1. Wexford’s St Martin’s step up to topple All-Ireland champions
Twelve months ago in Parnell Park, St Martin’s reached the critical stage of their Leinster senior hurling semi-final against Na Fianna, firmly in contention. They trailed by one, 1-13 to 0-15, but when it came to the last push that was required, they were held off as Na Fianna rattled off three points without reply. It was a tough defeat for the Wexford champions to digest as they watched Na Fianna kick on subsequently to smash through the Leinster and All-Ireland barriers as they created history.
Yesterday St Martin’s absorbed the lessons of that finale and came good when they renewed acquaintances with their Mobhi Road opponents. They trailed by two points, 2-12 to 0-16 by the 46th minute, but after Na Fianna missed two chances to extend their lead, ex-Sydney Swans AFL player Barry O’Connor fired 1-1 to push them in front. In a thrilling finale Na Fianna restored their two-point cushion, 2-17 to 1-18, but again St Martin’s came good as they reeled off three unanswered points to win.
Perhaps the familiar environs of Wexford Park as opposed to the journey up the M11 to Dublin helped. St Martin’s are a more seasoned outfit as well. The O’Connor trio of Rory, Barry, and Jack hit a combined 1-15. Toppling the All-Ireland kingpins is a serious statement and it felt like Wexford club hurling’s biggest win since Oulart-the-Ballagh’s Leinster title in 2015.
St Martin’s have never contested the Leinster hurling final, losing four previous semi-finals. Changing that pattern is the next aim.
Barry O'Connor and Philip Dempsey of St Martin's celebrate their win over Na Fianna. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Advertisement
2. Donegal club football woes in Ulster
Like a lot of things in the GAA, they were forced into organising provincial competitions because they were already taking place.
In the first few editions of the ‘Ulster club’ football championship, St Joseph’s, a crew gathered up from Ballyshannon and Bundoran and featuring Brian McEniff, beat St John’s of Belfast in 1966 in the final.
When it became an official competition, they lost the first final in 1968 to Bellaghy, another to Clan na Gael of Armagh in 1973, but finally triumphed in 1975, beating Castleblayney Faughs of Monaghan.
Since then, Donegal clubs have done precious little in the competition, apart from Gaoth Dobhair’s emotional win in 2018.
The last week has been a smartening experience for their representatives as Scotstown beat Naomh Conaill in the senior competition by six points, Carrickmacross gave Naomh Columba a hiding, and Carndonagh were beaten by Emyvale, all in Monaghan venues.
3. Emotions on county final day in Tipperary and Limerick
The spotlight is shining brightly on provincial fare around the country but there was still time for a pair of county senior football finals to wrap up over the weekend. Saturday’s Tipperary senior final outcome was no surprise, Clonmel Commericals landing their 22nd crown, and eighth since 2012, to rise to the peak of the roll of honour.
The game took place amidst a backdrop of grief for the club. Their iconic figure Philly Ryan passed away last month, his son Shane was in goal for Saturday’s decider, and was brought up to lift the O’Dwyer Cup afterwards alongside captain Séamus Kennedy on an emotional day.
“Philly is, in my eyes, Mr Commercials,” remarked manager Tommy Morrissey afterwards. “It’s heartbreaking he’s not here with us, but we’ve certainly done it for him.”
In Limerick the emergence of new champions sparked the joy associated with first-time winners. Mungret won the intermediate final in 2023 and within two seasons have climbed to the senior summit. They have been making waves on the underage scene, that youthful talent now converted into something substantial at senior level. It was an impressive win considering Newcastle West have claimed four titles since 2019, while Mungret were hammered in their only previous final back in 2001.
4. Derry’s band of brothers keeping winning
With four sets of brothers making up 13 of the Newbridge starting 15, it’s clear they know each other inside out.
Ok, let’s list them; Padraig, Shane and Conor McGrogan. Conor, Oisin and Mark Doherty. Eamon, Aodhan and Sean Young. Callum and Conleth McGrogan. Mark and Peter McGrogan. Shea and Conor McAteer. Aidan and Odhran McGlone. We wouldn’t even dream of diving further into the cousins links.
Coming up against Madden in the Athletic Grounds, they would also have known the experience that having tasted the Ulster club championship brings.
Last year they won their first Derry title in 35 years and lost their Ulster opener to Armagh champs Clann Éireann.
This year, they were well aware that the huge emotional high of Madden winning their first county title would have some impact. And so it proved. These things matter it would seem, unless you are Cuala, the Dublin outfit who bucked the trend last season.
Newbridge celebrate with the John McLaughlin Cup after the Derry county final recently. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO
Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
5. McInerney shoots the lights out in Clare
Waterford winners Rathgormack reached the 16-point tally with their 1-13 return in yesterday’s Munster quarter-final, but when their score was matched by the contribution of one opposing player, it’s easy to point to the key factor in the outcome.
Clare champions Éire Óg Ennis were indebted to their forward Mark McInerney for amassing 0-16 in Cusack Park. His figure was comprised of scores from different departments – a two-pointer from play, three two-pointers from frees, four pointed frees, and four points from play. It was a stunning scoring exhibition from McInerney, who posted 2-5 against Tipperary earlier this year at the same venue in the Munster senior semi-final.
McInerney’s father Francis captained Clare to their landmark 1992 Munster senior final success and helped his native Doonbeg achieve success in the 1998 club equivalent. Éire Óg Ennis have found the semi-final stage in Munster a hard nut to crack of late, losing out in 2021, 2022 and 2024 instalments. They’ll get another shot in a fortnight against St Finbarr’s or Clonmel Commercials.
Related Reads
Scotstown, Newbridge, Moycullen and Eire Óg march on in provinces
Na Fianna's All-Ireland reign ends as St Martin's march on to Leinster semi-final
'It was sort of the elephant in the room' - the curious case of Tyrone clubs in Ulster
Mark McInerney of Eire Og in action against Ger Hahessy and Jason Curry of Rathgormack. Natasha Barton / INPHO
Natasha Barton / INPHO / INPHO
6. London Calling for Ballina
Ballina Stephenites found themselves in a tight spot heading into the last ten minutes of their Connacht quarter-final against North London Shamrocks on Saturday evening with the scores all square.
A trio of two-pointers in three minutes rescued them.
Years ago, the game against the London champions used to be an All-Ireland quarter-final, with the opposition on a round-robin basis between provincial winners.
This created huge problems for the London champions as they would inevitably seize up with the time since their last competitive game. It works better with them entered into Connacht, and some of these years, NLS, with a strong Donegal influence, managed by Peter Witherow and aided by Michael Boyle, might just take a scalp.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
All-Ireland champions knocked out - 6 key storylines from GAA club weekend
Compiled by Declan Bogue and Fintan O’Toole
*****
1. Wexford’s St Martin’s step up to topple All-Ireland champions
Twelve months ago in Parnell Park, St Martin’s reached the critical stage of their Leinster senior hurling semi-final against Na Fianna, firmly in contention. They trailed by one, 1-13 to 0-15, but when it came to the last push that was required, they were held off as Na Fianna rattled off three points without reply. It was a tough defeat for the Wexford champions to digest as they watched Na Fianna kick on subsequently to smash through the Leinster and All-Ireland barriers as they created history.
Yesterday St Martin’s absorbed the lessons of that finale and came good when they renewed acquaintances with their Mobhi Road opponents. They trailed by two points, 2-12 to 0-16 by the 46th minute, but after Na Fianna missed two chances to extend their lead, ex-Sydney Swans AFL player Barry O’Connor fired 1-1 to push them in front. In a thrilling finale Na Fianna restored their two-point cushion, 2-17 to 1-18, but again St Martin’s came good as they reeled off three unanswered points to win.
Perhaps the familiar environs of Wexford Park as opposed to the journey up the M11 to Dublin helped. St Martin’s are a more seasoned outfit as well. The O’Connor trio of Rory, Barry, and Jack hit a combined 1-15. Toppling the All-Ireland kingpins is a serious statement and it felt like Wexford club hurling’s biggest win since Oulart-the-Ballagh’s Leinster title in 2015.
St Martin’s have never contested the Leinster hurling final, losing four previous semi-finals. Changing that pattern is the next aim.
2. Donegal club football woes in Ulster
Like a lot of things in the GAA, they were forced into organising provincial competitions because they were already taking place.
In the first few editions of the ‘Ulster club’ football championship, St Joseph’s, a crew gathered up from Ballyshannon and Bundoran and featuring Brian McEniff, beat St John’s of Belfast in 1966 in the final.
When it became an official competition, they lost the first final in 1968 to Bellaghy, another to Clan na Gael of Armagh in 1973, but finally triumphed in 1975, beating Castleblayney Faughs of Monaghan.
Since then, Donegal clubs have done precious little in the competition, apart from Gaoth Dobhair’s emotional win in 2018.
The last week has been a smartening experience for their representatives as Scotstown beat Naomh Conaill in the senior competition by six points, Carrickmacross gave Naomh Columba a hiding, and Carndonagh were beaten by Emyvale, all in Monaghan venues.
3. Emotions on county final day in Tipperary and Limerick
The spotlight is shining brightly on provincial fare around the country but there was still time for a pair of county senior football finals to wrap up over the weekend. Saturday’s Tipperary senior final outcome was no surprise, Clonmel Commericals landing their 22nd crown, and eighth since 2012, to rise to the peak of the roll of honour.
The game took place amidst a backdrop of grief for the club. Their iconic figure Philly Ryan passed away last month, his son Shane was in goal for Saturday’s decider, and was brought up to lift the O’Dwyer Cup afterwards alongside captain Séamus Kennedy on an emotional day.
“Philly is, in my eyes, Mr Commercials,” remarked manager Tommy Morrissey afterwards. “It’s heartbreaking he’s not here with us, but we’ve certainly done it for him.”
In Limerick the emergence of new champions sparked the joy associated with first-time winners. Mungret won the intermediate final in 2023 and within two seasons have climbed to the senior summit. They have been making waves on the underage scene, that youthful talent now converted into something substantial at senior level. It was an impressive win considering Newcastle West have claimed four titles since 2019, while Mungret were hammered in their only previous final back in 2001.
4. Derry’s band of brothers keeping winning
With four sets of brothers making up 13 of the Newbridge starting 15, it’s clear they know each other inside out.
Ok, let’s list them; Padraig, Shane and Conor McGrogan. Conor, Oisin and Mark Doherty. Eamon, Aodhan and Sean Young. Callum and Conleth McGrogan. Mark and Peter McGrogan. Shea and Conor McAteer. Aidan and Odhran McGlone. We wouldn’t even dream of diving further into the cousins links.
Coming up against Madden in the Athletic Grounds, they would also have known the experience that having tasted the Ulster club championship brings.
Last year they won their first Derry title in 35 years and lost their Ulster opener to Armagh champs Clann Éireann.
This year, they were well aware that the huge emotional high of Madden winning their first county title would have some impact. And so it proved. These things matter it would seem, unless you are Cuala, the Dublin outfit who bucked the trend last season.
5. McInerney shoots the lights out in Clare
Waterford winners Rathgormack reached the 16-point tally with their 1-13 return in yesterday’s Munster quarter-final, but when their score was matched by the contribution of one opposing player, it’s easy to point to the key factor in the outcome.
Clare champions Éire Óg Ennis were indebted to their forward Mark McInerney for amassing 0-16 in Cusack Park. His figure was comprised of scores from different departments – a two-pointer from play, three two-pointers from frees, four pointed frees, and four points from play. It was a stunning scoring exhibition from McInerney, who posted 2-5 against Tipperary earlier this year at the same venue in the Munster senior semi-final.
McInerney’s father Francis captained Clare to their landmark 1992 Munster senior final success and helped his native Doonbeg achieve success in the 1998 club equivalent. Éire Óg Ennis have found the semi-final stage in Munster a hard nut to crack of late, losing out in 2021, 2022 and 2024 instalments. They’ll get another shot in a fortnight against St Finbarr’s or Clonmel Commercials.
6. London Calling for Ballina
Ballina Stephenites found themselves in a tight spot heading into the last ten minutes of their Connacht quarter-final against North London Shamrocks on Saturday evening with the scores all square.
A trio of two-pointers in three minutes rescued them.
Years ago, the game against the London champions used to be an All-Ireland quarter-final, with the opposition on a round-robin basis between provincial winners.
This created huge problems for the London champions as they would inevitably seize up with the time since their last competitive game. It works better with them entered into Connacht, and some of these years, NLS, with a strong Donegal influence, managed by Peter Witherow and aided by Michael Boyle, might just take a scalp.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
club GAA Gaelic Football Hurling Talking Points