Latest news with #Gravediggers
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hibs in 'better' vow ahead of UEFA Conference League clash at Easter Road
David Gray's men hold 2-0 lead from win over Partizan in Belgrade Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hibs boss David Gray admits his team will need to show a dramatic improvement if they're to avoid a UEFA Conference League shock at home to Partizan on Thursday night. But he has promised that his team 'WILL be better' after recovering from the blow of dropping Scottish Premiership points at home to Kilmarnock on Sunday. Gray's men were hugely impressive in Belgrade last week, staring down the bedlam of nearly 25,000 Serbian fans – nicknamed the Gravediggers – to bury Partizan on their home turf. Two unanswered goals from Martin Boyle, taking his overall total for Hibs to 101 not out, saw the Scots run out comfortable winners on a sweltering night in the Balkans. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Although they maintained a lot of that momentum from the outset against Killie at Easter Road on Sunday, roaring into a 2-0 lead with just over 25 minutes gone, they faded badly in a game that ended in a 2-2 draw. Gray knows that a repeat of that performance will put his team's hopes of reaching the UEFA Conference League play-offs at serious risk. 'I think we need to be better in terms of the concentration, in terms of the quality on the ball,' he admitted, the former club captain adding: 'But it's not something I've labelled the players at all for a long time now. 'We will be better. We know we need to improve from Sunday's performance. But I'll also be very quick to remind them of the first half performance and the quality within that as well. As I've just said, one positive, to be honest, is then you don't go and lose the game. Fans proved mettle amid Midtjylland heartache 'I'm not going to get too carried away. Yes, it's two points dropped, and it really feels that way just now from the position we put ourselves in. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But, as the Premiership has obviously demonstrated, it's a difficult league. Anyone can beat anyone. So, we need to be at our very best for 90 minutes every week.' Thursday night's contest will be a second big European night of the season for Hibs, who pushed veteran UEFA campaigners Midtjylland all the way to extra time before suffering late, late heartache by dint of a world-class finish in the second leg of their Europa League second qualifying round tie. Easter Road is heading towards a sell-out again for this contest, made suddenly more interesting by Partizan racking up a 7-2 win on domestic business at the weekend. Gray said: 'Thursday is a brilliant one to look forward to. The crowd will be right there again. Full house at Easter Road. 'European nights, under the lights. So, it's a brilliant game to come next, off the back of how we were feeling after Kilmarnock.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With a 2-0 aggregate lead, Hibs remain favourites to progress to the Conference League play-offs. That would almost certainly see them face Legia Warsaw, 4-1 down from the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie against Cypriot side Larnaca. Assuming both matches go as expected, Hibs will welcome the Poles to Easter Road for the first leg on Thursday week, August 21, before travelling Warsaw for the return match a week later. The winners of that tie will progress to the competition proper – which would be the first time Hibs had qualified for group/league phase football since UEFA did away with straight knock-out format.
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Martin Boyle swerves double Hibs injury scare after raging Partizan fans launched Vodka bottles
The two-goal hero of Belgrade enraged the notorious Gravediggers by celebrating in front of the home end Martin Boyle admits he got a real scare as he swerved yet another serious knee injury in Belgrade, writes Ross Pilcher from Serbia. And it wasn't the only one as he revealed raging Partizan fans launched VODKA bottles at his head as he celebrated Hibs' opener. Boyle was at the double in the Serbian capital as David Gray's side thrived in the cauldron that is the Partizan Stadium, taking a 2-0 first leg lead back to Easter Road, where they will look to finish the job and book a spot in the Europa Conference League playoff round. After slamming the Hibees into a first half lead, Boyle hit the deck as he turned in the middle of the park with fans and teammates fearing the worst. The Hibs skipper has twice been sidelined for a significant period of time after injuring his knee ligaments. Thankfully this wasn't a third time, although he was heavily bandaged as he emerged in the bowels of Stadion Partizan. And he was lucky to escape a head injury whilst celebrating as the notorious Gravediggers let him know what they thought of his celebration. 'The knee's alright,' he said. "I had a bit of a scare. Slipped and hyperextended it. So hopefully it settles down well. 'I've got no time to dwell on it. We've got a game in a few days. I think that is your first thought. And then I knew when it was alright. 'I was just telling them to waste time a little bit. So yeah. Like you say, it's always a bit of a scare. 'These things can happen in a game. Touch wood, it doesn't happen again. And I'll be alright. 'But it's just precautionary at the moment. So yeah, I'm ready to go again. I'm ready to hopefully score more goals.' Boyle dispatched a second-half penalty to double the advantage and made a beeline for the 350 Hibs fans who had travelled to the Serbian capital - an altogether safer option than how he celebrated the opener. He said: 'It was better than the first one when I was getting vodka bottles off my head! But like you say, it was brilliant. 'I asked the ref at half-time if I could go over and celebrate in front of our fans, if I scored, after he told me not to celebrate in front of the home fans. So I already knew in my head that there could be another goal for me here. 'It's all down to big Kieron causing havoc in the box. That decision comes so there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to take it. Yeah, lovely feeling. 'It's great to celebrate with the fans. They can have that memory, hopefully something that lives with them for a long time. But that will mean us finishing the job off next week.' Far from being put off by the incessant noise from the home fans - who were loud from about 90 minutes before kick-off until they eventually left the ground - Boyle couldn't get enough of the infamous Grobari. 'Yeah, as a player it's just amazing,' he said. 'I mean, playing at an international level you get the feeling of that. 'Playing at Tynecastle, Ibrox. It's intimidating. I've played Jordan away with Australia. So I knew exactly what to expect. It can be quite intimidating. 'But there's a lot of people in the squad that haven't experienced that. And that's a great experience for them. Everyone rose to the occasion. It's perfect. 'It's the crowd you want to play in. Intimidating. It can only give you that buzz and keep you going.' Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
Irish Independent
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Dublin pubs Grogan's and the Gravediggers named among top 25 bars in Europe
John Kavanagh's, known as The Gravediggers, in Glasnevin, and Grogan's on South William Street, both feature in the Top 100 Bars in Europe 2025 list, as chosen by the European Bar Guide. Each bar is rated for choice/quality of drinks; style/décor; atmosphere/character; value for money; and amenities/events. The Gravediggers, beside Glasnevin Cemetery, ranked highest of the four Irish entries at number 14. The guide praised it as 'a timeless, characterful pub known for its outstanding Guinness and weathered wooden interiors'. The authors describe the Gravediggers as a 'historical masterpiece', offering an authentic and intimate setting that feels like 'stepping into a painting' – quiet and calm by day, warm and buzzing by night. 'While the drinks menu is fairly standard, the pint of Guinness is rarely better, and at a more affordable price than in the city centre,' it said. 'Less touristy due to its suburban setting, the pub is loved by locals and admired for its genuine atmosphere and old-world aesthetic.' Grogan's, ranked 24th, is described as a 'beloved Dublin institution' with an unvarnished charm and electric energy. Known for its atmosphere, iconic toasties and outdoor seating, the guide notes that finding a seat can be a challenge, but is worth the wait as the vibe is what sets it apart. Two other Irish pubs also made the list, both based in Dingle, Co Kerry. Tig Bhric in Ballyferriter comes in at 28th, described as 'a small West Kerry brewery with cask beer in a wonderfully cosy pub with views of the peninsula'. Dick Mack's on Green Street ranks 17th, praised for its blend of 'brewery, wall of whisky, haberdashery, garden, good craic and good song'. The number one bar in Europe, according to the guide, is La Fleur en Papier Doré in Brussels, praised as 'hugely atmospheric whether quiet or busy', with a pantry-style backroom and unusual bar area.
Irish Independent
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Saoirse Hanley: Is refusing to engage in small talk the perfect example of boundary-setting – or just a symptom of Gen Z rudeness?
Our columnist prides herself on being an approachable and polite but she can't summon the energy to chit-chat with strangers A few weeks ago I lost my virginity. Sorry, I should clarify, I lost my Gravediggers virginity, and had my first lovely pint in the Dublin institution that is John Kavanagh's pub. They say you never forget your first. The bar does not serve food on a Monday, which means only the smaller side is open. So while I went searching for a seat in what space remained, I came to a conclusion about myself: I'm really bad at small talk. My boyfriend was joining me but wouldn't arrive for another half hour, so I was holding down the fort alone armed with a book and a Guinness (my dream). However, because I was one girl with a booth to herself, some other pub visitors asked to join my table. 'Asked' in the loosest possible sense, since I quickly realised that it was one of those questions that is more like a statement: their bums were in the seats before they finished the sentence.
