Marty takes Thurles temperature
RTÉ television set the scene for the Munster final, first with a Godfather-inspired montage and then analysis with Liam Sheedy and Donal Óg. Then, the veritable banter overload began as Marty Morrissey took to the streets and, surrounded by supporters, took the temperature.
“Are you quietly confident or fully confident?” Marty asked a Limerick fan.
“Reasonably fully confident Marty,” he replied.
Next up in the group vox pop was former player Tommy Guilfoyle.
Seán Moran: FRC proposals deserve to be trialled but referees also need enhanced support
Busy Saturday at Croke Park brings climax to seismic Leinster club hurling championship
Mayo’s Pádraig O’Hora expected to join Cillian O’Connor in departing senior football panel
Dublin are now facing the hardest trick to pull off in sport: succession planning
“I like the overconfidence of the Limerick supporters,” reckoned Tommy.
“They say they are the reigning Munster champions, in Clare we say they have been because we’re going to do it today.”
Another lady was canvassed. Her reaction? “Hopefully Clare, hopefully, hopefully, hopefully . . .”
Cut to pitch side and former stars Niall Moran and Podge Collins joined RTÉ’s Damian Lawlor.
“I think the Cratloe boys were even voting in the Limerick mayoral election the last couple of days!” Moran proffered as an opening salvo. “Podge is confident, he has the going-out shirt on!”
Leinster minor woes continue
With both Leinster finalists beaten in the All-Ireland minor football quarter-finals (champions Longford fell to Armagh and Dublin lost to Derry), the province’s poor run in the competition continued.
The province has only produced the All-Ireland minor champions three times since 1998 (Laois in 2003, Dublin in 2012 and Meath in 2021).
Even more worryingly, since 2004, Leinster have only been represented in the All-Ireland MFC final on three occasions; to put that in context, Leinster were represented in 13 of the previous 20 finals before that.
For the uninitiated, the eight provincial minor finalists advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, with champions meeting runners-up. Over the last 20 years, Leinster lag well behind in the last-eight stakes.
Ulster have had 21 teams make the All-Ireland semis, Connacht and Munster 21 each and Leinster 16.
Healy helps Wicklow progress
“And look who it is . . . it’s that flippin’ Dean Healy again,” was a line attributed to the Shannonside radio station commentator in a match report by journalist Brendan Lawrence on Wicklow’s impressive win over Leitrim.
Healy’s performance was worthy of note. The former captain kicked 0-4 from play from midfield for Oisin McConville’s men, who stormed into the Tailteann quarter-finals.
St Patrick’s clubman Healy – who has won four club SFC medals, including as captain – made his debut under Mick O’Dwyer in a Division 4 match against Kilkenny in March, 2011, which is about as “off Broadway” as it gets.
In April, he scored 1-2 and was man of the match as Wicklow dumped Westmeath out of the Leinster championship.
New York’s costly miss
“New York have just produced the worst goal miss I think I’ve ever seen in Gaelic games,” tweeted Eamonn McGee.
Harsh? Check out the clip for yourself on social media. Still, the future looks bright for New York.
“Five of the starting 15 were New York-born and I’d say there were another four or five on the bench so it just goes to show what the youth set-up is doing,” commented attacker Tiarnan Mathers.
In words
Kerry minors obliterate Roscommon to set up All-Ireland semi-final against Derry – The Kerryman newspaper doesn’t hold back in their headlines!
In numbers
4/15 – Championship matches Tipperary footballers have won since claiming the Munster SFC title in 2020. Three of the wins (and one defeat) have come against Waterford.
