Columns - Irish Examiner

Tony Leen

Classy Dr Crokes can make anyone look bad in a hurry

They have won five of the last seven Kerry football championship, and on days like these, it’s hard to figure how Dr Crokes contrive to lose any game at all.

Mon, 28 Nov, 2016

Hard sells and hard hats at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

They had hard hats and soft figures at the construction site that will become the new Páirc Uí Chaoimh, but the person who will juggle the roster for use of only two pitches may need the hardest hat of all.

Thu, 17 Nov, 2016

Are Mayo closer to the prize — or farther away?

Answer this and you’re halfway to figuring out the All-Ireland football final replay.

Mon, 19 Sep, 2016

OBITUARY: Former chairman of Cork GAA, and PRO for Cork and Munster GAA Jim Forbes

Like every good communicator, Jim Forbes was always listening, writes Tony Leen

Fri, 16 Sep, 2016

For Kerry's prospects, it’s crucial Éamonn Fitzmaurice remains at the helm

For all the plaudits — dangerous ones before a final — swirling around Peter Keane’s Kerry minors, few in the Kingdom were looking to teenagers for succour yesterday.

Tue, 30 Aug, 2016

Once more with feeling, Dublin figure out the Kerry question

For all of Kerry’s frustration - and much of it must be with themselves - the scale of Dublin’s resilience is truly a thing of wonder.

Mon, 29 Aug, 2016

Dublin v Donegal - GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship - Quarter-Final

Tomas Quinn: Dublin finally finding holes in blanket defence

Walking up to Croke Park on Saturday evening was the first time all year there has been any real sense of anticipation for the football games we were about to see at GAA headquarters.

Mon, 08 Aug, 2016

The day Tipperary pulled up to the big table for good

We’ve come a long way when the question you’re asking each other this morning is whether Tipperary could take down a Tyrone or a Mayo in an All-Ireland football semi-final.

Mon, 01 Aug, 2016

With only a brief pause for prize-giving, Kerry drive on

Such is the way of these things now Munster finals wins, even four of them in a row, are viewed through the prism and in the context of August and September.

Mon, 04 Jul, 2016

Is it time to rethink the Championship format?

Conflicting arguments on the retention of the traditional Championship format emerged from Killarney and Thurles on Sunday. 

Mon, 13 Jun, 2016