Sunday 26 May 2013
IN a raw, remarkably frank and sometimes disturbing article in today's Sunday Independent, Cavan goalkeeper Alan O'Mara lifts the lid on the depression which engulfed him and reveals that he was rescued from suicidal thoughts by "the visualisation of my parents at my funeral".
When Dublin football manager Jim Gavin sat down with his fitness coach Martin Kennedy last October to discuss his plans for the new season, he knew exactly what he wanted. Gavin had a game plan, a vision for the type of football he wanted his team to play and Kennedy was the man charged with getting the players in the required physical condition.
IT'S a little harsh that any 21-year-old should find himself at a crossroads in life, but that's exactly where Niall Morgan was five months ago.
Three goals in seven minutes before half-time eased Cork past Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds and into the Munster football championship semi-final.
BRIAN McEniff's late mother hailed from Carrickmore, where they boast more county senior football championships than any other club in Tyrone and have never relinquished senior status. McEniff describes his mother as having been "a feisty Carrickmore lady who never left her roots". They were Begleys. A brother, John, played for club and county in the 1940s. He knows Tyrone well. Has good time for Tyrone.
ALMOST a year to the day, rumours of a heave against Justin McNulty circulated in Laois.
Ulster SFC quarter-final
Colm O'Rourke and his Desperados stormed ahead in the battle between the Sunday Independent's Gaelic games writers, recording 58 points in Fantasy Gaelic, while The Fielder put in a dismal performance, finishing the first weekend of matches on -1 points.
Shane Lennon has nowhere to hide. Whether he's playing for his club Kilkerley or for his county Louth, he is under the watchful eye of one the O'Rourkes. Cousins Aidan and Malachy are in charge of his county and club teams respectively.
AS four of Gaelic football's so-called 'Super Six' open their championship campaigns this weekend, Mickey Harte insists Tyrone have no fear of All-Ireland champions Donegal.
IN years to come, the record books will present tomorrow's Ulster quarter-final exactly the same as the 18 previous Donegal-Tyrone championship clashes.
JUST over 10 years ago now, a late Ryan McMenamin point rescued Tyrone against Derry in Clones. They had a replay in Casement Park. Joe Brolly's verdict? A minor side masquerading in senior football.
SEAN Cavanagh's depiction of what to expect in Ballybofey tomorrow isn't exactly encouraging.
TEN years ago, Stevie O'Neill couldn't even get into the starting Tyrone line-up, now he is captain and an essential component of the team. The only others that remain from his first team are Sean Cavanagh and Conor Gormley.
A CLUB game in his native Mayo today means Sligo midfielder James Kilcullen will have to follow his team-mates over to London for tomorrow's Connacht SFC opener.
THE flinty world of Ulster football promises a first real heavyweight championship game of summer tomorrow as Donegal and Tyrone renew one of the game's most compelling, if not convivial rivalries.
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the third championship in a row that Kerry have begun without the mantle of All-Ireland champions. Believe me when I say that it hurts every GAA person in the county.
Hope always springs eternal. If recent cycles are anything to gauge by, Paddy Keenan can see his summer stretching on a little longer than usual.
I was in the company of fellow mourner Kevin Smith, a noted doggy man, who won the Derby with Climate Control back in 2007.
DONEGAL manager Jim McGuinness can say the league doesn't matter, but that's not the case for tomorrow's Leinster championship protagonists Wicklow and Longford, who face off at Aughrim.
REFLECTING on a record-breaking season should be more enjoyable.
IT MIGHT be 11 years since Rory Kavanagh made his first championship appearance for Donegal – but the Letterkenny man still counts himself as a newcomer to the summer's fields.
Profile the range of Colm McFadden's scores in the 2012 championship and pretty quickly a trend develops to illustrate just how good he was last season.
IF Aidan Walsh looks calm in the heat of battle in Limerick tomorrow night, it's because he has been through worse this week.
Paul Grimley has taken the unprecedented step of issuing a statement to offer a personal apology to Armagh supporters and the County Board in the wake of Sunday's four-point defeat to Cavan in the Ulster championship.
ThE famously disputed goal of Joe Sheridan (right) against Louth in the 2010 Leinster final caused a little ill-feeling (OK, that's an understatement), but it's got nothing on a goalmouth controversy in Tyrone that could finally be put to bed this weekend, 125 years after the original row.
Derry manager Brian McIver says Joe Brolly's criticism of Paul Grimley was "over the top."
COLM Cooper has been named at centre-forward for Kerry in Sunday's Munster quarter-final against Tipperary and his Dr Crokes team-mate Fionn Fitzgerald is the surprise package in their full-back line.
KERRY legend Jack O'Shea has expressed concerns about the Kingdom's future when a host of established stars depart the inter-county scene.
IT'S put to Sean Cavanagh that the public are expecting open warfare when Tyrone and Donegal clash on Sunday. He takes a minute, smiles but doesn't dismiss the notion.
THE GAA has conceded that it is powerless to act against counties that issue bogus team listings in advance of championship games.
Former Chelsea midfielder, Ruud Gullit, believes Jose Mourinho's possible return to Stamford Bridge would be a good move for the club.
Rico Rogers wins sixth stage of the Ras into Carlow
Carl Froch will go toe-to-toe with conqueror Mikkel Kessler determined to overturn his 2010 defeat by the Dane and secure his legacy as one of Britain's all-time greats.
As one of the country's most consistent performers in recent years, the Black Caps would be loathe to draw a line under a Test career that started in 1997, but current skipper Brendon McCullum admits there are concerns.
Manchester City fought back from 3-0 down to beat Chelsea 4-3 in an exhibition match in St Louis.
Twenty-two year- old Moreno De Pauw, riding for the Belgium National Team, has won Stage Five of The Rás. De Pauw completed the 150- kilometre stage from Glengarrif to Mitchelstown in 3 hours 36 minutes 25 seconds.
Manchester City have launched a new club in the USA called New York City FC. They are in partnership with baseball giants the New York Yankees.
Interview with Irish Independent Billy Keane ahead of Stage Five of The Rás
Super League Magic Weekend showcases the best of Rugby League over two days - and the Hull derby is set to be a match no-one should miss.
Both Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler cannot wait to get in to the ring again, for their super-middleweight unification bout on Saturday.
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