After a few weeks break for Christmas and the United Rugby Championship, the Investec Champions Cup, resumes this weekend. After two series of games Leinster look the most likely of the four Irish provinces to qualify for the knock-out stages. The Blues are top of Pool 4 on 9 points along with Leicester Tigers. On Saturday, Leinster will move from the RDS to the larger Aviva for the visit of Stade Francais, who are bottom of the group with just one point, and it should be a comfortable win for Leo Cullen’s team who will likely have Irish co-captain James Ryan and winger Jimmy O’Brien both available.
Munster, who lost their two opening games, have really struggled with injuries in recent weeks. After their defeat to Connacht in the URC last week when Oli Jaeger and Jack O’Donoghue were both injured, it brought the number of Munster players injured to a staggering 21. However, their veteran Irish forward Peter O’Mahony and out-half Joey Carbery are expected to be fit to resume away to Toulon on Saturday. O’Mahony has been out since injuring his shoulder against the Stormers last November, his first game after the Rugby World Cup, and Carbery injured his wrist against Benetton on Oct. 29. Ulster, who are currently in third place in Pool 2 are home to joint leaders Toulouse in Belfast on Saturday. It’s a big ask, but Ulster have been known to produce some surprising results at Ravenhill. Connacht always seem to struggle when every year they play in the top tier and I think the second tier Challenge Cup is their forte. On Saturday Connacht are away to Lyon.
NO FAI CALL FOR
KEANE: BRADY
Irish soccer legend Liam Brady believes Roy Keane has the credentials required to be the next Ireland manager, but he doesn’t believe the former Manchester United captain will get the call from the FAI. While his appointment as Stephen Kenny’s replacement would provide huge publicity for the FAI and might attract a new shirt sponsor, Brady is not expecting it to happen. Brady said: ‘‘It would be box office, but I don’t envisage the FAI asking Roy to take the job. Roy has managed at club level, got Sunderland promoted in his first year and had the experience working with Martin O’Neill so he has a CV for it.
“Whoever takes it, they have a tough job, but Kenny has done a good job for the next manager by giving so many young players a chance to play at international level and we have to hope these lads come through now. I said a few weeks back that Brian Kerr would be a candidate to return to the Ireland job now because he didn’t do too much wrong when was in the role. John Delaney, the former FAI CEO, wanted Brian out and that was the primary reason why he had to go after he narrowly missed out in a tough qualifying group. The only decision I disagreed with during Brian’s spell as Ireland manager was bringing back Keane after his decision to walk away from the team at the World Cup [in 2002], but he did a good job aside from that.”
O’BRIEN RETIRES
FROM SNOOKER
Fergal O'Brien will retire from professional snooker at the end of the current season, ending a career which has spanned over 30 years. The 51-year-old Dubliner, a former British Open winner and 2001 Masters finalist has decided to move into other aspects of the game including media work and coaching. He said: ‘‘I’m initially sad at the thought of not playing anymore because obviously I’ve been a professional for 33 years. It's been my life. I could be on my own playing, you know, happy as anything, just playing. So obviously I'll still be playing, but obviously not the same amount or the same intensity. I will miss that. I always loved practice as well. It never felt like a hardship or making sacrifices for it. I always really enjoyed it, but obviously back in the day I was here for a 10 a.m. start playing five, six hours. Obviously I have had some success. I would have liked more, of course, but I think ultimately for me, you know, without sounding too corny, the journey is the reward. I always wanted to play snooker.’’
150TH YEAR
CELEBRATION
The IRFU has announced plans for its 150th year celebrations throughout the 2024/25 season which will conclude with the historic British and Irish Lions clash with Argentina at the Aviva in June of next year. The IRFU will mark the 150th anniversary of Ireland’s inaugural international rugby match, which took place between Ireland and England on 15th February 1875, with a calendar of events to celebrate the game across the country. There are also plans for a LGBTQI+ Pride Tournament in the summer of 2025.
VACATION? NO THANKS
The Offaly senior hurlers have turned down the chance to go on a team holiday. As a result of reaching last summer’s Joe McDonagh Cup final, they received a grant of €60,000 towards a holiday. But instead, the panel and management requested that it be spent on training costs. Despite losing the second-tier final to Carlow, few could deny that Offaly didn’t deserve a break away after playing 11 games in 12 weeks last spring, in the middle of which they won Division 2A of the National Hurling League.
5 O’KELLY-LYNCHS NOT
ENOUGH VS. ROSSIES
History was made in the first inter-county game of 2024 on New Year’s Day when five brothers lined out for Sligo in the Connacht Senior Hurling League. Fergal O’Kelly-Lynch joined his siblings Gerard, Tony, Liam and Robert for the start of the second half of the game against Roscommon at the Connacht GAA Air Dome in County Mayo. Despite Gerard and Tony scoring 1-9 and 0-7 respectively, Sligo were edged out on a 2-23 to 3-23 scoreline. The brothers all play for the Naomh Eoin club.
PAT QUIGLEY, 78
The death occurred on New Year’s Eve of former FAI president Pat Quigley. The Mayo native, 78, who was the only Connacht person to serve in the highest elected position of the game, was president from 1996 to 2001.
Pat was the doyen of football in the West of Ireland. He was the first Mayo man to be elected President of the FAI Youth Council and boasted a glittering football CV in the services of Road Rangers, Castlebar Celtic, the Mayo Football League, the Mayo Schoolboys and Schoolgirls League and the Mayo Youth League. During his time with the Mayo Football League, Pat was one of those instrumental in the introduction of club licensing and summer football, both firsts for Irish grassroots football. He was elected onto the then FAI Council in 1973, where he sat for over 40 years.
