Not even Aiden McGeady

10 years ago

The Wexford Under-21 hurlers are back in action Wednesday night and that can only mean one thing… Samba hurling. Last season may have eventually ended in disappointment as they were convincingly beaten in the All-Ireland final by Limerick, but that was not before they provided us with one of the great hurling goals. To mark the start of […]

10 years ago

Shocking revelations

10 years ago

What a gentleman. Even in what must have been a moment of intense personal pain, David Forde did not disappoint the fans. The substitute goalkeeper at a League One club where he used to be the top dog, the Galway man must have been eyeing the upcoming European Championships like a carrot on a stick. Not […]

10 years ago

If Mario Gotze had found the net it would have been curtains. Instead David Forde made a vital save from the German attacker, which left the deficit in Gelsenkirchen at 1-0, close enough for John O’Shea to win a vital point with a stoppage time equaliser. Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill would not forget […]

10 years ago

Tony Bellew is the WBC cruiserweight champion. The Liverpudlian fought back from a first round knockdown to defeat Ilungu Makabu at Goodison Park, the home of his beloved Everton. Bellew steadied the ship in the second round before delivering a devastating left hook in the third, which knocked Makabu out cold. The Congolese fighter took […]

10 years ago

Anything Longy can do, Graziano Pelle can do better. In fairness, it would not be hard to score a better goal than Shane Long’s opener against the Netherlands. It was scrappy, it was from inches out and his intervention would not have been needed had their not been a handball on the line to deny John […]

10 years ago

“There are no second acts in American lives.” A fine writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, and a superb observer of the human condition, be in no doubt. But if he ever visited a Virginia, it was unlikely to be the one north of the Meath border Seanie Johnston is proving there are indeed second acts in Cavan football and, if possible, what […]

10 years ago

You’ll miss this when you’re gone, Robbie. Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw signed off on his Connacht career in some style, winning the province’s first PRO12 prize of any significance in his final game. From next season the 22 year old will be plying his trade at Leinster and, let’s be honest, they don’t know how […]

10 years ago

Tell us what you really think, Joe. The outspoken Sunday Game pundit was not going to wait for a result to tear into the “cult of Kieran McGeeney” as Armagh slipped to a four-point half-time deficit in their Ulster SFC quarter-final against Cavan. Cavan 1-9 to Armagh 0-7. What will stay with us from that […]

10 years ago

The Exiles are going native. The London team that take on hot favourites Mayo in Ruislip Sunday afternoon will feature four English-born starters, with another four on the bench. Former Wexford forward Ciaran Deely has taken over as manager after the hugely successful Paul Coggins era, which saw London give today’s opponents a real fright five […]

10 years ago

After a weekend of one-sided affairs in football and hurling the big ball code dominates on Sunday, but there are no guarantees we’ll see too many close contests. Four quarter-finals in three provinces (and two countries) are up for decision as hurling takes a week off to mull over the beatings handed to Wexford and […]

10 years ago

“We have to go to those games thinking we can compete. Otherwise we might as well stay at home.” Martin O’Neill was bullish about the European Championships in the immediate aftermath of the Republic of Ireland’s 1-1 draw with the Netherlands in the Aviva Stadium on Friday night. While the Dutch did not qualify for Euro 2016, […]

10 years ago

The fact they dress like roadworkers does make them more noticeable, but the number of Dutch fans in Dublin is commendable. An orange-clad brass band were entertaining Thursday evening drinkers in the city centre, while quite a number of visiting supporters were milling around outside the Aviva Stadium on Friday morning. They are true fans […]

10 years ago

Jose Mourinho has not been confirmed yet but his arrival at Manchester United is imminent. Not far behind him will be his agent Jorge Mendes, who along with Mourinho will give the club knowledge and connections in the transfer market to match their tremendous wealth. We can expect it to be a busy summer at […]

10 years ago

Following his first match for Dublin in 10 months, Ryan O’Dwyer detailed his long road to recovery following a vicious assault in Birmingham. While supporting Ireland at last Autumn’s World Cup, the Tipperary-born hurler was punched in the side of the head, breaking his jaw as he hit the ground, fracturing his skull and suffering a […]

10 years ago

What do people expect or want from Gaelic football anymore? Goals, points, hard-hitting defence, inch-perfect kick-passing, surging runs and a keen contest. We got all bar the last in Celtic Park on Sunday, but the lack of a contest was entirely the hosts’ fault. Tyrone held up their end of the bargain – at least […]

10 years ago

“It will take time for Memphis to get used to the rhythm of the Premier League.” Louis van Gaal’s words on the occasion of signing Memphis Depay from PSV seem remarkably prescient now. The Dutch winger has struggled in his first season at Manchester United, a slide in form and confidence that culminating with his […]

10 years ago

“We thought we could do what Tyrone did, but we couldn’t.” In defence of Damian Barton, up until very recently, Tyrone were not capable of doing what Tyrone did on Sunday in Celtic Park. We saw a potential All-Ireland winner in Derry and it was not Barton’s hosts. The Oakleaf men will go away and do […]

10 years ago

Jamesie O’Connor could sense the nerves in Thurles. At Semple Stadium to see his native Clare contest and eventually emerge victorious from the two Allianz League finals, he could tell the natives were restless. Tipperary had been beaten by the Banner at the quarter-final stage and had too long to think about their Munster SHC quarter-final against […]

10 years ago

Vigilantes, motorways and moustaches but no dancing at crossroads

10 years ago

“Is that the language, yeah?” Jim McGuinness had clearly read Joe Brolly’s blunt response to the former Donegal manager’s own column, in which he wrote with confidence about his county’s hopes in this summer’s Championship. He knows that Brolly did not accuse McGuinness of being “overly-kind”. Brolly said McGuinness was “taking the piss”. “Jim McGuinness is […]

10 years ago

Are you in your twenties? Can you play a bit of hurling? If so, and you’re free to come to Dublin next Tuesday, May 24th, then you could find yourself starring in a television advertisement. Or at least appearing in a television advertisement. Movieextras.ie have put a call out for hurlers in their twenties to appear […]

10 years ago

Group 1 of the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship could be getting a sprinkle of stardust. Not that the likes of Cuala’s David Treacy and the Schutte brothers don’t have their appeal, but their local rivals on the far side of the N11, Kilmacud Crokes, are reportedly close to signing a four-time All-Ireland winner. Club source tells […]

10 years ago

Floodlight failure, last-minute equaliser, extra-time winner and a pitch invasion… last night’s League Two play-off semi-final second leg between Accrington Stanley and AFC Wimbledon had everything. And that was before Sky Sports pundit Ian Holloway got around to his post-match analysis. Giant Wimbledon striker and all-round cult hero Adebayo Akinfenwa came off the bench to head […]

10 years ago

The honourable company of Edinburgh golfers. That’s what the people who run Muirfield golf club in Scotland like to call themselves. Lots of people online are finding new names for them after they Thursday voted against allowing women join their club. The Royal and Ancient have since confirmed that Muirfield will be removed from the […]

10 years ago

Is it any wonder lads are dropping off panels to visit the US of A? This week we have had a couple of indications that it is not just the size of the commitment that is putting intercounty players off, but the size of the panels. It’s getting to the point where county squads are […]

10 years ago

Picture the scene: Jeff Hendricks and Robbie Brady trace a stolen laptop to an estate in West Dublin and are filmed confronting the person in possession of the computer. The video of two Irish football internationals engaged in a heated and very nearly physical argument goes viral. What is the public reaction? Would it be the […]

10 years ago

Mikey Drennan has not found the goals easy to come by in 2016, at least not for Shamrock Rovers. The former Aston Villa trainee finished the 2015 season as the Hoops’ top scorer but has struggled to match that form thus far this campaign, which might explain why he has spent some time in his native […]

10 years ago

Wayne Rooney is going backwards, into midfield. The Manchester United captain still envisages playing in an attacking role for England at next month’s European Championships but after that he sees the remainder of his career playing out in midfield. Precisely as he predicted back in 2013, following the second of his major bust-ups with Alex Ferguson. Back […]

10 years ago

Textbook

10 years ago

Steven Gerrard is not one of life’s great optimists. The former Liverpool midfielder does not tend to see the glass half full, or even half empty. He usually sees it shattered on the ground, a hazard to carefree children who might be playing barefoot nearby. So obviously he is worried about Wednesday night’s Europa League […]

10 years ago

The United States is no country for young men, appears to be Wednesday’s message from the Kerry columnists. In a coincidence of supersized proportions both Mike Quirke and Darragh Ó Sé are writing about trips to America – one welcome, one not so welcome. Ó Sé’s Irish Times column is a refreshingly honest approach to the issue of money […]

10 years ago

Peter Schmeichel has been so bored by Manchester United this season he has taken to playing golf dressed as one of the Stone Roses. Perhaps the former goalkeeper was celebrating the release of the Mancunians’ new single ‘All for One’ by wearing this hat, or maybe he has found the football at Old Trafford so […]

10 years ago

It’s funny, because neither Italy or Belgium wear green. The FAI confirmed on Tuesday that Ireland will wear their green ‘home’ jersey for the Sweden game only at next month’s European Championships. After that June 13th opener in Stade de France, where Martin O’Neill’s men are the designated home team, they will wear their ‘away’ white […]

10 years ago

Would Roy Keane be at home watching Sky Sports News of a Tuesday afternoon? Or is he more of a ‘Cash in the Attic’ kinda guy? If the Republic of Ireland assistant manager is at home watching that 20-minute sports news cycle go round and round he may have been displeased to learn that ‘Brendan […]

10 years ago

We’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore. Until August

10 years ago

We called this more than a week ago when Lee Chapman broke into the mainstream media. Who is Lee Chapman you ask? If we said the words “blue wrist bandage”and “same species as Jamie Vardy” would it ring any bells? Lee Chapman is the Leicester postman who was propelled to the level of minor celebrity […]

10 years ago

Is gambling addiction a problem in the GAA, or a problem among Irish youth? It becomes a GAA-specific problem when players started gambling on matches involving their own club or county and it becomes a serious GAA problem when players started gambling AGAINST their own teams. On Thursday morning, RTÉ broadcast an interview with an intercounty […]

10 years ago

Eden Hazard has top-loaded his 2015-16 season. The Chelsea attacker and 2014-15 player of the season came into the new campaign with great expectations but saw his league form go the way of Chelsea’s defence and Jose Mourinho’s Stamford Bridge redemption. Down the toilet. However the Belgian attacker has enjoyed a very brief renaissance at the […]

10 years ago

Matthew Macklin may train a future world champion but he won’t be able to teach courage like this. The former Irish, British and European champion announced his retirement on Thursday after a 15-year career that delivered many highlights if no world title straps. The Birmingham-born son of a Tipperary mother and Roscommon father had three world title […]

10 years ago

Gravity is just another opponent to overcome for Niall Hughes. The Wexford senior footballer was playing midfield for his club Ballyfad in an intermediate hurling championship match against Taghmon Camross when he scored this tremendous point. Haring through on goal, Hughes was knocked tot he ground by a dubious tackle. Rather than raise his hands and […]

10 years ago

“Are you having a starter, Conor? And do you want to fight in Georgia or hold out for New York?” Oh, to be a fly on the wall next week when Dana White and Conor McGregor meet for dinner next week, following the multimillion dollar falling out that the UFC president Wednesday described as a […]

10 years ago

You can’t be a professional rugby player without knowing the pain and frustration of injury, so perhaps this is a fitting end to Josh van der Flier’s breakthrough season. The young back-rower is unlikely to see it that way however, after his season was ended in a doctor’s surgery on Monday. Having injured his ankle […]

10 years ago

On Tuesday night Albert Square had an East End rival in the mawkishness and sentimentality stakes. The BBC’s long-running soap opera Eastenders is renowned for its overwrought drama and ludicrous storylines, but the West Ham United-Sky Sports production from Upton Park gave it a proper run for its money. The horrors are still fresh but […]

10 years ago

What started with a bang in New York will continue with a whimper in Leinster and Ulster this weekend. The GAA Championship season is properly upon us, it is just a shame the fixtures computer committee could not throw up slightly more exciting early fixtures than Carlow v Louth, Laois v Wicklow, Offaly v Longford and […]

10 years ago

How to have your Bank Holiday weekend ruined. It’s not always easy to get time off, even on the long weekends. Shifts have to be swapped, favours called in, study put on the long finger. But it will all be worth it for an hour of ball. Just rewards for a four-hour round trip the […]

10 years ago

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Sometimes you just have to laugh. Renato Sanches, the Benfica wonderkid with the wonder dreads has been reportedly more likely to turn up at Old Trafford next season than James Wilson, Louis Van Gaal or Fred the Red. Maybe he will turn up at Old Trafford next season, […]

10 years ago

It would nearly be better if he had crashed and burned, instead of quietly fading away. There were, understandably, great things expected when Tommy Walsh returned from his AFL experience. The supreme physical specimen, who had been virtually unplayable as Kerry won Sam Maguire in 2009, was returning home after living five years as a […]

10 years ago

People basking in the sun on a Bank Holiday, Offaly hurling in crisis and the return of Jim McGuinness’s Irish Times column – never mind that bleak, grey Tuesday, summer is here. The potential future Celtic manager, maybe, has given his predictions for this year’s All-Ireland football Championship and, with New York already eliminated, he has stumped […]

10 years ago