Latest news with #ShamrockRovers
RTÉ News
18 hours ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
'She'll have a lot of respect from the players already' - Stephanie Zambra set for Shamrock Rovers interim head coach bow
Shamrock Rovers will return to SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division action tonight for the first time since Collie O'Neill opted to step down as head coach. Waterford will be the opposition at Tallaght Stadium and it will be a landmark occasion for former Republic of Ireland forward Stephanie Zambra after her appointment as interim head coach of the Hoops over the weekend. The 2014 FIFA Puskas Award runner-up has been on the coaching staff at Rovers since shortly after retiring as a player at the end of last year and her elevation to the head coach role at Shamrock Rovers is a real show of confidence, according to former international team-mate Rachel Graham. "That probably (says a lot) about Steph. They'll know what she's like and her professionalism," the Shelbourne midfielder said on this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast. "You can't achieve what she has done, all them caps for Ireland, without having a great level of professionalism; dedication to football and to training. "So she's obviously shown that and I think because of that, she'll have a lot of respect from the players already. "Sometimes that can be half the battle, just getting the players on your side. She's coaching as well at our under-17 international team, so she has been working a lot on the coaching side of her game since she has retired. The club is obviously backing her. "It's someone you'd like to see do well. She's given so much service to women's football in Ireland. You'd love to see her do well. Waterford (tonight), I'm sure she's going to be nervous but it's probably one of the better games you could have hoped for for your first one." Shamrock Rovers go into the match sixth in the table in what is their third season since their re-entry to the league. When it comes to their future, Graham feels the route they have gone in with intergrating young players is the way forward. "(O'Neill) was starting to bring through the young players and Rovers have a really good underage system, really good underage players. So it's probably the best route for them to go where they're just starting to bleed these players and maybe look at it more as a long-term plan," she said. "They came in the first year (2023) and made a lot of noise and probably put too much pressure on themselves and I think they're going about it the right way now."
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Serie A pace will suit Evan Ferguson's style after AS Roma move
Evan Ferguson has been at AS Roma officially for less than a week, but he seems to be making an impression on the club's vociferous supporters. The Republic of Ireland international has been getting minutes into his legs, scoring four goals in a training match against minnows UniPomezia, who have been recently promoted to Italy's Serie D. Then on Saturday, he found the net again against German second division side and multiple former Bundesliga champions Kaiserslautern, nicking the ball off the goalkeeper and rolling it into an empty net in the 1-0 friendly win. The fact that neither game was a competitive one should of course temper expectations about what the 20-year-old could achieve in Serie A during his season-long loan. But crucially, unlike last season, he will have had a full and injury-free pre-season under his belt going into the campaign and he is going in with less expectation around him after seeing his progress stall somewhat over the past year. On that, former Drogheda United and Shamrock Rovers defender Graham Gartland also feels the style of play in Italy will suit Ferguson down to a tee as he told this week's RTÉ Soccer Podcast. "He strikes me as a player that needs games to get his match sharpness up," said Gartland, a former team-mate of Ferguson's father Barry at Longford Town in 2003 and 2004. "But he can ease into that a little bit. He has a good pre-season behind him in Italy and once that comes, his sharpness comes. And once his sharpness comes, then he is a different player. "Because he is quite tall and he has a presence about him, that's where he has a chance to go and work on his feet, and the pace of the play in Italy will be different to the Premier League and I think that will suit him as well. "You see it with the likes of Edin Dzeko who went there from Man City and he did really well and he strikes me as a similar player to that, that the tempo of the game might be a bit slower and it would allow him just to build into that." In the wake of Ferguson's friendly cameos, Roma's new manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who enjoyed success over a long period with Atalanta - including on Irish soil when he led the Bergamo club to Europa League glory at Aviva Stadium in May 2024 - has spoken about the need to make the most of his talents, saying: "We need to get to know Evan and exploit his depth. In some situations, we could have looked for him more." And former Brighton, Celtic, Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk midfielder Richie Towell pointed to the player who netted the Europa League final hat-trick for Atalanta as an example of how Gasperini can improve players. "I think with a manager like Gasperini there, I think he's really going to take Evan under his wing and make him a proper, proper player this season," he said on the podcast. "You see what he's done with Ademola Lookman. Lookman was kind of in a little bit of a similar situation to Evan where he was doing ok but you were waiting on that flame to ignite; where he went to Gasperini at Atalanta and that Atalanta side were amazing - high energy, lots of shots on target, balls into the box, I loved the way they played - so if Evan can mimic anything like what Ademola Lookman did, he'll have a great season."
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Carl Winchester reveals why Derry believe they can still clinch title success
Derry City 1 Bohemians 1 Carl Winchester believes Derry City can still challenge for the title as they prepare for a must-win game at Shamrock Rovers on Sunday, August 3. After Friday's 1-1 draw with Bohemians at the Brandywell – marred by off-pitch violence – the Candystripes are eight points off the League leaders and know a loss in Dublin would end any title hopes.
Irish Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
FAI Cup third round ties and live RTE TV clash confirmed as warning is issued
The times and dates for the FAI third round fixtures have been confirmed by the FAI, along with the game that will be screened live on RTÉ2. Cup holders Drogheda United are on the road on Saturday night to face Derry City, the team they beat last November at the Aviva Stadium to win the famous trophy. That game will be televised live on RTÉ2 on Saturday August 16, with an 8pm kick-off. All the other ties are scheduled to take place on Friday August 15, however that comes with the warning that involvement in European football would lead to changes. Ties involving Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic are all potentially up for change. Click this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest League of Ireland news and top stories from the Irish Mirror. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . One of the most interesting ties of the round, a Galway derby, sees Salthill Devon take on Premier Division Galway United. Salthill were drawn as the home club, but both sides have agreed to move the tie to Eamonn Deacy Park. Third Round fixtures Friday, 15 August Bohemians v Sligo Rovers (Dalymount Park, 7.45pm) Cork City v Waterford (Turner's Cross, 7.45pm) Finn Harps v Bray Wanderers (Finn Park, 7.45pm) Kerry v Cobh Ramblers (Mounthawk Park, 745pm) Salthill Devon v Galway United (Eamonn Deacy Park, 7.45pm) St. Patrick's Athletic v Shelbourne (Richmond Park, 7.45pm*) Shamrock Rovers v Longford Town (Tallaght Stadium, 8pm*) Saturday, 16 August Derry City v Drogheda United (Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, 8pm) *These fixtures will be subject to rescheduling depending on the involvement of Shamrock Rovers, Shelbourne and St. Patrick's Athletic in UEFA Club Competitions Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email .
The 42
3 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
Shamrock Rovers appoint Stephanie Zambra as interim head coach
STEPHANIE ZAMBRA HAS been appointed as interim head coach of the women's first team at Shamrock Rovers, the club has announced. Previously the club's assistant coach, Zambra takes over from Collie O'Neill, who stepped down this week after two and a half seasons at the helm. Advertisement Zambra (neé Roche) called time on her playing career at the end of the 2024 season and joined the Rovers coaching set-up at the start of this year. She becomes the league's third current female manager, after Peamount's Emma Donoghue and DLR Waves' Laura Heffernan. Rovers are currently sixth in the league table, 12 points off the leaders, Athlone Town, with six games remaining. Zambra will take charge of their next fixture against Waterford FC on Tuesday. Rovers also face holders Shelbourne in a repeat of last year's FAI Cup quarter-final on 16 August.
