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The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Clear gulf in class between League of Ireland and NIFL is as much about off-pitch issues as on it
MARY LOU McDONALD going on Good Morning Britain and Leo Varadkar visiting Belfast, with both talking about Irish unity, would have seemed far-fetched not long ago. But then you are reminded of the dark ages when complaints from an Orange Order lodge about the GAA's involvement led North Down Cricket Club to cancel their kids' sports camp. 2 Dundalk legend Chris Shields was one of Linfield's standout performers 2 Ali Coote scored a vital goal at Windsor Park on Wednesday And the funny thing about this week's north-south Champions League tie That is even though Chris Shields described the colour and atmosphere of the Riverside Stand at Tolka Park last week as being so good it could have been in Serbia or Montenegro. There is an all-island cup competition in the women's game — won two times in a row by Galway United — but since Kieran Lucid's proposal in 2019, little talk of it in the men's. Back then, there was opposition, principally around the potential loss of European places, but enough interest in how a new competition could generate crowds and finance. Read More On Irish Football The Covid-19 pandemic hit soon after that and the rising interest in the League of Ireland that followed saw the interest wane. But surely so did the obvious gap between the League of Ireland and Irish League at the moment. How could anyone see it any other way? Had another derby been set up, you would struggle to find anyone in Dublin, Belfast, Cork or Donegal who would predict anything other than a Hoops win. Most read in Football And while there was ultimately just one goal in it, Shelbourne were comfortable winners over two legs against Linfield over the past week. Soccer star Savy King opens up on near fatal on-field heart attack There is no delight in saying it, but the League of Ireland is years ahead of the Irish League by virtually any metric. As my colleague Neil O'Riordan Whereas all ten top-flight teams in the League of Ireland are full-time, just Linfield, Larne, Glentoran and Coleraine have that status in the Irish League. Just four east German teams have been in the Bundesliga top flight since the east and west merged which also highlights how inequalities are not levelled out easily. It is the same when it comes to media exposure. Whereas 36 games a year are broadcast down south, up north the The League of Ireland also has LOITV streaming every other game, while BBC Northern Ireland have committed to streaming a further 30 matches. WIDER PROBLEMS But the biggest stumbling block is probably not even on the pitch, it is off it. It was rather pointed over the past ten days how everyone connected with Shelbourne and Linfield ran away from any discussion about the north-south nature of the tie. Linfield boss David Healy even said after the Charity Shield against Dungannon Swifts that preceded the first leg that the club would prefer it if he did not speak about Shelbourne. The fact it is July and the lamp posts on the streets around Windsor Park are adorned with flags could explain the caution. And there is no denying that the tie — with €750,000 and a guaranteed three further rounds to make the group stages at stake — was big enough in a purely sporting sense. But the difference between sporting and sport is more than three letters. It is the difference between holding values, and knowing that rivalries matter. Being sporting means lifting someone up, where everyone knows sport is all about treading on others' toes — once it does not cross a line. But while there are songs to antagonise each other, they are largely political at the moment because of the lack of a footballing rivalry. Sure, Linfield will always draw a crowd when they head south but the Blues' favourite game would still be against Glentoran. And would a visit from Coleraine excite a League of Ireland fanbase more than a visit from Cork City or Cobh Ramblers? Not until there is a dubious winner given against you!
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Shels keep League of Ireland flag flying as ten-man Linfield rue missed chances in all-island battle
On the back of this 1-1 Windsor Park draw, with both goals in the first half, first from Scot Ali Coote for Shels and Dubliner Chris Shields for the Belfast outfit, the Reds march confidently on as their nous and superior fitness saw them finish out the second half against a ten-man Linfield. But as the Blues parachute into the Conference League, there will be huge regret in their camp, the Shels game added to the list of 'European ties that got away'. David Healy's outfit failed to make the most of a present offered up to them in each half, a dreadful slip by Reds keeper Conor Kearns and then his replacement Lorcan Healy, two chances that should have led to goals but which Linfield wasted with their lack of precision. Put those away, and Linfield would at least have made this more of a tie but having squandered those moments, the experience of Joey O'Brien's hard-working side was going to carry them through. Because the Blues could have been 3-0 up on the night before 15 minutes had gone. It took the crossbar to keep out a dangerous-looking cross from Ethan McGee, then Kirk Millar set up Matthew Fitzpatrick but he headed wide. Whatever about those moments, Linfield should definitely have found the net on 13 minutes. Kearns had time to deal with a back pass from Harry Wood but he lost concentration, and possession, and gifted the ball to Fitzpatrick but his attempt was rushed as he failed to hit the target. Shels suffered a blow on 22 minutes when captain Mark Coyle was unable to shake off the knock he'd picked up and was forced off, but still the away side came out of their shell and after chances from Tyreke Wilson and Ali Coote, they took the lead on 25 minutes. Chris Shields had saved Linfield - or so it seemed - when he blocked a shot from Wood but as the ball bounced up in the air, the clearance from McGee was unconvincing, it fell for Coote and the Scot fired home through a forest of blue shirts. Another door opened for Linfield after the half-hour mark when Shels had a second enforced substitution, Kearns joining captain Coyle in losing his fitness battle and he was replaced by Healy. It was an error by the away side that saw Linfield draw level in first half injury-time. Ethan McGee, such a threat to the Reds, whipped in a cross and defender Tyreke Wilson inexplicably put his hand up in the box, connected with the ball and he gave referee Andrew Madley the easy decision of a penalty, which Shields converted. Yet there was still more drama in the half when an immediate response from Kerr McInroy was disallowed on the back of a VAR call. The second half was only seconds old when another Shels slip gifted Linfield an opportunity, a poor touch by Healy who presented the ball to Callumn Morrison but the Scottish forward panicked, making a poor effort which the Shels substitute easily saved. ADVERTISEMENT The home side's night took another dark turn when a poor pass – this game was full of those – from Matthew Orr gave possession to Mipo Odubeko, Ben Hall went for the man not the ball to halt Odubeko and earned himself a red card. With 20 minutes on the clock Shels had those key advantages, but despite having long spells of possession against a fatiguing Linfield outfit, had to make do with their goals tally, Odubeko began to get more and more freedom as the clock counted down and could even have wrapped it up in the final minute, but Chris Johns pulled off a save to deny him. Job done, Shels' players gleefully took the tricolour thrown from the bositerous away section, trolling the home support which had in the main left, that flag now going on in the Champions League while Linfield lick their wounds. LINFIELD - Johns; Orr, Hall, East, McGee (McCollough 77); Shields, Mulgrew (Offord 77), Archer; Millar (Allen 82), Fitzpatrick, C Morrison (McKee 68). SHELBOURNE - Kearns (Healy 32); Coyle (Gannon 22), Ledwidge, Barrett; Caffrey, McInroy, Lunney, Coote (Boyd 83), Wilson (Norris 83); Wood; Odubeko.
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Linfield v Shelbourne: Dubliners take one-goal lead to Belfast in all-Ireland Champions League clash
Live | League of Ireland champions Shelbourne have a lead to defend in the second leg of their Champions League first round tie against Irish League winners Linfield. Kick-off in Belfast is 7.45pm and you can follow all the action as it happens in our liveblog below. 2 minutes ago These are two sides with storied histories, with much of the focus in the build-up to the clash centering on previous meetings between the pair, including Linfield's 2-0 victory over Shelbourne in the 2005 Setanta Cup Final a little over 20 years ago. Both sides have the chance to write a new chapter tonight with Healy and O'Brien on the respective home and away touchlines looking to make that happen for their teams. 13 minutes ago The other is Shelbourne's veteran right-back Sean Gannon, who knows all about European group stage football having savoured it both with Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk where he was a team-mate of Shields'. The 34-year-old insisted that Joey O'Brien's Shels aren't feeling any added pressure before tonight's game but that they are fuelled by motivation to get the job done given they have that slender one-goal lead from their first-leg victory in Dublin. Shelbourne don't feel added pressure… we are simply motivated to finish job against Linfield, maintains veteran Sean Gannon Shelbourne's 'senior citizen' Sean Gannon says the group need to use the rewards on offer for finishing the job against Linfield as a source of motivation rather than a reason to feel the pressure. 23 minutes ago There are two experienced campaigners back from suspension on either side, with Chris Shields coming straight back into the Linfield starting line-up after he was banned for the first leg at Tolka Park. The former Dundalk man has sampled group stage football with the Lilywhites and will hope to play an influential role for the Blues this evening having done a job in both midfield and defence for David Healy's side. Chris Shields raring to go for Linfield's Windsor duel with Shelbourne: 'I hope they think they can pass us off the park' Chris Shields says he expected Shelbourne to show their class at Tolka Park but he's backing Linfield to have the last laugh in Belfast. 49 minutes ago Let's take a look at the line-ups. Linfield: Johns; McGee, East, Hall, Orr; Archer, Mulgrew, Shields; Morrison, Fitzpatrick, Millar. Subs: Walsh, Roscoe, Whiteside, McCullough, Brown, McKay, Allen, McKee, Offord, Annett. Shelbourne: Kearns; Wilson, Ledwidge, Barrett, Caffrey; Coyle, Lunney, McInroy; Wood, Coote, Odubeko. Subs: Topcu, Healy, Gannon, Bone, Norris, Temple, Chapman, O'Sullivan, Kelly, Boyd, Martin, Ring. 59 minutes ago Hello and welcome to tonight's live blog for the Champions League First Qualifying Round second leg clash between Linfield and Shelbourne at Windsor Park. Mipo Odubeko's solitary strike for Shels in the first leg at Tolka Park is all that separates the sides prior to kick-off in this evening's second all-island showdown in Belfast, with both the defending League of Ireland champions and Irish League winners harbouring hope of progressing to the Second Round. Who will book their ticket into the next stage? Stick with us for all the action as it happens! Live Blog Software
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
What TV channel is Shelbourne vs Linfield on? Stream, kick-off time and odds for Champions League clash
THERE'S Champions League action in Ireland this evening as European qualifiers continue. 2 Mipo Odubeko was the Auld Reds' first leg hero last week 2 Linfield have an uphill task ahead of them this evening The Reds go into the fixture 1-0 up on aggregate thanks to Linfield will have former Dundalk midfielder Chris Shields available tonight having missed last week's clash through suspension. Here is everything you need to know about this evening's match-up: WHAT IS THE KICK-OFF TIME? The Champions League qualifier kicks-off at 7:45pm tonight. Read more on Irish football WHAT TV CHANNEL IS IT ON? The match is available to stream live on a Linfield-run stream on Coverage of the European crunch fixture will start at 7:30pm on SolidSport TV for the 7:45pm kick-off. Despite RTÉ showing the first leg live on RTÉ Two, tonight's clash will not be shown. BBC Northern Ireland have retained the exclusive UK television rights having shown the first leg as well. Most read in Football WHAT ARE THE ODDS? The bookmakers have the home side as slight favourites to win the match over 90 minutes at 7/4. A rare Shelbourne away win is set at 17/10 while a draw is 23/10. Donald Trump reveals he's keeping Club World Cup trophy after gatecrashing Chelsea celebrations as Blues get replica The north Dublin side are still, however, favourites to advance to round two of the Champions League qualifiers at 3/10 while the Blues are 13/5. WHAT'S BEEN SAID IN THE BUILD-UP Both sets of managers have spoken about the possibility of penalties with the match so tight after the first leg. "We will have a look and know the goalkeeper and as a staff we're aware of previous penalty takers for Shelbourne. Hopefully it doesn't come to penalties. "For both clubs, with the level of finance and the importance and magnitude of the game, (hopefully) it's not decided by a poor decision. Hopefully it goes to plan.' O'Brien's men are also practising their spot kicks as the former West Ham player reflected on his own penalty experiences. He said: 'I always think but it's mad that in most shootouts I've been involved in I've ended up taking one because you're on the pitch at the end of the game. 'If it goes to 120 minutes, it's attacking players, they're the ones who get taken off. "So when you're going around to your five, it's probably not your first five. I think with the pressure at that moment, whether you practise them or not doesn't have any bearing.' The match is set to be refereed by English Premier League referee Andrew Madley. It is set to be his third Champions League qualifier game having refereed BK Häcken vs KÍ Klaksvík in 2023 and Qarabağ FK vs Lech Poznan in 2022.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
What channel is Linfield vs Shelbourne tonight? TV and live stream info for Champions League clash
A place in the second qualifying round of the Champions League and £1.5m is up for grabs as Linfield welcome Shelbourne to Windsor Park for the crucial second leg of their first qualifying round tie. The Shels dominated possession in the first leg at Tolka Park a week ago but came away with only Mipo Odubeko's second half goal to show for their efforts. Advertisement The Blues are buoyed with the return of experienced campaigner Chris Shields following his suspension and they will be hoping their home crowd can make the difference. READ MORE: David Healy believes there's no place like home as Linfield chase more European glory READ MORE: English football giants complete move for talented Cliftonville teenager The winners will progress to face Qarabağ FK from Azerbaijan on 22/23 and 29/30 July. All is not lost for the team which loses on the night however as they will drop into the Conference League second qualifying round where they will play the losers of FK Žalgiris (LTU) and Hamrun Spartans FC (MLT) with the first leg set for 24 July and the second leg 31 July. Advertisement Here's more info on the game and how you can watch it. When and where is the game? Linfield vs Shelbourne is at Windsor Park on Wednesday night, July 16. What time is kick-off? The game kicks off at 7.45pm. How can I watch it? Viewers in Northern Ireland can watch the game via the BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app. Viewers outside of the UK can watch a live stream of the game via SolidSport TV available for £13 (€15) here. Betting odds
