John Mullane

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Brian Cody an inspiration to us all and his achievements are unlikely to be matched in GAA

The 2008 All-Ireland final was easily the hardest day of my hurling career and all I wanted to do was head down the Croke Park tunnel and wallow in my own self-pity after Kilkenny laid waste to us.

Tony Kelly's sideline cut to send the Munster final to extra-time was one of many exhilarating moments of this year's championship. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Paul Gascoigne-style finishes and icy handshakes – the good, the bad and the ugly of the 2022 hurling season

The end result may have been the same as the Limerick juggernaut stayed on the tracks for a famous three-in-a-row, but the hurling season just gone was one that won’t be forgotten any time soon.

The Limerick squad before their All-Ireland SHC semi-final match against Galway at Croke Park. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane’s Limerick and Kilkenny player ratings ahead of Sunday’s mouth-watering All-Ireland hurling final

Cian Lynch with supporters after Limerick's semi-final win over Galway. But will he start in the decider? Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Tickets, sleep, hype and selection calls – Many pitfalls are lurking that could dash All-Ireland dreams

This is the best two weeks of any hurler’s career and you are the envy of every other player in the country. Everyone wants to feature in the biggest day of the hurling year but that comes with plenty of pitfalls, some that I know only too well.

Conor Whelan and his team-mates will need to hit top form if Galway are to have any chance of dethroning champions Limerick. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion What type of mentality is needed when nobody gives you a chance in hell?

The final whistle had barely blown on July 26, 2009 in Thurles when our attention immediately turned to the monstrous task ahead – stopping the Kilkenny juggernaut which was laying waste to all of the hurling world.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has perfected the gap between Leinster success and the last four with just a quartet of semi-final defeats from 21 attempts. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion No excuses for any of the final four as day of destiny awaits

Minding the gap is normally something you associate with hearing while boarding a train, but it also has plenty of relevance heading into next weekend’s mouth-watering All-Ireland semi-finals.

Conor Whelan is closely marshalled by Kilkenny's Huw Lawlor in the Leinster final. Cork can't afford to give the Galway man space. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion May I have your attention please – could the real Galway please stand up?

That iconic line from American rapper Eminem springs to mind when you ponder what Henry Shefflin is thinking heading into Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Cork in Thurles: could the real Galway please stand up?

Robbie Greville of Westmeath in action against Lee Chin of Wexford during their drawn game in the Leinster Championship. Credit: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Wexford and Cork must keep eyes on prize to avoid shock

I played in some great Munster finals during my own career, but none of them matched last Sunday’s decider. It had everything. It was like the good old days and after being starved of it recently, it was just a joy to behold.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody, left, and Galway manager Henry Shefflin shake hands after their Leinster SHC Round 3 clash. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Pupil can thwart master once again with Henry Shefflin set to inflict more misery on Brian Cody’s Cats

The sequel is rarely as thrilling as the original, but tonight’s Leinster hurling final has blockbuster written all over it as the pupil tries to thwart his old master again.

Niall O’Leary of Cork and Austin Gleeson of Waterford tussle during the Munster SHC clash at Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Déise have to keep focus against Clare and pray for help from hurling Gods

Just when you thought their chance had passed, Cork saved their best for last as Waterford’s worst fears became a reality.

Sometimes the responsibility will have to be taken away from Cork manager Kieran Kingston if the players want to gain some pride. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Rebel leaders must take a look in the mirror and change to save their season

Tipperary’s Barry Heffernan could go toe to toe with Limerick’s Will O’Donoghue tomorrow. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Limerick will not sympathise with Tipp’s woes and the green giants will go straight for their throats

Tipperary and Limerick may share a large border, but the Munster rivals are miles apart in hurling terms, with the Treaty at the peak of their powers and on a journey to greatness while Tipp are at one of their lowest ebbs as a colossal rebuild takes place.

TJ Reid of Shamrocks after his side's defeat in the AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Final match between Ballygunner, Waterford, and Shamrocks, Kilkenny, at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion TJ Reid must be stopped if Henry Shefflin wants to topple Brian Cody and the county he’s had so much success with

If Henry Shefflin is to get one over on his native county, he has to find a way to stop the man who, in his wake, has done equally magical things in the black and amber.

Limerick’s Declan Hannon tries to stop Waterford’s Michael Kiely in last year’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Waterford must lay down a serious marker to Limerick giants ahead of possible trilogy

Limerick set the record straight last week that they are still on top of the hurling tree after some lingering doubts following an off-colour league and John Kiely will be keen to keep their foot firmly on Waterford’s throat on Saturday night.

Cathal Mannion will be an important player if Galway are to plunder a provincial title. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Three counties can lay down championship markers with victories in high-stakes clashes

April is my favourite month as the clocks have gone forward, the evenings are stretching out, and there’s always a feast of GAA action to get excited about.

Waterford's Stephen Bennett during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Final match against Cork and Waterford at Semple Stadium in Thurles. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion With their style and attitude, this team could be Waterford’s greatest

There’s something about this Waterford team that just feels a bit different, and for me it was summed up by an encounter I had on the pitch on Saturday night with one of their players. I congratulated him and told him to enjoy the celebrations. His response? “We’ll celebrate when we have Liam MacCarthy.”

John Mullane is sent off by referee Seánie McMahon in Waterford’s 2004 Munster SHC final victory over Cork, resulting in him missing that year’s All-Ireland semi-final. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Austin Gleeson’s red card felt like deja vu but he’ll learn lessons like I did

Deja vu hit me watching John Keenan going into the umpires last Sunday before calling Austin Gleeson aside as memories of my own moment of madness resurfaced.

Rory O’Connor has been playing with a great sense of freedom with Wexford. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Talk of anyone holding back for a league title is absolute nonsense

All the talk is about which of the four league semi-finalists really want to win silverware given its proximity to championship, but Wexford have made no secret of their ambitions – they are the team of the year so far.

Tipperary manager Liam Cahill is getting a total buy-in from his squad. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Brian Cody and Liam Cahill know this Kilkenny vs Waterford clash isn’t ‘just the league’

You can say it’s only the league, but for Waterford and Kilkenny, there’s potentially an awful lot on the line at Nowlan Park tomorrow. For any hurling team around the country, winning in that stadium can have a massive knock-on effect, and Liam Cahill will know as much.

Tipperary manager Colm Bonnar before the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group B match between Waterford and Tipperary at Walsh Park in Waterford. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Colm Bonnar needs to find a trustworthy lineup to get back to Premier standard

It is hard to take the positives when you’re on the wrong side of a 10-point beating, but Colm Bonnar has little option but to do that this week. Tipperary have just five weeks before the higher-stakes rematch in Walsh Park, a venue that’s fast becoming a fortress for Waterford under Liam Cahill.

The loss of Peter Casey could have had a much bigger impact than some anticipated. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Limerick are showing vulnerabilities and the pack are closing

It’s too easy to just write off Limerick’s league woes and expect that everything will be spot-on come championship.

Mark Keane brings more physicality to the Cork hurling team. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Victory over Limerick – even in the league – would be a huge lift for Rebels

If there’s one thing we learned from Cork’s approach against Limerick in last year’s league, and how it influenced what came later, it’s that they gained very little by keeping their cards close to their chest.

Following Ballygunner's All-Ireland win and Liam Cahill's decision to stay on as manager, one must ask, will 2022 be the year for Waterford hurling? Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Something feels different this year and the holy grail may finally be within Waterford’s grasp

What a way to reach the summit of club hurling for Ballygunner last Saturday and more so the stuff of dreams for Harry Ruddle. You fantasise about that type of thing happening when you’re a child playing an All-Ireland final out in the garden while commentating on every ball that’s struck.

Galway manager Henry Shefflin after the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A match between Galway and Offaly at Pearse Stadium in Galway. Photo: Ray Ryan/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion ‘King Henry’ faces hurling royalty with Tribe set to learn some lessons

What better way for ‘The King’ to test his wits as an inter-county manager than against the current ruler and that’s exactly what will happen when Henry Shefflin brings his Galway squad to Limerick tonight to face a wounded Treaty.

Limerick manager John Kiely will be hoping his team can add to their haul of silverware in 2022. Photo: Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Can anyone stop Limerick's treble bid in 2022?

The big question on everyone’s lips is whether the Limerick juggernaut can be stopped or if they will maintain their stranglehold on silverware and leave everybody chasing shadows once again this year.

Henry Shefflin in action for Kilkenny against Dáithí Burke of Galway during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick in April 2014. Photo: Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion The five things Henry Shefflin must do to turn Tribesmen into All-Ireland winners again

Hands up if you saw this one coming. Earlier this week, it was circulating that Davy Fitz was going to be heading up the road to take the hot-seat with the Tribesmen but then, only 24 hours later, came the bombshell news: the king was to become the new Galway manager.

Dejected brothers Eoin, left, and Alan Cadogan of Cork after the All-Ireland hurling final defeat to Limerick. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion I couldn’t look people straight in the face with the shame I felt after the 2008 final

I never expected my own harrowing experiences 13 years ago to be the focus of the conversation on RTÉ radio last Sunday as some old ghosts were resurrected.

Mark Coleman of Cork in action against Peter Casey of Limerick during the Munster SHC semi-final at Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Everything must go right for Rebels as match-ups favour Treaty

Meticulous planning goes into preparing players for every eventuality between the white lines, but Limerick won’t have overdone their thought-process this week with total trust in the way they play.

Cork’s Seán O’Donoghue and Niall O’Leary (2) celebrate their epic semi-final victory over Kilkenny. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Young Rebels must shut out All-Ireland final hype while Limerick click into familiar routine

Face masks are an unwelcome by-product of Covid, but they may come in handy for Cork and Limerick players involved in next week’s All-Ireland SHC final as it’s never been as easy to keep the head down and remain invisible.

Jack Prendergast, in action against Paddy Cadell of Tipperary during the All-Ireland quarter-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last week, has been Waterford's unsung hero. Photo: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

Premium

John Mullane Opinion Buzzing Déise can do it if they focus on themselves rather than fixating on taking down Limerick juggernaut

There’s a famous quote that says “it doesn’t matter what others are doing, it matters what YOU are doing” and that sums up exactly what Waterford’s approach to taking down the Limerick juggernaut must be.