Martin Breheny

Con O'Callaghan of Dublin in action against David Toner, left, and Séamus Lavin of Meath during last year's Leinster SFC final. Photo: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Retaining the provincial system was an opportunity squandered for an open draw

Whose idea was the slow-bicycle provincial championship draws? RTÉ presumably, with the GAA agreeing to drag them out across radio (Morning Ireland) and television (Six One News) next Monday and Tuesday.

Dublin senior football manager Dessie Farrell who received a 12-week ban from his county board over an unauthorised training session. Photo: Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Inconsistent Covid rules only encourage teams to take risks

A friend of mine texted last Friday night with a one-liner: “The Dublin lads are in the wrong sport.”

Kerry captain Jimmy Deenihan (left) shakes hands with Richie Connor, the Offaly captain, as referee Paddy Collins looks on before the 1981 All-Ireland SFC final at Croke Park. Photo: Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Data shows how football needs entertainment lift

Last Saturday, I watched two rugby games in quick succession. Flicking through the channels, I came across Bristol v Harlequins early on when it already looked an engaging contest.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody during last year's All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Waterford in Croke Park. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Is ageism a factor in how Cody and Harte are viewed in their native counties?

First Aidan Fogarty, then Richie Power senior and now Eoin Larkin.

'Close down, lock up, stay silent and await further instructions at an undisclosed date in the future'. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Unlock the gates and let sport lift national mood

Out my front door, turn left, walk 300 metres through a housing estate and I’m at the gate of Ballyboden St Enda’s GAA club.

The redeveloped Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Photo: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Stadium madness cannot go on in post-Covid world

In the week prior to the 1973 All-Ireland football final, Galway auctioneer Tim Colleran staged a major publicity coup when he promised each member of the Galway football panel a free house if they beat Cork by 12 points or more.

A view of an empty Croke Park during last December's All-Ireland senior football final. Fixing the fixtures problem without bringing the All-Ireland finals forward to July was easily achievable. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Split-season solution will ultimately harm the GAA

Other than where the evidence is so overwhelming as to be unquestionable, I regard consensus with suspicion.

Incoming GAA president Larry McCarthy will have plenty to topics to consider when he takes up office. Photo: Philip Fitzpatrick/Sportsfile

Survey highlights need for GAA’s biggest review ever

Is it down to Covid’s capacity to change perspectives and prompt re-evaluations of previously held positions? Is it the result of more effective background persuasion?

Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht Jack Chambers, centre, with Chief Executive of Sport Ireland John Treacy, left; unanswered questions remain over the GAA’s status demotion. Photo: Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion The GAA are entitled to the truth over ban on return to play

Words matter, especially when coming from Government and, even more especially, when delivered in the midst of a world health crisis.

Cork football captain, Ian Maguire, at the announcement of Sports Direct’s new five-year sponsorship deal with Cork GAA Photo:INPHO/Dan Sheridan

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Martin Breheny Opinion Hypocrisy abounds over Cork GAA's new sponsorship deal

Ian Maguire sidestepped the question on the grounds it wasn’t relevant to players, while Patrick Horgan declared his enthusiasm for the new arrangement, based on experiences with his club, Glen Rovers.

Kilkenny’s TJ Reid missed out on Martin Breheny’s Supreme All-Stars side. Photo: Sportsfile

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‘You’re right, he should have been included’ – Martin Breheny responds to readers on greatest All Stars

The omission of TJ Reid and Maurice Fitzgerald from our Supreme All-Stars teams drew the strongest reaction, with both attracting widespread support in a variety of positions.

Challenging the status quo: Connacht GAA secretary John Prenty has raised ways to streamline the inter-county system. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Training curb sensible but it doesn’t stand a chance

John Prenty wants a more streamlined inter-county scene, one where squads are allowed to come together no more than three times per week, where panels are restricted to 32 players, backroom teams are limited to 12 and an official off-season in locked tightly into the calendar.

Henry Shefflin, Eoin Kelly and Joe Canning all make the cut in our Supreme All-Star team.

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The Supreme Hurling All-Stars: Kilkenny dominate as big names miss out from Cork's three in-a-row side

Some standout questions arise from the hurling selection: why no place for any of Cork’s treble All-Ireland-winning team of the 1970s, including Ray Cummins, who was chosen on the Team of the Millennium; why so many Kilkenny men; how could Wexford and Waterford not have even one between them?

Peter Canavan, Brian Fenton and Jack O'Shea all feature in our Supreme Football All-Stars. Image credit: Sportsfile.

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The Supreme Football All-Stars: Kerry edge Dublin in our all-time selection

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Two Dublin legends, a threat of violence and how an All-Star tour to New York turned ugly

The language was direct, the intent obvious, the impact seismic. Two Dublin footballers, David Hickey and John McCarthy, were bluntly informed that they could be attacked if they went to New York on an All-Star tour.

Despite winning 1994 Hurler of the Year, Offaly’s Brian Whelahan missed out on a place in the All-Stars team. Photo: Sportsfile

The Whelahan snub, the red card rule and a power grab gone wrong - the five biggest All-Stars controversies

Gerry McInerney in action for Galway. Photo: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

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Accidents of birth and the Peter O'Toole of hurling - The top 50 hurlers who missed out on All-Star glory

Kilkenny 188, Carlow 0; Cork 112, Kerry 0; Tipperary 102, Laois 1; Galway 96, Rest of Connacht 0.

Jason Sherlock beats Cork goalkeeper Kevin O’Dwyer to score the winning goal in the 1995 All-Ireland SFC semi-final. Despite his debut year heroics the Dubliner missed out on making the All-Star team. Photo: Sportsfile

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Controversies, near-misses and robberies - The 50 greatest footballers to never win an All-Star

All-Star totals are unequivocal. The stronger counties don't just win most awards, they dominate to such a degree that it would be easy to assume that every player on lower-ranked teams is no more than a hopeful plodder.

Star quality: Pat Spillane. Photo: Sportsfile

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All-Stars at 50: A pub on Moore Street, a cigarette company and how it all started

It certainly wouldn't happen nowadays - a representative of a cigarette company chairing a meeting of sports writers in their deliberations on who were the best performers in a given year.

Last line of defence: Cork selector Diarmuid O’Sullivan consoles Anthony Nash, who has since retired, after last season’s qualifier defeat to Tipperary. Photo: Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Going back to future with O'Grady can fire up Rebels

Given the strange times we're in, managerial changes were always likely to be few after a 2020 season that didn't end until well after the Christmas decorations were put in place.

'On-field indiscipline can be dealt with swiftly and effectively by the referee' (stock photo)

Eject schools if they won't behave

Have a read of these disturbing comments on post-primary schools action from the annual report by Leinster Council secretary Michael Reynolds.

Even winners are calling for change

Those who remain locked into the view that the provincial football championship must be retained, whatever else changes, will use the successes of Cavan and Tipperary last November to support their case.

Down and Cork have faced accusations of breaching the inter-county training ban. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Events of the last two weeks have done serious damage to the GAA's image

When it comes to testing the regulations on training for inter-county teams, the pattern remains constant: first the questionable assembly, then the inevitable ‘leak’ and finally the unconvincing explanation.

Austin Healey in action for the Lions in 2001. Photo: Getty Images

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At least rugby talks about score values

Former English rugby international Austin Healey wrote an interesting piece last week, proposing that the value of a penalty in rugby union be reduced from three to two points.

David Clarke has quit the inter-county scene. Photo: Sportsfile

Did Clarke call change history?

We will never know the answer, but the question will always remain - was the decision to drop David Clarke for the 2016 All-Ireland final replay the mistake which cost them the title?

The Dublin players celebrate with the Sam Maguire Cup following the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Dublin and Mayo at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion Pandemic is the perfect time to try out an old Dublin idea - scrap the provincials and go for an open draw

Forty-one years ago last Sunday, I attended the Dublin County Convention where serious concerns were expressed over the All-Ireland football championship.

Keep away: Stephen Cluxton is more than just a man between the sticks for Dublin as their handpassing game often sees the ball retreat back to their spare man when there is any danger of losing the ball. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny Opinion GAA continues to ignore virulent effect of keep-ball

Whether it's Dublin's dominance in football or the introduction of a split season which will have all inter-county action jammed between February 27 and July 18 next year, there's plenty to engage the chattering classes at the end of a bewildering year.

Dublin and Mayo will go head to head once again in the 2020 All-Ireland football final. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

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Martin Breheny

Martin Breheny Opinion Retaining the provincial system was an opportunity squandered for an open draw

Martin Breheny Opinion Inconsistent Covid rules only encourage teams to take risks

Martin Breheny Opinion Data shows how football needs entertainment lift

Martin Breheny Opinion Is ageism a factor in how Cody and Harte are viewed in their native counties?

Martin Breheny Opinion Unlock the gates and let sport lift national mood

Martin Breheny Opinion Stadium madness cannot go on in post-Covid world

Martin Breheny Opinion Split-season solution will ultimately harm the GAA

Survey highlights need for GAA’s biggest review ever

Martin Breheny Opinion The GAA are entitled to the truth over ban on return to play

Martin Breheny Opinion Hypocrisy abounds over Cork GAA's new sponsorship deal

‘You’re right, he should have been included’ – Martin Breheny responds to readers on greatest All Stars

Martin Breheny Opinion Training curb sensible but it doesn’t stand a chance

The Supreme Hurling All-Stars: Kilkenny dominate as big names miss out from Cork's three in-a-row side

The Supreme Football All-Stars: Kerry edge Dublin in our all-time selection

Two Dublin legends, a threat of violence and how an All-Star tour to New York turned ugly

The Whelahan snub, the red card rule and a power grab gone wrong - the five biggest All-Stars controversies

Accidents of birth and the Peter O'Toole of hurling - The top 50 hurlers who missed out on All-Star glory

Controversies, near-misses and robberies - The 50 greatest footballers to never win an All-Star

All-Stars at 50: A pub on Moore Street, a cigarette company and how it all started

Martin Breheny Opinion Going back to future with O'Grady can fire up Rebels

Eject schools if they won't behave

Even winners are calling for change

Martin Breheny Opinion Events of the last two weeks have done serious damage to the GAA's image

At least rugby talks about score values

Did Clarke call change history?

Martin Breheny Opinion Pandemic is the perfect time to try out an old Dublin idea - scrap the provincials and go for an open draw

Martin Breheny Opinion GAA continues to ignore virulent effect of keep-ball

The top five All-Ireland final shocks - and why Mayo beating Dublin would be bigger than all of them

Martin Breheny Opinion Talk of a Limerick dynasty is very premature - just ask Cork, Tipp and Galway

Our all-Ireland final jury deliver their verdicts ...