Author Archives: Aaron McAllorum

Dexterous Dan.

He broke the mould.

Dan Donnelly

Dara Ó’Cinnéide and Gemma Ní Chionnaith

This morning.

You know what we need?

NO More sport on the telly.

Via TG4:

We excited to announce the addition of SPÓRT IRIS to its upcoming summer schedule. Hosted by Kerry footballing legend Dara Ó Cinnéide and TG4 presenter Gemma Ní Chionnaith, SPÓRT IRIS will launch with a live broadcast from the opening night of Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta in Leitir Mór, Co. Galway on Friday 3rd June at 9.55pm.

Thereafter, Dara and Gemma will be joined each week in Croke Park by a panel of experts to analyse and preview all the best of the summer Sports action from the United Rugby Championship, the GAA Hurling, Football, Peil na mBan and Camogie Championships as well as the action from the Galway Races to name but a few.

Joining Dara and Gemma for the first episode will be Marc Ó Sé, Kevin Cassidy, Michael Rice, Joe Connolly along with a live interview with Waterford hurling manager Liam Cahill.

Spórt Iris on  Friday, June 3 on TG4 at 9.35pm.

Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

This morning.

Via Independent.ie:

Gardaí have arrested 10 men in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged match fixing in the League of Ireland.

Investigators said the men have been arrested on suspicion of the offence of Conspiracy to Defraud contrary to Common Law and are currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at various stations in the Southern Region and Dublin Metropolitan Region.

Gardaí said the operation stems from an investigation carried out by detectives attached to the Anti-Bribery & Corruption Unit in 2019, following reports of suspected match-fixing received from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

Gardaí arrest 10 men over alleged League of Ireland match fixing (Independent.ie)

This afternoon.

Further to reports of the scrapping of the planned demolition and rebuild of Dalymount Park…

…Dublin City Council writes:

“We would like to clarify that, contrary to some media reports today, there has been no change in the preferred and planned redevelopment of Dalymount Park into a six-thousand-seater facility with ancillary community facilities.

All stakeholders have always been aware, and particularly in light of ongoing inflationary pressures, that should costs escalate to an unsustainable level there would need to be alternative options on the historic site.

“These options could potentially involve redesign and would utilise all studies and works already undertaken and stay within the current funding mechanism. The demolition of the disused Connaught St Stand is currently out to tender which follows the demolition of the Des Kelly Stand.

“In respect of Tolka Park, negotiations are ongoing with Shelbourne FC acquiring the site from Dublin City Council on a cost recovery basis.”

Meanwhile…

Boehemians FC said:

“The Board of Bohemian FC has always been aware, as with any project funded by public monies, that should costs escalate to an unsustainable level that there would need to be alternative options on the historic site.

“These options could potentially involve redesign and would utilise all studies and works already undertaken and stay within the funding mechanism of LSSIF and DCC as combined sources.

“Such a redesign could also deliver a higher capacity facility without the need for a long period out of Dalymount Park where we have played continuously since 1901.”

Fight!

Monday night.

Meanwhile…

This afternoon:

Via Bray Wanderers.

The Club wishes to communicate that it has identified the principal perpetrators and in conjunction with the Gardai will implement steps to eliminate this behaviour. We are committed to delivering a safe and welcoming environment in which every Bray Wanderers supporter can enjoy the game and support the team.

The Club is fully supportive of Pat Devlin, his management team and players and acknowledges the great progress that has been made in recent months, across all areas of the club, including academy, community outreach, integration of girls/women’s football and significant improvements to the playing surface at the Carlisle Grounds.

We acknowledge that results during the 2022 season have been frustrating, but we urge supporters to continue to get behind the team as we look to push towards the play-off spots in the second half of the season. We are committed to developing our fan base with a particular emphasis on making families feel welcome and safe.

Aw, ref!

Bray Wanderers FC statement

Ireland rugby international Eimear Considine with a size 5 ball

This afternoon.

Keep the shape.

Lose the girth.

Via RTÉ Sport:

Eimear Considine, who won her 26th Ireland cap against England, is in favour of coming in line with the other sports.

“I actually don’t know the reasons why we use a size 5 ball but it’s worth a discussion,” she tells RTÉ Sport.

“My hands aren’t big enough to a one-handed offload but maybe if there was a smaller ball it might allow for you to be a bit slicker in your offloads.

“Naturally, we have smaller hands, that’s just our physiology, it’s nothing to do with not being able to play with a size 5 ball.:

We’re saying nuffink.

Considines agree rugby needs to grasp smaller ball (RTE)

Pic via BlxBox

Munster Gaming Ambassador/team member Daire McCormack (seated left), with Joe O’Leary, Currys Store Manager (standing) and Enda Lynch from Munster Rugby at the Currys store in Mahon Point, Cork to announce Currys Ireland as the lead sponsor of The Munster Rugby Gaming Sim Racing team, in partnership with Williams F1 Racing.

Munster,

It’s not just rugby.

Aisliinn  O’Toole writes:

The Munster Rugby Gaming team will race in the GT Europe Sprint Series and Endurance Racing Series across some of the world’s most iconic tracks between now and September.

The team’s debut entry three weeks ago saw Munster Rugby Gaming team member Daire McCormack win, leading from lights out to final flag.

Alongside Daire, who hails from Kildare, in a Munster Rugby Gaming car is Tariq Gamil from Donegal. The partnership will also see Currys sponsor Munster Rugby Gaming’s League of Legends team, which is currently in the final of the Nordic League, Division 2.

Munster Rugby Gaming was established by Munster Rugby in 2020 to grow new opportunities for the club with its younger fanbase as well as widening its commercial footprint. The long-term goal is to become a multi-discipline club that reaches audiences beyond its traditional heartland.

Currys

This afternoon.

New York, New York, USA

Adorable trash-talking, Bible-loving Bray head Katie Taylor defends her undisputed world lightweight titles tomorrow at Madison Square Garden against seven-weight world champion Amanda Serrano in what has been billed as the biggest female fight ever.

No need for the language. Mr host.

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

New York city.

Katie Taylor v Amanda Serrano: Irishwoman says undisputed bout is ‘best fight’ in boxing (BBC)