Colm Keys: Joy in Jim McGuinness's All-Ireland misfortune belies journey he has led Donegal on
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Irish Independent
2 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
‘Incredible' Ava Canning stars in Ireland's opening T20 success against Pakistan
The Girls in Green were bowled out for 142 and after a solid powerplay from the visitors the momentum swung to the home side as Leinster medium-pacer Canning and leg-spinner Cara Murray turned the screw. Canning bowled her four overs off the reel, including a maiden, and Pakistan had no answer to her stock ball which is delivered from wide of the crease and swings into the batter, with a packed off-side field. Orla Prendergast took wickets at the top and bottom of the innings for figures of 3-28 which allied to 29 runs with the bat won her the player-of-the-match award. 'Ava's was an incredible spell,' Prendergast said. 'Four overs on the trot and one of those at the end of the powerplay – which is always the trickiest to bowl. 'She gave them very little width and really attacked the stumps which is what she was asked to do. 'Clontarf is a hard ground to defend a score on because shots run away to the boundary that wouldn't on other grounds.' Amy Hunter top-scored with 37 from 30 balls, including five boundaries, but Leah Paul was the pick of the batters, playing a gloriously impudent reverse sweep in her 28 off 19, while Laura Delany hit the only six of the innings. The victory stretched Ireland's winning streak in T20 internationals to eight and skipper Gaby Lewis is targeting another clean sweep with matches to follow at Castle Avenue on Friday and on Sunday. 'We can't get complacent, we have to keep improving,' Lewis said. 'Yeah, we got the win but we're looking to take a 3-0 here and we're very confident we can do that.'
Irish Daily Mirror
31 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he could have been Ireland manager after Stephen Kenny
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that he could have succeeded Stephen Kenny as Ireland boss. The two managers go head-to-head at Tallaght Stadium on Thursday night when St Pat's host Turkish giants Besiktas in the Europa Conference League third qualifying round. Manchester United legend Solskjaer was briefly linked with the vacant Ireland job last year, following Kenny's departure. At the time, the Norwegian played down the links and the FAI ended up appointing Heimir Hallgrimsson as Kenny's successor in July 2024. But on Wednesday evening, Solskjaer confirmed he was in talks about the job. Besiktas boss Solskjaer said: "Yeah, I had some good conversations. But in the end it didn't turn out that way and I'm happy where I am now.' Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . Asked how far the discussions went with the FAI, he said: 'That would be confidential. We had some good chats. After him (Kenny), the Irish FA asked me if I wanted to be their coach.' Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Tallaght Stadium ahead of St Pat's v Besiktas (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne) Solskjaer took charge of Besiktas in January this year, but he is under fire following the recent 6-2 aggregate Europa League defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk. 'Pressure is a privilege, it's something we thrive on,' said Solskjaer ahead of Thursday's game with 7,000 tickets sold as of Wednesday evening, and heading towards a sellout. 'We need it to play at our best. When results go against you, you don't enjoy that period but it's a chance to show character, show individual character. 'It's a bumpy road football, and you have to manoeuvre it and accept it. If you don't get results, there will be criticism, if you win every day you are still not perfect. 'We're in all these competitions to win every single game and we want to go as far in this one, to the final, that is our dream.' St Pat's boss Stephen Kenny knows his side are big outsiders to progress over two legs and reach the playoffs. Today, ex-Ireland boss Kenny said: 'It would be one of the great victories in Irish football history if we could do it. But obviously it's a big challenge and Beşiktaş have a tremendous tradition and are an institution in Turkey, a big club.' Yet Solskjaer is just as wary of St Pat's, and not least having held their Turkish league rivals Istanbul Basaksehir to a scoreless draw here in Europe last summer. 'If you think we think we are better than them, you're wrong,' he said in Tallaght last night. 'We respect absolutely every opponent, I'm sure they want to win, expect to win. 'Last year they got one step further than this, so I wouldn't call anything a free hit in football anymore.' And former Red Devils striker Solskjaer is up to speed on the threat that teenage striker Mason Melia - who is joining Tottenham in January - possesses. 'When you perform at that level at 17, of course (you notice). We see his movement, his goal against Waterford, the way he spun off a centre back and timed his run,' he added. 'I don't want to put pressure on him, but I always follow young players. I've got a few decent players from Ireland that I played with, so I'm fond of Irish players. 'But he reminds me of a proper No. 9. He can play off the shoulder, he likes to come short as well and he's a good finisher. He's got the world ahead of ahead of him and I wish him all the best, but after the next eight or nine days!.' Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
Irish Independent
32 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Declan Darcy the frontrunner to become Dublin's new senior football manager
Speculation has intensified this week that Declan Darcy is the frontrunner to become Dublin's next senior football manager. The former Leitrim and Dublin footballer was a key backroom figure during the Jim Gavin era, serving as selector and defensive coach in a glittering seven-year period that yielded six All-Ireland SFC titles between 2013 and '19.
