GAA football and hurling

[noelyf]

Eircom becomes GAA sponsor

Monday, 11 April 2011
Eircom has become a new sponsor of the GAA's All Ireland Football Championship.



The initial agreement, which commences with this year's competition, is for a three-year period with an option to extend.
Details of the deal were announced today at a function in Croke Park.



GAA president Christy Cooney believes the partnership is an endorsement of the power of the GAA brand and the value that sponsors put on the organisation.


'It is another major boost, not only to the GAA football championship but to the association as a whole, that we are entering into an exciting partnership with a company possessing a profile and pedigree such as Eircom's as the start of this year's competition comes into sharp focus,' Cooney said.



'Like us, Eircom reaches into communities all over Ireland and we are enthused about the prospect of working with our new partners in an imaginative and proactive way as part of our ongoing efforts to generate even more interest in our games.'


Mickey Harte, Colm Cooper, Ciaran Whelan, Donie Shine and Johnny Doyle will be involved in helping Eircom deliver its GAA strategy.



The impending marketing campaign is expected to focus heavily on how the company's technology can enrich the fans' enjoyment of the sport.

 

[hill16]

Cork 1-14 Dublin 1-15 :)

Cork's Pa Cronin and John McCaffrey of Dublin battle for possession


Paul Ryan played a major role in Dublin's qualification for their first Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final since 1946.

Corner forward Ryan notched up 1-08 to steer the Dubs through to next month's decider, following Galway's defeat to Waterford.

John Gardiner and Niall McCarthy helped Cork take a 0-09 to 0-08 half-time lead at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

And free-taker Ryan and Luke O'Farrell swapped second half goals, before David O'Callaghan and Ryan pointed Anthony Daly's men to victory.




NFL Final 24/04/2011 Croke Park

NHL Final 1/05/2011 Thurles
:dub::dub::dub:

 

[noelyf]

Dublin to meet Kilkenny at Croke Park

Croke Park final - Dublin and Kilkenny will clash in what promises to be a thrilling Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final




Monday, 18 April 2011


The Allianz Hurling Division 1 final between Dublin and Kilkenny has been confirmed for Croke Park.


The top-tier final will throw-in at 4.00pm on Sunday, 1 May and will be preceded by the Cadbury All-Ireland Under-21 Football final between Cavan and Galway, which will get underway at 2.00pm.


The Division 2 Allianz Hurling League final between Clare and Limerick will take place in Ennis at 7.00pm on Saturday, 30 April. Clare received home advantage after the Counties agreed to toss for the venue.



The Allianz Football League finals will take place in Croke Park this weekend.


Dublin play Cork in the Division 1 final, which will throw-in at 4.00pm, after the Division 2 clash between Laois and Donegal at 2.00pm.

 

[hill16]

Thanks Noel i thought it was planned for Thurles

 

[noelyf]

They switched it earlier hill. More money for the GAA ;)

Delighted its at Croker though :)

 

[hill16]

Six changes for Gilroy's Dublin

Dublin senior football manager Pat Gilroy has made six changes to his side to take on Cork in Sunday's Allianz Division One final.

Stephen Cluxton will start in goal for the Dubs, with Michael Fitzsimons replacing Nicky Devereux at the corner-back position.

In midfield Denis Bastick and Michael Macauley both start, with Paul Casey and Sean Murray both having to settle for a place on the bench, while Kevin McManamon and Tomás Quinn have been given the nod up front.

Bryan Cullen will skipper the side.

Dublin team to play Cork in the Allianz Division 1 football final at Croke Park on Sunday:

Stephen Cluxton, Michael Fitzsimons, Paul Brogan, Philly McMahon, Barry Cahill, Ger Brennan, Kevin Nolan, Denis Bastick, Michael Darragh Macauley, Paul Flynn, Kevin McManamon, Bryan Cullen, Tomás Quinn, Diarmuid Connolly, Bernard Brogan



O'Connor, Kelly and Sheehan in for Cork

Cork senior football manager Conor Counihan has named an experienced front line for Sunday's Allianz Division 1 football final with Dublin at Croke Park.

Donnacha O'Connor and Paddy Kelly replace Fiachra Lynch and the injured Paul Kerrigan in attack, as Counihan makes four changes from the side that beat Armagh two weeks ago.

Ciaran Sheehan has recovered sufficiently from an ankle injury he picked up on club duty and will also take his place up front.

Elsewhere, Jamie O' Sullivan replaces the suspended Eoin Cadogan at full back, while Nicholas Murphy comes in for Aidan Walsh in midfield.

Cork team to play Dublin the Allianz Division 1 football final at Croke Park on Sunday:

Ken O'Halloran; Ray Carey, Michael Shields, Jamie O'Sullivan; Noel O'Leary, John Miskella, Paudie Kissane; Alan O'Connor, Nicholas Murphy; Pearse O'Neill, Patrick Kelly, Fintan Gould; Daniel Goulding, Donncha O'Connor, Ciaran Sheehan.



COME ON YOU BOYS IN BLUE

 

[hill16]

Dublin 0-22 Kilkenny 1-07

Dublin won their first Allianz Hurling League title since 1939 with a superb display at Croke Park.

This was the breakthrough that the Anthony Daly era had been promising for some time, but the real test of Dublin's progress will be their ability to take this sort of form into their championship campaign.

For Kilkenny, these are worrying times. They looked just a shadow of the side that just a short time ago dominated the game, and managed just one point from play all afternoon.

True, they had to play more than half the game with 14 men, but were outplayed in every department by a hungry Dublin side.

Early scores from Ryan O'Dwyer and Paul Ryan were cancelled out by Eddie Brennan's tenth minute goal. TJ Reid sent in a long range free and, when Richie Hogan gathered and slipped the ball inside, Brennan was there to collect and fire to the net from close range.

Ryan regained the lead for the Dubs with a 16th minute free, and added a delightful point moments later.

Anthony Daly's side was growing in confidence, but, more crucially, applied a tireless work ethic to their title challenge.

With Niall Corcoran and Peter Kelly defending superbly, they pressed forward with conviction, and punished a hesitant Kilkenny defence with a string of classy points.

Ryan brought his tally to six, making it eight on the spin for the Metropolitans, and Kilkenny suffered a huge blow in the 25th minute when Eoin Larkin received a straight red card following a clash with Conor McCormack.

A long range free from Michael Rice ended a 21-minute scoreless spell for the Cats, but they could not break the stranglehold their opponents had established.

And there was a controversial end to the half, with McCormack racing through to blast to the net, only to discover that referee Michael Wadding had blown the half-time whistle seconds earlier.

Dublin led by 0-11 to 1-02 at the interval, and had to soak up a spell of pressure from the wind-assisted Cats, but they did so efficiently, with full back Tomas Brady standing firm and brave.

However, they suffered a blow on 42 minutes with the loss of centre back Joey Boland with a shoulder injury.

Nevertheless, Dublin continued to prosper, with McCormack, substitute Maurice O'Brien and Ryan O'Dwyer all splitting the posts, and Kilkenny restricted to a handful of converted frees off Reid's stick.

Liam Rushe forced a turnover of possession to epitomise the Dublin spirit, sending Keaney in for a point, and with 10 minutes to play, they led by six.

The much-anticipated Kilkenny backlash never materialised, and their challenge faded away as Dublin finished the job off in clinical fashion with a string of fabulous scores from subs David Treacy and Simon Lambert, skipper John McCaffrey, and a huge effort from Keaney. :happy::happy::happy::happy:

 

[noelyf]

UP THE DUBS!!!

 

[hill16]

Daly forced to make two changes

Dublin hurling manager Anthony Daly makes two injury-enforced changes to his side for Sunday's SHC opener.

Dublin will start with 13 of the team that started the NHL Division One final win over Kilkenny at the start of the month, but injured pair Tomas Brady and Joey Boland miss out on a return to Croke Park to face Offaly tomorrow afternoon.

Maurice O'Brien and Oisin Gough are drafted into defence in their place, while there are also a number of positional switches, including Peter Kelly going to full back and captain John McCaffrey moving to centre back.


Dublin - 2011 Leinster SHC v Offaly: Gary Maguire; Niall Corcoran, Peter Kelly, Oisin Gough; Maurice O'Brien, John McCaffrey, Shane Durkin; Liam Rushe, Alan McCrabbe; Conor McCormack, Ryan O'Dwyer, Conal Keaney; David O'Callaghan, Daire Plunkett, Paul Ryan. :dub::dub:

 

[hill16]

Dublin Team To Face Laois

Rory O'Carroll returns to the Dublin team for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Laois.

O'Carroll missed the entire league but will be in Pat Gilroy's starting XV at full back in Croke Park this weekend.

The Kilmacud Crokes man returned to Dublin at the start of last month after a teaching stint abroad.

In total, there are three changes from the team which started the NFL Division One final against Cork, Paul Brogan, Denis Bastick and Tomás Quinn making way for O'Carroll, James McCarthy and Alan Brogan.


Ballymun Kickhams youngster McCarthy makes his senior championship debut, having starred in last year's All-Ireland winning U21 run.

Brian Cullen captains the side.

Dublin (Leinster SFC V Laois):

Stephen Cluxton;
Philly McMahon,
Rory O'Carroll,
Mick Fitzsimons;
James McCarthy,
Ger Brennan,
Kevin Nolan;
Michael Darragh Macauley,
Barry Cahill,
Paul Flynn,
Kevin McManamon,
Bryan Cullen (captain);
Alan Brogan,
Diarmuid Connolly,
Bernard Brogan.

 

[hill16]

Dublin 1-16 Laois 0-11

Dublin will face Kildare in the Leinster SFC semi-finals after registering an eight-point win over Laois.

Laois stayed in contention mainly through the huge work-rate of their defence and goalkeeper Eoin Culliton, who pulled off five fine saves over the 70 minutes.

Dublin led by 1-07 to 0-05 at half-time, with Diarmuid Connolly netting a 22nd minute goal.

Laois cut the deficit to two points just after the restart, but Dublin, helped by man-of-the-match Alan Brogan, pulled away for a workmanlike victory.

41,786 spectators turned up at Croke Park for today's provincial double header, with the winners advancing to a June 26 semi-final.

Dublin started with the same team named in midweek, but for Laois free-taker MJ Tierney was ruled out through injury.

Tierney's former Ballyroan-Abbey club-mate Padraig McMahon was added to the reshuffled Laois line-up. He slotted into defence with Kevin Meaney moved to midfield, and captain Colm Begley pushing into the attack.

Dublin made the perfect start when their skipper Bryan Cullen pointed after just 25 seconds. Alan Brogan, goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton and Bernard Brogan added three more, moving Pat Gilroy's men into a 0-04 to 0-00 lead by the 10th minute.

Laois eventually opened their account after 17 minutes courtesy of a Ross Munnelly score. He doubled his tally and a Daithi Carroll effort ensured a 0-04 to 0-03 scoreline in the 20th minute.

Bernard Brogan converted Dublin's first point in seven minutes before the Metropolitans' attack delivered a sucker punch from the ensuing kickout. The Brogan brothers created an opening for Connolly in the centre, and the St. Vincent's clubman beat Culliton with a low, driven shot.

Connolly's goal was followed by scores from Cluxton and Bernard Brogan to give the Dubs a seven-point lead approaching injury-time. The lead would have been even more but for a superb save from Culliton as he reached out to stop a Bernard Brogan shot that was destined for the bottom corner of the net.

Resilient Laois finished the first half strongly with two pinpoint scores from McMahon, cutting the gap back to 1-07 to 0-05 at the interval.

Laois manager Justin McNulty opted to introduce Donal Kingston for Billy Sheehan at the start of the second half, and the O'Moore men resumed where they had left off. Begley, Carroll and Munnelly reeled off points to leave just two between the sides, four minutes into the second period.

The Dubs needed to respond and they did so in fine fashion, putting together a run of five unanswered points between the 41st and 51st minutes.

Central to this purple patch was the display of Michael Dara Macauley in the midfield sector. Bernard Brogan, Cluxton, Connolly (0-02) and Alan Brogan were the scorers as Dublin took a 1-12 to 0-08 advantage with just under 20 minutes remaining.

Dublin would have been further in front but for Peter O'Leary's excellent marshalling of Kevin McManamon, who was subsequently substituted.

Cahir Healy also performed well for Laois with some brilliant blocks, but the loss of Daithi Carroll through injury at the opposite end was a major blow to Laois chances of mounting a comeback.

A point each from the Brogan brothers gave Dublin a 1-14 to 0-08 lead with 10 minutes remaining, and Laois had leaked seven unanswered scores.

They eventually broke a 22-minute spell without a score when substitute Gary Kavanagh slotted over a point and repeated the feat just moments late.

Dublin though had one eye on a semi-final date with Kildare and could afford to take off key men Bernard Brogan, Macauley and Cullen in the closing stages.

Late points from two of their substitutes, Tomas Quinn and Declan Lally, and another from Connolly, who was denied a late goal by Culliton, capped off a solid day's work from Gilroy's side.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton (0-03, 0-03 '45'); P McMahon, R O'Carroll, M Fitzsimons; J McCarthy, G Brennan, K Nolan; MD Macauley, B Cahill; P Flynn, K McManamon, B Cullen (0-01); A Brogan (0-02), D Connolly (1-03), B Brogan (0-05, 0-01f).

Subs used: P Casey for Nolan (14-18 mins, blood sub), D Bastick for Cahill (43), E O'Gara for McManamon (47), T Quinn (0-01, 0-01f) for B Brogan (63), R McConnell for Macauley (66), D Lally (0-01) for Cullen (69)

LAOIS: E Culliton; C Healy, P McMahon (0-02), M Timmons; D Strong, S Julian, P O'Leary; K Meaney, B Quigley; D Carroll (0-02), C Begley (0-01), N Donoher; R Munnelly (0-04, 0-02f), B Sheehan, J O'Loughlin.

Subs used: D Kingston for Sheehan (half-time), K Lillis for O'Loughlin (52 mins), G Kavanagh (0-02) for Carroll (54), C Boyle for Timmons (61).

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)

 

[hill16]

Brady and Carton back for Dubs



Dublin's Tomas BradyLeague champions Dublin have made two changes to their side for the Leinster SHC semi-final against Galway on Saturday evening.

Tomas Brady replaces Maurice O'Brien at full back after missing the win over Offaly due to injury.

In attack, Carton is included at the expense of Daire Plunkett.

Dublin (SHC v Galway) - G Maguire; N Corcoran, T Brady, O Gough; J McCaffrey, P Kelly, S Durkin; L Rushe, A McCrabbe; C McCormack, R O'Dwyer, C Keaney; P Carton, D O'Callaghan, P Ryan. :dub:

 

[hill16]

Dublin 0-19 Galway 2-07

yeehaa yeehaa yeehaa yeehaa yeehaa

 

[noelyf]

Was watching it hill :) Great win for the Dubs!!

Bring on Kilkenny :smoke rings:

 

[noelyf]

Dublin vs Kildare Live Stream From Croke Park

On Zonein

 

[hill16]

Kilkenny 4-17 Dublin 1-15:taz::taz::taz::taz: :(

 

[hill16]

Dublin 0-22 Tyrone 0-15




Dublin blew Tyrone away with an irresistible display of power football to book an All-Ireland SFC semi-final date with Donegal.

Pat Gilroy's inspired team produced a marvellous performance of committed, controlled endeavour to blast their way through to the last four.

They will go into their next assignment against another Ulster team in positive mood following a showing which delighted their fans among the 52,661-strong crowd at Croke Park.

Diarmuid Connolly led the way with a marvellous seven points tally, all from play.

Indeed, the Dubs hit 19 scores from play, and although they failed to hit the net, they could have had three goals on a night when they never looked like being beaten.

Paul Flynn sent Bernard Brogan in for a crack at goal, one-on-one with Pascal McConnell, but the Tyrone 'keeper pulled off a superb save, with his opposite number Stephen Cluxton converting the resultant '45 to cancel out Mark Donnelly's early point.

Sean Cavanagh edged the Red Hands back in front from a free, but the Ulster men struggled to break down a Dublin defence that tackled and harried as if their lives depended on it.

In one cameo, Brian McGuigan, Martin Penrose nad Owen Mulligan all had shots blocked in quick succession, and Pat Gilroy's men broke to go two clear through Diarmuid Connolly.

Connolly was finding a lot of space first against Justin McMahon, then Sean O'Neill, and by the end of the opening quarter, he had kicked four excellent points from play to give his side a 0-06 to 0-03 advantage.

Martin Penrose dropped back to give his full back line extra protection but the Dubs continued to attack with menace, and two Bernard Brogan points and a Bryan Cullen effort opening out a six points advantage.

Michael Fitzsimons, Rory O'Carroll and Ger Brennan performed heroics at the back for Pat Gilroy's side, holding their opponents scoreless for a quarter of an hour, until Donnelly notched his second of the evening.

Peter Harte knocked over a 25 metre free, having missed a similar effort moments earlier, but once again, the Dubs countered at pace for Alan Brogan and Connolly to add to their tallies.

Dublin led by 0-11 to 0-06 at the interval, and continued where they left off immediately after the restart, with Connolly stroking over his sixth, and Denis Bastick landing a monster effort, before Flynn made it 0-14 to 0-06.

Bernard Brogan had another goal chance, but blasted his shot over the bar, and as Tyrone's cause grew more desperate, more gaping holes began to open in their defence, allowing Connolly to send Flynn clear, but his shot flew wide at the far post.

Alan Brogan also went for the net, but he too just missed the target, profligacy which could be excused against the backdrop of an nine points cushion.

Substitute Brian Dooher and Penrose pulled back Tyrone points, but the Dubs were unfazed, and Connolly, now being shadowed by Conor Gormley, brought his tally to seven, all from play.

With 15 minutes to play, the Leinster champions led by nine points, Bernard Brogan having added to his tally and set one up for Barry Cahill.

Stephen O'Neill, Enda McGinley and Sean Cavanagh were on target at the other end, but the game was up for the treble All-Ireland winners.

The Brogan boys were in their pomp, curling over spectacular scores to delight the masses on the Hill

Dublin: S Cluxton (0-02, 1f, 1 '45), M Fitzsimons, R O'Carroll, C O'Sullivan, J McCarthy, G Brennan, J Nolan, D Bastick (0-01), MD Macauley, P Flynn (0-02), A Brogan (0-03), B Cullen (0-01), B Cahill (0-01), D Connolly (0-07), B Brogan (0-05, 1f).

Subs: R McConnell for Macauley, K McManamon for Flynn, E Fennell for Bastick, P McMahon for Nolan

Tyrone: P McConnell, M Swift, Joe McMahon, Justin McMahon, Sean O'Neill, C Gormley, P Jordan, K Hughes, S Cavanagh (0-04, 3f), C Cavanagh, B McGuigan, P Harte (0-01, f), M Penrose (0-04, 3f), M Donnelly (0-02), O Mulligan.

Subs: B Dooher (0-01) for McGuigan, D Carlin for Justin McMahon, Stephen O'Neill (0-02) for Harte, E McGinley (0-01) for Hughes, A Cassidy for C Cavanagh

Referee: J McQuillan (Cavan).
:yes!::yes!::happy::happy:

 

[allybird58]

Hope you had a great day yesterday hill.Watched the game,great win for the Dubs:Thumbs up::dub:

 

[hill16]

Myself and the Son Ally got drenched but we did'nt care what a game hopefully they can go all the way this year but I've been saying that since the last one in 1995 lol

 

[allybird58]

lol Yes hill,it was lousy weather.A crowd at the back of me went to the match,they all came back pissed.Party went on all night.Well done the Dubs:dub: