Latest news with #Dubliners
RTÉ News
11 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
St Patrick's Athletic come back from the brink in Estonia to set up Besiktas clash
Turkish powerhouse Besiktas await St Patrick's Athletic in the third qualifying round of the Europa Conference League after a night of remarkable drama in the rain in Estonia. Leading 1-0 from a first leg they dominated and which saw Kalju have two players sent off, goals either side of the break here from Ivan Patrikejevs and Mattias Mannilaan saw a dramatic swing in the narrative, with Saints' poor season seemingly going further downhill. And just as what would have been a truly dismal defeat seemed inevitable, skipper Joe Redmond popped up with a goal in injury time to force extra half hour, three minutes into which Jake Mulraney put St Pat's 3-2 in front on aggregate. Saints played Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir 12 months ago, and can look forward to building more great intangible momentum in European combat, despite a laboured domestic campaign. The Dubliners pushed hard for what would have been a leveller over the two legs and Redmond stepped up when his leadership was desperately needed. One felt they would get the job done in extra-time and, while Mulraney's goal seemed a fluke, there was no doubt about it, Saints deserved to go through. Mason Melia was subbed off at half-time by Stephen Kenny and his replacement, Aidan Keena, suffered an injury that saw him limp off at a key juncture – a grim night all round looked likely as the skies opened in Tallinn. Now, re-energised, they focus again on their league campaign, with a visit to Waterford on Sunday preceding a glamour tie against the Turkish giants. With away goals irrelevant these days, a 1-0 lead from Dublin far from guaranteed Saints a place in the next round, but they were much the better team last week and began positively. Mulraney, who came in for the injured Zack Elbouzedi (shoulder), worked goalkeeper Maksim Pavlov five minutes in after a sweet pass from Jamie Lennon, before Melia might have done better on 12 minutes. A feature of Inchicore was the persistent fouling of the Estonians and Lennon felt obliged to talk to whistler Menelaos Antoniou 15 minutes in, again Kalju's discipline was badly lacking, but as yet the Cypriot referee had not reached for a yellow. Mulraney was lively early and flashed across the box but Pavlov was not troubled, the small home crowd having little about which to cheer. And the winger swung over a gorgeous cross on 19 minutes which Melia seemed set to meet, only for Uku Korre's intervention to prevent a likely Saints opener. Kenny's side had a definite shout for a penalty midway through the half, Aleksandr Nikolajev bundling Kian Leavy over, and by 25 minutes the home side had two players booked. Melia combined with Mulraney 12 minutes before the break and the latter was just about to fire at goal when Korre sniffed the danger. Then Simon Power, quiet so far, twisted and turned down the left, only for Melia to narrowly miss his cross. Finally, on 40 minutes, Joseph Anang was rendered relevant, though he was happy to deal with a speculative Korre drive – the first offering of note from an extremely limited Kalju team. But with the break looming, Pat's went behind. A nice passing move exposed the visitors, with a beautiful ball down the line from Nikia Ivanov releasing Kristjan Kask who squared for Patrikejevs, who evaded Barry Bagley and slotted home nicely with his left foot. Redmond will feel he could have defended the situation far more conservatively in the circumstances. Melia's curler was always going wide in the last minute of the half, after which Pat's will wonder how they were behind. And there was another defensive malfunction for the Estonians' second goal on 49 minutes. Ivanov again showed his quality with a floating cross but Tom Grivosti ended up left to mark two men, one of whom – Mannilaan – headed in, giving Anang no chance. Ivanov was lucky not to see yellow for a second time for a fou on Ryan McLaughlin, with Chris Forrester introduced to avert a disastrous defeat for Pat's. Almost immediately he showed why with a beautiful ball for Power, who failed to make the most of it. Then Aidan Keena curled a cracking shot that Pavlov tipped around the post, with Kenny subsequently booked after Pat's rightly had penalty claims turned down following a potential hand-ball in the box. Keena has had a frustrating couple of months but he seemed intent on making his mark here and he forced another save from Pavlov with a strong drive outside the box on 63 minutes, the Saints' pressure increasing – but they did look vulnerable on the break. Keena only lasted until the 71st minute, an injury to his right leg a killer blow as he was Saints' main threat, with Brandon Kavanagh coming in for Kian Leavy and making a huge difference. A lovely one-two between Forrester and Kavanagh caused chaos on 75 minutes, with McLaughlin's shot blocked and Jamie Lennon's likewise. Then the hosts looked for a third, with Guilherme Smith forcing a good save from Anang. If Redmond was having a frustrating night, he played the role of the inspirational skipper with his goal as Saints faced a disastrous defeat in the face. A tame Mulraney free was batted right back into the danger zone by Pavlov, with Redmond showing the composure of a striker to restore parity over 180 minutes. Just as extra-time commenced, the humidity gave way to a downpour, and Pat's were singing in the rain within three minutes of the final half hour. Mulraney deserved a goal for his efforts on the night and, while it seems highly probable that a bad cross was made to look like a world-class strike on the right wing, he celebrated in a manner befitting that they all count and this one was truly massive for Saints. The pitch was becoming waterlogged and either side of the border of unplayable, with substitute Anto Breslin penalised for a foul right at the edge of the box on 117 minutes. And like skipper Redmond in Saints' time of need, Anang stepped up and smothered the ball from the free-kick. Saints showed composure to see it out in what may prove to be a massive moment in the latest chapter of Stephen Kenny's story. Nomme Kalju: Maksim Pavlov; Daniil Tarassenkov, Uku Korre, Moudou Tambedou, Aleksandr Nikolajev; Oleksandr Musolitin (Mihhail Orlov 106); Ivan Patrikejevs (Tiago Baptista 106), Nikita Ivanov (Pavel Marin 80), Kristjan Kask (Enrique Esono 96); Mattias Mannilaan, Guilherme Smith (Ibrahim Jabir 87). Saint Patrick's Athletic: Joseph Anang; Ryan McLaughlin, Tom Grivosti, Joe Redmond, Jason McClelland (Anto Breslin 96); Barry Baggley (Chris Forrester 51), Jamie Lennon, Kian Leavy (Brandon Kavanagh 72); Jake Mulraney (Al Amin Kazeem 106), Mason Melia (Aidan Keena 46, Conor Carty 72), Simon Power.
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Kind pedestrians and cyclists given 'I'm sound' badges by Dublin City Council
A bunch of kind pedestrians and cyclists were awarded badges by Dublin City Council's 'soundness detectors' on Wednesday. As part of its public awareness campaign 'Be Sound This Summer', the council renewed its appeal for all road and path users to be more respectful of others. And pedestrians, cyclists and drivers that looked out for others and prioritised safety in the city centre on Wednesday were awarded with an 'I'm Sound' badge. Through social media videos, the council is encouraging people to stop hogging lanes, breaking lights or dangerously dashing. Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam, said: "As a city, we're working to make travel safer, cleaner and more connected — not just through infrastructure, but through how we treat one another. ''Be Sound This Summer' is about recognising and celebrating those small, everyday actions that make our streets safer and more respectful for everyone. By adding a bit of fun and positivity to the message, we're encouraging all road users to look out for each other. Whatever way you travel, being sound goes a long way.' Active travel, such as walking and cycling, plays a central role in how Dubliners get around the city. On average, people split their weekly transport time almost evenly between walking or wheeling (41 per cent) and driving (40 per cent), with a further 19 per cent spent cycling, according to the Your Dublin Your Voice survey. In Dublin, 71 per cent of adults walk five or more days a week, while 47 per cent use a car five or more days a week. One in four adults say they cycle at least once a week. According to the Walking and Cycling Index, 530,000 cars are taken off the road every day in the Dublin Metropolitan Area because of those who decide to walk and cycle. If these cars were all in a traffic jam, it would tail back 2,500 kilometres, equivalent to over nine times the distance from Dublin City to Cork City. Over half a million fewer cars on the road generates an annual benefit of €2.39 billion for individuals and the wider city. It also prevents 3,655 serious long-term health conditions each year and saves the health service approximately €64.5 million - equivalent to over 1.17 million GP appointments. Those walking and cycling instead of driving also save greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 1.69 million flights from Dublin Airport to London Heathrow Airport. A bicycle traffic light in Dublin There has been a large increase in older residents engaging in active travel in recent years. Some 74 per cent of Dublin residents aged over 66 now walk or wheel at least five days a week, up from 54 per cent in 2021, and 12 per cent of residents aged over 66 cycle at least once a week, up from 10 per cent in 2021. Dublin City Council said it will continue to roll out dedicated infrastructure across the city to keep this momentum up and encourage people to walk and cycle. Within the next four weeks, three active travel schemes will be completed across the city, including the Ranelagh Village interim scheme, Beatty's Avenue to Herbert Park (part of the Dodder Greenway) scheme and the Royal Canal Phase 3 scheme. Director of Dublin City Council's active travel programme office, Christopher K Manzira, said: 'With more people choosing to travel actively across the city, we all have a shared responsibility to look out for one another. 'Be Sound' is a reminder that safety and respect are essential on our streets. "Whether you're walking to the shop, wheeling to work, or driving through town, a little soundness can make a big difference. The data shows that active travel benefits us all, from reducing emissions to easing congestion as well as the additional health benefits. We want everyone to feel confident and safe doing so.' Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Much-changed Shelbourne exit Champions League but regain pride after narrow loss to Qarabag in Baku
Shelbourne's adventure in the UEFA Champions League came to an end with a 1-0 (4-0 aggregate) defeat to Qarabag at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku. A James Norris own-goal was the Dubliners undoing on a night that saw Wessel Speel announce his arrival at the League of Ireland champions by saving a second-half penalty from Kady. The Reds are now into the Europa League qualifiers and are drawn to play the losers of the tie between HNK Rijeka of Croatia and Bulgarian heavyweights Ludogorets, knowing they are guaranteed a place in the Conference League play-off round. Shels were attempting the impossible trying to overturn a three-goal deficit away from home, and Joey O'Brien kept just three players from the first leg at Tolka Park. Kameron Ledwidge, Kerr McInroy, and Ademipo Odubeko all started on a night that saw Speel make his Shelbourne debut after joining the club on loan from Minnesota United. What played out was a predictable affair, with Qarabag dominating possession and the League of Ireland side focused on keeping it tight while players like Pedro Bicalho and Kady tried their luck early on. The Reds only got forward once by going long and John Martin was able to knock the ball on, but Odubeko was unable to get to it. The Republic of Ireland U21 international did get in to shoot before the half-hour mark and his effort went wide in a rare moment of attacking flurry for the Dubliners. Qarabag retaliated by strengthening their hold over the pace of the game and with that came the opening goal, from a corner and turned in by Norris in the 44th minute. Shelbourne fully went for it after the restart, beginning with a John Martin header getting cleared by the home side. Norris also got through during this burst and set up Kerr McInroy for a shot that went straight at Mateusz Kochalski. At the other end of the pitch, Emmanuel Addai went for goal from distance and was denied by a stern save from Speel in the 59th minute. O'Brien responded by making a triple substitution that bringing on Sean Boyd, JJ Lunney, and Harry Wood for Odubeko, McInroy, and Martin. Qarabağ won a penalty off a Ledwidge handball just as the trio settled and there was relief for Shelbourne as Speel denied Kady in the 68th minute. That was it – there was no great drama as the home side comfortably booked their place in the third round qualifiers. Qarabağ FK: Mateusz Kochalski, Matheus Silva, Bahlul Mustafazade, Kevin Medina (Samy Mmaee 72), Elvin Jafarquliyev (Tural Bayramov 80), Pedro Bicalho, Kady (Olexiy Kashchuk 80), Leonardo Andrade, Emmanuel Addai, Abdellah Zoubir (Chris Kouakou 72), Nariman Akhundzade (Musa Gurbanli 72). Shelbourne: Wessel Speel, Lewis Temple, Sam Bone, James Norris (Evan Caffrey 71), Kameron Ledwidge, Daniel Kelly, Mark Coyle, Elis Chapman (Ali Coote 80), Ademipo Odubeko (Sean Boyd 62), Kerr McInroy (JJ Lunney 62), John Martin (Harry Wood 62).
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Shelbourne bow out of Champions League after own-goal ends faint hopes against Qarabag
But after a sobering end to the first leg removed any suspense from their Champions League tie with Qarabag, Joey O'Brien used the return leg as preparation for the road ahead in more ways than one and yet still managed to escape serious damage. The only goal of the game on a draining evening in Baku was scored by a Shelbourne player. Unfortunately, it was John Martin turning a first-half cross into his own goal, a frustration for the visitors given that they restricted the favourites to a handful of clearcut opportunities. Eight changes to the starting team reflected that O'Brien had one eye on a busy seven days featuring a league game against Sligo Rovers on Saturday and a crucial away tie in the Europa League parachute round next Wednesday against either Rijeka or Ludogorets. Therefore, he rotated options and rested some important legs, a risk against a quality opponent playing in front of an expectant crowd. But Qarabag were content enough with the general situation and while a makeshift Shels side acquitted themselves well, and could have nicked a draw on the night with Kerr McInroy and Daniel Kelly missing second-half chances – an important caveat is that Gurban Gurbanov's experienced outfit never needed to go up another gear either. They also missed a second-half penalty, with Shels debutant Wessel Speel, the Dutchman on loan from Minnesota United, getting down well to save from Kady Borges. It was a poor spot-kick, but Speel was solid overall and has put himself in line for involvement in a crucial few weeks where the Dubliners have two more chances to book a €4m league phase ticket. He will likely be protected by a different defence when it comes to the real money matches. Paddy Barrett and Sean Gannon were given the night off, with Sam Bone coming into the middle of a back three and youngster Lewis Temple trusted on the right. Kameron Ledwidge was retained after a tricky ending to last week's three-goal defeat, with McInroy and Mipo Odubeko the only other starters to be selected again. There wasn't much in the match with Qarabag controlling the ball without necessarily being incisive until their 42nd minute breakthrough, a goal that arose from their first corner. ADVERTISEMENT It was worked short, with the patient Borges drawing in Mark Coyle before nipping away from the Shels skipper and sending in a dangerous cross that Martin turned into his own net as he struggled to get himself out of the way. That was a tough blow to take for Shels with the badly needed interval recharge in sight, but they resumed sprightly enough and created their best chance of the match when James Norris raided down the flank and pulled the ball back for McInroy, who should really have done better on his favoured left foot from ten yards. Qarabag were sparked into life by the let-off as both benches prepared multiple changes and the spot-kick was forced by a moderate spell of pressure with Ledwidge punished for a handball as he raised an arm in an attempt to block a cross. Borges lacked conviction from the spot and Speel did enough to push it away. He had made a better stop just beforehand when a deflection off Bone added difficulty to another shot from outside the area. Opportunities inside the box were in short supply, with the Shels stand-ins performing well without the ball. They lasted the duration as O'Brien swapped his other options around ahead of him, ensuring that none of his key men were active for the full ninety minutes. Kelly could have grabbed an equaliser at the death but fired over the bar when he had more time to pick his spot. It would have been a nice moment for the group, but meaningless in the broader picture. Next Wednesday is what really matters. Qarabag: Kochalski, Silva, Mustafazada, Medina (Mmaee 72), Cafarquilyev (Bayramov 80); Bicalho, Borges (Kashchuk 80); Andrade, Addai, Zoubir (Kouakou 72); Akhundzade (Gurbanli 72) Shelbourne: Speel, Temple, Bone, Ledwidge; Kelly, Coyle, Chapman (Coote 80), Norris (Caffrey 71); McInroy (Lunney 62); Odubeko (Boyd 62), Martin (Wood 62) Ref: A Colombo (Italy)
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Independent
Dublin's Hugh Lane Gallery to close for ‘at least 3 years'
It was announced today that the art gallery is set to close its doors for a planned refurbishment, alongside the construction of a new city library for Dublin. Hugh Lane Gallery was founded in 1908 by Sir Hugh Lane and his supporters, who donated a collection of late nineteenth and early twentieth-century European art to Dublin. It is the oldest extant 20th-century public modern art gallery. A council spokesperson said the gallery would close its doors to the public on September 28 to 'facilitate renovation and safe removal of the gallery's collection'. 'It is expected to remain closed for at least 3 years,' they added. The planned refurbishment is a part of a major investment in Parnell Square North, which will transform the square into a 'significant cultural quarter' set to enrich the experience of Dubliners and its visitors. 'The refurbishment will upgrade the original 1930s wing to 21st-century museum standards of security and environmental controls,' a statement from Dublin City Council said. 'It will ensure the preservation of the collection for future generations and will enhance our ability to secure significant international loans for major temporary exhibitions. 'The refurbishment will also include a direct link between the gallery and the new Dublin City library, creating a unique cultural experience across art and literature. 'The Hugh Lane Gallery conservation team is working hard to safely pack and transport the gallery's renowned collection to museum-standard storage facilities. 'This ensures the public's collection is being cared for to the highest standards and will be ready for display when the gallery reopens. 'Francis Bacon's Studio will be fully protected throughout the temporary closure period and will remain on-site,' the statement added.
