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6 days ago | 
gaa.ie | Paul Fitzpatrick
All-Ireland SFC Group OneDonegal 3-26 Cavan 1-13By Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan BreffniReports of Donegal’s demise after their loss to Tyrone have been greatly exaggerated after Jim McGuinness’s side put Cavan to the sword in impressive fashion in front of a bumper crowd at Kingspan Breffni. The momentum and confidence Cavan gained with an unexpected win in Castlebar has now been replaced by despondency after a very demoralising loss against Donegal which leaves more questions than answers.
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6 days ago | 
rte.ie | Paul Fitzpatrick
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6 days ago | 
irishtimes.com | Paul Fitzpatrick
“The success of these competitions in providing competitive games and a pathway to progress is a proven concept, so much so that it has inspired football to follow suit.” Those were the words of GAA president Jarlath Burns in the programme for Saturday’s triple-header of Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cup finals. On closer inspection, while there is a pathway, teams often find themselves ill-prepared for progress when they achieve it.
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1 week ago | 
gaa.ie | Paul Fitzpatrick
By Paul FitzpatrickGalway’s Martin Mulkerrins put the disappointment of losing a number of finals behind him as he stormed to success in the prestigious US Nationals in Springfield, Missouri yesterday (Sunday).
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1 week ago | 
irishtimes.com | Paul Fitzpatrick
Joe Brolly’s column on how he and a friend lost out on a bet was entertaining as always, although the timeline seems off. This accumulator included Louth under-20s, Kerry and Down in the football and Tipperary hurlers, who all won, so it came down to two remaining games for, he hinted, a large return. “Then, it was the big one: Limerick v Cork…,” Brolly wrote.
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2 weeks ago | 
irishtimes.com | Paul Fitzpatrick
On the week that Cavan last beat Mayo in the championship, a man from Gowna fought a badger. I’m serious – it even made the Anglo-Celt newspaper. “Mr John Cullen, Pottle, Gowna, had a rather exciting experience with a badger, which he attacked with a hayfork, the animal retaliating viciously,” the report read. “After a hard fight for over half an hour, Mr Cullen, fearing the worst, called on his son to bring him a gun, with which he shot the badger.
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2 weeks ago | 
irishtimes.com | Paul Fitzpatrick
It’s always interesting to check in on the local media during championship season and take the temperature. The lesson is that opinions vary – wildly. Take Kerry’s win over Roscommon. In the view of Radio Kerry analyst Billy O’Shea, it was a forgettable affair. “I was actually half falling asleep there with 10 minutes to go to be honest with you and that’s the truth because I was all on my own in the booth next door to the boys,” O’Shea commented.
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2 weeks ago | 
irishtimes.com | Paul Fitzpatrick
There aren’t many Cavan fans around who were there the last time the Breffnimen defeated Mayo in the championship 77 years ago but the ones who did make the trip west, with apologies to Prince, partied like it was 1949 as Mayo walked into a blue and white haymaker. Cavan were eight points up entering injury time, and while Aidan O’Shea’s tremendous goal in junk time helped take the bad look off it for the home side, that’s what this was – bad.
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2 weeks ago | 
irishtimes.com | Paul Fitzpatrick
With just over 10 minutes to go at MacHale Park, a long ball was aimed in the direction of Aidan O’Shea. His marker, Killian Brady, rose highest to break it and when the ball bounced, three Cavanmen descended on it. That was the story of this All-Ireland SFC clash as Cavan out-hustled a Mayo side who came in as 1/6 favourites – and, if anything, the final scoreline flattered the hosts, for whom O’Shea hit the net in the last play of the game.
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3 weeks ago | 
irishtimes.com | Paul Fitzpatrick
There was an interesting exchange on BBC between reporter Mark Sidebottom and Donegal manager Jim McGuinness following the Ulster final. The pair completed their interview and, as he wrapped it up, Sidebottom attempted to sign off with “Jimmy’s winning matches, thank you”, referencing, of course, the eponymous song. McGuinness, though, was keen to clarify something. “I don’t know about that,” he responded, the slight grimace on Sidebottom’s face perhaps indicating his surprise.
