26 February 1998 Edition
Sportsview: The late late show in Thurles
The amazing turnaround in the fortunes of Erin's Isle in the All-Ireland Club Football Championships was the highlight of the footballing weekend. After trailing throughout the first hour, the Dublin team lagged behind a far better Castlehaven team from Cork. Even former Dub's star Charlie Redmond managed to get himself sent off in the 47th minute.
A last minute goal didn't worry Castlehaven too much, until a ball from Erin's Isle's Johnny Barr found its way to Robbie Boyle, with the ball richocheting off both posts and crossing the line in between, according to the umpire. Castlehaven must be feeling pretty agrieved to lose a game they dominated so much.
In the other semi-final Corrofin of Galway provided another surprise by disposing of Derry's Dungiven at Ballyshannon. It was a game on paper the Derry lads must have felt they would win, with their experience and inter-county stars in their line-up. They weren't helped by the sending off of seoirse McGonigle after lashing out at Corofin's forward Derek Reilly. The Tribesmen eventually won out by two points, 0-11 to 0-9.
The championship season is under way again with the Under-21 championship starting in Leinster. There were wins for Dublin, Wicklow and Meath with Laois and Offaly playing out a draw in Portlaoise. Kerry are continuing to encounter difficulties after being dumped out of the McGrath Cup by Clare in Killarney; Cork defeated Waterford after extra time in the other semi-final.
Who's next?
Sam Hammam and his Irish sidekicks have a lot to answer for. Fingers crossed he will not be remembered for bringing about the beginning of the end of Irish domestic soccer. Profit-grabbing business interests, with no concern for the game of soccer in Ireland seem to be popping up at clubs looking to relocate in Ireland. Glasgow club Clydebank are the latest to have itchy feet. They held a simultaneous press conference in Dublin and Glasgow on Monday to unveil plans to re-locate in Dublin's RDS. It is their intention to be up and running by next season, with a name change to `Dublin City'. They have the bones of an agreement to lease the RDS.
While Clydebank's current financial position is regrettable and sad (they are reportedly losing £6,000 a week) a move to Dublin to poach Irish soccer fans is a disgrace. Let's go the whole hog and put out an ad in all English and Scottish papers inviting all clubs in financial difficulties to relocate to Dublin and shag the native clubs already there.
Colm McCarthy is an Irish-based econonist with Clydebank. He showed these people's arrogance and disregard for the FAI by reportedly saying about permission from the Irish organisation in regard to the move ``the only approval we would need is from the Scottish League Management Committee, who meet next Thursday''. He ruled out any approach to the FAI.
Why not invest in the National League? What's wrong with investing money and plans into Sligo Rovers or St Francis or Dundalk? Why this obsession all of a sudden to bring English and Scottish clubs to Ireland? There are many long-established clubs in this country in financial difficulties who could do with investment from such people.
On the playing front Tuesday night saw the second leg of the League Cup at Tolka Park between Sligo Rovers and Shelbourne (Sligo won the first one 1-0). It was nice to see the men from the west win the first silverware of the season after Tuesday night's 0-0 draw as they've seen more ups and down in recent years than the peace process.
A last minute goal didn't worry Castlehaven too much, until a ball from Erin's Isle's Johnny Barr found its way to Robbie Boyle, with the ball richocheting off both posts and crossing the line in between, according to the umpire. Castlehaven must be feeling pretty agrieved to lose a game they dominated so much.
In the other semi-final Corrofin of Galway provided another surprise by disposing of Derry's Dungiven at Ballyshannon. It was a game on paper the Derry lads must have felt they would win, with their experience and inter-county stars in their line-up. They weren't helped by the sending off of seoirse McGonigle after lashing out at Corofin's forward Derek Reilly. The Tribesmen eventually won out by two points, 0-11 to 0-9.
The championship season is under way again with the Under-21 championship starting in Leinster. There were wins for Dublin, Wicklow and Meath with Laois and Offaly playing out a draw in Portlaoise. Kerry are continuing to encounter difficulties after being dumped out of the McGrath Cup by Clare in Killarney; Cork defeated Waterford after extra time in the other semi-final.
Who's next?
Sam Hammam and his Irish sidekicks have a lot to answer for. Fingers crossed he will not be remembered for bringing about the beginning of the end of Irish domestic soccer. Profit-grabbing business interests, with no concern for the game of soccer in Ireland seem to be popping up at clubs looking to relocate in Ireland. Glasgow club Clydebank are the latest to have itchy feet. They held a simultaneous press conference in Dublin and Glasgow on Monday to unveil plans to re-locate in Dublin's RDS. It is their intention to be up and running by next season, with a name change to `Dublin City'. They have the bones of an agreement to lease the RDS.
While Clydebank's current financial position is regrettable and sad (they are reportedly losing £6,000 a week) a move to Dublin to poach Irish soccer fans is a disgrace. Let's go the whole hog and put out an ad in all English and Scottish papers inviting all clubs in financial difficulties to relocate to Dublin and shag the native clubs already there.
Colm McCarthy is an Irish-based econonist with Clydebank. He showed these people's arrogance and disregard for the FAI by reportedly saying about permission from the Irish organisation in regard to the move ``the only approval we would need is from the Scottish League Management Committee, who meet next Thursday''. He ruled out any approach to the FAI.
Why not invest in the National League? What's wrong with investing money and plans into Sligo Rovers or St Francis or Dundalk? Why this obsession all of a sudden to bring English and Scottish clubs to Ireland? There are many long-established clubs in this country in financial difficulties who could do with investment from such people.
On the playing front Tuesday night saw the second leg of the League Cup at Tolka Park between Sligo Rovers and Shelbourne (Sligo won the first one 1-0). It was nice to see the men from the west win the first silverware of the season after Tuesday night's 0-0 draw as they've seen more ups and down in recent years than the peace process.