Latest news with #DivisionFour
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Wicklow Division Four semi-final line-up confirmed
Wicklow People Today at 07:30 A superlative 2-4 from Mark Murphy has helped Stratford/Grangecon into the Division Four semi-finals in the Wicklow County League. The home side had 11 points to spare over their opponents, Rathnew, on Thursday's quarter-final night, despite the spread of scorers being limited to just three players. Ross Coogan finished with 0-5 and Nick O'Neill also finished to the net to secure a 3-9 to 1-4 win in Stratford.
Leader Live
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Plenty of thrilling match-ups in North Wales league
This has been the case for Carmel & District, whose winning start to the Division Two season was ended in a tight loss to Marchwiel and Wrexham. Seeking a fifth successive triumph, Carmel were dismissed for 137, with Marchwiel reaching a winning 135 for eight. Sam Shoemark struck 55 and took 5-18 for Marchwiel, while Scott Lawrenson picked up 4-11. Jack Whitley (3-20) and Rocco Franco (61 not out) were impressive figures as Buckley made sure of a 10-wicket triumph at Llanrwst. It was also a victorious venture for Llay in their home clash versus Pwllheli and the margin of success was eight wickets. There was a tough match-up for Pontblyddyn, who suffered a 175-run reverse against Abergele. Gwil Lloyd Jones (85) helped the visitors to 265 for five, with Pontblyddyn's response being halted on 90 (Rana Das 5-5). Despite a knock of 109 from Matt Bixby, Menai Bridge Seconds lost out by two wickets to St Asaph Seconds and leaders Corwen swept to a 141-run success at Ruthin. Hawarden Park Seconds ended Division Three leaders Mold Seconds' unbeaten start to the campaign. Aiming to stretch their run of wins to five matches, Mold were bowled out for 160 (David Graham 39, Maharshi Joshi 3-20). Christopher Brooks (53) and Aled Wilkinson (35 not out) produced key contributions in Park's 162 for five (Henry Roberts 3-32). Buckley Seconds held their nerve in securing a tight two-wicket triumph at home to second-placed Denbigh Seconds, who were dismissed for 113 (Alyn Evans 4-8). Buckley replied with 114 for eight, thanks to Jack Gibson (40) and Tom Pool (29 not out). Bersham's third win of the campaign came via a five-wicket verdict over Caernarfon. Noufal Khader (4-15) and Jithin Joseph (3-3) were in the spotlight in Caernarfon's 106, before Prince Alexander struck 49 in Bersham's 107 for five. Gresford Seconds' tough trip to Bethesda Seconds resulted in a 98-run defeat. Jez Shea's 86 was the leading light in Bethesda's 254 for six (George Morris 3-63). James Griffin (52) and Morris (45) caught the eye in Gresford's ensuing 156 for five. Elsewhere, Jack Rimmington struck 127 in Llandudno Seconds' 148-run success over Abergele Seconds. A super six wins out of six belongs to Division Four front-runners Mynydd Isa & Maeshafn, who made sure of a six-wicket outcome at home to Llanrwst Seconds. Deepak Loguchetty Deenadayalu (88) and Stuart Applewhite (40 not out) led the way in the home side's 165 for three, replying to Llanrwst's 164 for five (Aled Hughes 58, Aryaman Arora 4-22). Carmel & District Seconds enjoyed a 19-run success from their trip to Marchwiel and Wrexham Seconds. Jonathan Fisher (34) top scored in Carmel's 143 for seven (Anthony Morris 3-16), before Ranjith Appuhamy (4-17) and Steven Jones (3-10) helped to make sure Marchwiel were dismissed for 124. Shins Varghese (5-17) was the top performer for Bersham Seconds in their four-wicket win at Connah's Quay Seconds (Cole Hooson 63). Gareth Parry blasted an unbeaten 101 in Brymbo Thirds' 86 run win over Ruthin Seconds, who could muster 152 for nine (Tanvee Pallath 4-30). Captain Charlie Croasdale played his part with 72 in Brymbo's 238 for three.
Leader Live
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Flintshire duo maintain top North Wales Cricket League start
Supun Eranga (52) and Nilanka De Silva (3-9) impressed as Carmel got the better of Llanrwst by 70 runs, while Buckley defeated St Asaph Seconds by 14 runs, with Chris Geary (50 not out) and Adam Shaw (4-33) in good form. Llay suffered a six-wicket reverse in their home clash versus Abergele, who compiled 161 for four. Earlier in the day, Jack Edwards (58) and Nathan Humphreys (53 not out) helped Llay to 158 for two. Marchwiel and Wrexham bagged their first win of the season via a 41-run outcome at home to Menai Bridge Seconds. Sam Shoemark's knock of 40 was the leading effort in Marchwiel's 164, while Shoemark (4-23) and Matt Lawrenson (3-18) helped to dismiss Bridge for 123. Leading the way at the top are Corwen, who thrashed Pwllheli by 136 runs, with Harry Pooler (85) and Will Roberts (4-20) impressing, while Pontblyddyn Seconds (Dave Evans 38, Fraser Keay 3-20) lost out by five wickets to Ruthin. Mold Seconds are top dogs in Division Three on the back of their seven-wicket success at Bethesda Seconds. Craig Roberts (4-12) and Chris Boulton (3-8) were superb with the ball to restrict the hosts to 77 for nine, before George Jones (50 not out) led Mold to 80 for three. James Collier (65), Ben Griffiths (40) and Graeme Bell (5-6) were in the spotlight as Gwersyllt Park made it two wins out of two with their 47-run victory versus Llandudno Seconds, while Buckley Seconds also made it back-to-back triumphs courtesy of a 48-run outcome at Conwy Seconds. Harri Weigh's sparkling 104 not out helped Buckley to amass 201 for four and Conwy's response was restricted to 153 for four (Toby Watson 80 not out, Harry Sprowell 3-23). Farhan Abdulla (43) and Salu Sebastian (4-15) caught the eye in Bersham's 70-run win over Abergele Seconds, while Hawarden Park Seconds suffered a nine-wicket reverse to Denbigh Seconds. Despite the best efforts of Harry Morris (3-15) and George Morris (58 not out), Gresford Seconds lost by 22 runs to Caernarfon. Connah's Quay Seconds got the better of Brymbo Thirds by 29 runs in Division Four. George Cottrell (55) and Andy Tilley (3-1) starred for Quay, with Tomos Rhys (3-50) doing likewise for Brymbo. Three wickets apiece from Oliver Heard-Edwards and Gareth Evans helped Marchwiel and Wrexham Seconds to a four-wicket success versus Ruthin Seconds, while Carmel & District Seconds lost out by 59 runs at Dolgellau Seconds. Hawarden Park Thirds prevailed by seven wickets in their meeting with Bala and a 50-run margin of victory went the way of Mynydd Isa & Maeshafn versus Halkyn Seconds. Stuart Applewhite (85) and Deepak Loguchetty Deenadayalu (63) were the chief contributors in the hosts' 229 (Dylan Wilson 4-22) and Callum Ferguson hit a brilliant 103 not out in Halkyn's 179 for six (MD Ziaur Rahman 4-38).
The Guardian
16-04-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Who was the first footballer to have a red card rescinded?
'Who was the first player to have a red card rescinded after a game?' asks Masai Graham. In September 1969, Northampton Town played away to Swansea in the old Division Four, which is an intro nobody expected to be reading in the year 2025. After 66 minutes their forward Frank Large, frustrated after the referee had given a free-kick against him, booted the ball into the crowd and hit a 12-year-old flush in the face. As Large walked over to apologise, Billy Carroll, a former Swansea player, ran on to the field and chinned him. Large threw hands in response and was sent off. 'That little fellow reminded me of my own son who drowned 12 years ago,' said Carroll, who wrote a letter to the FA disciplinary committee in support of Large. A month later, Large was cleared. 'Having heard the evidence, the commission is satisfied that Large acted in self-defence and was not guilty of violent conduct,' said a spokesman. 'The commission has decided that no further action be taken.' The red card wasn't officially rescinded, as far as we can tell, but this is an early example of a player avoiding a suspension after being sent off. A similar thing happened to Liverpool's Larry Lloyd. He was dismissed on the opening day of the 1972-73 season for, according to the referee's report, 'choking and kicking' the Manchester City forward Wyn Davies, who had head-butted Lloyd and was also sent off. Three months and two appeals later, Lloyd's three-match ban was quashed and the red card deemed sufficient punishment. 'We were not satisfied with the referee's report,' said Cliff Lloyd, the secretary of the Professional Footballers' Association, who was representing his namesake, 'and we were fortunate to have the film to show what happened.' As more games were filmed, the scope for retrospective acquittals – and punishments – increased. But the wheels of justice could have done with some oil. In 1989, West Ham's Mark Ward was sent off for apparently elbowing Colin Pates in an FA Cup tie against Charlton, meaning he would miss the quarter-final against Norwich. The PFA backed Ward's attempt to become have the red card overturned, and the referee Jim Ashworth said he would happily review the incident on video. But the FA's disciplinary code at that time only allowed appeals based on mistaken identity and Ward's three-match ban was upheld. After a goalless draw with Norwich, West Ham lost the quarter-final replay. A year later, at Italia 90, Fifa decided to reject Rudi Völler's appeal against his one-match suspension when he was sent off for being manhandled and spat on, twice, by Frank Rijkaard in the match against the Netherlands. 'It is not a technical error by the referee against the rules of the game,' said a Fifa spokesman. 'He judged the behaviour unsportsmanlike, ungentlemanly, that is why he showed Völler the red card.' The earliest example we can find of a red card being formally rescinded occurred the following season. On 23 December 1990, Keith Hackett sent off three players during a Division Two match between Leicester and Watford, including Leicester's acting captain, Paul Ramsey, and Watford's Keith Dublin. Leicester asked the FA to use video evidence and acquit Ramsey. Their appeal was unsuccessful; it probably didn't help that Ramsey was sent off again before the appeal was heard, which increased his ban from three matches to seven. But Dublin's red card – we're not sure what it was for – was downgraded to a yellow after Hackett watched a video of the incident. He was still banned for two games, though: the yellow card took him past the threshold for a suspension. The first case we can find in the top flight came at the end of the inaugural Premier League season in 1992-93. Coventry goal machine Mick Quinn was given a second yellow card after shoving Manchester United Peter Schmeichel to the floor. The referee Rodger Gifford thought Quinn had punched Schmeichel; when he saw it again on TV, he wrote in his report that he was wrong to show Quinn a second yellow. 'Mr Gifford informed us that he now finds it inappropriate to have cautioned Quinn on the second occasion,' said an FA spokesman. 'As a result the sending-off offence has been deleted from our records.' But not from Quinn's mind, especially after Schmeichel criticised him in a post-match interview. 'Every time I see Schmeichel's face on the telly,' he said, 'I want to kick the set in.' And that was 11 years later. 'Three players were given second yellow cards in the Crystal Palace v Brighton match,' notes Chris Carter. 'What's the highest number of red cards shown in a game where none were a straight red?' Giles Leigh is straight in with an old Knowledge favourite: the Battle of Nuremberg at the 2006 World Cup. Portugal beat the Netherlands 1-0 in a last-16 match that ended nine-a-side. All four players – Costinha and Deco for Portugal, Khalid Boulahrouz and Giovanni van Bronckhorst for the Netherlands – were shown a second yellow card. Pete Tomlin has an even earlier example, although the four second yellows weren't the only red cards of the game. In December 2003, six players were sent off during Barcelona's 3-1 win at Espanyol. Rafa Márquez, Ricardo Quaresma, Toni Soldevilla and Alberto Lopo were all booked twice; Iván de la Peña and Phillip Cocu received straight reds. In April 2009, an Athletic Bilbao side including Andoni Iraola beat Racing Santander 2-1, but nobody was talking about the goals after the game. Four players – three from Racing, one from Athletic – received second yellows. 'In total, Santander received 12 yellow cards during the game which is a La Liga record for one team in a single match,' adds Pete. 'Bilbao received a mere six yellows and one straight red card by comparison!' 'After yet another impressive season, Wrexham look likely to clinch promotion from League One to the Championship. Should that occur, and Cardiff avoid relegation in the opposite direction, there will be three Welsh sides in the Championship next season (Swansea being the third). When was the last time three or more Welsh sides were in the same division in England?' wonders Steve. Luka Modric's investment in Swansea has enhanced the feeling that Welsh club football is going places. We think the answer to Steve's question is 1994-95, when Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham were all in the third tier, then known as Division Two. Swansea finished 10th and Wrexham 13th, but Cardiff finished 22nd and were relegated. One of the few high points of their season was a 3-0 win at Wrexham in March, but Wrexham had the last word, beating Cardiff 2-1 in the Welsh Cup final. The last time there were three Welsh clubs in the second tier of English football, as could be the case next season, was 1980-81. Swansea ruined it by winning their third promotion in four years to complete a remarkable ascent to the top flight. 'Robert Lewandowski has now scored 29 goals in 29 matches against Dortmund since leaving them on a free in 2014. Are there any players that can even come close to this record against a former club?' asks Luke Shuttleworth. We had this question a few years back, when the answer was – yep – Robert Lewandowski. Here's what we published back then: Leicester probably weren't Harry Kane's employer when he joined them on loan from Spurs in 2013, but they do count as one of his former clubs. They've also become his favourite opponent: 20 goals in 20 games, including four in a 6-1 win at the King Power Stadium in May 2017. The man Kane belatedly succeeded at Bayern Munich, Robert Lewandowski, is top of this particular list. After leaving Borussia Dortmund in 2014, Lewandowski bit the hand that used to feed him 27 times in just 26 games. That's got to hurt. 'Birmingham City lost the EFL Trophy final on Sunday with a 2-0 defeat against Peterborough, just one day after being officially crowned as champions of League One,' writes Andy Palmer. 'Are there any other instances where a club has both lost and won a trophy on the same weekend?' 'When a player leaves, the club normally wishes them well. Are there any examples of clubs not wishing exiting players well, or doing so in a graceless way? What did Chelsea say when Winston Bogarde left?' asks Luke Kelly. 'Ethan Walker has four goals this season for Ayr United in the Scottish Championship. The earliest of these was scored in the 90th minute. Do any other players consistently save their contribution to so late in the game?' wonders Norman Brown. ''Willy Loman Whacks Lee Westwood Lightly With Liquorice.' That's how I'm able to remember Fulham's last eight league results,' notes Andrew Boulton. 'But can anyone provide a longer string of W-L-W-L (etc) results? I hope not, I'd have to rework my mnemonic.' Mail us with your questions and answers
BBC News
13-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
League titles for Antrim and Cavan ladies
Antrim beat fellow Ulster county Fermanagh by a score of 2-07 to 0-11 in the Ladies National Football League Division Four final, while Cavan claimed the third-tier crown with victory over Saffrons were two points behind in the 52nd minute when replacement Aoibhinn Monaghan found the net to turn the final on its head in the sides traded points in the opening minutes Maria O'Neill had found the net for with Eimear Smyth, who provided a personal haul of 0-7, in fine shooting form the Ernesiders led 0-9 to 1-3 at Devlin's 0-4 kept Antrim in touch before an eventful closing eight minutes featured not only Monaghan's crucial goal but three yellow cards, two for Fermanagh and one for were more comfortable for Cavan who enjoyed a seven-point margin of victory over Wexford in Drogheda. Their 2-10 to 0-9 win came courtesy of a goal in either half from Lauren McVeety and Ellie also provided a pair of points, while Aisling Gilsenan scored 0-3.
