The Official GAA thread

He didn't actually deny the accusation though. It's common knowledge around many parts of Ulster what kind of person he is. It seems he is going to try to weather the storm and Derry GAA are going to stand by. I can't see how he can remain in the long term and the GAA in Derry will not com out of this well

 

Fair enough like I said I was not really up on what was going on other then a very brief read of an article I saw. Certainly like you say not a good look for Derry GAA to be keeping him so.

 

Great stuff

 

Rory Gallagher: GAA manager responds to 'very serious' domestic abuse allegations
The manager of the Derry senior Gaelic football team has issued a statement in response to what he described as "very serious" allegations made by his estranged wife.

Rory Gallagher is due to lead Derry into Sunday's Ulster Senior Football Championship final against Armagh.

His statement is in response to a social media post by his wife.

Nicola Gallagher made several claims about alleged domestic abuse over a 24-year period.

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) considered two files from the police relating to the incidents but determined there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

'Pregnancies didn't change the violence'
In a lengthy post on social media earlier this week, Mrs Gallagher also referred to a number of locations including Clones in County Monaghan and Enniscrone in County Sligo.

Mrs Gallagher said she was an 18-year-old schoolgirl when she was beaten after being "dragged into a carpark in Clones" by "a person I trusted and thought was my best friend".

She added: "I forgave that man and I married him."

She also claimed the alleged beatings continued through their marriage and that "my pregnancies never changed the violence".

Mrs Gallagher went on to describe how she "developed a problem with alcohol because, at the time, I didn't know how else to cope".

Towards the end of her post, Nicola Gallagher said: "Blocking it out was easier than admitting what was happening."

She concluded her social media post by saying: "Silence nearly killed me".

'Allegations dealt with'
In a statement responding to the allegations, Mr Gallagher, who is originally from County Fermanagh, said he had been "made aware of a social media post by my estranged wife Nicola Gallagher in which she has made a number of very serious allegations against me".

He went on to explain that their marriage broke down more than four years ago, adding: "Those closest to our family are well aware of the reasons for the breakdown of our marriage and the continued issues we have faced since that time."

He added: "Following long-running court proceedings in family courts in both jurisdictions, I was granted a full Residence Order in respect of our three young children on 17 February 2023. This outcome was recommended by social services."

Mr Gallagher also said: "Allegations against me have been investigated and dealt with by the relevant authorities."

In the statement, issued through a firm of solicitors, he added: "My focus over the past four years has been to protect our children from the ongoing turmoil in our family."

Mr Gallagher has asked for the privacy of their family to be respected at this time.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it had "investigated a number of reported incidents and files have been submitted to the Public Prosecution Service".

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) received two investigation files from the PSNI in January 2022 and June 2022.

It was determined there was not enough evidence to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction in relation to any individual, with the decisions made in accordance with the PPS' test for prosecution.

In a statement, Brian McAvoy, Ulster GAA chief executive, said: "While we cannot comment or make judgement on any specific allegation or allegations, Ulster GAA does not condone any form of domestic violence.

"We are proud to have joined with White Ribbon NI in pledging to never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women.

"We encourage and support anyone who has been a victim of such abuse not to suffer in silence but to avail of the statutory and voluntary support services that are available in the community."

 

2023 Ulster Football Final:
Armagh v Derry start time and BBC coverage details

2023 Ulster Football Championship Final - Armagh v Derry
Venue: St Tiernach's Park, Clones Date: Sunday, 14 May Throw-in: 16:00 BST

Coverage: Watch on BBC Two NI & BBC iPlayer; listen on BBC Radio Foyle & Sounds

After all the talk about the provincial championships not really meaning a jot anymore, we've arrived at an Ulster final pairing which seems to indicate precisely the opposite.

Holders Derry appear ravenous to retain their title and stamp their mark as clearly the best team in the northern province while Armagh, despite all the apparent insouciance coming from the Orchard camp a few weeks ago, now seem utterly determined to win their first Anglo-Celt Cup since their last final appearance in 2008.

Rory Gallagher's Oak Leafers, aiming to complete back-to-back titles for the county for the first time since 1976, will go in as favourites and rightly so after a hugely impressive dismissal of Monaghan in the semi-finals two weeks ago.

The Farney men had looked to be on something of a high after their dramatic quarter-final win over Tyrone in Omagh but were, in manager Vinny Corey's own words, "outclassed" by Derry with the closing eight-point margin flattering Monaghan.

Kieran McGeeney's Armagh side have been untroubled in their three matches to date but, unlike Derry, their performances against Antrim, Cavan and Down haven't marked them out as obvious All-Ireland contenders.

Thus the formbook suggests another dominant Derry victory this weekend but there is that suspicion in the back of the mind that Armagh could cause a shock if they shed some of the defensive shackles which appear to have inhibited them somewhat this year after all the attacking vigour they demonstrated in 2022.

BBC coverage details
BBC Sport NI will have you fully covered on TV, iPlayer and online on Sunday with our coverage, beginning on BBC Two and the BBC iPlayer at 15:30 BST.

Our regular pundits this season, Donegal great Michael Murphy, Dublin's eight-time All-Ireland winner Philly McMahon and former Derry star Conleith Gilligan, will be joined by Down assistant boss Marty Clarke, who makes a welcome return to the BBC Sport NI team for Sunday's big-match coverage.

An innovation this weekend will see three-time All-Ireland final referee Maurice Deegan joining our line-up to give his insight on the decisions being made by the match officials.

Our coverage will also be live on the BBC iPlayer

How Armagh and Derry reached the final
Armagh

Preliminary Round: Armagh 0-20 Antrim 1-8

Quarter-Final: Cavan 0-12 Armagh 1-14

Semi-Final: Armagh 4-10 Down 0-12

Derry

Quarter-Final: Fermanagh 2-8 Derry 3-17

Semi-Final: Derry 1-21 Monaghan 2-10

 

They weren't actually. There was no investigation. It was not followed up due to a lack of evidence.

It seems now though witnesses are coming forward to verify the incident in Clones.

 

That's him gone. Word is Croke park forced Derry's hand and he was advised to resign

 

Wow

That's Derrys season and his career done with

 

True. Interestingly he uses the words "stepping back" but there will be no return for him from this. Derry county board should have acted immediately because there was only one way this was going to end.

It's the players I feel sorry. All the time and effort they have put in this year for this to happen. There also seems to be a general malice toward Derry GAA in particular which will partly reflect on them.

 

Hate to see this going to penalties

 

Dublin following the trend we have seen under Farrell the past couple of seasons. Some really unimaginative performances and then we produce something that is top draw like yesterday. Not a surprise to see us beat Louth but to score 5-21 and win by such a huge margin that was impressive.

Having said all that the provincial championships are for the most part a joke at this point. IMHO the reform needed is to start the season with the provincial championships. You can still give them some incentive by saying winning guarantees a number 1 seed and 2 home games in the group stages but they are a joke as they are now after the league. The league should be what finalizes who competes in the All Ireland group stages and who in the Tailteann Cup.

 

The provisional championships are absolutely pointless now outside of Ulster.. I honestly can't remember the last time I watched a Leinster or Munster provisional tie. Connaught is OK if its Galway v Mayo or maybe the odd time Cork give Kerry a game in Munster but other than that it's dross..

Its basically going through the motions for some Counties untill the All Ireland semi final..

What can they do to fix it? Absolutely no idea.. the super 8s was just as drab and predictable..

Basically like most sports we have 4 or 5 teams max pending on who is top dog in Ulster that are head and shoulders above the rest

 

I’d argue Roscommon have been impressive enough over the last decade.

Leinster is a joke, though, and Munster not much different.

 

The group stage sounds really dull (just like the super 8s), not bothered about it myself.

 

The whole structure is a joke really. They made an absolute pigs ear of reforming the structure. It clearly should have been league straight into the group stages with the provincial championships to open the season and throw them a bone such as being a number 1 seed and 2 home games in the group stages if you win your provincial title but the core should have been league working directly into the group stages. The group stages having 3 teams get through is a joke as well. Should be just the top 2 that would make the groups much more meaningful. Then the groups winners play runners up in the Quarter-finals and so on. It's really not that complicated IMHO.

 

This would pretty much guarantee Dublin and Kerry 2 home games every year. Better to play them as a standalone competition and teams can prioritize as they wish.

 

It probably would but if you want the provincial councils to vote for the change your probably going to need to give them something as they are the ones that basically blocked things last time out in terms of the league leading directly into the groups and the provincial championships being the seasons curtain raiser so to speak.

 

That's true and it's a better system than it is at the moment but winning the provincial championship should be a reward in and of itself and if it's not an achievement as in Dublin and Kerry case then it does not need a reward.

Ulster is the championship that is most difficult to win but balanced against this Ulster would be better represented in the 1st and 2nd seeds if the provincials were ignored. Last season Ulster had 4 division one teams this season they will have 3. Odds are that next year they will have at least 3 again but possibly back to 4.

 

In an ideal world the provincial championships should just become an early season stand alone tournament not connected to the All Ireland championships at all but that is probably just wishful thinking.

 

Terrible ref here in the Kildare Monaghan game. Twice his bad decisions change the momentum of the game. At least his mistakes are balancing themselves out