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Meet the GAA Fan Reporters

Niall Farrell's avatar

Niall Farrell

Niall Farrell is a 20 year-old reporter who is passionate about Gaelic Games. He played hurling for St.Clare's as a schoolboy and is a current member of the DCU Handball Club. As a reporter, Niall covered DCU's winning Sigerson Cup season and football league campaign, as well as the DCU hurling team's run to the Ryan Cup final and league win. He also reports on League of Ireland soccer for extratime.ie- reporting live from grounds around the country.

Pearse Corcoran's avatar

Pearse Corcoran

Pearse Corcoran is an avid sports fan who comes from a vast GAA background, including his father who won an All Ireland medal with Cavan and brothers who represented Dublin in Hurling and Football. Pearse has performed many roles within his home club of Ballinteer St. Johns and takes his knowledge of Gaelic Games into the role of a journalist. Pearse has previously worked for the Sunday Times, The Star and has experience working in radio broadcasting. Pearse who recently won the Irish Colleges Fresher of the Year for 2009/2010 for his college IT Tallaght hopes to bring the same skills that many of the great Gaelic football players display week in week out to his blog posts. Pearse lists his sporting writing heroes as Jimmy Magee and Brian Carthy.

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David Prendergast

David Prendergast is twenty two years old and comes from Kilrossanty in Co. Waterford. He is going into his final year studying English and History in University of Limerick. His grandfather was a member of the historic Waterford football team which beat Kerry in 1957 and Cork in 1960. His passion for the G.A.A. stems from his family's involvement and parish's obsession. Living in the mountains he learnt from a young age that there is nothing only football. His home club Kilrossanty is a proud GAA parish steeped in history, silverware (although our last success at Senior level dates back to 1989) and anecdotes. Just ask Paidi O Se how Kerry got their famous green and gold colours!

Ciaran Daly's avatar

Ciaran Daly

Ciaran Daly is a 27 year old sports journalist from Newry. He is finishing a Masters in Journalism at DCU and is working on placement at the sports section of the Irish Times for the duration of the summer. Ciaran was this year's winner of the Veronica Guerin Memorial Bursary. He is a long-suffering Down fan. The first big game he remembers going to was the Mourne men's semi-final victory over Kerry in 1991 at Croke Park. Ciaran has worked at the Newry Democrat as a GAA correspondent. He has also had articles published in the Irish Times and the Examiner.

Liam Kelly's avatar

Liam Kelly

Liam Kelly is twenty two years old and comes from Co. Monaghan. He is studying Sports Journalism at the University of Lincoln in England. His passion and huge interest in Gaelic games is reflected in his dissertation, 'GAA and the question of Professionalism'. Gaelic football has been a part of his life since he was a child and he still plays for his local club side, Aghabog in Co. Monaghan. At 22 he is still quite young but has already collected medals at both minor and senior level. This opportunity to report on inter-county fixtures at championship level is one that he intends to grasp with both hands.

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pentest3

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pentest4

  • 30 Aug 2010

    Down emerge narrow victors in thrilling encounter

    Down trumped Kildare with a brilliant footballing display to reach the All-Ireland final, but only after the most dramatic finish of the season so far. After a thrilling match, Down led by just two points when Kildare sub Robert Kelly smashed a free against the crossbar with the last kick of the game. read more

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    Down trumped Kildare with a brilliant footballing display to reach the All-Ireland final, but only after the most dramatic finish of the season so far.

    After a thrilling match, Down led by just two points when Kildare sub Robert Kelly smashed a free against the crossbar with the last kick of the game.

    The Ulstermen dominated for most of the match, with their lead stretching to seven points at one stage in the second half.

    But it was the Lilywhites who enjoyed the better start. In the opening ten minutes Kildare completely dominated play, keeping the dangerous Down forwards quiet.

    For all their possession, Kildare weren’t truly able to hit Down hard, registering just 0-3 in those opening ten minutes. The failure to take their chances when they were available would eventually come back to hurt Kieran McGeeney’s side.

    In a game of many talking points, one of the bigger ones came in the twelfth minute with a controversial Down goal.
    Martin Clarke delivered a high ball in towards goal, and Benny Coulter appeared to have entered the square too early before fisting the ball over Shane McCormack in goal for the Lilywhites.

    Despite protests from the Kildare faithful, the goal stood and signalled the beginning of a long spell of dominance for Down. Kevin McKernan spurred his side on from the back with an excellent point followed by five more from the Mourne men to give a half-time scoreline of 1-9 to 0-7.

    Many Kildare fans remarked at half-time that they were a ‘second-half team’ but Down still were in control after the break.

    Martin Clarke again proved his worth, extending the lead to 0-6 ten minutes after half-time. Kildare were unable to reply until the sixty-first minute.

    Point scoring continued tit-for-tat until Peter Fitzpatrick pointed minutes later, extending the Northerners’ lead to 0-7.

    Kildare brought themselves right back into the match straight away, through an Eamon Callaghan goal. The corner forward burst through the Down half-back and full-back lines before finishing past the marooned Brendan McVeigh.
    Two Hugh Lynch points for the Lilywhites set up a heartstopping finish, but Kelly’s last-gasp miss gave Down a narrow 1-16 to 1-14 win.

    Kildare: S McCormack, P Kelly, H McGrillen, A MacLochlainn, M O’Flaherty (0-1), E Bolton (0-1), B Flanagan, D Flynn, H Lynch (0-2), J Kavanagh (0-1), P O’Neill, E O’Flaherty, J Doyle (0-6, 5f), A Smith, E Callaghan (1-1).
    Subs: R Sweeney for Flynn, K Ennis (0-1) for M O’Flaherty, D Lyons (0-1) for M O’Flaherty, R Kelly for Smith, T O’Connor for Lynch.

    Down: B McVeigh, D McCartan, D Gordon, D Rafferty, D Rooney, K McKernan (0-2), C Garvey, P Fitzpatrick (0-1), K King; D Hughes (0-2), M Poland (0-3, 3f), P McComiskey (0-1), B Coulter (1-2), J Clarke, M Clarke (0-3, 2f).
    Subs: A Brannigan for Garvey, C Maginn (0-1) for J Clarke, R Murtagh (0-1) for McComiskey, J Colgan for Poland.
    Referee: P McEnaney (Monaghan).

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Gaelic Football Challenge

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Home Away Date Time Venue
London Leitrim 03.06.2012 3:00 Ruislip
Longford Wexford 03.06.2012 2:00 Croke Park
Louth Dublin 03.06.2012 4:00 Croke Park
Clare Limerick 09.06.2012 7:00 Cusack Park, Ennis or Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

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Home Score Away Score Date Venue
Roscommon 0-10 Galway 3-15 20.05 Hyde Park
Cavan 1-10 Donegal 1-16 20.05 Kingspan Breffni Park
Limerick 2-12 Waterford 0-7 20.05 Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
Westmeath 0-14 Louth 2-9 20.05 Navan

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