Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 31 Januari 2015 | 23.06
Updated: Saturday, 31 Jan 2015 14:57 | Comments
England Saxons were comprehensive in their victory over Ireland Wolfhounds at Musgrave Park
Two tries from England proved too much for Ireland in Cork as the energy and discipline of the visitors made the difference in the encounter.
The first try arrived in the 22nd minute after an opening period in which Ireland dominated but failed to capitalise. England did, however, with out-half Henry Slade going over for the game's first try.
England Try: Henry Slade
Ian Madigan kicked Ireland back into the game with three from three, including two very well taken shots at the sticks to reduce the gap to two points entering the final stages.
Ian Madigan penalties
At half-time, the panel were keen to talk about the dying art of hooking the ball. In the clip below, the under-pressure England hooker Rob Webber fails to hook the ball as he is under huge pressure on the shunt, and is afraid lifting his hooking leg will cause the England scrum to be decimated.
Art of Hooking
England wrapped up the victory with the final play of the game, as Ireland looked for a score, but England broke downfield and Christian Wade finished off with his devastating pace making him unstoppable.
Sammy Ameobi made it 2-0Ahmed Elmohamady of Hull City punches the ball into the Newcastle net
Hull 0-3 Newcastle
Second-half strikes from Sammy Ameobi and Yoan Gouffran ensured John Carver's reign as permanent Newcastle head coach got off to a flying start with a 3-0 victory over Hull at the KC Stadium.
Carver, without a win in four games in caretaker-charge, watched Frenchman Remy Cabella open his Magpies account after pouncing on an Andy Robertson error 10 minutes before half-time.
Ameobi's long-range second and a late strike from substitute Gouffran confirmed a third straight defeat for the hosts and plunged them deeper in the relegation mire.
Hull were the architects of their own demise with occasional bright spells of play undone by two mis-placed passes which led directly to the first two Newcastle goals.
And they also contributed a whiff of controversy after Ahmed Elmohamady blatantly punched a Gaston Ramirez free-kick into the net in first-half injury time, only to be booked for his troubles after his indiscretion was spotted by an eagle-eyed assistant.
Newcastle had started with Papiss Cisse on the bench after his belated return from African Nations Cup duty and he might have needed extra time to acclimatise as the temperature plunged towards freezing.
The home side looked more vibrant in the early stages and almost grabbed the lead in the eighth minute when Michael Dawson headed just over from a Ramirez free-kick
Somehow the visitors stayed on level terms 10 minutes later after a mighty goalmouth scramble sparked by an Elmohamady cross from the right.
Tigers captain Curtis Davies headed the ball goalwards but a combination of Tim Krul's hand and the chest of Fabricio Coloccini managed to bundle the ball off the line.
Robertson fired a tame effort at Krul before Newcastle began to get to grips with their surroundings and came on strong in the last 10 minutes of the first half.
Ayoze Perez had their first real chance in the 35th minute when he brought a save out of Tigers keeper Allan McGregor from a Massadio Haidara cross.
Then the visitors seized their chance when Robertson presented Cabella with his golden opportunity and the Frenchman took advantage by firing low past McGregor.
Driving sleet added an extra twist to the proceedings moments after the opener but Hull fans had their hopes mistakenly warned in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
Elmohamady bundled a Ramirez free-kick into the net and wheeled away in triumph only to be booked for his efforts after the assistant referee noticed the Egyptian had quite blatantly punched the ball into the net.
Hull's hopes of getting back in the game early in the second half were once again undone by their own carelessness as Ramirez gave the ball away to Jack Colback in the Hull half.
Colback fed Ameobi who dispensed with any notion of setting up one of his fellow strikers and proceeded to lash a 25-yard effort past McGregor and into the bottom corner of the net.
The second goal at least roused the home side, who laid siege to the visitors' goal and came close when a Ramirez free-kick was headed clear by Ameobi.
Minutes later, Coloccini survived a handball claim in the box but then inexplicably sliced the ball over the head of his own keeper Tim Krul as he tried to hack clear, and was thankful team-mate Vurnon Anita was alert enough to head the ball off the line.
Hernandez flopped a weak header wide and Nikica Jelavic contrived to miss an even simpler opportunity from no more than three yards out in the 64th minute.
With Newcastle in cruise control a third goal was no surprise and it duly arrived in the 77th minute when Gouffran ran unchallenged at the home defence and unleashed a goal-bound shot which was deflected into his own net by the hapless Elmohamady.
Cisse - unsurprisingly sporting a pair of heavy-looking black gloves - came on for the final two minutes but the game was already well and truly won.
Once again, Rory McIlroy avoiding dropping any shots in the sunshine
Rory McIlroy will take a four-shot lead into the final day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic after shooting a 66 on Saturday - but it looked for a while as if it would be even better for the world number one.
Following on from his impressive opening two rounds of 66 and 64, McIlroy appeared set for a tilt at the record books on day three as a birdie blitz saw him reach the turn in five under par with the seemingly easier back nine - which included three par fives - to come.
However, the Northern Irishman could not continue his blistering form as some wayward tee shots and indifferent form around the greens saw him have to settle for seven successive pars from the 10th.
McIlroy did pick up another birdie on the par-four 17th, to go with the ones he recorded on the first, third, fifth, seventh and eighth, but he then looked set to immediately cancel that out on the last after finding water with his second shot.
The 25-year-old - who had birdied the 18th hole in 14 of his previous 16 rounds before this one - managed to avoid dropping a shot, though, as he coolly drained a 15-foot putt for par to sign for a round of 66.
That putt ensured McIlroy would start the last round with a four-shot advantage over Dane Morten Orum Madsen, who followed up his 63 on Friday with a blemish-free 66.
Two shots further back in third is Lee Westwood (69) while Andy Sullivan, Stephen Gallacher, Danny Willett and Bernd Wiesberger share fourth place on 13 under after all four shot rounds of 70.
Graeme McDowell shot a 72 to finish on 12 under, while Michael Hoey's 71 saw him end on three under.
Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane are both on one under after rounds of 73 and 74 respectively.
"It was nice to go round there today with no bogeys" - Rory McIlroy
McIlroy, who held a one-shot lead over Scotland's Marc Warren coming into the weekend, admitted he was very pleased to avoid a bogey with his testing putt on the last.
He told Sky Sports: "It meant a lot, to be bogey free again today was important to me. To get that up and down on the last was big for momentum going into tomorrow."
He added: "It was nice to make one birdie on 17th and then a great save on the last, it was nice to go round there today with no bogeys. I can't complain, another good round and I'm in a great position going into tomorrow."
Following his brilliant front nine, the chance to break Ernie Els' course record of 61 - or even going sub-60 - looked a possibility, but McIlroy insisted his only thought was to put as much daylight as possible between himself and his rivals at the of the leaderboard.
He said: "[I was] Just trying to get as many in front as I can. I knew I had some chances coming in but saying that, the back nine did play tricky. The greens got firm, the wind got up a little bit, so it was hard to get the ball close to the hole.
"You had to hit quality shots to give yourself chances for birdies, and I didn't quite do that on the back nine like I did on the front."
Serena Williams crushed Maria Sharapova to claim the title Down Under
Serena Williams extended her winning streak against Maria Sharapova to 16 matches to claim a 19th grand slam title in the Australian Open on Saturday.
Williams shrugged off a coughing fit and lengthy rain delay in the opening set and fired down 15 aces in the second to battle to a 6-3 7-6 (7/5) victory in an hour and 51 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.
The hard-fought win means Williams has now won one more grand slam singles title than Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova and is just three behind the open-era record of 22 held by Steffi Graf.
Navratilova was on hand to present the trophy to Williams, her sixth Australian Open title and first since 2010.
"Growing up I wasn't the richest but I had a rich family in spirit and support," Williams said at the presentation. "Standing here with 19 championships is something I never thought would happen.
"I went on the court with just a ball, a racket and a hope and that's all I had. It's inspiring for you guys that want to be the best you can be, you never give up because you never know what can happen and who you can inspire and influence.
"I have to congratulate Maria who played a wonderful match. She really pushed me tonight. She played so well."
Sharapova, who saved two match points in the second round against Alexandra Panova, added: "I have to congratulate Serena on creating history and playing some of her best tennis. It's an honour playing against her. I've not beaten her in a really long time but I love stepping on the court every time because she has been the best and you always want to play the best.
"I was almost down and out in the second round so feel I gave myself a second life in this tournament. It was not quite enough today but I am proud of my effort. I had some of my best moments on this court but also some of my toughest losses but that's the life of a tennis player."
Sharapova, whose last win against Williams came in November 2004, got off to the worst possible start, serving a double fault to lose her serve in the opening game of the match.
Williams held serve comfortably to move 3-2 ahead and was serving at 30-30 when rain forced the retractable roof to be fully closed, leading to a 12-minute delay.
Sharapova remained on court during that time but Williams left and was on her way back when a coughing fit delayed her return further, although the top seed promptly served an ace and hit a forehand winner to hold.
Williams then made it six points in succession to claim a second break and although she promptly lost her own serve, she responded by breaking Sharapova for a third time to take the set in 47 minutes.
Sharapova had to come up with some impressive serves, including two aces, to save two break points at the start of the second set, but Williams was not to be outdone in the serving stakes.
The American hammered down 11 aces in four service games and shrugged off the loss of a point for prematurely celebrating what she thought was another one, Sharapova somehow gettting a backhand return back into court.
That "hindrance" call led to a break point for Sharapova in the seventh game but Williams accepted it without question and went on to hold serve to keep her nose in front.
Serving second, Sharapova was under intense pressure in each service game and had to save a match point at 4-5, producing a forehand winner right into the corner that even had her opponent applauding.
A tie-break was required to decide the outcome and after losing the first point, Williams took the next four in succession before two unforced errors briefly gave Sharapova a lifeline.
A forehand return winner then gave Williams two more match points and after Sharapova had saved the first, Williams thought she had served an ace on the second, only for a let to be called.
Williams managed a rueful smile before composing herself and thumping down her 18th ace of the match to seal victory.
Sean O'Brien: 'I got 50 minutes under my belt and I was just happy to be out there'
Audio
Sean O'Brien made a successful return from shoulder surgery for the Wolfhounds on Friday and Ireland must now decide whether he is ready for their Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on Saturday.
O'Brien, who has been out of action for 14 months, apart from one Pro12 appearance, played more than half of the Wolfhounds' 18-11 loss to England Saxons in Cork last night.
"I got 50 minutes under my belt and I was just happy to be out there. Ideally I'd like more game time before Italy, but there aren't any more opportunities," O'Brien said.
"I'd usually like to get two or three games under my belt, but with the short window that's not possible.
"There was no reaction on the shoulder and that will give me confidence. I took a few good hits so I'm happy enough."
Meanwhile, the IRFU has confirmed that Mike McCarthy suffered a concussion and will undergo return to play protocols, Fergus McFadden took a bang on the ribs, while Luke Fitzgerald, who was named to start, suffered a stomach bug before the game.
"I'd usually like to get two or three games under my belt, but with the short window that's not possible" - Sean O'Brien
Wolfhounds captain Felix Jones tried to put a positive spin on the outcome, but admitted that the performance of the A side left a lot to be desired.
"There were plenty of positives there," the Munster full-back told RTÉ Sport.
"We had players coming back from injury, like Sean O'Brien had a great game, Keith Earls back in a green shirt again. While it is massively disappointing we'll take a few positives away from it.
"The likes of Andrew Conway and Eoin [McKeon] coming in, getting his first game with Ireland A.
"Obviously, [it's] very disappointing to lose the way we did. I think we were right in it until about 78 [minutes]. We had a pretty pivotal moment under their posts about 72 where we turned the ball over and they ended up coming 80 metres back down the field, so yeah, massively disappointing.
"Continuity-wise, we were probably a little bit disjointed. That has to do with coming into the camp, problems coming together, but to be fair to the Saxons they were in the same boat.
"There was a bit of dew, the ball was a bit slippery as it went on but that's probably fair [to say that the error count was too high]."
Australia's James Troisi celebrates scoring the winner in extra time
Australia 2-1 South Korea (after extra-time)
Substitute James Troisi scored halfway through extra time to give tournament hosts Australia their maiden Asian Cup title with a victory over South Korea in a pulsating final in Sydney on Saturday.
South Korea's Son Heung-min scored in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes to send the match into the extra half an hour, cancelling out Massimo Luongo's strike on the stroke of half-time.
It was just before another break with 105 minutes on the clock that Troisi put the ball into the net from close range to make Australia champions of Asia nine years after they switched from the Oceania confederation.
Former World Cup semi-finalists South Korea had ridden their mean defence to a first Asian Cup final since 1988 but despite being the better side for much of thee match came up short in their bid for a first title in 55 years.
Luongo's goal was the first they had conceded in the tournament and for most of the second half it looked the goal-shyness which characterised the start of their campaign had returned to haunt them.
With regulation time running out, though, substitute Han Kook Young dispossessed Trent Sainsbury on the edge of the box and Lee Jeong-hyeop fed the ball to Son who stroked it into the net under the challenge of two defenders.
Australia had come out to attack as coach Ange Postecoglou had promised but in frenetic start to the match, the South Koreans showed they had threats up front too.
Son had his sights set just too high in the second and 37th minutes and Luongo was on hand to block his shot after Cha Du-ri's charge down the right wing in the 38th.
Seven minutes later and Luongo was down the other end to take Sainsbury's through ball with a deft touch and lash it into the back of the net from 25 metres.
The lead was barely deserved but that did not stop the green-and-gold clad majority of the sellout crowd of 76,385 at Stadium Australia celebrating in a frenzy.
South Korea pressed forward in search of an equaliser but were grateful for goalkeeper Kim Jin-hyeon for a fine save from Mathew Leckie on the hour mark, as they had been in the first half when he stopped a Tim Cahill shot.
After Son's goal had provided a dramatic conclusion to normal time and sent the match into the extra half hour, Kim was again on hand to intercept Luongo's cross with Socceroos lining up to put it into the net.
Five minutes later, though, Tomi Juric nutmegged Kim Jin-su on the edge of the box and Kim was only able to push the striker's cross into the path of Troisi, who smashed the ball into the open goal.
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 30 Januari 2015 | 23.06
Updated: Friday, 30 Jan 2015 13:25 | Comments
Novak Djokovic converted seven of the 17 break points he created on Stan Wawrinka's serve at Rod Laver Arena.
Novak Djokovic will bid to become the first man to claim five Australian Open titles in the Open era when he takes on Andy Murray in Sunday's final after ending Stan Wawrinka's defence of his Melbourne crown with a 7-6 (7/1) 3-6 6-4 4-6 6-0 victory at Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic beat Wawrinka 12-10 in the fifth set in the fourth round before claiming his third straight title in 2013, but Wawrinka ended the world number one's 25-match unbeaten run in the quarter-finals last year, winning 9-7 in the fifth.
Wawrinka claimed the first break of the match to lead 4-3 but was immediately broken back to love and had to save two set points to eventually force a tie-break, only for Djokovic to race through it 7-1.
A single break of serve was enough for Wawrinka to win the second set - Djokovic serving a double fault at 30-40 in the seventh game - and the players traded breaks early in the third, Djokovic letting slip a 3-0 lead.
It was getting harder and harder to predict a winner and Djokovic did not even realise he had won the third set with a break of serve in the 10th game, the world number one waiting at the back of court to serve before he acknowledged his mistake with a sheepish grin.
"We pushed each other to the limit and credit to Stan for playing well" - Novak Djokovic
Djokovic looked to have one foot in the final when he broke for a 2-0 lead in the fourth set but squandered the advantage with a string of uncharacteristic unforced errors, Wawrinka taking full advantage with another break in the seventh game to level the match.
Another decider was no surprise but the scoreline in it was, Djokovic saving a break point in the opening game and winning six games in succession as Wawrinka unexpectedly crumbled.
The Swiss star will drop to ninth in the world rankings when they are released on Monday as a result.
"As it was the last two years we played five sets, I was ready for the battle," Djokovic said in an on-court interview.
"It was a great battle, we pushed each other to the limit and credit to Stan for playing well.
"I think I played well up to 2-1 and a break up and then I played a couple of loose games, I allowed him to come back into the match and Stan is a quality player. He knows how to use his opportunities. I made my life very complicated.
"The opening game in the fifth set was very close and making the break was a crucial turning point. My game depends on how well I move and I was too defensive in the second and fourth set and Stan stepped it up after that. In the fifth set I managed to stay consistent and serve well when I needed to and am so glad to go through."
Asked about facing Murray again after beating him in 2011 and 2013, Djokovic added: "Andy and I go back to when we were 12 years old, there is only a week difference in age. We have a very friendly relationship so it's nice to see we are playing another grand slam final against each other.
Mikko Ilonen will defend his Irish Open title live on RTÉ2
The Irish Open will be available live and free-to-air for Irish viewers on RTÉ2 for the next three years after RTÉ Sport and the European Tour reached an agreement on coverage rights.
This year's Irish Open at Royal County Down Golf Club from 28-31 May, as well as the following two renewals in 2016 and 2017, will be shown live and in HD on RTÉ2 and streamed online via RTÉ Player.
Reigning champion Finland's Mikko Ilonen defends his title this year against a world class field including Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler.
Ryle Nugent, Group Head of Sport, RTÉ said: "We are delighted to be able to confirm today that RTÉ Sport has secured live rights to this significant event in the calendar for the Irish audience.
"The Irish Open has long been a staple of the Irish sporting summer and we are thrilled to be able to bring it to Irish viewers for the next three years, beginning of course with this year's Open at Royal County Down."
Rory McIlroy also led the Dubai Desert Classic at the halfway stage last year before finishing ninth
World number one Rory McIlroy surged to the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the Dubai Desert Classic with a flawless 64.
McIlroy hit eight birdies without recording a single bogey to move to 14 under par and take a one-shot lead over Scot Marc Warren.
McIlroy finished with a streak of successive birdies on 16, 17 and 18.
His fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell also took advantage of some ideal scoring conditions with a seven-under-par 65, helped by a run of birdies from the second hole, having begun at the 10th and gone out in three under.
He picked up shots in four successive holes and even when he bogeyed the 485-yard sixth he bounced back immediately with a birdie at the next. McDowell is just two shots off the leader.
"Starting the back nine gives you a good opportunity for a fast start," said the Ryder Cup star, who birdied both of the par fives early on the back nine.
"My last 27 holes have been pretty solid and it is nice to be in some sort of touch going into the weekend."
Damien McGrane (70) Peter Lawrie (69) and Michael Hoey (70) all improved on their opening rounds to make the cut, right on the two-under mark, but former British Open champion Darren Clarke missed out after a 71 left him on level-par.
Lawrie looked set for an exit after bogeying four of his first six holes but rallied to record six birdies, including one on the par-five 18th that booked his ticket for the weekend.
Denis Hurley has signed a contract extension with Munster and will remain with the province until June 2016.
A product of the Munster academy, the Cork-born player has made 144 appearances, scoring 12 tries, his most recent against Saracens in the Champions Cup at Allianz Park.
This season he is a regular at first centre but for previous years he has featured on the wing or at full-back.
The 30-year-old made his Munster debut in May 2006 against Llanelli Scarlets and went on to make his Heineken Cup debut against Gloucester in the 2008 quarter-final.
He won an international senior cap against USA in June 2009 and has represented Ireland 'A' on nine occasions.
Munster have also confirmed that that Paddy Butler and Sean Dougall will leave at the end of the current season.
Both players did not seek to renew their contracts, with Sean Dougall now moving to French Pro D2 side Pau Rugby.
The RDS redevelopment is set to get under way in 2016
The RDS Arena has secured the green light for a €20 million redevelopment.
The stadium in Ballsbridge in Dublin is to be transformed into a 25,000-seater venue with the ground's naming rights possibly being sold off to help pay for it.
The ground currently accommodates 18,000 seated fans.
Leinster will continue to play their home games at the ground during the redevelopment, which is expected to begin in 2016. The plans envision a mainly all-seater stadium with plans for one terrace still to be finalised.
Mick Dawson, the club's chief executive, said: "Leinster Rugby has a loyal supporter base and the redeveloped capacity of 25,000 in a purpose-built venue will provide greater opportunities for our supporters and commercial operations.
"Gate revenue is a significant feature of our current business model, and we are sure that this redevelopment will help with this, as well as allowing us to explore additional commercial revenue streams.
"At the moment we have a section of terrace for supporters and though the final plans are not yet complete, we hope to have a terraced section in the new stadium to accommodate people who prefer this. Though the majority of supporters will be seated."
A consortium of architect firms, Dublin-based Newenham Mulligan Architects and London-based Grimshaw Architects, won the international design competition for the RDS Arena after submitting anonymous bids to a panel of five judges.
"Their winning concept represents an exciting design response to a complex brief," RDS chief executive Michael Duffy said.
"Entries had to accommodate professional rugby, world class equestrianism and music concerts, in an already very busy events venue.
"These three elements were exceptionally well incorporated by the winning consortium who stood out for their understanding of the multi-faceted nature of the development and their vision for the RDS Arena."
"Having secured our design team, the RDS focus is now on securing the necessary funding for this development. We have budgeted for an overall capital investment of at least €20m for the redevelopment. A number of potential funding streams are currently being explored, including naming rights."
Commenting on the significance for the 2023 Rugby World Cup bid, Dawson added: "A newly-developed RDS Arena certainly has the potential to significantly add to the World Cup bid, and we hope to speak to the Irish Rugby Football Union in due course."
In 2014 the Newenham Mulligan/Grimshaw consortium won the design competition for the redevelopment of the Curragh racecourse.
Liverpool are believed to be keen on a deal for Danny Ings
Burnley have denied reports Liverpool could sign striker Danny Ings and loan him back to the Clarets for the rest of the season, stating such a move would be against Premier League rules.
The Reds have emerged as the latest club to show interest in the England Under-21 striker, who is out of contract at the end of season.
In a statement, Burnley chief executive Lee Hoos said: "This type of move would violate Premier League rule V7 regarding transfers so simply cannot happen."
Premier League rule V7.1 states that: "A Temporary Transfer to a Club may not take place in the Transfer Window in which the Transferor Club acquired the Player's registration."
Both Burnley manager Sean Dyche and Ings have repeatedly insisted the 22-year-old will not leave Turf Moor this month, despite the potential for the club to garner a higher fee than the compensation they would be entitled to were he to leave in the summer.
Contract negotiations remain ongoing, and Hoos said: "This is the last time we will be making any comment regarding the player's future.
"Over the course of the window, the player himself, Sean Dyche and the chairman have made it clear he won't be going anywhere and we consider that the end of the matter."
Ings has made an impressive start to life in the Premier League, scoring seven goals so far this season, and there has been no shortage of interest.
As well as Liverpool, Tottenham are reported to be tracking the former Bournemouth striker while Real Sociedad manager David Moyes watched the forward against Liverpool at Turf Moor on St Stephen's Day.
Should Ings allow his contract to run out, it would more than likely spark a bidding war between a number of clubs in relation to the player's wages - something in which Liverpool would struggle to compete.
Under FIFA rules regarding young players, Burnley would be entitled to compensation in that instance, but it is understood Sociedad would only be liable to pay £300,000 - leaving them plenty of room to offer a huge salary - while fellow English clubs could end up paying a fee 10 times that amount.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers does not expect many, if any departures, from his first-team squad before Monday but he will allow 17-year-old Sheyi Ojo to go out on loan.
After Jordon Ibe's success at Derby in the first half of the season, Ojo, who has yet to make his senior debut but was on the bench for recent matches against Burnley and Leicester, is set for a temporary move to Sky Bet Championship strugglers Wigan.
Written By Unknown on Rabu, 28 Januari 2015 | 23.06
Updated: Wednesday, 28 Jan 2015 15:47 | Comments
Annalise Murphy is in top form after two days' sailing at the Miami World Cup event
Annalise Murphy is currently second overall after the opening two days' sailing at the World Cup Regatta in Miami.
The Irish Olympian showed great form on the opening day to post two second-place finishes in the Laser Radial class, followed up by two top-five finishes on day two of the Florida event.
Dun Laoghaire sailor Murphy, who finished fourth at the London Olympics in 2012, coped tremendously in the tricky conditions at the Miami venue on Tuesday to secure a fifth-place finish in the opening race, followed by an impressive third-place in the second race of the day.
The results see Murphy progress to the Gold Fleet for the remainder of the World Cup event as she sits just two points off leader Anne-Marie Rindom of Denmark.
Up-and coming-Irish prospect Finn Lynch is best of the Irish trio in the men's Laser, sitting in 39th place, ahead of Olympian James Espey in 51st and 97th-place Darragh O'Sullivan.
Rio hopefuls Saskia Tidey and Andrea Brewster are 25th in the 49erFX class, while Ryan Seaton and Matt McGovern lie 32nd in the 49er competition.
Friends Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke share a joke at the 2014 Open Championship in Hoylake
Rory McIlroy wants fellow Ulster Darren Clarke to captain Europe's Ryder Cup team in 2016 in what is shaping up to be a battle between the former British Open champion and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Europe will seek a fourth successive win against the USA in Minnesota and speculation is already rife as to who will lead the defending champions.
"I'm going to be a little biased - Darren is a good friend of mine and from Northern Ireland, so it would be great to see him get the captaincy, but if it was to be Miguel then I'd have no problems with that either," said McIlroy.
"They are going to have a tough decision," he added ahead of this week's Dubai Desert Classic.
On Tuesday, world number two Henrik Stenson and sixth-ranked Sergio Garcia, both team stalwarts, told reporters it would likely be a straight fight between Clarke and Jimenez over who will replace 2014 skipper Paul McGinley.
"I always thought Darren would be a perfect fit for captaincy in the States," said McIlroy.
"People love him over there and he'll do well, but people love Miguel anywhere he goes and the more he plays on the Champions Tour he's going to become more popular as well.
"They are both quality candidates and great players. As long as I'm on the team and they decide to play me I'm happy enough."
Spain's Jimenez, 51, is ranked 42 and played 25 events on the European Tour last year. Clarke, 46, is a less regular figure on the circuit.
McIlroy said he expected to be consulted by the five-man panel that will choose the captain, a decision that used to be made by the players. The committee includes former skippers McGinley, Jose Maria Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie.
World number one McIlroy will play in Thursday's Classic, having finished second at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship two weeks ago, a stroke ahead of Martin Kaymer who blamed overconfidence after he blew a 10-stroke final round lead.
McIlroy has suffered in similar circumstances, squandering a four-shot final day lead at the 2011 US Masters.
"It was the most important day of my career, bar none, because if I had not had that happen to me who knows where I would have been," added four-time major winner McIlroy.
"You learn way more from those days than from victories.
"Martin had such a big lead that I can see where you could get a little bit complacent."
A study which shows that over half of footballers suffer from a clinical level of psychological distress after being released from a club at a young age has led to further calls for improved after-care in the game.
The study at Teeside University in England indicated that 55% of a sample of players between 15 and 18 were found to have psychological issues in the aftermath of release from a club, including depression and anxiety.
It also showed many turn to alcohol and drugs and shy away from dealing with the news.
Dr Tim Prescott, director of clinical psychology, said the university assessed the players on three occasions and found that as time went on, the distress was increasing.
Former Liverpool and Ipswich Town player Shane O'Connor told RTÉ of his experience this morning and said more needs to be done for players returning home from England.
"I'd get up, go training and I'd come home and wait to go training the next day. That was my life."
He left Liverpool after two seasons, having moved to Anfield at 16, and later had three seasons with the Tractor Boys before departing in January 2012.
O'Connor, who will line out for Cobh Ramblers in the SSE Airtricity First Division this year, said leaving a club at such a young age was extremely difficult to cope with.
"I feel people that are coming back from Ireland need more help. Listening to the doctor [describe the research], it is probably scary how much I can relate to everything he said, of going down roads of trying to shut out ... When people tried to talk to me, I just shut it out and tried to make up some sort of story to make them believe that I am hanging on to the dream.
"I don't think there is enough done for people psychologically-wise, I could have used a bit of help in trying to integrate back into normal life.
"From the age of 16, I'd get up, go training and I'd come home and wait to go training the next day. That was my life. That was the bubble you'd live in over there. When that bubble bursts, you don't know where to turn."
RTÉ Soccer analyst and psychotherapist Richie Sadlier also discussed interacting with players struggling to cope with the rejection and said that there is a need for professional help as they adjust to a completely different way of life.
"You're talking about kids, who don't pursue this dream in isolation. They do it with the support of their family, parents in particular, and sometimes coaches, agents or scouts.
"It's a disappointment for a lot of people. I did it while I worked at the Millwall academy when players were released, [where] you offer help as best you can.
"You say that you have contacts with other clubs and you might set them up with trials elsewhere. You might stay in touch with them. You can give them free tickets for a match coming up. You can do all of those things.
"But there reaches a point, as this research has shown, that a lot of players are dealing with issues that can't be resolved by chats on the phone with a friend or tickets to a match or the offer of a trial. Professional help is needed.
"Counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, there is a role for that expertise in professional sport. Particularly in professional football and this age group. Because the vast majority of lads that go down this road will experience rejection, disappointment, failure, or whatever word you like.
"They will arrive at a point with their head in their hands and say 'right, this is a catastrophe'. Those lads need help and more than just sympathetic chats by their friends."
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt admits his side lack the surprise element that helped them become Six Nations champions last year.
Schmidt's side went into the 2014 RBS 6 Nations on the back of a fifth-place finish the previous year.
The head coach started just 18 players on the way to that success and will face a test of their strength-in-depth with a number of injury doubts going into next week's opener against Italy.
An extended squad of 46 players was named last week ahead of an Irish Wolfhounds game on Friday against England Saxons.
Schmidt said the pool of players now available to him makes it easier to cope with any absentees, but warned Ireland will not be able to surprise their opponents.
Speaking at the launch of the competition in London today, he said: "We've tried to keep growing that playing base the whole time. We will keep trying to continue to do that.
"At the same time, one of the luxuries we had in the last Six Nations was we started 18 different players.
"When 15 have to take the field each time, there wasn't a lot of turnover. For us this time, with different guys out injured and maybe coming in at different times in the tournament, we may not have quite the same continuity.
"That may be a little more difficult to manage. I think inevitably, when we were fifth the year before, maybe we could sneak up on opponents. I don't think that's a possibility for us this year."
Italy provide Ireland's first test in Rome and the Ireland boss feels it will be a completely different prospect to the 46-7 win last year in the Aviva Stadium.
Ireland have struggled in recent trips to Rome and Schmidt said his players cannot afford to underestimate their opponents.
"They have certainly improved. I thought they had the beating of Argentina" - Joe Schmidt on Italy
"I thought they did really well in the Autumn series. They were very close to South Africa until Havana scored right at the end where they lost by about 15 points.
"Until then it was only an eight-point margin. They have certainly improved. I thought they had the beating of Argentina and Argentina managed to slip through and get that one try in the second half that made the difference.
"They beat Samoa who are always difficult to beat. At the same time for us, Italy, last year when we played them, there was no Sergio Parisse or Alessandro Zanni. They are both back and fully fit to play. Castro Giovanni went off very early in the game.
"I think Edoardo Gori has been playing very well and at the same time in that nine-ten axis, they've added in Kelly Haimona who has been very good for them as well. I thought he had a very strong autumn.
"We're playing a different Italy that we did last year, at a different stage of the tournament, and in a very difficult location.
"The last two times we've been there, we lost in Rome last time and the time before that we needed a last-minute goal from Ronan O'Gara to get us over the line, 13-11. I think if we look anywhere beyond that, it could be very dangerous."
Friday's game against the Saxons will allow Schmidt to assess some of the fringe players and those returning from injury, including Sean O'Brien.
"We've been doing a bit of work in the first part of this week for that match and looking ahead to Italy as well. I think we might be defending champions but this time last year we had finished fifth the previous year.
"It is very much an equal playing field before the Championship starts. Everybody is looking to take their chances. We've got to make sure we are as well prepared as we can be to take ours."
Ireland's World Cup campaign gets under way against the West Indies on 16 February
The International Cricket Council has revealed that Ireland and Afghanistan will join the 10 full member nations in the rankings-based qualification system for the Cricket World Cup 2019.
The top eight-ranked sides in the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings as of 30 September 2017 will qualify automatically for the 2019 event, while the bottom four will play in the 10-team Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 that will determine the final two teams in the line-up.
As a result, Afghanistan and Ireland will no longer play in the World Cricket League Championship, the ICC's one-day competition for the leading associate and affiliate sides.
The final two positions in the World Cricket League Championship will now be filled by Kenya and Nepal, who finished third and fourth in the second tier of the World Cricket League in Namibia last week.
They will join Hong Kong, Namibia, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates in the two-year competition, which is scheduled to start in mid-2015.
The new structure also includes a promotion and relegation system for associate and affiliate members, with a challenge series to take place between the lowest-ranked associate member on the rankings table and the winner of the World Cricket League Championship. The winner of the play-off will be included on the rankings table for the next cycle and the loser will compete in the World Cricket League Championship.
Ireland and Afghanistan will continue to play in the four-day, first-class Intercontinental Cup 2015-17, along with Hong Kong, Namibia, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates.
Ireland's World Cup opener against the West Indies takes place in Nelson on New Zealand's South Island on 16 February.
Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said: "We are absolutely delighted with the opportunity to qualify directly to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Ireland has worked very hard over recent years to prove itself as the leading associate side and has beaten a number of full members over the years.
"We are confident that we can now accelerate our progress as part of this qualification structure with the full members, while this is also an excellent boost as we put our finishing touches on our preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015."
Cabinteely will play their home games in Stradbrook in Dublin
Cabinteely FC will compete in the SSE Airtricity First Division next year after being granted a licence by the FAI.
The FAI's Licensing Committee met this morning to discuss Cabinteely FC's application, which was subsequently awarded subject to the completion of necessary paperwork.
Cabinteely FC will play their home matches at Blackrock RFC's ground in Stradbrook and preparations are already well under way to be ready in time for the start of the campaign on 6 March.
FAI competitions director Fran Gavin said: "I would like to welcome Cabinteely FC into the SSE Airtricity League. We have been involved in discussions with the club in recent months.
"They have good structures in place and good foundations on which to build a First Division side that can compete nationally. They were accepted as a member of the SSE Airtricity League following receipt of a number of expressions of interest and subsequent discussions.
"Cabinteely will be filling the position left vacant by Shamrock Rovers and are set to join Athlone Town, Cobh Ramblers, Finn Harps Shelbourne, UCD, Waterford United and Wexford Youths in the 2015 SSE Airtricity League First Division."
Pearse Toale of Cabinteely FC said: "Cabinteely FC are delighted to become a new member of the SSE Airtricity League.
"We believe this to be a natural progression for the club and builds on the very strong foundation of our under-age structures and provides a pathway for our players to the SSE Airtricity League.
"We look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead with great enthusiasm and commitment. We would like to thank Blackrock College RFC for their help in making this possible."
The 2015 SSE AIrtricity League First Division fixtures will now be released at 2pm on Thursday.
Written By Unknown on Selasa, 27 Januari 2015 | 23.06
Updated: Tuesday, 27 Jan 2015 15:48 | Comments
Eoin Reddan (L) and Conor Murray should be fit to travel to Rome for the Six Nations opener
Scrum-half pair Conor Murray and Eoin Reddan are both expected to be fit for Ireland's opening Six Nations clash in Italy on Saturday week.
Murray had missed Munster's final two Champions Cup games with a neck injury, while Reddan strained knee ligaments during Leinster's draw with Wasps.
However, news from the Irish training camp today suggest both number nines will be fit to face the Italians on Saturday 7 February (kick-off 2.30pm, Live RTÉ 2).
Their absence would have left head coach Joe Schmidt with a selection dilemma at scrum-half between Leinster veteran Isaac Boss and Connacht's rising star Kieran Marmion.
Dave Kearney, Rhys Ruddock and Dave Foley are all fitness concerns ahead of the trip to Rome.
Meanwhile, Leinster flanker Sean O'Brien is in line to start for the Irish Wolfhounds against England Saxons on Friday, which would be his first game in an Ireland shirt since sustaining a shoulder injury in the heartbreaking late defeat to New Zealand in 2013.
His team-mate Cian Healy is unlikely to be involved in that game but is also closing in on a return to fitness.
Mark Yeates scored the fourth goal in Bradford's 4-2 win against Chelsea
By Rob Wright
The weekend's FA Cup action provided some major highs and lows for Irish players but it was the Bradford duo of Billy Clarke and Mark Yeates who had the most to celebrate as they helped their team to a stunning 4-2 victory over Chelsea.
Neither player started the game but Tallaght native Yeates was introduced with ten minutes to go and scored the fourth insurance for his side, linking up well with Jon Stead before calmly slotting the ball past Petr Cech.
Clarke was introduced during injury time but still got to sample some of the incredible atmosphere on one of Bradford's biggest afternoons.
Alan Sheehan, who was in the squad but did not feature on the day for Bradford is now dreaming of another giant killing act and hopes to face Liverpool or Manchester United in the fifth round (Update: they got Sunderland or Fulham).
"I'm a Man United fan so I'd love United away. But when I was at Notts County we got drawn against Liverpool away and I got injured a week before that, so, probably Man United or Liverpool would be nice. But I don't really mind!" he told RTÉ.
Sunderland's skipper John O'Shea turned in a decent performance in his side's 0-0 with Championship side Fulham.
The Black Cats would have been expected to win that game but were forced to hold on after Jack Rodwell was sent-off with just under half an hour to go. O'Shea marshaled his defence well and recovered from what appeared to be a knee injury in the first half to ensure his side kept a clean sheet and remain in the draw for the fifth round.
The news wasn't as good for O'Shea's international teammate Shane Long who not only saw his side suffer a surprise 3-2 defeat against Crystal Palace but suffered suspected broken ribs in a collision with Joel Ward.
Long was introduced on the hour mark with his side trailing 3-2 and made an immediate impact with his surging runs and physical presence as the Saints went in search of an equaliser but he lasted just 13 minutes before going off injured.
Afterwards the Irish frontman tweeted from his hospital bed to claim he was 'on the mend.'
Palace held out in the face of major pressure in the second half and Damien Delaney was instrumental in their rearguard action, putting in a sterling shift in the heart of the Eagles' defence.
Delaney's ability in the air helped to negate the threat of the impressive Graziano Pelle and as Southampton became more and more desperate Delaney had a knack of being in the right place at the right time to cut out the danger.
There was a host of Irish players on display in Derby County's 2-0 victory over League One side Chesterfield. Richard Keogh, Cyrus Christie and Jeff Hendrick all started for the Championship side while former Sligo Rovers manager Paul Cook named Jimmy Ryan, Eoin Doyle and James O'Shea in his Chesterfield side.
Christie impressed again in the Derby defence and had to be alert early on to deny Armand Gnanduillet what would have the opening goal with a well-timed block. After his side went behind James O'Shea would then to go close to claiming an equaliser for Chesterfield only to see his sweetly struck volley from the edge of the penalty area just go the wrong side of the post.
O'Shea was his side's best performer of the afternoon, linking up well with frontmen Doyle and Gnanduillet and he again looked like scoring for his side before he be denied by a great last-ditch challenge from Richard Keogh after skipping through the Derby defence.
Derby had plenty of defensive work to do throughout, and were aided by a calm and composed display from Hendrick in midfield who helped to alleviate much of the pressure. Hendrick came in for special praise from his manager Steve McClaren afterwards.
"I thought Kelle Roos in goal was very good today and I thought the players in front of him defended very well, but for me, Jeff Hendrick and Will Hughes were very, very good," McLaren told Derby's official website. "They were head and shoulders above anybody else in that midfield. They were both excellent."
Alex Pearce captained his Reading side to a 2-1 victory over fellow Championship side Cardiff City, turning in a typically assured performance in defence while Simon Cox was an unused substitute.
Shane Duffy was another Irish defender who shone in the Cup, as his Blackburn Rovers side overcame Premier League opposition, beating 10-man Swansea 3-1.
The Derry man impressed throughout and made crucial blocks to deny Nathan Dyer and Bafetimbi Gomes when the side's were level at 1-1. Duffy came out on top in his personal duel with Gomes and made a case for an extended run in the team after being dropped for several average performances.
Duffy revealed that he was unhappy with his recent form and told goal.com "It was up to me (to respond) because my performances weren't good enough by my own standard and I think the manager knew that, everyone knew that, myself included."
There was no upset in Birmingham's Cup clash with West Brom as the Premier League side ran out 2-1 winners despite some fine saves from Darren Randolph in the City goal.
The Irish goalkeeper should perhaps have done better for West Brom's opener as Victor Anichebe beat him at the near post but there was little he could do to prevent the second goal which took a cruel deflection to wrong-foot him. After that however, Randolph impressed keeping his side in the game with a fine save from a Jolean Lescott header before denying Berahino with a smart save.
Stephen Gleeson also featured for the Blues but had a quiet afternoon, struggling to gain a foothold in midfield and being restricted to a couple of half-chances up front.
Bournemouth will consider themselves unlucky to have exited at the hands of Aston Villa as the Championship side were edged out 2-1 by Premier League opposition.
All three of Bournemouth's Irish players started as Ian Harte, Harry Arter and Eunan O'Kane got the nod. Now 37, Ian Harte showed glimpses of the player that earned 63 caps for Ireland but was often undone by his lack of pace and was replaced on the hour mark.
Arter and O'Kane fared better and O'Kane in particular was a constant threat for his side going forward, forcing a great save from veteran Irish goalkeeper Shay Given on the half-hour mark as the former Newcastle shot-stopper had to be at full stretch to tip his effort around the post.
Ciaran Clark enjoyed another quietly confident and assured display for Villa in defence but both he and Given will be disappointed with the injury-time goal their side conceded to deny them a clean sheet.
Jack Grealish was introduced as an injury time substitute for Villa, suggesting that his row with manager Paul Lambert over comments the player made on twitter may be resolved.
In the Championship, Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill was treated to a barrage of goals as he was in attendance for Watford's stunning 7-2 victory over Blackpool, who had initially raced into a 2-0 lead.
It was a game that will have done nothing for Darren O'Dea's hopes of an international recall as the player, who has only recently joined Blackpool on a short-term deal was part of a defence that conceded an astonishing seven goals.
Tommy Hoban's hopes of a call-up will also have suffered a blow as he was substituted by Watford at half-time after a less than distinguished showing in the first 45 minutes.
Someone who should be in O'Neill's thoughts the next time he names an Ireland squad is Huddersfield's Sean Scannell and he featured in his side's 1-0 victory over Huddersfield at the weekend.
Scannell was lively throughout, working up and down the left flank and at times tying Wigan full-back Andrew Taylor up in knots. He was unlucky not to have claimed an assist after a fine bit of play in which he outmuscled Taylor before lobbing the ball over the out-rushing Wigan goalkeeper an onto the head of Nahki Wells who really should have steered the ball home.
James McClean turned in a solid shift for Wigan but spurned his side's best chance of the game when he contrived to head over the bar when Callum McManaman's cross found him unmarked in the penalty area.
In League One, Liam McAlinden's Fleetwood edged to a 1-0 victory over a Crawley Town side which featured Lance Oyebanjo. In what was Fleetwood's first home win since November, McAlinden who is on loan from Wolves, was mostly a peripheral figure who had little service up front.
Oyebanjo turned in a decent performance at right-back for Crawley but he did give away the free-kick that led to the game's only goal, clipping Jamie Proctor as he ran across the face of goal.
Republic of Ireland Under-21 Will Hayhurst can consider himself unlucky to have been on the losing side as his Notts County side were beaten 2-1 by Peterborough.
Hayhurst was the stand-out player for County and was a constant threat from dead ball situations. The winger saw a first-half freekick from the edge of the penalty area narrowly go the wrong side of the post before laying what should have been a goal for Haydn Hollis on a plate with his expert delivery, only to see his teammate head straight at the goalkeeper.
With the clock ticking down and Notts County still trailing, Castlebar native Ronan Murray won his side a free-kick some 25-yards out. Hayhurst stepped up to take it only to see the Peterborough goalkeeper tip it around the post.
Darren Potter was influential in midfield as his MK Dons side claimed a 2-0 victory over Barnsley to move within three points of top spot in League One.
Potter was favoured in place of Ireland Under-21 Samir Carruthers and did much to validate that decision, helping to control the pace and tempo of the game from midfield as his side rarely looked like being in trouble.
Former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international James Collins was the match-winner for League Two side Shewsbury as he netted two goals in his side's 3-2 victory over Stevenage.
After his side went down to an early goal, Collins equalised, finishing off a quick breakaway move with a calmly taken shot to the bottom corner. Liam Lawrence then put Shrewsbury in front with a well taken penalty before Stevenage equalised.
Just when it appeared as if both sides would have to settle for a share of the spoils, Collins popped up again, this time powering into the penalty area before sliding an powerful effort home to give his side all three points.
There were two former League of Ireland players involved as Oxford United drew 2-2 with Exeter Town. Former Dundalk player Pat Hoban made his first start up front for Oxford while at the other end of the pitch former Cobh Ramblers and Cork City frontman Graham Cummins started, starting in place of veteran Ireland striker Clinton Morrison.
Hoban had the best chance of the two to score, getting on the end of a neat cut-back from Callum O'Dowd only to see his effort blocked after he delayed a fraction too long.
John Joe O'Toole was on the mark in Northampton's 3-0 victory over Newport County, heading home from a corner to put his side 2-0 up just before the hour mark. Mark Byrne featured for Newport and had an early chance to put his equalise but goalkeeper Matt Duke was equal to the effort, denying him at full stretch.
In Scotland Aberdeen's title hopes hit a setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw with St Johnstone. Adam Rooney equalised after the Dons had gone behind and it was a very special goal as the Dubliner hit an unstoppable volley from just outside the penalty area.
Johnny Hayes and Willo Flood also featured for the Dons but this was a game all about Rooney's goal.
Callum Morris and Sean Dillon were both part of the Dundee United defence in their side's 2-1 win against a St Mirren side featuring Jim Goodwin. It was a win that took United to within two points of third place.
In the Scottish Championship Jon Daly helped to create Rangers' only goal as they edged to a narrow 1-0 over Alloa. Daly was impressive throughout for the fallen Scottish giants but his most telling contribution came on the 14th minute when he found a yard of space in the penalty area before fizzing the ball back to Nicky Law who tapped it home.
In Australia, Andy Keogh scored from the penalty spot as his Perth Glory side fought out a 3-3 draw with Melbourne Victory. Keogh scored his side's opening goal with a smartly taken penalty, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Damien Duff's Melbourne City side return to action this coming Saturday after a mid-season break which including a training trip to the UAE.
Further afield and in the Myanmar National League former Ireland international Caleb Folan is plying his trade with Kanbawza, where he scored both goals in last week's 2-0 victory over Zeyar Shwe Myay.
In Malaysia Eamon Zayed continues his pre-season preparations with Sabah FA despite George O'Callaghan's dismissal as manager. Zayed, who is linking up with El Hadji Diouf up front, set up the former Liverpool striker to score in their 1-1 pre-season friendly draw with Sime Darby.
New calendar would see all Ireland finals played a week earlier - and club finals in December
GAA Director General Paraic Duffy has re-emphasised the importance of fixture changes which would see all competitions held within a calendar year.
Duffy has been very vocal on the subject for the past 12 months - the changes would see the All-Ireland finals finishing a week earlier and club finals moving from their traditional St Patrick's Day finish to a December date.
Writing in this year's annual report, he stressed the importance of this issue, saying that real progress on the fixture master plan and club fixtures is required.
The wide-ranging and detailed document, which runs to over 20,000 words, also covers many other issues, including the vindication of the black card rule and the allocation of media rights, which Duffy believes has been a success with regard to new arrangements with RTE's worldwide service GAAGO and Sky Sports' coverage of Gaelic Games.
On the black card, Duffy feels "it is indisputable that the changes advocated by the Football Review Committee (FRC) have brought the intended improvements to the playing of the game".
The Director General also revisited the decision to go to Limerick with the semi-final replay between Kerry and Mayo.
He admitted the move "backfired".
"Regarding the decision to stage the Kerry-Mayo replay in Limerick, the Ard Stiúrthóir acknowledges that the decision was a risk which 'backfired', before going on to explain the primary reasons for the decision.
"Before making the case here, I have to acknowledge that we took a risk that backfired on us, a consequence of what proved to be an over-optimistic assessment of the unlikelihood of a replay."
He said he was impressed he was with the success of the kick-out rule in the recent International Rules series, where the ball must go beyond the '45. He ponders the question as to whether this is worth considering for football.
The Monaghan man also addresses the issue of a perception that there is a disconnect between Croke Park and the wider GAA community regarding the association's financing and the existence of a 'Corporate GAA', highlighting the need to finance the organisation.
A review of the year would not be complete without some comment about the debacle of the Garth Brooks' scheduled concerts. Duffy, unsurprisingly, defends the GAA position in the controversy.
Dufdy concluded that he was disappointed with the Dublin County Council: "Croke Park and the GAA felt let down by this whole process..
"Most people who followed the Garth Brooks affair found the decision to refuse a licence for five concerts incomprehensible. And they were right.
"Consider the reality of what we all knew when the licence application for five concerts was submitted: DCC had created a legitimate expectation that a licence would be granted for five concerts; 400,000 people – 330,000 of our own citizens and 70,000 tourists from abroad – had paid a substantial sum of money to buy tickets; and the concerts were set to present the country with the gift of a massive economic uplift.
"DCC told us that the decision reached was, I quote, 'appropriate, balanced and reasonable'. But was it so for the 400,000 people who had already bought tickets and who were looking forward hugely to the concerts? We had the opportunity to enjoy a unique experience that we would have fondly remembered for years. We lost all of this, just as the GAA lost out in all the ways I have identified."
Andy Murray dispatched local favourite Nick Kyrgios in three sets to progress to the semi-finalsTomas Berdych inflicted a 6-0 set on Rafael Nadal en route to the semi-finals
Andy Murray ended the hopes of local tennis fans, and one teenager in particular, with a no-nonsense performance to reach his fifth Australian Open semi-final after a 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3 victory over Nick Kyrgios.
The 19-year-old's quarter-final appearance at the season opening grand slam had created a media frenzy in Australia despite it competing with the Socceroos' Asian Cup semi-final against United Arab Emirates scheduled for the same time.
Newspapers devoted substantial space to the match earlier on Tuesday, while the host broadcasters had a countdown clock on the match for 24 hours and interviewed anyone associated with Kyrgios they could.
Murray, however, refused to let the off-court hype distract him as he produced a clinical effort to take the Rod Laver Arena crowd out of the equation, improve his record against Australian opponents to 11-0 and set up a semi-final against seventh seed Tomas Berdych.
Berdych ended his incredible losing streak against Rafael Nadal in brilliant style to reach the semi-finals.
Berdych won three of his first four meetings with Nadal but had not tasted victory over the Spaniard since 2006, his 17 straight defeats equalling a record in the open era.
However, the 29-year-old picked the ideal time to end the sequence with a stunning 6-2 6-0 7-6 (7/5) victory on Rod Laver Arena and has yet to drop a set in the championship.
It was just the third time Nadal had lost a set 6-0 in a grand slam, the most recent being to Roger Federer in the 2006 Wimbledon final and the other in the second round of the 2004 US Open against Andy Roddick.
The nine-time French Open champion also lost a set 6-0 to Britain's Andy Murray in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi earlier this month and had constantly maintained he was not a top contender in Melbourne due to the wrist injury and appendicitis which ruined the latter half of 2014.
"I was definitely ready for it, I set up my plan pretty well and stuck with that all the way through the three sets," Berdych said in an on-court interview.
"I was expecting a very tough battle but I was ready for everything and I think that was the biggest difference.
"I started pretty well but you are playing Rafa and you have to really keep going until the last point. You have to be ready for everything. He is a great fighter but I stayed focused and kept doing my stuff and it was working pretty good."
Berdych praised the influence of new coach Dani Vallverdu, who previously helped Murray win grand slam titles at the US Open and Wimbledon. Murray or Australia's Nick Kyrgios will face Berdych in the semi-finals.
"I've been really happy with how we work together so far but the good thing is I am already able to execute the things on the court," Berdych added. "It works well. We set up a great plan for today and it worked so what could be better?"
Dave Kearney on the ground after the tackle from Ashley Johnson
Wasps' Ashley Johnson has been cited for the tackle on Dave Kearney during Saturday's Champions Cup game that forced the Leinster wing to come off injured.
Johnson was given a yellow card for the tackle just 17 seconds into the 20-20 draw.
Kearney played no further part in that game but is no longer considered doubtful for Ireland's Six Nations opener away to Italy on 7 February.
Johnson is alleged to have committed a dangerous tackle on Kearney, and will face a hearing in Dublin on Thursday.
If found guilty, Johnson faces a ban of three weeks if the offence is judged to be at the low end of severity; six weeks if it is considered a medium-level offence; and between 12-52 weeks if it is reckoned to be at the top end of the range.
After the game, Leinster coach Matt O'Connor voiced his frustration that "we lose a bloke for 80 minutes; they lose a bloke for 10 minutes. Now that doesn't make sense to me, but I haven't seen the incident again.
"I don't know whether it was right or wrong. A bloke takes a guy out illegally, and we lose a guy which compromises the bench, and they lose a bloke for 10 minutes.
"There is a duty of care on the player to make sure guys land safely."
Niamh Briggs has been named captain of the Ireland team for the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship
The Waterford native has 45 international caps. having made her debut against Italy in the 2008 RBS 6 Nations.
She was World Player of the Year in 2013 and was nominated again last year.
Briggs said: "It's a massive privilege to represent your country at any level, but to captain your country is a great honour and I was delighted to be asked.
"It's a hugely proud moment for me and for my family who have been great support throughout my career
"To follow in the footsteps of an unbelievable leader in Fiona Coghlan is a fantastic honour and I look forward to captaining this great squad."
Director of rugby Anthony Eddy said: "There has been a lot of change in the women's set-up, with several uncapped players and a new coaching team. Niamh's experience, at the highest level will bring a continuity of leadership within the squad."
"She has always set a terrific standard as a player and we know she will continue to do so as captain."
RBS 6 Nations Ireland Women's Fixtures: Fri 6 Feb 1900: Italy v Ireland Stadio Mario Lodigiani Fri 13 Feb 1930: Ireland v France Ashbourne RFC Fri 27 Feb 1930: Ireland v England Ashbourne RFC Sun 15 Mar 1200: Wales v Ireland Swansea RFC Sun 22 Mar 1300: Scotland v Ireland Broadwood Stadium
Written By Unknown on Senin, 26 Januari 2015 | 23.06
Updated: Monday, 26 Jan 2015 11:35 | Comments
Alan Sheehan (R) and Billy Knott celebrate a third round goal against Millwall
Athlone man Alan Sheehan has spoken of the thrill of seeing his Bradford team knock Chelsea out of the FA Cup, and is now hoping for a date with Manchester United or Liverpool.
The League One side caused one of the biggest shocks in FA Cup history when coming from 2-0 down to defeat Jose Mourinho's men 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.
And Belvedere FC old boy Sheehan told RTÉ Sport: "It's a massive result you know, the whole club was buzzing.
"There was a kind of relaxed feeling about it – a relaxed feeling about going down there.
"You're playing against the league leaders, one of the best teams in Europe and you're thinking 'we'll go down there and try to make a good account of ourselves,' and you're 2-0 down just before half-time, and then you're just thinking 'hopefully we won't get battered here.'"
That, of course, didn't happen, something the former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international could hardly believe, adding: "You're 4-2 up against one of the best teams in England and you're thinking 'is this really happening?'"
It did of course, and puts Bradford in tonight's draw for the fifth round, and the former Leeds and Leicester defender is dreaming of a date with either Manchester United or Liverpool.
The left back said: "I'm a Man United fan so I'd love United away.
"But when I was at Notts County we got drawn against Liverpool away and I got injured a week before that, so, probably Man United or Liverpool would be nice. But I don't really mind!"
Kingspan Stadium's capacity was recently upgraded to 18,000
Ulster's Kingspan Stadium, formerly Ravenhill, has been selected to host the 2015 Guinness Pro12 final.
Ulster won the tender to host the showpiece after organisers choose to move away from giving home advantage to the highest placed finisher at the end of the season.
The final will take place on Saturday 30 May.
Announcing Belfast as the chosen host city, John Feehan, CEO of Pro12 Rugby said: "Belfast is an inspiring host city and the new Kingspan Stadium is a state-of-the-art venue for the Guinness Pro12 final.
"Given the development of the competition the time is right for a showcase event and we invited offers from all 12 clubs and their regions to host the final.
"The tender from 'Team Belfast' was outstanding and was unanimously agreed as the chosen venue. Belfast excelled itself as the host city for our Pro12 season launch in 2013 and their plans for the city in the lead up to and around the final are very exciting.
"Our competition is truly unique. Twelve clubs, four Unions, one trophy and we are delighted to be able to work with our partners to promote the variety of fantastic international destinations that the Guinness Pro12 has to offer.
"We look forward to working with all our partners in staging a festival of rugby where fans from all four of our countries will enjoy a memorable final and a great weekend in Belfast."
Ireland chiefs remain hopeful Eoin Reddan will beat his medial knee ligament strain in time to face Italy in the Six Nations opener in Rome.
The Leinster scrum-half damaged his knee in Saturday's 20-20 Champions Cup draw with Wasps, and now faces a race against time to be ready to take on Italy on Saturday, February 7.
Munster scrum-half Conor Murray is "scheduled to have further scans this week" on the disc problem in his neck that also threatens to rule him out of Ireland's opening Six Nations clash.
Leinster number eight Jamie Heaslip is carrying a shoulder problem, and will not take part in contact work in Ireland training this week.
"Eoin strained medial ligaments in his knee and is being rehabbed in an effort to be fit for the first game of the Six Nations," read an Ireland statement.
Head coach Joe Schmidt's 46-man training squad convened at the Carton House base on Monday to start preparations for their Six Nations title defence in earnest.
Munster lock Dave Foley was unable to throw himself into proceedings, as he suffered ligament damage to his wrist in the weekend's 65-10 hammering of Sale Sharks.
"Scans have confirmed ligament damage in Dave's wrist and he will have a surgical consultation this week," read the Ireland statement.
"Conor (Murray) is scheduled to have further scans this week.
"Jamie's (Heaslip) shoulder continues to recover, he will be rested from contact this week."
Ireland confirmed that Connacht centre Robbie Henshaw is fit to train after ankle trouble, in one piece of news that will be a big boost to boss Schmidt.
The 21-year-old is likely to prove a mainstay of Ireland's Six Nations campaign now that his fitness doubt has been resolved.
Connacht's Kieran Marmion is at least one scrum-half fit to train this week, but Schmidt's determination to have Reddan in action in Rome is clear given Ireland have tasked their medics with aiming to fast-track his return to fitness.
Ireland will already be without British and Irish Lions fly-half Johnny Sexton for their Stadio Flaminio clash, with the Racing Metro man still completing a 12-week lay-off after four concussions in 12 months.
Schmidt will not want to be without Sexton's Lions half-back partner Murray, but should the Munster play maker fail to recover from neck trouble he will certainly want to call on Reddan's vast experience.
Ruby Walsh with Hurricane Fly and Willie Mullins in the parade ring
Charlie Swan expects Ruby Walsh to desert Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, despite his historic fifth victory in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.
Swan partnered Istabraq to four wins in the Leopardstown Grade One between 1998 and 2001, as well as steering Aidan O'Brien's charge to three triumphs in the big one at Cheltenham.
Walsh now faces the difficult decision of whether to keep faith in Hurricane Fly as he goes in search of a third Cheltenham crown, or to partner stablemate Faugheen, the red-hot favourite for the Champion Hurdle.
But Swan believes there can be no room for sentiment.
He said: "If the ground is in any way good, I think Ruby will probably ride Faugheen.
Hurricane Fly wins his fifth Champion Hurdle
"You've got to ride the horse with the best chance on the day.
"If the ground came up soft you'd give him (Hurricane Fly) a chance, but you'd say the chances of that are probably slim.
"The ground always seems to dry out at that time of year.
"If it was to come up very testing, though, Hurricane Fly would have a right chance."
Swan, who recently announced his retirement from the training ranks, heaped praise on trainer Willie Mullins and Walsh for keeping Hurricane Fly at the top of his game for so long.
He said: "It's a great achievement and he's a great horse.
"It wasn't looking great for him down the back, but it shows you what a good horse he is that he managed to get it back.
"It's fantastic for Willie and all his team who deserve a lot of credit for keeping him sound for so long.
"Ruby rides him so well. It's all right having a good horse, but you need to give him a good ride and Ruby always rides him with loads of confidence."
Swan is unsurprisingly not keen on comparing the two hurdling greats.
He said: "I suppose Istabraq was a bit like Jezki, in that he was better on better ground. He handled soft, but he was definitely better on better ground.
"It's very hard to compare the two of them, being from different generations. They are just two great horses."
Novak Djokovic progressed after a straight sets victory
Novak Djokovic will contest his 23rd consecutive grand slam quarter-final after easing past Luxembourg journeyman Gilles Muller 6-4 7-5 7-5 at the Australian Open.
Djokovic was pushed by the 42nd-ranked Muller, a big-serving left-hander with the shots to rally with the top seed, but the four-times champion was almost bullet-proof on serve and cut the 31-year-old down repeatedly when he rushed to the net.
It wasn't until the sixth game of the third set that Muller had a chance on the Serb's serve but the former junior world number one could not take it despite four break points.
Djokovic struck a string of sumptuous winners to break Muller in the 11th game of the third set and served out the final game to love to book a quarter-final clash with Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic.
Raonic struck a blow for the next generation of male players by felling Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-7(7) 6-3 to reach his first Australian Open quarter-final.
Eighth seed Raonic became only the second Canadian to reach the last eight at Melbourne Park, nearly 50 years after Michael Belkin achieved the feat in 1968.
In a battle of big servers, Lopez coolly saved two match points in the fourth set tiebreak before sending the contest into a decider but double-faulted in the eighth game of the final set to hand Raonic the initiative.
Raonic closed it out on the third match point when Lopez pushed a shot wide.
Earlier, defending champion Stan Wawrinka breathed a sigh of relief after claiming his place in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
Wawrinka looked to be cruising into the last eight in Melbourne when he led Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez by two sets to love and 4-2 with a break of serve in the third.
However, the fourth seed then lost the next four games in succession and trailed 5-0 and 6-2 in a fourth-set tie-break before clinching a 7-6 (7/2) 6-4 4-6 7-6 (10/8) victory in three hours and two minutes.
Wawrinka said: "It was a real battle today. I was two sets up with a break and in the end I'm happy to get through. There was a good level of tennis in general and it's good to make one more win."
Kei Nishikori matched his career-best performance at Melbourne Park by grinding down David Ferrer 6-3 6-3 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals.
Spaniard Ferrer's modus operandi has been to drag opponents into endless rallies until they succumb via fatigue or a loss of focus, but Nishikori showed himself up for the scrap and won most of the longer exchanges.
Nishikori blew two match points but closed out the third when Ferrer netted a forehand to seal the win in two hours and six minutes.
Japan's number one will meet defending champion Wawrinka for a place in the semi-finals.
New Zealand-born George Naoupu has taken up option of third year on his contract
Back-row forwards Eoin McKeon, George Naoupu and Eoghan Masterson have become the latest players to sign new contract extensions with Connacht Rugby and the IRFU.
McKeon and Masterson have put pen to paper on new two-year deals that will see them play at the Sportsground until at least the summer of 2017, while New Zealander Naoupu taken up the option of remaining for the third year on his current contract that will bring him up to the summer of 2016.
Galway-born McKeon is a graduate of the Connacht Academy and has represented Ireland at U18, U19 and U20 level. In the summer of 2013, he travelled with the Emerging Ireland squad to Georgia to play in the Tsbili Cup.
The 23-year-old who made his professional debut away to Scarlets in April 2010 has since played 62 times for Connacht.
Naoupu arrived at Connacht at the start of the 2009/10 season, having come from Super 14 side The Highlanders, and moved onto Kobe Steelers in Japan the following season before returning to the Sportsground in 2011 and has remained in Galway since then.
The now 21-year-old Masterson was fast tracked to the senior team last season when an injury crisis hit the back row. The Portlaoise man impressed in his subsequent six appearances in the Pro12 and is captain of Connacht Eagles for this season.
"All three are quality No. 8's but have the versatility to play right across the back row" - Pat Lam
Commenting on the latest deals, head coach Pat Lam said: "We're delighted to have secured these three back rowers for the future.
"All three are quality No. 8's but have the versatility to play right across the back row while George can also move up into the second row.
"Both George and Eoin are key, senior members of our squad and their involvement and contribution this season has highlighted that.
"I am very pleased to welcome young Eoghan Masterson into the full squad from our Academy for next season. We have someone who is hard working, coachable and determined to succeed."
"When he had to step up for us last year, he showed that he was well capable of a challenge and the entire squad and management were impressed with his maturity and ambition.
"He is a very exciting prospect and along with Eoin has the potential for higher honours."
Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 24 Januari 2015 | 23.06
Updated: Saturday, 24 Jan 2015 15:10 | Comments
Kris Commons scored the only goal of the gameCeltic celebrate
Ross County 0-1 Celtic
Kris Commons helped Celtic cement their place at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a narrow 1-0 win over bottom side Ross County in Dingwall.
The visitors got the breakthrough in the 52nd minute through a deflected long-distance drive by the Hoops midfielder, who has hit an impasse in new contract talks with the Parkhead club.
The narrow but deserved victory puts the Hoops three points ahead of Aberdeen who slipped up again with a 1-1 draw against St Johnstone in Perth on Friday night.
Ronny Deila's side also have a game in hand over the Dons and will look to increase that gap although league aspirations will now be put on hold.
Scottish football will come to a halt next Sunday when the Hoops take on traditional rivals Rangers in their League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.
It will be the first time in just under three years the two clubs have met after the Light Blues re-emerged in the bottom tier of Scottish football following their highly-publicised descent into administration and liquidation.
The Celtic players knew the game against the Staggies was their last chance to clinch a starting place at the national stadium.
Without midfielder Beram Kayal, whose move to Brighton was confirmed yesterday, Deila brought in striker John Guidetti and midfielder Liam Henderson with Stefan Johansen, who went off with a head knock against Motherwell in midweek, and Anthony Stokes out altogether.
Staggies boss Jim McIntyre made five changes to his side with Filip Kiss, Scott Boyd, Steven Ross, Tony Dingwall and Marcus Fraser, the latter making his debut after signing following his release by the Parkhead club.
Out went injured Richard Brittain, Jackson Irvine was ineligible against his parent club while Steven Saunders, Lewis Toshney and Joe Cardle started on the bench.
The home side played their part in a lively enough first 45 minutes
While the Hoops took time to adapt to Guidetti and Leigh Griffiths playing together in a two-man attack, a 30-yard snap-shot by County striker Craig Curran in the third minute sped past Craig Gordon's right-hand post, to the relief of the Hoops keeper.
That near miss jolted the visitors into action.
Commons, twice, and left-back Emilio Izaguirre, both had efforts on goal, none of which, however, called County keeper Antonio Reguero into action.
An Izaguirre challenge on Curran inside the box as Celtic defended a corner brought claims of a penalty from home fans which were ignored by referee Kevin Clancy.
The champions could not find any rhythm as the Highlanders grew in confidence.
But on the half-hour mark, after Kiss fouled Commons 20 yard out trying to recover an earlier mistake by left-back Graham Carey, Guidetti curled the free-kick inches past the far post.
At the other end, Gordon parried a decent long-distance shot from Carey with County grateful moments later when Boyd brilliantly blocked a goal-bound strike from Commons.
Within two minutes of the restart, Griffiths looked certain to score when he found himself with only Reguero to beat but the County keeper saved and when Guidetti followed up on the rebound, Dingwall defender Jamie Reckord blocked his shot for a corner which came to nothing.
However, a Hoops' goal was only delayed until the 52nd minute, albeit it was tough luck on the home side when Commons' drive took a deflection off Staggies skipper Paul Quinn and looped over the helpless Reguero, immediately sapping the belief from County.
County substitute Liam Boyce, on just before the break for Dingwall, flashed a shot across the Celtic goal to remind the champions the job was not yet done, as did a drive by Boyd minutes later which was saved by Gordon.
As the game ended in howling wind and rain the home side went for broke with Gordon again thwarting Boyd, this time from a header.
