‘I sat down outside for five minutes on my own just in tears. Then I phoned my parents, my family, my wife, it was all a bit of a whirlwind'
Connacht and Ireland prop is proud to represent his late grandmother as he prepares for an emotional return to Australia
Finlay Bealham is already grinning as he settles himself into a chair in the searing Portuguese heat before he begins to recount how he found out he was going to become a Lion.
Bealham reckons he hit his top speed such was the pace with which he answered his phone when he saw Andy Farrell's name flash up on the screen while he was in the middle of a heavy gym session at Connacht's training base a couple of weeks ago.
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RTÉ News
16 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Shamrock Rovers have European 'know-how' to embrace Portuguese challenge of Santa Clara
Shamrock Rovers have the European know-how to cause a potential shock against Portuguese side Santa Clara and advance past the UEFA Conference League play-off stage, according to Conan Byrne. The Hoops will have to do it the hard way against a team from one of the top leagues in Europe, however, former St Patrick's Athletic midfielder Byrne believes that Stephen Bradley's side have built up the vital experience to hand Santa Clara a tough challenge. Rovers are one of three Irish clubs in Conference League action this week as League of Ireland champions Shelbourne take on Irish League holders Linfield, and the Hoops travel away to the Azores for Thursday's first leg. As a result, the island of Ireland will be represented in this year's league phase of the competition, and the potential for two remains a strong possibility as Rovers will look to mirror last season's campaign and make it through to the 36-team format. If Rovers are to have any chance of progressing, they will need to remain in the tie away from home and hope that they can see the job to completion back on their own turf at Tallaght Stadium in the second leg. Rovers have previous in such matters and were again capable of reversing a first-leg defeat in the last round when they beat Ballkani 4-1 on aggregate. "I just love the way Shamrock Rovers play their games in Europe," said Byrne, speaking on this week's RTE Soccer Podcast. "They have the know-how now. And going away from home against Balkani and losing 1-0 in the manner that they did, to turn that around comprehensively in the second leg, it gives them so much confidence going into Santa Clara. "And playing away first is so important," added Byrne. "They can sit in, keep it tight as much as they can, and then bring it back to Tallaght. And like Stephen Bradley mentioned, it's the old cliche, but the 12th man was certainly there on Thursday night against Ballkani. "I'm sure that if the game is very much alive coming into the home leg, it'll be a massive boost to the Shamrock Rovers players. "So yeah, I do think Shamrock Rovers have a wonderful opportunity to go through." Former Rovers goalkeeper Barry Murphy was cautiously optimistic regarding his old club's chances of progression, and he emphasised the importance of the performance needed in the first leg. Murphy feels that Rovers made life difficult for themselves with a poor showing away from home in the last round and expects the Dublin club to play better this time around. "The only thing is if they play the way they played against Ballkani away from home, they'll get beaten, because they were really poor that night," said Murphy. "It's a very thin line between sitting back and soaking up pressure and getting them on the counter-attack, than going down and getting beaten. "And you're coming up against a quality side in Santa Clara. When you look throughout their team, like 17 Brazilians in that squad, and that's enough to put fear into anyone. "But listen, Santa Clara have lost their opening two league games, so if they can keep it tight over there and bring it back to Tallaght, they'll fancy beating anyone. "Rovers have that know-how just to stay in the game because they really do fancy themselves at home. You look at the results last year in Europe, kept things tight and really good home form. "I think going into this game, Rovers have that momentum; top of the league, into next round of the FAI Cup, changes made at the weekend, fresh legs coming in and they're further into their season. "So when you're looking at that, I think they've got a real good chance if they get a decent result in that first leg." Watch Shelbourne v Linfield in the Conference League play-off round on Thursday from 7.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on this game and Santa Clara v Shamrock Rovers on and the RTÉ News app
RTÉ News
a day ago
- RTÉ News
Shelbourne and Linfield set for 'phenomenal two games' according to former St Pat's midfielder Conan Byrne
Shelbourne and Linfield are set to go head-to-head in the UEFA Conference League with the winners qualifying for this season's league phase of the competition. Th all-Ireland encounter between the League of Ireland and Irish League champions brings with it the added spice that the two sides have already faced off this summer, in the early stages of the Champions League. Shelbourne won that particular encounter 2-1 on aggregate, and the Dublin side's tri-colour-waving celebrations at Windsor Park will remain fresh in the memory ahead of this week's sequel. The first leg of the mouth-watering fixture takes place at Tolka Park on Thursday evening, in front of the RTE cameras, before the tie is decided back at Windsor the following week. The overall outcome will ensure that the island of Ireland will be represented in this year's league phase of the competition with one or the other progressing, while Shamrock Rovers will also be in action at the same stage of the competition, taking on Portuguese side Santa Clara. But as Rovers play away in the opening leg on Thursday, all the drama will be in Dublin for the renewal of the rivalry between Reds and Blues. And while Shels came out on top in the July encounter, Linfield have impressed in their fixtures since that meeting and have come through two European ties to reach the final qualifier, while they also opened up the defence of their title up North with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Dungannon Swifts. Too close to call, perhaps, however, former League of Ireland stalwarts Barry Murphy and Conan Byrne both believe that Linfield will provide a much tougher test this time around. Speaking on this week's RTE Soccer Podcast, the duo outlined the reasons why they give Linfield every chance going into this re-match with a Shelbourne side who looked below par over the weekend in their FAI Cup defeat to St Patrick's Athletic. "There's no doubt about it that they've one eye on Thursday. It's such a huge opportunity for the football club to go into the group stages of competition," said Byrne, reflecting on the dismal performance at the weekend. "And it's important that all those main players stay fit. Now, I'm not saying that they didn't put their heart and soul into the game yesterday because they want to be 100% fit, but it's just a distraction. And I think it's going to be a phenomenal two games. "I'm really looking forward to both of them. And the fact that Linfield now have started off their season with a very convincing win over Dungannon and have a number of games under their belt since the last time they played, it's going to be a different spectacle completely." Murphy was in agreement with his appraisal of the famous Belfast club, emphasising the fact that Linfield will be much more up to the speed of the battle this time around. "When you look at it, they've played seven games since that second leg against Shelbourne," said Murphy. "They've had four tough European games. "They looked physically off it and they got bullied by Shelbourne in those two games. That won't happen this time around." Former Shamrock Rovers keeper Murphy also feels that Shelbourne's extensive celebrations with the travelling Tolka Park faithful on the Windsor Park turf may come back to haunt them, as he feels it will give Linfield added incentive to gain their revenge this time around. "It's not going to help them either, the way Shelbourne celebrated on the pitch," he said. "Now, listen, we've all been there. You've got to celebrate. You've got to enjoy these moments. But those are the little things that get pinned to the wall inside that Linfield dressing room. You need all the fuel you can get as a manager, and that will be pinned to the wall. 'Remember that happened. Use that as fuel going into the game on Thursday.' "But I think it's going to be an absolute cracker, and I think it's going to be a lot closer than it was the last time."
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
'We weren't boring' - Amorim proud of performance but defensive frailties remain
Premier League: Manchester Utd 0 Arsenal 1 (Calafiori 13') NEW season - same old Manchester United. Well, not quite. Defeat paid its latest unwanted visit to Old Trafford but there appears to be room for cautious optimism despite failings of old returning to undermine the start of their brave new dawn. An unfamiliar scorer sealed a familiar outcome for Arsenal. The Gunners' last four victories here spanning 24 visits have all been by a single-goal margin and they had to once again call upon the resilience of their back four, in addition to the brilliance of their goalkeeper to kick-off the campaign with a win which was just about deserved. United have splashed out in excess of £200m largely on new attacking talent in a bid to reinvigorate their quest to reinvent themselves under Ruben Amorim. There were flashes of inspiration from the likes of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in addition to a cameo from Benjamin Sesko to suggest that money has been invested wisely, despite drawing a blank for the 16th time in the last 39 league games. It was at the opposite end, with the unwanted return of the defensive frailties of last season, that proved to be the hosts' undoing to give Arsenal the early advantage they doggedly defended for the rest of the afternoon. "It's a massive win," Mikel Arteta insisted. The Arsenal head coach added: "To come here in the first fixture with the momentum they're building, we weren't at our best but we showed character and spirit. It's a result that says a lot about us. "Games are won in both boxes and that's what we did today with a goal from a corner. We know that we can be better in many respects but it's a great way to start the season." Amorim spoke enthusiastically about his side's performance, rightly asserting it 'wasn't boring'. However the outcome prevented an overly-positive analysis and the Portuguese said: "I'm proud of the guys, they were really brave in everything they did so it's congratulations for the performance if not the result. "We deserved a different outcome. We were more aggressive than last year, we showed quality on the ball and we gave it away less than last season. We weren't boring. You always felt we could create something but the bottom line is that we need to win the game." It took less than 13 minutes to burst United's bubble as they shipped a comical opener from Arsenal's first corner of a contest which maintained a pleasing flow throughout. With five towering team-mates initially stationed on the edge of the area belatedly moving with menace into the six-yard box, there was nothing more complicated from Declan Rice than delivering the set-piece under crossbar. It should have been a regulation catch for Altay Bayindir, who was deputising for the injured Andre Onana. The Turk, as Roy Keane likes to say, needed to come with violence. Instead he came bearing gifts and was easily impeded by William Saliba as the goalkeeper's ineffectual parry directed the ball to Riccardo Calafiori to head home from all of a foot out, the full-back's first in the Premier League for seven months. Amorim initially sought to defend his keeper, before seeming to back-track. He added: "When you're touching the keeper in that way I think it's hard. It's hard to be strong when you have to push to get the ball but yes, we need to be stronger in that situation." As poor as they remain in defence, United were fluid in possession and carried a discernible threat going forward in search of an equaliser. Patrick Dorgu, released down the left by Bruno Fernandes, sent an angled drive beyond David Raya which struck the foot of the keeper's right-hand post. Matheus Cunha grew into the contest, initially shooting tamely at Raya from 18 yards after a barnstorming foray from his own half saw the bustling Brazilian literally run through three Arsenal defenders before failing to make the most of the presentable chance he had worked so hard to fashion. Raya, joint winner of the Golden Glove last season, underlined his value to the visitors by applying the faintest of touches to keep out a sharp near post effort on the turn from the increasingly influential Cunha which would otherwise have found its way in at the far post. In contrast, Arsenal debutant Viktor Gyokeres, who had scored on his four previous opening day appearances for Coventry and Sporting Lisbon, had an afternoon to forget. The Sweden forward was hauled off after an anonymous hour running around to minimal effect in the Manchester sun. The hosts dominated possession without carving out a whole host of chances and Raya remained the busier of the keepers after the break, getting down well to his left to beat out Mbeumo's powerful header from an inviting Dorgu cross. United continued to press, but Arsenal are old hands at seeing out narrow victories like this. They coped comfortably enough with what the hosts could throw at them. They were, at least, applauded from the field by their supporters, who if nothing else could see the early shoots of revival. How long that takes is anyone's guess. "We did a lot of good things but it wasn't enough," Fernandes, the skipper, reflected. Manchester United (3-4-3): Bayindir 4; Yoro 6, De Ligt 6, Shaw 7 (Maguire 80, 6); Dalot 5 (Amad 55, 7), Casemiro 6 (Ugarte 65, 6), Fernandes 6, Dorgu 7; Mbeumo 7, Cunha 7, Mount 6 (Sesko 65, 7). Booked: Dorgu Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya 8; White 7 (Timber 72, 7), Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Calafiori 8 (Lewis-Skelly 72, 7); Odegaard 7, Zubimendi 5, Rice 6 (Merino 83, 6); Saka 6, Gyokeres 3 (Havertz 60, 5), Martinelli 5 (Madueke 60, 6). Booked: Calafiori, Raya. Referee: Simon Hooper
