Brendan McTaggart

Do a bit of writing and take some photos every now and again. Sports fanatic, father of 4 and husband to 1 understanding wife

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@MKBurke1 @cormac15 @Doiregaa Was for messaging you on the way home then I saw you’ve hung up the lens!!! Can’t believe it!! You’ll maybe still get to the odd game 🤭

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

Around 10 years ago I had a conversation of sorts with @MKBurke1 about the pressure of journalism. She gave me a wee quip about photographers and only having one moment for ‘that’ photo. I joked and said if you ever see me with camera in hand at Croke Park somethings gone wrong…

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

Something went wrong 😂😂����

That’s one ticked off the bucket list. Delighted for @jmcgarvey26

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

On this weeks podcast

> Davys gone
> @AontroimGAA Big ballers with momentum
> @CamogieAontroim win… Again!
> Minor footballers in All Ireland Final
> Big Interview with @AntrimLGFA manager
> Interviews from Corrigan
> Has anyone seen MD?
> The beginning and end of my ref career

[We Are Antrim @weareantrim]

We Are Antrim Ep7: Davy steps away, Tailteann ambitions & Ladies football focus. @AontroimGAA @AntrimLGFA https://t.co/WUaxYVRZF9

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@Liamquinn1Liam @herbie_ref @newryhurler1 @mrcolmcrowley Herbie refereed with his eyes closed and made it up as he went along 🤪🤪

@herbie_ref 🤗🤗🤗

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@pgahern @Carlow_GAA @Natsport @kclr96fm @TheLeftWingBack @gaaleinster @DubGAAOfficial A familiar face to some @RossaGACBelfast and @AontroimGAA folk in an umpires coat! Ciaran Barr. What a player he was back in the day!

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@ailbeoreilly Derry hurlers play at 3pm in Christy Ring final the same day!

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@brendanbelfast Cheers, B. Finally made it under an hour! 😄

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

Great weekend for @AontroimGAA and the camogs have just added to it!!

Super stuff @CamogieAontroim 💪🏻🙌🏻💛🤍

[Antrim Camogie @CamogieAontroim]

All Ireland Champions! @OfficialCamogie

#GetBehindCamogie

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@jmc__jmc @AontroimGAA Yeah 👍🏻

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

Good win by @AontroimGAA today in the end. Shaky for a period in the second half but good end to both halves.

It was my debut as main commentator today for this game. Head melted. Felt like I was spinning plates after a feed of pints.

Fun times. Would 100% do it again though!

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@kieranmcgourt @ShaneSaint That’s leaving it to referees opinion. What’s clear for one won’t be clear for another. See it plenty already. Game and speed of hand has increased, referees need help.

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@kieranmcgourt @ShaneSaint I’d sort the hand passing. Forget about double movement - have it as an underarm throw. It’s basically happening 90% of the time if not more.

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@kieranmcgourt @ShaneSaint What, no mention of a black card at club level? 🙃

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@ScotlandSky Kris Boyd is a walloper.

Hand up to protect his face? From a throw in? 🤣🤣
Trusty is backing in? There’s two Motherwell players pushing AT! 🤣🤣

He doesn’t even try to hide his hatred anymore. Embarrassing

[We Are Antrim @weareantrim]

We Are Antrim Ep5: Big Wins for the Saffrons & An Inspiring Conversation with Maire Thompson @AontroimGAA https://t.co/oAnBVxVMHA

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

Can confirm, I have not been sacked 🤣

Can also confirm that my wee camogs were beaten in the Féile final but I’m still mighty proud of them.
@CrossanBrendan and @mags6788 aka Gary and Alan (IYKYK) did a top job in my absence, super stuff with @ThompsonMaire well worth a listen.

[We Are Antrim @weareantrim]

We Are Antrim Ep5: Big Wins for the Saffrons & An Inspiring Conversation with Maire Thompson @AontroimGAA https://t.co/oAnBVxVMHA

[Adonis Storr @theadelites]

When an #LUFC employee was found on a public footpath outside Derby’s training ground, the ‘spygate’ scandal was the main football story for weeks.

Leeds’ manager at the time - Marcelo Bielsa - was accused of not respecting English customs and culture.

One after another, pundits came out against Marcelo, from TalkSport to Sky to the papers.

Aware of the enormous backlash, Bielsa called an impromptu press conference.

Some people thought he might be resigning, or that he was sacked - such was the furore in the media that had been whipped up against him.

Instead, he admitted that Leeds had spied on every opponent that season; and then went on to give a PowerPoint presentation on all the information he had gathered on Frank Lampard’s Derby County.

There was no specific rule Leeds broke so the EFL fined Leeds £200,000 for a crime against the spirit of the game.

The spirit of football can be found - in case you’re wondering - tucked neatly under the layers of agents, betting sponsorships, state-funded sports-washing and dynamic priced tourist tickets.

Bielsa payed the fine himself.

The EFL subsequently brought in an ‘anti-espionage’ rule to stop clubs watching opponents train 72 hours before games.

Now that Middlesbrough have reportedly contacted the EFL after finding a Southampton spy watching them train ahead of the playoff semi-final, I look forward to the backlash.

I wonder if Southampton will face the same scrutiny and criticism that #LUFC and Bielsa did?

I wonder if Southampton will be fined, and if they are fined, I wonder if their manager Tonda Eckert would pay it himself?

The spygate scandal is unique no longer, but I doubt it will be the same.

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

Here’s Ep 4….. the best episode 4 I think I’ve been part off 🙃

A great yarn with Liam Watson in here - sensationally honest. A must listen!

[We Are Antrim @weareantrim]

We Are Antrim Ep4: Turmoil in hurling camp, camogie, football and Liam Watson interview https://t.co/iuw3azTgwS

[Brendan McTaggart @bmct123]

@DLynchSport Would have been chatted about beforehand. Donal Og would have given Joanne the go ahead to use that. No harm, no malice. Banter and Donal Og dealt with it perfectly.