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2 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
Kildare hurling is well and truly on the up after securing back-to-back promotions. The Lilywhites will play Liam McCarthy hurling in 2026 after they defeated Laois in the Joe McDonagh final on Sunday in Croke Park. It’s a significant day for the Lilywhites as before the start of this year’s Joe McDonagh, they had failed to win a game at this grade; now, next year, they will be playing against the big boys of Leinster.
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2 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
We’re down to the final eight teams in the hunt for the Liam MacCarthy, and after Sunday's games in Croke Park, the route to the All-Ireland final is confirmed. After a huge weekend of hurling, we've ranked the elite eight to see who’s most likely to come out on top. The Rebels have now claimed the two major pieces of silverware on offer this year. They won their first league title since 1998 and now have their first Munster title since 2018. Pat Ryan’s side are on a roll.
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2 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
The days of a Leinster hurling final in Croke Park look to be numbered after another disappointing turnout for the provincial final as Kilkenny completed six-in-a-row. Only 37,503 attended the doubleheader, which also saw Kildare claim the Joe McDonagh Cup. New head of hurling Willie Maher had announced that 20,000 free tickets for under-14s would be provided for the game, but the crowd was well below par.
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3 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
Galway's squad announcement mind games have been thrown out the window after the CHC confirmed that, despite his naming on the Tribesmen team sheet, Darach Fahy would in fact be suspended for this Sunday's Leinster Final. The Central Competitions Control Committee cited Fahy for contact made with his hurley against Dublin's Andrew Jamieson-Murphy’s leg after the Galway netminder passed the ball away, an incident which referee Colm Lyons didn’t deal with last weekend.
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3 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
Former Derry defender Chrissy McKaigue could see the Tyrone domination coming from a mile away. The secondary school teacher isn’t surprised by the recent Ulster dominance as the last two All-Irelands have been contested by two Ulster teams and won by his native county. “My day job is at St Patrick's Maghera,” he said“We were very fortunate this year to win the MacRory Cup and the Hogan Cup, which is the pinnacle of school football.
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3 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
Limerick great Ciaran Carey has questioned the mental state of Cork ahead of the Munster final clash against the Treaty county. Speaking on OurGame, the two-time Munster winner - and uncle of Limerick captain Cian Lynch - believes that they still have to answer that question of mental fragility. "Looking at them, you see the spells they come at in various stages of the game. I watched them very closely against Clare, and to be fair, I thought they were awesome in the first half,” Carey said.
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3 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
Bernard Jackman has provided fresh insight into the high-drama incident involving Munster’s Jack Crowley and several Sharks players and staff during the tense URC quarter-final penalty shootout. The United Rugby Championship clash in Durban ended level after regular and extra time, forcing a rare and dramatic penalty shootout to decide who would progress to the semi-finals. But beyond the kicks, the spotlight quickly turned to an intense exchange between Jack Crowley and Jaden Hendrikse.
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3 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
With the Munster final this Saturday, we've picked a combined 15 between both Limerick and Cork to see what sort of Frankenstein dream team we can make. He has made the comeback from a cruciate injury look simple. Despite no league games played, he hasn’t put a foot wrong in any Munster championship game. Has found some of his All-Star winning form after a somewhat dodgy league campaignAnywhere across the whole and half-back line, Dan is the man as he is a Rolls Royce of a defender.
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3 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
Tipperary bounced back in style from last year's All-Ireland U20 final heartbreak loss to Offaly by beating the old for Kilkenny 3-19 to 1-16 in Nowlan Park, securing their first title at this age group since 2019. Speaking to TG4 after the game, senior and U20 star Darragh McCarthy admitted that the loss from last year spurred them on to victory. “We carried the wounds from last year, 12 months of pain got us over the line there today,” he said.
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3 weeks ago | 
balls.ie | Darragh O'Flynn
Three goals in the first half helped New York fight off a late Cavan comeback as they secured a 4-17 to 2-17 victory to win their very first Lory Meagher Cup. Goals from Man of the Match David Mangan, who finished with 1-7, Dara Walsh, AJ Willis and Tomas O'Connor propelled the Exiles to the landmark win. New York only returned to hurling's fifth tier last weekend, beating Monaghan at the semi-final stage, having not previously played in a hurling Championship match here since 2006.
