An astonishing last 10 minutes of New Zealand – Ireland. Penalty just too far for Sexton, daft decision by Owens, a Carter failed drop goal touched in flight, a scrum five and Carter finishes it. As for Wales…give me strength. Ireland BBC Report: Ireland BBC Report Wales BBC Report: Wales BBC report DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…
Trevor Ringland has a letter in today’s Irish Times: In common with many others on this island, I remember well June 18th, 1994. The Republic of Ireland’s win over Italy in the World Cup was fantastic and gave all of us a tremendous boost. All of us that is, except those who walked into the Heights Bar in Loughinisland and sprayed it with bullets killing six people and seriously wounding five others. As news of this terrible atrocity filtered out, …
Well, as it was put on Morning Ireland this morning the Republic sang whilst Spain played football. The singing, whilst impressive, only annoyed Roy Keane the more. The Corkman was blunt: “We’re a small country, we’re up against it, but let’s not just go along for the sing-song every now and again.” Translated, this roughly means: “this is sport, not entertainment”. I’m sure my old Da, who never even saw Keane the elder play but who loved seriously competitive players …
This is the footage from Poland of Ireland fans chatting “England’s going home…’ that features in a News Letter piece today asking why when Northern Ireland or Ranger’s fans go off the piste it is never given a ‘bye ball’ by the media at large in the way this story appears to have been… It also mentions this bizarre little episode: It’s hard to be definitive but the accent that most predominates of those who went to the considerable trouble …
Old Trap’s Italian defensive approach to game ran out of luck last night… Not least because the one man you would expect to have kept it tight at the back was twice opened wide by fairly ordinary attacks. Can’t help thinking that some of the down reaction is a general underestimation of the Croatian team (who are ranked 8th in the world). Losing the first game is not the end of the affair, but conceding three goals may be too …
With stories ranging from pubs bottling their own Guinness, to Belfast street games, to making a splash at the Falls Baths, a new local history website has gone online. BelfastHistory.org, created by web developer Brian O’Neill, is a non-profit, community-orientated history website where people are invited to share their own stories, reflections, and articles about any period of Belfast’s past. So far, the site has attracted entries from the likes of historian Philip Orr, author of The Road to the …
It annoyed me years ago when I walked into Elvery’s on Dawson Street to find they stocked plenty Leinster and Munster tops but no Ulster ones. Then again, you only stock what there’s a demand for, and for years Ulster was the poor relation in Irish rugby. [Image from BigStock] So much so that as rugby has become genuinely and broadly popular in Northern Ireland, many Northern Irish nationalists have taken to supporting provincial winners from other parts of the …
Another offering from our old mates at Philosphy Football (who previously brought you this, oh yes, and this little controversial number). So if you are dedicated FAI or bust supporter, or an any green will do man/woman/boy/child… Whether you are on your way to Poland where they’ve got to go down a storm with the locals or your are staying at home with lots of tinies, be my guest!! Way cheaper than replica… Declaration: I’ve not been promised a free …
In the review of the up-and-coming Heineken Cup final, I made the observation that the sports media have been unused to writing about Ulster given the lack of success in recent times. Player profiles by sports journalists seem to fall into 3 topics; the faith of the players, the foreign players, and the faith of the foreign players. Now the social commentators have started as well, except they only have one topic – rugby and that protestant/catholic thing in the …
The first ever all-Irish Heineken Cup final kicks off at 5pm, Saturday 19 May in front of a capacity 81,000 Twickenham crowd: Leinster v Ulster. Ulster? Well, yes, Ulster. The absence of Munster at the most significant game ever between two Irish provinces has left some journalists struggling for content, unaccustomed as they are writing about Ulster. However judging by Munster’s humiliating exit from the Pro12 League semi finals, the press will needs to get used to the new world …
Having made a expression of interest in hosting Euro 2020, the FAI, SFA and WFA are not actually committed to bid and presumably won’t until they work out: 1, whether even together they can afford it; 2, whether they have even a pup’s chance of getting before spending a penny on any prospective campaign. Having noticed that the poor IFA has been once more jilted by its neighbours, Professor Billy McWilliams is trying to broker a rival bid for Northern …
Well, they did it. I was in P4 when the team I (“Foolishly?” – Ed) chose to support in Primary School last won the championship of English football. Yesterday I watched them win again just round the corner from where I saw them gain promotion against Gillingham in 1999, when “typical City” similarly left their own salvation to the very last minute. And it was a good feeling. And better for the longer wait and the tougher win. The sentiment …
Gerry Hassan just gets better: Rupert Murdoch, the Referendum and Rangers FC: Self-government has to be a democratising process and project, or it will produce a change in name only which won’t affect the lives and experiences of Scottish people. That entails nourishing a culture which is both honest and humble, respecting different viewpoints and challenging vested interests. This is an intricate balancing act, one which involves changing the public culture of Scotland, and aiding an ecology of self-government and self-determination …
Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News has a great piece on how gross forms of inequality drive out competition and depress open markets. Of course City, if they close out this season, have bought the Premier League. But then again, which Premier League winner hasn’t? The problem that United fans have got is that, under the austerity of the Glazers, they HAVEN’T bought the title, as they have been doing for the past 20 years. In the history of …
Yep, £170 million. That’s a shocking figure to rack up. It hardly helps the club’s case for decent handling that the last owner of the club takes such a cavalier attitude to the club’s predicament. His remarks came in response to the latest directive from the SFA that they cannot sign any new players for another 12 months. The comments of the club’s administrator Paul Clark is worth quoting at length: “All of us working on behalf of the Vlub …
As the BBC reports, Belfast-based freelance journalist Michael Fisher has taken exception to the terms and conditions of an Iarnród Éireann competition “to win an amazing trip for two with a difference to see Ireland’s three group games in Euro 2012 this June”. Well, one condition in particular – “Applicants must be 18 years of age or over, and must be resident in the Republic of Ireland” [added emphasis]. From Michael Fisher’s Border Rambler blog This is a clear case of discrimination, where marketing …
Not that Ireland’s cricketers struggled to qualify for this year’s final tournament in Sri Lanka, but the path to the 2014 World Twenty20 finals in Bangladesh has been eased by the ICC Board’s confirmation that “from 2014 onwards, the number of teams participating in the ICC World T20 from 12 to 16 men’s teams.” From the Irish Times report The decision, which will make qualification for Ireland and other association members easier, was confirmed this morning by ICC chief executive Haroon …
Here are some scary fun videos… As the Irish Times reports, two of the five nominations for the Billabong XXL 2012 Biggest Wave award were surfed at Mullaghmore Head, County Sligo, on March 8th. The category carries a $15,000 prize. Here are the nominees. As the Irish Times adds The other nominees in the category are Garrett McNamara’s huge wave at Priaia do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal last November, Basque surfer Axi Muniain’s ride at Agiti, Spain in November and Damien “Taco” …
Sad occasion in Melbourne today in the ecumenical funeral of Dublin born Aussie Rules hero… Very moving for the most part, and in parts, not least this tribute from his old teammate Garry Lyons which includes a great story on an International Rules game a few years back in Croke Park… There was never any question where his loyalties lay, on the sporting field of battle at least… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on …
Both Ireland and Afghanistan have qualified for Sri Lanka, and Ireland have already played one match today, but hopefully the final will be a close game. Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bat. Live text ball-by-ball commentary here. Adds Or, thanks to John below, watch it live here. Afghanistan 152 for 7 from 20 overs. Update Afghanistan made 152 from their 20 overs. Not as high a total as they were threatening, thanks to a spirited bowling and fielding performance by Ireland. Key moment being …
