Category Archives: Sports

Ireland 1972 5 Nations

For the weekend that’s nearly in it.

Saturday, January 29, 1972.

The final 5 Nations game between France and Ireland to be staged at Stade Colombes, Paris.

The championship that never was.

Five new Irish caps, all fine, young, inordinately hairy men, They heaved against the veterns de rugby francais and gritted it out for an historic and most unlikely victory (France 9 Ireland 14).

Paul McWeeney writing in the following Monday’s Irish Times said:

It was a sobering thought before the match, when asked if I had ever seen Ireland win at Colombes, to realise that, in fact, only myself and one or two other of my British press colleagues had ever had the pleasure, nor was I all that optimistic that I would ever see it again.

Puissant!

Previously: Frogger 1983

Retro Rugby on Broadsheet.ie

Photo credit: Lineout Coach

 

City to retire Farren’s number 18 jersey (Derry City F.C.)

Kobe Designs

Update:

  

Petition launched to name new Bradywell stand after Mark Farren (Derry Journal)



http://youtu.be/Qek0Woye3Cc

For the weekend that will be in it.

A look back at Saturday, April 4, 1987.

At the Cardiff Arms Park, Ireland put in an oddly schizophrenic performance but prevailed over Wales.

Edmund Van Esbeck writing (through rose tinted spectacles) in the Irish Times said:

A season that started with such bright promise and hope, but faltered in the midway period has ended in a triumph and triumph this was. Never has the appellation “the fighting Irish” been more appropriately applied to an Ireland rugby team..

..the heart of Irish rugby still beats with strong rhythm. It was a great day for the fighting Irish last Saturday.

Mmf!

Previously: How Green Was Their Valley?

Retro Rugby on Broadsheet.ie

Finally!

The first salmon of the 2016 season has been landed at Lough Curran [Co. Kerry].

Myles Kelly writes:

He [Neil O’Shea] managed to get stuck into a good fish [above] before the 11 o’clock tea break. At 10:50 the fish was guided over the net and boated. The salmon fell for a 13cm rainbow Rapala lure….

13cm lure?

We’ve all fallen for one of those, in fairness.

First salmon of the season caught on Lough Currane (Angling Ireland)

Evil FIFA overlords Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini have been banned from all football related activities for eight years.

Golaço!

FIFA Ethics Committee Statement via Rob Harris

Update:

blatter

A shook, unshaven, be-plastered Sepp Blatter this morning.

Blatter: ‘Sorry I am still somewhere a punching ball’ (BBC)