[caption id="attachment_68740" align="alignright" width="600" caption="Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni, second from left, pictured with the other Group C managers, Slaven Bilic, Croatia, Cesare Prandelli, Italy, and Spain’s Vicente Del Bosque."]
The much talked about soccer friendly between the Republic of Ireland and England will not now be played before the Euro 2012 finals. If England win their group and Ireland finish runners up in their group, we could meet in the quarterfinals. Also England are reportedly keen to play their final game before the tournament at Wembley. So it now looks like the first game between the countries since the abandoned friendly at Lansdowne Road in February 1995, will be played in the Aviva Stadium in August or November next year.
Meanwhile, Irish manager Giovanni Trapattoni is very happy with the location chosen by the FAI for what will be their headquarters while in Poland. The seaside town of Gdynia close to the city of Gdansk was chosen with the blessing of Trapp and his assistant Marco Tardelli. Now Trap and the FAI have to firm up on the friendlies in May and the pre tournament training camp that is likely to be in Florence or Portugal. There were fears that being paired with Italy would rule out Florence, but Trap is not worried, saying that they can make the Italian location secure from the prying Italian journalists if necessary. With a rush on to finish the season early, there is only one international date set by UEFA for the first five months of next year. That is Feb. 29 and it has now been confirmed that the Czech Republic will play The Republic in Dublin that day.
It’s hard to beat the Germans for efficiency, though. They have already penciled in their 2014 World Cup qualifier against The Republic in October 2013 for Cologne. The German FA rotates their home venues and it looks like we will be going to Cologne for the first time since 1952.
GOAL MOVES TO LEOPARDSTOWN
Last month the Irish papers carried an unusual picture from University College Dublin. It was of a JCB digging up the famous running track at the Belfield campus. Work was subsequently stopped, but the track will not be able to cater for the annual GOAL mile on Christmas morning. The GOAL mile was the brainchild of GOAL founder John O’Shea; it began in Belfield and has now spread to over 100 venues around the country. But all is not lost and next Sunday’s GOAL mile will be run on a special track at Leopardstown Racecourse. It’s a great event fund raising event and an ideal way to work up an appetite for the Christmas dinner. I’ve tried it myself, but I know now to my cost that you have to walk before you run!
Meanwhile for anybody traveling home to Ireland for Christmas the big race at Leopardstown next week will be the Lexus Chase on Dec. 28. The Lexus is always a good barometer for what might happen at the Cheltenham National Hunt Festival, but the great Denman will not be there as he has been retired after injuring himself in training. Trainer Paul Nicholls will now divert Noland from the King George at Kempton to the South County Dublin track and the home challenge will come from Michael O'Leary’s Quito De La Roque, Rubi Light and Joncol. There is also racing at Limerick and Down Royal next week and the Leopardstown festival will be covered on RTE television.
O’DRISCOLL TO RELAX ON CHRISTMAS DAY
One sports star who is looking forward to having a few drinks with his Christmas dinner this year and putting his feet up is Brian O’Driscoll. The Irish Rugby captain, who is currently recovering from a surgery to remedy a shoulder problem, would normally have a game with Leinster on St. Stephen’s Day. Brian, who will share his Christmas dinner with actress wife Amy Huberman, said: ‘‘For the first time in 12 years I will be able to enjoy a glass of wine with my Christmas dinner and that’s something novel for me.’’ Meanwhile Munster coach Tony McGahon has said that prop forward John Hayes is about to call time on his Munster career. The 38-year-old, who is known as ‘Bull’ could play his last game against Connacht in the Rabo Direct League at Thomond Park on St. Stephen’s Day.
TORCH TO CROSS BORDER ON JUNE 6
The Olympic Torch is definitely coming to Ireland next year. There will be a ceremony near Newry on June 6 to celebrate the symbolic crossing of border between Northern Ireland and The Republic. From Newry the Torch will be carried by relay to Dublin where the Olympic Council of Ireland headquarters in Howth will be one of the stop off points. It’s expected that the gold colored aluminum Torch will be carried by famous Irish athletes like: Katie Taylor, Eamonn Coghlan, Sonia O’Sullivan, Michael Carruth and Ronnie Delaney. However, Coghlan’s participation is in doubt as the Olympic Council don’t want any political involvement and he is now a Senator. Olympic chiefs have become increasingly cautious about the route taken by the flame after its progression around the globe four years ago prior to the game in Beijing, was accompanied by protests in several cities. At this stage it looks like the Torch will come into Belfast and then be brought down to Dublin; it will then go back up to Belfast and on to Scotland from there.
COOK FAVORED FOR ROVERS JOB
Sligo Rovers’ Liverpool-born manager Paul Cook has now been installed as favorite to move to Dublin and take over at Shamrock Rovers following the departure last week of Michael O’Neill. O’Neill says he does not have a new job to go to, but it’s known that he is on the short list for the Northern Ireland vacancy along with Jim Magilton and Ian Dowie. Cook has done well with Sligo; he recently rejected a move to Scottish club St Johnstone and I doubt if he would move to Dublin, but you just never know with soccer managers. Brian Kerr, who quit as manager of the Faroe Islands two months ago, has also been mentioned for Rovers, but my information is that Kerr will bide his time and wait for another international job. Currently there are vacancies in Lithuania and Malta.
KENNEDY IS A PIONEER
Tracey Kennedy from Killeagh in East Cork, has made GAA history in the Rebel county. Tracey, who was recently elected PRO for the County Board, becomes the first female to serve on the senior executive in Cork.
LEITRIM DUO GET 2-YEAR CONTRACT
George Dugdale and Brian Breen, who temporarily took over as joint Leitrim managers last month when Mickey Moran took ill, have now been given a two-year contract. Their first game in charge will be against Mayo in the FBD Connacht League on Jan. 8. Moran did a lot of travelling in the past few years and his long time coach John Morrison is also ill after suffering a mild stroke. Morrison, who is now working with Cavan manager Val Andrews, is hopeful of being back in action by the end of January.
GALWAY WELL REPRESENTED
Galway United, who were relegated from the premier division of the League of Ireland last month, will not be applying for a license next year. Instead the Galway United Supporters’ Trust has applied for a first division license. If successful that would mean three clubs in Galway next season and all in the first division.
The supporters body has played a major role in running the cash-strapped club in recent months are confident they can get the use of Terryland Park from the Connacht FA. With three clubs in the Galway area, the obvious thing to do would be to amalgamate and form one strong club, but in Ireland that rarely happens with soccer.
GOULDING STILL SIDELINED
Cork footballer Daniel Goulding has had to undergo further surgery to rectify an ankle injury he picked up against Down in last year’s All-Ireland qualifier at Croke Park. Goulding came back after the first operation last summer and went back playing for his club Eire Og. But the ankle was still niggling him and after a further scan he has now had a second operation that will keep him out of action until March at the earliest.
MEATH SECRETARY DIES
The death occurred last week of former Meath County Board Secretary Liam Creavin. Hewas a founder member of the Navan O’Mahony’s club in 1948, and served as the Royals secretary for an incredible 44 years.
