Kickouts key in Tyrone v Dublin quarter-final
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BBC News
7 minutes ago
- BBC News
Doran in the running for Antrim football role
Slaughtneil boss Mark Doran has emerged a candidate for the Antrim senior football manager's Saffrons have yet to appoint a successor to Andy McEntee, whose three-year term ended following the Tailteann Cup defeat against Wexford in June, with an invitation for applications sent out in native Doran was linked to the Derry job last year following the departure of Mickey Harte but instead took up a coaching role with Roscommon under manager Davy Burke, who has since previously held a coaching role with his native Down between 2019 and 2021, whilst helping guide Ballybay to the 2022 Monaghan title as co-manager. He has also held coaching roles in Clare and Wicklow before the switch to the Rossies in 2025. He stepped down as Slaughtneil manager following their Derry SFC semi-final defeat to Glen last year but was reappointed in for the Antrim job are due to take place on Monday evening with Louth's Colin Kelly also in the managed his home county to successive promotions from Division Four and Division Three in 2016 and 2017 before spells with Westmeath, Wicklow and most recently, Cavan club side Kingscourt in the frame is former St Brigid's manager Anthony McGrath, who was a coach under Stephen Poacher in Leitrim this year, while Barry Dillon, who led Ulster University to the 2024 Sigerson Cup, has also been Bradley had been linked to the role, but last week it emerged he had withdrawn from the race.
BBC News
36 minutes ago
- BBC News
Huge relief, big losses and bolters - Ireland name World Cup squad
With Ireland's opening fixture in the Women's Rugby World Cup now less than two weeks away, head coach Scott Bemand has named his 32-player panel for the tournament in not qualifying for the tournament held in New Zealand three years ago, there has been great excitement around what players and coaches have dubbed the "green wave" building towards their first pool fixture against Japan in Northampton on 24 August. Despite losing their final warm-up fixture against Canada in Belfast on Saturday, results have trended upwards during Bemand's two years in charge of the side but, as they put the finishing touches on their preparations for the tournament, there remain a few question marks. How will injuries impact Ireland? With Ireland's squad listed in alphabetical order, fans will have needed to scroll to the very end to find the name they wanted to see. Star back row Aoife Wafer, who was named Player of the Championship in this year's Six Nations, had been a doubt with a knee injury but is loss of the number eight, who will join Harlequins after the tournament, would have been a devastating blow to Ireland's chances in isolation, but all the more so given the wider injury picture. Flanker and co-captain Edel McMahon is also included despite carrying a knock, but Ireland have far from a clean bill of health in the loose forward positions. Flanker Erin King, who was named World Rugby Women's XV's Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2024, was ruled out of the tournament in April with a knee injury sustained during the Six Nations defeat by England. Dorothy Wall, who is primarily a lock but has featured in the back row, is also missing because of an Achilles tendon injury suffered during the final round of the same the losses of King and Wall have been known for months, their absences will be no less keenly felt and what would once have been considered a real area of depth for Ireland has been stretched will depend on whether Wafer and McMahon can hit the ground running on their returns to action at the tournament."There's always a balance around who you can take and what you can't. We call them salvageable injuries," said Bemand on Saturday after the Canada defeat. "You certainly can't carry too many [players with knocks]. We know we need a squad to get out of this competition what we want out of it. "We've had to balance that in with some selections." Are there any surprises in the squad? By selecting only 37 players in a training panel in May, Scott Bemand's squad felt relatively well flagged in recent the 32 named on Monday contained some names that would have been wholly unexpected only a few weeks Boles, a back row forward who was an Olympian in sevens last summer, is included despite not being named in the initial training squad, as is full-back Meabh Deely who was listed only as a "training panelist" in May. Boles, with six caps, and Deely, who has played in 14 Tests, are however at least known quantities to the side. Prop Ellena Perry and centre Nancy McGillivray did not feel on the radar when preparations for this tournament began, yet both will travel after only making their debuts this month. Gloucester-Hartpury's Perry, 28, is a former England international and appeared off the bench in the defeat against is eligible for Ireland through her maternal grandfather and, with her last England cap coming in November 2020, can represent a second nation under World Rugby regulations because she has completed a three-year stand-down fellow front row Christy Haney ruled out with a hamstring injury picked up this month, Perry could have an important role to play at the tournament. While not capped at senior level, Exeter's Nancy McGillivray is also in the squad despite having been in the English system. After previously training with the Red Roses, McGillivray scored on her Ireland debut against Scotland in the first warm-up fixture. Both have club colleagues in the Ireland set-up but does parachuting players in so close to the tournament risk squad harmony?"If done incorrectly," said Bemand last week. "Everything has been done well, in my opinion. "So actually, transitioning in, in terms of the block that we've gone through, it's been a pre-season block. People coming in and getting touch points within pre-season blocks is actually a really healthy point to enter and it gives people time to acclimatise."It gives people time to understand what the culture is of the group. It's not just an on-pitch piece, there's an off-pitch culture where people like to be themselves and add to our wave." Is there enough experience? There was another surprise on Monday in the shape of uncapped hooker Beth Buttimer who has been included after impressing for the Ireland Under-20s this flanker Ivana Kiripati is also named having won her first two caps in this month's warm-up the whole it is a squad tending towards less experienced average number of caps in the squad is fewer than 17 and there are only six players who have appeared in more than 30 Tests. Two of that sextet, hookers Cliodhna Moloney and Neve Jones, play in the same position. After back-to-back third place finishes in the Six Nations, the first of which clinched their place at this World Cup, Bemand said his young squad are "getting used to performing with that pressure".However, with Ireland having missed out on the last World Cup - the tournament in New Zealand was played in 2022 because of the Covid-19 pandemic - hooker Cliodhna Moloney is the only member of the panel who was also in the squad for Ireland's last appearance at the tournament in 2017."Missing out on the last World Cup lit a fire in all of us," said co-captain Sam Monaghan."Getting Ireland back on the world stage means absolutely everything, it's something we have dreamed of and fought for ever since. "We're ready, and we are going to give it everything for our country."
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
'No chance' Farke is first boss sacked but Leeds 'among relegation favourites'
We asked for your views on whether Leeds are ready for the new season after the Whites completed their pre-season campaign with a 1-1 draw against AC Milan in Dublin on are some of your comments:John: Unfortunately, I think we are in for a very difficult season to remain in the Premier League. Recruitment in offensive areas is nill! If they don't spend big, I'm sure we'll go down. One thing I can guarantee: the atmosphere for every match home and away will be electric and that is why the Premier League is a better place if we can stay Defensively, we're ready, but up top we need a proven PL-level striker or we'll end up like Burnley - 0-0 draws every other week. On a slightly more serious note, I hope we give Farke a good run at it and our fans don't scream for him to be sacked three games in. We all realise it's going to be a struggle, so have some patience!Keith: Impressed by the first signings. A set of 'giants' that will make us hopefully stronger defensively, but the silence since the signing of Perri hasn't been golden. We look weak up front, not convinced with either frontman we currently have. It's amazing that we've had so much time since promotion was achieved but didn't have a plan B, C or D just in case our first option fell through - which it did. I've confidence that in the next couple of weeks we will get a full-back, winger or number 10 and a striker, but they need to get a wriggle on and not wait till the last Pre-season has been steady, but with the new signings also looking promising. We still need cover for left-back, although Pascal can play there. I get the feeling we are going to see Harry Gray get game time too. Love how most odds have Farke to be among the first to get sacked. No chance!Alex: We've built good depth in the defence with the signings of Bornauw Bijol and Gudmundsson. We've also improved the midfield with the signing of Anton Stach, who has looked good in pre-season and Sean Longstaff. They add to an already good midfield. Then, we've solved our goalkeeper problem with the signing of Lucas Perri and a new striker will improve our depth up top. Overall, I think we are ready for the Premier League and can hopefully stay up next No, we are NOT ready yet. Since Bielsa, we have failed to get in at least ONE proven Premier League-quality striker. Some good business has been done, BUT, until we have the proper goalscoring firepower, we will still be among the relegation favourites. Get a move on.
