‘If I am finished now, I can finish a happy man, knowing my kids saw me play and will remember'
For someone who was convinced he had 'missed the boat' when it came to a professional career abroad, after a series of unsuccessful trials in his teens, Dubliner Stephen Quinn has certainly turned out to be a survivor.
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The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Ireland newcomer set for first start in friendly against Luxembourg after impressing vs Senegal
KILLIAN Phillips is in line for his first Ireland start tomorrow night. The Crystal Palace midfielder - who had an impressive season-long loan at St Mirren - Advertisement 2 Heimir Hallgrimsson handed Phillips his debut on Friday against Senegal 2 Killian Phillips impressed at St. Mirren which earned him his debut And it appears as though the Dubliner will be rewarded for his display off the bench with a place in In a departure from the norm, Heimir Hallgrímsson allowed the media to stay for the entire eve-of-match training session. Usually, journalists, photographers and camera operators are allowed in for only the first 15 minutes meaning all they see is the warm-up. But he gave the green light for the media to stay for the full session and, as a result, saw a full 11 v 11 match after several drills. Advertisement Read more on Irish football And that gave an insight into the team Hallgrímsson is likely to pick for the final game of the season, mainly consisting of players wearing orange bibs. If that is the case, it would mean four changes from the team which drew with Senegal with Phillips, Liam Scales, Evan Ferguson and Troy Parrott coming in for Ryan Manning, Dara O'Shea, Adam Idah and Jack Taylor. The team in organe had Caoimhín Kelleher behind a back four of Matt Doherty, Nathan Collins, Scales and Robbie Brady. The orange team had a midfield four of Kasey McAteer, Bosun Lawal, John Joe Patrick Finn and Will Smallbone and a forward pairing of Ferguson and Parrott. Advertisement Most read in Football Live Blog After a water break, Josh Honohan was subbed in for Brady - and immediately floored Festy Ebosele with a firm challenge - with Josh Keely coming in for Kelleher. Max O'Leary was between the posts for the blue team with his back four comprising Jake O'Brien, Andrew Omobamidele, O'Shea and Manning. The 1% Club viewers in awe as 'genius' footballer wins £100k for charity - but would you have got final question right? The midfield quartet consisted of Ebosele, Phillips, Jason Knight and Andrew Moran with Taylor supporting Idah, as he did on Friday. But it would seem a reach for Lawal and Finn to start. Advertisement Lawal was only added to the squad at the weekend and started just one game for Stoke City in an injury-hit season, at right-back, in their final league fixture. As recently as Thursday, Hallgrímsson said Finn had 'to grow a little bit more as a player to be starting for Ireland. He's done well in training but we see he needs to improve in certain areas.' Therefore, it seems likely that it will be the team in orange bibs - bar the central midfield pairing - which will take the field against Luc Holtz's side. Phillips, 23, is a classic late developer. Having been overlooked by League of Ireland academies, he was still playing in the DDSL with Kilbarrack United before being signed by Drogheda United in 2020. Advertisement He had to wait until the following season to make the breakthrough at first-team level but his form resulted in a move to Palace in January 2022. He has yet to play for their first team but has gained considerable experience during loan spells with Shrewsbury Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Aberdeen and St Mirren. Of the five uncapped squad members - O'Leary, Keeley, Honohan, Finn and Lawal - the Bristol City keeper and versatile Shamrock Rovers player look most likely to win their first cap off the bench. IRELAND (probable): Kelleher (Brentford); Doherty (Wolves), Collins (Brentford), Scales (Celtic), Brady (Preston North End); McAteer (Leicester City), Phillips (Crystal Palace), Knight (Bristol City), Smallbone (Southampton); Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Ferguson (Brighton). Advertisement
The Irish Sun
13 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Inside Sonia O'Sullivan's Rome trip as she savours historic sights while cheering on Irish athletics successor
SONIA O'Sullivan took in Rome's historic sights - while also savouring seeing the present and future of Irish athletics in action. The 2000 Olympics silver medallist was in attendance at Friday's Diamond League meeting where Advertisement 6 In the lead-up to Saturday's event she took in renowned sights like the Trevi Fountain Credit: @soniagrith 6 She also took this 'obligatory' photo Stadio dei Marmi Credit: @soniagrith 6 Sonia would be better equipped than 99.9 per cent of tourists to clock up 32k steps per day Credit: @soniagrith 6 'Great to be in Rome to see Sarah Healy take a big win at the Diamond League' Credit: @soniagrith The 24-year-old ran 3:59.17 to romp to victory in the 1,500m at the Stadio Olimpico on Friday night. The Dubliner surged to the front in the last 40 metres to edge Australian duo Sarah Billings (3:59.24) and Abbey Caldwell (3:59.32). Afterwards she beamed: 'I'm obviously really happy to come away with the win. 'It was a really competitive field, I thought it wouldn't be crazy quick and it was quite crowded, there was a lot of bodies and I was further back than I wanted to be the whole time. Advertisement Read More On Irish Sport "But I tried to stay patient and in the last lap I had to make a good few moves, which I was happy with, especially on the home straight. 'I know my shape is good, I ran a big 3km PB two weeks ago so I know I'm really fit. "Hopefully a PB in the 1500m is coming for me soon but today, I just wanted to compete for the win. "I know I'm good at hard, fast races, but races like this were more where I struggled so I'm really, really happy to win – it's really cool.' Advertisement Most read in Athletics Healy has been edging towards victory in recent times, having finished third in the 3,000m at the Rabat Diamond League. She will next race in 1,500m at the Paris Diamond League on June 20, and revealed the secret behind her success. 'Next Usain Bolt' Gout Gout, 17, runs blistering sub-10sec 100m twice in same day She added: 'I'm having a lot of fun which is the main thing. And it's probably why I'm running so well.' 2025 is already set up to be a stunning year for Healy, who claimed European gold as recently as March. Advertisement The Irish star dominated the 3,000m at the Euro Indoors, crossing the line in a brilliant 8:52.86, bagging her first senior international title in style. She followed that up by finishing sixth in the same discipline at the World Indoors in Nanjing later that same month. 6 Along with Ciara Mageean, the Monkstown native has taken on the baton from O'Sullivan as regards Irish middle and long distance running 6 O'Sullivan's silver in the 5000 metres final at the Sydney Olympics is one of the greatest achievements in Irish sport Advertisement Healy was in contention throughout and only lost touch with the leaders in the final 400m when gold medal winner Freweyni Hailu of Ethiopia kicked clear. Healy crossed the line in 8.40.00, just 13 days after she won the European title in Apeldoorn. She said: 'It was a pretty solid race from me. I put myself in the right position from the start. 'I expected the race to be faster, it ended up being slow with a big wind-up towards the end. Advertisement 'When the big move was made at three laps to go, I was a little too far back and had a lot to make up. 'I think sixth is a pretty solid result for me and I'm pretty happy with it, but it does leave me hungry for more.'
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- The Irish Sun
Stoke City star added to Ireland squad as Heimir Hallgrimsson boosts competition ahead of Luxembourg draw
STOKE CITY'S Bosun Lawal has been added to the Ireland squad for Tuesday's friendly in Luxembourg. The 22-year-old is brought in to boost competition in defence and midfield as boss qualifiers in September. Dubliner Lawal missed much of last season with a back problem following his move from But he is highly-rated by Irish management having been called up from the Under-21s last summer for the meeting with And O'Shea, now assistant coach, revealed last week that it was only his lack of games at He said: 'Bosun, (it's) a frustrating one because of how he trained with us last year. Read More on Ireland MNT 'You were really hopeful that he could obviously have that game time with Stoke and it was frustrating for him with the injury he picked up. 'But thankfully he was patient, because it was a tricky one because if you try and rush back from the injury that he'd had, he could suffer multiple injuries from it. 'So it took his time, frustrating not to get into the Stoke team in his ideal position either, but he played a few games towards the end of the season and was really impressive. 'I think it's only a matter of time before he will kick on like we expect.' Most read in Football 1 Bosun Lawal has been added to the Ireland squad for the friendly against Luxembourg Credit: Vid Ponikvar/Sportsfile
