#Sport - Top Picks

A specially curated collection from our sportsdesk highlighting the content they think you should not miss - as fellow Irish Examiner sport superfans.

LATEST TOP PICKS

January February March April May June July August September October November December

S columnists
Tommy Martin: Jim McGuinness has been getting a gleeful shoeing but lots of it is small-minded nonsense
Jim McGuinness has been portrayed as chancer-in-chief of modern GAA coaching, a snake-oil salesman.

S other
Ciarán O'Sullivan: The grammar of place - Coaching beyond the curriculum

S rugby-columnists
Donal Lenihan: Lions must kill series here and now

S gaa
All-Ireland Football Final Special: Éamonn Fitzmaurice breaks down the tactical battle
Listen |

S gaa
Maurice Brosnan's hurling observations: The sweeper won’t become fashionable. But it will rear its head again

SDonal Lenihan: Schmidt and Wallabies have enough to cling onto to ensure Melbourne storm

MORE TOP PICKS

S Anthony Daly: 'If this isn’t Cork’s time, when is it?' — Pressure rises as Tipp lie in wait
Cork must deliver this afternoon — or face the backlash. Can Tipperary upset the odds and turn up like Galway in 1993?
Sun, 20 Jul, 2025

S Enda McEvoy: It’s set up for Cork to get chinned. They won’t
The Cork of 2025 have been consistently convincing and occasionally exhilarating. The conclusion is unavoidable. It’s set up for them to get chinned on Sunday.
Sun, 20 Jul, 2025

S 'Hearing the team sing Killeagh was a beautiful moment': Kingfishr on the summer's hurling anthem
Eoin Fitzgibbon hurled for the east Cork side for 20 years and has now helped contribute the soundtrack to the intercounty season.
Fri, 18 Jul, 2025

S Liam Sheedy: 'Maybe Liam will make sure they see that Cork fella with the champions tattoo'
Performance science is not exact. On one hand, the management might be drawing on a bit of outside noise for motivation, but they'll also want a collective disconnect from the outside.
Fri, 18 Jul, 2025

S Enda McEvoy on calling the All Ireland final: 'I can't believe you didn't tip us...'
On the eve of his 30th All Ireland final preview, what follows is the good, the bad and the extremely ugly from the Enda McEvoy notebook over the past three decades. Please try not to laugh too loudly at some bits (he asks...)
Fri, 18 Jul, 2025

Lions Tour Special: Farrell shows his hand for first Test
Irish Examiner rugby columnist Donal Lenihan joins Simon Lewis in Australia to discuss Andy Farrell's team selection and look ahead to the first Test with the Wallabies.
Listen | Thu, 17 Jul, 2025
Listen |

S Donal Lenihan: Potential Lions tour to France would capture the imagination
Maybe it’s because I’m not used to watching the Lions from a distance, having missed just two test series, both against New Zealand in 1993 and 2005, since my first Lions tour to the same country in 1983. However, for whatever reason, this latest expedition has failed to grip me in the manner I expected.
Wed, 16 Jul, 2025

S Maurice Brosnan asked to shadow Limerick’s Tailteann Cup prep, warts ’n all. Here’s what happened…
So we’re upstairs in the Ennis Road venue, above the home dressing rooms in the recently-developed gym. Over four days of phone calls, coffees, video analysis meetings, pitch sessions and Zooms, we’ll see what it truly takes to compete in the modern game
Tue, 15 Jul, 2025

Maurice Brosnan: McCole’s masterclass sets up a heavyweight showdown with Clifford
Jordan Morris joined the hitlist along with Sam Mulroy, Ryan O’Donoghue, Conor Turbitt and Darragh Canavan. In this championship, Brendan McCole has bested every one of them.
Mon, 14 Jul, 2025

Lions Tour Special: a blow-out for the tourists in final warm-up
Simon Lewis in Adelaide joins Brendan O'Brien to reflect on the whitewash victory.
Listen | Sat, 12 Jul, 2025
Listen |

S Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Kerry may need the energy of anger to counter dangerous mood swing
Since that win against Armagh there has been a volte-face in an entire county's mood, flipping from pessimism to elation. Dangerously so.
Sat, 12 Jul, 2025

Totemic Taylor cements legacy with trilogy triumph over Serrano at the Garden
The iconic Irish champion faced another historic challenge in New York on Friday and conquered it. It doesn’t matter what comes next — Taylor has done it all.
Sat, 12 Jul, 2025

S Dummy teams and late changes: who's kidding who (if anyone...)?
To date the top 16 football counties have contested 122 fixtures. That’s 244 starting line-ups shared on social media in advance of the games. Remarkably, 82% of these line-ups were changed before throw-in.
Thu, 10 Jul, 2025

Katie Taylor: 'I am the champion. She is not'
The atmosphere around The Theater was noticeably upbeat. Everyone in the venue was aware of the significance attached to this all-women’s card.
Thu, 10 Jul, 2025

S Tommy Martin: In life after tactics, is there a mutant force to stop Kerry roaming the earth?
Is the Tactics Era at an end and has the Age of Talent returned?
Thu, 10 Jul, 2025

S Donal Lenihan: Canberra test is a shadow Test for Farrell and Lions
On the evidence presented to date, there’s plenty of fine-tuning required in both camps before either side can approach the key opening test with a real degree of confidence.
Wed, 09 Jul, 2025

S The Gaelic Football Show: The All-Ireland semi-finals preview with Peter Canavan
James Horan, Maurice Brosnan and Paul Rouse are joined by former Meath star Shane McEntee and Tyrone legend Peter Canavan to look ahead to a blockbuster weekend of last-four action
Listen | Mon, 07 Jul, 2025
Listen |

S Comment: Tipperary rise as time ticks and tallies fail
Championship fury is stoked by two unforgiving masters: the score and the ticking hands.
Mon, 07 Jul, 2025

S Anthony Daly: At this level, scoreboard error is just not good enough
The Premier County boss has done it his way.
Mon, 07 Jul, 2025

S Pat Ryan profile: the people who know the Cork boss best on what makes him tick
Opinionated, respectful, good fun - Kieran Shannon learns more about the Rebels boss, who is preparing his side for an All-Ireland semi-final on Saturday.
Fri, 04 Jul, 2025

Lions Tour Podcast: Andy Farrell's men going in the right direction
Simon Lewis and Mick Cleary review the Lions' impressive win in Brisbane.
Listen | Thu, 03 Jul, 2025
Listen |

S Paul Rouse: If Thurles was the GAA's birthplace, it was Dublin that saved hurling
It was what happened on the banks of the River Liffey which most influenced the invention of the modern game of hurling.
Thu, 03 Jul, 2025

S Tommy Martin: It'll be a dark day when the Kerry public react calmly to defeat
The Kerry manager’s Golden Cleric speech was a belter, even if none of his critics are condemned to working with pygmies in the South Seas like one of Father Ted’s sworn enemies.
Thu, 03 Jul, 2025

S Dalo's Hurling Show: Semis preview, empires striking back or a Dubs spanner?
Anthony Daly, TJ Ryan, Mark Landers and Brian Hogan preview the All-Ireland semi-finals.
Listen | Wed, 02 Jul, 2025
Listen |

S Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Spiritual O’Shea delivered a Keane in Turin effort
Every Kerry player was excellent against Armagh, but Seán O’Shea stood head and shoulders above everyone
Mon, 30 Jun, 2025

S The Gaelic Football Show: Kerry make a statement, Royals roll on
Mike Quirke joins Maurice Brosnan and Paul Rouse to reflect a dramatic weekend of quarter-final action.
Listen | Mon, 30 Jun, 2025
Listen |

S Cathal Dennehy: Still a great beauty to pushing to the limit
As Faith Kipyegon collapsed to the track, utterly spent, there was something so human and so vulnerable about this great champion.
Sat, 28 Jun, 2025

S Club v country - how FAI took on English clubs to change European football
In October 1980 Ireland played a crucial, and ultimately controversial, World Cup qualifier with France in Paris. But even before the game, history was made that still impacts on the game today.
Sat, 28 Jun, 2025

S Tommy Martin: Just because you are Cinderella doesn’t mean all your sisters aren’t ugly
Sorry, starting to sound like Conspiracy Jim there. Then again, just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean everyone isn’t out to get you.
Thu, 26 Jun, 2025

'You’re lucky it’s only one leg': Tiarnán O’Donnell criticises system after €67k prosthetic fight
Irish Paralympian Tiarnán O’Donnell reveals his struggle to walk after Paris and the €67,000 cost of a new prosthetic, calling for urgent systemic reform
Thu, 26 Jun, 2025

S Eight hurling championship observations: Tipp and Cork resurgence stems from go-for-broke mentality
The numbers will keep rising. Puckouts will keep coming. Legs go and lungs burn in this is the age of excess. So far, no one is in a hurry to stop it.
Wed, 25 Jun, 2025

S Anthony Daly: Legacy is secure but this is a crossroads for Limerick and Kiely
This Limerick team is one of the greatest in the history of the game. There may be many more great days ahead but this was certainly a crossroads moment in the journey of this outfit.
Mon, 23 Jun, 2025

S Colin Sheridan: The Lions as a modern concept is utterly idiotic
Let us once again gather our collective rugbying delusions, pour them into an overpriced jersey, stick them on a Qantas flight, and pretend that this Lions tour is the very heart of rugby tradition.
Mon, 23 Jun, 2025

S Enda McEvoy: Limerick now a normal team but definitely not an ordinary team
Some other observations. Deciding the Munster final by way of a penalty shootout was not some monstrous insult inflicted on the honest horny-handed sons of the soil by the faceless powers, unelected bureaucrats etc in Croke Park.
Sat, 21 Jun, 2025

Anthony Daly: Tipp can trust themselves — Galway need badness to survive quarter-final clash
Anthony Daly on Dublin’s uneasy history with All-Ireland quarter-finals, why Tipp are peaking, and Galway’s trust issues
Sat, 21 Jun, 2025

S Éamonn Fitzmaurice: behind closed doors in the Kingdom - how Kerry respond to a looming crisis
Our chief football analyst knows only too well what sort of mood the Kerry camp will be in this week after their nine-point hammering by Meath
Fri, 20 Jun, 2025

S Tommy Martin: Drogheda cockup a sore part of LOI's growing pains
It feels like a league with the profile of Ireland’s is going to have to get used to multi-club ownership issues.
Thu, 19 Jun, 2025

S Eight Gaelic football championship observations: Who are the leading All-Star contenders right now?
From Kerry's kickout collapse to Caulfield the creator, Maurice Brosnan goes through what he noticed from the latest round in the football championship.
Wed, 18 Jun, 2025

S John Fallon: Drogheda United not the sole culprits for €525k blunder
Double Pass in action on academy auditing and extra WSL teams means extra top-level gametime for Irish.
Wed, 18 Jun, 2025

S Éamonn Fitzmaurice: From Michael Murphy to Meath nightmares, it's go-time for Sam hopefuls
In football's new world, it is a lot harder to play the type of slow controlled football that would suit a team on the go for a third week in a row, emphasising the importance of that top spot.
Sat, 14 Jun, 2025

Golf's silent treatment issue is now coming to a head
Talk about everything? No, that’s not the way. But it’s surely not too much to talk about something.
Fri, 13 Jun, 2025

Eoghan Cormican: 'I never felt entirely comfortable when dressing room craic went into a machismo direction'
Staff writer Eoghan Cormican had plenty to fill his notebook at the GPA's Pride event - but he wasn't there as a journalist. He attended as a gay man. This was not a day of chasing stories untold, this was a day of celebrating stories no longer untold.
Fri, 13 Jun, 2025

S Paul Rouse: NFL at Croke Park is welcome but military should not be part of spectacle
Will there be a fly-over of American military aircraft? And will the other trappings of imperial military power also be on display?
Fri, 13 Jun, 2025

S Tommy Martin: Blubbering fortysomethings - Why I almost wept for the great egomaniacal teddy bear himself
Crying over a missed penalty at 39? Pull yourself together man. Blubbing over winning a tournament at 40? Ah come here you lovely big lummox.
Thu, 12 Jun, 2025

US Open: Can McIlroy or DeChambeau show the necessary patience to stop Scheffler?
Meanwhile, to give our broken record another spin, Shane Lowry must find his putting mojo.
Thu, 12 Jun, 2025

S Eight hurling championship observations: Did Cork and Limerick play better against the wind?
With the wind, Cork tend to go long and carry less. That won’t be as influential a factor in an All-Ireland final.
Wed, 11 Jun, 2025

S Dalo's Hurling Show: Cork come through an epic, Kilkenny add another one
Anthony Daly, TJ Ryan and Mark Landers review a memorable Munster decider, the Cats' win over Galway and all the weekend championship action.
Listen | Mon, 09 Jun, 2025
Listen |

S Dalo's Hurling Show: on the road for the big provincial finals preview
Anthony Daly, TJ Ryan and Mark Landers get together in Adare to preview intriguing provincial deciders in Munster and Leinster this weekend.
Listen | Fri, 06 Jun, 2025
Listen |

S Christy O'Connor: Kerry native Fionán Mackessy aiming to make history with Kilkenny
Elsewhere, can Brian Hayes rediscover his mojo? And Kildare’s long road to try and get back into Leinster.
Fri, 06 Jun, 2025

Epsom Derby 2025: the pin-stickers' guide
The runners and riders ahead of the in the premier Classic.
Fri, 06 Jun, 2025

Sport

Push Notifications

By clicking on 'Sign Up' you will be the first to know about our latest and best sporting content on this browser. Please note if you are unable to sign up via your mobile web browser, please download and sign up for mobile push notifications via our FREE mobile news app.
Sign Up

You have accepted push notifications for this content. If you would like to manage your push notification preferences, you can do so here.

Sport
Newsletter
Latest news from the world of sport, along with the best in opinion from our outstanding team of sports writers. and reporters

Email Address

First Name

Last Name

Please update me on features, events, exclusive offers and competitions from the Irish Examiner

Outdoor Trails
Discover the great outdoors on Ireland's best walking trails
Start Exploring

LATEST TOP PICKS

Tommy Martin: Jim McGuinness has been getting a gleeful shoeing but lots of it is small-minded nonsense

Ciarán O'Sullivan: The grammar of place - Coaching beyond the curriculum

Donal Lenihan: Lions must kill series here and now

All-Ireland Football Final Special: Éamonn Fitzmaurice breaks down the tactical battle

Maurice Brosnan's hurling observations: The sweeper won’t become fashionable. But it will rear its head again

SDonal Lenihan: Schmidt and Wallabies have enough to cling onto to ensure Melbourne storm

MORE TOP PICKS

S Anthony Daly: 'If this isn’t Cork’s time, when is it?' — Pressure rises as Tipp lie in wait

S Enda McEvoy: It’s set up for Cork to get chinned. They won’t

S 'Hearing the team sing Killeagh was a beautiful moment': Kingfishr on the summer's hurling anthem

S Liam Sheedy: 'Maybe Liam will make sure they see that Cork fella with the champions tattoo'

S Enda McEvoy on calling the All Ireland final: 'I can't believe you didn't tip us...'

Lions Tour Special: Farrell shows his hand for first Test

S Donal Lenihan: Potential Lions tour to France would capture the imagination

S Maurice Brosnan asked to shadow Limerick’s Tailteann Cup prep, warts ’n all. Here’s what happened…

Maurice Brosnan: McCole’s masterclass sets up a heavyweight showdown with Clifford

Lions Tour Special: a blow-out for the tourists in final warm-up

S Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Kerry may need the energy of anger to counter dangerous mood swing

Totemic Taylor cements legacy with trilogy triumph over Serrano at the Garden

S Dummy teams and late changes: who's kidding who (if anyone...)?

Katie Taylor: 'I am the champion. She is not'

S Tommy Martin: In life after tactics, is there a mutant force to stop Kerry roaming the earth?

S Donal Lenihan: Canberra test is a shadow Test for Farrell and Lions

S The Gaelic Football Show: The All-Ireland semi-finals preview with Peter Canavan

S Comment: Tipperary rise as time ticks and tallies fail

S Anthony Daly: At this level, scoreboard error is just not good enough

S Pat Ryan profile: the people who know the Cork boss best on what makes him tick

Lions Tour Podcast: Andy Farrell's men going in the right direction

S Paul Rouse: If Thurles was the GAA's birthplace, it was Dublin that saved hurling

S Tommy Martin: It'll be a dark day when the Kerry public react calmly to defeat

S Dalo's Hurling Show: Semis preview, empires striking back or a Dubs spanner?

S Éamonn Fitzmaurice: Spiritual O’Shea delivered a Keane in Turin effort

S The Gaelic Football Show: Kerry make a statement, Royals roll on

S Cathal Dennehy: Still a great beauty to pushing to the limit

S Club v country - how FAI took on English clubs to change European football

S Tommy Martin: Just because you are Cinderella doesn’t mean all your sisters aren’t ugly

'You’re lucky it’s only one leg': Tiarnán O’Donnell criticises system after €67k prosthetic fight

S Eight hurling championship observations: Tipp and Cork resurgence stems from go-for-broke mentality

S Anthony Daly: Legacy is secure but this is a crossroads for Limerick and Kiely

S Colin Sheridan: The Lions as a modern concept is utterly idiotic

S Enda McEvoy: Limerick now a normal team but definitely not an ordinary team

Anthony Daly: Tipp can trust themselves — Galway need badness to survive quarter-final clash

S Éamonn Fitzmaurice: behind closed doors in the Kingdom - how Kerry respond to a looming crisis

S Tommy Martin: Drogheda cockup a sore part of LOI's growing pains

S Eight Gaelic football championship observations: Who are the leading All-Star contenders right now?

S John Fallon: Drogheda United not the sole culprits for €525k blunder

S Éamonn Fitzmaurice: From Michael Murphy to Meath nightmares, it's go-time for Sam hopefuls

Golf's silent treatment issue is now coming to a head

Eoghan Cormican: 'I never felt entirely comfortable when dressing room craic went into a machismo direction'

S Paul Rouse: NFL at Croke Park is welcome but military should not be part of spectacle

S Tommy Martin: Blubbering fortysomethings - Why I almost wept for the great egomaniacal teddy bear himself

US Open: Can McIlroy or DeChambeau show the necessary patience to stop Scheffler?

S Eight hurling championship observations: Did Cork and Limerick play better against the wind?

S Dalo's Hurling Show: Cork come through an epic, Kilkenny add another one

S Dalo's Hurling Show: on the road for the big provincial finals preview

S Christy O'Connor: Kerry native Fionán Mackessy aiming to make history with Kilkenny

Epsom Derby 2025: the pin-stickers' guide

Latest Sports

Sport

Sport

Outdoor Trails