All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Odds Piece: Gambling.com – July 15 2025

GAA Hurling Betting Tips: Best Three Bets For This Weekend

By Daire Walsh

Ahead of a weekend when two Munster sides will meet in a showpiece affair for the fourth time in just six seasons, betting sites are taking one final look at the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.

After defeating provincial rivals Waterford in the 2020 All-Ireland decider, Limerick retained their Liam MacCarthy Cup title by overcoming another Munster county, Cork, a year later.

Following consecutive finals between Limerick and Kilkenny in 2022 and 2023, last July saw Cork take on Clare in a thrilling All-Ireland SHC spectacle – ultimately won by the latter after extra time.

Cork And Tipperary Show Their Worth In Semi-Final Wins

Determined to make amends for an agonising one-point loss in 2024, Cork ruthlessly dispatched Dublin last Saturday week to secure an immediate return to All-Ireland final day.

Their opponents in Croke Park this Sunday will be Tipperary, whose Midas touch in front of goal was the catalyst for a 4-20 to 0-30 semi-final triumph over Kilkenny on July 6.

Although these two counties are long-standing rivals in their own province – and have already met on three occasions in 2025 – this will be the first All-Ireland final showdown between Cork and Tipperary.

The general consensus is that it has not been the greatest hurling championship to date, but there is undoubtedly massive anticipation ahead of Sunday’s game.

Picking the best three bets offered by bookmakers for this grand finale is no easy task, but we have highlighted some intriguing markets for the weekend below.

Hayes Offers Major Goal Threat For Cork

For both of the teams on show this coming Sunday, goals were the order of the day in their respective semi-final victories.

While Tipperary rattled the net an impressive four times in their penultimate-round success over Kilkenny, Cork claimed an astonishing seven goals in an emphatic win at the expense of Dublin.

Remarkably, these green flag scores were shared by just three players, with Brian Hayes and Tim O’Mahony grabbing two goals apiece to complement a hat-trick from Alan Connolly.

Although Connolly proved the most prolific in front of the posts in the Dublin game, it is Hayes who has found the net most often for the Leesiders in this championship.

Before his brace in the All-Ireland semi-final, Hayes began the championship with two goals in a drawn encounter with Clare in their first Munster round-robin game on April 20 at Cusack Park.

He also raised a green flag in a crucial triumph over Waterford, which helped them reach this year’s provincial decider.

He is a player the Tipperary defence will need to keep a close eye on. While repeating his goalscoring heroics is easier said than done, it is possible the St Finbarr’s man could come up trumps again.

Therefore, the odds of 10/3 offered by GAA betting sites on Hayes to score two goals or more could prove particularly enticing for punters.

GAA Hurling Tip 1: Brian Hayes To Score 2+ Goals – 10/3 With BoyleSports

Tight Battle Anticipated In All-Ireland Decider

When the sides first met in 2025 at Semple Stadium, Tipperary beat Cork by a margin of just four points (2-22 to 1-21). 

The teams renewed acquaintances in a National Hurling League Division 1A decider at Pairc Ui Chaoimh less than two months later, with Cork claiming top honours on this occasion by 10 points (3-24 to 0-23).

The Leesiders enjoyed a similarly emphatic triumph against the Premier County in the Munster Championship round-robin phase, recording a 4-27 to 0-24 win.

However, it is worth noting that Tipperary played virtually the entire game with just 14 men after Darragh McCarthy was red-carded for an incident that occurred before throw-in.

Taking this – and the fact that Tipperary have grown in confidence since that defeat – into account, it is reasonable to suspect that their latest encounter will be a much tighter affair.

Bridging a 20-year gap since their last Liam MacCarthy success could weigh heavily on the Leesiders, but they remain favourites to prevail on Sunday with the best betting apps on the market.

Rather than predicting an approximate winning margin this weekend, it may be more interesting to consider the exact gap between the teams.

With that in mind, the 12/1 odds from BoyleSports for Cork to win the All-Ireland by a precise margin of three points is well worth consideration.

GAA Hurling Tip 2: Cork To Win By 3 points – 12/1 With BoyleSports

Tipperary Likely To Ask First-Half Questions

Despite going into Sunday’s final as underdogs – most betting sites rate their chances at 11/4 – Tipperary are more recent winners of the All-Ireland SHC than their provincial rivals.

While it has been a couple of decades since the Cork hurlers climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand in Croke Park, Tipp last lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2019.

The five seasons that followed were largely underwhelming for Premier supporters, but there is a sense that when they click, Tipperary can be difficult to stop in the All-Ireland SHC.

This makes them dangerous opponents for Cork, and Pat Ryan’s troops certainly won’t be taking them for granted.

If Cork are to get the job done this weekend, they are likely to face stubborn resistance from Tipperary.

The opening half in particular could prove to be a serious battle in GAA HQ, and the Premier may well aim to lay down a marker during this period.

For that reason, the 9/2 odds offered by Betway on Tipperary to lead at half-time, only for Cork to turn the tables and claim victory, could prove hard to resist.

GAA Hurling Tip 3: HT/FT Tipperary/Cork – 9/2 With Betway

Posted in Gaelic Games, Hurling | Comments Off on All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Odds Piece: Gambling.com – July 15 2025

Ireland Women’s Rugby Media Event: Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird – The Evening Echo – July 14 2025

Cork rugby ace Deirbhile Nic a Bháird has learned from previous World Cup setback

‘It’s hard to put in words how much it would mean. I think for myself and for my family, and my friends, everyone that has helped me along the way’

Eight years on from being in a training squad for Ireland’s most recent appearance at the tournament, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird once again finds herself on the brink of making the cut for the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

A native of Cork, Nic a Bháird was one of nine uncapped players in a 48-strong preparation group that the late Tom Tierney selected for the home-based RWC in 2017. Whereas the Old Belvedere and Munster star is now plying her trade in the back-row having previously made her Ireland 15s debut as a hooker during the 2019 Six Nations Championship, she was operating as a winger back then.

While an arm injury that saw her missing out on some warm-up encounters and training camps might have played some part in her exclusion from the final squad in 2017, Nic a Bháird believes she is a much better player now as she currently prepares alongside 36 other hopefuls for this summer’s World Cup finals in England.

ROLLERCOASTER

“It has been a rollercoaster, for sure. I was on the wing then and then I came back in and got my actual first cap playing in the front-row. Finally found my home in the back-row, where I feel like I should have been for a lot longer anyway,” Nic a Bháird remarked at a recent media day in the IRFU’s High Performance Centre in Dublin.

It all has its positives and drawbacks at different stages of it, but I’m glad to have found my feet in it a bit more. 

“I’ve been involved in World Cup prep campaigns before and missed out late in that selection process, but I probably wasn’t ready at the time either. I was probably only 20, 21 maybe and fairly fresh.

“Although I would have loved to have been part of it at the time, looking back on it I’m a much better athlete, a much better professional, a much better player now I think than I was then. There probably were disappointments at the time, but looking back on it, I’ve grown a lot since.”

A year on from missing the cut for the 15s tournament, Nic a Bháird featured for Ireland at the 2018 edition of the Rugby World Cup Sevens and helped them to achieve a highly-respectable sixth place finish. Alongside her in the set-up for those finals were Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins and Amee-Leigh Costigan (nee Murphy Crowe), all of whom are also in the training squad for this year’s World Cup.

That was a special time for Nic a Bháird, but it only helps to make her all the more determined to make the cut for this year’s RWC. She has had a strong support network behind her throughout her journey as a rugby player across a host of levels and she wants to be included in Scott Bemand’s final squad for the tournament as much for them as anyone else.

“It’s hard to put in words how much it would mean. I think for myself and for my family, and my friends, everyone that has helped me along the way. As much as I want it for myself, I definitely want it for all those people as well. To be able to say that they had a part in getting me there and they certainly have.”

 

Posted in International Rugby, Women's Rugby | Comments Off on Ireland Women’s Rugby Media Event: Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird – The Evening Echo – July 14 2025

All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship Final: Tyrone V Westmeath – Ladiesgaelic.ie – July 13 2025

Tyrone edge out Westmeath in thrilling TG4 All-Ireland intermediate semi-final

TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship semi-final

Tyrone 4-17

Westmeath 4-14

(after extra-time)

 By Daire Walsh

An extra-time goal from Sorcha Gormley was decisive at Avant Money Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada in Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday as Tyrone booked a return to the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate football championship final on August 3 following a thrilling encounter with Westmeath.

2024 finalists Tyrone had enjoyed a convincing group stage victory over Westmeath in June and they established a firm foothold in their latest meeting with the Midlanders by knocking over unanswered efforts through the boots of Sasha Byrne, Aoife Horisk, Cara McCrossan and Slaine McCarroll.

Yet the latter point in the seventh minute surprisingly proved to be the Ulster side’s final score of the opening period as their Lake County opponents subsequently grew into the contest. After complimenting white flag contributions from Lucy McCartan and Anna Jones (two) with a single effort of her own, the excellent Sarah Dillon knocked over a brace of points to propel Westmeath into a 0-6 to 0-4 interval lead.

Despite being in arrears, Tyrone superbly regained the initiative on the resumption with points from half-time substitute Niamh O’Neill (two) and Gormley being supplemented by a 1-2 haul courtesy of Horisk. While this left Westmeath six adrift on 36 minutes, Frank Browne’s side remarkably found themselves three points to the good moving into the final quarter of normal time.

This was thanks in no small part to goals from Katie Kilmurray and Jones, whose successful penalty in the 44th minute directly preceded a missed spot kick by Gormley at the opposite end.

After Jones and O’Neill traded green flags in an increasingly goal-laden affair, Westmeath were on the brink of reaching a first intermediate decider since 2021 when Caoimhe Kilmurray rattled the net in advance of a Dillon score moving their side six points clear.

However, Tyrone refused to thrown in the towel and they fired 1-3 without reply – including an outstanding solo goal from Horisk – to leave the game tied at 3-13 to 4-10 by the end of normal time.

The teams remained inseparable at the midway stage in extra-time, before a successful Horisk free served as the precursor for Gormley’s 72nd minute goal from close-range. A brace of unanswered Jones points kept Westmeath in contention, only for a place-ball effort from Horisk to help Tyrone set up an intermediate final showdown with Laois in Croke Park.

Scorers – Tyrone: A Horisk 2-5 (0-5f), N O’Neill 1-5 (0-3f), S Gormley 1-1, C McCaffrey 0-3, S Byrne, C McCrossan, S McCarroll 0-1 each.

Westmeath: A Jones 2-5 (1-0 pen, 0-5f), S Dillon 0-7, K Kilmurray, C Kilmurray 1-0 each, L McCartan, G Byrne 0-1 each.

TYRONE: A Coyle; J Lyons, G McKenna, E Quinn; C Campbell, M Mallon, C Canavan; A McHugh, S McCarroll; E McNamee, S Gormley, A Horisk; S Byrne, C McCrossan, M Corrigan. Subs: N O’Neill for Byrne (h-t), A Strain for McNamee (41), C McCaffrey for McCrossan (44), KR Muldoon for Campbell (53), A Grimes for Quinn (66), E Conroy for McCarroll (71).

WESTMEATH: A Temple; L McCartan, S Murphy, F Coyle; C Gonoud, L Power, A Ruane; V Carr, A Roche; L McCartan, S Dillon, T Dillon; G Byrne, A Jones, C Kilmurray. Subs: K Kilmurray for A Ruane (36), P Ruane for C Kilmurray (56), S Buckley for Coyle (60), Coyle for Buckley (67), C Kilmurray for Byrne (71), K Stuart Trainor for T Dillon (73), A Ruane for P Ruane (78).

Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo).

Posted in Ladies GAA | Comments Off on All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship Final: Tyrone V Westmeath – Ladiesgaelic.ie – July 13 2025

All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship Relegation Play-Off: Donegal V Leitrim – Ladiesgaelic.ie – July 12 2025

Gallagher leads the way as Donegal survive and Leitrim drop to intermediate for 2026

TG4 All-Ireland SFC relegation play-off

Donegal 2-15

Leitrim 1-12

By Daire Walsh

Eva Gallagher was in flying form for Donegal at Kilcoyne Park in Tubbercurry on Saturday as the O’Donnell County secured their TG4 All-Ireland senior football championship status with a relegation play-off victory over Leitrim.

While Gallagher broke the deadlock with a fine point inside the opening 60 seconds, Leitrim squeezed in front courtesy of unanswered efforts by Muireann Devaney (a late addition to the starting line-up) and Ailbhe Clancy. Yet Kilcar attacker Gallagher soon followed with her second point of the game and when Katie Dowds fed Susanne White close to goal on nine minutes, the latter fired smoothly into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Following traded scores between the influential Gallagher and Leah Fox, Donegal stretched six clear when Gallagher, Dowds and Mia Bennett split the uprights in quick succession.

However, after Laura O’Dowd (older sister of Dublin midfielder Eilish O’Dowd) cut Leitrim’s deficit in half with a 19th minute goal, Fox’s second of the day left just two points between the teams. Gallagher (her fifth of the half) and Clancy raised further white flags for their side as the action progressed, before Jodie McFadden fired home a second Donegal major on 24 minutes.

This propelled James Daly’s Ulster side towards a 2-7 to 1-5 interval buffer and with Niamh Boyle, White and Bennett all on target, they enjoyed a whirlwind start to the second half. Donegal remained in the driving seat after Gallagher and the ever-dangerous Devaney bagged two points apiece at either end of the pitch, but 2024 TG4 All-Ireland intermediate football championship winners Leitrim weren’t prepared to go down without a fight.

In the space of eight minutes inside the final-quarter, Jonny Garrity’s side outscored their O’Donnell counterparts by 0-5 to 0-1 – the impressive Devaney bagging four points to compliment a single contribution from Fox.

They subsequently received a potential lifeline when Devaney was fouled inside the small square on 58 minutes, but her resulting penalty was saved low by Donegal netminder Clare Friel. This could have been the spark they needed to turn the tide in their favour, but with Gallagher and White knocking over late points for their opponents, Leitrim ultimately couldn’t avoid a return to the intermediate championship for 2026.

Scorers – Donegal: E Gallagher 0-9, S White 1-2, J McFadden 1-0, M Bennett 0-2, K Dowds, N Boyle 0-1 each.

Leitrim: M Devaney 0-7 (6f), L O’Dowd 1-0, L Fox 0-3, A Clancy 0-2 (1f).

DONEGAL: C Friel; S McFadden, A Temple Asokuh, S McFeeley; B McLaughlin, E McGinley, C Gillespie; R Rodgers, M Bennett; S White, K Dowds, F McManamon; E Gallagher, J McFadden, N Boyle. Subs: R McColgan for Rodgers (36), A Caulfield for Gillespie (40), E Boyle for McFadden (45), A McGranaghan for Bennett (52).

LEITRIM: M Guckian; J Maye, C Tyrrell, E Quigley; D Beirne, C Owens, R McIntyre; N Tighe, A Quinn; A Gilmartin, V Egan, A Clancy; L Fox, M Devaney, L O’Dowd. Subs: S Quinn for Egan (40), C Dolan for A Quinn (46), L McKeon for Quigley (52), E Shanley for Beirne (54).

Referee: Philip Conway (Armagh).

Posted in Ladies GAA | Comments Off on All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship Relegation Play-Off: Donegal V Leitrim – Ladiesgaelic.ie – July 12 2025

The Big Interview: Sinead Regan (Sligo/Drumcliffe-Rosses Point) – Media West Ireland – July 12 2025

“I think 2006 was the last time that Sligo ladies played in Croke Park”

By Daire Walsh 

It is close to two decades since Sligo last appeared in an All-Ireland ladies football final, but team captain Sinead Regan is optimistic this could change sooner rather than later.

Back on October 1, 2006, the Yeats County defeated provincial rivals Leitrim on a score of 0-8 to 0-4 at Croke Park to claim the TG4 All-Ireland junior football championship crown. This was a sweet victory for Sligo, who had lost deciders to Kildare and Armagh in 2004 and 2005 respectively – renowned performance psychologist Caroline Currid served as skipper for the latter season.

Since triumphing against the O’Rourke side all of 19 years ago, Sligo have come close to sealing a return to GAA HQ, with four consecutive semi-final losses from 2016 to 2019 in the TG4 All-Ireland intermediate football championship bringing considerable heartbreak. Regan was part of the Yeats panel for three of those defeats and is now hoping for greater fortune when they face Antrim at the penultimate phase of the All-Ireland junior championship at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones tomorrow.

“It would be massive for Sligo. I think 2006 was the last time that Sligo ladies played in Croke Park. There’s probably a few girls on our team that weren’t even born at that time. It has been a long time coming now and it would be just such an achievement for the team, for the management, for everyone in Sligo ladies,” Regan said.

“We really want to push on now and get back to Croke Park. I don’t think anyone on our team has ever played in Croke Park. That alone is a huge incentive to try and get over the line now on Sunday and get to Croke Park.

“It was definitely the plan all along, to try and get back to a semi-final. We’re delighted to be in a semi-final now. We’ve had a great year so far. When you compare it to last year, we’ve got a few more wins under our belt. I feel like that has really stood to us going into championship. We’re really looking forward to the semi-final now on Sunday.”

Overcoming the challenge of Antrim will certainly be no easy task as the Saffrons have proven to be one of the most in-form teams across all levels in 2025. From the 15 games they have played thus far in Division 4 of the Lidl National Football League, the TG4 Ulster junior football championship and the TG4 All-Ireland junior football championship, the Ulster side have won each and every one of them.

This includes a 5-7 to 2-8 league triumph over Sligo amidst treacherous conditions at Enniscrone back on January 26. Regan believes there has been considerable growth within her team since that round two reversal, but she nevertheless acknowledges Antrim will be a tough proposition in Clones this weekend.

“That was our second league game. It feels like forever ago now nearly. I feel like we’ve come such a long way since then, but they were very good that day out in Enniscrone. That was the weekend of the storm and the bad conditions, but that was the same for both teams. So we can’t use that as an excuse, but I do think that we’ve come a long way since then.

“Antrim are a very strong side. It will definitely be a tough battle. They’re unbeaten this year for a reason. We know it’s going to be a tough, tough game and we need to be 100% if we want to get over the line against Antrim. They’re a fast, strong team and when they come with numbers, they’re hard to stop.”

An adult inter-county debutant back in 2017, Regan had established herself as a regular starter in the Sligo team by the end of that decade. She subsequently acted as Yeats vice-captain for a couple of years, before opting to spend some time in America on a J1 in 2022.

She had returned to home soil by the end of the year to help her club Drumcliffe/Rosses Point towards a Sligo junior football championship title, but even though she missed out on the county scene for the first time since joining the set-up, Regan doesn’t regret making the journey to the States.

“It was nice. I thought it was an opportunity that I knew I could only have in college. All my friends were going, so I thought I’d have enough years playing county that I’d take one year and go. It was a brilliant summer and it was nice to spend it with friends and just experience living in America.

“I definitely have no regrets doing that. It was nice to have the year off. It was just an opportunity at the time and I thought if I didn’t do it, I’d never get the chance again to do a J1. I just took the opportunity when it came up.”

Upon returning to Ireland, Regan completed her final year of studies in podiatric medicine at the University of Galway. Graduation later followed and for the past two years Regan has been working as a podiatrist in Sligo.

When she considers the commute players can face in order to make it to and from inter-county training, Regan is pleased her current occupation is keeping her close to Sligo’s training base.

“I feel like when you’re in college, you’re trying to juggle college football, club football, county football, part-time jobs, your studies. Final year was busy with placement and thesis and everything. That was definitely quite a hectic year and even travelling up and down to college as well would definitely take it out of you,” Regan added.

“I feel like now I’m in more of a routine and I’m living in Sligo and working in Sligo. Less travelling and I have my evenings and weekends off. There is no clashing with part-time work or restaurant work or anything like that.

“I always would have given it my 100%, but I think definitely this year now and last year, it has made it a bit easier when you’re living where you’re training. It is tough on the college girls trying to get up and down for training. Juggling part-time work and studies and everything. I feel like I’m in a good position now at the moment.”

Posted in Ladies GAA | Comments Off on The Big Interview: Sinead Regan (Sligo/Drumcliffe-Rosses Point) – Media West Ireland – July 12 2025

Post-Match Reaction: SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division – Finn Harps Captain Tony McNamee – Donegal Live – July 12 2025

Tony McNamee demands more clinical edge from Finn Harps following UCD loss

The Finn Harps skipper says his side need to be more clinical in front of goal after Kevin McHugh’s side went down 3-1 away to UCD on Friday evening

By Daire Walsh

Finn Harps captain Tony McNamee believes a more clinical edge from their opponents was the key factor behind a 3-1 loss to UCD in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division at Belfield on Friday night.

Coming into the game without a defeat in five encounters, Harps had an excellent opportunity to take the lead when Gradi Lomboto was put through on goal in the early stages, but UCD custodian Dara Kavanagh thwarted his efforts.

Conor Tourish’s headed finish cancelled out an Adam Brennan opener for the Students – who face Harps in the FAI Cup second round at Finn Park next Friday – before Michael McCullagh and Michael Raggett found the target either side of the interval for the hosts.

“It’s difficult coming down to UCD. We know how good they are at keeping the ball. On a warm day, we tried to keep our shape. Again, we frustrated them to a certain extent at the start of the first half. We got behind them a couple of times. Gradi had a great chance. To be fair to the keeper, he has done well,” McNamee said.

“If Gradi goes around him and it hits the net, you don’t know what happens. That is part and parcel of football. If you don’t take your chances you can be punished at the other end. They seemed to have a lot more space in the box than we did. It just seems to be the way it is going at times, but it’s a difficult venue to come to. We’ll just move on to next week.”

Posted in League Of Ireland | Comments Off on Post-Match Reaction: SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division – Finn Harps Captain Tony McNamee – Donegal Live – July 12 2025

Post-Match Reaction: All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship Quarter-Final – Tipperary Manager Ed Burke – Nenagh Guardian – July 12 2025

Burke looking to build on quarter final progress

By Daire Walsh

Tipperary manager Ed Burke acknowledged Meath were full value for a victory in their All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-final on Sunday evening.

With Vikki Wall and Niamh Gallogly rattling the net in fine style for their opponents, Tipperary were facing into a 13-point deficit at the midway stage in the action. The Premier women battled admirably on the resumption with Cahir’s Aishling Moloney bagging a late three-pointer of her own, but Meath convincingly advanced to a forthcoming last-four clash against defending champions Kerry.

“Meath came out of the blocks far quicker in the first half,” Burke admitted.

“Physically, they were just far stronger, and they dominated us. For ten minutes there they scored 2-5 and that’s the game in a nutshell.

“The second half in fairness, we came out and we battled well. We gave a bit of a better account of ourselves.

“Look, Meath are deserving winners. They had that ten minute period. We got on the ball; they hounded us, and they got turnovers.

“Even from the first turnover there on the end line, Vikki (Wall) got an unbelievable goal, and they punished us from there.

“It was hard to come back from, but we could have wilted in the second half. We lost the second half by a point. We came out and showed what we can do, but we’ve got to improve to try and go further.”

Expanding on the latter point, Burke admitted Tipperary need to display greater consistency if they have designs on featuring at the business end of the All-Ireland senior football championship on a more regular basis.

They won’t return to competitive fare until next January, but the Moyle Rovers clubman is adamant his squad will strive to make improvements in the years to come.

“We’ve got to keep going,” he stressed.

“We’ve got to show and say that we want to be at this level and play at this level the whole time. To try and improve. That is what we will do. We’ll come back and we’ll go again.

“We’ve got to build a consistency. When you’re playing top level football, you can’t afford to have bad ten or fifteen minute spells and that is what is killing us. We’ve got to learn from that, and we’ve got to improve on it.”

Posted in Ladies GAA | Comments Off on Post-Match Reaction: All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship Quarter-Final – Tipperary Manager Ed Burke – Nenagh Guardian – July 12 2025

All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship Quarter-Final: Meath V Tipperary – Nenagh Guardian – July 12 2025

Tipp grounded by Meath in quarter final

LADIES FOOTBALL: TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final

Meath 2-17

Tipperary 1-6

Report: Daire Walsh at Pairc Tailteann, Navan

MATCH DIGEST

Player of the Match: Niamh Gallogly (Meath)

SCORERS – Meath: Vikki Wall (0-1 free), Niamh Gallogly 1-2 each; Marion Farrelly 0-4, Ciara Smyth 0-3, Emma Duggan (1 free), Kerrie Cole 0-2 each; Aoibhin Cleary, Shauna Ennis 0-1 each.

Tipperary: Aishling Moloney 1-1 (0-1 free), Anna Rose Kennedy, Neassa Towey 0-2 each; Aoibhe O’Shea 0-1.

There was disappointment for the Tipperary ladies footballers on Sunday evening as Ed Burke’s side fell to a comprehensive defeat at the hands of an impressive Meath at the quarter-final stage of the All-Ireland senior football championship.

In addition to goal-scorers Vikki Wall and Niamh Gallogly coming away with personal tallies of 1-2 apiece, Marion Farrelly (0-4) and Ciara Smyth (0-3) were also in fine scoring form for the Royal County.

After a determined group stage win over Donegal which saw them reach the knockout rounds, Tipperary were aiming to qualify for an All-Ireland championship semi-final for the first time since 1980 – the year of their most recent Brendan Martin Cup triumph. Aishling Moloney and substitute Neassa Towey produced battling displays, but the Premier County ultimately emerged second best.

Although there were four alterations to the team that was listed in the match programme, the Tipperary starting line-up actually showed three changes from their aforementioned success against Donegal; Katelyn Downey and Heather Spillane took over from Nora Martin and Towey respectively, while Ava Ryan was drafted into the side to replace her namesake Kirsty Crotty Ryan.

Despite facing into a stiff breeze, Tipperary edged in front with a mere twenty seconds gone. After the visitors attacked straight from the throw-in, the ball was worked into the path of centre-forward Anna Rose Kennedy and she duly split the uprights in fine style.

Yet, a Meath outfit that finished at the summit of Group 3 ahead of both Kildare and Armagh subsequently found their feet with unanswered points from Gallogly and Farrelly.

Vikki Wall didn’t feature when Meath narrowly defeated Tipperary at the group phase of the senior championship in 2024 and she showcased her undoubted class by superbly rifling an unstoppable strike beyond the reach of Premier netminder Lauren Fitzpatrick and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

This was an early set-back for Tipperary and even though Aisling Moloney knocked over an eighth minute free, their Leinster counterparts proceeded to dominate the remainder of the opening period.

Farrelly and Emma Duggan raised white flags to move Meath five points ahead on the first-quarter mark and their second goal then arrived in the seventh minute. Megan Thynne picked out her fellow wing-forward Smyth in space and when she flashed the ball towards the right-hand post, Gallogly was on hand to flick the ball into the back of the net.

Tipperary had struggled to create clear-cut opportunities for much of the first half and were largely kept on the back-foot by the well-drilled Royals.

Meath’s shooting accuracy was a strong feature of the opening thirty minutes, and with Wall, Kerrie Cole and skipper Aoibhin Cleary finding the range to compliment a brace from Farrelly, the hosts brought a commanding 2-9 to 0-2 buffer into the interval.

This left Tipperary with a mountain to climb on the restart and they found themselves further behind when Duggan converted a routine free on 32 minutes. However, Neassa Towey was later introduced off the bench and she added fresh impetus to her team’s play.

After Moloney had fielded a ball on the edge of the square for the second time in a matter of minutes, she released the Templemore star for a fine point from play. It was proving exceedingly difficult to contain the Meath forward line, though, and scores from Smyth and Cole helped to reinforce their authority.

The hard-working Anna-Rose Kennedy (who was joined in the Tipperary side by her Aherlow club-mate Emma Morrissey) kicked her second point on 39 minutes, but following successive contributions from Smyth, Wall and two-time All-Ireland winning skipper Shauna Ennis, Meath had placed the outcome beyond doubt by the start of the final-quarter.

Tipperary did keep their spirits high during the closing moments of the action as Towey and her fellow substitute Aoibhe O’Shea, both found the target in quick succession.

Smyth and Gallogly added to their individual hauls as the final whistle approached, but Tipperary did manage to gain some solace in the 54th minute. From a high, hanging delivery into the square, influential Cahir ace Moloney flicked the ball past substitute goalkeeper Monica McGuirk in clinical fashion.

The Premier County’s season eventually ended in a 14-point reversal to a Meath side that were buoyed by a passionate home support, but with their march to the All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-finals being supplemented by a third place finish in Division 2 of the National League, there are plenty of positives for the squad to take from 2025.

TEAMS – Meath: Robyn Murray; Aine Sheridan, Mary Kate Lynch, Katie Newe; Aoibhin Cleary, Sarah Wall, Karla Kealy; Orlaith Sheehy, Marion Farrelly; Megan Thynne, Niamh Gallogly, Ciara Smyth; Emma Duggan, Vikki Wall, Kerrie Cole.

Subs: Shauna Ennis for Cole (40), Katie Bermingham for Farrelly (44), Ciara Lawlor for Kealy (47), Amy Gaffney for Sheehy (51), Monica McGuirk for Murray (53), Niamh McEntee for Duggan (55 blood).

Tipperary: Lauren Fitzpatrick (Ballymacarbry, Capt); Katelyn Downey (Boherlahan-Dualla), Lucy Spillane (Fethard), Emma Cronin (Moyle Rovers); Sarah English (Ardfinnan), Maria Curley (Templemore), Heather Spillane (Fethard); Laura Morrissey (Brian Borus), Emma Morrissey (Aherlow); Clara English (Ardfinnan), Anna Rose Kennedy (Aherlow), Ava Ryan (Moyne-Templetuohy); Angela McGuigan (St Sylvester’s), Aishling Moloney (Cahir), Nicole Shelly (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone).

Subs: Neassa Towey (Templemore) for Shelly (36); Aoibhe O’Shea (CJ Kickhams Mullinahone) for Spillane (39), Kate Cashman (Templemore) for Downey (43), Caoimhe Condon (Brian Borus) for L Morrissey (44), Hazel Brennan (Moyle Rovers) for Ryan (51).

Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).

Posted in Ladies GAA | Comments Off on All-Ireland Senior Ladies Football Championship Quarter-Final: Meath V Tipperary – Nenagh Guardian – July 12 2025

SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division: UCD V Finn Harps – Donegal Live – July 11 2025

Finn Harps find the going too tough away to UCD and remain seventh in standings

Conor Tourish might have quickly cancelled out Adam Brennan’s opener but efforts either side of the break from Mikey McCullagh and Michael Raggett made sure the Students took all points

By Daire Walsh

Goals either side of half-time from Michael McCullagh and Michael Raggett were crucial on Friday night as UCD brought Finn Harps’ five-game unbeaten streak in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division to an end in Belfield.

There were a couple of changes to the Harps team that played out a scoreless draw at home to Longford Town seven days earlier with Oran Brogan and Idir Zerrouk drafted into the starting line-up for their debuts.

Corey Sheridan was retained between the sticks by Kevin McHugh despite the presence of another new recruit – shotstopper Lorenzo Piaia – in the match day squad and he showed his worth when he produced a superb point-blank save from Adam Brennan six minutes into the contest.

Harps attacker Gradi Lomboto was presented with a golden opportunity of his own to break the deadlock off a subsequent move, but Dara Kavanagh got his hand to the ball as the former Galway United star attempted to round the UCD netminder.

It was proving to be a high-octane encounter played in ferocious conditions and it was the hosts who ultimately broke the deadlock in the 16th minute. Via a cross on the right-wing by McCullagh, Adam Brennan was ideally positioned to finish from close-range.

While this was a set-back for a Harps side that hadn’t conceded a goal since a 1-1 draw with Wexford on June 13 at Finn Park, they were back in the reckoning just before referee Darragh White called for a first half water break on 21 minutes.

From an enticing set-piece delivery by Joel Bradley Walsh, Conor Tourish headed home in convincing fashion to bring the visitors back on level terms.

This was a significant boost for Harps, but just when it looked like the sides were going to be inseparable at the interval, UCD’s McCullagh clinically fired home from inside the box just under three minutes into stoppage-time at the end of the opening period.

2-1 adrift on the resumption as a consequence of this late sucker punch, Harps suffered another blow in the early stages of the second period. After Tourish had fouled the lively McCullagh inside the penalty area on 49 minutes, Raggett stepped forward to coolly slot the resulting penalty beyond the reach of Sheridan.

In an effort to get his team back into contention, Harps boss McHugh introduced Gavin Hodgins and Aaron McLaughlin as part of a double substitution just past the hour mark. There was still some life in their starting players, however, and Lomboto curled narrowly wide of the target off a counter attack in the 65th minute.

Gavin Gilmore, Adam McDaid and Kevin Jordan were also added to the mix as a triple change inside the final-quarter, albeit the aforementioned McLaughlin was one of the Harps players to be withdrawn at this point.

Although there was plenty of endeavour from his team-mates, Sheridan was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the closing stages and with 23 games now under their belts in the current season, Harps remain seventh in the First Division table.

UCD: Dara Kavanagh; Eanna Clancy, Adam Wells, Carl Lennox (Harry Whelan 93), Ciaran Behan (Sam Norval 82); Michael McCullagh (Odhran McLaughlin 88), Sean Brennan, Brian McManus, Adam Brennan (Louis Dignam 93); Jake Doyle, Michael Raggett (Ben Mahon 88).

Finn Harps: Corey Sheridan; Mikey Place (Kevin Jordan 75), Max Hutchison, Conor Tourish (Aaron McLaughlin 61 (Adam McDaid 75)), Joel Bradley Walsh, Kieran Cooney; Gradi Lomboto, Oran Brogan (Gavin Hodgins 61), Tony McNamee, Gavin McAteer (Gavin Gilmore 75); Idir Zerrouk.

Referee: Darragh White.

Posted in League Of Ireland | Comments Off on SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division: UCD V Finn Harps – Donegal Live – July 11 2025

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Odds Piece: Gambling.com – July 8 2024

GAA Football Betting Tips: Three Selections For This Weekend

By Daire Walsh

We are heading into the final stretches of the competition, and betting sites have updated their odds for this weekend’s semi-final ties.

Kerry produced their best performance of the season, defeating 2024 champions Armagh by 0-32 to 1-21 in the quarter-final phase of the Sam Maguire Cup.

The Kingdom will be back in Croke Park this Saturday in the last-four of the All-Ireland SFC to face Tyrone, who enjoyed a 0-23 to 0-16 victory at the expense of Dublin in the previous round.

On Sunday, Meath will be looking to build on their impressive last-eight success over Galway at the end of last month when they face Donegal in this weekend’s second semi-final.

Donegal were facing a championship exit as a result of staring into a seven-point interval deficit against provincial rivals Monaghan, but Jim McGuinness’ team ultimately dug deep to earn a 1-26 to 1-20 comeback victory.

Given a place in the All-Ireland final on July 27 is up for grabs, GAA betting sites are offering up a number of options for this weekend’s games.

It’s not easy to pick three tips for this season’s All-Ireland semi-finals, but our expert has outlined three tips that may be worth having.

Paudie Clifford’s Role Could Be Key For Kerry

There were many contenders on a day when Kerry reminded the GAA public what a force they can be, but a 0-12 haul ultimately helped Sean O’Shea to claim the RTE Man of the Match in the Kingdom’s superb quarter-final triumph over Armagh.

If Tyrone have designs on avoiding the same fate as their fellow Ulster side this Saturday, they will need to curb the influence of the Kenmare Shamrocks attacker.

The same is true of the exceptional David Clifford, who has amassed an outstanding haul of 3-14 across his last two appearances for the Kingdom.

They might seem like decent bets to secure the individual prize this weekend, but Paudie Clifford has become one of Kerry’s most important players in recent years and must be considered.

Suspension and injury have disrupted his season thus far, but he was introduced at half-time in the Armagh tie and helped the Munster kingpins to turn the tide.

Given he also saw game time off the bench in a preliminary quarter-final win against Cavan, it would be a major surprise if he isn’t returned to the Kerry starting line-up against Tyrone.

Odds of 10/1 might only make him joint fifth in the running for RTE Man of the Match in the eyes of BoyleSports, but if he is at his best on Saturday, he will come into the reckoning.

GAA Football Betting Tip 1: Paudie Clifford To Be RTE Man Of The Match – 10/1 With BoyleSports

Kerry Shouldn’t Panic If Tyrone Find The Net

Thus far in 2025, Kerry have been largely goal-hungry. In addition to raising 17 green flags in eight league encounters, they have rattled the net on 14 occasions in seven championship fixtures.

Yet, Jack O’Connor’s men showed in their superb performance against Armagh that they have the ability to steamroll teams without registering a goal.

In addition, the fact that their opponents managed to secure a three-pointer of their own didn’t prevent them from advancing.

Rory Grugan’s goal did help Armagh to establish a 1-16 to 0-14 cushion early in the second half, but a haul of 14 points without reply saw Kerry gain a firm grip on the proceedings.

While history doesn’t always repeat itself, Kerry are more than capable of overcoming the concession of a goal to keep themselves on track for a potential 39th Sam Maguire Cup crown.

Therefore, the odds of 15/4 that BoyleSports are offering on Tyrone to score the first goal, only for Kerry to eventually come out on top, could be a decent selection.

GAA Football Betting Tip 2: 1st Goal & Result Tyrone-Kerry – 15/4 With BoyleSports

Tight Match Expected Between Donegal And Meath

As debut managerial seasons go, Meath’s Robbie Brennan is currently enjoying one of the better ones.

Taking over a side that were underwhelming in 2024 – and had struggled to make a lasting impact in the championship for many years – the former Kilmacud Crokes boss has largely transformed the fortunes of the Royals.

A superb Leinster senior football championship semi-final victory over Dublin grabbed headlines back in April, and while Louth got the better of them in the following month’s provincial decider, Meath responded by finishing top of their All-Ireland SFC group.

This was officially achieved courtesy of a 1-22 to 0-16 win at the expense of Kerry in Tullamore on June 14.

Despite going into their subsequent quarter-final duel as underdogs, Meath held off a third-quarter surge to defeat 2024 finalists Galway with a single point to spare.

As a result, the Royals have reached the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland championship for the first time since 2009.

Donegal, on the other hand, made the last four in 2024 and will hope to go at least one step further in the current championship.

Jim McGuinness’ men will have experience on their side and will be bolstered by their aforementioned quarter-final turnaround against Monaghan.

Yet, based on all the evidence to date, this contest should go down to the wire.

Many punters will be anticipating a slender margin of victory, and Betway are offering 4/1 on Donegal winning by between one and three points.

GAA Football Betting Tip 3: Donegal To Win By 1-3 Points – 4/1 With Betway

Posted in Gaelic Football, Gaelic Games | Comments Off on All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Odds Piece: Gambling.com – July 8 2024