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Belfast Telegraph
10 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Ronan Devlin sets sights on ending Erin's Own's wait for Ulster glory
The Cargin side's most recent significant achievement has been a hat-trick of Antrim titles but even this fails to satisfy the appetite of their players and fans. There has been a series of so near yet so far episodes in the Ulster Club Championship but the provincial silverware has proven to be elusive to date. Yet manager Devlin remains hopeful that the team may yet break new ground on the provincial front. The experience acquired by members of his side both at club and county levels is standing the team in good stead as they keep their sights fixed on even bigger targets. 'While it's great to win Antrim titles, we would like to have a real crack at the Ulster title," he said. 'Obviously when you move up in the provincial sphere, life can become more demanding and you have to be up for the challenge. 'We are taking nothing for granted in Antrim. Every time the county Championship comes round, it's there to be won and, while we never tire of winning, we would like to move up in the world a little but we know that this is not easy given the quality of teams you are likely to encounter.' Given their sustained period of success in Antrim, it's not surprising to discover that a solid core of experience underpins the Erin's Own side. Conhuir Johnston, Justin Crozier and Mick McCann are among the long-serving warriors who have played their hearts out for the club, while James Laverty and Eunan Quinn are others who have made an invaluable input to the team's progress over the years. John McNabb is a very competent goalkeeper, while Tomas McCann and Pat Shivers are clinical finishers who are capable of racking up impressive scoring returns and, with several players anxious to break through into the team, competition for starting places is said to be razor-sharp. There is no doubt that the Erin's Own stalwarts will be bidding to impress the new Antrim management that will be put in place and this will provide a further incentive for the players to lift their game. For the moment, though, Cargin's eyes are on St John's when they go head to head at Corrigan Park on Sunday (2.00pm).
Belfast Telegraph
10 minutes ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Veteran stars continue to prove that age is just a number
Managers may come and go but it would appear that the playing veterans are standing by their clubs and counties in the pursuit of success. When Donegal fell to Kerry in the recent All-Ireland Final, Michael Murphy (35), Patrick McBrearty (33) and Ryan McHugh (32) found themselves in the heat of the battle. With manager Jim McGuinness deploying his resources carefully from the substitutes' bench, it came as no surprise when Donegal got within four points of their opponents before Joe O'Connor put the issue well beyond doubt with his last-gasp goal. Similarly, Peter Harte (32), Mattie Donnelly (32) and Niall Morgan (34) underlined their vast experience in Tyrone's colours but could not manage to pave the way for an All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry. And Declan McCusker (32) led Fermanagh into the Tailteann Cup semi-finals, his captaincy influencing the side strongly with Cullen twins Che and Lee (33) underpinning the defence. There was no shortage of effort either from Armagh's solid core of senior citizens. Rory Grugan (33), Andrew Murnin (33), Aidan Forker (33) and Stefan Campbell (32) all put their shoulder to the wheel for the orchard county but to no avail in the end this year. Indeed, it was thought that Armagh might make it into the Final but Kerry had other ideas. Monaghan's Darren Hughes (38), Conor McManus (35) and Rory Beggan (33) have been torch-bearers for their county for upwards of 40 years in all and this underlines their outstanding service. While there has been speculation relating to players calling it a day, the fact that so many are still in action for their counties cements their loyalty and their determination to achieve success. Indeed it's because teams such as Armagh, Derry, Monaghan and Down have flirted with success lately that helps to keep them going. Armagh made the big breakthrough again in 2024 after their 2002 triumph, while Derry came close in 2022 when they lost to Galway at the semi-finmal stage. Monaghan had looked capable of mounting a challenge until they were overtaken by retirements and injuries, while Down had to be content with winning the Tailteann Cup last year — a success that sparked relief rather than ecstasy in a county that has known hard times of late. Right now, managers throughout Ulster are running the rule over players as the club championships move into full swing and, going forward, it will be more than interesting to note how many players can render the noble service their counterparts are giving of now in their bid to put their clubs and counties well and truly on the sporting map when all is said and done. Meanwhile, Armagh city club Pearse Og have taken a bold step in appointing Paul Doyle and Ger Houlahan as their management team as they being their county senior football Championship season. An indifferent All-County League campaign forced the club's committee to undertake an in-depth analysis of the overall situation and now Paul Doyle, who is principal of Armagh CBS, and Houlahan, who rendered outstanding service to the club as a player, will take up the reins. It is understood that a concerted drive is being launched with a view to enhancing the club's status going forward so that the huge volume of under-age talent will be afforded the opportunity to hone their skills. Indeed, it's the progress that is being made within the under-age sector that has prompted club officials to take the big step forward and streamline their management set-up. Pearse Og have a huge Championship showdown with Mullaghbawn on Sunday (6.30pm) and an all-out drive is being made to attract supporters to get behind the side for the big occasion.
The Independent
10 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ruben Amorim's past and present collide with Gyokeres vs Sesko battle
Ruben Amorim has spent £200m on a new forward line. He will see the player who may be the greatest advertisement for his management on the pitch on Sunday. Just not in a Manchester United shirt. Amorim's alchemy is not apparent in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo or Matheus Cunha. Not yet, anyway. But a reunion with the Arsenal debutant Viktor Gyokeres provides a comparison with Sesko, the striker he did purchase this summer. For both clubs, really, given that Arsenal's choice boiled down to the Slovenian and the Swede. They opted for the man transformed into one of Europe's hottest properties by Amorim. For United, it is an assessment of a centre-forward who has spent a week working with Amorim against one who had 16 months under his tutelage. Gyokeres scored 65 goals for the Portuguese coach in a season and a third at Sporting CP. Without that, Sesko's bow at Old Trafford on Sunday could have been for Arsenal. It wasn't a direct choice between the two for United. Amorim admires Gyokeres but they always felt his preference was to go to Arsenal. They concentrated on attainable targets. And so, instead of briefing Bruno Fernandes on how to find Gyokeres, Amorim will be using his knowledge of the striker to try and prepare Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro and co to stop him. Gyokeres is the senior figure: 27 years old to Sesko's 22, with six seasons on the books of English clubs to none. But no Premier League appearances: his only games for Brighton came in the cups. He was loaned to Swansea and Coventry, before being sold to the latter. He scored 22 goals in his last season in the Midlands. And then, transformed by Amorim, 97 in 102 games for Sporting. Amorim preferred to credit the club for the inspired decision to buy Gyokeres; indeed recruitment was headed by Hugo Viana, now Manchester City's director of football. 'In Sporting they have a very good group of scouting because they live from that, from the players they can buy and sell to survive,' he explained. Yet if he thinks the Premier League poses a new challenge for arrivals from both Germany and Portugal – 'it is a different league, the physicality is different,' he said – he alluded to Arsenal's longstanding lack of a genuine No 9 or prolific goalscorer. 'He is a very good player. He is going to give [them] different characteristics. It is going be different if it is Viktor or [Kai] Havertz [in attack] so we need to be prepared for that but it is not a surprise to see Viktor at a big club in England.' Or Sesko, given Arsenal's lengthy pursuit of him and Newcastle's bid for him. If the price RB Leipzig had long quoted, of €100m, was off-putting, it was notable that Arsenal got Gyokeres cheaper, at £54m, than United acquired Sesko, for an initial £66.3m. Add-ons could take the deal to £73.7m, or €85m. It makes him costlier even than Cunha and Mbeumo. Amorim did not shy away from the size of the fee. And yet, if Gyokeres is bought to be the finished article, Sesko is a work in progress. 'He's going to learn but he has great potential,' Amorim said. 'I can see Ben being a striker for Manchester United for a lot of years. That is why we pay so much money to have a striker that will have his history in our club.' Sesko could be United's No 9 for a decade. Yet the same was said two years ago of Rasmus Hojlund. Now he may be farmed out on loan to AC Milan. The Dane, a £72m buy, went unused in last week's friendly against Fiorentina when Mason Mount played as a false nine. Hojlund's form was mixed before Amorim's arrival but he delivered far more for Erik ten Hag. If Gyokeres is the advertisement for the Portuguese's management, Hojlund is the indictment of it. Amorim could have cited Gyokeres in his sales pitch to Sesko; he presumably did not mention Hojlund. For now, however, United can concentrate on Sesko. First impressions have been positive. 'He is always thinking about football, he's really obsessed about that and that is a good thing,' smiled Amorim. 'You don't have to think about that aspect with that young guy. I don't need to tell Ben: 'Ben, this is Manchester United, a lot of pressure, you have to perform, you need to be ready for the physicality…' With that guy I don't have that concern. I have the opposite: enjoy [it] a little bit.' United hope they will enjoy Sesko's stay; his history, as Amorim put it. If a player who scored 13 league goals last season is one for the future, a man who got 39 is bought for the here and now, for a title challenge. 'I can only say how happy we are to have him,' said Arteta of Gyokeres. 'He is going to have a tremendous impact in the team and his adaptation has been really, really good. It's for us creating the right context for Viktor to do what he does the best, which is to score goals.' And in large numbers. For the forward Arsenal could have signed and the attacker they did, a debut goal would feel auspicious. It has been the summer of the striking buy in the Premier League. Amorim shaped one and signed another. And on Sunday, he could be harmed by his past or revelling in his present.
