Guns, slaps, jigsaws and the best 61 seconds of sport all year (the darts, obvs) - the A-to-Z of 2023Every year is filled with heroic deeds of sporting immortality but every year is filled with spivs, chancers and ne’er-do-wells too. Here’s some of them, in all their glory.Sat Dec 30 2023 - 06:00
New owners will quickly learn that Manchester United need more than a little streamliningSport always comes down to resources, talent and technical application - and the other crowd are chasing it just as much as you areSat Dec 30 2023 - 06:00
Sports Review 2023: Murphy’s incredible reflex save showed hurling’s facility for the impossibleSports Review: Eoin Murphy's stunning save to deny Peter Duggan one of hurling's unforgettable momentsFri Dec 29 2023 - 06:00
Malachy Clerkin’s sporting Christmas singalong, featuring Manchester United, JP McManus, Jon Rahm and RG SnymanIt’s Christmas time, there’s no need to be afraid. Having said that, here’s our festive songsheetSat Dec 23 2023 - 06:00
Big wins were elusive in 2023 but Ireland’s sportswomen consistently among the best As their achievements in 2023 confirm, the base level of performance for Irish women in sport is so much higher than beforeFri Dec 22 2023 - 06:00
The top 25 highlights of the year in Irish women’s sportFrom Aussie Rules to athletics, sailing to soccer and everything in between, 2023 has been a spectacular year for Ireland’s sportswomenThu Dec 21 2023 - 06:00
O’Loughlin Gaels prevail as All-Ireland club semi-finals produce two of the year’s best gamesDicksboro make it a banner day for Kilkenny clubs by claiming the All-Ireland camogie title against defending champions SarsfieldsSun Dec 17 2023 - 20:21
Great survivors O’Loughlin Gaels secure yet another one-point victory to reach All-Ireland finalDavid Fogarty’s injury-time winner earns Kilkenny champions O'Loughlin Gaels a narrow one-point victory over spirited underdogs CushendallSun Dec 17 2023 - 18:04
‘The reality is that there will be a tragedy’: GAA referees want more action on abuse and violenceReferees from all across Dublin met this week to draw a line in the sand - either somebody starts listening to them on the amount of abuse they take or they will consider withdrawing servicesSat Dec 16 2023 - 06:00
How the 1997 loyalist murder of Bellaghy GAA chairman Seán Brown remains unsolvedFamily’s efforts to uncover what happened that night continues to be stymied at almost every turn and now the Legacy Bill looks to be the next hurdleSat Dec 16 2023 - 06:00
The assault of a GAA referee: Trial over incident exposes loose attitude to rules in GAAAs she heard evidence in Portlaoise District Course before finding two people guilty of assaulting Michael Tarpey, a judge seemed exasperated at repeated suggestions that GAA rules are only observed ‘from time to time’Sat Dec 09 2023 - 06:00
Jon Rahm’s LIV move the latest reminder that golf is not big enough to be fighting among itself for audiencesRahm’s defection won’t bring a big slice of the viewing public with him - the people who watch golf have lost an interesting player to a world they’ll never visitFri Dec 08 2023 - 17:29
From Shane MacGowan to Joe Brolly to Conor McGregor, Irishness is always up for grabsUntethered nationalism is heady and exciting right up to the point where it gets out of hand – sports fans know this better than anyoneSat Dec 02 2023 - 06:00
The Irish Times books of the year: Best sports books of 2023Malachy Clerkin on this year’s must-have books about GAA, soccer, boxing and life - as well as the best offerings in a truly great year for younger readersSat Dec 02 2023 - 06:00
The Swedish film-maker who came to Donegal to find the heart and soul of soccerShot during last year’s World Cup, Joel Segerdahl’s documentary series featuring grassroots players from Carrowmena and Dunlewey has made viral stars of its protagonists in recent weeksSun Nov 26 2023 - 06:00
Malachy Clerkin: Jonathan Hill has made a critical mistake in reminding the public of the old FAIBeing called in front of the Public Accounts Committee over issues to do with his pay package is top of the list of things the association’s chief executive had to avoid in the jobSat Nov 25 2023 - 06:00
Ireland player ratings v New Zealand: Adam Idah and Mikey Johnston the standout performersSubstitute goalkeeper Mark Travers pulled off a string of saves to keep New Zealand at bayTue Nov 21 2023 - 22:11
Malachy Clerkin: Results show Stephen Kenny just wasn’t up to the jobRepublic of Ireland squad has evolved massively in the past three years but the reality is the next guy in the job has a long road backSat Nov 18 2023 - 06:00
Phil Quinlan was given the last rites after a clash of heads. But his life was only starting‘There’s not many left like me who lived to tell the tale. I’ve been called loads of names from Hop Along to Keyser Soze’Sat Nov 18 2023 - 06:00
Rory Beggan on Scotstown beating Kilcoo: Any time we play in Ulster, a wee bit of chaos followsBeggan was instrumental in Scotstown’s win over Kilcoo to move into the Ulster club semi-finalsTue Nov 14 2023 - 06:00
Last-gasp winners for Scotstown and Naomh Chonaill leave Ulster championship wide openNa Fianna, O’Loughlin Gaels, Naas and Kilcormac Killoughey make up the final four in Leinster hurlingSun Nov 12 2023 - 19:09
Rory Beggan helps Scotstown send Kilcoo crashing out of the Ulster club championshipScotstown will aim to improve their dreadful record in Ulster after beating the two-time Ulster champions Kilcoo with a couple of brilliant injury-time scoresSun Nov 12 2023 - 18:56
Bernard Jackman: ‘If I can help us win our second ever equestrian Olympic medal - or medals - it’ll be fantastic’Life since retiring from rugby in 2010 has been all about high performance in sport and business and now the former Ireland hooker is aiming for the podium in ParisSat Nov 11 2023 - 06:00
No Foreign Game by James Quinn: A forensically researched exploration of Irish soccerNo sport has divided itself in Ireland like soccer has – every flavour and spice that has gone into the soup is in hereSat Nov 11 2023 - 00:00
Malachy Clerkin: Ashling Murphy’s murder reminds us of the dread women feel in the world - now is the time to talk about what we can changeWhether it’s lighting up parks and sportsgrounds or redesigning playgrounds, there are steps we can take to make fresh air and exercise as easy for women as it is for menFri Nov 10 2023 - 15:27
Paddy Morgan: ‘You can’t sit at home forever. Life has to go on, you have to do something’In recent years, he has become captain of the Irish Blind Golf organisationMon Nov 06 2023 - 06:00
Alan Shipnuck on LIV Golf: ‘Everything happened in secret. Every negotiation, every deal, every betrayal’New book LIV and Let Die shows nuances and shades of grey in golf’s response to breakaway tourSat Nov 04 2023 - 06:00
Johnny Sexton is wrong: Ireland needed more than a quarter-final exit to inspire the nationMaking a World Cup final would have expanded Irish rugby’s circle enormously; going out in the quarter-final again made it feel no differentSat Oct 28 2023 - 06:00
Malachy Clerkin: At my uncle’s funeral, we talked football, fathers and Jack McCarronThe Scotstown player transferred from a tiny club to the only superclub in the county but in the week we buried my uncle, I’m inclined to give him a passSat Oct 21 2023 - 17:54
Bluffer’s Guide to Ireland going out of the Rugby World CupHow to talk the talk following Ireland’s defeat to New Zealand – if you can stomach it . . .Sun Oct 15 2023 - 10:10
Billy McCarthy glad to be back in a county final after doing his cruciate three times in two yearsThurles Sarsfields hurler was set to reach the top of the game but injuries have made it a long and lonely road just to get back on the pitchSun Oct 15 2023 - 06:00
Malachy Clerkin: In bleak times, the sheer comedy value of Conor McGregor is to be treasuredDespite winning one fight in seven years, the former MMA champion has caused the UFC to split with its drug-testing agency because of disagreements around his comebackSat Oct 14 2023 - 06:30
Ireland confirmed as co-hosts of Euro 2028 as Uefa accepts joint bid with UKTwo separate bids were presented to Uefa’s 18-person executive committee in Nyon on TuesdayTue Oct 10 2023 - 14:13
Bluffer’s Guide: How to talk the talk after Ireland’s 36-14 win over ScotlandPeople are going to be talking rugby at you for the next while - here’s what to say (and what not to say)Sun Oct 08 2023 - 11:10
Brian Fenton: ‘For sure I’ll be back next year. I’d love to do 10 seasons for Dublin’The Dublin midfielder says his club’s run to only their third ever semi-final has taken him by surpriseSat Oct 07 2023 - 06:00
Malachy Clerkin: The Liverpool offside fiasco shows why football needs more VAR, not less of itThe way you kill off conspiracy theories is by making VAR a transparent, smooth-running and functional piece of game administration - not the clown show we saw last weekendFri Oct 06 2023 - 18:16
Malachy Clerkin: Great that Euro 2028 is coming to Ireland, but enough already with the guff about its legacyThe Europan Championships are coming so prepare to spend the next five years listening to endless nonsense from the FAI and GovernmentWed Oct 04 2023 - 13:35
Eamon Dunphy’s classic ‘Only A Game?’ is still as fresh and real as ever, 50 years later‘I did it to try and understand myself. And also to try and give young lads a sense of what this game was really like. Because everybody wanted to be a footballer. But this is pain’Sun Oct 01 2023 - 06:00
Malachy Clerkin: It’s okay not to take the so-called big issues in the GAA all that seriouslyWe get far too caught up in debating the minutiae of every little thing in the associationSat Sept 30 2023 - 06:00
Ryder Cup: Europe dominate USA as Rory McIlroy wins both his matchesRory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood make it 4-0 on the opening morning foursomes on FridayFri Sept 29 2023 - 18:05
Malachy Clerkin: Rory McIlroy shows the LIV golfers what they’re missing out on at the Ryder CupFrom broken down TGVs to the disconnect in Irish women’s football to Shane Lowry’s GAA background ...Thu Sept 28 2023 - 10:31
Malachy Clerkin: New era for Ireland as they hammer hapless HungaryFootball from Budapest, golf from Rome, rugby from France and Katie Taylor in Dublin - all in your morning Irish Times sports coverageWed Sept 27 2023 - 10:57
Katie Taylor: ‘I want to be involved in history-making fights’Chantelle Cameron camp annoyed at having to come back to Dublin for the rematch after beating Taylor first time around in MayTue Sept 26 2023 - 19:43
Malachy Clerkin: It’s Ryder Cup week and Rory McIlroy is laughing at himselfThe fall-out from the weekend in Paris, anticipation of what’s to come in Rome and Mary Hannigan in Budapest, all in your Irish Times Sport this morningTue Sept 26 2023 - 10:47
Malachy Clerkin: Ireland’s World Cup bandwagon just keeps growing and growingThe win over South Africa, Europe’s Solheim Cup triumph, a landmark day at Lansdowne and the north London Derby are all on the plate in today’s Irish Times SportMon Sept 25 2023 - 11:57
TV View: Exhausted Jerry Flannery put through the emotional wringer as Ireland beat the SpringboksRTÉ misstepped when jumping back to studio just as 40,000 Irish fans started to launch into the chorus of ZombieSun Sept 24 2023 - 12:28
Kerry’s Tony Brosnan was five days away from his first All-Ireland football final. Then his lung collapsedAfter a nightmarish few weeks the Kerry forward made a surprise return for his club, Dr Crokes, last SundaySun Sept 24 2023 - 06:00
Malachy Clerkin: Ryder Cup far less fun without players who left for LIV GolfNo Ryder Cup complete without players willing to make a show of themselves, but pantomime villains have left to take the Saudi moneySat Sept 23 2023 - 06:00
Kellie Harrington: ‘I’m sorry for the tweet I put up. I’m sorry for the hurt that I caused’The Olympic champion got embroiled in a Twitter controversy about immigration and compounded it by getting annoyed in an Off The Ball interview - now she says the presenter ‘was just doing his job’Sat Sept 16 2023 - 05:00
Malachy Clerkin: So what if Evan Ferguson is fit to play for Brighton? Isn’t that what we want?Missing out on the games against France and the Netherlands was the right thing for the player, which is ultimately going to be the right thing for IrelandFri Sept 15 2023 - 18:48
