Gavin Cummiskey

Dublin

Football Correspondent at Irish Times

Irish Times football correspondent. Train connoisseur.

Featured in: Favicon

irishtimes.com

Articles

Cathal O’Sullivan could be League of Ireland’s next million-pound player

6 days ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

The€10 million kidcomes off the right wing, skips over the Wexford full-back, glides away from the holding midfielder, and steadies himself before curling a left-footed shot into the top corner. That was eight months ago. In the return fixture last October, Cathal O’Sullivan did it again. This time the midfielder dropped off and the full-back tracked his lateral dribble. Same result – except he finished into the bottom corner.
Dermot Desmond claims ‘some non-executive directors’ are undermining Shamrock Rovers’ executive team

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

The Shamrock Rovers board has been plunged into conflict after co-owner Dermot Desmond warned the club membership to “carefully consider” the actions of “some non-executive directors” following the imminent departure of chief executive John Martin. Desmond, who owns a 25 per cent stake in Rovers, wrote to the membership on Wednesday to highlight persistent moves to remove Stephen Bradley as first-team manager despite the club’s unprecedented success under the 40-year-old.
FAI on collision course with new breakaway leagues over calendar season

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

A breakaway group called the Grassroots Amateur Football Clubs of Ireland — representing 20 leagues across 15 counties — has been formed in opposition to the Football Association of Ireland’s (FAI) proposed shift to a calendar-year season. Under the FAI’s player pathways plan, all competitions from grassroots to the League of Ireland are expected to transition to a January to December format by 2028.
FAI to include education plan in club licencing from 2027

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

League of Ireland clubs must have an education plan in place from 2027 to secure a license off the FAI. The association’s newly published ‘education and development strategy’ also envisages football being incorporated across all levels of primary and secondary schooling by 2030.
Mipo Odubeko helps Shelbourne shade derby date with Bohemians

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

Premier Division: Shelbourne 1 [Odubeko 79] Bohemians 0An instinctive toe-poke by Mipo Odubeko edged Shelbourne past Bohemians in the north Dublin derby at Tolka Park on Friday night. The Republic of Ireland under-21 international had struggled for minutes recently, only scoring once in the league since he arrested his slide down the English divisions with a move home.
FAI and League of Ireland clubs agree on the need for Government funding - but not much else

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

It took 30 years for Irish football to slide from the heights of a World Cup quarter-final to the FAI needing a Government bailout in 2020. The game in Ireland has reached another critical juncture – the association will either steer the ship to safety or this period in the international wilderness, far away from big tournaments, will continue. That, in a nutshell, is the belief of the sport’s key stakeholders and there is widespread agreement on the remedy: State-supported club academies.
FAI warns of Brexit impact shrinking Ireland’s talent pool

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

FAI Academy manager Will Clarke has warned that Brexit’s negative impact on Irish football is about to affect the competitiveness of the Republic of Ireland senior men’s team. Before the United Kingdom formally left the European Union in January 2020 – a move that prevents Irish talent from joining English or Scottish clubs until they turn 18 – there were approximately 100 Ireland players aged 16 to 18 in full-time professional environments.
Shelbourne boss Damien Duff still living the dream: ‘Football is my life’

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

Damien Duff expected his turbulent relationship with Bohemians manager Alan Reynolds to be a topic of conversation this week. Speaking to the media a few days after Shelbourne shared a point with St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park and three days before Bohs’ visit to Tolka Park, he was unwilling to stoke the embers from last season’s altercation between the two managers in Duff’s office. “I think you’re a Bohs fan, aren’t you?” he asked the reporter who raised the issue.
Patten and Barrett goals paper over cracks in nervy Ireland win over Greece

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

Nations League: Republic of Ireland 2 (Barrett 9, Patten 50) Greece 1 (Sarri 72)Anna Patten’s headed goal provided relief for the Republic of Ireland, and nothing more, in this Nations League mismatch. The Aston Villa centre-back finished Megan Campbell’s excellent corner in the 50th minute to give the scoreboard some degree of respectability. On the sideline, the Irish coaches Carla Ward and Alan Mahon grabbed hold of each other.
Katie McCabe and Kyra Carusa missing as Ireland chase goals against Greece

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Gavin Cummiskey

Republic of Ireland v Greece,Tallaght Stadium, 7.30pm, Live on RTÉ 2The Republic of Ireland’s reliance on Katie McCabe was reinforced last Friday in Crete. Within seconds of her half-time introduction for Megan Campbell, the captain, who was carrying an injury, skimmed the crossbar from a free-kick. On the hour mark, she broke Greek resistance, dribbling past two defenders before her curling cross was eventually finished by Kyra Carusa.