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Daniel McDonnell: Irish clubs are out of sight in Europe unless they do something that blows minds

Daniel McDonnell: Irish clubs are out of sight in Europe unless they do something that blows minds

There really is a certain predictability about the news cycle of Irish clubs participating in Europe.
For the committed, July and August is a fun time of year, with League of Ireland sides immersed in stressful games with a big financial upside that throw up a myriad of permutations that can sometimes be inaccessible to the general public - especially in this era of champions potentially participating in three different competitions in the space of six weeks.
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Leeds vs AC Milan live updates from the pre-season friendly at the Aviva Stadium
Leeds vs AC Milan live updates from the pre-season friendly at the Aviva Stadium

Irish Daily Mirror

time15 minutes ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

Leeds vs AC Milan live updates from the pre-season friendly at the Aviva Stadium

Leeds and AC Milan clash in a pre-season friendly at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The match has a 3pm kick-off and the Dublin venue is expected to be close to full capacity for what is Leeds' final game of pre-season. Daniel Farke's side are back in the Premier League this season after winning the Championship last campaign following their relegation from the top flight two years previously. And they are expected to be cheered on by a large number of Irish fans of the club, as well as a big travelling support from Yorkshire. Leeds face Everton at Elland Road in their first Premier League game of the season, with that match taking place next Monday (August 18) before travelling to London to take on Arsenal at the Emirates the following Saturday (August 23). Meanwhile, AC Milan have a busy weekend ahead of them as they travel to London tomorrow to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their last game of pre-season. The Rossoneri begin their domestic campaign with a Copa Italia match against Bari at the San Siro next Sunday (August 17) before hosting Cremonese at the same venue six days later. 13:26 Robert Hynes Good afternoon and welcome to our live blog for this pre-season friendly between Leeds United and AC Milan. A huge crowd is expected at the Aviva Stadium for this afternoon's game and we'll keep you up to date with all the action right here throughout the day. Leeds come into the match on the back of a 1-1 draw with Villareal at Elland Road last weekend, having also played out a 0-0 draw with Manchester United a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, AC Milan won 9-0 in their last game against Perth Glory at the end of July and also beat Liverpool 4-2 in Hong Kong last month following a 1-0 loss to Arsenal in their first game of pre-season. There's not long to go until kick-off at the Aviva and we'll bring you all the team news as we get it.

Irishman Alex Dunne could be in line for Formula 1 move for 2026
Irishman Alex Dunne could be in line for Formula 1 move for 2026

Extra.ie​

time2 hours ago

  • Extra.ie​

Irishman Alex Dunne could be in line for Formula 1 move for 2026

Ireland's brightest motorsport prospect in recent years, Alex Dunne, could finally set to end Ireland's over 20-year wait for an Irish driver to take the grid. The 19-year-old Offaly man has been a revelation this year in Formula 2 as he's won two races so far, with wins in Bahrain and Monza. He did actually win the feature race at Spa in the Belgian Grand Prix, but a penalty post-race took the win off Dunne. He currently sits in fifth place in the Driver's standings, only 30 points off the leader, Leonardo Fornaroli. Alex Dunne. Pic: James Sutton – Formula 1/Formula Motorsport Limited via Getty Images Dunne is currently a part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme and has been in an F1 car recently in the first practice session for McLaren at the Austrian Grand Prix. However, rumours are circulating that he could become a permanent fixture in a F1 car next season. Cadillac is set to become the 11th F1 team next season as the grid is set to be the biggest it's been since 2016. With that, it means two new driver spots need to be filled, and GPBlog are reporting that Alex Dunne is the man they want. The new US-based team have also been linked with experienced drivers like Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, the latter of which is expected to be confirmed as the first driver for the team soon. But with Dunne's impressive form in F2 puts himself among the top contenders for the seat if Cadillac chooses to go with a younger driver. It would be a huge step in the history of Irish Formula 1. The last driver to drive under an Irish license was Ralph Firman. The Norwich-born driver drove under an Irish license for his one and only Formula 1 season with Eddie Jordan's Jordan F1 team in 2003. Alexander Dunne. Pic:You have to go back to 1982 for the last Irish-born driver to race in F1. Tommy Byrne of Dundalk raced in five F1 races during the 1982 season for the Theodore team. The last Irish driver to last more than a season is the great Derek Daly, who raced 64 times in F1 with a plethora of teams, including Williams. Dunne still has a challenge on hand this year, though, and as we now enter the summer break, he and Rodin Motorsports can regroup as they look to claw back the 30 points they need to get Dunne atop of the F2 standings and make history as the first Irish F2 winner.

5 key Irish storylines to follow as the new Championship season gets underway
5 key Irish storylines to follow as the new Championship season gets underway

The 42

time5 hours ago

  • The 42

5 key Irish storylines to follow as the new Championship season gets underway

WITH THE CHAMPIONSHIP returning this weekend, here are some of the main storylines worth following from an Irish perspective. 1) Long-term injury absentees return Chiedozie Ogbene. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Chiedozie Ogbene and Gavin Bazunu were once among the first names on any Irish teamsheet submitted by Stephen Kenny, but injury ravages mean they have some distance to travel to retain undisputed status under Heimir Hallgrimsson. Ogbene moved to Ipswich a year ago to retain Premier League status in lieu of Luton Town, but then had his season ended in October, suffering an achilles injury against Brentford. Ogbene had surgery and took up meditation to aid his lengthy lay-off, but returned to action for Ipswich in pre-season. Kieran McKenna was still publicly lamenting Ogbene's injury months later, and thus will be grateful for his return as Ipswich aim for an instant return to the Premier League. In his absence, Ireland turned primarily to Festy Ebosele and Mikey Johnston, but given Hallgrimsson's demands of the newly-hybrid right-side role – right of a 4-4-2 without the ball; closer to a wing back in-possession – Ogbene is perfectly-tailored and will likely be back in favour very soon. Bazunu, by contrast, may find himself as Ireland's number two for quite a while, given Caoimhín Kelleher's exceptional form for club and country. Bazunu suffered the same achilles injury as Ogbene in April 2024, which meant he missed the first half of Southampton's risible Premier League return. Given the Saints signed Aaron Ramsdale in his absence, Bazunu spent the second half of last season on loan at Standard Liege, which was then ended early with a knee injury that contributed to his absence from the Irish squad in June. But with Southampton back in the Championship, Bazunu is again fit and first-choice, with Ramsdale decamping for Newcastle. 'Gavin's done really well', said his new club boss Will Still last week, 'and I think as long as he's been as good as he is, he'll play. The best players will play.' Advertisement 2) Alan Sheehan gets his feet under the desk Alan Sheehan. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Chalk this down as a headline Alan Sheehan can't have imagined reading when he was growing up in Athlone: Alan Sheehan says Swansea plan to build on buzz of Snoop Dogg becoming co-owner Snoop and Luka Modric are among the celebrity investors who have taken a tiny slice at Swansea, where the coaching keys have now been entrusted to Sheehan on a permanent basis. The former U21 international took temporary charge of the club last season and led them away from the peril of relegation, finishing 11th. Given Swansea were the third most in-form team in the league during his interim stint, he has unsurprisingly been given the gig full-time. Swansea have reinforced defensively during the transfer window, but their signature arrival has been winger Zeidane Inoussa, signed from Swedish club BK Hacken. His success may be vital to Sheehan's long-term prospects: the club is still labouring underneath the memories of life under Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers, where they married success with a progressive style of play. Many fans still hark for that playing style, even amid turbulent years where it was unrealistic. Sheehan will ultimately have to satisfy that demand, even if it seems unfair. 3) What next for Finn Azaz? Finn Azaz. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Azaz last season hit double figures for both goals and assists for Middlesbrough, and made a significant international breakthrough while he was at it. He subsequently made no secret of his Premier League ambitions, with Crystal Palace linked with his transfer. Azaz, however, remains at 'Boro as the season kicks off, albeit sidelined until the end of August through injury. As to whether he makes his return from that injury in a Middlesbrough jersey, we must wait and see. Hallgrimsson would like Azaz to be playing at the highest level, but with World Cup qualifiers against Hungary and Armenia only a month away, the Irish manager would likely now settle for Azaz getting match sharp in the Championship. 4) The next generation Bosun Lawal. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo While the Championship has proved to be a generous home to many well-established Irish internationals, it has also incubated a few breakout talents over the years. Who will be next to emerge? Rocco Vata at Watford can already be said to have made his breakthrough, but will seek this season to kick on and further develop physically. His team-mate James Abankwah is another to watch, albeit his Cup-winning exploits for St Pat's means the Irish public is better-acquainted with him than the general English audience. Another to watch is Bosun Lawal at Stoke City, called up as late cover to the Irish senior squad for that June friendly with Luxembourg you've already forgotten about. Lawal is of a midfield profile – a big lad, effectively – that Ireland are sorely lacking, so Hallgrimsson will be eager to see him rack up minutes at Championship level in central midfield. The latter part of that wish is key: Mark Robins has selected Lawal at centre-half, the position in which Hallgrimsson is tripping over high-calibre options. (As an aside: there's further Irish interest at Stoke in the boardroom, where Jon Walters is the sporting director. Or he is for now, at least, as he's a rumoured candidate to replace Marc Canham at the FAI.) Another name to watch is Louie Barry at Sheffield United. You might be familiar with Barry's youth career: after 10 years in the West Brom academy, he went to Barcelona, only to return to England with Aston Villa within a year for an initial fee of approximately €1 million. A Covid outbreak offered him a first-team debut against Liverpool in the FA Cup – he scored in defeat and Jurgen Klopp called him a 'little Jamie Vardy' – and has since bounced about on loan, excelling last season at Stockport. A subsequent loan move to Hull did not become permanent amid the club's transfer embargo, but Barry has now been taken on loan by Sheffield United by his old manager at Hull, Ruben Selles. Barry played for England at underage level but is understood to be both eligible and interested in representing Ireland, facts with which Hallgrimsson is acquainted. 5) James McClean's return James McClean. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Wrexham's seemingly unstoppable rise through English football has reached its Championship phase, and with it brings a return to wider prominence for James McClean, who is club captain. McClean dropped as low as League Two to initially sign for Wrexham, which then-Irish manager Stephen Kenny admitted was 'not ideal in the long term.' McClean said he felt disrespected to have been left out of a squad by Kenny, and thus Kenny's final match in charge was also celebrated as a farewell for McClean. That farewell may not be permanent. Hallgrimsson openly suggested the possibility of a McClean return, something to which the player himself is understood to be open. Performing at Championship level is certainly no barrier to his selection, and nor are Ireland's depth of options at left-back. With Ryan Manning now preferred further forward, the options are Robbie Brady – one of Ireland's most important players – and Callum O'Dowda, both of whom are injury-prone. McClean, by contrast, is remarkably durable. It's one to watch.

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