Latest news with #Tiernan
Irish Independent
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Tommy Tiernan: ‘I'm a great dad for chats. But also, I'm kind of irresponsible'
He may be used to asking the questions, but Tommy Tiernan is rarely short of things to say. From quantum physics to parenting, buying a motorbike and banning phones at his gigs, the funnyman has a lot to say... Today at 21:30 Tommy Tiernan starts every morning with a double espresso (and, very occasionally, a cigar) and no wonder. You'd want to be fairly caffeinated to keep up with the Galway-based actor/comedian's significant workload. Today, we are meeting in the Abbey Theatre, where Tiernan is gearing up for a role in three-hander The Cave, a black comedy written by Kevin Barry and co-starring Aaron Monaghan and Judith Roddy.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Angel City's Riley Tiernan used desire and opportunity to prove she belongs
Angel City forward Riley Tiernan controls the ball against Bay FC during game at PayPal Park last week. She's a leading candidate for rookie of the year. (Kelley L Cox / NWSL via Getty Images) Welcome to the Riley Tiernan Revenge Tour. Oh, sure, the Angel City forward is far too nice to call it that, but that's what her first NWSL season has become. 'Everybody loves an underdog story,' she said. 'It kind of added fuel to my fire. When people doubt you, it makes you want to prove it that much more.' Advertisement Tiernan was definitely being doubted about six months ago when she finished her college career at Rutgers as the school's all-time leader in assists, yet didn't get a call from 12 of the 14 NWSL teams. In the first winter without a league draft, every player was a free agent, available to the highest bidder. Only no one bid on Tiernan. So she accepted an invitation to training camp with Angel City and now she's showing the others what they missed, with her five goals leading all NWSL rookies and ranking second in the league overall heading into Saturday night's home match with Racing Louisville. 'A fair shot,' said the 22-year-old. 'All I wanted, literally, was just a chance to prove myself. Without the draft it was kind of like you get what you get and you've got to hope for the best. Read more: Angel City can't keep pace with Bay FC in shutout loss Advertisement 'Once I got this invitation it was 'let's go big or go home.' I got to show out. And pretty much did.' Four of her five goals have given her team a lead; two were game-winners. Without her, Angel City (4-3-2) would not be in playoff position a third of the way into the season. If Tiernan gets credit for passing her preseason test with the team, then technical director Mark Wilson and the rest of Angel City's staff deserve praise for doing their homework. They identified Tiernan as a player worth watching last summer and nothing they saw — even the lack of interest from other clubs — swayed their thinking. 'We decided Riley was a top, top target once we'd kind of curated all of her stuff,' Wilson said. 'You have to trust your process.' Advertisement So in November, Wilson had a Zoom call with Tiernan and found that he liked the person even better than he liked the player. 'That was the final piece of the puzzle,' he said. 'We believed she had a big ceiling after watching her and we wanted to at least invite Riley in to spend some time with us. 'We really liked her character after the interview.' Angel City forward Riley Tiernan heads the ball downfield during a game against the Washington Spirit on May 2. (Roger Wimmer/ ISI Photos via Getty Images) Tiernan said the only other offer she received came from Gotham FC, which trains 35 miles from Rutgers. But after spending her entire life in South Jersey, she felt Southern California offered a different sort of challenge. 'It just felt like it was time for me to spread my wings and step out of my comfort zone,' she said. 'I had nothing to lose. After the first couple of training sessions, I started feeling comfortable and I started feeling like it was a place that I should be, an environment where I belonged.' Advertisement She's certainly fit in, starting all nine Angel City matches and ranking second among outfield players in minutes played. Plus her five goals are just two shy of the franchise single-season record with 17 games left. 'She's a big presence, but she turns on a sixpence,' Wilson said. 'She has the ability to send players into the stands with a little check and her balance and mobility for a big presence is deceiving. 'She exhibited all of those qualities and more in all the work we did.' She's continued to prove she belongs despite playing as an attacker on a team that has seven forwards with World Cup experience. Advertisement 'Isn't it funny how that worked out?' Wilson said with a wry grin. 'While we had quality attacking players, we want you looking over your shoulder. When you're looking over your shoulder, you're not comfortable. When you're not comfortable, you're pushing yourself. That level of competition for places drives standards and performance. 'Riley exhibited that from Day 1 and it hasn't stopped. I don't see her ever taking her foot off the gas.' At least not until she's finished proving herself to all those who doubted her. If she was once unwanted she's now in high demand, having earned her first callup to the U-23 national team earlier this week. She'll leave after Saturday's game for Europe and two games against Germany, which constitute another new challenge. 'I think it's good to have a sense of humbleness and be intimidated by such a high level in a new environment,' she said. 'But I also think it's important to turn that intimidation into motivation.' Advertisement It wouldn't be the first time Tiernan has used others' opinion of her to fuel her fire. 'I love this game because it does reward talent that works hard,' Wilson said. 'Riley's a talent, she is working hard, and eventually that value will be recognized.' This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Angel City's Riley Tiernan used desire and opportunity to prove she belongs
Welcome to the Riley Tiernan Revenge Tour. Oh, sure, the Angel City forward is far too nice to call it that, but that's what her first NWSL season has become. 'Everybody loves an underdog story,' she said. 'It kind of added fuel to my fire. When people doubt you, it makes you want to prove it that much more.' Tiernan was definitely being doubted about six months ago when she finished her college career at Rutgers as the school's all-time leader in assists, yet didn't get a call from 12 of the 14 NWSL teams. In the first winter without a league draft, every player was a free agent, available to the highest bidder. Only no one bid on Tiernan. So she accepted an invitation to training camp with Angel City and now she's showing the others what they missed, with her five goals leading all NWSL rookies and ranking second in the league overall heading into Saturday night's home match with Racing Louisville. 'A fair shot,' said the 22-year-old. 'All I wanted, literally, was just a chance to prove myself. Without the draft it was kind of like you get what you get and you've got to hope for the best. 'Once I got this invitation it was 'let's go big or go home.' I got to show out. And pretty much did.' Four of her five goals have given her team a lead; two were game-winners. Without her, Angel City (4-3-2) would not be in playoff position a third of the way into the season. If Tiernan gets credit for passing her preseason test with the team, then technical director Mark Wilson and the rest of Angel City's staff deserve praise for doing their homework. They identified Tiernan as a player worth watching last summer and nothing they saw — even the lack of interest from other clubs — swayed their thinking. 'We decided Riley was a top, top target once we'd kind of curated all of her stuff,' Wilson said. 'You have to trust your process.' So in November, Wilson had a Zoom call with Tiernan and found that he liked the person even better than he liked the player. 'That was the final piece of the puzzle,' he said. 'We believed she had a big ceiling after watching her and we wanted to at least invite Riley in to spend some time with us. 'We really liked her character after the interview.' Tiernan said the only other offer she received came from Gotham FC, which trains 35 miles from Rutgers. But after spending her entire life in South Jersey, she felt Southern California offered a different sort of challenge. 'It just felt like it was time for me to spread my wings and step out of my comfort zone,' she said. 'I had nothing to lose. After the first couple of training sessions, I started feeling comfortable and I started feeling like it was a place that I should be, an environment where I belonged.' She's certainly fit in, starting all nine Angel City matches and ranking second among outfield players in minutes played. Plus her five goals are just two shy of the franchise single-season record with 17 games left. 'She's a big presence, but she turns on a sixpence,' Wilson said. 'She has the ability to send players into the stands with a little check and her balance and mobility for a big presence is deceiving. 'She exhibited all of those qualities and more in all the work we did.' She's continued to prove she belongs despite playing as an attacker on a team that has seven forwards with World Cup experience. 'Isn't it funny how that worked out?' Wilson said with a wry grin. 'While we had quality attacking players, we want you looking over your shoulder. When you're looking over your shoulder, you're not comfortable. When you're not comfortable, you're pushing yourself. That level of competition for places drives standards and performance. 'Riley exhibited that from Day 1 and it hasn't stopped. I don't see her ever taking her foot off the gas.' At least not until she's finished proving herself to all those who doubted her. If she was once unwanted she's now in high demand, having earned her first callup to the U-23 national team earlier this week. She'll leave after Saturday's game for Europe and two games against Germany, which constitute another new challenge. 'I think it's good to have a sense of humbleness and be intimidated by such a high level in a new environment,' she said. 'But I also think it's important to turn that intimidation into motivation.' It wouldn't be the first time Tiernan has used others' opinion of her to fuel her fire. 'I love this game because it does reward talent that works hard,' Wilson said. 'Riley's a talent, she is working hard, and eventually that value will be recognized.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Riley Tiernan's close relationship with her sister helped the NWSL rookie find success early
Angel City FC forward Riley Tiernan was exactly where she needed to be when her teammate Claire Emslie crossed the ball into the goalkeeper's box. The 22-year-old rookie headed the ball into the net for the game-winning goal in the 2-1 victory over Seattle Reign, her first in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Advertisement 'That was the only header goal I've ever scored,' Tiernan told on Wednesday over Zoom. 'For it to be in front of all our fans at home, and against Reign, and it was the one that put us in the lead — I was, like, in shock. I don't even really remember what happened.' That was the moment, Tiernan said, she felt welcomed into the NWSL. Since her debut goal, Tiernan has become one of the most-talked-about rookies in the league. Her five goals put her in a four-way tie for the second-most goals this season, and she has been called up to the U-23 U.S. women's national team camp in Germany next week. The New Jersey native spent four years at Rutgers University and was named the 2021 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and, by graduation, set the all-time assists record for the Scarlet Knights (34). Advertisement Tiernan's ability to quickly adapt to new environments is what makes her a lethal player, her college coach, Mike O'Neill, said. 'Riley is the type of player that you love to coach, and you don't like to coach against her,' said O'Neill, the longtime head coach of Rutgers women's soccer. 'Just seeing how competitive she was and the edge that she had to be the best player that she could be, she has always been a leader from the day she set foot on campus.' But one game stands out. In late November 2021, Rutgers defeated Arkansas in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA women's tournament to reach the College Cup for the second time in program history. Tiernan, then a 19-year-old freshman, opened scoring for the Knights two minutes in and later scored the game-winning kick in a penalty shootout. Advertisement 'The bigger the game, the better the player and that's Riley Tiernan,' O'Neill said. The pressure, Tiernan said, forces her to improve. 'Being uncomfortable makes me a better player,' Tiernan said, 'The one thing that's gotten me through my freshman year and this year so far is confidence. That's one of my strengths: remaining confident, even in tough environments.' Playing in the NWSL has been a lifelong goal, inspired by her older sister Madison, who played at Rutgers and later signed with Sky Blue FC. 'It was my dream since I was a little girl,' Tiernan said. 'I grew up watching my sister play, and seeing her play made me want it that much more.' Advertisement The sisters, 22 and 29, talk every day, making sure to FaceTime so Riley can still see her nine-month-old nephew, Grady, despite being 3,000 miles apart. When Grady sees Riley, his face 'lights up,' his mother said. 'Me and my sister are really close, and I think that's the main foundation of who I am as a player,' Riley said. Riley also has the tenacity to want to improve, Madison said, and the athleticism to match those aspirations. Madison remembered one summer when Riley decided she would learn how to do a backflip. She'd be in the yard every day, until her family looked out the window to see her whirling in the air. The sisters also have a middle brother, but, based on Riley's logic, sharing a bedroom made the sisters closer. 'It was a purple bedroom because she was obsessed with Justin Bieber, so I was obsessed with Justin Bieber,' Riley said, with a laugh. 'That was pretty much how everything went. I stole her clothes. I was a mini copycat. Advertisement 'I luckily copied her soccer skills as well.' 'Being eight years apart, we've kind of gone through the stages of life in such different time periods,' said Madison, 'but now, her being in her 20s, we've gotten so much closer. … She's my built-in best friend. When I was 16, I thought she was annoying, but now, I couldn't be more proud of her.' That admiration is mutual. 'It's not a luxury that a lot of people have,' Riley said. 'To be able to watch her go throughout all these high-level stages of her life, and to be able to watch it and be surrounded by that environment, I think it just motivated me. Having her be there for me mentally, physically, training me, teaching me, telling me everything that I need to know, to prepare me, was the most helpful thing.' Advertisement Riley committed to play for Rutgers as an eighth-grader on Madison's senior day, usually the last home game for a team's graduating class. In college, Riley wore the No 73 — a homage to her sister's birthday, July 3. The sisters' relationship evolved again when Madison became one of Riley's coaches at Rutgers, where Madison remains on staff as an assistant coach. The coaching part of their relationship persists today, with Madison checking in after most trainings. 'The beauty of sport is you can never be complacent,' Madison said. 'She has a lot of hype, and that brings another set of expectations and pressure. But I tell her, get better at one thing, and that's going to continue to add to your toolbox and make you a better player.' Advertisement The path to the NWSL wasn't as clear-cut for Riley as it had been for Madison, who was the 24th pick in the 2017 NWSL College Draft. The draft was nixed last year, and Riley was among the first college graduates to navigate entering the league without it. 'It was a little different experience for me,' the younger Tiernan said. 'There were a couple of things that happened that caused a little bit of a scramble for me.' It helped having an older sister who understood the NWSL. Madison reached out to folks she knew, including Becki Tweed, the head coach at Angel City. When Tweed and the club parted ways, Madison stayed in touch with the club. 'I did everything I could to help her get there because I knew she was doing everything behind the scenes to be ready for that level,' Madison said. Advertisement Tiernan would eventually receive invitations for preseason training with Angel City and another club, but she said she felt a pull to Angel City. She was named to the team's 2025 preseason roster as a trialist and played significant minutes at the Coachella Valley Invitational in February. Angel City signed Tiernan in March to a two-year contract through 2026, with a club option through 2027. She remembers one of their coaches telling her that the club's sporting director, Mark Parsons, wanted to speak with her. 'I was trying not to cry, honestly,' Tiernan said. 'I texted the family group chat immediately, and I was like, 'O-M-G, I just got a contract.'' Tiernan scored her first brace against the Washington Spirit in a 4-3 win at Audi Field earlier this month. She said it was her second 'Welcome to the NWSL' moment. That day, a 'family caravan' of about 30 to 40 people traveled to D.C. from New Jersey to watch her play. Advertisement Tiernan has worked her way into the starting lineup for Angel City, which sits seventh in league standings. The team faces Racing Louisville at home on Saturday. She's tied with some of the biggest names in the NWSL in the Golden Boot race – Kansas City Current's Temwa Chawinga and Debinha, and Spirit's Ashley Hatch — two goals shy of Gotham FC's Esther Gonzalez. Off the pitch, Tiernan is feeling at home in Los Angeles. 'I feel like I was made to live here,' she said. She's playing alongside some of the most promising stars in American soccer, like sisters Alyssa and Giselle Thompson. She's also learning from players she grew up idolizing, like Sydney Leroux, who she said, 'took me under her wing, which I really needed.' Advertisement 'I have so much to learn, and I'm just trying to be like a sponge and absorb everything,' Tiernan said. For now, her focus is on Angel City and then preparing for the U-23 camp later this month. 'Hopefully something good comes of it, and I perform and other opportunities will come from that,' Tiernan said. 'But, right now my main focus is just being where my feet are and doing as much as I can and getting our team to a championship.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. US Women's national team, Angel City, NWSL 2025 The Athletic Media Company
The Irish Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Popular RTE star admits he'd ‘be great on Liveline' but jokes ‘presidency' run might get in way
AN RTE host has confessed he would be "great" on Liveline; however, his "presidency" run might get in the way. Irish comedian, radio show. 2 Tommy Tiernan has confessed he would be 'great' on Liveline 2 Tiernan has hosted his own chat show on RTE since 2017 The 55-year-old has agreed with the rumours saying his natural "curiosity" helps him connect to people. The funny man told Brendan O'Connor: "On the chat show, it's very easy for me to keep asking questions because I am curious about people. "It's very easy for me to have long conversations with people I meet on the street and not to think that my curiosity is nosiness. READ MORE IN TOMMY TIERNAN "It probably kind of is, but to be naturally curious. You know, I'd be great on When quizzed if he would fill Duffy's shoes after he steps down from Liveline in June, Tommy joked: "No, I couldn't. I'd find it very hard to fit that and the presidency in." After making the presidential remark, Brendan was quick to follow up on Tiernan's bid for the Aras. However, the Donegal man answered: "I'm too young, and he [president Michael is far too intelligent." MOST READ IN THE IRISH SUN The Irish actor continued to gush over the Irish president adding: "He's a gifted man and my feeling is that we're all aware of his morality, his fearlessness in the stands that he has taken, his gift as an orator and his integrity. "We've had 14 years of the most magnificent presidency, a president that we have been proud of and it's not for us to imagine how the next presidency will happen.' 'If only everyone had as much joy in their lives' hail RTE viewers after Davy Russell's interview with Tommy Tiernan The popular host highlighted how it was "important" that Ireland "respectfully acknowledge" the brilliance of President Higgins. He added: "I don't know who the runners and riders are for the next one, but we will need to take a moment to genuinely thank When O'Connor asked whether it was "not the time" for Tiernan to make a bid, he joked again: 'Not with Liveline and the play and all that." NEW VENTURE The comedian is set to appear on stage at the Abbey Theatre in The Cave, a new play by Kevin Barry. Tommy will take centre stage of the new dark comedy this June. Opening on Friday, June 6, The Cave follows the chaotic lives of the McRae brothers, Archie and Bopper. As the siblings are holed up in a cave in the mountains of south Sligo, dodging the law and clinging to one another, they attempt to restart their van, their lives, and even their WiFi connection. Tickets for The Cave are now on sale from the Abbey Theatre's website.
