It’s official, Kerry are now the bookies favourites and after their historic 22-point demolition of Cork in the Munster final, Sam is there for the taking. On this week’s Throw-In podcast, Tomás Ó’Sé joins Will Slattery and Dermot Crowe and he tells the lads just how far the Kingdom really can go believing that Dublin are the most vulnerable they’ve been in ten years. “Kerry are favourites,” he admits. “They're working like animals all around the pitch. I think they have an edge, the harder edge this year definitely.” The panel also rate Mayo’s chances in the semi-final after their 11-point turn-around in the Connacht final while Kerry face the winner of Tyrone v Monaghan in next weekend’s Ulster final. Meanwhile, in the hurling, John Mullane was on the show celebrating Waterford’s win over Galway and he reckons they will have the speed to topple Tipperary in the quarter-finals. On the other side of the draw, Cork’s win over Clare sees them meet Dublin and Mullane thinks the Rebels have every chance to go far. “Something is definitely happening down Leeside,” says Mullane. “I wouldn't like to be playing them and I think they'll win at the weekend and that'll put them in a semi-final and - a bit like Waterford - momentum will be with them and they seem to be building down there.” Listen and follow the Throw-In on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, with new episodes every Monday throughout the Championship. For more from the Throw-In, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In’s All Ireland Championship series is in association with Bord Gáis Energy.

The Throw-In

Kerry's demented hunger, Cork and Waterford rising

It’s been called Limerick’s greatest half of hurling and it sealed their first Munster three-in-a-row since the 1930s so can anyone now stop them retaining the All Ireland? On this week’s Throw-In, Michael Verney was joined by Colm Keys and Brendan Cummins to look back on all the weekend hurling action. Kyle Hayes’s goal was reminiscent of New Zealand rugby star Jonah Lomu in his pomp says Keys while Cummins believes that Limerick can be stopped, but only if you bring enough bodies out the field. ‘If you get most of those Limerick players one-on-one, like it was in the second half,’ says Cummins. ‘Unless you're an Olympic sprinter with a hurley in your hand, you're going to be in difficulty, so the only way around that is to pull bodies around the middle of the field. Every time they turn they hit into somebody and try to get them to take risks that they wouldn't normally want to take and Tipp did that in the first half but unfortunately in the second half it obviously petered out.’ Elsewhere, it was yet another Leinster title for Kilkenny and Brian Cody while Clare’s win over Wexford sees Brian Lohan’s team hitting their stride as they face Cork next in the qualifiers. For Davy Fitzgerald though, the question is, has he taken this Wexford team as far as he can? In the football, Dublin reached their eleventh Leinster final in a row overcoming Meath by six points but their form so far has been sluggish, and Keys reckons they are beginning to fray at the edges. Are Kerry and other counties sensing an opportunity this year? But the big story was in Monaghan where their two-point win over Armagh in the Ulster semi-final was a bittersweet victory coming less than twenty-four hours after the death of their U20 captain Brendán Óg Duffy. Listen and follow the Throw-In on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, with new episodes every Monday throughout the Championship. For more from the Throw-In, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In’s All Ireland Championship series is in association with Bord Gáis Energy.

Limerick's greatest half, Davy's next challenge and Monaghan's bittersweet victory

Limerick’s Hurler of the Year, Gearóid Hegarty, joins Will Slattery and Michael Verney for an exclusive interview on this week’s Throw-In podcast as he looks ahead to the crunch Munster final clash with Tipperary. Hegarty then talks about his hugely successful career, the importance for him of being able to switch off completely from the game to re-charge and why getting in the ‘flow’ is the holy grail for athletes. He also opens up on why he thinks fans shouldn’t have to wear masks at Championship games and reveals what training and living during the Covid conditions has been like. “You have to be very careful because a two week quarantine for being a close contact of someone that tested positive and you're going to miss a game. Somebody could get in in your place and do really well and you might struggle to get back in. Nothing has really changed to be honest from last year's Championship to this year's Championship in terms of how we've to prepare. You've to be super careful.” Elsewhere on the show, Donnchadh Boyle reviews all the weekend football action when it finally kicked into gear with Donegal’s last-gasp winner over Derry. However, Mayo’s demolition over Leitrim in Connacht has thrown up red flags, he cautions, about the ever-widening gap between the big counties and the rest. Listen and follow the Throw-In on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, with new episodes every Monday throughout the Championship. For more from the Throw-In, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In’s All Ireland Championship series is in association with Bord Gáis Energy.

Exclusive Gearóid Hegarty interview, plus the football Championship finally kicks into gear

Dublin's hurlers provided the first major shock of the Championship as they tore up the script against Galway and on this week’s Throw-In podcast, John Mullane joined Will Slattery, Michael Verney and Roy Curtis to look back on all the controversies, highs and lows from the weekend action. With Galway’s status as the main rivals to Limerick now very much in doubt, Tipperary’s win over Clare sees them trying to stop John Kiely’s team achieving a Munster three-in-a-row. But it was for referee James Owen’s penalty and sin-bin decision against Clare’s Aidan McCarthy that proved the game’s key turning point. “For me it was an absolutely crazy call, an absolutely crazy call,” said Mullane on the podcast. “It effectively ruined the match and it was the shot in the arm that Tipperary needed to push on and win the game and it effectively was the winning of the game.” In the football, Dick Clerkin joined the panel and while Dublin stuttered against Wexford, they march on to a Leinster semi final against Meath; in Connacht, Galway were five point winners over Roscommon and in Ulster Monaghan and Armagh have set up a mouth-watering semi-final clash. But again it was off-pitch matters that’s been dominating with questions over Stephen Cluxton’s retirement still unanswered. “He deserves so much credit,” says Clerkin. “But you can't almost do that now if there's a chance he might come back and it might just peeter away and I think that's probably unfortunate, but that's Stephen's style, he'd probably be uncomfortable with all of that and if that's his wont, well so be it.” Listen and follow the Throw-In on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, with new episodes every Monday throughout the Championship. For more from the Throw-In, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In’s All Ireland Championship series is in association with Bord Gáis Energy.

Clare fury, Dublin hurlers tear up the script and Cluxton’s distractions

The 2021 Championship is up and running and with the main rivals to Dublin’s crown all in action, Kerry, Donegal and Mayo showed they are all hungry to push on this year. While there were easy wins for Kerry, Donegal and Mayo, will Dublin’s dominance be affected most of all by their own dressing-room with Cian O’Sullivan announcing his retirement and question marks over Stephen Cluxton’s involvement for another season in doubt. Ciaran Whelan joined Will Slattery, Michael Verney and Conor McKeon to look back on all the weekend football action and addressing the Cluxton situation, Whelan said he think it’s unlikely Cluxton will be involved next week saying Dublin’s lack of strength in-depth could hurt them. “One of my concerns going into the Championship is when you look at Dublin's depth that they used to have and the impact of the subs that could come off the bench and how frightening it was for opposition defenders to see a Diarmuid Connolly or a Kevin McManamon coming on in the height of their powers with 15-20 minutes to go. That would be a little bit of concern for Dublin going forwards.” Meanwhile, in the hurling, Brendan Cummins also joined the panel and he believes that the wins for Dublin, Wexford and Clare have all shown a hunger and desire that has marked the cards of their opponents in next week’s provincial semi-finals. “You look at Brian Lohan at the end of the third quarter, he was spitting fire about the wides and the expletives were coming out but you could see the passion and the spirit of '95 I think is what was pouring out of him and that's what Clare supporters would have wanted - that ferocious, vicious attitude towards the game, never say die. Yes they made mistakes, but you're going to make that when you're trying as hard as what Clare were trying.” Listen and follow the Throw-In on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, with new episodes every Monday throughout the Championship. For more from the Throw-In, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In’s All Ireland Championship series is in association with Bord Gáis Energy.

The Championship is back and the big guns go marching on

With the League barely out of the way, we’re already looking forward to the start of the 2021 All Ireland football and hurling championships this weekend and in a special preview show, John Mullane and Dick Clerkin join Will Slattery, Michael Verney, Colm Keys and Frank Roche with their predictions for the summer. It’s a two-horse race in both the football and hurling our experts are predicting and despite a lot of people tipping Kerry, Dick Clerkin believes Dublin will still have too much for the Kingdom in the home stretch and will make it seven-in-a-row. But it’s beyond the big two where he thinks most of the interest will lie. “There's an awful lot to look forward to for a lot of counties in terms of the competitiveness that's there,” he says. “And like there was last year with the Cavan and the Tipperary stories there will be similar stories this year. I'm really looking forward to a lot of those sub-battles and plots throughout the provinces.” In the hurling, John Mullane and the rest of panel are all going for a Limerick win with Galway pushing them all the way. But history beckons for John Kiely’s men, says Mullane. “In Limerick the back-to-back has never been done before and I think Kiely and Kinnerk realise they've a special group of players. They're a very well grounded bunch of players and there's a realisation there that they want to win as much as they can when they can, when the going is good and the going is good now at the present moment in time and I think they're going to achieve back-to-back titles.” Listen and follow the Throw-In on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, with new episodes every Monday throughout the Championship. For more from the Throw-In, visit the show page at: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In’s All Ireland Championship series is in association with Bord Gáis Energy.

John Mullane & Dick Clerkin’s 2021 Championship Preview

Momentum is everything in sport and with such a short turn-around between the Allianz Leagues and the Championship, it’s more important than ever this summer in the GAA and on this week’s Throw-In podcast, David Brady and Brendan Cummins join Will Slattery, Michael Verney and Sean McGoldrick as they look back on the league’s weekend football and hurling action. With Kerry’s big win over Tyrone generating much attention, is the race for Sam effectively a two-horse race? But if David Clifford was to be injured are Kerry a team of genuine title contenders? And then there’s the ‘big Mo’ and what that means to every county preparing for the provincial Championships. “You go between the ying and the yang,” says David Brady. “Of what should have been a defeat for Monaghan yesterday to come off the back of a massive victory in the last couple of minutes against Galway and they're going, 'you know what guys, all is good now'. If you have that kind of confidence it's good because you do need, without a doubt you need a positive end to your league campaign for a Championship that's not just around the corner, it's right in front of them.” Brendan Cummins’s appetite is similarly whetted for what the summer will bring, not least by the fact that after all the furore over referees and the advantage rule in earlier rounds, common sense has prevailed and we’re seeing some great games, with more to come. “Our game is just getting better and better because of it,” says Cummins. “And I pray to God that they keep doing that for the Championship now in a couple of weeks’ time because we're in for some summer that's a fact now.” For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In podcast is in association with Allianz.ie.

Who's got the 'big Mo' as we head into the Summer?

We’ve gone from too many stops to too many scores - it’s hard it seems to keep hurling folk happy these days. So what is it we actually want asks Vincent Hogan on this week’s Throw-In as he joins Will Slattery and Michael Verney to look back on all the weekend hurling league action. “I think the biggest issue with hurling right now,” says Hogan. “And it really struck me on Saturday with the atmosphere in Corrigan Park with 500 people in it, it gave hurling an edge that we've missed. It's a soulless game without a crowd; it's a soulless game in an empty stadium and I think there's a lot of forwards that are maybe secretly enjoying the fact there's no crowds there.” It’s not a defenders game anymore is a common refrain and Limerick’s 53 shots at goal – 33 points and 20 wides – in their eight point win over Cork has John Kiely’s men looking ominous for the Championship. Elsewhere, Galway are the panel’s tip to rival Limerick, but it is the rise of less-heralded counties such as Antrim and Offaly that are also gaining the plaudits. Offaly chairman, Michael Duignan, joins Will and Michael to discuss why he thinks the county is on an upward curve in hurling and football once again and he talks about the influence and lift that Shane Lowry’s involvement has given them. For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In podcast is in association with Allianz.ie.

Hurling has changed, Limerick looking ominous & the return of Offaly GAA

It’s been called the birth of the modern GAA and thirty years on from the epic 4-game saga between Dublin and Meath in the opening round of the Leinster Championship that electrified and captured the nation’s attention, the Throw-In looks back on that historic series. Dublin legend, Paul Curran, and Meath legend, Colm O’Rourke, join Michael Verney and Roy Curtis as they remember the three drawn games and the final tense winning match for Meath. Colm looks back on Sean Boylan’s unique management style that saw the team travel to Scotland and train in buoyancy aids, while Paul Curran rues the missed chances for Dubs and the nights in the pub that followed. Relive some of that special time with great memories and stories on this Throw-In Special. For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ And don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Dub v Meath 1991 Four Game Series Remembered with Paul Curran & Colm O'Rourke

The sun was shining over the weekend and so was the action in the Allianz football leagues – the question now is, will it be a pre-cursor to free-flowing games for the rest of the summer? Looking back on all the weekend League action, Dick Clerkin, John Mullane and Martin Breheny joined Will Slattery and Michael Verney for this week’s episode of the Throw-In. While the uncertainty of whether the Division 1 and 3 finals will take place - in addition to the Division 2 and 4 finals not happening at all - has put a bit of a cloud over the conclusion to the Leagues, there are still so many sub-plots and tantalising prospects for what’s to come. Dublin are still ahead of the rest while Kerry have their many doubters, but elsewhere, Ulster football has been going through something of a character change with high scores and not a blanket defence to be seen. “I think a lot of it's to do with the sense of God with everything that's gone on over the last year and a half, let's go out and play a bit of football, a bit of positivity,” says Dick Clerkin. “It’s bad enough playing negative, bland football in front of crowds and TVs, it's actually soul-destroying doing it in empty stands when there might not be much to play for. So I think it's not a coincidence that you're seeing a lot of this positivity coming right across the country.” In hurling, the only game was Kilkenny’s ten-point demolition of Wexford which left more question marks over Davey Fitzgerald’s project and whether Wexford can go any further. But Brian Cody has shown that the Cats have lost none of their ruthlessness and attitude and Mullane and Breheny also point to Cork’s resurgence, especially with Donal O’Grady joining the backroom team. The Leagues might be coming to an end but they’ve thrown up plenty to ponder for the approaching Championship. For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In podcast is in association with Allianz.ie.

Finals uncertainty, high hopes for football and Kilkenny's ruthlessness

Dublin and Kerry’s drawn game in Thurles over the weekend threw up more questions than answers but looking to the Championship is the Kingdom any closer to dethroning Dublin? Dick Clerkin and Frank Roche joined Will Slattery and Michael Verney to look back on all the football action while Ursula Jacob reviewed the hurling and camogie games. There was something for both the Dubs and Kerry to take away said Dick Clerkin. “I think Kerry will be taking a step back saying 'there's an awful lot of good to take out of that going down the home straight, but we've loads to improve on. Dublin done as Dublin do. They played good, they were efficient - bar the first ten minutes - they were ruthless in front of goals, they controlled the middle third but they just couldn't close the game out.” However, it was refs and rules that’s taking up most of the air-time still, with the panel asking where’s the consistency and why so many grey areas now exist. In hurling, Tipp seem to have found their goal-scoring form again with a five-point win over Galway but more red cards for Limerick means their discipline issues haven’t gone away. However, John Kiely is still positive about his team’s form, though their air of invincibility seems to be dissipating with every game. Meanwhile, off the pitch, the fall-out from Wexford players testing positive for Covid which meant two Clare players were deemed ‘close contacts’ and ineligible to play against Laois, is rumbling on with Clare manager Brian Lohan calling for clarification on the situation, while Frank Roche called it a ‘very, very unusual’ situation at the least. For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In podcast is in association with Allianz.ie.

Kerry's fight, Limerick's discipline and Covid contacts

The return of hurling and Gaelic football has seen fans not roaring in delight at the games being played but instead throwing their hands up in the air at the new rule changes in both codes and wondering why? “Who in the name of God decided that the game needed this to happen and on what basis did they make it on?” asks Brendan Cummins on this week’s Throw-In joining Will Slattery, Michael Verney, Conor McKeon and Dick Clerkin to look back on the weekend action. “My hope is that the GAA will come out and say 'look lads this is why' and give us a little Powerpoint presentation as to what the thinking was behind it, why it passed Congress, and then we might be able to see. But I don't see it happening because I can't see any reason in the world why we've changed this, it's mad stuff.” The rest of the panel was equally vociferous when it came to the amended black card rule in Gaelic football with them all wondering what way the games will be come the Championship. But back on the pitch, Limerick’s six point defeat to Galway in the hurling has shown their vulnerability while Kerry’s twenty-two point annihilation over Galway has fans licking their lips for the weekend clash with Dublin. “We want a competitive Championship,” says Dick Clerkin. “Something to look forward to. Kerry gave everybody a sign that ye, come August there's a real challenge on the cards. For Kerry it's good to see they're as good as that because that's what the game needs at the minute.” For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In podcast is in association with Allianz.ie.

Kerry lead the way, Limerick's vulnerability and can someone tell us why the rule changes?

The Allianz Football League is back this weekend with a new format and mini local competitions that promise plenty of fireworks, especially in the Ulster counties. The latest Throw-In looks ahead to the return of inter-county gaelic football action and Will Slattery is joined by Donnchadh Boyle and Dick Clerkin to preview all the big games where Division 1 North with Tyrone v Donegal and Monaghan v Armagh the pick of the ties. Division 1 South sees Kerry at home to Galway while Dublin face Roscommon. Pointing to Dublin’s self-belief, Dick Clerkin says this is what other teams to do work on if they really want to de-throne the Dubs. “People talk about resources, they talk about players, they talk about all this stuff. I had the privilege of going down to watch Dublin three times last year in the empty stadium and you got to appreciate the intensity, the focus and the pure confidence that they play with on the pitch and I've never seen another team play like that. “They back their tactics, they back themselves and they play off the front foot. So if a Kerry, a Mayo, a Donegal, a Tyrone, a Monaghan, any of these teams want to beat Dublin, they have to bring that confidence that Dublin bring because that's what keeps them up at that top level of consistency and other teams just can't get up to there. It's not always just ability, it's just not backing themselves and backing the talent that many of them have in their ranks.” The question is whether Kerry are the only team that can put it up to them or whether Donegal’s promise or Mayo’s youth can stand up and deliver. The next few weeks in the football league will give us all a better idea come the summer. For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In podcast is in association with Allianz.ie.

New football league format but who can topple the Dubs this year?

The opening weekend of the Allianz Hurling League threw up a welcome shock with Antrim’s two point win over Clare and joining Will Slattery and Michael Verney on this week’s Throw-In was Brendan Cummins and Colm Keys to look back on all the hurling action. “I think the narrative out of the game,” says Cummins. “Was 'oh my God, Clare were bet by Antrim, they must have given Antrim a loan of the hurleys to play 'em'. Certainly that's not what I see of Antrim but for Clare it is certainly a bit of a set back but I wasn't overly-surprised now to be honest with you that Clare got beaten up there.” Next up for Brian Lohan’s Clare is a grudge match against Davy Fitzgerald’s Wexford, who were 19 point winners over Laois, but he was an unhappy coach, not least with the new advantage rule brought into the game. “There are some things that need to be changed about hurling,” says Michael Verney. “And stopping the cynical element was definitely one. This advantage rule I'm not so sure. I just think we're changing the game too much and I don't think there's a need for it. I just don't like it.” Elsewhere, the panel discussed Cork’s impressive over Waterford and whether they can be contenders in the League and Championship come the summer, while Tipp’s draw over Limerick was courtesy of a Jason Forde masterclass of 14 points, including 11 from frees. Next up is the visit of Cork and a real test of the Rebel county’s credentials. For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In podcast is in association with Allianz.ie.

Antrim's shock win, hurling's 'advantage rule' and Cork contenders?

The 2021 GAA season is back and finally fans can feel some sense of normalcy return. It may be a truncated League this year but what an opening hurling fixture to whet the appetite between reigning champions, Limerick, and the team most eager to prove a point against them, Tipperary. Previewing the Allianz Hurling Leagues, Will Slattery and Michael Verney were joined by Vincent Hogan and John Mullane who assess the teams and players to watch out for and why. For Vincent Hogan, Limerick v Tipp is an important game for both teams to lay down a marker, but for Tipperary especially. “Over the last couple of years, there's no doubt about it that Limerick have had their number and they've had their number quite comfortably and I think that's a big thing for Liam Sheedy going into this. Saturday night is a big enough game because he's got to convince his own players that they can match Limerick.” For John Mullane meanwhile, he’s keeping an eye on Wexford, Dublin and Cork, the teams that under-performed in the Championship last year, particularly Cork. “They need to have a good League campaign. They need to build up a level of consistency where they're consistent in performance and I think if they're consistent in performance, I think the results will come. Of the five games Kieran Kingston will be targeting will probably be winning three to four of those matches and then bringing it into the Championship.” For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/ The Throw-In podcast is in association with Allianz.ie.

John Mullane & Vincent Hogan Preview the 2021 Allianz Hurling Leagues

From talking points, solo-runs and head-to-heads, we bring you the best Gaelic Football and Hurling insight and analysis, from our award winning team at Independent.ie.

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The Throw-In

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