‘We need to make sure we're winning to get to these tournaments' – Will Smallbone sees progress on Irish road to World Cup
Ireland midfielder Will Smallbone feels that a draw for Ireland against the 19th-ranked team in the world is a step in the right direction in their bid to qualify for the World Cup.
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The 42
4 hours ago
- The 42
Leinster Senior League to Republic of Ireland debut - 'Sacrifice as much as I did, you get the rewards'
THIS HAS ALREADY been a summer of a lifetime for Killian Phillips. The 23-year-old became the first Dubliner from Kilbarrack to play for the senior men's team when he made his Republic of Ireland debut off the bench against Senegal on Friday night. 'That's something I can bring to the grave with me,' he said, speaking after one of his initial interviews with RTÉ went viral as viewers heaped praise on him (below). "I don't just want to be a one-cap wonder" Republic of Ireland debutant Killian Phillips speaks to @Corktod about the "proudest moment" of his life to date after coming on against Senegal #COYBIG #IRLSEN — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 6, 2025 Phillips wants to get another taste of action away to Luxembourg on Tuesday night and then he can look forward to savouring a different kind of holiday destination to most of his St Mirren teammates. 'They are all away in the sun but there's no better place in the world than Kilbarrack, I will be back sleeping on my Ma's couch on Wednesday. It's Kilbarrack for me now, I might cross the Liffey a couple of times but that's my holidays, I just want to go home, see everyone and get ready for pre-season.' Advertisement The corner of north Dublin means a lot to Phillips. At 17 he was representing Kilbarrack United in the Leinster Senior League, the club just a short walk from his home. Six years on he is a full international, the latest stop on an incredible journey after Drogheda United gave him his opportunity in the League of Ireland and Crystal Palace brought him to the UK. Paddy McCarthy, now on Heimir Hallgrímsson's coaching staff, was his manager with the Premier League club's Under-23s. A loan spell with Shrewsbury Town was followed by a move to Scotland, where his emergence continued to the point that Hallgrímsson wanted to see the all-action midfielder up close and personal as plans for the World Cup qualifiers in September continue. 'I was turned down by League of Ireland clubs when I was 17 but that's football and the beauty of the game, there's no linear progression, you can do it whatever way you want, I was playing Sunday league at 17, I am here now and I'd hope to inspire a younger generation. Never give up and if you work as hard as I do, sacrifice as much as I did, you get the rewards,' Phillips said, reflecting further on breaking the glass ceiling for footballers from his area, one he is extremely proud of. Phillips in action. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO 'I think there was bleedin' 70 to 100 [from Kilbarrack] here. You probably heard them when I was coming on, the support that I get in my local area and from family and friends means the world to me, I have such a great support system, a lot of people who looked after me over the years, coached me, I have to thank all of them now. 'I'm sure I will be sitting in the pub in 20 or 30 years' time saying it to everyone who walks in. It means the world to me, and I hope it gives the kids in Kilbarrack something to look up to as well, that you don't have to go down the roads of… you know yourself, you know what goes on in Kilbarrack, you don't have to do that, if you have a dream and you work hard every day you can do it. 'I am just a kid from Kilbarrack whose dream came true and the kids at the club now [Kilbarrack United] have someone to look up to, it's easier now to dream that dream as someone has done it, I am so proud because my community backs me so much.' Despite his combative approach on the pitch he admitted that he needed time to settle in to the new surroundings among more established internationals. Phillips with manager Heimir Hallgrímsson. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO 'I froze a bit at times, I was a bit nervous coming in, obviously a lot of players that I've watched over the years and supported in this stadium, I came to this stadium to support the boys. So I probably froze a bit during the week, I think out there I was calm, I had a couple of deep breaths when I first came on, I was probably a little overwhelmed when I first run on. I thought it was a decent performance, yeah. 'It's just a game of ball, and at the end of day, that's the way I look at it, every single game, my international debut or a Scottish Premiership game, that is my mentality every time, I just stripped it back and played another game of football.' He told RTÉ that he didn't want to be 'a one-cap wonder' and can now turn attention to Luxembourg on Tuesday. 'I'd love to start and play more minutes, build on the performance against Senegal, if that's starting or off the bench I just want to build on it and show that I can play international football and stay in his (the manager's) mind for the World Cup qualifiers in the autumn.'
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Thomas Tuchel blasts England fans claiming vile chants about Keir Starmer are ‘not acceptable'
ENGLAND boss Thomas Tuchel told Three Lions fans vile chants about PM Sir Keir Starmer were 'not acceptable'. Some of the 7,000 travelling supporters at yesterday's World Cup qualifier against 2 England fans in Andorra called Sir Keir a 'c***' and 'w***er' Credit: PA He said after full-time in Spain: 'Booing is OK. "The support was amazing. Incredible. 'They created a fantastic atmosphere. Read More on Sport "They were underwhelmed with the way we performed. "It's not that we can blame them for that. "I didn't hear any abusive songs or chants. "But if it happened, of course, it's not acceptable.' Most read in Football It's thought that Declan Rice is being rested with a view to starting against Other unusual choices appear to include 'They looked bored' - Roy Keane slams England's 'poor attitude' as Thomas Tuchel admits 'I didn't like' Andorra effort 2 Thomas Tuchel told Three Lions fans vile chants about PM Sir Keir Starmer were 'not acceptable' Credit: Getty
RTÉ News
6 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Christian Eriksen nets winner as Northern Ireland suffer defeat in Denmark
Northern Ireland suffered a friendly defeat in Copenhagen as Christian Eriksen got the winner in a 2-1 comeback victory for Denmark. An early own goal from former Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg put Michael O'Neill's side on top but Gustav Isaksen levelled in first-half stoppage time before Eriksen swept home the winner in the 67th minute. It was a second successive friendly defeat for Michael O'Neill's side, after March's 5-1 thrashing in Sweden, but was a much better defensive performance away to top-level opposition in their penultimate match before the World Cup qualifying campaign starts in Luxembourg in September. O'Neill made seven changes from that heavy loss in Stockholm, with Conor Bradley, Trai Hume and Daniel Ballard among those returning while Conor Hazard started in goal. The starting eleven had an average age of just 23.4. The Parken Stadium produced its usual rowdy atmosphere before kick-off but was silenced six minutes in. Good Northern Ireland pressure in the corner forced Denmark's 18-year-old debutant Lucas Hogsberg into a poor ball out of defence and the bright Justin Devenny quickly intercepted. The Crystal Palace man, starting at left wing-back, cut into the box and his cross deflected off Joachim Andersen before Hojbjerg, under pressure from Shea Charles, turned the ball into his own net. Isaksen looked like Denmark's best outlet early on as the Lazio winger showed good trickery to break into the box more than once, but he was guilty of a dive while in a foot race with Northern Ireland skipper Hume, not fooling Cypriot referee Menelaos Antoniou. Denmark, who are in Scotland's World Cup qualifying group, unsurprisingly bossed possession but frustrations grew as Northern Ireland defended well, with Ballard heading away a succession of crosses. It took until the second minute of time added on for Denmark to register a shot on target but when they did, they scored. Isaksen, having moved into a central area, was found by Brentford's Mikkel Damsgaard on the edge of the box and curled a shot around Hume into the bottom corner of Hazard's net. It was Hazard's last involvement. The Plymouth goalkeeper, who had needed treatment after an earlier collision with Rasmus Hojlund, was replaced by Pierce Charles at the break. Pegged back, Northern Ireland struggled to get forward again. Bradley was having a quiet night and Dion Charles, surely low on confidence after a goalless start to life at Huddersfield, was unable to hold the ball up. Denmark were applying the pressure and Pierce Charles had to get down smartly to keep out Christian Norgaard's header. Then, from a corner, Ballard cleared Andersen's header off the line before Hume made another goal-line block to deny Hogsberg. It was turning into a drab match but Denmark took the lead as they cut Northern Ireland open too easily. Isaksen's low cross was deflected by both Hume and Ballard before Eriksen, who ghosted away from Shea Charles, tucked in his 45th international goal. Mika Biereth was denied a third by an offside flag and Pierce Charles was kept busy, making an excellent double save from Mathias Kvistgaarden and Morten Hjulmand late on.
