The Republic of Ireland eased to a 4-0 victory over Hungary in their first away Women's Nations League game Tuesday night.
Goals from Caitlin Hayes, Katie McCabe, Kyra Carusa and Denise O’Sullivan gave the women’s team a second impressive Nations League result within a few days.
History was made at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday when the “Two Irelands” met in a game. It was the Republic of Ireland’s women’s first-ever international at the Ballsbridge venue and they won 3-0 with goals from Lucy Quinn, Kyra Carusa and Lily Agg. The attendance was 35,994 which was roughly five times the previous record of 7,633 set in Tallaght Stadium back in June for a World Cup warm up against France.
The Republic team was managed by interim manager Eileen Gleeson, while Australian-born Tanya Oxtoby was taking charge of Northern Ireland for the first time. Gleeson recalled Donegal-born Tyland Toland, who had a very public row with former manager Vera Pauw and Toland was named Player of the Match. Before the game we had the National Anthems and I reckon it was probably the first time that “God Save the King” was played at Lansdowne Road since February 1951. George VI died in February 1952 and thereafter, if an anthem was played for team representing England, it was “God Save the Queen”.
KEANE TO APPEAR
IN BECKHAM DOC
Roy Keane is a surprise participant in “This is Beckham,” the new documentary series coming to Netflix about former Manchester United and England footballer David Beckham. The docu-series will air in four parts, starting on Oct. 4, and will examine the career and life of the world-famous football icon. The Netflix show looks to chart how sportspeople like Beckham went beyond football to become a global star. In a statement promoting the series, Netflix said: ‘‘Coming from working-class beginnings in east London, his drive and determination to win, and the battle to find balance between ambition, love and family, David’s story is one of immense ups and downs.’’
FAVORITES MUST
TRAVEL FOR SEMIS
The FAI must have been happy last week when the draw was made for the semi-finals of this season’s FAI Cup. Bohemians and St Patrick’s Athletic, whose supporters would probably fill the Aviva Stadium in November for a final, were kept apart. Now the Association need both clubs to win their respective semi-finals to guarantee another good attendance. Two years ago a crowd of over 37,000 saw the Saints beat the Gypsies in a penalty shoot-out at the Ballsbridge venue. It was the biggest attendance at an FA Cup finals since 1951 when close to 39,000 watched Cork Athletic draw with Shelbourne. St Patrick’s, who have been drawn away in every round of this year’s Cup campaign, are away again at the penultimate stage and they will be favourites to beat to beat Cork City at Turner’s Cross. Bohs are also away and they will get a stiff test from runaway first division leaders and now newly promoted Galway United, who knocked out Dundalk at the quarter-final stage. The games will be played on the weekend of Oct. 14.
IRELAND RUGBY
SPONSOR RESIGNS
Good news for Irish Rugby with confirmation that Vodafone have signed on as sponsor for another four years with the senior men’s international team. It is understood the expanded jersey sponsorship will be worth around €20 million over the course of the deal which begins in 2024, a significant improvement on the previous contract signed in 2019. By the end of the new contract, the communications company will have been Ireland’s jersey sponsor for 12 years, having first come on board in 2016. From next year, their branding will also appear on the back of the senior women’s team’s jerseys and the Women’s Interprovincial Championship. Meanwhile the Irish men’s soccer team are without a sponsor since 2019, while the Irish women’s soccer team is sponsored by Sky.
‘I CAN WIN IN DUBLIN
AGAIN’: CAMERON
Chantelle Cameron believes she can beat Katie Taylor on her home turf once again when the pair face off for a 3Arena rematch on Nov. 25. Taylor lost out to Cameron in May’s clash at the same venue for the undisputed women’s super-lightweight title, a fight which was her first on home soil since turning pro back in 2016. The Bray-born boxer had been set to fight Amanda Serrano in Dublin in what would have been the pair’s second clash, however an injury to the Puerto Rican paved the way for Cameron to step in. And the Northampton native did so in style as she claimed the win via majority decision in front of Taylor’s stunned home crowd. Looking ahead to the rematch at the end of November, Cameron said: ‘‘I don’t think it was that much of a close fight where it needed a rematch to be honest. There were a few close rounds but I comfortably won. I’ve done it once, I’ve got to do it again and prove it wasn’t just an off night for Katie. But I wasn’t at my best either, that’s what motivates me.’’
LEINSTER EVENT
FOR BIG APPLE
Leinster Rugby will hold a first ever fundraising dinner in New York in November. The Leinster Rugby Gala Dinner will be held on Nov. 8 at Pier 59, and will be used to deepen the connections Leinster have been building in the USA over the last few months as well as using the opportunity to raise vital funds for the development of the game in the 12 counties of Leinster. Former Leinster and Ireland players Dave Kearney and Rob Kearney will be in attendance, as will current Leinster Contact Skills Coach and former British and Irish Lions star, Seán O’Brien. Current members of the Leinster senior men and women’s team will also be in attendance and will form part of a wider panel of guests and speakers on the night.
SHEFFLIN TAPS
EX-TIPP BOSS
Galway hurling manager Henry Shefflin has managed to convince former Tipperary hurling manager Eamonn O’Shea to join his backroom team for 2024. Living in Salthill for many years, O’Shea was assistant to Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy when Tipp ended Kilkenny’s “drive for five” in 2010 and he later returned to manage Tipp in his own right, getting them to the All-Ireland final in 2014, where they lost to Kilkenny. O’Shea, who is retiring as a professor of economics in University of Galway, has a son, Donal, on the Galway senior hurling panel. Just recently when retiring as an inter-county player Tipperary’s Seamus Callanan said that O’Shea was the person who had been most influential in his career. The news came a few days it was confirmed that former Connacht, Wasps and Ireland rugby player Johnny O’Connor will be also be involved with Galway next year as lead athletic development coach.
Meanwhile Lucasz Kirszenstein has joined Clare as their new strength and conditioning coach. The Limerick-based Kirszenstein recently ended a seven-year spell with Galway as the S&C coach.
MADIGAN QUITS
PLAYING CAREER
Former Ireland fly-half Ian Madigan has announced his retirement from rugby at the age of 34. The Dubliner made 31 appearances for Ireland and played in all five of his country’s games at the 2015 World Cup, starting at out-half in the quarter-final defeat by Argentina in Cardiff. Madigan started his career at Leinster before joining Bordeaux in 2016. After a year in France, he spent three seasons at Bristol Bears before joining Ulster in 2020. His impact at with Ulster was hindered by injuries, limiting him to just five appearances last season.
JIMMY BROHAN, 88
The death occurred last week of former Cork hurler Jimmy Brohan at age 88. Jimmy was in the Cork panel that won the McCarthy Cup in 1954 and he lined out at right full back in the Cork team that lost to Wexford in the 1956 final. He won six Railway Cup medals with Munster and two Cork county championship with Blackrock, who he was president of up to the time of his death. After retiring, Jimmy served as a selector with the Cork teams that won Liam MacCarthy Cups in 1976, ’77, ’78 and ’86.
NAGELSMANN IS
GERMAN BOSS
Julian Nagelsmann has been appointed Germany manager and now has the responsibility of restoring pride in the national football team in time for a home European Championship, which is less than nine months away. Six months after he was released by Bayern Munich, the highly-rated 36-year-old takes over on a contract until July 2024 with Germany having been humiliated by three consecutive dismal showings in major tournaments and struggling to recover. Nagelsmann replaces Hansi Flick, who was fired following a 4-1 loss to Japan earlier this month and after managing only four wins in his last 17 games.
ROVERS INCREASE LEAD
Despite only drawing 0-0 with UCD at Belfield on Friday night, Shamrock Rovers increased their lead over Derry City at the top of the LOI Premier division to five points. That’s because Derry were beaten 1-0 by Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds. St Pat’s, who beat Dundalk 3-1 at Inchicore, could still overtake Derry, but catching Rovers seems unlikely. UCD confirmed last week that manager Andy Myler would not be in charge next season, when they will be playing in the First Division. The Students relegation was confirmed despite the point won against The Hoops on Friday. Replacing UCD will be Galway United, who beat Kerry FC 4-0 in Tralee to clinch the first division title. It’s the first time since 1993 that Galway won the First Division. Waterford, Cobh Ramblers, Athlone Town and Wexford Youth are left to fight out the play-off permutations, with the winners likely to play Cork City, who now have a seemingly impossible task trying to catch Sligo and Drogheda, who are both 9 points ahead of them with just 7 series of games to be played. Also Liverpool-born Dave Rogers stepped down as manager of First Division Finn Harps, after just nine months in charge.
EPL results: Arsenal 2, Tottenham 2; Brentford 1, Everton 3; Brighton 3, Bournemouth 1; Burnley 0, Manchester Utd 1; Crystal Palace 0, Fulham 0; Liverpool 3, West Ham 1; Luton Town 1, Wolves 1 ; Manchester City 2, Burnley 0; Sheffield Utd 0, Newcastle Utd 8.
