![\"Brian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4913414_6_articleinlinemobile_3160023.jpg\" "\\"Brian")
Brian Hurley of Cork celebrates after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 3 match between Roscommon and Cork at Laois Hire O’Moore Park in Portlaoise, Laois. Picture: Daire Brennan\/Sportsfile<\/p>\nWith 2025 almost complete and another year in the books, it\u2019s as good a time as any to go back and pick out the most memorable games from the year gone by.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no grand methodology at play here, other than this. They are all matches I attended in the course of the job. And for the sake of argument \u2013 and a bit of fun \u2013 why not line them up as a top ten?<\/p>\n
A slightly left-field selection, perhaps, but one that stuck out. In Newmarket, Clyda Rovers arrived as clear underdogs and promptly tore up the script, pushing Knocknagree all the way in a contest few gave them a chance in. An example as good as any of the success of football\u2019s new rules.<\/p>\n
Relentless, breathless, and utterly absorbing. The most entertaining PSHC game I attended all year. Championship hurling at its best, stretched to the very limit.<\/p>\n
The only league game on this list, and the best one by a long shot. A pulsating final, full of momentum swings, drama and nerve. In hindsight, it set the tone for what turned into the most compelling PSFC in years.<\/p>\n
What a battle this one was in Portlaoise. Cork two clear as the hooter sounded, Roscommon throwing everything at one last chance. Daniel O\u2019Mahony\u2019s touch, Se\u00e1n Powter\u2019s recovery, the ball driven over the sideline \u2013 and release.<\/p>\n
Brian Hurley of Cork celebrates after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 3 match between Roscommon and Cork at Laois Hire O’Moore Park in Portlaoise, Laois. Picture: Daire Brennan\/Sportsfile<\/p>\n
Pure chaos, in the best possible way. Five goals, a red card, extra time, and an astonishing individual return of 1-23 from Sam Ring. Played at ferocious pace in the Mardyke, this one bordered on disbelief.<\/p>\n
My personal favourite among the county football games. Ballinora\u2019s shock win over Kilmurry was compelling enough on its own, but the post-match scenes elevated it further. All the sweeter knowing what followed, as Ballinora went on to finish the job.<\/p>\n
Not GAA, but had to be included. In a difficult year, this was the rare afternoon when Cork City supporters were rewarded with something. Turner’s Cross was alive, the performance was incredible, and seeing Seani Maguire on the scoresheet felt fitting.<\/p>\n
Favourite club hurling game of the season, by far. The very best from two premium Cork sides, and a battle that went down to the wire. Fewer games match this one for quality.<\/p>\n
![\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4913417_6_articleinlinemobile_JC2025PIHCPiarsaighVsKilleagh06.jpg\" "\\"")
Keith Buckley and Ciaran Flynn, Na Piarsaigh, try to stop Barry Walsh, Killeagh during thier Senior A Hurling Championship match at Midleton.<\/p>\n
As bizarre as it was impressive. I\u2019ve not seen a comeback like this one in a long, long time. Midleton scored 3-2 in the last six minutes to turn a 10-point deficit into a one-point win. In a final.<\/p>\n
![\"Midleton](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4913420_6_articleinlinemobile_EOHColigball10.jpg\" "\\"Midleton")
Midleton captain Ciaran Kelly and players celebrate after defeating Ballincollig by one point in the Rebel \u00d3g U16 Premier 1 FC final at Sallybrook. Picture: Eddie O’Hare<\/p>\n
It could only be this. The end of a long, bruising wait, achieved against the team that had tormented Cork in Munster for far too long. Eighty minutes couldn\u2019t separate them. Extra-time couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
That penalty shoot-out in the Gaelic Grounds? Unmatched.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With 2025 almost complete and another year in the books, it\u2019s as good a time as any to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":260917,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[24,18,19,17,132],"class_list":{"0":"post-260916","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-cork-gaa","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-sports"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115817549914373353","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=260916"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/260916\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/260917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=260916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=260916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=260916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}