The Throw-in

The confidence and feel-good factor for Limerick shows no sign of abating after their impressive ten point win over Tipperary in the weekend Allianz Hurling League action and on this week’s Throw-In, the panel are tipping John Kiely’s players for another strong summer. Joining Will Slattery and Michael Verney on the show was Colm Keys and John Mullane though Mullane cautions about reading too much into the early part of the season. “We’ve been here before,” he says. “Remember Tipp in 2017? Galway in 2018?” Tipperary’s lack of pace is the one issue for Liam Sheedy's side though, Mullane believes. “They struggle badly without Cathal Barrett and they need to find more like him in the defence if they want to be challenging in the summer.” Meanwhile, in football, Kerry and Mayo both have two wins on the trot with Mayo looking like they're building for the future. Are Kerry though playing it too defensive? "They’re used to football served up in a certain way," says Colm Keys. "The new management will onl

After the opening round of Allianz Football and Hurling League games, Tomás Ó Sé and Brendan Cummins joined Will Slattery, Michael Verney and Conor McKeon to review all the big games. Is it too early to raise question marks after Dublin's defeat to Monaghan in Clones and are Kerry going too defensive after their dour victory over Tyrone? In the hurling, Brendan Cummins says the shadow boxing is going on until the summer and Tipperary against Clare in Ennis in the Munster Championship will be a different matter altogether. While Cork's performance against Kilkenny was described as 'abject', there is still so much to admire about Kilkenny and how Brian Cody has once again brought in and developed new talent. Plus, Will and Michael give their performances of the week - Colin Guilfoyle's one-handed point or Sean O'Shea's outrageous sideline anyone? - and the night after the Royal Rumble, they ask what GAA star would make it in the WWE? For more from the Throw-In podcast go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/th

It's time for the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues once again and the Throw-In is back for another series of analysis, reaction, interviews and reviews with the journalists and columnists from Independent.ie, the Irish Independent and Sunday Independent. On this week's show, Will Slattery is joined by co-presenter, Michael Verney, as well as Vincent Hogan and Donnchadh Boyle to make their predictions for the hurling and football leagues. In the football, all eyes are on Kerry under the new management of Peter Keane with Vincent Hogan asking, 'Are Kerry street-wise enough at the back? It’s a big league for them and they need to show more savvy than they have been showing.' It's the hurling though that is setting pulses racing with so many counties with one eye on Liam MacCarthy later in the year. Can Kilkenny make it two League titles in a row? Can Tipperary overcome previous psychological damage done to them? And what about Cork, Clare, Galway and of course the reigning All Ireland champions, Limer

On this week's episode of the Throw-In, Will Slattery looks back on the All-Ireland ladies football final with Dublin star Noelle Healy. Dublin secured back-to-back titles after finally getting over the line against Cork, after losing three consecutive deciders to the Rebelettes in 2014, 2015 and 2016. However, on this occasion Dublin were able to beat their biggest rivals, and Healy admits that the prospect of finally beating Cork was spoken about often in the pre-game build-up. Healy reflects on the tactical tweaks that Dublin brought to their game in order to come out on top, as well as the impact made by manager Mick Bohan, who has won All-Irelands in his first two years in charge. Healy also reflects on the leap forward made in ladies football, with over 50,000 supporters attending yesterday's game at Croke Park, as well as the areas where she would like to see an improvement in the future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Limerick defender Fiona Hickey to discuss the All-Ireland camogie final between Cork and Kilkenny. For the second year in-a-row, Cork defeated Kilkenny by a single point in the decider but this year's contest was marred by a controversial refreeing performance by Eamon Cassidy. Hickey says that Cassidy's performance took away from the occasion and that the association needs to look at the rules of camogie now that players have become bigger, faster and stronger. Kilkenny played a defensive style yesterday and although they came out on the wrong end of the result, Hickey says that Ann Downey set her side up the best way in order to beat Cork. Hickey also reflects on the camogie championship as a whole, as well as naming her moment of the year and Player of the Year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Frank Roche, Colm Keys and Alan Brogan to discuss Dublin's win over Tyrone in the All-Ireland final. Talk of the tactical battle dominated the build-up to the game and the panel assess whether Mickey Harte went about beating Jim Gavin's men the right way. Alan Brogan thinks Harte got some of his match-ups wrong while Frank Roche says that Tyrone's poor shot selection was a big factor in their defeat. Talk has already turned to whether Dublin can secure a five in-a-row and Colm Keys think that the team's age profile means that we are only in the middle of their period of dominance - but predicts that Kerry will challenge them in the near future. Alan Brogan also discusses his brother Bernard's comeback from injury and the panel weigh in on the All Star team for 2018. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Donnchadh Boyle of the Irish Independent, Conor McKeon of The Herald and ex-Monaghan midfielder Dick Clerkin to preview the All-Ireland football final between Dublin and Tyrone. The lads start by discussing the low-key build-up to the showpiece game - is the lack of interest down to the state of football or due to Dublin's dominance? A lot has been made of Mickey Harte's record in finals and the influence that could have on proceedings, but Donnchadh Boyle isn't convinced that it will have much of a bearing. Dick Clerkin says that Tyrone must set up differently to last year's semi-final or they risk receiving a similar beating while Conor McKeon reckons Tyrone must go man-to-man in order to have a real chance against Dublin. The lads also discuss Stephen Rochford's recent departure as Mayo manager, who might replace him and give their All-Ireland final predictions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Michael Verney of the Irish Independent and Waterford legend John Mullane to discuss the All-Ireland hurling final. Limerick prevailed by one point in a dramatic finale against Galway, but Michael argues that the game was more of a 'one-point hammering' which Limerick dominated. Mullane says that he was seriously impressed by the movement of the Limerick forward line, which made life very difficult for the Tribesmen defence. The lads agree that Limerick won almost every battle around the field but they give massive credit to Joe Canning for inspiring the Galway comeback. Michael and John also give their selection for Hurler of the Year, and pick out a team who is poised for a breakout season in 2019. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Vincent Hogan, Conor McKeon and Brendan Cummins to preview the All-Ireland hurling final between Galway and Limerick. The lads discuss how Galway have reinvented themselves as a steely team who close out games despite having predominantly the same squad that came up short under Anthony Cunningham. However, there propensity to fade out of games after a strong start must be addressed this weekend. For Limerick, it is their first All-Ireland final appearance since 2007 with a team full of U21 All-Ireland winners. Cummins says that how they deal with the big occasion will be crucial on Sunday. The job done by Galway manager Micheal Donoghue is also discussed, with the Tribesmen boss formerly a member of the Tipperary backroom team. Limerick's bench strength, Joe Canning's evolution and media hype are all discussed and the panel give their predictions ahead of the big game. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Michael Verney of the Irish Independent, the Herald's Conor McKeon and former Monaghan midfielder Dick Clerkin to discuss the All-Ireland football semi-finals. Clerkin reflects on an agonizing near miss for his county, and says that although there were some contentious refereeing decisions, Monaghan didn't play well enough to beat Tyrone. However, he is still optimistic that the Farney county can bounce back next year and contend at the business end of the championship. For Tyrone, they will look to show they have learned the lessons of last year's All-Ireland semi-final humiliation when they take on Dublin in this year's final. Has Mickey Harte added anything new to the team's arsenal that can trouble Jim Gavin's men? Dublin's probing style of hand-passing in attack is causing teams all sorts of problems and the lads delve into the work Gavin has done behind the scenes to have his team on the cusp of a four in-a-row. For Galway, a promisi

On the latest episode of The Throw-In, Joe Brolly gives his assessment of year one of the Super 8s. Brolly thinks that the format highlights the negativity in Gaelic football today and that tweaks are required to help the sport going forward. Of the teams who have made it through to the semi-finals, Brolly gives Tyrone the best chance of ending Dublin’s four in-a-row bid - but only if they become more adventurous. Joe also weighs in on the end of Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s tenure with Kerry and says that it was time for a change in the Kingdom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week’s episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Martin Breheny, Roy Curtis, Tomás Ó Sé and Jamesie O’Connor to discuss the weekend’s action. Eamonn Fitzmaurice stepped down as Kerry manager after six years in charge and Tomás reflects on the end of his tenure as well as the ‘poisonous’ letters Fitzmaurice received. Ó Sé also gives his choice for the next Kerry manager and makes his predictions for next weekend’s All-Ireland semi-finals. The lads also discuss Monaghan’s impressive win over Galway in Salthill and Tyrone’s second half surge to see off Donegal. In hurling, Galway pipped Clare to advance to the All-Ireland final. Jamesie O’Connor reflects on a tough defeat for Clare and gives his prediction for the All-Ireland final between Galway and Limerick. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Colm Keys, Dermot Crowe and John Mullane to discuss the All-Ireland hurling semi-finals. Croke Park hosted two blockbuster extra time clashes as Limerick progressed to the All-Ireland final after beating Cork while Galway and Clare must do battle again after playing out a thrilling draw. Colm Keys points to Limerick's bench as the difference against the Rebels while Mullane thinks that everything is set up perfectly for the Treaty county heading into the All-Ireland final. The panel also talk about Limerick manager John Kiely's post-match press conference as he urged journalists not to contact any Limerick players before the final, and the lads also give their predictions ahead of the semi-final replay between Clare and Galway. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Michael Verney is joined by Irish Independent GAA correspondent Colm Keys and former Dublin star Alan Brogan to go over all the weekend's action. The lads concentrate on football as the Super 8s came to life over the weekend. Kerry vs Monaghan produced a sensational finish with 19-year-old David Clifford and the panel discuss where to next for the Kingdom ahead of their do-or-die fixture with Kildare in a fortnight's time. Dublin maintained their superiority over Tyrone in the 'Battle of Omagh' with Brogan lauding the game management of Jim Gavin's reigning All-Ireland champions. The three-time All-Ireland winner feels that some rule changes would make the game more exciting, however, with Keys suggesting that the top brass within the GAA will have some sleepless nights over the winter. In hurling, Keys looks ahead to this weekend's All-Ireland SHC semi-finals between Clare-Galway and Cork-Limerick as all attention switches to the small ball with the Super 8s takig

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Vincent Hogan, Conor McKeon and John Mullane to go over all the weekend's action. The lads start with football and what was an underwhelming first weekend for the Super 8s. Kerry vs Galway produced a big shock and the panel discuss where Kerry can go from here after a damaging defeat. For Galway, they will have aspirations of All-Ireland glory after beating the Kingdom in the championship for the first time since 1965. Dublin got their Super 8s campaign off to a winning start against Donegal, but are Jim Gavin's men as good as they were in previous years? In hurling, Kilkenny and Limerick played out a cracking quarter-final in Thurles, and John Mullane thinks that the Treaty County are well primed to make an All-Ireland final. He also thinks that Wexford fans should keep the faith with Davy Fitzgerald after a disappointing quarter-final loss to Clare. Will is also joined in studio by Tipperary ladies footballer Aishling Moloney to chat ab

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Galway ladies footballer Sinead Burke, Jamesie O'Connor and Dick Clerkin to go over all the weekend's action. The Super 8s line-up has been confirmed following the Round Four qualifiers and Will, Sinead and Dick look ahead to the mouthwatering games on the horizon over the next few weeks. Dick is tipping Dublin, Monaghan, Donegal and Kerry to make the semi-finals but is expecting a shock or two along the way while Sinead thinks the Tribesmen are the team to beat. In hurling, Jamesie O'Connor thinks that Galway laid down a real marker against Kilkenny in the Leinster final replay, and says that the Cats playing for a third week in-a-row against Limerick in the All-Ireland quarter-final could be their undoing. He also expects a humdinger of a clash between Clare and Wexford and says that his county's season will have been a 'massive disappointment' if they are defeated next weekend. Will and Sinead also preview the upcoming ladies football

On this episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery chats to Joe Brolly about all the weekend's football action. Joe reflects on Mayo's qualifier defeat to Kildare in Newbridge and says that Mayo's chance of winning an All-Ireland has come and gone. He adds that they lack pace in the forward line which has hurt them against the top teams. In contrast, Brolly thinks that Kerry are resurgent this season and are 'coming for the Dubs' with all the young talent they have in the forward line. Will and Joe also look ahead to round four of the qualifiers, as Brolly gives his verdict on what we can expect this weekend. Brolly also says that he doesn't mind that Dublin will be playing two games at Croke Park in the Super 8s, while every other team will just play one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Conor McKeon of The Herald and Donnchadh Boyle of the Irish Independent to discuss all the weekend's action. The lads start with the cracker in Newbridge as Kildare dumped Mayo out of the All-Ireland championship after a week of controversy over where the game will be played. The Lilywhites finally showed some backbone but for Mayo, it is a question now of whether this team is at the end of the line. Conor and Donnchadh discuss whether the All-Ireland window has now closed for the much-admired side, with some of their key men possibly retiring after their latest defeat. Elsewhere, the lads look ahead to the Round 4 qualifiers and the Super 8s, and discuss whether it is fair that Dublin will play two games at Croke Park in the new structure. In hurling, Cork claimed their second straight Munster title - but do the Rebels get the respect they deserve? Cork are now eight games unbeaten in their province and won this year's Munster title with a n

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Tomás Ó Sé, Roy Curtis and Michael Verney to discuss all the weekend's football action. After three lopsided provincial final results, Ó Sé thinks it is time for the current structure to be revamped, and the Kerry legend is hoping that a two-tier championship structure is brought in. Donegal impressed in the Ulster final as they continued their trend of putting up a big score with their more offensive strategy, and the lads discuss the defensive approach that Fermanagh took in the game. For Dublin, they claimed their eighth consecutive Leinster title with an 18-point win over Laois, but were their a few chinks in their armour? Kerry's young stars continued their upward trajectory in a Munster final rout against Cork, and Ó Sé thinks that the less experienced players are now driving a lot of the top teams. The lads also discuss what happened to Cork, the third round qualifier draw and Mayo's ability to come back from the dead. See omnystu

On this week's episode of The Throw-In, Will Slattery is joined by Irish Independent GAA correspondents Martin Breheny and Colm Keys along with Waterford legend John Mullane to discuss all the weekend's action. After coming into their final Munster round robin game being talked about as a potential rival to Galway, Limerick suffered a heavy defeat to Clare, with the Banner advancing to their second consecutive Munster final. John Mullane still thinks Limerick can have a big say in the championship while Colm Keys reckons Clare will need a big turnout from their fans to get over the line against Cork in the provincial decider. Mullane also thinks that it is time for Waterford manager Derek McGrath to walk away from the role after a season that was destroyed by injuries. In football, the lads discuss Galway's Connacht final win over Roscommon and debate whether the Tribesmen should commit to the style of play that secured victory in the second half rather than the even more defensive strategy that was emplo