- Lifestyle & Sports
- 26 Dec 24
Paul Nolan runs the rule over another hectic 12 months of sporting thrills and spills
Let’s start with the GAA. Following a thrilling Natonal League final between Derry and Dublin, which the Oakleaf County won on penalties, perhaps up to half-a-dozen counties fancied their chances ahead of the 2024 All Ireland football championship. Still, as the quarter final stage swung round, the most likely final pairing seemed the familiar duo of Dublin and Kerry.
That was until a sensational Galway performance – with Cillian McDaid, Dylan McHugh and Footballer of the Year Paul Conroy leading the charge – took out reigning champions Dublin and blew the title wide open. On the other side of the draw, meanwhile, Armagh locked horns with Kerry in a mouthwatering semi-final.
With the Orchard County having suffered the latest in a string of heartbreaking defeats in the Ulster final, where Jim McGuinness’ Donegal prevailed on penalties, most observers had the Kingdom as comfortable favourites ahead of the hotly anticipated clash.
A ferocious encounter saw Armagh win in extra time, before they edged Galway – losing their second final in three years – by a point in a tense final, after a memorable campaign in which the likes of Rian O’Neill, Barry McCambridge and young player of the year Oisin Conaty were outstanding.
After serial heartbreak with Armagh and previously Kildare, it was an extraordinary achievement for Kieran McGeeney, who won his first major trophy as manager, and also guided Armagh to their first All Ireland since he captained them to victory in 2002. Making the promotional rounds in Ireland for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2, ex-Kildare footballer Paul Mescal was only the most high profile figure to note the colossal mistake the Lilywhites had made in letting McGeeney leave.
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It should make for a supremely fascinating 2025 – set to provide the most open championship for years, Add in a host of rule changes introduced courtesy of Jim Gavin Football Review Committee, and it could be the the most adventurous and free-flowing All-Ireland in aeons.
With Mr. Gavin’s all-conquering Dubs having made history by completing an unprecedented five-in-a-row in 2019, the Limerick hurlers set out on their own drive for five in 2024. It was all going to plan until the All Ireland semi-final, when a sensational performance from Pat Ryan’s Cork saw the Rebels emerge victorious in a memorable game.
Thus the scene was set for a reprise of the 2013 final between Cork and Clare. The final and replay of that year are now regarded as classics, after what was arguably the greatest hurling championship ever. The 2024 final proved another epic, with the Banner ultimately edging proceedings by a solitary point after extra time.
The game was the culmination of stellar campaigns by Clare players Tony Kelly and David McInerney, and was especially memorable for star forward Shane O’Donnell, who sealed his Irish sporting immortality by claiming the Hurler of the Year accolade, having previously scored a hat-trick in the 2013 replay.
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BIGGEST HEADACHE
In soccer, the ongoing soap opera around the appointment of the national team manager eventually concluded with the appointment of Icelandic boss Heimir Hallgrimsson. While Hallgrimsson comported himself with a refreshing no-nonsense attitude, his Irish squad is far from vintage . The team’s weaknesses were mercilessly exposed in two excruciating Nations League losses to England.
For those of us who came of age during the Charlton glory years, it was an especially bitter pill to swallow. There was a time when Ireland took on England as equals, famously playing them off the Wembley turf during a 1-1 draw in 1991, having defeated them a few years previously at Euro 88 in a landmark Irish sporting moment.
This time around, after a hugely encouraging first-half performance, the too frequent second-half collapse saw Ireland on the end of a mortifying 5-0 rout at Wembley. Elsewhere, for Irish supporters, the rawest of nerves was tweaked when former Irish underage internationals, Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, were on target as England strolled to a 2-0 victory in Dublin.
Being honest, the Irish team concluded the year with one foot in the cradle and one in the grave. On the positive side, the first half in Wembley was joined by two decent victories over Finland, giving us the chance to preserve our League B status in a two-legged play-off against Bulgaria next March.
Those in glass half-full mode will also point to a world class goalkeeper in Caoimhin Kelleher, a talented-if-erratic array of young Premiership defenders, and the fact that Adam Idah has been banging in his share of goals for Celtic. Unfortunately, the debit ledger is equally extensive. Evan Ferguson’s hugely promising club career has stalled, and he could badly do with a mooted January loan move to a club like Juventus.
The biggest headache of all is what Hallgrimsson does with our chronically malfunctioning midfield, where he has so far experimented with several different combinations, without much success.
Things appeared considerably brighter for the women’s team throughout the year, before they surrendered to Wales in the Euro play-off, ultimately succumbing 3-2 on aggregate after the second leg at the Aviva. In the aftermath, there was speculation about the long-term future of manager Eileen Gleeson.
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Meanwhile, the women’s domestic game experienced another raft of memorable moments (see Paul O’Mahony’s in-depth season review elsewhere this issue).
Encouragingly, the men’s game also enjoyed a renewed level of interest and support, as Damien Duff led Shelbourne to the league title after a dramatic campaign, and Shamrock Rovers mixed it with heavyweights like Chelsea after qualifying for the group stages of the Europa Conference League. Suddenly, there’s money in the League of Ireland again.
OLYMPIC GOLD
On the rugby front, a hugely successful period for the national team continued, as they backed up a 2023 Grand Slam with another Six Nations title – Ireland’s sixth in 15 years. The highlight was a 38-17 opening day away victory over France, with Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Beirne and Calvin Nash among those getting in on the try action.
Given the team’s rich run of form, there was big anticipation for the autumn internationals, and in particular a much-awaited, sold-out Aviva clash against New Zealand. Unfortunately, a try from Will Jordan, along with a fine exhibition of kicking from Damian McKenzie, was enough to see the All Blacks prevail 23-13 against a disappointingly flat Ireland.
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There was more disappointment for Irish rugby in May, when Leinster lost out 31-22 to Toulouse in the Champions Cup final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, albeit there was better news for the province later in the year, when they enjoyed a 26-12 URC victory against Munster in front of an enormous Croke Park crowd.
Elsewhere, there was a phenomenal Irish showing at the Paris Olympics this summer, with athletes landing an unprecedented seven medals. There were some staggering individual achievements. Down swimmer Daniel Wiffen landed bronze in the Men’s 1500m freestyle, in addition to winning gold in the 800m freestyle.
Cork rowing team Fintan McCarthy and Paul O’Donovan backed up their gold from the 2020 Olympics – where they also set a world record – with another first place here. For good measure, a poll taken during the summer saw O’Donovan voted Ireland’s greatest ever Olympian. All that before we even get to the bronze for Sligo swimmer Mona McSharry; the gold for gymnast Rhys McCleneghan; and the marvellous relay running by Sharon Mawdsley as one of Ireland’s womwns 4x400metres team, having won gold with the mixed relay team in the European Championships in June.
Perhaps garnering the most attention of all was Dublin boxer Kellie Harrington, who also secured her second consecutive Olympic gold, the first Irish boxer ever to do so. Having defeated China’s Yang Wenlu in the lightweight final, the 34-year-old Harrington announced her retirement from boxing – a fitting way to bow out for one of the major stars of 21st century Irish sport.
As Christmas and New Year hurtle ever closer – capping off another phenomenal 12 months of Irish music, sport, film, literature and more – we're thrilled to present the brand new Hot Press Annual!
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Inside, you'll find captivating conversations with Fontaines D.C., KNEECAP, Jazzy, LYRA, The Mary Wallopers, Gurriers, Daniel Wiffen, Irish Artists For Palestine and more – all taking us through their highlights of the year. Plus, the HP critics deliver their verdict on 2024 – including all the top albums, tracks, movies, books, quotes, photos and events...