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Injuries to hamper Derry's Ulster hopes?

Injuries to hamper Derry's Ulster hopes?

BBC News06-04-2025

Manager: Paddy Tally Captain: Conor Glass Fixture: Donegal v Derry – Pairc Mac Cumhaill, Sunday, 6 April, 14:00 BSTDerry had a miserable league campaign under new boss Paddy Tally, suffering relegation after finishing bottom of Division One and without a win from their seven games.They will hope to change the downbeat mood around the county by pulling off a shock and beating in-form Donegal on Sunday.After winning back-to-back Ulster titles, Derry were stunned by Jim McGuinness' eventual winners in the quarter-finals last year - a few weeks after winning the Division One League title.Derry's chances of an upset win aren't being helped by an injury crisis with the quartet of Gareth McKinless, Odhran Lynch, Conor McCluskey and Anton Tohill all ruled out of the Ballybofey contest.Brendan Rogers was a major doubt missing Derry's final two league games after limping out of their defeat to Donegal in Ballyshannon but he has been named to start at full-back. In addition, Ciaran McFaul, Niall Loughlin and Lachlan Murray were also doubts for this weekend's preliminary-round tie but McFaul and Murray have been named to start with Loughlin named amongst the substitutes.

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All-Ireland SFC: Who needs what in final group games?
All-Ireland SFC: Who needs what in final group games?

BBC News

time4 hours ago

  • BBC News

All-Ireland SFC: Who needs what in final group games?

Right, here we go then: for the last time - at least for the foreseeable future - the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship has arrived at the all-important final round of group next year, the competition will have another new guise, with the round-robin phase scrapped in favour of a new format. More on that here. But this weekend, four teams will have their dreams of lifting the Sam Maguire Cup shattered for another year at least as 16 is whittled down to put, there are eight matches this weekend: four on Saturday and four on Sunday. As it stands, holders Armagh are the only team guaranteed a spot in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. As for the rest, a wide assortment of possibilities await. Let's get into it. A quick reminder: the team that finishes first in their group moves straight through to the quarter-finals. Second and third earns teams a preliminary quarter-final spot (those finishing second will have home advantage), while fourth is knocked out of the championship. Group One Tyrone v Cavan, Brewster Park, Sunday, 16:00 BSTDonegal v Mayo, Dr Hyde Park, Sunday, 16:00 BSTPermutations everywhere you look here. After two games, Donegal, Mayo, Tyrone and Cavan all sit on two points heading into the final round-robin weekend, the first time this has happened since this format was introduced. Ulster champions Donegal comfortably hold the most superior scoring difference (+16), thanks to their 19-point victory over Cavan in round two. However, the first tie-breaker is head-to-head, and given that Tyrone beat Donegal in the first round, the Red Hands will top the group if they beat Cavan and Donegal overcome Mayo, a sequence which would eliminate the Connacht county. Tyrone will also finish top if they win and Donegal and Mayo play out a draw, which would knock Cavan out. Courtesy of their win over Tyrone last time out, Mayo will top the group if they beat Donegal and Tyrone defeat Cavan. This would eliminate Cavan. Donegal will top the group if they beat Mayo and Cavan get the better of Tyrone, thus sending the Red Hands out. Jim McGuinness' Donegal will also secure first place if they win and the Tyrone-Cavan game ends in a draw, eliminating Mayo. Both games ending in a draw is a highly unlikely occurrence, but if that does happen, Donegal will top the group on scoring difference while Cavan will finish will finish top if they beat Donegal and Tyrone beat Cavan. They will also finish top with victory over Donegal and a draw in the Tyrone-Cavan game. Cavan can still finish top despite entering the weekend bottom. To do that, they will need to beat Tyrone and hope that Mayo see off Donegal, which would eliminate Donegal. If Cavan win and Donegal-Mayo ends in a draw, Cavan will finish at the summit and Tyrone will head for the exit door. Jeopardy. That's what everyone wants and this group is full of it. It could go right down to the final kick. Group Two Kerry v Meath, Tullamore, Saturday, 16:15 BSTRoscommon v Cork, Portlaoise, Saturday, 16:15 BSTMercifully, this group's web won't take quite as long to untangle. Kerry enter the weekend top after wins over Roscommon and Cork. Having already accrued four points, a win or draw against Meath will guarantee top spot for the Kingdom and a spot in the quarter-finals. If Kerry and Roscommon win, Kerry will finish top and Cork will be eliminated. If Kerry and Cork win, Roscommon will be are the only other team that can finish top, but they will obviously need to beat Kerry for that to happen. The best Cork can do is finish third, but they'll need to beat Roscommon. If it ends in a draw, the Rossies will secure third. Group Three Monaghan v Down, Athletic Grounds, Sunday, 14:00 BSTLouth v Clare, Portlaoise, Sunday, 14:00 BSTIn stark contrast to Group One, this group's package of permutations is much slimmer. The winner of the all-Ulster encounter between Monaghan and Down in Armagh will secure top spot. Down have a slightly superior scoring difference so they will clinch top spot with a draw, which would signify remarkable progress for the Mournemen given they had not played an All-Ireland game since 2019 before this year. Neither team can finish worse than second. The losers of the Louth-Clare game will exit the championship. A draw will see Louth scrape through in third courtesy of their superior scoring difference. Group Four Dublin v Derry, Pairc Esler, Saturday, 18:30 BSTGalway v Armagh, Breffni Park, Saturday, 18:30 BST Even though Armagh have already locked up top spot, Group Four is sure to deliver some Saturday-night drama. Below the Orchardmen, there could be much to-ing and fro-ing. Armagh face familiar foes Galway in a rerun of last year's All-Ireland final. After earning a crucial point in last-gasp fashion in their thriller against Derry a fortnight ago, the Tribesmen can still finish second and earn a home preliminary quarter-final. To do that, they must beat Armagh and hope Derry beat Dublin in Newry. In that scenario, scoring difference would decide second place (Galway are on -1, with Derry on -4). Dublin will finish second with victory or a draw over Derry, regardless of what happens in the Galway-Armagh game. If Dublin-Derry ends in a draw and Galway win, Derry will be eliminated. If Dublin-Derry ends in a draw and Armagh win, Galway will exit the championship, meaning Derry will move into the next stage without having won a game. Dublin will also finish second if they win and Galway-Armagh ends in a draw, eliminating Derry. Derry are guaranteed survival with a win as they will edge out Dublin on the head-to-head rule. If Derry and Galway both win, second place will be decided by scoring difference with Dublin knocked out. If Derry and Armagh win, Derry will finish second and Galway will be will also finish second if they beat Dublin and Galway-Armagh ends in a that's that. Come Sunday evening, the road ahead will show nothing but straight knockout for the final 12 teams. Before that, expect endless twists and turns as we bid farewell to the All-Ireland group stage. Knockout schedule The preliminary quarter-finals will be played on the weekend of 21/22 quarter-finals will be played on 28/29 semi-finals will be staged on 12/13 July with the final at Croke Park on 27 July.

Róisín Rodgers praises impact younger players have made on Donegal
Róisín Rodgers praises impact younger players have made on Donegal

BreakingNews.ie

timea day ago

  • BreakingNews.ie

Róisín Rodgers praises impact younger players have made on Donegal

Donegal captain Róisín Rodgers has praised the impact younger players have made on the squad as they prepare for their opening game of the All-Ireland football championship. In a period of transition for James Daly's side, Donegal finished fourth in Division Two. Rodgers reflected on their three draws in the league, as well as their Ulster final defeat to rivals Armagh. Advertisement Rodgers' first season as captain is a sign of the changes underway for Donegal, but she remains confident they can compete with the top counties. 'It's like that old saying—if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. We know it's going to be a big challenge going into these next couple of games, so it's just about seeing where we can take it. 'We are in that transition period as well, with some of the younger girls. Hopefully, we can use some of that youth on our side and keep pushing on. 'Those younger girls are a credit to themselves. It's not easy coming into a senior ladies' squad at such a young age. They're going to be coming up against bigger, stronger players as well. Advertisement 'They are putting in all the work they can—in the gym, on the field, off the field—whatever way they can prepare themselves for the championship. 'The likes of Mia Bennett in the forward line—she has played an absolute stormer in the last couple of games.' Since narrowly losing to eventual winners Meath in the All-Ireland semi-final in 2022, Donegal have not been in contention at the crucial stages of the season. In Donegal's group are Galway and Tipperary, both of whom they have already faced in the league this year. Advertisement Relegation and defeats in Ulster finals have followed in recent seasons, but Rodgers says there are positives to take into the championship. 'For us, it came at the right time. For some of the younger girls, it has given them a lot of experience of how the season is going to go in terms of the championship ahead. 'We have played them, they know what it's going to be like, and they have a feel for it going into the championship. 'We're all on a bit of a similar journey. We've all had a transition period—they've lost players and had players come back—so I think in our group, you can really see that coming through. 'Everyone's journey is similar, but it's also so different as well.'

English breaks Irish record in 800m win in Netherlands
English breaks Irish record in 800m win in Netherlands

BBC News

time3 days ago

  • BBC News

English breaks Irish record in 800m win in Netherlands

Mark English became the first Irishman to break one minute 44 seconds in the 800m as he produced a superb run at the FBK Games in the 32-year-old recorded a new national record time of 1:43.92 in a brilliant win in the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series on beat the record he had set just 10 days ago of 1:44.34 as he won in Bydgoszcz, two performances were an improvement on the previous record he also set of 1:44.53 in June 2024 in win is the Donegal athlete's third outdoor victory of the season after he also won at the Sound Running Track Fest meet in Los Angeles last March, English also won a European 800m bronze to take his European medal tally to on Monday, Orla Comerford won the Para-athletics women's 100m in a season's best time of 11.96 seconds, 0.06 seconds off the Paralympic bronze medallist's personal best.

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