Latest news with #Italia'90
Irish Examiner
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Honohan happy to take the long way to international destination
As players born two months apart, defenders Josh Honohan and Jake O'Brien will reflect on different paths when they reunite on Ireland duty at the end of next week. Honohan was the first to graduate from the Cork City academy to feature under Neale Fenn in 2019. Their time together in the Rebels first-team was against the echo of empty stadiums in the covid-enforced shortened 2020 season. By the time O'Brien was snapped up by Crystal Palace the following year, Honohan was developing into a mainstay of Colin Healy's rebuilt City team in the First Division. Each have sampled highpoints since – O'Brien scoring in the French Cup final before joining Everton and Honohan facing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for Shamrock Rovers – and the duo could form part of the Ireland backline. Like his peer, he was something of a late developer on the international circuit. Their first invites received were at U21 level but senior boss Heimir Hallgrímsson is a fan of both 24-year-olds. O'Brien started Ireland's last match against Bulgaria, a window Honohan was placed on standby for. He's been promoted to the full squad for the summer friendlies, in line to make his debut against Senegal or Luxembourg on June 6 and 10 respectively. 'Jake and I played in the Cork City academy for two or three years,' he said. 'I'd still be in contact with Jake sometimes. He's a very good player and most importantly he's a really good person, so I'm happy to see how well he's done the last couple of years.' Honohan wasn't banking on international recognition, neither starting out on the League of Ireland circuit or even up to recently. So much so, he'd planned to spend the summer break with a trip to the sun rather than rely on it involving Ireland duty. 'I was supposed to go away with a couple of mates to Malaga,' he confessed with a laugh. 'I'd no insurance so won't get anything back but, here, I'll be alright. I'm not complaining. There'll be time to get away at the end of the year. 'This is a really proud moment for myself and my family. There's still a couple of games left with Rovers, starting with a tough one up in Derry City on Friday, but it's something to look forward to.' Honohan caught the Ireland bug when starting out as an impressionable 13-year-old footballer. 'My first trip to an Ireland match was on a school trip with Rochestown College,' he recalls of the 4-1 win over USA at Lansdowne Road. 'I must have only been in second year so that's the one that always stands out. I always think you always remember the first time for everything. 'The atmosphere was brilliant and even as a small kid, looking at the players that were playing that night, that was the dream I had as a kid. 'It's mad. I was only speaking to my family and aunts the other day and they still go on about Italia '90 and how good that was for Ireland. 'With the World Cup qualifiers coming up, I think it's something that they're targeting and I think that's the aim for everybody obviously to get to the tournament. 'Cork is big into its sport so I'm sure they'll travel well. Hopefully my family, including grandparents, will get up to Dublin for the Senegal match.' His form and versatility generate optimism of figuring against the African aristocrats. Robbie Brady played and scored in that USA win which Honohan padlocks as a memory and is still around the panel at 33. Left-back shortages are so acute that the manager made an exception in his selection policy of granting Championship regulars a rest by retaining Brady. Honohan appears to be the closest deputy. 'I mainly play left-wing back in a five for Rovers but have done so previously in a four,' he outlined about adapting to the changed Ireland formation. 'Playing in a five is a small bit different in the way you build up the play but I've played left-back before with Cork and before that in those academy years. It is familiar to me and I do believe that I can play as a left back.' It's all pointing towards the Cork presence in the Ireland team swelling. 'There's Adam Idah, Caoimhín Kelleher and Jake O'Brien, so adding me as a fourth is definitely good for Cork football.'
RTÉ News
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Your chance to be in The Money List audience
Want to be part of the audience for the new and upcoming series of The Money List? Well, here's your chance! The Baz Ashmawy fronted quiz show sees two teams of complete strangers tasked with filling in missing answers on a list. The more lists they complete, the more money they win. The lists can be anything ranging from naming members of the Italia '90 squad to listing countries who have won the Eurovision Song Contest. Last season, The Money List gave away a total of €130,000 to contestants from all over the country. If you fancy cheering the players on and also being in with a chance of winning some spot prizes for yourself, click here Filming will take place in May and June in Donnybrook. Applicants must be 18 or over and resident in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.
Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Paul Gascoigne almost rejected phone call with Pope before brilliant opening line
England icon Paul Gascoigne almost left a surprise phone call from The Pope to ring out during a memorable Tottenham training session, before greeting His Holiness in traditional Geordie fashion Paul Gascoigne almost let a phone call from The Pope pass him by, before greeting him with a remarkable opening line. 'Gazza' catapulted himself to superstardom thanks to his performances with England at Italia '90 – with fans, media, and fellow celebs all chasing him up in search of conversation. But one call in particular, which took place at Tottenham Hotspur's training ground, stood out to Gascoigne among the rest. Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Gascoigne recalled: "It wasn't just [fans and journalists], it was from famous people as well. I was getting calls from George Clooney, Dustin Hoffman, Oprah Winfrey. "I was getting calls from everywhere. The best one was I got told there was a phone call and I said 'tell them to f*** off, I'm training'. They said 'you better take the phone call'. I said, 'no I'm training, tell them I'll call them after my training'. They said it was important so I said, 'who the f*** is it?' "They said it was The Pope, John Paul II." In hilarious fashion, Gascoigne let his thick Geordie accent loose when answering the phone to His Holiness, adding: "I picked up the phone and went, 'Hi Pope, you alreet?' I said, 'hiya Pope, what do you want?' He said, 'come to the Vatican, I want to meet you'. "My Dad's a Catholic. We went over and saw The Pope, it was unbelievable." He added: "When you're getting calls like that and then I'm getting Mike Tyson coming to Dunston, where I live, wanting to come to my 40th birthday party. It was just crazy." It comes as Pope Francis passed away on Monday at the age of 88. The successor to Pope Benedict XVI – who in turn replaced Pope John Paul II in April 2005 – Pope Francis ' death was confirmed by Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo. He had suffered health issues for several months after he was admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome for treatment for Bronchitis in February, which developed into double pneumonia. Sharing a statement at the Casa Santa Marta, the Cardinal said: "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7.35am, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. "His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God." Gazza, meanwhile, enjoyed a number of incredible highs over the course of his career – from representing his boyhood club of Newcastle United to winning the FA Cup with Spurs. However, he confessed as a youngster that he would never be able to top the highs of playing for England at Italia '90. Reflecting on being booked in the semi-finals against West Germany – which meant he would have missed the final of the competition if England made it through – he said: "Obviously, I broke down crying. I think most of it wasn't just because of the yellow card - I swear down I had probably the best time of my life. "I'm someone that loves football and every day I'm training with the guys non-stop." He added: "Coming back to a hero's welcome was incredible and I cried my eyes out for about an hour. Thinking, 'this is where I used to play as a young kid and I've just come back from the World Cup'." After a 1-1 draw with West Germany, England were omitted from the competition on penalties, before they were bested to a third-place finish by the hosting nation.
