Why two-pointers hold key in Down's bid to stun familiar face Jim McGuinness and his Donegal side
Down prepare to face Donegal in the Ulster Senior Football Championship Semi-Final, and despite beating them in this competition just two years previously, not many are given the Mourne County a chance.
Donegal are the reigning provincial champions, and since narrowly losing the All-Ireland Semi-Final to Galway in 2024, they have added Michael Murphy to their squad, steamrolled their way through the League, made easy work of Derry in the First Round and got over the line against a formidable Monaghan side.
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Belfast Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
‘The people of Armagh have been paying my rent this last year': Viral singer opens up on beating cancer and becoming music legend in GAA scene
They say a lot can happen in a year, and south Armagh man Paul Loughran is the perfect testament to that. From being diagnosed with testicular cancer, to writing his county's most prolific GAA anthem, and then travelling the world based on his band's viral sensations — Paul is the ideal example of optimism, hard work and resilience. He makes up one-third of local folk group Plenty in the Tank, whose song 'G Stands For Geezer' became the theme tune for Armagh GAA's run to only their second All-Ireland win in 2024. Named aptly after the manager of the senior men's Gaelic football team, Kieran McGeeney — aka 'Geezer' — the song hit number 20 in the official Irish Singles Chart last August following the final. The song now has well over two million streams on the music platform Spotify, and it's picking up even more traction, now that Armagh are in the quarter-finals of the championship this weekend. Paul wrote the song, which he says has completely changed his life, but just a few months previous, he had received another life-changing announcement. 'I was diagnosed with stage two bilateral testicular cancer in early November 2023, which means I had cancer on both sides, and I had surgeries at the end of November and then that January (2024),' the 29-year-old explained. 'I then had a full month of chemo and got the all-clear in March. I think I left the cancer centre on March 14th or 15th, and then I went back to gigging again on St Paddy's Day, just a few days later. 'I had a sort of serious turnaround. Like, especially coming out of that [cancer treatment], I had no money whatsoever. 'I spent all my savings on just being alive for that couple of months, basically, and paying my bills and stuff.' What the Belleeks clubman didn't then realise, was that just a short while later, his fellow Armagh GAA fans would be helping sort out his bills. 'G Stands For Geezer' was created just a few weeks before Armagh went up against Galway in the All-Ireland final last July, with Paul dedicating one day in his bedroom to writing it and to say it took off instantly would be an understatement. 'I posted it on TikTok on a Wednesday afternoon and a couple of hours later it had a quarter of a million views,' he added. 'It was one of the first TikTok videos I ever posted and the reaction was absolutely mental.' Paul is even more grateful to the Armagh team for actually winning the Sam Maguire after it all, as the entire whirlwind has opened up more opportunities than ever before for Plenty In The Tank. 'We got to go to New York there with the team for a Q&A thing, we got to play in Manhattan, which was unbelievable, and then we got to go out to Abu Dhabi and Dubai there for Paddy's week,' said Paul. 'So we've got to get out into the world and do gigs, in places we'd obviously never have been gigging in before, and better still, we're still getting gigs from it; the amount of weddings we've been booked for just for people around Armagh — we're flat out.' The song has been getting around 10,000 streams a day since its release last summer, and that's on average, levelled out. It has been picking up again since the championship started this year, and as Armagh continue to get closer to an elusive second consecutive Sam Maguire trophy, Paul said the views and listens are increasingly climbing. He continued: 'I remember we were celebrating with the boys [Armagh team] over in New York, and they were all like: 'this is mental, and thank you for writing that song' or whatever. 'And I was saying, 'no, thank you for winning!' 'Because it wouldn't have been anywhere near as big as it was if we just got beaten in the final].' Reflecting on the last 12 months — beating cancer, extensive success and having their band be forever etched in GAA history - Paul noted that 'it was honestly the best year of my life'. He has also been able to give back to those who helped him, with Plenty In The Tank raising £2,000 for two charities — Friends of the Cancer Centre and Musicians NI. 'And now, I've been running for six weeks. I've signed up for the Belfast Half Marathon to try and raise a bit more money for Friends of the Cancer Centre. So, I'm trying my best to give back to them,' he said. 'The people of Armagh are absolute legends. I'm sorry to offend, but they're the absolute best fan base in the world, out of any sport, in any country. 'Thanks an absolute million to anybody that ever streamed or clicked on any videos that had 'G Stands For Geezer' on it — because you are still paying my rent.'
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Palmeiras vs Botafogo prediction, odds and betting offer
The two Brazil Serie A sides go head-to-head with Palmeiras the bookies favourites to secure a spot in the Club World Cup quarter-final despite Botafogo's head-to-head record It is an all-Brazilian affair in the Club World Cup round of 16 opening clash as Palmeiras and Botafogo go head-to-head once again this season. This Saturday evening, the football world will turn its eyes towards the Club World Cup, where Brazilian powerhouses Palmeiras and Botafogo are set to lock horns in a thrilling encounter. These two titans of Brazilian football have been testing each other's mettle in recent seasons, battling fiercely for the crown of the Brazilian premier league in two out of the past three years. Now, both teams have their sights set on the illustrious Club World Cup trophy, having put on impressive displays during the group stage of this prestigious tournament. Palmeiras showed their class by topping Group A, remaining undefeated in their first three matches and demonstrating their potential to go all the way. On the other hand, Botafogo secured a respectable second place in Group B, coming in behind Paris Saint-Germain. However, it's important to highlight that Renato Paiva's squad managed to spring one of the tournament's biggest shocks so far, clinching a 1-0 victory over the recently crowned champions of Europe on the second day of matches. Surprisingly, the bookies have Palmeiras as the favourites despite the fact the side have only secured one win in the last seven meetings with Botafogo. Palmeiras vs Botafogo Odds Palmeiras - 7/5 Draw - 21/10 Botafogo - 13/5 18+ | Gamble responsibly | | Odds subject to change Palmeiras vs Botafogo Betting Tips Under 2.5 goals - 8/15 Botafogo to win to nil - 9/2 18+ | Gamble responsibly | | Odds subject to change Palmeiras vs Botafogo Betting Offers If you are on the lookout for the latest free bet offers, then look no further. Here, not only do we bring you numerous free bet offers, but all from the very best betting sites in the industry. Each bookie we recommend is fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, so you know you are always betting on a safe and trustworthy site. Check out the Mirror Betting Hubs Free Bets offers here. Gamble responsibly Article continues below Reach plc is committed to promoting safer gambling. All of our content and recommended bets are advised to those aged 18 or over. Odds are subject to change too. We strongly encourage our readers to only ever bet what they can afford to lose. For more information, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or visit
BBC News
17 hours ago
- BBC News
The making of the £60K bargain who became an Everton legend
"Sixty grand, sixty grand Seamus Coleman, playing the Everton way."It's a song that has echoed through the terraces at Goodison Park for 16 428 matches in blue, Seamus Coleman's famous £60,000 transfer fee from Sligo Rovers works out at about £140 a one of the biggest bargains in Premier League history, but it wasn't always a straightforward success story. The chant will move with Everton to the club's new Hill Dickinson Stadium after the left-back signed a fresh one-year deal to stay with the club for a 17th street football, proving people wrong and a ham and cheese jambon, this is how Coleman wrote his name into Everton folklore. School and football - that was life Killybegs is a small fishing town in County Donegal nestled along the picturesque, rural Irish coastline - dubbed Wild Atlantic Way - with a population of about 1,250 people. It's also where a young Seamus Coleman developed his skills on the streets of his Dorrian, who would help shape Coleman's football journey, says it is a place where "everyone knows everybody"."Early life for a lot of the young lads, including Seamus, would have been school and football. They played everywhere."Killybegs was dominated by two sports - football, or soccer as it's often known in the north west, and Gaelic football, which is Ireland's traditional national sport. Coleman, like the majority of youngsters, played both. There were transferable skills, with youngsters learning the sports in robust fashion, with matches taking place between various estates in the town. "You didn't get beat in those, it was like going to war with your neighbours," Dorrian added."That is where he learned his traits. Playing against older players, getting kicked. It built hunger and the drive to do well." Coleman started playing football for St Catherine's, just around the corner from home, and Dorrian, who was the club's first-team manager, remembers he was "small, tenacious and had a big heart".His size counted against him, and led to him being left out of county and school squads. But his determination was something else. "At an early age, he had potential but he hadn't any more than any of the rest of them," Dorrian added."But he had that bit about him. Not the technical side so much, but the mentality and that was bred from where he is from."You don't want to get beaten by anyone. If it's instilled in you from a young age, with a bit of respect and a bit of manners, it helps guide you through your career - whatever path it takes you." Was it fate? To make it in any professional sport, a slice of luck - in addition to work ethic and natural ability - is often was no different, and there were three key cards that fell his pure chance, in early 2006 Sligo Rovers manager Sean Connor was dating a Killybegs native and, after a discussion over a beer, a friendly was arranged with St Catherine' was up against experienced and prolific forwards Paul McTiernan and Sean Flannery, but neither got a sniff against the raw but energetic youngster. Connor had seen enough. He called Dorrian, Coleman, his father and the St Catherine's chairman into the referee's changing room and a deal was agreed to bring the young defender to the club for their top-flight return. Coleman had also been called into Donegal's minor team, a massive honour for any underage Gaelic footballer with hopes of making it had a decision to make - Dorrian said "everyone was wanting a piece of him" and he was "under a lot of pressure" to select Gaelic football - which is an amateur sport."[But] once he heard full-time football and getting a few quid - not a whole lot - he jumped at the chance," said Dorrian. Pro Evo and a second chance When Coleman joined the full-time ranks in Sligo he was housed with fellow defenders Gavin Peers and Keith Foy. Peers recalls his first impressions of Coleman were "quiet and shy" off the pitch, but "raw, determined and competitive" on it."The three of us were all around the same age and got on really well," said Peers, who added he "done most of the cooking"."Seamus went home quite a lot, his girlfriend, now wife, was in Donegal and he was a homebird - he still goes back home in his time off now."Football, on the pitch or on screen, was never far from his thoughts, however. "But when he was here the evenings were all about [video game] Pro Evolution," said Peers. "We were all competitive in that house, it got a bit tense in the games, but he wasn't very good at it."That was the one thing I was able to beat him at, and he's definitely better at the real thing." After settling in at Sligo, Coleman's fortunes were about to change when Connor left to join Bohemians before the end of the season, and Rob McDonald was introduced in his place."Rob just didn't take to him," Dorrian said. "He told him he was surplus to requirements." Then came the second stroke of luck. McDonald left his role in pre-season and former Wigan and Burnley midfielder Paul Cook was brought in as his was a match made in heaven. "Paul seen he had that drive and determination and related to that," said Dorrian, who had joined the youth set-up at the Showgrounds. "I heard Paul say it at the time, he could see him charging up and down the pitch, tackling, and if a player around him wasn't on it, he was talking to them and trying to bring them with him."If Rob stayed then God knows what would have happened. It was that bit of luck when Paul came in and Seamus just propelled from there." The jambon that changed everything It was a day of training and Coleman and Dorrian were making the trip from Killybegs to Sligo. As they would often do, they stopped on the way for a break on the 95km journey. Coleman ordered his usual bottle of water and a ham and cheese jambon. It was like any other day - until the phone rang. It was Sligo's chairman. A bid had been accepted by Everton. "When the phone rang you thought it was a bit of a joke," recalled Dorrian. "I think he was just sitting there smiling - is this true? Is this going to happen?"It was very surreal for me. I'm driving a car, sitting beside a young fella who was going to be going across to play for Everton. "By the time we got down to the club everyone knew and was shaking his hand. It was a brilliant time for everyone."Coleman had been on trial at Celtic, and Birmingham City had shown interest, but it was Everton who made the first move with the now famous £60,000 course, it has turned into much more than that with various clauses but it is still a drop in the ocean compared to many modern transfers. But how it came about was another case of being in the right place at the right of Cook's signings was midfielder Sean Doherty, whose dad just happened to be head scout for David Moyes and Everton."Everything just seemed to fall the right way for him," added Dorrian."He's worked hard for it and the rest is history." Baptism of fire Coleman moved to Everton in January 2009 and made his debut nine months later against Benfica in the Europa League, taking on the likes of Angel di Maria, Javier Saviola and Oscar was a baptism of fire in a 5-0 defeat, but the player Everton fans would come to love was on show again a few days teenager was introduced as a sub for his Premier League debut against Tottenham as Everton rescued a 2-2 notching up his first assist, Coleman was named man of the match."I was sitting there thinking, 'three years ago that young lad was playing for me', and now I was watching him changing the game on 'Super Sunday' on the TV," said Dorrian."Back then, if you were to tell me where he is now - I would have said no, and that's with no disrespect to him. He'd tell you that himself, but it's brilliant for him and a great story."Peers remains friends with Coleman and says he is still the same humble person from Donegal, just like when they met all those years ago."I like to have a bit of banter with him now and call him 'Big Time' and say 'you've changed'. "But the truth is he hasn't changed. I don't think his family or friends would let him - I wouldn't anyway." A future in the dugout? Jump forward 400-odd appearances, Coleman is now in the dying embers of his career but his place as an Everton legend is wasn't always smooth sailing, and a leg break while playing for the Republic of Ireland, who he had captained at Euro 2016 the previous year, threatened his like when he had been written off many times before, he bounced back again. He was made Everton captain in 2019 and even though injuries have limited his appearances in recent years, including another serious lay-off in 2023, his impact remains as strong as is his standing at the club, Coleman, along with Leighton Baines, was called on to the sidelines in the club's hour of need when Sean Dyche left the club before their FA Cup tie with Peterborough United in believes Coleman will "probably" end up as a coach but feels his future lies in management. "You can even see when he's not playing with Everton or the Republic of Ireland, he galvanises everyone around him. "That mentality comes from within, his family and where he's from."Coleman's story is one of resilience, and making the most of the opportunities that fall your way."When you're 17 or 18 and playing in a first team in Killybegs, nobody would see you as a captain of Everton or Ireland," said Peers, who added he wouldn't be surprised if he went back to playing Gaelic football when he retires."It's a mad story but he deserves his success."
