Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman has signed a new deal at Everton, which will see him remain at the club as they bid farewell to their iconic Goodison Park ground throughout the 2024-25 EPL season. The Killybegs, Co. Donegal, native, who joined Everton from Sligo Rovers in January 2009, will play his 16th season with the Toffees, a club that has had two tough relegation battles in consecutive years. In 2023, Sean Dyche’s team avoided the first drop from the top tier in more than 70 years only on the last day of the season. This past season they improved two places to 15th, but had to overcome a points deduction.
Coleman only played 12 times for the club throughout an injury-hit season, however, he ended the campaign in full fitness, playing both of the Republic of Ireland’s June internationals against Hungary and Portugal.
Everton are set to move from Goodison to their new stadium on the banks of the River Mersey, which should be completed for the start of the 2025-26 season. Coleman said: ‘‘Everyone knows what Everton means to me, and I am very proud and honored to sign a new contract and to keep playing for this special club in the best league in the world. It’s hard to believe it’s going to be our last season at Goodison, such a special place to me and every Evertonian. Of course, I want to be part of that. I still feel I can do a job for this football club on and off the pitch. This being our last season at Goodison is a nice way to go into the campaign but I wouldn’t have signed the contract if I didn’t feel capable of contributing to the team.’’
IRISH SHOULD BE
‘HARD TO BEAT’
Former Irish international James McClean has taken a swipe at Stephen Kenny’s style of play during his time as Republic of Ireland manager and suggested we may have qualified for Euro 2020 if Mick McCarthy was in charge for the play-off against Slovakia. McCarthy was the man at the helm in that qualifying campaign but stepped aside to make way for Kenny, who, due to contractual agreements, then took over for the semi-final play-off clash which Ireland lost on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw with Slovakia in Bratislava back in October 2020.
Making his debut as an of RTE’s panelist last week for the friendly against Portugal, the Derry-born Ireland winger suggested he might be open to returning to the international fold if the call came. He said he has been impressed with the Irish team under John O'Shea, while seemingly having a dig at the former manager Stephen Kenny. McClean said: “Being hard to beat is a trait that served us well. We qualified for two tournaments, Euro 2012 and 2016, and we got to a play-off under Mick McCarthy. If Mick had been in charge, we potentially may have got to three-in-a-row with that style of play.’’
EINSTEIN NEEDED BY
GAA: LOUTH MANAGER
“You would need to be Einstein to sort out the GAA’s fixture problem.’’ That’s according to Louth football manager Ger Brennan. The former Dublin footballers, who replaced Mickey Harte as manager in the Wee County last October said: ‘The GAA is a wonderful animal which we all love and they do an awful lot well, but with the fixtures schedule it would take Albert Einstein to come back and figure that one out. It’s a tough challenge for those at the top table. With the split season the GAA do their best, but it’s hard to keep everyone happy. I think all the players involved at inter-county level would like three or four more weeks to give an opportunity for niggles to heal.’’
TRIAL GAMES FOR
PROPOSED RULES
Four points for a goal and two points from a “point” scored from outside a new 40-meter arc are among the new rules proposed by the Football Review Committee. The proposed rule changes are currently being trialled in “sand box” matches around the country. They started in Mullingar last Saturday and there will be other so called “sand box” game in Claremorris, Portlaoise, Armagh and Limerick. They will be trialled in games involving teams that have already exited the Tailteann Cup competition. The Football Review Committee was appointed by new GAA president Jarlath Burns when he replaced Larry McCarthy earlier this year. The Review Committee is headed by former Dublin manager Jim Gavin. Gavin was joined on the Committee by The list goes on and on from a body which includes secretary Seamus Kenny (Meath), Eamonn Fitzmaurice (Kerry), James Horan (Mayo), Michael Murphy (Donegal), Malachy O’Rourke (Fermanagh), Michael Meaney (Carlow) and Alec McQuillan (Antrim). Among the other rules being trialled is one where both teams must keep three players, including the goalkeeper, inside their own 65-meter line. If these rules are accepted it’s going to mean a lot more involvement for the linesmen and umpires and I think they might even need two referees.
O’CONNELL LEADS
WORLD U20 SQUAD
Irish Rugby under 20 coach Willie Faloon has named his 30-man squad for the upcoming World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa. Evan O’Connell continues as captain, having led Ireland through the U20 Six Nations. O’Connell, who is a nephew of Ireland and Munster legend Paul O’Connell, is one of five returning players from last year’s tournament, alongside Brian Gleeson, Danny Sheahan, Hugh Gavin, and Sam Berman. Ireland finished runners-up to France in 2023, and will face Australia, Italy and Georgia in Pool B this time around. The tournament runs over five match days from June 29 to July 19 in Cape Town, with Faloon’s side opening their campaign against Italy.
HURLING FANS PLAN
AHEAD, BOOK TRAINS
Are Cork hurling supporters getting ahead of themselves? Last week when the Rebels were two steps away from an All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final, two trains from Kent Station to Heuston Station on the morning of Cork’s likely semi-final against Limerick in Croke Park on July 7 were already booked out. Cork accounted for Offaly in the preliminary quarter-final last Sunday last and next Saturday they will be hot favorites to qualify for the semi-final when they play Dublin at Semple Stadium. Some will say over confident, others might say good planning.
