9
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Darragh Ó Sé on the Kerry team: Profiling the 15 men bidding to win the Kingdom's 39th Sam Maguire
1. Shane Ryan Age : 29 Club : Rathmore Debut : 2019 v Cork Struggled in the early part of the season with the new rules, especially around the kickout. But he has been transformed as the championship heated up. Brilliant against Armagh , very good against Tyrone . Revelling in the new rules now. READ MORE 2. Paul Murphy Age : 33 Club : Rathmore Debut : 2014 v Clare Kerry's Mr Dependable. Found the going a little tough early on against Tyrone but grew into the game. Won't be frightened of a final as he was man of the match against Donegal in 2014. 3. Jason Foley Kerry's Jason Foley blocks down a shot from Eoin McElholm of Tyrone during the All-Ireland SFC semi-final. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Age : 29 Club : Ballydonoghue Debut : 2018 v Clare Probably Kerry's most under-rated defender. Gets all the tougher jobs because he's fast enough to stay with any forward. The last couple of games against Tyrone and Armagh have been among his best in a Kerry jersey. 4. Dylan Casey Age: 24 Club: Austin Stacks Debut: 2022 v Limerick One of the newer players and still has to convince everyone he's up to it. There's a sense of people waiting for him to be caught out but he hasn't been yet. That ability to prove people wrong is very admirable in my estimation. 5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich Age: 29 Club: An Ghaeltacht Debut: 2016 v Clare Last year was his best in a Kerry jersey and he's raised it even further this year. Brings a raw aggression and puts opposition teams on the back foot. Attacks with purpose from wing back and well able to pop a point. 6. Mike Breen Age: 27 Club: Beaufort Debut: 2021 v Clare Another guy who might feel like he is on probation with some of the supporters. Solid on the ball, rarely makes a mistake but probably still not fully proven. Excellent against Tyrone and a very smart footballer. 7. Gavin White Gavin White's performances have been consistently high-calibre. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Age: 28 Club: Dr Crokes Debut: 2018 v Clare Playing a captain's role. Has been one of Kerry's best players in Croke Park this year, capping off a brilliant season. Even when Kerry haven't played well this year, he has hardly made a mistake. 8. Seán O'Brien Age: 23 Club: Beaufort Debut: 2024 v Cork Dropped in at the deep end out of necessity because of Kerry's injuries but found his feet and hasn't looked out of place. Similar to Mark O'Shea, he fills in around the middle, fights for kickouts and doesn't try to do too much. 9. Mark O'Shea Age: 27 Club: Dr Crokes Debut: 2025 v Clare Does his job with no fuss and no extravagance. Came in against Cork and settled things down. Has taken his chance with Diarmuid O'Connor out. Brave, tough, knows his limitations. A great team player. 10. Joe O'Connor Age: 25 Club: Austin Stacks Debut: 2022 v Cork Outstanding for Kerry all year, even back as far as the league. Really stood up against Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh but reached new heights against Armagh and Tyrone too. O'Connor has caught fire this season and is one of the main inspirations behind Kerry's resurgence. 11. Seán O'Shea Kerry's Seán O'Shea is capable of reeling off several scores if Donegal fail to deal with him. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho Age: 27 Club: Kenmare Shamrocks Debut: 2018 v Clare Has had a super year. The highlight was the game against Armagh, where he shot the lights out and showed how dangerous he is if you back off him. Kicks left and right, hardly ever misses a free. Someone Donegal need more than one marker for. 12. Graham O'Sullivan Age: 27 Club: Dromid Pearses Debut: 2019 v Mayo Has spent the year being a bit of a square peg in a round hole at wing forward but you can see him growing into the role. Has an excellent attitude, gets in and wins breaks and forages for the ball in that middle third. Could probably back himself a bit more in front of the posts. 13. David Clifford Age: 26 Club: Fossa Debut: 2018 v Clare What can you say? He's judged on standards way above everybody else. Everyone can see his skill and talent but his attitude is superb as well. You can see he has taken to the new rules and is enjoying everybody knowing how dangerous he is. A player for the ages. 14. Paudie Clifford Paudie Clifford celebrates scoring a point against Tyrone in the All-Irleand semi-final. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Age: 27 Club: Fossa Debut: 2020 v Cork His injury came at a bad time and it was no coincidence that Kerry's form dipped so badly when he was away. If his brother is Kerry's most important player, he's a close enough second. So clever on the ball. 15. Dylan Geaney Age: 24 Club: Dingle Debut: 2024 v Meath Very smart player, very streetwise. Can be lethal in front of goal and would have been cross with himself for his miss against Tyrone. Has been around for a few years but settled into the team now. Substitutes Potentially, there's a lot of firepower on the Kerry bench. If Paul Geaney and Tom O'Sullivan are fit for the last 20 minutes, they're great additions. Killian Spillane and Tony Brosnan can be a bit hit-and-miss. Evan Looney has been very good in his first year. Management Jack O'Connor, Aodán Mac Gearailt, James Costello, Cian O'Neill. This is Jack's eighth final so there's going to be nothing that surprises him. He knows more than anybody that these chances are so rare and so valuable. By his own admission, this year has been tougher emotionally and mentally than any before. Needs to win this one.
Irish Examiner
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
In keeping with his status as No 1, Kerry's Shane Ryan owns the big moments
SLOWLY but absolutely, this group of Kerry footballers is unfurling itself and blossoming before our eyes. Gavin White as captain. Jason Foley pitch-side with RTE after the semi-final defeat of Tyrone. Joe O'Connor with a Donaghy whaddya-think-of-that moment. Arguably Shane Ryan is the most sure-handed of all, as comfortable getting into the thick of it over coffee as he is shielding his net and quarter-backing Kerry's possessions. A for-instance: are you comfortable wading into the weeds of Armagh's goal in the All-Ireland semi-final last year. Ryan's error for Barry McCambridge's goal was a pivotal moment in the Kingdom's demise. Some might go to the dark place the Cork hurlers presently occupy and not emerge for a while. Ryan? Not so much. Of course, there's every possibility the Rathmore giant is affecting nonchalance. He had to be disappointed and agitated, and it's suggested to him that his All-Star form this season is partly a consequence of that moment. Make your own mind up, but if Ryan's bluffing, don't sit down at the poker table with him. 'I probably didn't pay a massive amount of attention to it. Now, it was a huge moment and it was a huge factor in that game as well. But I suppose the nature of the club scene meant I was back in Rathmore within a week and I was playing outfield. So I had kind of parked it in my head because I was operating in a different position in the club. I suppose it wasn't really until I got back in with Kerry and maybe got a couple of sessions under the belt back in you just get your confidence back more than anything. "But I wouldn't say it was a massive factor (this season). The nature of the position, you are going to make mistakes, and the longer I've played at the top level, I've kind of tried to accept that they're just gonna happen. Obviously, you don't want them to happen, particularly in an All-Ireland stage, but they're going to. "And it's always a measure of a fella, how he reacts from mistakes rather than the mistakes themselves, and that's kind of how I try to perceive them. Because if you go out there fearing a mistake, you're never gonna express yourself. You're never gonna perform to your maximum. And that goes for all positions in the field, but when you're playing in goal, and you drop a high ball, 90% of the time it's in the back of the net or it's over the bar. If I'm playing full forward for Rathmore, and I drop a ball, no one gives it a second thought. So it's trying to compartmentalise those individual errors and just trying to react positively to them.' Convinced? Does it actually matter? However long it took Ryan to move on, something beyond the experience of another campaign has hooshed him to a higher plateau. 'I couldn't genuinely put my finger on any one thing," he shrugs. "You do have chats with your coach about the mental side of the game. I've been very fortunate to have two brilliant goalkeeper coaches involved with us over the last number of years. Brian Kelly's involved with us this year, and Brendan Kealy's spent six years with me. They've always been great sounding boards, Diarmuid Murphy before them. And I'd have to give great credit to (Kerry's back-up keeper) Shane Murphy as well. "Shane has been nothing but really positive for my game. And that's a difficult position for him to be in as well. We're both fighting for the same jersey, but he'd be giving me advice as much as I'd be giving him, and we both kinda look out for each other's best interest. And I think that's actually helped both of us in our performances. "It's probably helped Kerry as well in terms of two keepers on a pitch, competent in so many different areas. Just chasing improvement, to be better week-on-week in terms of looking at footage from a game, looking at footage from training, and just trying to tidy up the small areas without getting obsessive about it because, there are kickouts that come off, but if that ball is a quarter of a second later, the opposition get it. And sometimes you gotta cut your cloth and say, 'look, the opposition were on it today. Their press was good. They were able to get the breaking ball'. "Sometimes keepers get too much credit on kickout stats and get too much criticism on the other side of things when they don't go well. It's just trying to find a balance between areas I really want to go after, but not over analysing them and limiting myself when I do go out to play then, if that makes sense.' Ryan's ability to restart left and right is a given these days. He got away what may have been the most important restart of his Kerry career in the 2022 semi-final. But it's his shot-stopping and reflex saves that have further enhanced his No 1 credentials. If he's not ahead of Patton, Morgan, Beggan et al, he's line-ball with them. That 2022 restart to Briain Ó Beaglaoich? 'I've had a lot of them, to be honest. The pressure always seems to come on keepers late in the game. But if Seánie (O'Shea) didn't kick that free, would it have been as important? No. That's the bit. And I'm not sure really. I don't pay too much heed to that. But definitely in the last 10 minutes of games, it seems to become more important.' It's a lazy assumption that, because he operates outfield for Rathmore, that he is a latter-day convert at the behest of Jack O'Connor to keeper. Hardly true. He was a Kennedy Cup keeper for Kerry when he was 13, under the watchful coaching eye of Joby Costello. "I played soccer til 2013 and packed it in after that then. But I got a lot of the basics in terms of footwork, in terms of being vocal, in terms of being a presence in the box. Soccer would be well ahead of GAA in terms of goalkeeper coaching from the youth stage though the GAA is now getting better. In fact, definitely getting better. But I learned a lot of basics then that became second nature to me and perhaps (other) GAA goalkeepers didn't get that coaching. Like, it might have took them a bit longer to develop. And they are something that I still rely on, those basics. "I played in goal with the (Kerry) development squads up to 14, 15, 16. I played with Kerry under Mickey Ned in 2013 and then was minor under Jack the year after." Oh, but the changes this year. The pin-balling of options out the field, the reads that vanish like a fart in the wind. The pressure. 'I suppose it depends on the time in the game, depends on the score in the game, depends on players that are out there. So it's not a one size fits all in terms of kick-outs. There's times you may go to a set play. There's times when you're just trying to see, you're trying to get out quick. Are there pockets anywhere? "So it depends on what's presenting in front of you. You're kind of very reactive to what the opposition are presenting you and particularly what the scoreboard is saying as well because, you might be up three points. There might be three minutes left. You might just need hands on ball. So it depends what's presented in front of you.' He strokes his chin. 'It's been a huge change. And the first thing that comes to mind is that teams used to drop off your kick out, so maybe 30-40% of the time you were guaranteed possession. There is no team, dropping off a kick out, no team at any stage now. So that's the first thing. All your kick outs now there is some element of pressure on them. "Second thing then obviously, the arc has condensed the space. So your ability to break momentum in the game is a little bit more challenging now, because it's harder to get a guaranteed possession. And as always, a keeper is so reliant on what's outside him. He's only as good as the options that are given to him. Obviously, the keeper has to execute the kick, has to make the right decision on where the ball is going, but it's proving a challenge. "And I think every team in the country has struggled in different parts of the year, with their kick out. If I have my goalkeeper hat on, you're relinquishing control a bit more than you'd like, but with my GAA supporter hat on, as a supporter, it adds great excitement and a chaotic nature to the game, which as we can see, the fans are loving. And they're turning out in their droves to watch those games. "You're trying to take on information and make decisions as quick as it's coming in because the picture is constantly changing. I mean, a press is changing, bodies are moving, so you're trying to see, is he really on? Is there an opposition man there? Have we an overload somewhere? Have I got a mismatch one on one? You've probably half a second to make a decision because teams are so good now that if something pops up, it's closed in an instant."
The 42
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The 42
McDowell's biggest LIV regret - he will be the forgotten man at the Open in his hometown
ON THE EVE of the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, the media gathered around Graeme McDowell for a lengthy press conference and tapped him for insights to his hometown as if he were the local mayor. McDowell was asked about the town and its golf courses and the nearby sights to see; he was asked of how he helped bring the Open back to Royal Portrush and what that return said about post-Troubles Northern Ireland; he was even asked to explain George Best to Americans and give a view on the Orange parade planned by the local Sons of Ulster for the Saturday of the tournament. McDowell, in other words, was treated as both emblem of and spokesperson for a mega-event with a significance that transcended the merely sporting. Skip forward six years and the Open is back at Portrush but McDowell is not. And with Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke, and Pádraig Harrington sufficient to soak up the crowd's full spillage of adulation, McDowell's absence will hardly be noted. McDowell grew up in Portrush and was within the mandatory 30-mile radius to be eligible to join Rathmore, a cheaper, accessible club beside Royal Portrush which offered frequent access to next week's Open venue. Portrush introduced McDowell to golf and it uncovered inspiration too. McDowell, wowed by the amateur exploits of Ricky Elliott – now caddie to Brooks Koepka – followed him to an American college, from which McDowell emerged with a sharpened competitive edge and a twang to go with the lilt in his accent. But now golf's most historic championship is setting up in his home and McDowell is not invited. His absence is a fact so translucent he can hardly even be said to be a ghost at golf's great feast. Advertisement Crowds following McDowell during the 2019 Open. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The LIV Tour gifted McDowell an outlandish pension plan but every deal has its trade-offs, and he will stew upon them in his hometown exile next week. Now ranked at number 1,562 in the world, McDowell did try to play his way in to this year's Open, but finished three shots shy of a golden ticket in the incongruous surrounds of final qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports in Kent. Major champions are supposed to do their fretting and sweating and dreaming on a Sunday afternoon, not a Tuesday evening. McDowell's career was already listing six years ago – and it was only by major effort and resolve that he qualified for the 2019 Open at all, sealing his spot only a month in advance at the Canadian Open – so all trends and trajectories suggest that he wouldn't have qualified this time around even if he had ignored Saudi overtures and kept on battling for ranking points and his Tour card. But he might not have felt like such an irrelevance to next week all the same. For one thing, had McDowell not gone to LIV, he would almost certainly have been casting an eye over Portrush next week in some kind of Ryder Cup capacity, be it as outright captain or one of the phalanx of deputies. You'd also wonder how much more appealing he would have been to broadcasters like Sky or NBC had he not jumped ship. McDowell instead bartered away those opportunities for cash, and if ever these consequences will sting, it will be next week. He has been hurt by the hometown reaction to his defection in the past, asked during an interview at the JP McManus pro-am at Adare Manor three years to respond to a Belfast Telegraph front page in which Amnesty International rounded on his justifying Saudi foreign policy. 'I don't read The Belfast Telegraph,' replied McDowell without conviction. 'Don't even f***ing tell me what was on the front — is that a real paper? . . . No one reads it anyway, it's OK.' 'Listen, f**k, like some guy from Amnesty International, sent me the quotes, asked me to respond. How am I supposed to respond to Amnesty International? So yeah, not real happy with The Belfast Telegraph. For my family to read that shit. . . it's unfair.' This followed only a month after his car-crash press conference ahead of the very first LIV event, at which he got himself hopelessly tangled in trying to respond to questions about Saudi Arabia's human rights record, to the point he and his fellow players were memorably asked at which point would they draw the line. Would you play a tournament organised by Vladimir Putin? At the time, McDowell's public squirming felt the very least he deserved. With time, however, it's hard not to feel some pity for him. As one of the first defectors, McDowell was an early LIV mudguard, there to take the flak from the media's righteous early objections. But in professional sport, moral outrage has a very short half-life. Contrast McDowell's interrogation to the reaction with which Jon Rahm was met when he threw his lot in with the Saudis: McIlroy, for instance, quickly appeared on Sky Sports to argue the Ryder Cup eligibility rules had to be changed to allow for Rahm to play at Bethpage. Everywhere you look in pro golf at the moment, you see people retreating from the moral stance into which they tumbled three years ago. The PGA Tour, standing so staunchly against LIV with their 'legacy, not leverage' motto, met with the Saudis in secret not long after McDowell's move, in a bid to cook up a merger and an end to an expensive war. The R&A meanwhile obliquely said after 6 January in 2021 that they wouldn't be returning to Donald Trump's Turnberry as they feared the focus 'would not be on the championship', but are now receptive to talks to see the course host the 2028 Open, at least partly at the behest of a craven Downing Street. McDowell would be forgiven for feeling his error was not in joining LIV but in being among the first to do so, given his move came during a tiny blip in the history of professional golf in which everyone felt there were basic moral causes worth falling out over. That's not the case anymore, though McDowell continues to suffer the cold shoulder. McDowell's move to LIV has been undoubtedly lucrative, but it has been costly too; costs that will be visible next week only to Graeme McDowell.
