I hesitate to blog a sports story these days, but here’s one from the FAI suggesting that there will be an All Ireland league for soccer, but it can’t happen until after its current contract with sponsors runs out in 2011. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
He may be a young-Earther, but the DUP’s Edwin Poots has just been welcomed by GAA president Nickey Brennan at Páirc Esler, Newry, to watch the McKenna Cup game between Down and Donegal in his official capacity as Northern Ireland Sports Minister. Adds Presumably the MLA for Lagan Valley cheered when Down crushed Donegal.. Pete Baker
It’s tucked away at the end of the official FIFA statement and, given the previous reaction to the suggested changes, the IFA’s response in this BBC report, claiming victory in the eligibility row and “interpreting [it] as Fifa abandoning a proposal to allow Northern Ireland-born players to play the Republic of Ireland”, is probably correct – at least in an ‘as of right’ sense. – The Executive Committee decided to leave the current regulations regarding the eligibility of players to …
Calling any Slugger readers in or around the vicinity of Belgium… there’s a GAA club in Brussels wanting your attention… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
The BBC are/were reporting this morning that members of the Assembly’s Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee were due to be shown plans for a sports stadium at the site of the former Maze prison by the Culture Minister, the DUP’s Edwin Poots – also here. And the report claimed, “the BBC understands both the business cases for the stadium and the entire Maze site should be with Finance Minister Peter Robinson by the end of this week.” However, according to …
For all the pessimists, one of my colleagues over at the Daily Telegraph, Patrick Nathanson, reckons, Northern Ireland has at least a fighting chance of punching sufficiently above their weight. And he’s reasonably sanguine about Lativia’s chances against the mighty Swedes: Just two years later, the Latvian football team had their fans dancing to a different tune when they qualified for Euro 2004. And Northern Irish fans will be heartened to know that Latvia’s qualification was secured courtesy of a …
Continuing the football theme, David McWilliams argues that it is not a bit of wonder that some of the best talent in Irish soccer is made up disproportionately of August born kids, since: The reason so many good footballers are born in August – or just after – is that they are better at football at a younger age . They get picked for the team. They are rarely the last kid selected, not just because they are innately better, …
Just had a plaintive email from a Belfast based reader who is going to be in London on Wednesday night. He’s already panicking of the likelyhood that most of the bars in London will be showing the England match instead. But there has got to been a favoured venue for NI ‘ex pats’ to get together for what is likely to be the biggest crunch match for over 20 years. As it happens, I am going to be in town …
An interesting quote from the deputy First Minister in the BBC’s report of the arrival of the World Rally Championship to Northern Ireland.. and the rest of the island. “If you fail to come here or tune in to what will be happening here during the course of the world rally championship you will be missing the opportunity of a lifetime,” [Martin McGuinness] said. So why, according to Mark Devenport’s blog, did the deputy First Minister miss the “opportunity of …
Great piece from Season Ticket on young Down GAA player Martin Clarke, doing weights and practising with an AFL football in Melbourne… You get some impression of just why International Rules is slipping steadily away from the Irish Gaelic players: technology and professionalism. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. …
Chess boxing in Berlin… Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
The final game of what has been a great tournament for rugby, and an entertaining spectacle, will unexpectedly see current champions England take on South Africa, Stade de France, Paris 8pm kick-off – streaming video coverage online.. or an alternative view. They may have already met, and the Springboks demolished England in that game, but don’t expect a similar 36-0 scoreline. South Africa – who have won 4 of the last 5 games between the sides – haven’t been properly …
France will looking for revenge against Argentina tonight, Parc des Princes, Paris, 8.00pm kick-off, in a rematch of the opening game of a tournament of surprises. There might be online coverage here. There certainly will be here.. and possibly here. It’s just for pride, and third place in the tournament, and the reports suggest it might actually be worth watching – “everyone wants to finish in style and not like a wet fish.” 1st Half Great start. Plenty of enterprise …
Interesting to compare the fortunes of last night’s semi-final coaches, after that magnificently ugly game. The winning coach looks to the final, the losing one to his next job – as minister of sport. Tonight the, surprisingly, unbeaten Argentinians take on the, also, unbeaten South Africans at the Stade de France – 8pm kick-off. Extensive coverage as usual online with streaming video, radio commentary and text at the Beeb, and possibly the Guardian. RTÉ’s preview this time goes against the …
The Pumas are stalking the Springboks tomorrow, but tonight at the Stade de France in Paris, 8pm kick-off, France are preparing a warm welcome for familiar foes England. As with the quarterfinal against Australia, England played and beat France in the knockout stages of the previous World Cup – in the semi-finals. Coverage via the usual suspects offline – and online streaming video [in UK], there’s radio commentary at 5Live, and at least two text versions, BBC or the quirkier …
After yesterday’s surprises I’ll not be making any predictions for the second brace of World Cup quarter-finals [Eddie Butler gets carried away here – Ed]. This afternoon, 2pm kick-off, South Africa take on Fiji at the scene of the Aussie’s humbling yesterday and later tonight Scotland will attempt to halt the momentum of the unbeaten Argentinians as this eventful Rugby World Cup nears completion. Half-time In Marseille, South Africa 13 – 3 Fiji Full-time South Africa 37 – 20 Fiji. …
I’m not normally one for futuring, but Australia are favoured to wreak revenge on England for that drop-goal in the last final – if Mike Catt’s right.. and he’ll be on the pitch in Marseille. Later tonight, in Cardiff, the All-Blacks also look set to put French dreams to bed ’til next time, provided their seemingly traditional yips don’t re-appear, and make it Southern hemisphere 2 – 0 Northern hemisphere before South Africa, Fiji, Argentina and Scotland take the field …
At the minute France are punishing Georgia for daring to think they might have a had a chance at an upset, although the Georgians have had only 4 days since their previous game. Adds France win 64 – 7. Oh, and Ireland are getting ready [hopefully – Ed] to face those Pumas. Kick-off 4pm at the Parc des Princes. As I may have mentioned, a win by 8 points and at least 4 tries are required against Argentina for Ireland …
If Ireland are to still be in the World Cup after tomorrow’s game against Argentina they must win by 8 points and score at least 4 tries against a Puma side that has yet to concede a single try in this campaign. Meanwhile England will face the favoured Australians in their quarter-final game after holding their nerve to go past Tonga 36-20. Wales, though, are gone. They trailed Fiji 25-10 at half-time and, despite a thrilling second-half come-back, the Fijian’s …
The Irish News reports a little local difficulty in Crumlin between the Catholic church and the local gaelic club, St James Aldegrove GAC. The club has been using parish-owned grounds since the 1960s but the Diocese of Down and Connor, recently seen picking a fight with Amnesty International, want it back and have instructed the club to vacate the site by November 30. [subs req]From the Irish News report [subs again] A spokesman for the Diocese of Down and Connor …
