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Ireland star Hunter on record-breaking innings and qualifiers

Ireland cricketer Amy Hunter wrote her name in world cricket’s record books by becoming the youngest international centurion (men or women) during a One-Day International against Zimbabwe a month ago.

This week she returns to that southern African nation to compete in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Global Qualifier.

Belfast-born Hunter hit an unbeaten 121 in the fourth ODI of the series between Ireland Women and Zimbabwe Women in Harare on 11 October 2021 – which was her 16th birthday.

She has now returned to Zimbabwe with the Ireland Women’s squad for the World Cup Qualifier tournament and is looking forward to the event that will see Ireland take on West Indies, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands in the Group Stage.

Prior to this, the side takes on Thailand tomorrow in a warm-up match, followed by Pakistan in another warm-up on Friday.

Speaking after training at Old Georgians Sports Club today, Hunter talked about that record-breaking innings.

“It was pure relief and delight, to be honest. I found out about the record during the innings break, but didn’t fully understand how big it was until after the game.

“The girls and management were delighted for me as I’d obviously gone through a bit of a tough patch just previously.

“I had hardly done one interview before, so it was quite a shock to do all the ones that followed.

“It is not something that I ever would’ve expected and while it was an amazing experience, it was definitely new territory and unlike anything I’d experienced before.

“It was definitely a day I will cherish forever and never forget. It was a bit surreal to be honest, I have grown up watching Mithali Raj on TV so for her to tweet about me was an incredible feeling.”

Hunter has worked closely with Ireland Women’s Head Coach Ed Joyce this season – primarily on game plans and mindset. 

The 16-year-old noted that Joyce and the rest of his management team have helped her to grow her batting game and added that the setup’s supportive atmosphere gave her confidence.

Amy started playing cricket when she was eight years old at Instonians Cricket Club, playing with the boys in the Under-11s ‘C’ team.

After a few years, she featured in the Northern Cricket Union (NCU) Boys Under-11s representative side, and also played her first women’s Super Series match at the age of 11 – this led to her selection for the Ireland Girls Under-15s.

The following year [2017], she was selected for the Ireland Women’s Under-19s and was named in the Shapoorji Pallonji Cricket Ireland Academy.

Last November she received her first national call-up for a series against Scotland that didn’t go ahead due to Covid reasons

However, in May this year the series was rescheduled and the prospect made her international debut at Stormont in front of home supporters.

“It has been challenging to balance my studies with cricket, but school – Methodist College, Belfast – make it relatively easy for me to work online when I’m away from home.

“I tend to work in the car to or from training if I have work to get done, but it isn’t too hard.”

While her debut series against Scotland was special, Hunter feels the Zimbabwe series was where she gained the most confidence in her game

The series allowed her to gain more experience at international level and find her feet in an Ireland shirt.

“The only real plan I had was to be really positive in my batting and to play my own game, taking bowlers on from the beginning.”

Hunter also expressed her delight at being able to play alongside batters such as Gaby Lewis and Ireland captain Laura Delany.

She noted that the pair were supportive of her throughout the series and backed the plans she had.

Hunter and Delany play club cricket together at Typhoons, with Delany wearing the armband for the side.

“Laura is incredible – she’s absolutely clear about her plans, and I think this really helped me when I was out there as she helped me establish what I was trying to do and supported me in doing it.

“I’ve played a lot of cricket with Laura with the Typhoons in the Super Series – she’s an amazing person to play under, as regardless of how you are doing she will always back you.

“This season when I was struggling for the Typhoons, she kept reassuring me. Laura has definitely made me a better cricketer as I have and continue to learn so much from the way she goes about her game.”

As for the qualifier that lies ahead for Ireland, Hunter is hopeful that it will open new doors for the side as they look to climb the world rankings.

“Going into the Qualifier, we are hoping that if we play our best cricket we can come in the top five and qualify for the ICC Women’s Championship.

“This will be a huge step in the right direction for us as it will ensure we have regular fixtures against the best sides in the world.”

Ireland kick-off their quest for a spot in the ICC Women’s Championship against the West Indies on Tuesday, November 23 after warm-up matches against Thailand and Pakistan on Tuesday, November 16 and Friday, November 23 respectively.

Sexton ruled out, Carty in and Coombes returns for Ireland

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton will miss the final fixture of the national team’s Autumn Internationals after he twisted a knee and ankle against New Zealand at the weekend.
The injury will rule Sexton out of action for 4-6 weeks but the Ireland captain will remain with the squad this week as the team prepares for the game against Argentina.
Sexton went down in the first half of the match and was treated on the pitch but played on until he required a Head Injury Assessment in the 65th minute.
Connacht’s Jack Carty has joined the Ireland squad for the final week of the Autumn Nations Series after a strong start to the season with the Westerners.
Carty leads the points charts in the United Rugby Championship, having scored 56 after five rounds with 20 combined penalties and conversions slotted between the posts.
The fly-half could make his first appearance in the national green since the Rugby World Cup in 2019 – he started at 10 in Ireland’s infamous loss to Japan.
Munster number 8 Gavin Coombes has returned to the squad having missed last week through illness.
Coombes will aim to get some more international minutes under his belt after making his debut earlier this year.
The 23-year-old is one of a wealth of back-row options that Ireland currently has at its disposal.
Ireland’s final game of the Autumn Nations Series is against Mario Ledesma’s Argentina, who are looking to end a disappointing year on a high.
Ireland, on the other hand, have a chance to end their year with an eighth win in a row after beginning it with two successive defeats.
Los Pumas were last in Dublin in 2018 when Ireland emerged as the victors 28-17.
Another great crowd is expected at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday with over 45,000 tickets sold to date. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.ie.

Rooney, Schmeichel, Giggs: The Greatest ever Manchester United All-Time XI

Rooney, Schmeichel, Giggs: The Greatest ever Manchester United All-Time XI

Rooney, Schmeichel, Giggs. What is the Greatest ever Manchester United All-Time XI? Manchester United are the biggest and most well-known club in English football history. An unprecedented trophy haul, containing 20 League titles, 12 FA Cups and three European titles to their name.

Manchester United have such a great history and from that great history has come an abundance of great players.

From the likes of Steve Bruce to David Beckham, Manchester United have produced some of the most lucrative and special players in English football.

With that in mind, here is a look at Manchester United’s All-Time XI:

Rooney, Schmeichel, Giggs: The Greatest ever Manchester United All-Time XI

Peter Schmeichel

What can be said about the Big Dane that hasn’t been mentioned before? Schmeichel arrived in Manchester in 1991 and would play a further 7 seasons at Old Trafford.

Making 128 clean sheets in the Premier League in 310 appearances, while making 169 clean sheets during his 376 games in all competitions for the Red Devils.

He went on to win 5 Premier League titles, 7 domestic cups and two European trophies. He was also part of the Treble from 1999.

A brilliant shot-stopper with a love for theatrics, Schmeichel was an imposing figure in between the sticks, standing at 6ft 3 inches tall, he was rarely beaten in the air during his career.

Only Edwin Van Der Sar can rival his status as United’s all-time greatest goalkeeper, but Schmeichel was on another level when it comes to how iconic he was.

Dennis Irwin

A throw of the coin for the left-back position, Dennis Irwin and Patrice Evra both have strong arguments to justify their inclusion on this list.

However, I am going for Irwin on this one due to his acute ability to go forward and defend at such a high level for a player with limitations.

Playing a grand total of 529 times for United from 1990 to 2002, he managed to notch up 37 goals and 23 assists in all competitions during his 12-year stint at Old Trafford.

Part of some of the greatest teams to come out of Manchester United, Irwin went on to win 7 Premier League titles, 6 domestic cups and 4 European trophies, including a Champions League from their treble-winning season.

A United and Republic of Ireland great, he was so good that Sir Alex Ferguson admitted back in 2013 that Irwin ”would be the one certainty to get in the team” (when discussing a United all-time XI)

Now, who am I to argue with Ferguson.

Nemanja Vidic

 

Being part of the greatest centre-back pairings with Rio Ferdinand, Vidic was the aggressive defender out of the two with a knack for throwing his body about.

Making 211 Premier League appearances for United from 2006 to 2014, Vidic is the only defender in Premier League history to win two Player of the Year awards. He also made the PFA Team of the Year on four separate occasions.

Winning 5 Premier Leagues, 8 domestic trophies and two European trophies during his 8 seasons.

While he did have moments of madness, picking up 8 red cards and 58 bookings, he will go down as one of the greatest and scariest defenders in United’s history.

Rio Ferdinand

 

Acting as captain throughout his United career, Ferdinand joined United from Leeds United for a record £30 million at the time.

He went on to make 455 club appearances, scoring 8 goals in the process.

A defender with pace, elegance and an astute reading of the game, Ferdinand is United’s greatest ever Centre-Back and formed an unquestionably formidable partnership with Nemanja Vidic which saw the pair win mostly everything.

Gary Neville

Joining the club in 1991, Neville has gone on to become United’s greatest full-back, with 20 years of service for the club.

Never a player to contribute to the attack, scoring as little as 7 goals during his 602 club appearances for the club, Neville was a leader of men. Vocal and single-minded in his approach.

Retiring in 2011, Neville captained United to many League titles during his two-decade stint at the club. Winning 8 of United’s 13 Premier League titles, he has gone on to win domestic and European cups numerous times as a United stalwart.

Roy Keane

 

Manchester United’s captain for the majority of their most successful period in the club’s history, Keane was the catalyst for driving United through many of their toughest battles on the pitch.

Making 480 appearances and scoring 51 goals from 1993 to 2005, the battle-hardened Keane was a monster to play against.

While he could do many things with a ball, it was his leadership qualities and overall intimidation factor that proved to be his best attributes. He won 13 major honours, including seven Premier League titles during his 12-year stint at Old Trafford. He will go down as their most influential player in history.

Paul Scholes

 

The ginger prince as many called him during his 22-year career at Old Trafford, Scholes was an exceptionally gifted footballer with a knack for a pass.

Making 718 appearances for the club and scoring 155 goals, Scholes won everything with the club. Picking up 20 major trophies, with 11 of those being Premier League titles.

His ability to make pinpoint passes from deep was his greatest attribute, he could also hit a 30-yeard screamer from time to time.

While his tackling was questionable, his pure aggression and work rate overshadowed his deficiencies for the most part. His control on the ball was also a sight to behold. A misplaced Scholes pass would be a rarity.

Even at the age of 37, he contributed to United winning their 20th League title, coming out of retirement to give Ferguson one last hurrah.

Ryan Giggs

 

A one-club man, Ryan Giggs spent 26 years as a Manchester United player, making his debut in 1991. The Welshman became one of the greatest – if not the greatest winger in Premier League history.

Making an astounding 963 appearances for United, he scored 168 goals for the club and won 25 major honours, 13 of those being Premier League titles.

As a youngster, Giggs was a ruthless and exciting player, skilful and extremely quick with the ball at his feet, he was a dynamic left-footer, although he adapted as his career went on and played in numerous positions going forward.

It will be his longevity that will see him make a lot of people’s lists and it’s hard to argue with that.

Cristiano Ronaldo

 

A superstar in his own right, Cristiano Ronaldo is without doubt Manchester United’s best-ever player (in terms of ability).

Starting out as a scrawny and rough 18-year-old Portuguese winger, Ronaldo made his debut in 2003 against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford. It took him at least two seasons to properly develop, but once he did he was beyond unstoppable.

Winning the Ballon D’or in 2008, he was the best player in the world while at Man United and left his mark with 127 goals in 303 appearances, winning 8 major honours during his time in England.

Strong, fast, skilful and a monster in the air, Ronaldo was a pain for many Premier League defenders during his first stint in England. Adapting into more of a striker, Ronaldo has come up with numerous clutch moments during his career and will continue to do so.

Now, at the age of 36, Ronaldo is back in England hoping to rediscover the same success he had all them years ago.

Eric Cantona

 

Never a man to shy away from the spotlight nor controversy, Eric Cantona is similar to a fabled fairy tale within the Manchester United consciousness.

Being part of the great United sides from the early to mid-1990s, Cantona was a strong, bullish and clinical forward with the ball at his feet.

He intimidated opponents with his mere presence and gave United another option in their already established forward line.

While he only made 182 appearances from 1992 to 1997 scoring 82 goals, he was a major reason as to why Man United won four league titles in five years, along with two FA Cups.

Wayne Rooney

 

Manchester United’s greatest ever player. Wayne Rooney became Manchester United’s top goalscorer with 253 goals, while he sits second in the all-time Premier League goalscorer list with an incredible 208 goals.

Blessed with pace and power, Rooney was one of the best youngsters to ever come out of England. Joining United in 2004 from boyhood club Everton, he scored a hat-trick on his debut against Fenerbahce in the Champions League and from there on, the goals continued until he left in 2017.

Winning 12 major honours during his spell at Old Trafford, his latter career in Manchester was filled with persistent injuries and being played as a deep-lying midfielder and sometimes as a defensive midfielder.

He will be remembered for his finishing, variety of goals, partnerships with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Robin Van Persie and pure aggression that saw him flourish in his earlier years.

Rooney, Schmeichel, Giggs: The Greatest ever Manchester United All-Time XI

For more News and Rumours on all things Football, click here.

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

Ever since Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea back in 2003, the club has endured an unprecedented 18 years of success.

But with Abramovich, came a huge demand for consistent success domestically and in Europe with many Chelsea managers lasting fewer than 2 years at the helm.

Thomas Tuchel is the latest man to try his luck in the hot seat and has started his Chelsea career extremely well so far. Winning the Champions League, reaching an FA Cup final and gaining Champions League qualification.

The German is also atop of the Premier League summit after 11 games and has already qualified for the next stage in the Champions League.

But where does Tuchel rank, along with the many managers hired and fired under the  Abramovich era starting from 2003?

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

15. Luiz Felipe Scolari

 

Reign: July 2008 – February 2009

Trophies Won: None

Record: P36 W20 D11 L5

Win Percentage: 55%

After the disappointing end to the previous season, Chelsea fans were getting ready for the arrival of World Cup-winning boss Felipe Scolari.

The idea of bringing Brazilian flair to Stamford Bridge was said to be a dream of Abramovich, who craved free-flowing attacking football.

After a promising start, Chelsea looked void of idea’s and looking wide open at the back. Rumours of player power began to circulate, with the writing was on the wall for Scolari who was sacked after seven months in charge.

He would later admit that his sacking came down to ”communication issues” with some players in the squad.

14. Andre Villas-Boas

 

Reign: June 2011 – March 2012

Trophies Won: None

Record: P40 W19 D11 L10

Win Percentage: 47.5%

After the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti in the summer of 2011, the excitement surrounding the arrival of Andre Villas-Boas to Stamford Bridge was monstrous.

Dubbed the new Mourinho by many, Villas-Boas had a big reputation for being one of the most exciting young managers in Europe.

Winning the treble with Porto the season before, AVB was known for his attacking football and installing faith in youth.

However, the young manager was quick to realise that phasing out the old guard in Chelsea would need time. With reported bust-ups with Frank Lampard, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda leading to his departure.

13. Guus Hiddink II

 

Reign: December 2015 – May 2016

Trophies Won: None

Record: P27 W10 D11 L6

Win Percentage: 58%

Brought in for a second time in an attempt to heal the wounds left by Jose Mourinho after the Portuguese’s sacking in December 2015, with the Blues in 16th position.

Hiddink’s arrival saw his side lose to PSG in the Champions League knockout rounds for a second consecutive season and a Quarter-Final defeat to Everton in the FA Cup followed.

Finishing the season in a disastrous 10th place, Hiddink left doing what he needed to do, steady the ship and start preparations for the next manager to fix.

12. Avram Grant

 

Reign: September 2007 – May 2008

Trophies Won: None

Record: P54 W36 D13 L5

Win Percentage: 66%

After the departure of Jose Mourinho in the summer of 2007, Chelsea went for a short term fix with director of football Avram Grant on an interim basis.

The Israeli did well while in charge of the club, leading them close to all four titles, but winning none meant Abramovich had seen enough, with Grant leaving at the end of the season.

In the Premier League, the Blues pushed Manchester United to the final day of the season after a late surge but ultimately finished 2nd.

Domestically, Chelsea squandered a lead to Tottenham in the League Cup final and was surprisingly knocked out by Barnsley in the Quarter-Finals of the FA Cup.

Grant also led Chelsea to their first-ever Champions League final appearance. Coming within a post after John Terry slipped to win it. Ultimately the Blues lost 6-5 on penalties to Manchester United.

11. Rafa Benitez

 

Reign: November 2012 – May 2013

Trophies Won: 1 Europa League

Record: P48 W28 D10 L10

Win Percentage: 58%

Picking up the pieces after Roberto Di Matteo’s ruthless sacking in November 2012, Abramovich went for an unpopular appointment in former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez on an interim basis.

Chelsea fans hated the Spaniard for his Liverpool background and negative comments on the club during his time in Merseyside. But, nonetheless, Benitez was brought in to steady the ship.

Winless in his opening three Premier League games and losing the Club World Cup final to Corinthians, Chelsea fans were unforgiving in their treatment of the Spaniard.

However, form picked up and Benitez ended up finishing 3rd in the Premier League and managing Chelsea to their first Europa League triumph with a 2-1 win over Benfica in Amsterdam.

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

10. Frank Lampard

 

Reign: July 2019 – January 2021

Trophies Won: None

Record: P84 W44 D17 L23

Win Percentage: 53%

Brought in during the summer of 2019, Lampard left Derby to return to the club he called ”his club”. Joining when the club was faced with a transfer ban and without star player Eden Hazard. Lampard’s first season in charge was always going to be assessed sympathetically.

But, Lampard overperformed to a certain extent, securing Champions League football with a team full of youth stars and reaching an FA Cup final

Losing 2-1 to Arsenal before being pulled apart by Bayern Munich in the Champions League followed, Lampard was given mountains to spend in the summer to fix the obvious deficiencies in his squad.

The signings of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell and Edouard Mendy saw a massive transfer overhaul in Lampard’s second season and from then on, it all went downhill.

He was never able to find the proper system to incorporate all his new signings, and troubles behind the scenes saw Chelsea ninth and 11 points of the top when Lampard was sacked.

His managerial legacy at Chelsea will go down to his faith in Mason Mount, Reece James and co, who have now cemented their place in the squad for years to come.

9. Maurizio Sarri

 

Reign: July 2018 – June 2019

Trophies Won: 1 Europa League

Record: P63 W38 D14 L11

Win Percentage: 63%

Brought in to fix the chaos Antonio Conte left, Sarri was a different approach to Chelsea’s usual manager choices. Enjoying a good start to life in London, going unbeaten in his first 12 Premier League games.

Chelsea were playing what was known as ”Sarriball”, attacking football with a high press. However, their form dwindled come February with a 4-0 loss to Bournemouth and a 6-0 loss to Manchester City acting as the catalyst to many fans turning on the Italian.

He ultimately went on to win his first-ever major trophy, with a 4-1 win over Arsenal in the Europa League. A case of gone too soon for some. For other’s, it was met with good riddance.

8. Claudio Ranieri

 

Reign: September 2000 – May 2004 (Abramovich buys club in July 2003)

Trophies Won: None

Record: P184 W95 D44 L45

Win Percentage: 53%

The first manager under the Roman Abramovich era, Ranieri only managed to secure one season under the Russian.

Before Abramovich’s arrival, Ranieri had done a steady job with the London club. Leading them to the 2002 FA Cup final and moving up the league table from 6th to 2nd in four seasons.

Overseeing the breakthrough of John Terry and purchasing Frank Lampard for £11 million in 2001, Ranieri laid a lot of the groundwork for Mourinho.

In his final season, Ranieri finished second behind Arsenal’s invincible’s, although knocking them out of the Champions League Quarter-Finals thanks to a Wayne Bridge winner.

7. Guus Hiddink I

 

Reign: February 2009 – May 2009

Trophies Won: 1 FA Cup

Record: P22 W16 D5 L1

Win Percentage: 72%

The first interim manager under the Abramovich regime, Guus Hiddink came into Chelsea hoping to salvage the remainder of the season after Scolari’s dismissal.

Losing only once, Chelsea finished 3rd, six points of the top and were controversially knocked out of the semi-final stage in the Champions League to Barcelona after a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

However, Hiddink did find success, winning the FA Cup after a 2-1 win against Everton at Wembley.

Adored by Chelsea fans, Hiddink left at the end of the season to continue his role as manager of the Russian national team, making the semi-finals of Euro 2008.

6. Thomas Tuchel

 

Reign: January 2021 – Present

Trophies Won: 1 Champions League, 1 Super Cup

Record: P48 W33 D8 L5

Win Percentage: 77%

The latest man to try his luck in the Chelsea dugout, Thomas Tuchel has turned out to be an inspired choice after the tough dismissal of club legend Frank Lampard.

Taking charge in January, it has only taken Tuchel six months to put his imprint on this Chelsea side. Managing to secure top 4, reaching an FA Cup final and switching to three-at-the-back, Tuchel went unbeaten in his first 14 games across all competitions.

His biggest achievement thus far is spearheading his side to their second Champions League triumph with a 1-0 win over Manchester City in Porto.

Now on the cusp of his first full season with the Blues, Tuchel currently sits top of the Premier League table, in a League Cup Quarter-Final and securing passage into the knockout stages of the Champions League. It could be another successful season as of yet for the German.

But only tie will tell.

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

5. Jose Mourinho II

 

Reign: June 2013 – December 2015

Trophies Won: 1 Premier League, 1 League Cup

Record: P136 W80 D27 L29

Win Percentage: 59%

Returning after seven years, the newly dubbed ”Happy One” made a spectacular return to Chelsea after leaving Real Madrid in 2013. Tasked with bringing the same glory back to West London as he did in his first stint.

His first season saw a Chelsea side falter against the smaller teams, dropping points to Norwich, Sunderland and Crystal Palace, where if they had won, would have seen Mourinho pick up his third league title success in England.

After calling his side ”a little horse”, Mourinho went big in his second season. Signing Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and the return of Thibaut Courtois from loan saw his side ease to another league title and a league cup success.

Blowing teams away in the first half of the season, before Mourinho shut up shop after a 5-3 drubbing to Tottenham towards the end of the year.

But his infamous third season syndrome turned into a horrid show for Mourinho and Chelsea, with Chelsea close to the relegation zone come Christmas, losing 9 of their opening 16 games.

Mourinho was eventually sacked due to a ”palpable discord” within the squad.

4. Roberto Di Matteo

 

Reign: March 2012 – November 2012

Trophies Won: 1 Champions League, 1 FA Cup

Record: P42 W25 D8 L9

Win Percentage: 57%

Merely seen to bring some level of consistency to the squad by seeing out the remainder of the season after the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas, assistant manager and Chelsea legend Roberto Di Matteo would lead Chelsea to their first-ever Champions League triumph.

Di Matteo’s run in the Champions League was fairytale stuff, coming back from a 3-1 away loss to Napoli to win 5-4 on aggregate, beating Benfica before shocking Barcelona in the semi-final.

They faced Bayern Munich in Germany, two weeks after lifting the FA Cup in a 2-1 win against Liverpool, winning the European Cup thanks to a Didier Drogba penalty.

That was more than enough to give Di Matteo the permanent job, however, entering the Europa League from the Champions League group stages the following season saw Di Matteo sacked in November.

3. Antonio Conte

 

Reign: July 2016 – July 2018

Trophies Won: 1 Premier League, 1 FA Cup

Record: P106 W69 D17 L20

Win Percentage: 65%

With Mourinho long gone, Chelsea hired fiery manager Antonio Conte in an attempt to catapult them up the league table after an awful 10th place finish a season prior.

After 3 wins from 3 in their opening league games, it looked like Conte would struggle to adapt to English football after back-to-back losses to Liverpool and a 3-0 drubbing to Arsenal.

Immediately after this, Conte worked his magic, switching to a three at the back, using Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso as wing-backs saw Chelsea go on a 13-game winning run, six consecutive clean sheets and beating the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham.

That was the catalyst for Chelsea’s fifth Premier League title, winning 30 league games – the first side in English football history to do so.

Reaching the FA Cup final in the same season, Conte’s side ultimately lost 2-1 to Arsenal, before winning the competition the following season against Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United 1-0 – his final game in charge of Chelsea.

His second season in charge was all but easygoing. Losing their opening game at home to Burnley was the mood setter, with Conte very unhappy with the lack of transfer activity and the underwhelming signings that followed.

2. Carlo Ancelotti

 

Reign: June 2009 – May 2011

Trophies Won: 1 Premier League, 1 FA Cup

Record: P109 W67 D20 L22

Win Percentage: 61%

Following the manager merry-go-round in the prior season. Proven European winner Carlo Ancelotti was given the reigns at Stamford Bridge.

And the Italian led the club to their first-ever League and FA Cup double in his first season.

During their Premier League win, Chelsea broke records. Scoring a record-breaking 103 goals, including 7+ on four different occasions, only beaten by an 8-0 win over Wigan Athletic on the final day of the season wrapping up Chelsea’s 4th league title in their history in style.

They would go on to beat Portsmouth 1-0 in the FA Cup final to secure their first-ever and only double under Abramovich.

However, like many managers since then, his second season was seen as a failure by Abramovich, finishing second and failing in every cup competition. The Italian was sacked on the final day of the season in the Goodison Park tunnel after a 1-0 loss to Everton.

1. Jose Mourinho I

 

Reign: June 2004 – September 2007

Trophies Won: 2 Premier Leagues, 2 League Cups, 1 FA

Record: P185 W124 D40 L21

Win Percentage: 67%

Mourinho’s first spell in charge of the Londoners was so successful that it will take something special to topple.

Fresh from winning the Champions League with Porto in 2004, Mourinho built a defensive juggernaut in his first three seasons with the club. Winning the league cup and their first-ever Premier League title and first title in over 50 years.

Chelsea would go on to lose one game that Premier League season, only conceding 15 goals (a record still yet to be broken), an average of 0.39 per game.

They would go on to break the Premier League record for most points with 95, which stood for 13 years before Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City broke it in 2017/18 with 100 points.

Another league title followed and a second League Cup victory, before capping off his first stint in England with an FA Cup victory over Manchester United.

While never managing to secure European success with Chelsea, Mourinho will forever be known as the ”Special One” and will go down as Chelsea’s greatest ever manager.

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

For more News and Rumours on all things Football, click here.

Republic of Ireland end qualifying campaign on a high

The Republic of Ireland Men’s national football team ended their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign on a high with a 3-0 win against Luxembourg away from home.

Shane Duffy, Chiedozie Ogbene and Callum Robinson got the goals at the Stade Du Luxembourg as Ireland banished the demons of the reverse fixture.

A cameo from Derby County star Jason Knight proved to be one for the history books as he was involved in all three goals, winning the free-kick that led to the opener and assisting the second and third.

The team had failed to qualify for next year’s winter-scheduled tournament in Qatar after poor results in their first half of fixtures but a strong second half of the campaign has underlined the growth the side has seen under Stephen Kenny.

The game provided a metaphor for the eight games (ten counting the friendlies with Qatar) as Ireland produced a patchy performance in their campaign closer, especially in the first half.

The boys in Orange, for the first time since a 0-0 draw against Mexico in May 1998 (and the first time in a competitive fixture since Macedonia…), took a while to get going while Luxembourg enjoyed their best period in the first 45 minutes.

The highlight of the first-half was an unbelievable save from Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who gets better and better with each game.

Stephen Kenny’s men grew into the game after Bazunu’s reflexes were flexed and Ogbene and John Egan came closest to putting them ahead but they had to go back into their dressing room without a goal to their name.

Luxembourg had the ball in the Irish net after a strong start to the second half but winger Danel Sinani was denied the opportunity to put his side in the lead – the referee brought play back for a foul.

The fateful introduction of Jason Knight came 62 minutes into the match and five minutes later Ireland had scored – Shane Duffy nodded home a set-piece won by Knight after being fouled by Sinani.

Ogbene dinked a second effort home after a beautiful period of play from the Irish that saw midfielders Jeff Hendrick and Knight combine to skewer the Luxembourg defence.

The game was wrapped up with two minutes of normal time to go when Callum Robinson tapped the ball in after a fantastic cross by James McClean was tapped back into space by Knight.

The victory made it Kenny and co.’s second of the campaign (third counting the Qatar friendles), seeing them finish three points above Luxembourg in third after eight in their last four games.

The match was the final one before Kenny’s current contract runs out and makes for an emphatic case for a renewal, which many fans are in favour of after the national team’s progression in the year.

Northern Ireland v Italy – Preview, Teams, Odds, TV

The Northern Ireland Men’s national football team will host Italy for their final match of their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.

Northern Ireland currently sit third in Group C on goal difference ahead of Bulgaria and need to match or better their result against Switzerland to consolidate their position.

Italy, on the other hand, need to do the same with Switzerland to finish in first place and automatically qualify for the World Cup in Qatar next year.

Pride is on the line for Ian Baraclough’s men while Roberto Mancini’s European Champions will want to avoid the embarrassment of being forced to take part in a play-off.

Northern Ireland earned themselves a 1-0 win in the first of a double-header at Windsor Park on Friday night against Lithuania.

However, they did not pick up a point in their reverse fixture against the Italians in the first match of their quest for qualification.

The home crowd at Windsor Park will be behind the Green and White Army for the fixture with a big result needed to end the campaign on a high.

Italy will aim to curb their form of three draws in a row that has allowed Switzerland back into the hunt for automatic progression to the World Cup.

The team have stagnated since their Euro 2020 victory in Wembley, winning only twice since then – a 5-0 victory over Lithuania and a 2-1 win over Belgium in the third-place play-off of the UEFA Nations League.

Mancini and co. have one final chance to reignite the fire before their preparations for the tournament in Qatar begins, should they finish first of course, and being massive favourites, an upset could see them spiral further.

Teams

Northern Ireland: TBA

Italy: TBA

Odds

Northern Ireland 13/1

Draw 9/2

Italy 1/5

Where To Watch

The match will kick-off at 7:45 pm and will be available to watch live on Sky Sports Premier League from 7 pm.

Luxembourg v Ireland – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams

The Boys in Green travel to the small nation of Luxembourg in their last game of the World Cup qualifiers looking for revenge for Dublin

Luxembourg v Ireland will kick off at 19:45 on Sunday 14th November in Stade de Luxembourg. For those unable to travel, the match will be shown live on RTE 2 and RTE Player.

Luxembourg come into this game now ranked 97th in the FIFA World Rankings. Manager Luc Holtz will be with his team, this has been one of the most successful campaigns for their nation.

With the help of their Ligue 1 striker Gerson Rodrigues and Bundesliga midfielder Leandro Barreiro, they currently sit in third place after seven points. Although they are not close to the qualification places, they have managed three victories in the group stage.

They most recently beat Azerbaijan comfortably 3-1 away in Baku on Friday. Rodrigues made a man of the match performance, scoring two goals.

Ireland is now ranked at 51st in the FIFA World Ranking. After a poor start to the campaign, Stephen Kenny has turned his team’s performances around. After a 0-0 stalemate in Dublin to Portugal, the Boys in Green are unbeaten in five matches and only one loss in nine.

Kenny will want another strong performance from star players Callum Robinson and Chiedozie Ogbene if they want to push on from their fourth-place rank in the World Cup group stage.

These two small nations in the football world have only faced each other once before. Back in March, Luxembourg shocked Dublin as they beat a poor Irish team 1-0 in Aviva Stadium. This game will decide who finishes third in the table and Kenny will want a win to cap off his campaign.

Luxembourg v Ireland Probable Starting Teams

Luxembourg

Formation

4-4-2

Probable Starting 11

Moris (GK), Pinto, Carlson, Chanot, Malget, Thill, Barreiro, Martins, Sinani. Rodrigues, Borges.

Injuries / Suspensions

Jans (Foot)

 

Ireland

Formation

3-4-2-1

Probable Starting 11

Kelleher (GK), Egan, Duffy, Collins, Knight, Cullin, Keane, Doherty, Ogbene, Idah, Robinson.

Injuries / Suspensions

Omobamidele (Achilles tendon), Molumby (Hamstring), Connolly (Foot)

Luxembourg v Ireland Match Betting

Luxembourg to win: 13/5

Draw: 2/1

Ireland to win: 23/20

 

Score Prediction

Although I am blinded by patriotism, this seems like a great chance for Ireland to claim their second win of the group. The Irishmen are in strong form and are looking more comfortable in front of the goal.

Expect the game to end 2-0 to Ireland, ending the campaign on a high.

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Ireland and international club football news, click here.

Connacht Rugby renews partnership with Connacht Hospitality Group

Connacht Rugby has announced a renewal of their partnership with Connacht Hospitality Group.

The partnership has previously been synonymous with the group’s flagship property The Connacht Hotel but as the group has grown over the last few years the time is now right to expand the partnership.

The Hospitality Group is widely regarded as one of Galway’s leading hospitality groups.

They operate three hotels in Galway City, The Residence Hotel, The Forster Court Hotel.

They also operate a 24-hour Active Fitness Leisure Club as well as three leading licence premises including An Pucan, 1520 Bar, HYDE Bar & Gin Parlour and most recently we took over the operations of Galway Bay Golf Resort with future plans to build a luxury 4-star hotel & spa on the resort.

Wayne Neilon, Group General Manager said: “Our partnership with Connacht Rugby has always been a natural fit and we are excited to be able to extend this out to our wider Connacht Hospitality Group.

“The last 18 months have been challenging for both Connacht Rugby and our own teams but our shared values of hard work, resilience and teamwork have carried us through and we are very hopeful for our partnership into the future.

Philip Patterson, Head of Commercial & Marketing with the provincial outfit said: “It was a no-brainer to renew our agreement with Connacht Hospitality Group.

“They have been a huge supporter of ours down the years and provide wonderful services and facilities to both people living in Galway and visitors to the city.

“We look forward to continue to grow our relationship in the years ahead.”

Tipperary Senior ‘B’ rebrand as Premier Intermediate for 2022

The Tipperary County Board has decided to rename the Seamus O’Riain Senior ‘B’ to the Premier Intermediate Championship next year

The motion was decided after the November Board meeting in Thurles this week. The winners of the 2022 Premier Intermediate Championship will now represent Tipperary in the Munster intermediate competition.

Premier County clubs were asked to voice their opinions and vote at the meeting on Wednesday evening. In a very narrow debate, the clubs decided in favor of rebranding the competition by 43 votes to 41.

Munster Championship bye-laws allow Tipperary’s second-tier title winners to compete in the competition, in place of the existing intermediate champions.

This year’s champions Moyne-Templetuohy or Kilsheelan/Kilcash will represent the county in this year’s provincial competition.

 

Before the Senior ‘B’ was considered a sister tournament to the Senior ‘A’ championship. The winners of the county final would be promoted to the ‘A’ the following year but they would not progress into Munster and their hurling would end for the year.

County chairman Joe Kennedy proposed the motion for change on behalf of the management committee who felt that Tipperary teams would have a better chance provincially if their 17th best team were to represent the county.

Normally, the 33rd best-ranked team qualifies out of the county. In comparison, Cork sends their 25th, and Clare, Waterford and Limerick send their 13th highest-ranked team into the Munster intermediate.

 

The change is not intended to relegate any of the Senior ‘B’ teams or alter the system greatly in place.

In opposition to the rebrand Carrick Swans Sean O’Shea told the Nenagh Guardian:

“Relegating sixteen clubs so one can compete in the Munster Intermediate Championship is a betrayal to those clubs and should remain so.”

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Tipperary and intercounty club GAA news, click here.

Bellator 271 – Preview, Full Card, Odds, Where To Watch

Sinead Kavanagh will fly the Irish flag in a Bellator title fight for the second consecutive event when she takes on legendary featherweight Cris Cyborg at Bellator 271 in Florida.

Kavanagh will aim to end an up-and-down period for Irish mixed-martial-arts with a victory over the veteran Brazilian.

Regardless of whether she achieves this, the fighter will go down in history as the first Irish MMA fighter to compete for a belt in the organisation.

Ciaran Clarke and Danni Nielan earned wins at last week’s Bellator 270 event at the 3Arena in Dublin but their successes were outweighed by those that fell short.

Peter Queally’s title fight loss in the main event to Patricky Pitbull, James Gallagher’s submission defeat to Patchy Mix and Stephen Costello’s first professional fight ending with a 1 in the loss column.

However, Ian Garry’s UFC debut at Madison Square Garden ended in a flash knockout before the first round was up that gave fans a glimpse into what he is capable of after a shaky start to the fight.

Kavanagh will look to add to Garry’s high and take home the Bellator Women’s Featherweight title by beating Cyborg, who has only lost twice in her professional MMA career.

Her debut fight with Erica Paes ended in defeat and her UFC Featherweight crown was taken by Amanda Nunes.

Cyborg’s opponent on Friday night, who trains with SBG Ireland, has the task of doing what has only been done twice in 16 years.

The 35-year-old Inchicore-born fighter comes into the biggest bout of her life with a two-fight win-streak under her belt.

However, previous to this streak, she suffered losses to Arlene Blencowe, who also appears on the card and Leslie Smith in a 1-4 run.

The named fighters above suffered successive defeats at the hands of the current Featherweight queen in Cyborg’s most recent title defences.

Kavanagh will have to produce the performance of a lifetime to shock the world and shape her legacy, with the odds stacked in her favour.

The next challenger for the belt may be on this card – Blencowe opens the main card of Bellator 271 with a bout against Pam Sorensen.

Full Card

Main Card

Cristiane Justino (145) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (145) – Women’s FW Championship
Tyrell Fortune (253.8) vs. Linton Vassell (239.2)
Aaron Pico (145.4) vs. Justin Gonzales (145.6)
Arlene Blencowe (145.8) vs. Pam Sorenson (146)

Preliminary Card

Steve Mowry (249.6) vs. Rakim Cleveland (249.6)
Valerie Loureda (127.6) vs. Taylor Turner (127.2)
Cody Law (145.4) vs. Colton Hamm (145.8)
Roman Faraldo (171) vs. Robert Turnquest (177.8)**
Bruna Ellen (125.6) vs. Desiree Yanez (125.4)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (256.6) vs. Muhammed DeReese (255)
Mahmoud Sebie Fawzy (170.8) vs. Ethan Hughes (170.8)

Odds (American/Moneyline)

Cristiane Justino (-3000) vs. Sinead Kavanagh (+1300)
Tyrell Fortune (-190) vs. Linton Vassell (+160)
Aaron Pico (-360) vs. Justin Gonzales (+280)
Arlene Blencowe (-370) vs. Pam Sorenson (+290)

Preliminary Card

Steve Mowry (-700) vs. Rakim Cleveland (+500)
Valerie Loureda (-410) vs. Taylor Turner (+310)
Cody Law (-1400) vs. Colton Hamm (+700)
Roman Faraldo (-600) vs. Robert Turnquest (+425)
Bruna Ellen (-225) vs. Desiree Yanez (+185)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta (-235) vs. Muhammed DeReese (+190)
Mahmoud Sebie Fawzy (+550) vs. Ethan Hughes (-800)

To convert the odds into fractions, click here and enter them into the Moneyline box provided.

Where To Watch

Bellator 271 will be available to watch live in Ireland on Virgin Media Sport from 11:30 pm. Alternatively, the prelims will be available to watch on the Bellator MMA YouTube channel from 12 pm.

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