Indo GAA

The 2019 Football Championship is upon us and all focus is on the Dubs as they attempt an historic 5-in-a-row.

But who can stop them and will the be surprises in store in the provinces and Super 8s?

Joining Will Slattery and Michael Verney are INM's Conor McKeon and Colm Keys as they go through the contenders for this year's Sam Maguire, give their predictions for the Championship and highlight the some of the Rising Stars likely to make an impression over the summer of 2019.

For more from the Throw-In, visit the show page at:
https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-throw-in/

The Throw-In is sponsored by Bord Gáis Energy.

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It's certainly not an All-Ireland, but for Mayo, their first League title since 2001, meant the world to them after ten lost finals since 01.

Will Slattery, Michael Verney and Colm Keys look back on Mayo's magnificent win over Kerry and ask if the summer will finally be theirs as well?

In the hurling League final, Limerick scored a clinical and comfortable victory over Waterford and John Mullane says they laid down a marker for the Championship and haven't even reached their peak yet.

Plus, in the camogie final, Ursula Jacob joined the panel to look back on how Galway stopped Kilkenny's four-in-a-row League bid with a nail-biting two point win.

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.

For more on Allianz Leagues Updates, Podcasts and Competitions please visit the official sponsor page at www.allianz.ie/allianz-leagues

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Brolly and Jamesie O'Connor joined Will Slattery, Michael Verney and Donnchadh Boyle for a special Live Throw-In League Finals preview from the Croke Park Hotel.

Not just focused with on the pitch matters, the panel also dealt with sports psychology, how some players didn't quite take to it in Joe and Jamesie's time and the best player management techniques.

You don't want to miss Joe Brolly's Jim Gavin impression and stories from after the 2018 All Ireland final, plus the panel discussion on a county's GAA DNA.

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.

For more on Allianz Leagues Updates, Podcasts and Competitions visit the official sponsor page at www.allianz.ie/allianz-leagues

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Limerick's aura of invincibility has continued into this year's League campaign and John Mullane joins Will Slattery, Michael Verney and Frank Roche on this week's Throw-In to assess his own county's chances against them in the final.

"It’s the acid test for Waterford," he says. "They have to really up their performance to challenge this Limerick team and use the same template as Dublin by clogging up the middle third. Croke Park suits both teams but you'd have to side with the form team, Limerick."

Tomás Ó'Sé also joined the panel to discuss the football final match-up of Kerry v Mayo with Kerry the slight favourites he reckons.

"Mayo have no fear of playing Kerry and will raise their game. It will be a bonus to either team to win it. This Kerry team are playing without fear. They have an opportunity to outfight, outrun Mayo and do to them what they did to Kerry in Tralee."

Plus, the panel also discussed the fall and fall of Cork football who now head into Division 3 just ten years on from All Ireland success.

And with all the excitement of the last round of games in the football league, have we not now got the template for how the Championship should be played in 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.

For more on Allianz Leagues Updates, Podcasts and Competitions please visit the official sponsor page at www.allianz.ie/allianz-leagues

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time in the Jim Gavin era, Dublin are not going to be competing in a League final, but, after defeat to Tyrone, are we reading too much into the Dubs’ defeat?

Vincent Hogan, Conor McKeon and Ciaran Whelan joined Will Slattery on this week’s Throw-In to look back on all the weekend Allianz League action with Whelan pointing to the forward line as his main source of concern for Dublin.

Kerry’s rise, Tyrone’s turn-around and Mayo’s potential are all pointing to what could be a very exciting football Championship. And let’s not forget Corofin retaining the All Ireland Club title in style as well. The greatest club side ever perhaps?

In hurling, Tipp’s inconsistency reared its head again, but Dublin’s win in Semple Stadium augurs well for their summer and the incredible work done under Mattie Kenny.

Plus, putting up thirty-one points against Clare, Waterford are into a League semi-final against Galway and are quietly going about their business, putting up massive scores along the way.

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.

For more on Allianz Leagues Updates, Podcasts and Competitions please visit the official sponsor page at www.allianz.ie/allianz-leagues

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whilst the hurling quarter final line-ups have finally been decided, it’s the other end of the League that’s been getting most attention.

Offaly’s defeat to Carlow sees them slipping down to Division 2 and it could be a long way back for the once formidable county.

On this week’s Throw-In, Will Slattery was joined by Brendan Cummins, Conor McKeon and John Brennan, as well as former Wexford camogie star, Ursula Jacob, to look back on all the weekend League hurling and camogie action.

Wexford’s defeat of Kilkenny shows them facing up to the Cats and showing no fear which Cummins believes will have a bearing later in the summer.

Meanwhile, Tipp’s victory over Cork had the Premier county back to their swaggering best, but finding consistency is now the key, especially as they face Dublin next weekend.

Plus, in camogie, Kilkenny continue their push for four Leagues in-a-row after beating the reigning All Ireland champions Cork and will face Galway in the final.

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.

For more on Allianz Leagues Updates, Podcasts and Competitions please visit the official sponsor page at www.allianz.ie/allianz-leagues

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Brolly joins the Throw-In for a bonus episode this week in which he describes the nihilism of Gaelic football by certain counties and which is even seeping into underage schools' teams.

Pointing the finger at Fermanagh and Galway in particular, he says,
"Every time Galway or Fermanagh win a game it’s a dagger through the heart of Gaelic football."

With schools' teams now even pulling 15 players behind the ball, Brolly castigates those who espouse such philosophies in Gaelic football.

"There’s a whole breed of coaches who don’t care about the game. It’s nihilism, nothingness, pointless and people should be saying it’s not acceptable because in the end nobody is going to be watching the game."

It’s not all doom and gloom however and the rise of Sean O’Shea and David Clifford into a resurgent Kerry gives hope for the future.

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.

For more on Allianz Leagues Updates, Podcasts and Competitions please visit the official sponsor page at www.allianz.ie/allianz-leagues

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The postponement of games in yesterday's Division 1A hurling is going to cause headaches, consternation and a potential fixture pile-up that John Mullane believes is going to affect club players the most. John joined Will Slattery, Michael Verney, Roy Curtis and Tomás Ó'Sé on this week's show and voiced his anger at the problems that could be caused.

"With no gap week in the schedule it means the clubs are going to be affected and club players going into the unknown again. It's totally unfair on them and this could be the tipping point where the club scene erupts."

In the football there's further headaches for James Horan's Mayo and Tomás Ó'Sé believes their old failings are still there.

"What it boils down to is simple things that seem to go wrong for them constantly. They are not clinical enough, plus they don’t have a player to attack, run, take teams on and cause fear in the opposition."

And what about Kerry’s impressive start under Peter Keane? With a strong youthful core coming through, Roy Curtis believes they could be like Manchester United’s Class of ’92.

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.

For more on Allianz Leagues Updates, Podcasts and Competitions please visit the official sponsor page at www.allianz.ie/allianz-leagues

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When is a home venue also a neutral venue? That's the square peg in a round hole that the GAA have managed to do and it's drawn a lot of criticism, including from Peter Canavan on this week's Throw-In.

"Dublin are getting away with it and it shouldn’t be the case," he told Will Slattery, Michael Verney and Donnchadh Boyle. "If, for example, Dublin were to play Tyrone in Clones as a neutral venue it changes things completely."

On the pitch, Mayo were given a reality check by the Dubs, which is no bad thing for them and for Tipperary, losing another close game, this time to Kilkenny, means confidence is draining fast, says Brendan Cummins.

"Once again we lost the arm wrestle. Tipp at the moment need a win from somewhere to build confidence and head into Munster with confidence under their belt."

Plus, the panel give their verdicts on the Performance of the Week, including an eye-catching fisted goal from Tipperary's Aisling McCarthy.

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.

For more on Allianz Leagues Updates, Podcasts and Competitions please visit the official sponsor page at www.allianz.ie/allianz-leagues

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Limerick are "the top one", Is Cody's Kilkenny empire crumbling, what Davy Fitz has done for Wexford

Limerick's comprehensive defeat of Kilkenny was the big talking point from the weekend’s Allianz Hurling League action with former Galway boss Cyril Farrell believing that the reigning All-Ireland champions are definitely the team to beat.

Their place among hurling's top three has been questioned by some in recent weeks but Irish Independent columnist Farrell rates them as "the top one" after dismantling Brian Cody's Cats by nine points in Nowlan Park on Sunday.

Martin Breheny of the Irish Independent and Franke Roche of the Herald also joined Michael Verney on this week's show with Roche lauding the extraordinary exploits of Treaty attacker Aaron Gillane.

Breheny also feels that those claiming Cody's empire is crumbling are wide of the mark given the players they are without while the panel also discuss what Davy Fitzgerald has done for Wexford, and for hurling in general.

Also up for discussion this week: Clare's inability to close out games, Galway building options and a new role for Cathal Mannion, Offaly going from bad to worse as well as the dream club football final pitting Corofin against Dr Crokes.

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.

For more on Allianz Leagues Updates, Podcasts and Competitions please visit the official sponsor page at www.allianz.ie/allianz-leagues

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.