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BBC News
02-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
State Man beats Constitution Hill at Punchestown
State Man won the Champion Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival as Constitution Hill came home in fifth place. Despite falls in consecutive races at Cheltenham and Aintree, Constitution Hill was an 8-13 favourite to get back to winning ways at Punchestown. However it was State Man, who also fell at Cheltenham, who stormed to victory with Paul Townend on home soil, while eight-time Grade One winner Constitution Hill drifted away to a fifth place finish. It was a third Champion Hurdle victory at the festival for the Willie Mullins trained horse, who came home ahead of Cheltenham winner Golden Ace. "It's the performance we always thought he had in him," Mullins said about State Man on RTE."In fairness to Constitution Hill, I don't think he turned up on the day. It's very hard to travel from England after having two falls and things just didn't go right for him."Our fella has run his true race and that's been a constant thing in his racing life, he always turns up and runs his race. It was a huge performance."Townend and Mullins combined to win the Grade One Novice Hurdle on Final Demand, ahead of Lovely Hurling and Tripoli House won the opening race of the day in the Hunters' Chase, while Its On The Line came home in the Champion Hunters' Music won the Novice Handicap Chase, Gordon Elliott's Casheldale Lad claimed the Novice Hurdle and Soldier In Milan won the Flat Race in the final outing of the final day of the festival takes place on Saturday.
BBC News
21-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Haiti Couleurs wins Irish Grand National
Haiti Couleurs and champion jockey-elect Sean Bowen held off a strong finish from Any Second Now to claim victory in the Irish Grand 13-2 second favourite came into the race having won the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last month, then under Ben Rebecca Curtis-trained eight-year-old and Bushmans Pass were the leading pair from the early stages at Fairyhouse before the latter fell back to the left Any Second Now (17-2) as the main challenger but, after also finishing second in the race last year, the 13-year-old could not close the gap with Haiti Couleurs winning by three and a quarter Quai De Bourbon (11-2), ridden by Paul Townend, finished third with Dunboyne (22-1) in fourth."I honestly can't believe it," Welshman Bowen told RTE."I couldn't ride him at Cheltenham and I'm so grateful to Becky [Curtis] for letting me back on him."The champion jockey is all I've ever wanted but when you get, you want to do more, and I need the big winners as well and it's great that this has done it for me."
BBC News
08-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Greece win 'massively important' for Republic of Ireland
Manager Carla Ward says the Republic of Ireland's back-to-back victories over Greece were 'massively important' as they bid for promotion to League A in the Nations Barrett broke the deadlock through a controversial penalty when Leanne Kiernan was brought down by Athanasia Moraitou. After the restart Anna Patten doubled their advantage before Greece, who were searching for their first points in Group B2, scored in the 72nd minute."Overall, I think we completely dominated the game, but some moments we need to manage," Ward told RTE."I'm proud of the players for actually managing that [Greece threat] as there were some edgy moments."But for me two wins were massively important and that is huge for us going into the final two games."The result at Tallaght means that Carla Ward's side have registered consecutive victories over Greece as the Republic of Ireland remain in second in Group B2, three points behind leaders Slovenia."This is a group that is loving to learn. They want to improve all the time," Ward continued."We know there was a lot of good stuff tonight. There were some excellent performances but there is stuff we need to improve and we'll leave no stone unturned." Defender Aoife Mannion admitted that the closing stages of the game were 'tricky' as the away side pushed for a leveller."We got the job done and the three points, which is the most important thing for the next round of games," said Mannion on RTE."We know we can be better. It was encouraging that we had so many opportunities, so many chances and so may shots but we just have to be a little bit tighter in defence and put our chances away."The result at Tallaght means that Carla Ward's side have registered consecutive victories over Greece as the Republic of Ireland remain in second in Group B2, three points behind leaders Slovenia."This is a group that is loving to learn. They want to improve all the time," Ward continued."We know there was a lot of good stuff tonight. There were some excellent performances but there is stuff we need to improve and we'll leave no stone unturned."Defender Aoife Mannion admitted that the closing stages of the game were 'tricky' as the away side pushed for a leveller."We got the job done and the three points, which is the most important thing for the next round of games," said Mannion on RTE."We know we can be better. It was encouraging that we had so many opportunities, so many chances and so may shots but we just have to be a little bit tighter in defence and put our chances away."The Republic of Ireland now face Turkey away in their next League B fixture before welcoming Slovenia to Dublin in June.
BBC News
04-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Ward praises subs in 'superb' Republic of Ireland second half
Republic of Ireland manager Carla Ward said that her side were "superb" in the second half of their 4-0 Nations League win in a sluggish first half, goals from substitutes Marissa Sheva and Amber Barrett, as well as Kyra Carusa and Jessie Stapleton, helped the visitors to was pleased with their clinical display and the contributions of substitutes like Sheva and Barrett, as well as captain Katie McCabe, who was involved in two goals."The players deserve credit, we haven't had a lot of time on the grass but the amount of things we have implemented, particularly second half was great to see," she told RTE."They [the substitutes] have come on and made a huge difference in just being able to stretch Greece and play with a little bit more intensity that allowed us to dominate the game. I thought second half was superb." 'Squad effort' key to victory Despite a lacklustre first half in Crete, in which the Republic of Ireland lacked cohesion, Ward said the half-time team talk was an encouraging one."I think at half-time it was a really calm message of just remembering what we're going after," she added."We probably weren't looking at the spaces we wanted to and looking to stretch them, we needed to do that more and when we increased the tempo it was much better. The English manager acknowledged that the introduction of McCabe was key to the turnaround, but that she has had to manage the Arsenal midfielder's minutes as she has been carrying a calf strain."We knew she had 45 minutes in her so we had a choice do we start her and have to bring her off, but I wanted to go the other way she has made a massive impact as has Marissa, I think it was a squad effort."Ward also praised Barrett, who marked her 50th cap with a well-take fourth goal after coming on."What an individual and player she is to work with. She said 'thank you for giving me the opportunity' but actually I thank her for getting that final goal. "That is what she is capable of she comes on and gets the goal, she is a big moment player."
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Azaz 'buzzing' to score first international goal
Middlesbrough midfielder Finn Azaz scored his first international goal as the Republic of Ireland beat Bulgaria 2-1 in the first leg of their Uefa Nations League 24-year-old converted from close range after 21 minutes in Plovdiv as the Republic came from behind to take a slender lead into Sunday's second leg."[Troy Parrott] put it on a plate for me, so I'll say thank you to Troy for that. It was a great ball from Robbie [Brady] too and I just had to be in there," Azaz told RTE."It was probably the easiest goal I have ever scored; I don't score many headers so I'm glad to score one tonight."Avoiding defeat in the return fixture in Dublin at the weekend will see the Republic of Ireland retain their status in League B.
