Enda McGinley

RTÉ Gaelic Football Analyst

'Like a boxer in his prime, Jim McGuinness had stated his intention'

McGuinness enters a fascinating game of stick or twist

Jim McGuinness' Donegal turned over Derry with a straightforward game plan and huge intensity. If he can get past Tyrone using a very different tactical approach, the rest of the country will seriously start to sit up and take notice.

Football • 28 Apr 24

'His position as a tactical genius in our game, whether you like the style he brought or not, is bang on'

Donegal's sign-posted ambush will lack the ammo

Celtic Park will be sold out this evening, and there's even the hint of the sunshine possibly appearing as Mickey Harte and Jim McGuinness go toe-to-toe. It just feels right.

Football • 20 Apr 24

'The transition from something being a new idea at county level to be seen as part of a good club setup is exceptionally quick now'

Need to curb backroom teams as club mimics inter-county

There's a sense of endless expansion when it comes to teams' backroom teams - and it's leading to a worrying issue in terms of cost and the consequent optics for an amateur game.

Football • 14 Apr 24

Enda McGinley would like to see a 'one-man tackle' rule introduced

FRC need to spring clean rather than clear out

Derry's thrilling Division 1 final win over Dublin has put the rules debate in a new light, and 'balance' is the key word for any discussion.

Football • 07 Apr 24

'I expect to see the majority of kick-outs long and probably contested. I expect to see pressure being brought right across the pitch at times and a real emphasis on man against man defending and tracking'

Total football versus total faith as Dubs face Derry

Mickey Harte is instilling 'total faith ' in his Derry side but, in Dublin, he is taking on as a team playing as high a standard of football as Enda McGinley has ever seen.

Football • 31 Mar 24

'Ciaran Kilkenny was a swashbuckling talent when he arrived on stage. Then he became a caricature of the modern player'

Furious Kerry intent on slaying their big blue dragon

Enda McGinley assesses the motivations of both teams and examines how they will go about beating their very well-matched opponents.

Football • 30 Jul 23

'Monaghan resent being talked of as the impressive plucky underdog. The platitudes about a small team able to consistently punch above their weight have long worn thin'

Can Monaghan answer the big question on biggest stage?

All of the four All-Ireland football semi-finalists have questions to answer, none more so than Monaghan as they strive to take down one of the big guns at Croke Park, writes Enda McGinley.

Football • 15 Jul 23

Tailteann Cup final a high-stakes encounter for Down

Enda McGinley previews Saturday's Tailteann Cup final between two former heavyweights of the game.

Football • 14 Jul 23

'Kerry have the potential to hammer Tyrone. Tyrone's performance of two weeks ago would be enough to cause a haemorrhaging of goals to challenge Laois. That's the fear'

Watch out Kerry if we turn the 'Tyroneyness' up to 10

As a veteran of three of Tyrone's four famous Croke Park wins over Kerry, our columnist knows what is required for the Red Hands to shock the Kingdom once more.

Football • 01 Jul 23

'The exponents of the ban quite correctly say that the problem is the adults not the children. In removing any form of competition, it is the children we are punishing.

Don't punish children because of irresponsible adults

The GAA sparked a huge debate with their reassertion of its Go Games policy this week, Enda McGinley agrees a focus on participation is key, but there must be room for some competitive action.

GAA • 28 May 23