Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

Pat Ryan and Donal Og Cusack shake hands

Donal Óg Cusack sits down with Pat Ryan

Ahead of the All-Ireland SHC final against Tipperary, Donal Óg Cusack sat down with his old team-mate, and current Rebels manager, Pat Ryan for a lengthy chat about glory, dreams, and staying grounded in the dizzying chase for success.

Hurling • 20 Jul

Hurling Nation: Microwave season too fast to savour

The microwave season leaves no room for breathing, let alone replays in the competition that's the golden fig leaf for the GAA's hurling shame, Dónal Óg Cusack said on Morning Ireland.

Hurling • 13 Jun

Three players could have been dismissed in the first half of Galway's win over Dublin

Refereeing standard 'one of hurling's biggest problems'

Dónal Óg Cusack has called on the GAA to show leadership on refereeing after a day of poorly enforced rules in the provincial hurling championships.

Hurling • 26 May

'An tús maith isn't always leath na hoibre'

Hurling Nation: Drama in store for round-robin finale

Time flies and we're already at the end of a round robin for another year and with most games carrying consequence, we're set for another exciting weekend of action.

Hurling • 23 May

'Often in Munster Limerick have been the storyline, injuries, suspensions, would they be caught this time? And always they freed themselves'

Hurling Nation: A hunger for success in weekend feast

Dónal Óg Cusack previews a crucial weekend of provincial action with All-Ireland champions Clare watching on knowing their Liam MacCarthy defence is all but over.

Hurling • 16 May

"The season is too short and the schedule makes little sense"

Hurling Nation: Calendar needs work, Déise need a win

Dónal Óg Cusack casts his eye over the Munster Championship clash between Waterford and Limerick, while again raising questions about the suitability of the hurling championship calendar.

Hurling • 02 May

Hurling Nation: Ticket tariff, Cork hyped but hungry

Dónal Óg Cusack previews the opening rounds of the 2025 Leinster and Munster Hurling Championships.

Hurling • 18 Apr

Cork and Clare may be a classic, but hurling needs help

In his final edition of Hurling Nation for the campaign, Dónal Óg Cusack previews the clash between Cork and Clare and looks at what needs to be done to help the sport.

Hurling • 19 Jul 24

Alan Connolly's pass to Brian Hayes was deemed illegal

Are refs striking a balance with handpass in hurling?

It's a debate that would undoubtedly have been louder had the Rebels failed to knock Limerick off their perch in an engrossing All-Ireland hurling semi-final, but the refereeing of the handpass is becoming a huge issue in the game.

Hurling • 08 Jul 24

Hurling Nation: Cats and champions can set up rematch

Dónal Óg Cusack gives his verdicts on what he expects to be two cracking All-Ireland SHC semi-finals as Cork take on Limerick and Clare challenge Kilkenny.

Hurling • 05 Jul 24

'The senior hurling championship involves 34 matches, the football championship is 64 matches. For some reason, those 34 hurling games have to be squeezed into the cracks between the football schedule'

Hurling Nation: Custodians starving game of oxygen

Dónal Óg Cusack previews the weekend's hurling and asks where does the government of Ireland stand when it comes to supporting not just the sport but a cultural cornerstone?

Hurling • 10 May 24

Aron Shanagher with Clare's third goal against Cork

Cusack: Defensively, Cork need to enjoy the kill more

Ahead of next weekend's crunch game with Limerick in the Munster hurling round-robin, Dónal Óg Cusack feels the spirit that Cork have shown defensively up to now simply won't be good enough against the All-Ireland champions, adding that the Rebels' mindset in that regard simply has to change.

GAA • 06 May 24

Limerick suffered a rare bad day at the office

Cusack: Perfect timespan for Limerick to remedy setback

Dónal Óg Cusack believes Limerick are still the team to beat going into the business end of the season but feels "a couple of question marks" did emerge from the manner of their Allianz Hurling League semi-final defeat to Kilkenny on Saturday.

GAA • 24 Mar 24

Donal Óg Cusack was at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh as Cork went down by a point to Kilkenny in an intriguing encounter

Cusack critical of GAA's stadium spend

Donal Óg Cusack launched an impassioned attack on the nature of the GAA's capital expenditure ahead of the clash of his native Cork and Kilkenny at the rebranded SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

GAA • 10 Feb 24

GAAGO will exclusively broadcast 38 games in 2024

GAA faces 'stark' choice when it comes to broadcasting

The GAA faces a choice between broadcasting some games on GAAGO or not broadcasting them at all, the association's director of communications Alan Milton told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.

GAA • 05 Dec 23

GPA president Dónal Óg Cusack has been a vocal critic of the GAA's promotion of hurling

Cusack: GAA failing hurling by putting it on GAAGO

Dónal Óg Cusack believes the GAA is failing hurling by putting championship matches behind a paywall.

Hurling • 05 Dec 23

'It's possible to love all sports but recognise that in this country hurling is more than just another sport. It needs to be ring-fenced, protected, and nurtured. Hurling needs oxygen.'

Hurling needs leadership gaslighting GAA can't provide

The GAA has repeatedly failed to grow and protect hurling and its latest plan around smaller counties suggest it might be time to take the management of the game away from the association, writes Dónal Óg Cusack.

GAA • 19 Nov 23

Darragh O'Donovan, left, and Diarmaid Byrnes celebrate another All-Ireland victory at Croke Park

Dónal Óg: Will someone come up with something different

After another All-Ireland for Limerick today- their fourth on the bounce - Dónal Óg Cusack was this evening considering how they can be stopped in 2024.

GAA • 23 Jul 23

Kilkenny stand between Limerick and another All-Ireland title

Dónal Óg Cusack's Hurling Nation: The final preview

Dónal Óg Cusack gives his verdict on the All-Ireland Hurling final between Limerick and Kilkenny.

GAA • 21 Jul 23

John Kiely and Limerick got the better of Henry Shefflin's Galway side in last year's semi-final

Dónal Óg Cusack's hurling nation: Semi-final verdicts

Dónal Óg Cusack looks ahead to the All-Ireland Hurling championship semi-finals which pit Clare against Kilkenny, and Limerick with Galway.

Hurling • 07 Jul 23

'I do worry that the GAA isn't comfortable with stars and individual characters. Deep down I feel the GAA are more comfortable with bodies filling jerseys, that that suits them better'

Cusack: GAA's job to tackle counter-productive blackout

In the wake of players from the competing counties not doing any media ahead of this weekend's All-Ireland hurling semi-finals, Dónal Óg Cusack would like to see an environment where players can give enlightened opinions, adding that he has no problem with them being paid for such media events.

GAA • 06 Jul 23

'We need a plan for hurling, not pats on the head'

Donal Óg Cusack's Hurling Nation: Time for real change

In this week's Hurling Nation, Donal Óg Cusack calls for meaningful change to breathe life into the game around the whole country.

GAA • 16 Jun 23

All-Ireland champions Limerick could reach a Munster final, or exit the championship, depending on Sunday's results

Dónal Óg's Hurling Nation: Medics checking Treaty pulse

Dónal Óg Cusack previews the final round of action in the Munster and Leinster hurling championships, while also casting his eye over Saturday's Joe McDonagh final between Offaly and Carlow.

GAA • 26 May 23

Tipp's Dan McCormack holds off Cathal O'Neill of Limerick during the counties' league clash in March

Dónal Óg's Hurling Nation: A storm's brewing in Thurles

With some massive knockout fixtures to look forward to, Dónal Óg Cusack previews an intriguing weekend of provincial action.

GAA • 19 May 23

Cavan's Paddy Lynch and Jack Smith of Westmeath during last year's Tailteann Cup final

Paul Flynn's football previews: Tailteann Cup is vital

The Tailteann Cup is a vital avenue for the evolution of our developing football counties and should be respected and progressed every bit as much as its hurling counterparts - and my fellow RTÉ analyst Dónal Óg Cusack knows that as well as anyone.

Football • 12 May 23

Donal Og Cusack