The Castlebar native has been a Fine Gael TD since 2020. During the Public Accounts Committee hearings over the RTÉ pay scandal, which has been running since late last month at the Oireachtas, Alan Dillon had a chance to ask some questions the public have been mulling over. The Fine Gael TD, who won eight […]

2 years ago

“We’re waiting for formal and official documents.” After being linked with a summer move to Manchester United for what seems like every summer for the past decade, Sergej Milinković-Savić is finally on the move. The Spanish-born Serbia international is heading to Saudi Arabia, though. The 28-year-old, who was reported to be on the brink of […]

2 years ago

“I loved him as a player.” Paul O’Connell was one of the fiercest competitors to ever pull on a red [Munster], green [Ireland] or red [Lions] jersey. Off the pitch, though, and when the game was settled, he was just a massive fan of the game, and had his own favourite players too. The former […]

2 years ago

The Munster back row only turned 19 back in February. Ireland are off to the U20 World Championship finals and Brian Gleeson logged another immense performance to help get them there. The Munster No.8 was a colossus for Richie Murphy’s men as they defeated the hosts, South Africa, in Athlone to reach the final. Winger […]

2 years ago

The average score was only 15 this week. Let’s see if you can ALL do better! Welcome to our SportsJOE Friday Pub Quiz. There are 20 questions and four different categories, all ready and waiting for ya. We are kicking off with a sports movie round before leaning into a bit of sporting geography, records […]

2 years ago

The Kiwi legend also had lots of praise for Antoine Dupont. Dan Carter was in Paris for the annual Midi Olympique Oscars and he shared his thoughts of toughest opponents, funniest teammates and a player that was underrated even though he ended up winning two World Cups. The annual awards ceremony, put together by the […]

2 years ago

Leinster and their former captain are in the dock. Johnny Sexton and Leinster Rugby have been informed of a hearing into potential misconduct, following on from the Champions Cup final at Aviva Stadium on May 20. Sexton was injured for the game, against La Rochelle, but is reported to have featured in a half-time tunnel […]

2 years ago

“He’s got the mind of an elephant, Johnny.” Over on Rugbyrama, site for the Midi Olympique newspaper, two characters of Irish rugby featured in their round-up of quotes of the rugby season. You may not be too shocked to hear Ronan O’Gara and Mack Hansen are lauded for their honesty, and ability to crystallise their […]

2 years ago

IRELAND 30-10 AUSTRALIA James Nicholson and Gus McCarthy were great, but Munster back-row Brian Gleeson was on another level as Ireland beat Australia in their World Rugby U20 Championship clash. Having opened their tournament with a high-scoring draw against England, Richie Murphy’s side fell 10-3 behind against the Aussies but responded superbly. Paddy McCarthy put […]

2 years ago

There is an exodus at Wolves, this summer. Conor Coady wrapped up his season-long loan at Everton but is not sticking around Wolves long, with a deal quickly agreed with relegated Leicester City. Nathan Collins could be out the door, too, but remaining in the Premier League. We can now see why Wolves manager Julen […]

2 years ago

The law has been trialled in Super Rugby. World Rugby is reportedly set to introduce a new yellow card to red card upgrade system at the upcoming World Cup, in France. The yellow card “bunker” has been trialled in the southern hemisphere this season, including Super Rugby. The foul play review system would see players […]

2 years ago

“It is, of course, devastating.” Vera Pauw still looked shaken up as she met with reporters to discuss her World Cup squad selections, at the UCD Bowl, on Wednesday morning. The Ireland players were all brought together and informed of the 23-woman squad that would travel to Australia for the World Cup, next month. With […]

2 years ago

Sense prevails. On Friday, the current contract of Manchester United David De Gea expires, and his future at the club is far from certain. Andre Onana is on United’s radar. Previously earning £375,000 per week – the second highest player salary in the Premier League – the Spaniard will have to accept a much lower […]

2 years ago

“It’s part of elite sport. It’s part of it but it hurts.” Vera Pauw’s 23-player World Cup squad was confirmed on Wednesday morning, and lots of tough calls were made. The Dutch woman had a press briefing at 11am on Wednesday but, before that, the Irish public were informed, through a press release, of the […]

2 years ago

“You can try me again in a few weeks.” Back in early April, it honest to goodness looked like Munster’s goose was cooked. They were up against it in the URC and had just been dumped out of the Champions Cup. As the squad prepared to head to South Africa, I fired a message to […]

2 years ago

It should go down well with the Manchester United fans. The new Man United home jersey, and kit, has been officially released and fans are getting a closer look at the gear their team will don for the 2023/24 season. Adidas remain the kit manufacturer and they have not veered too far from last season’s […]

2 years ago

“We wanted to tell people the facts.” Gary Lineker admits the BBC is a heady mix of strange, imperfect and, at times, incredible but there is one piece of criticism about their World Cup coverage he ‘would gladly accept’. The former England international, and long-time BBC presenter, sat down with Oli Dugmore for JOE’s Unfiltered […]

2 years ago

Well said by the Antrim native. In the end, the fourth round charge at the PGA Championship came from Stephanie Meadow and not Leona Maguire. Ultimately, though, it was not to be for the Team Ireland Olympians on a tense day at Baltusrol. Maguire started off the final day one shot clear and well set […]

2 years ago

Fair play to the presenter for going wherever the Hollywood star was leading him. Bill Murray delivered a mad-cap eight minutes of television, on Sunday, as he appeared with Craig Doyle on the BT Sport coverage of the MLB’s London Series. Major League Baseball sides Chicago Cubs and St Louis Cardinals split a two-game series, […]

2 years ago

“Has he a case to answer? Probably, yeah.” The role of Ryan O’Donoghue in a set-to, during Sunday’s All-Ireland preliminary quarter final, was scrutinised as part of the post-match analysis. O’Donoghue was part of a four-man scrabble before the second half throw-in and footage caught him appearing to take a swipe at the leg of […]

2 years ago

IRELAND 34-34 ENGLAND Richie Murphy’s Ireland got their U20 World Championship campaign off to a high-scoring, tank-emptying draw against England in Paarl, South Africa. Ireland led 15-10 at half-time, thanks to tries from Sam Prendergast, George Hadden and James McNabney, but Prendergast missed with all three conversion attempts. England responded with two tries, early in […]

2 years ago

It looked as if it would never happen for the big man. The answer you would often be met with when you bemoaned the lack of Test minutes for Stuart McCloskey would be one of the following names: Garry Ringrose Robbie Henshaw Bundee Aki Jared Payne James Hume With each one, the person would have […]

2 years ago

Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes. Welcome to our weekly sports pub quiz. There are 20 questions and four different categories. We are kicking off with a sports movie round before leaning into a bit of sporting geography, records and general knowledge. Anyone scoring over 15 has done really well. Good luck, and […]

2 years ago

“I want to be a footballer.” Bang. Simple as that. Our house’s big GAA star is now eyeing up the local soccer team. That is the power of this Ireland team, and the inspiration they are providing to so many young supporters. It had just ticked past 10 o’clock, long after the final whistle had […]

2 years ago

Brought to you by William Hill. “I got out of the car and I had about 50 messages with links coming through.” Back in January, before he had even went through his full medical, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney had whipped up a brilliant video that ended up getting over six million views. The skit, […]

2 years ago

Many United fans would be happy to co-sign this deal. While Erik ten Hag is reportedly unhappy that the potential sale of Manchester United is holding up transfer business, the club are working away in the background to lock down some key targets. Declan Rice is one of them. The Dutchman guided United to a […]

2 years ago

Some tasty fixtures here. The draw for the pool stages of the 2023/24 Champions Cup took place, this afternoon, and has thrown up some tantalising pools for December and January. The changed Champions Cup format now sees four pools of six teams, with each side playing a once-off fixture against sides in their pool. Effectively, […]

2 years ago

No complaints with that top four but it gets a bid… weird after that. Centre forwards have always been the rarest of commodities. Six of football’s 10 most expensive transfers have involved forwards. With the 2022/23 season now in the history books, and the Manchester City celebrations finally easing off, the focus will now switch […]

2 years ago

“I’ll have to check in with him and see if we can do it again.” Leona Maguire is heading into a double major swing, in the coming weeks, as the Women’s PGA and US Open take place. Having won her second LPGA event, on Sunday, the 28-year-old would dearly hope to maintain that form, and […]

2 years ago

Not sure if he gets the role and purpose of the media. James McClean is hoping for more positivity from the media after Ireland pumped some life, and points, into their European Championship Qualifying campaign by seeing off the World No.201 side, Gibraltar. McClean told RTÉ’S Tony O’Donoghue that his 100th cap presentation, from President […]

2 years ago

“Never a dull moment!” Liam Brady paid a lovely tribute to “great man” Bill O’Herlihy and his long-time punditry partners John Giles and Eamon Dunphy during his final RTÉ show. The Irish footballing legend, who finished up on RTÉ after 25 years during the broadcaster’s coverage of Ireland’s win over Gibraltar, had the big farewell […]

2 years ago

“If I continue to get picked, why not?” James McClean will earn his 100th Ireland cap, this evening, and streak about the Aviva Stadium pitch for each and every minute Stephen Kenny needs him. He will equal the caps tally that Damien Duff reached in 2012. After tonight, only five other Ireland players will have […]

2 years ago

The Cork native has been criticised, in some quarters, for speaking his mind after a wretched finish. On Saturday night in Paris, as Toulouse celebrated, we were met with images of Gregory Alldritt’s thousand-yard stare, Dillyn Leyds being led off the pitch in tears and the stoic, stewing face of Ronan O’Gara. La Rochelle are […]

2 years ago

The man himself feels it much more keenly than any of us ever will. As he played himself into US Open contention, over the first three days at L.A Country Country, Rory McIlroy spoke about watching old majors footage of himself to reconnect with that winning feeling. Ahead of his final round, on Sunday, we […]

2 years ago

“I would go through 100 Sundays like this to get my hands on another major championship.” Before Sunday, Wyndham Clark’s best ever major finish was tied 76th. He wakes up Monday morning as the US Open champion. For Rory McIlroy, the wait goes on. Clark produced a closing round of 70 to stay a nose […]

2 years ago

“You have to be really good to win out here. It’s tough.” Leona Maguire delivered a cool, clear-eyed interview with CBS after shooting the lights out to win the LPGA Meijer Classic in Michigan. The Cavan native backed up her debut LPGA win, last February, to go ridiculously low on the final day and burn […]

2 years ago

There were only two majors left to be handed out in 2023. Los Angeles Golf and Country Club was the venue for the third major of the year. You can following the US Open live here with us, as our feed covers the best shots, movers and shakers, and keeps you up to date with […]

2 years ago

“What an athlete. What a player!” As a former outhalf of some distinction, Ronan O’Gara could only respect the game-changing break and burst from Romain Ntamack, even if it broke La Rochelle hearts. 140 seconds from the club’s first ever Top 14 title, UJ Seuteni had a rush of blood and broke the defensive line. […]

2 years ago

“I just need to do that for one more day.” There was a moment, early in his third round at the US Open, when it looked as though Rory McIlroy was about to take off. The 34-year-old smoked a 388-yard drive off the first tee, birdied two of his first three holes and move into […]

2 years ago

This is not a question of character. It is about the actions of a player that overstepped the mark, twice. Ronan O’Gara and Johnny Sexton have enjoyed plenty of duels, over the years, and we had a case of the Munster man looking out for his old No.10 rival, this week. Ahead of his side’s […]

2 years ago

TOULOUSE 29-26 LA ROCHELLE Romain Ntamack went from villain to hero in the space of four wild minutes in the Top 14 final at Stade de France. La Rochelle, coached by Ronan O’Gara, looked set to win the Top 14 title for the first time in their history and, with it, an historic double. Up […]

2 years ago

“It set something off in my mind.” The folks at Los Angeles Country Club set up their US Open course a lot tougher for the second round after records tumbled on the opening day. Rory McIlroy had scores of 65 and 67 to reflect that but he could not be happier. The Northern Irishman started […]

2 years ago

Kostas Tsimikas was livid with the Ireland star, and Ronnie Whelan was not far off. Matt Doherty lost the run of himself with a needless shoulder, which sparked a late melèe, as Ireland slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Greece in Athens. Nathan Collins’ first half equaliser was the only real high-point of the night […]

2 years ago

‘Mr McGregor will not be intimidated’. In a statement released to media, legal counsel representing Conor McGregor has denied a sexual assault allegation that has been made against the UFC star. As first reported by TMZ, in the United States, then picked up by various outlets, a woman claimed McGregor, 34 years old a native […]

2 years ago

“He must be the most successful coach of all-time.” Ronan O’Gara was only half-joking about Donnacha Ryan, not long after La Rochelle claimed their second Champions Cup trophy in the space of 12 months. By Saturday night, Ryan and O’Gara could be Top 14 winners. It has been quite the start to the coaching career […]

3 years ago

“Yes, this is true. That was my job.” Oft-times, in preparation for interviews, you will do a bit of reading up on your subject and try to come at questions with a fresh slant. Reading that Levani Botia used to be a prison officer, though, that needed some confirming. We were five days out from […]

3 years ago

From July 9th 2022 until May 13th 2023, it was starting to look ridiculous – 21 straight wins and 11 tries scored in the process. Back in 2016, at Carton House, Josh van der Flier had the same thoughts as Brian O’Driscoll had during his first senior call-up, 17 years before. “You were a youngster […]

3 years ago

A 24-week ban has been mentioned but there would need to be an almighty smoking gun. Johnny Sexton has questions to answer after reportedly receiving a misconduct letter from the EPCR but any sanction should not roll over into the World Cup. It may affect Ireland’s preparations, though. Aside from the Top 14, which has […]

3 years ago

A real collection of gems, shot-stoppers and lads that made you straight nervous. We have a great Premier League goalkeepers quiz that will test you to your limits. If you get anything over 15, you’ve got our respect. We are giving you pictures of 20 goalkeepers that played in the Premier League in the 1990s, […]

3 years ago

“There’s nobody that can tell me otherwise.” Donal Og Cusack and conclusive video evidence on The Sunday Game coverage combined to paint a picture of Clare’s hurlers having every right to feel hard done-by in Sunday’s Munster Hurling Final. Limerick made it five-in-a-row as they pipped the Banner 1-23 to 1-22 but Clare were incensed […]

3 years ago