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Arsenal women’s team sweep monthly awards

The impressive Arsenal women’s football team has claimed the WSL Player and Manager of the Month awards for October

The London club completed a clean sweep at last month’s awards ceremony. Ireland star Katie McCabe earned the Player of the Month award while Jonas Eidevall won the Manager of the Month.

This is the second time this season that the league leaders, Arsenal women’s team won both awards. Eidevall claimed the award in September along with player Beth Mead.

These awards are a major sign of the improvements that the head coach has brought to the club since being appointed in the summer. They held a one hundred percent winning record this month.

McCabe also was a big reason for their success, helping them to win two games. The Irishwoman was nominated for the monthly award along with teammates Kim Little and Lotte Wubben-Moy. The WSL also nominated Manchester United’s Hannah Blundell and Ella Toone as well as Chelsea’s Fran Kirby.

McCabe scored three goals and got three assists in five matches this year. The 26-year-old has also played a big part in Arsenal’s Champions League run so far. They sit in second place behind Barcelona after two games.

Arsenal women’s team now go into the weekend three points ahead of second-place Chelsea. Their next game is against sixth-place West Ham United on Sunday.

The game kicks off at 18:45 on Sunday, 7th November in Meadow Park.

 

To read more from this writer, click here.

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

Japan side named for Autumn clash with Ireland in Dublin

The Japan team to face Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin for the first of Andy Farrell and co.’s Autumn Internationals has been named.

Flanker Lappies LabuschagnĂ© will lead his side out on Saturday as he wears the captain’s armband in the absence of Michael Leitch.

24-year-old Ben Gunter is set to make his debut for the national side at blindside flanker, with number 8 Kazuki Himeno in between the pair.

Keita Inagaki and Ji-Won Gu start at prop with hooker Atsushi Sakate completing the front row for the Brave Blossoms.

The second row is occupied by Jack Cornelsen and James Moore.

Yutaka Nagare and Yu Tamura make for an exciting half-back partnership, with Ryoto Nakumara and Timothy Lafaele only adding to that in the midfield.

The back three consists of Siosaia Fifita, Kotaro Matsushima and Dylan Riley, who lines up for his second cap for Jamie Joseph’s team.

Replacements for Japan includes the likes of Asaeli Ai Valu and Naoto Saito.

Eight members of the squad line out for the Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan’s Top League, while 11 sides are represented in the matchday 23.

10 of those 11 sides will have players starting the game, including Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne, who employ Matsushima.

Japan team v Ireland 

  1. Keita Inagaki (Panasonic Wild Knights)
  2. Atsushi Sakate (Panasonic Wild Knights)
  3. Ji-won Gu (Honda Heat)
  4. Jack Cornelsen (Panasonic Wild Knights)
  5. James Moore (Munakata Sanix Blues)
  6. Ben Gunter (Panasonic Wild Knights)
  7. Lappies Labuschagné (C) (Kubota Spears)
  8. Kazuki Himeno (Highlanders)
  9. Yutoka Nagare (Suntory Sungoliath)
  10. Yu Tamura (Yokohama Canon Eagles)
  11. Siosaia Fifita (Hanazono Kinetsu Liners)
  12. Ryoto Nakamura (Suntory Sungoliath)
  13. Timothy Lafaele (Kobelco Steelers)
  14. Dylan Riley (Panasonic Wild Knights)
  15. Kotaro Matsushima (Clermont Auvergne)

Replacements

16. Yusuke Niwai (Yokohama Canon Eagles)

17. Craig Millar (Panasonic Wild Knights)

18. Asaeli Ai Valu (Panasonic Wild Knights)

19. Yoshitaka Tokunaga (Toshiba Brave Lupus)

20. Tevita Tatafu (Suntory Sungoliath)

21. Naoto Saito (Suntory Sungoliath)

22. Rikiya Matsuda (Panasonic Wild Knights)

23. Ryohei Yamanaka (Kobelco Steelers)

Johnny Sexton to captain Ireland for 100th cap against Japan

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has named the matchday squad for the opening Autumn Nations Series test match against Japan at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, November 6.

There are two significant cap milestones as captain Jonathan Sexton will win his 100th cap and Tadhg Furlong his 50th.

Sexton is joined at half-back by Jamison Gibson Park with Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose reunited in the centre for the first time since the rescheduled Six Nations fixture against Italy in October 2020.

Hugo Keenan starts at fullback in his 14th consecutive game for Ireland and is flanked in the backfield by Andrew Conway and James Lowe.

Seven Leinster players are present in the pack with Tadhg Beirne being the only exception in the second row.

The dominant trio of Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher and Furlong make up the Irish front row.

Beirne is slotted behind the three front-rowers, with Leinster lock James Ryan joining him in the number five shirt.

Another Leinster trio make up the back row – Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan.

The replacements named for Saturday’s game are uncapped hooker Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery and Keith Earls.

Ireland won the most recent match involving the two sides in July – a nine-try thriller that ended 39-31.

The game will kick-off at 1 pm and will be available to watch on RTÉ 2.

Ireland team v Japan

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 13 caps
14. Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 25 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 34 caps
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 31 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 6 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 99 caps CAPTAIN
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 10 caps

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 37 caps
2. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 13 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 49 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 22 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 37 caps
6. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 9 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 32 caps
8. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 20 caps

Replacements
16. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne)*
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 109 caps
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 16 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 63 caps
20. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 76 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 89 caps
22. Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 24 caps
23. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 93 caps

*denotes uncapped player

Ulster hooker Bradley Roberts set for Wales debut against South Africa

Ulster hooker Bradley Roberts has been named on the Wales bench for their clash with World champions South Africa this weekend.

South African-born Roberts will be the replacement hooker for the game while Scarlets hooker Ryan Elias starts in the front row.

The 25-year-old was called up to the Wales squad ahead of their Autumn internationals after Ken Owens picked up a back injury.

Roberts is eligible to play for Wales through his paternal grandmother, who hailed from Llandysul.

The front-rower has made 10 appearances for Ulster and is part of a Wales matchday squad for the first time.

He made his debut for the side when he came on as a replacement in their Pro14 clash against Edinburgh at Murrayfield last season.

Roberts has played in every United Rugby Championship game for Ulster so far this season, with his sole start for the club coming in their opener against Glasgow Warriors at Kingspan Stadium.

The hooker has also lined out for Energia Men’s All Ireland League side Rainey Old Boys since coming to Ireland.

He did not feature for Wales in their first game of the Autumn internationals – a 56-14 defeat to New Zealand.

The team also includes British and Irish Lions Josh Adams, Louis Rees-Zammit, Wyn Jones, Liam Williams, Gareth Davies and Dan Biggar – Biggar will earn his 93rd cap for his country.

Wales team v South Africa

15 Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets)
14 Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby)
13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets – Capt)
12 Nick Tompkins (Saracens)
11 Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby)
10 Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints)
9 Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby);
1 Rhys Carré (Cardiff Rugby)
2 Ryan Elias (Scarlets)
3 Tomas Francis (Ospreys)
4 Will Rowlands (Dragons)
5 Adam Beard (Ospreys)
6 Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Rugby)
7 Taine Basham (Dragons)
8 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons)

Replacements:
16 Bradley Roberts (Ulster – uncapped)
17 Wyn Jones (Scarlets)
18 WillGriff John (Scarlets – uncapped)
19 Ben Carter (Dragons)
20 Seb Davies (Cardiff Rugby)
21 Gareth Davies (Scarlets)
22 Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys)
23 Liam Williams (Scarlets)

Liverpool boss Klopp hints at strong lineups in last two UCL group games

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hinted that he will opt for strong lineups in their last two UEFA Champions League games, despite their qualification to the round of 16 last night.

Liverpool beat Atletico Madrid for the second game in succession and won their first four games of the Champions League group stage for the first time ever, progressing to the last 16 with first place also confirmed.

However, Jurgen Klopp downplayed the idea that he may tinker with the lineup for the remaining group games.

“The team we line up depends on the situation we are in around the game,” Klopp said to Liverpoolfc.com. “Who was how in the game before, who is the next opponent. That was always [the case], it’s not now just for these games, that’s how it is.

“We changed five times tonight because we don’t consider the Madrid game more important than the West Ham game, for example, so you have to make changes even when players might not like it in a specific moment.

“The Porto game, there is only one difference: we are already qualified. Forget that because we already qualified but all the rest is exactly like it was before. It is a Champions League game, the next one is at home, the game after that is at the San Siro and I’ve never played there, so I’m really excited about that.

“We will play at home [against Porto] and play real football. Can you imagine we play Porto at home, the crowd is really coming from all over the world to watch the games and then you offer, I don’t know, a half-cooked dish?”

His eagerness to win the final two games can be backed up by his choice to play the likes of Fabinho, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota against Midtjylland in their final group game last season after they had achieved the same feat with one game to go.

Kostas Tsimikas also played that night and himself and Jota were taken off after picking up injuries.

Jota, who had been a regular figure in matchday squads and starting eleven in the lead-up to the game in Norway, missed 18 games as a result of his injury.

“That is pretty not much how it will be [choosing a weak squad]. We go for it, we want to win football games, that’s all.

“Sometimes you can qualify for something, sometimes not, it is still the same thing – you play a game, you want to win it, show it.”

Liverpool into last 16 after four wins from four in UCL group stage

Liverpool have become the third team to progress to the 2021/22 UEFA Champions League round of 16 after their victory over Atletico Madrid at Anfield.

They follow in the footsteps of Bayern Munich and Juventus, who also qualified for the knockout stages in this round but Liverpool are the only side to have first place wrapped up after four games in the group stage.

Their performance in front of their home fans was one that saw the game wrapped up by half time after they terrorised the Spanish side’s centre-halves.

Diogo Jota and Sadio Mané got on the end of balls put into the box by Trent Alexander-Arnold to score from close range.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp praised his right-back’s performance after nabbing two assists that led Liverpool to the last 16.

“He’s a good player obviously and he has a pretty impressive right foot and his awareness is outstanding,” he said to Liverpoolfc.com.

“When he’s on top of his game, he’s outstanding, that’s how it is. But how we set up the first goal with the triangle with Hendo, Mo on that side, in the end, Trent has all of the space and time in the world to put the cross in.

“Second goal, obviously Sadio with his incredible skill set, just physically so strong, technically so good, getting rid of the defender, passing the ball to Hendo, Hendo outside and then getting through the gap, so that’s good football.

“And in the end, Trent can cross as good as he wants, if there’s no receiver in the middle then they don’t look that good, so it’s a nice mix.”

Atletico Madrid centre-half Felipe was oblivious to Jota’s presence for the first goal and allowed ManĂ© to get into a good position to tap home the second.

His night got worse when he was given his marching orders towards the end of the first half – a tactical foul on ManĂ© was deemed to have been worthy of a red.

Jota and former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez both had the ball in the net in the second half but VAR ruled them out and the score remained 2-0.

“If Bobby Firmino wouldn’t have gone off with a hamstring injury that would have been much better.

“But from pretty much all other points of view, it was a good performance, it’s an incredible group stage so far.

“I wouldn’t have expected that obviously when I saw the draw – nobody would have expected that. Doing that is pretty special.

“But for tonight, job done but we all know there are two games to go and we will try everything to win them as well. That’s how it is.”

Peter Queally: Bellator 270 title fight in Dublin is a ‘dream come true’

Peter Queally has said that his upcoming lightweight title fight at Bellator 270 against Patricky Pitbull is a dream come true.

Queally and Patricky headline the upcoming Bellator card on Friday, November 5 in Dublin’s 3Arena and the Waterford native is looking forward to a battle.

The Irishman beat Patricky in May earlier this year when a doctor’s stoppage brought an end to their initial bout after two rounds.

The lightweight belt was recently vacated by Patricky’s older brother, Patricio, and the fight in Dublin was upgraded as a result.

Queally looks forward to fighting in front of his home fans for the belt – the fight is the biggest to ever be staged in Dublin.

“It’s just a dream come true,” the 34-year-old said at today’s pre-fight press conference. “It’s 12/13 years of work that’s finally coming to fruition. I’m very, very proud of myself – that’s all I can say about it. I’m just very, very proud of myself to have got here.”

‘The Showstopper’ has underlined his hopes for the fight to turn into a war so he can see how much Patricky can take inside five rounds.

“I’m here for a fight – like a real fight,” Queally said. “I will not be shooting for takedowns, I can guarantee you that.

“I will not be trying to score points – I won’t be doing any of this. I’m in here to fight him. I want this to be a war.

“I want this to be horrible for both of us because no one can beat me in this kind of fight. This is my plan – just to make this absolutely disgusting for the two of us and let him break and see how much he can take.”

Bellator 270 takes place in Dublin’s 3Arena on Friday, November 5th. The preliminary card begins at 5:30 pm GMT, with the main card starting at 9 pm GMT.

Damien Duff named new Shelbourne head coach

Legendary former Irish soccer player Damien Duff has been announced as the new head coach of Airtricity League side Shelbourne

This will be the first senior head coaching role for the ex-Fulham and Chelsea winger. Duff previously worked as an assistant for Scottish club Celtic and the Republic of Ireland national team.

Shelbourne secured an instant return to the Irish top flight in this year’s First Division. This was after being relegated from the SSE Airtricity League in 2020.

They finished top of the table with 57 points after 27 matches. Galway United, UCD, Treaty United, and Bray Wanderers will now compete in the play-offs for the remaining promotion place.

Speaking on the appointment, Damien Duff said:

“I’m delighted to take up the manager’s position at Shelbourne.

“Having coached and managed our U17 National league team and been around the club, I can see the plans and ambition in place here and am excited to begin a new chapter of Shelbourne’s 126-year history.

“I’m extremely passionate about youth development in Ireland and about Irish football in general and see this as a great opportunity to help build something that both the club, its fans, and myself can be proud of.

“With the club now in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division, and the foundations being put in place by the board and its directors, I can’t wait to start.”

Most recently he managed Shelbourne’s Under-17 side this year. This was after he spent nine months part of Stephen Kenny’s backroom team with the Boys in Green.

To read more from this writer, click here.

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

Aiden McNulty appointed Ireland Women’s Sevens Head Coach

Aiden McNulty has been appointed by the IRFU as the new Ireland Women’s Sevens Head Coach ahead of the upcoming 2022 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

McNulty had been in the position of Interim Head Coach for the conclusion of the 2021 campaign and led Ireland to promising performances at the season-ending International Rugby 7s and HPC International 7s tournaments.

An Elite Performance Development Officer at Ulster Rugby since October 2019, McNulty will commence his role at the IRFU High Performance Centre next week as the Ireland squad build towards the opening legs of the World Series in Dubai in late November/early December.

Commenting on the appointment, IRFU Director of Sevens and Women’s Rugby, Anthony Eddy, said: “I am delighted for Aiden and the programme as Aiden did such a good job with the group towards the end of last season.

“He was extremely committed and invested in the role and his progression to take on the job full time is a good fit.

“Aiden is a very good coach with good knowledge of the programme and the group and he has the skills to develop the programme and the game further.”

McNulty underlined his excitement after earning the opportunity to coach the side on a full-time basis: “I am enormously excited to be back working with everyone involved within the Ireland Women’s Sevens programme.

“Having witnessed first-hand the high potential and skill-set within the squad, I’m delighted to be tasked with the job of stretching, challenging and supporting them into the future.”

The 2022 Women’s Series will feature seven rounds over six months, kicking off with back-to-back tournaments in Dubai.

The Emirates Dubai Sevens will start with a behind-closed-doors round on 26-27 November followed by a second event on 3-4 December with fans in attendance at The Sevens Stadium.

Ireland Men’s U21 squad named for Italy and Sweden qualifiers

Republic of Ireland Under-21s Manager Jim Crawford has named a 25-man squad for the two home UEFA Under-21 European Championship qualifiers against Italy and Sweden next week.

West Ham United’s Armstrong Oko-Flex receives a first call-up to the U21s while Southampton’s Will Smallbone and Derby County’s Festy Ebosele also return to the squad following injury.

Ireland take on Italy at Tallaght Stadium on Friday, November 12 before hosting Sweden four days later on Tuesday, November 16.

Ireland’s two opponents occupy the top two spots of Group F while Crawford and co.sit in fourth behind them and Montenegro.

The Republic of Ireland are hoping to bounce back from their loss to the Balkan nation in Podgorica and keep themselves in contention for a spot at 2023’s UEFA European U-21 Championship in Romania and Georgia.

Both matches will be shown live on RTÉ 2.

Tickets to both European Championship qualifiers are now on sale with admission for both games available for €15 for adults, €8 for children and €30 for a family ticket (two adults and two children) – Ticketmaster service charges apply.

Goalkeepers: Brian Maher (Bray Wanderers), David Odumosu (Drogheda United), Luke McNicholas (Cliftonville, on loan from Sligo Rovers)

Defenders:  Joel Bagan (Cardiff City), Festy Ebosele (Derby County), Andy Lyons (Bohemians) Oisin McEntee (Greenock Morton, on loan from Newcastle United), Mark McGuinness (Cardiff City), Jake O’Brien (Crystal Palace), Lee O’Connor (Tranmere Rovers, on loan from Celtic)

Midfielders: Conor Coventry (Peterborough United, on loan from West Ham United) Dawson Devoy (Bohemians), Ryan Johansson (Fortuna Sittard, on loan from Seville), Gavin Kilkenny (Bournemouth), Ollie O’Neill (Fulham), Conor Noss (Borussia Möchengladbach), Will Smallbone (Southampton), Ross Tierney (Bohemians)

Forwards: Evan Ferguson (Brighton & Hove Albion), Will Ferry (Crawley Town, on loan from Southampton), Joshua ‘JJ’ Kayode (Rotherham United), Liam Kerrigan (UCD), Armstrong Oko-Flex (West Ham United), Colm Whelan (UCD), Tyreik Wright (Salford City, on loan from Aston Villa)

UEFA Under-21 European Championship Qualifiers – Group F

2022 UEFA Under-21 European Championship Qualifier
Republic of Ireland v Italy
Friday, November 12
Tallaght Stadium
KO 5:30 pm
LIVE on RTÉ2

2022 UEFA Under-21 European Championship Qualifier
Republic of Ireland v Sweden
Tuesday, November 16
Tallaght Stadium
KO 7 pm
LIVE on RTÉ2

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