Search Results for 'Davy Fitzgerald'

Five of the eight games to be played this weekend in the Mayo GAA Senior Football Championship have been completed since Friday night. We know know six of the eight quarter-finalists for the competition.

Galway hurlers face the long trip to Innovate Wexford Park on Sunday (2pm) to take on the home side in the league quarter-finals.

By next Sunday evening we should know a small bit more about the Galway hurlers’ chances of knocking a rattle out of the 2014 championship after they take on Davy Fitzgerald's Clare in Cusack Park (2pm) in round five of the National Hurling League.

For those who fancy playing golf at Dromoland Castle with Clare Hurling Manager Davy FitzGerald, the Clarinbridge GAA Club has holding a Monster Auction on Sunday (December 1) at 1pm in The Parish Hall, Clarinbridge.

As Waterford effectively cruised into a semi-final with Kilkenny, many onlookers were understandably left looking a little confused.

For the sixth year in a row the Galway hurlers have been knocked out of the All-Ireland senior hurling championship before the Galway Races. And last Sunday’s 10-point defeat to Waterford was a real kick in the guts for hurling supporters in the county, particularly those who travelled to Semple Stadium with high hopes.

After impressive victories over Clare and Cork in the last two rounds of the championship the Galway hurlers must take the next step this Sunday in Thurles (4pm) and put Waterford to the sword in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

Waterford may have started as only third favourites for this year's Munster championship but when the lights were finally turned off in Semple Stadium last Saturday evening nobody could argue that the Deise weren't worthy winners of the Munster cup.

I said last week that a shock could be on the cards in Semple Stadium last Sunday. Okay it didn't pan out that way in the end, but at various stages of both quarter-finals it sure looked like happening. Cork and Waterford move onto the semi-final stages after cracking encounters with the former out to upset Kilkenny's 3 in a row dream on August 10. Over the last decade these two sides have stopped each other from completing this marvellous feat, it's a bit like the song Lanigan's Ball “one stepped in....", they will once again as in '04 relish the opportunity to repeat the trick and set up an All-Ireland appearance. Cork judging by their prematch get-together, obviously feel the world is against them. It's the first time I've seen everyone step outside the confines of the playing area for the National Anthem. They are well within their rights to do so but you're only bringing notice to yourself. Both the Clare and Wexford players were probably kicking themselves last Monday morning for letting a good chance slip by. You would have to acknowledge Cork's persistence to stick at it when all looked lost at half time. They once again proved that they have the bottle and they know how to both wear down a side and finish off a job - this is a trait that both Clare and Wexford lack.

Justin McCarthy would have had a wry smile on his face last Sunday afternoon. As you all know he resigned from his post as the county team’s hurling manager a number of months ago after a “heave” from his own players. It had become apparent, in the wake of a heavy defeat to Clare in the Munster championship, that some of the players were unhappy with McCarthy. Much was made of Dan Shanahan storming off the field that day and refusing to shake Justin’s hand when substituted. As in that game big Dan was totally anonymous last Sunday, barely touching the ball, until he was rescued from the action or, should that be non-action! I wasn’t too enamoured with the Waterford players at the time as I felt it was another example of player power being exerted, something that has become quite common this year. Remember it was McCarthy who took Waterford to three Munster titles and also to the brink of All-Ireland glory. It wasn’t his fault the players choked when so near the finishing line. They had the perfect excuse last year. The system militated against them, they said, as they had played three consecutive Sundays in a row. The manager is always the easy scapegoat after failures and these players must have felt the need to apportion blame to someone. Justin is obviously a proud man. He walked before it got ugly and, other than issuing a brief statement at the time, he kept his powder dry. I am not sure if he went along to Croke Park last Sunday, but as the game unfolded he would have felt fully justified in having walked from the job when the players had the audacity to question his methods after seven relatively successful years in charge.