Maurice Brosnan

Before yesterday, Sean O’Shea hadn’t taken a single shot on his left foot in 2025. In the biggest game of their season, during that outrageous spell, he went for it and nailed a two. The flow state!

Wrote about Con O'Callaghan: what makes him different in the words of his club, college and county team-mates and the numbers to prove it. This year: 39 shots, 35 points. Outrageous.

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The Gaelic Football Show: Leitrim fail to field, the Wild West, Clucko's return Paul Rouse, Maurice Brosnan and James Horan review events throughout all the divisions - including Leitrim's failure to fulfil their fixture -- after a hectic weekend of Allianz League action elsewher...

The Irish Examiner football podcast is available now. Strong stuff from Paul Rouse on the Leitrim situation. Plus a review of the weekend, man-management and the art of dropping players 🎧
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The plan, the prep and the moment of truth: A Hall of Famer’s guide to properly punishing yourself Every element of his work now is shaped by his own experience. As a runner, it got under his skin. What about as a coach?

It is 25 years since Mark Carroll won gold at the European Indoor Championships. Caught up with him this week to chat about why that isn't his favourite race, coaching, doping and properly punishing yourself.

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Shane Walsh: 'When I came in, people were saying, ‘Go away to America’' At the beginning of his intercounty career, Shane Walsh walked into a weary Galway. Now everything is different

Spoke to a really engaging Shane Walsh, seems to be in great form on and off the pitch. How being a Galway footballer has changed, his injury trouble last year and Pádraic Joyce's football brain.
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Biggest change is in kickouts, obviously. It should also be stressed the comparison is 2025 league games to last year’s championship. Weather and pitches are significant factors.

Finally, data from the new rules 🚨

24 championship v 25 league

📈Shots up marginally 49.9 to 56.2 (54.2 in 23)
✖️No change in average scores (31)
🔼Big jump in contested/long KOs
⛔️Handpass:kickpass ratio 3.3 (3.4 24)
🔴Fouls up (31 vs 24)

Lara Gillespie: ‘I am known as a nomad on my team. I'm a bit more chaotic than other cyclists because of where I am from’ Gillespie was speaking before she made history last Thursday as the first Irish cyclist to win an elite title at the European track championships

Really enlightening chat with Lara Gillespie. What a star.

Learned something about the challenges that come with being an Irish cyclist, race craft, commitment and why medals matter.

Interview 👇

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John Cooney’s tragic death leaves behind a sport struggling with its own mortality When a boxer dies due to injuries suffered in the ring, the sport does not stop. The atmosphere around it, however, shifts markedly. An ever-present but abstract risk is suddenly tangible

John Cooney’s tragic death leaves behind a sport struggling with its own mortality

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City deserve serious credit to be able to keep making these collapses so entertaining

Ireland prop minutes

Crunched the numbers for minutes played by Irish props this season and for Ireland in 2024.

What is the solution to the Irish rugby prop problem?

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AFLW is far from the greatest threat to Ladies’ football Players are leaving inter-county football for reasons other than to play in the AFLW.

AFLW is far from the greatest threat to Ladies’ football

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Alcaraz 🤯 this is absolutely sensational sport

Cuala and Errigal Ciarán give a glimpse of what the new game can’t afford to lose None of this is to say the game doesn’t need fixing. The last two weeks of gripping club clashes simply served as reminders of things that we don’t want to lose in the process.

Cuala and Errigal Ciarán give a glimpse of what the new game can’t afford to lose
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Thanks a million Damian 👊

O'Shea and Crokes are left with a haunting hurt History has taught us that some things never change. Kerry and Tyrone can serve up epics. Class forwards are perpetually valuable. In Newbridge, Errigal Ciarán's risk earned them all of the reward.

Crokes played their part in a cracker. They didn't lose because of their manager or game plan. That doesn't make it hurt any less.
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What will Grand Slam Track do for athletics? Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas, Cole Hocker, Josh Kerr and Yared Nuguse are among those to have signed up to Michael Johnson's new track and field league but many big games are still missing.

What will Grand Slam Track do for athletics?

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Made a linktree rounding up all my recent pieces for the Examiner: Best podcasts of 2024, music books, talking points, faves, live reviews, and ones to watch (plus a playlist)

linktr.ee/oseoghan

The survival guide after being booed by your own fans Like Ian Keatley with Munster and Declan O'Sullivan with Kerry, there is a way back for Joshua Zirkzee about being booed by the Manchester United supporters.

Declan O'Sullivan. Ian Keatley. Joshua Zirkzee.

The survival guide after being booed by your own fans

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That’s remarkable stuff from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Both the pass and his reaction to it

A first glimpse of the new rules in Castlebar: kickout struggles, 50m swings, goalkeeper influence Monaghan and Mayo showed the new rules will take some time to bed in.

Some observations from Castlebar.

No two-pointers. Mayo dropped ten shots short. Finished with 43% conversion.

Lots of contested kickouts. 59% retention for Mayo, 50% for Monaghan.

Rory Beggan had 22 possessions.
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The diehards.

Monaghan season-ticket holders and sisters, Rachel Brennan and Bernie Collins. First in the gate at MacHale Park over 90 minutes before throw-in for tonight's challenge

"We always follow Monaghan no matter where they are. Pre-season, league, championship, we're there"

Covered 51 GAA games in 2024 (Intercounty, club, Sig/Fitz etc.) Attended 87ish.
Best football: Derry v Dub league final
Hurling: Cork v Limerick (S-final)
Club: Fossa v Laune Rangers
Ground: Ederney, Fermanagh
Press box: Cusack Park, Ennis
Worst programme: U20 AI guff

'No excuse' - will Galway fans light up Pearse Stadium in 2025? Will the new Pearse Stadium floodlights shine on the kind of crowds Galway football needs?

'No excuse' - will Galway fans light up Pearse Stadium in 2025?

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Castleisland Blitz: ‘That is the purest form of sport, what it is all about’ The numbers are staggering: 174 games across five days split between two venues. 140 teams, 1,670 players; 22 sponsors, 24 competitions,  with 10at national school, four underage and 10 at adult level

Wrote about the magic of the Castleisland blitz.
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The Showdown has just been the Rory McIlroy show. What a putt.

Galway convention tonight for @irishexaminer.bsky.social. Treasurer Mike Burke hits at intercounty spend and training camps.

"They're an enormous expense and despite what team managers and players say, I personally don’t think they are value for money. If they are, will somebody show me the proof”

That was great stuff from Tom Brady at the end of the Bills game.