Search Results for 'Paul Grimley'

At least one wish eventually occurred that I was hoping for as the four provincial winners are through to the semi-finals in the football championship, Mayo and Donegal by the skin of their teeth, Dublin and Kerry in a canter. It seems the day of having an All-Ireland winner that comes through the qualifiers is well and truly gone. Not since Kerry navigated their way in 09 have we had a winner through the back door. For the first time in GAA history the four provincial minor winners are also the same as the four provincial senior winners.

Alan Mulholland's team head to Clones on Sunday (3pm) with some momentum as they try to secure a win that would automatically guarantee division two league football for 2015.

After two very comprehensive wins in the first two rounds of the qualifiers, it is no surprise that Armagh manager Paul Grimley has stuck with the same 15 players to face Galway this Saturday in round three at Pearse Stadium (5pm).

Nothing in sport is definite - and that unpredictability is one of the main reasons we are enthralled by it. However, it is reasonable to assert that the Galway footballers must improve significantly on what they have produced in the championship to date if they are going to beat Armagh on Saturday at Pearse Stadium (5pm).

Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney loves his football and, particularly it would seem, managing football teams. I heard it said that a number of years ago when Banty was managing a local club side in Monaghan, he would often leave his bar in the early hours of the morning, and rather than go home and risk a sleep in, he would drive to the training ground, have a few hours’ kip in the car, before taking an early morning session with his charges. There can be no doubting his commitment to the cause.

I am finding it fairly difficult to establish just how good this current Mayo team really are, so I have conducted my own little independent survey among knowledgeable footballing friends from outside the county. Every single person I have spoken to since Mayo’s Connacht final victory over Galway has suggested that the Mayo team is in with a serious shout of winning this year’s All-Ireland title. They love the fact that this present group of players is big and strong with lots of ball winners particularly in the central positions. They also argue that it is a team that appears capable of scoring goals.

The televised draw for next year’s provincial championship which took place last Thursday was relatively kind to both Westmeath and Roscommon. Westmeath take on the winners of Wicklow and Carlow in a Leinster quarter-final. Louth, Longford or Kildare will provide the semi-final opposition should the Lake County win their opening game.