How many of the Cork walk-ups will become walk-aways?

THE problem for the Cork footballers and those burdened with making the repayments on Páirc Uí Chaoimh was not the sight of thousands streaming out before the end of Saturday’s lopsided Munster final. It was the percentage of them who won’t be back.

Super 8s take shape with four places left

Another three of the Super 8 teams were confirmed yesterday with the remaining four to be revealed the weekend after next.

Páirc mauling an advert for tiered championship

Here’s five talking points from this weekend’s Senior Football Championship.

Ruthless Kerry show their teeth

Cork 2-4 Kerry 3-18
Driving back up the N20 on Saturday evening, Galway manager Kevin Walsh would be forgiven for gulping once or twice.

A fortnight of soul searching for Ronan McCarthy’s Cork

In the Páirc Uí Chaoimh media area after Saturday’s Munster football final the record books were being consulted and scoring sequences examined.

Jim Gavin says runaway Dublin went from clunky to clinical

Dublin 1-25 Laois 0-10
Anything Kerry can do, Dublin can do better.

Kerry wane as Cork’s O’Sullivan and Noonan turn up the heat

Cork 5-15 Kerry 2-10 

One can only surmise what stirred the half-time rehydration in the home dressing room, but Cork got busy in a hurry after the interval to streak past Saturday’s Munster final challenge of Kerry without so much as a backwards glance.

More history in the stands than on pitch as Donegal beat Fermanagh

Donegal 2-18 Fermanagh 0-12
History for Fermanagh, then, but not in the manner they craved. 

Declan Bonner joins an exclusive Donegal club of Ulster winners

Twenty years after being denied an Ulster championship when Derry’s Joe Brolly snatched an injury time winning goal, yesterday Declan Bonner finally got his hands on the Anglo-Celt Cup.

Cavan to review red cards after post-match brawl

Cavan 1-14 Down 0-15
Cavan will analyse footage of the post-match brawl which erupted on the pitch at Brewster Park before deciding whether to appeal the red cards shown to Dara McVeety and Conor Moynagh.

Pete McGrath considers future after Louth shocked by Leitrim

Leitrim 0-25 Louth 1-12
Louth manager Pete McGrath will ‘consider his future’ after his first year in charge ended in a shock defeat at Leitrim on Saturday.

Waterford wilt as Monaghan sizzle

Waterford 0-9 Monaghan 5-21
What better way to cure a hangover than a trip to the sunny Dungarvan coast?

Turlough O’Brien: A Brolly with holes in it isn’t much use

Tyrone 3-14 Carlow 1-10
Carlow manager Turlough O’Brien blasted ‘empty vessel’ pundits and Joe Brolly in particular after their summer of fun finally ended.

Still standing but Mayo on shaky ground

Mayo 1-19 Tipperary 1-11
The locals in the Kinnane Stand, sensing an upset, broke into ‘Slievenamon’ during the interval. There was to be no encore at the final whistle, though, no shock result to celebrate. Mayo and that perplexing split-personality of theirs had kept the dream alive.

Relief and redemption for Colm Collins and Clare

Clare 1-19 Offaly 2-14
Clare were in the pot for the next round of Qualifiers this morning and that was the bottom line after this humdinger at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park.

Armagh momentum gathers with victory against Sligo

Sligo 1-13 Armagh 1-19
Revitalised Armagh rumble on — they’re now into the third round of the qualifiers and just two wins away from the Super 8.

Kildare manager Cian O’Neill lets rip at critics

Kildare 1-16 Longford 1-13
Cian O’Neill hailed the inspirational leadership of Kevin Feely after he came on in the 68th minute and still made a match-winning contribution as Kildare snatched victory from the grasp of an exhausted Longford at a sweltering Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Saturday.

‘People ask me, were you bitter about 2010? Not a hope’

A Cork-Kerry Munster final fills James Masters’ horizon this afternoon... but not necessarily the one you are thinking of.

Éamonn Fitzmaurice: We have to play at top of our ability

With Kerry having temporarily abandoned the McGrath Cup and Cork mired in Division 2 of the league, meetings between the two counties have become sporadic of late.

Whatever about silverware, Cork must retain momentum

Tony Leen asks three key questions ahead of the clash between Cork and Kerry. 

New direction sees Ruairí Deane reaping rewards

The conversation with Ronan McCarthy is almost four minutes old when the performance of Ruairí Deane is brought up.

Crowds, chaos, and controversy: The last time the ‘new’ Páirc hosted a Munster final

Tonight’s Munster final echoes the same game back in 1976, when Cork and Kerry also met in the provincial decider for the opening of what was then a brand new stadium.

Niall Donoher: The buzz is back in Laois football

In an era of automatons on elite teams regurgitating messages that have been delivered by the PR boss via WhatsApp, it is refreshing to talk to someone who is comfortable enough in his skin to tell it as it is.

Dean Rock strengthened by school of hard knocks

At last month’s Stewarts Care Golf Classic in Hollystown, organiser Dean Rock had the backing of public utilities company Veolia. 

Don't stop believing... Fermanagh hoping to make history

IF ever you feel compelled to search for deeper reasons why Fermanagh are one of only two counties to have never won their provincial football Championship, you could find something in the tale of Father Theobald Mathew.

Noelle Gormley: ‘I was told I was heading for kidney failure’

Noelle Gormley is grateful just to be part of the Sligo squad for tomorrow’s TG4 Connacht IFC final after recovering from a terrifying football-related illness that left her life in sudden danger.

‘You’d have a lot of friends mocking you that you haven’t played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh’

Cork captain Ciara O’Sullivan will lead the Rebels against Kerry as they bid to reclaim the Munster title at Cork IT. The Mourneabbey forward is gunning for her eighth Munster medal to match her tally of eight All-Irelands.

Tom McGlinchey says Waterford ready to enjoy the moment

On this occasion the picture was worth a thousand words. The Waterford footballers, legs dangling over the quayside in Dungarvan, are chatting away together and the image captures that sense of fulfilment which comes after a championship win.

‘The greatest compliment players can pay me is to move on and drive it on’ says Derek McGrath

It was all around to Derek McGrath’s house last Tuesday evening. From 5pm to 12pm, the players, management and backroom team reminisced, drank and sang on the day after the host signed off as Waterford manager.

Papertalk GAA Podcast with Colm Cooper and Paddy Kelly: ‘The Cork game plan will be simple’

The All-Ireland-winning Irish Examiner columnists preview Saturday’s Munster Football Final with Tony Leen.

Ian Maguire: ‘I hadn’t experienced the pat on the back from supporters’

For Ian Maguire, it’s all about learning from the experiences.

Paul Murphy: In a county like Kerry, one All-Ireland doesn’t really register

Paul Murphy is not shy of a Munster medal. It’s his Celtic Cross collection that concerns him.

Seán Hayes: ‘I wouldn’t have a fear of Kerry or anything like that’

Seán Hayes would know more than most that Cork’s performances at senior level haven’t really reflected the talent or promise of the county over the past few years.

Resilient Kerry ladies footballers relishing showdown with Cork

Kerry ladies football has a spring in its step again after the frustration of relegation following a league campaign that didn’t bring a single point.

Mark Ellis and Tim O’Mahony injury doubts for Munster final

Cork hurling management are waiting on the fitness of Mark Ellis and Tim O’Mahony ahead of Sunday week’s Munster final.

‘To develop the game you must get American people to hurl’

If you had your wits about you last Sunday in Thurles, you might have seen a club outing at the Cork-Waterford match, but they came a lot further than from Mallow or Dungarvan.

Galway fume as ex-Mayo minor boss to ref Connacht final

The Galway senior ladies football management have hit out at the appointment of Gerry Carmody to referee their Connacht final meeting with Mayo on Sunday.

Paul Brennan: ‘We needed a kick up the arse to get back to winning ways’

In his job as a professional diver, Donegal centre-back Paul Brennan has seen the depths but has an opportunity of a career highlight on Sunday.