Conference League play-off explainer: How Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers can unlock €7.5m European bounty
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Extra.ie
2 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Sky pundit angers fans after calling Keith Andrews 'British'
Sky Sports pundit and former Tottenham Hotspur defender Michael Dawson triggered a familiar nerve among Ireland fans on Saturday. Dawson mistakenly labelled Keith Andrews as 'British' while discussing how he might get on as the new Brentford boss. Andrews, who earned 35 caps for Ireland during his playing days, endured a 3-1 defeat away to Nottingham Forest in his first game as a Premier League manager. Michael Dawson sparked fury among Ireland fans. Pic: Visionhaus/Getty Images During the pre-match discussion on Sky Sports, Dawson remarked that Andrews getting the nod to replace Thomas Frank at Brentford was a 'new British manager getting an opportunity in the Premier League'. Unsurprisingly, the ex-Hull City defender's comment sparked a bit of irritation among Irish football fans and they made sure to vent their frustration on social media. One user wrote: 'Michael Dawson referred to Keith Andrews as a 'British manager' on Sky Sports today. Thought Sky Sports like to educate people on this matter or maybe that's just for the Irish women's team. Dawson and Sky Sports, clowns.' Another said: 'FYI Michael Dawson: Keith Andrews is Irish, not British! What is it about Sky Sports News getting things like that wrong?' A third added: 'Michael Dawson just said with reference to Keith Andrews that it's great to see a 'new British manager getting an opportunity in the Premier League'. Daft in this day and age really.' One other person saw the lighter side of it and quipped: 'We need Clinton Morrison to start calling the likes of Eddie Howe Irish.' Andrews will no doubt have more to worry about than pundits getting his nationality wrong after his opening day anguish against Forest. There were question marks about the Dubliner's appointment at the club with fans immediately presuming his lack of experience won't get him far. Andrews joined Brentford in July 2024 as a set-piece coach and was promoted to the major role after Thomas Frank's departure this summer. However, conceding from a corner five minutes into his first match set an ominous tone for a new manager whose specialty was set-pieces. Andrews has had a tough start at Brentford. Pic:Fans have not held back their criticism of the 44-year-old online. One said: 'Keith Andrews will be the first PL manager sacked this season. Completely out of his depth and everyone knew it back in June when he was appointed.' Another wrote: 'Get Keith Andrews the f*** out of here. An absolute joke of an appointment by Brentford. Feel sorry for their players and fans.' A third simply added: 'Brentford are playing like a team managed by Keith Andrews.' In fairness to Andrews, he was handed a pretty nightmarish task replacing Frank at the club. Not only did the long-serving boss depart but Brentford also lost two key players with star man Bryan Mbeumo moving to Manchester United and captain Christian Norgaard heading to Arsenal. On top of these, talented striker Yoane Wissa is heavily linked with a move to Newcastle and is essentially unavailable for selection until the move is complete. A couple of fans shared sympathy for Andrews, understanding the immediate obstacles thrust upon him. One fan said: 'Felt sorry for Keith Andrews. He clearly wanted Wissa in his squad and in his team today but he's obviously not in the right frame of mind after being tapped up. He wants the situation sorted. I don't understand why Newcastle don't just pay the asking price and get it over with.' Another agreed: 'Keith Andrews looked gutted today. He really wanted Wissa to play … it could have made a big difference. Now he has to replace him, so selling him quickly is a must.'
The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
County Louth duo selected on Walker Cup team that includes Ian Poulter's son
TWO IRISH GOLFERS have been selected to play in the 50th Walker Cup next month as part of the Great Britain and Ireland side that will take on the USA. The GB & Ireland team will face the USA selection in California at Cypress Point on the Monterey Peninsula on the weekend of 6-7 September. The County Louth GC pair of Stuart Grehan and Gavin Tiernan have both been picked while Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) will be first reserve for the biennial match. Advertisement Grehan was successful at Westport this weekend as he won the Irish Men's Amateur Close Championship, following up his Irish Men's Amateur Open Championship success from Seapoint earlier this summer. Tiernan has also had a phenomenal season with the highlight coming at Royal St George's when he made it all the way to the final of the 130th R&A Amateur Championship before losing to American Ethan Fang, who will be part of the USA outfit. Gavin Tiernan. Grehan and Tiernan's team-mates in the 10-man squad will include Luke Poulter, son of Ryder Cup player Ian, and Scottish player Niall Shiels Donegan who reached the semi-finals of the US Amateur over the weekend. Amazing news!! Huge congratulations to Stuart and Gavin 👏👏👏 — County Louth GC (@CountyLouthGC) August 18, 2025 GB & Ireland Walker Cup Team
Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Robbie Keane's Champions League dates with destiny await
Had Damien Duff not walked away before Shelbourne's European odyssey, his old Ireland partner Robbie Keane might be on the phone this week seeking insider knowledge. Ferencváros are 180 minutes away from progressing into the league phase of the Champions League for the first time in five years. Keane is at the helm and blocking their path are Qarabag. They're the Azerbaijani side that tumbled Shelbourne from the Champions League into the Europa with a 4-0 aggregate victory. Duff was still in charge of Shels when they were drawn against Linfield in the competition, ironically the team they must beat again to sample league stage involvement in the Conference League. Joey O'Brien stepped up when his boss Duff quit in June and, although he's a past Ireland colleague of Keane's too, the rapport Keane had with the latter was foremost to qualifying for a World Cup and Euros over a decade as Ireland's leading lights. Confronting Keane is an opportunity to cement himself in the Ferencváros hotseat. He delivered what was expected after being appointed in January by overseeing their club's eighth Hungarian title in a row but it's on the European stage the owners harbour ambitions of making their mark. That was evidenced by Keane selecting a second string for Saturday's league game. It resulted in the first defeat of their title defence, against rivals Puskás Akadémia too, but it was felt both a necessary and tolerable action given Qarabag go into Tuesday's first leg fresh from a weekend postponement. Prize-money rising to €20m and eight games in Uefa's premier club competition are on the line. 'I rested ten men against the Puskás Academy and we could have won if we had taken advantage of our opportunities,' said Ireland's record goalscorer at Monday's pre-match press conference. 'But that is in the past, let's leave it behind us. This is a completely different series than the league - everyone is talking about how this match is more important than anything else. "This is a big opportunity for our club because in recent years it has not had such a major chance to get into the Champions League. 'There's a huge motivation for both players and coaches to enter the highest level." By beating Ludogorets in last week's second leg, following a scoreless first 90, Keane's side have the parachute of Europa League involvement. Nevertheless, dining at the top table is what's driving the 45-year-old. Trophies were delivered during his first standalone role at Maccabi Tel Aviv, bringing eventual winners Olympiacos to extra-time in the last-16 of the Conference League, but the political backdrop influenced his decision to quit Israel. He was back on the managerial circuit six months later and has moulded an exciting team that features a sprinkling of Hungarian players Ireland will likely face in the opening World Cup qualifier in Dublin on September 6. Teenager Alex Tóth has become a target for German and Italian clubs through his midfield brilliance while 20-year-old striker Zsombor Gruber has begun the season ablaze. Veteran forward Barnabás Varga bagged a brace against the Bulgarian champions last week. Keane also has within his armoury a player he briefly crossed paths with in the Ireland squad. Callum O'Dowda was last month recruited from Brian Barry Murphy's Cardiff City, slotting straight into a left-sided role. Qarabag dumped Ferencváros out of Europe in 2022 but Keane offered a typically forthright answer when asked about it influencing this outcome. 'Why would I watch a match from three years ago!? No previous James Bond movie will be the same as the next. 'I've watched Qarabag's current matches, which are relevant. The teams are very even but I'll keep what I told my players to myself. 'I don't want to spill any information because the opposing head coach is definitely listening to the press conference. 'There are elements of the game that we need to improve on, both individually and as a team, but the most important thing will be not to concede a goal. This could be the key to progressing from this tie." Keane has his GoldenEye firmly fixed in a View to a Kill. UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAY-OFF, FIRST LEG Ferencváros TC v Qarabag, Groupama Aréna, Budapest (Tuesday 8pm, Irish time)
