Liverpool fans were happy on last Saturday as their new manager Arne Slot got off to a winning start, beating Fermanagh-raised Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town 2-0 at Portman Road. Ipswich were returning to the top flight for the first time in 22 years.
Singer Ed Sheeran, who last week bought a minority stake in the club he has loved since childhood, left the ground at half-time with the score still at 0-0. He had to catch a flight to Belgrade for a concert and so avoided the disappointment of the second half.
Liverpool took all the points thanks to goals from Diogo Jota and Mo Salah, who was sporting a much neater hair style than in previous years, wrapped up the points, in the 60th and 65th minute. Irish international Sammie Szmodics made his debut for the Tractor Boys after 74 minutes. McKenna introduced two other Irish-qualified players on the 65th minute – Jack Taylor, who played seven times for the Irish Under-21 team in 2019, and Marcus Harness, who declared for the Republic in 2019, but not ever gotten a call-up.
Szmodics completed his transfer from Blackburn Rovers to Ipswich Town last week on a four-year contract. The 28-year-old striker, who opted for Ireland through his Longford-born grandmother over his grandfather’s Hungary, won the first of his four Irish caps in the friendly against Belgium last March. He scored 33 goals in all competitions for Blackburn last season earning the Championship Golden Boot.
Matt Doherty, who often starts on the bench for Wolves, played the full 90 minutes-plus against Arsenal on Saturday. Irish striker Evan Ferguson, who missed the closing stages of last season with an ankle injury, was not in the Brighton squad for the trip to Goodison Park, but we are told he should be fit for Ireland’s game against England on Sept. 7.
Nathan Collins started for Brentford, who won 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace. Cork-born Mark O’Mahony was on the bench for the Seagulls’ trip to Goodison Park and Andrew Omobamidele was also an unused sub for Notts Forest, who fought back to get a draw against Bournemouth.
The first weekend’s games were completed on Monday when Tottenham travelled to Leicester City. Spurs took an early lead, but the experienced Foxes, who won the second-tier title this year for the 8th time, a record, got back on level terms for a 1-1 draw. Tom Cannon, who won his Irish debut in recent times, remained on the bench for Leicester amid speculation that he’s destined elsewhere.
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Galway’s Julie-Ann Russell, Abbie Callanan and Aislinn Meaney celebrate. [Inpho/James Lawlor]
GALWAY RETAIN
ALL-ISLAND CUP
The Galway United Women’s team retained the All-Island Cup on Saturday evening after beating Shamrock Rovers in a penalty shoot-out at Tallaght Stadium. There was no score in normal time and the referee skipped extra-time to go straight to penalties where Galway won 4-3. This was Galway’s second win in the second year of this competition as they beat Cliftonville in the inaugural final in 2023, which was played at the Showgrounds in Sligo.
IDAH JOINS CELTIC
Republic of Ireland striker Adam Idah has joined Celtic on a permanent basis, completing his move from Norwich City with a five-year deal worth a potential £9.5 million. Now that the transfer has been completed it will mean a payment of over £800,000 to Idah’s former Cork club College Corinthians. Idah spent the final four months of the 2023-24 season on loan at Celtic Park, scoring eight goals in 15 league appearances, helping the club to their third Scottish Premiership title in-a-row. He capped a memorable spell by scoring the winning against Rangers in the Scottish Cup Final, sealing another domestic double. In an interview with Celtic TV last week Idah said: ‘‘I think everyone knew where I wanted to be. It’s amazing for me and I’m delighted to be back.’’
MORAN SIGNS FOR STOKE
Stoke City have signed Republic of Ireland midfielder Andrew Moran on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion. The 20-year-old becomes Stoke’s seventh summer signing. He has made three first-team appearances as a Brighton substitute and also went out on loan last season to Blackburn Rovers, where he scored twice in 19 starts.
Stoke City sporting director Jonathan Walters, is a fan of the young Dubliner. The former Irish international said: ‘‘Andrew is a young player with a bright future high up in the game. He is the kind of player that will get our supporters off their seats. He is an intelligent, creative player with an eye for goal and his work-rate is phenomenal and is highly rated by Brighton.’’
Moran made his debut for Stoke in their 3-0 defeat to Watford on Saturday. He joined Brighton in July 2020 from Bray Wanderers, where he was their youngest-ever League of Ireland player when he made his first-team debut at the age of 15.
WNT GAMES SWITCH
TO DUBLIN VENUES
The Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team will play their home games in the Euro 2025 play-offs in Tallaght Stadium and Aviva Stadium. After beating France in their final group game in Pairc Ui Chaoimh in Cork in July, the Girls in Green secured a seeded spot for the Play-Off series that will be played over two rounds as they continue on their quest to reach a first ever European Championships. In Round 1 of the Qualifying Play-Offs, The Republic will play Georgia in a two-legged tie with the second game scheduled for Oct. 29 in Tallaght Stadium. If Ireland progress to Round 2, they will play either Slovakia or Wales over a two-legged tie with the home game to take place in the Aviva on Dec. 3. The team who wins that tie will book their place at the Euro 2025 finals tournament in Switzerland.
EX-GOALIE HART
BEGINS ON MOTD
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart made his debut as a pundit on the popular BBC programme “Match of the Day” on Saturday night. Hart, who won 75 international caps, worked for the BBC at Euro 2024 this summer. The 37-year-old made 340 appearances in the English top flight and helped Manchester City win two EPL titles, an FA Cup and the two League Cups. He retired from playing at the end of last term after helping Celtic win a Scottish Premiership and Cup double. Tomorrow is the 60th anniversary of the first-ever Match of the Day programme when BBC showed highlights of a Division One game between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield. The programme’s audience was estimated at 20,000, less than half of the attendance at the ground.
POCHETTINO
GETS U.S. NOD
Eighty-six days after leaving Chelsea, Mauricio Pochettino was confirmed as manager of the USA national team last week. The 52-year-old Argentinian left Chelsea in May after just one season in charge at Stamford Bridge. Pochettino, who also managed Tottenham, succeed Gregg Berhalter and will lead the U.S. at the next World Cup in 2026, which they will co-host with Canada and Mexico. Negotiations between Pochettino, his representatives and USA Soccer’s technical director, Matt Crocker, who he worked with at Southampton, have been taking place for some weeks. His first game in charge will be a friendly against Canada on Sept. 7. Poch was also reportedly on the English FA’s list to replace Gareth Southgate.
LEAGUE CLUBS
TROUNCE MINNOWS
In the FAI Cup there were big wins for the League of Ireland clubs over the non-Leaguers. Drogheda United beat Cork club Wilton United 9-0, while Treaty had no difficulty with local Limerick rivals Pike Rovers, winning 7-0 at the Markets Field. Wexford Youths also had no difficulty in the junior soccer stronghold of Ballyfermot, beating Leinster Senior League club Ballyfermot United 3-0. Derry City progressed to the quarter-finals with a 1-0 away win over Cork City at Turner’s Cross, while Premier Division leaders Shelbourne needed penalties to get by Galway United at Tolka Park. But there was upset in Sligo where first division UCD beat the Bit o’ Red 2-0. Meanwhile Bohemians needed penalties to get by Kerry FC after a 2-2 draw in Tralee.
COPS INSIST ON
EARLY START
Shamrock Rovers’ progression in Europe this season has necessitated a change of date and kick-off time for their Dublin Derby against arch rivals Bohemians at Dalymount Park. The League game was originally fixed for Friday Aug. 30, but as Rovers are in Europa League action against PAOK on Thursday Aug 22, the game has been pushed back to Sunday Sept. 1. However, as there is a Coldplay concert down the road in Croke Park that Sunday the Gardai have insisted on a 11.30 a.m. kick-off. So, an early Sunday morning start for the players and supporters. But players and supporters, many of whom would have played schoolboy and junior soccer themselves, will be well used to early Sunday morning kick-offs.
