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Rafael Nadal drops out of Wimbledon and Tokyo 2020

The 20-time Grand Slam winner has decided to pull out of this month’s Wimbledon and the subsequent Olympics in July

The 35-year-old is currently ranked as the world number three in tennis. He lost to Novak Djokovic in a tight game at the French Open semi-final last week.

Wimbledon will start Monday, 28th June only two weeks after the end of the Roland-Garros.

The Spaniard has decided to rest between the two competitions to not risk getting any injuries.

“It’s never an easy decision but after listening to my body and discussing it with my team I understand that it is the right decision,” said Rafael Nadal.

“The goal is to prolong my career and continue to do what makes me happy.”

The Spaniard added: “That is to compete at the highest level and keep fighting for those professional and personal goals at the maximum level of competition.”

The Spanish tennis player also struggled with a back injury at the start of the year.

His decision to miss Wimbledon will mean he will also miss out on the Summer Olympics in Tokyo which starts on 23rd July.

Nadal last won Wimbledon in 2010 in a final against Roger Federer. He has also won two Olympic gold medals for men’s singles in London 2012 and for doubles in Rio 2016.

The world number three explained his choice to his fans through a post on Twitter:

“Sport prevention of any kind of excess in my body is a very important factor at this stage of my career in order to try to keep fighting for the highest level of competition and titles.

“I want to send a special message to my fans around the world, to those in the United Kingdom and Japan in particular.”

 

 

Connacht Rugby Sign Prop Greg McGrath

Connacht Rugby have announced the signing of Greg McGrath from Leinster Rugby.

McGrath made three appearances for the latter province with the first of those coming against Connacht at the RDS last January.

However, the 24-year-old’s new Connacht contract is the first professional contract of his career.

The prop, who can play at tighthead or loosehead, has been capped at the national U20 level.

The Wexford native played in the All-Ireland League for Landsdowne before being picked up by Leinster.

The prop said that he is looking forward to donning the province’s green shirt.

“I’m very proud to be joining Connacht and sign my first professional contract,” said McGrath. “Connacht have a great history of developing players and giving them an opportunity to impress, so I hope to make a positive impact there. I’m looking forward to making the move to the West and see what the future has in store.”

Connacht Head Coach Andy Friend welcomed the province’s newest arrival.

“He will give us the added depth that we need at tighthead but his ability to play at loose is another boost too,” said Friend.

“He’s very highly regarded on the club scene and has made a good impression during his time at Leinster, so we’re looking forward to his arrival.”

Gattuso lasts only 23 days at Fiorentina

Gennaro Gattuso parts ways with Fiorentina after three weeks in charge due to differences with the board

The former AC Milan and Napoli manager were appointed by the Florence club on 25th May.

The club wanted to improve on their 13th place finish in Serie A last season and they believed Gattuso would make the difference.

Gattuso has left the club because of a disagreement between the head coach and the club’s board over transfer targets. The board was looking for more affordable options for the players that his agent, Jorge Mendes, asked for.

Reports had been made saying that the 46-year-old manager was looking for Valencia’s Goncalo Guedes and Porto midfielder, Sergio Oliviera.

Fiorentina wrote a statement on their club website:

“ACF Fiorentina and coach Rino Gattuso, by mutual agreement, decided not to follow up on the preventive agreements and therefore not to start the next football season together.

“The club is now working to identify a technical choice that will guide the Viola towards the results that Fiorentina and the city of Florence deserve.”

 

Former Leicester manager, Claudio Ranieri is one of the front runners as the new replacement for a manager.

This rounds off a poor summer for the Italian who Napoli fired for failing to qualify for the Champions League.

Gattuso now joins the list for shortest managerial spells in football. His 23-day appointment still seems reasonable compared to Marco Bielsa’s two-day job at Lazio for similar transfer disagreements.

 

 

Gavin Coombes Wins Munster Men’s Player of the Year Award

Munster back-rower Gavin Coombes has won the club’s Men’s Player of the Year accolade for his performances this season.

Coombes is the youngest-ever recipient of the award at 23 years and 184 days after setting a club record for most tries in a season (15).

This includes four in his final outing of the season against Zebre.

The Skibbereen star averaged a try every 87 minutes in his 22 appearances this season, 17 of which were starts.

Coombes was devastating in attack with powerful ball-carrying but was equally effective in defence.

Often, he was Munster’s standout player in both aspects of the game with his work at the breakdown being unrivalled.

The future looks bright for the new Munster Men’s Player of the Year as he is set to earn his first Irish cap this summer.

Dorothy Wall – Munster Women’s Player of the Year

Dorothy Wall was the winner of the Munster Women’s Player of the Year award after her terrific season for the province.

The Munster back-rower, like her male counterpart, is a relentless defensive presence for the Red Army and is a fantastic ball-carrier too.

The Tipperary Titan starred in the interprovincial championship for the province and is a leader on the pitch.

Her performances for Adam Grigg’s Ireland side were factored into the decision to award her with the accolade due to government restrictions and limited activity across domestic rugby.

With only seven Ireland caps to her name at the moment, it is only a matter of time before that number skyrockets for the 21-year-old.

Craig Casey – Young Player of the Year

Craig Casey stood out alongside Gavin Coombes as one of the mens’ best players of the season.

The 22-year-old produced some spectacular performances in his 19 appearances and led by example in his 12 starts.

His three Player of the Match awards reflects this.

Casey kept the Munster attack ticking and manufactured a high-tempo style that led Munster to the Pro 14 final.

Casey made his Ireland debut in the Six Nations against Italy after his impressive club-level performances.

The Shannon RFC and Ardscoil Rís product will earn more caps this summer during the Vodafone Summer Series.

Ben Healy – John McCarthy Award for Greencore Academy Player of the Year

Ben Healy excelled in his second season as part of Munster’s Greencore Academy, earning 17 appearances for the senior side.

His season-opening 50-metre winner at Parc y Scarlets set the tone for an impressive season for the young fly-half.

His ability to kick from distance continued to stand out as an important asset for the province throughout the season.

The 21-year-old got his first senior contract in March after a stellar season and will be part of the senior squad next season.

Ireland U20s Back Chris Cosgrave Looks Back On Journey So Far

Leinster academy utility player Chris Cosgrave is honoured to represent the Ireland under-20’s at the upcoming U20 Six Nations Championship in Cardiff, Wales.

Cosgrave added that it feels even more special for him after the year everyone has had.

Personally, it saw the academy prospect, who can play anywhere along the back three, amass limited minutes for Leinster A.

Furthermore, the St Michael’s College product did not play for UCD in his first year there due to the pandemic.

However, he feels that the squad are well-prepared for the tournament after the training camp that they have had.

“We had a few games against Leinster and Munster, so we are building nicely going into Saturday,” said Cosgrave.

The Irish speedster looks forward to being led out onto the pitch by captain Alex Kendellen.

Cosgrave describes the Munster man as an amazing choice for the captain’s armband who leads by example.

“One of my fondest memories of him would be we played England in the Under-18 competition and I think he made something like 30-something carries in the game and after the game, he was flat out on the floor, he could barely stand up,” Cosgrave detailed.

“That gives you an idea of where his leadership is at – he’s been amazing with the players and that’s really, really good.”

The U20’s star values his time at St Michael’s, having been there since third class.

He joins the school’s impressive production line that includes Ireland international locks James Ryan and Ryan Baird.

Cosgrave explained that there was something special about the school while he was there.

“I think the relationship between coaches and players is pretty special. I think a lot of credit could go down to Andy Skehan and Emmet MacMahon for the hours they have put in individually and as a team. They have put an incredible amount of time into that.

“Then I suppose there is always that special feeling of playing with people from your school. You spend each day with them, and they are memories that will last a lifetime.”

He clarified that all the coaches involved with St. Michaels are “really strong” currently.

The Leinster academy member earned his spot in the province’s ranks after his performances helped his school to a Junior and Senior Cup.

Moving into the Leinster academy led to two months of training with the province’s senior squad in Dublin earlier this year.

Cosgrave said that his time with the seniors was enjoyable and helped him to focus on his game as it was a “full training environment.”

The versatile talent credited the Byrne brothers – Ross and Harry – and centre Max O’Reilly for encouraging him and helping him while he was with the senior squad.

Cosgrave also noted that “Felipe [Contepomi] gave [him] quite a lot of his time as well in terms of the coaching side of things, which was very good.”

The time he spends studying New Zealand and Chiefs fullback Damian McKenzie is sure to help as well.

The Ireland U20’s star will value his experience in Cardiff just like he has with past events.

He will want to get recognition during the tournament to help further his career, and with the positivity surrounding the Irish setup, he may get it.

Ireland U20s play Scotland U20s at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, 19th June.

The game will be available to watch on RTÉ One with coverage starting at 1:40 pm and kick-off at 2:00 pm.

Irish transfer news: Nathan Collins to Champions League club?

Jamie McGrath has also been linked with a Championship move. 

The summer transfer window in England opened just over one week ago and although business hasn’t quite picked up yet, there’s been plenty of rumours doing the rounds about potential ingoings and outgoings.

Ireland under-21 and Stoke City centre-back Nathan Collins is one of the most sought after players in England after what you could call a breakthrough campaign, despite picking up an injury in February which kept him out for the remainder of the season.

Collins is an imposing figure at the centre of defence, standing at 6 foot 4 inches tall. Not only is he physically impressive though, he’s also excellent with the ball at his feet and rarely panics under pressure.

The 20-year-old has reportedly attracted attention from a number of Premier League clubs – including Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Leicester and Burnley.

It appears that Burnley are winning the race for Collins as it stands, having made a £12 million bid which Stoke City were reportedly willing to accept just a few days ago. There have been no further developments on the status of that particularly move, but interest in Collins is unlikely to cool off and Burnley could very well find themselves in a bidding war for the Irishman with some of the biggest clubs in England.

Jamie McGrath is another who’s been linked with a move over the past week.

The St. Mirren midfielder has just come off the best season of his career to date and was rewarded by winning his club’s Player of the Year award.

McGrath had been linked with a move to Aberdeen for a number of weeks but interest seems to have cooled down as a fee couldn’t be agreed for the midfielder.

It now appears that EFL Championship side Peterborough have taken an interest in his services. St. Mirren are unlikely to sell McGrath on the cheap, though.

St. Mirren manager Jim Goodwin expressed his feelings on McGrath’s transfer situation in April, saying: “It would need to be a huge sum of money really because £100,000 or that kind of figure just isn’t going to cut it. We wouldn’t be able to replace Jamie McGrath with £100,000 or £200,000.”

Despite making just a handful of appearances at senior level for both club or country, Caoimhin Kelleher has become a valued member of the Liverpool squad.

Questions have been asked over the past couple of months as to whether Kelleher will leave on loan next season or remain at Liverpool. It now appears that the latter is most likely with recent reports suggesting that the Corkman has been made number two at the club, despite Adrian signing a new two-year contract at the club.

Regarding completed transfers, there have been a couple of done deals over the last week.

Former Dundalk and Bray Wanderers winger Dylan Connolly joined League Two side Northampton Town on Tuesday. “The Cobblers” were relegated last season and will be hoping the acquisition of the pacey Irish winger can help them bounce back up on the first attempt.

Former Ireland under-21 footballer Ryan Sweeney was also on the move during the week, joining Scottish  Dundee Football Club on a two-year deal. The centre-back made 36 appearances in the EFL League Two last season.

Market Movers on Day 3 of Royal Ascot

Day 3 of Royal Ascot 2021 has seen a quieter start to the day from a betting persepctive, according to Betfred spokesman Matt Hulmes.

“It has been a quieter start to proceedings than the previous two days, with the forecast weather muddying the punting waters. However, with less rain falling than forecast, punters have found their confidence and it’s the closing handicaps that have caught the most attention.”

2.30pm Norfolk Stakes (Group 2)
Go Bears Go                                  7/1 from 11/1
Project Dante                                7/1 from 12/1
Khunan                                         16/1 from 25/1
Korker                                           16/1 from 20/1

3.05pm Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3)
Movin Time                                   10/3 from 11/2

3.40pm Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2)
Noon Star                                       15/8 from 11/4
Twisted Reality                                9/1 from 14/1

4.15pm Gold Cup (Group 1) (British Champions Series)
Trueshan                                        4/1 from 6/1

5.00pm Britannia Handicap
Air To Air                                       11/2 from 8/1
Raadobarg                                     15/2 from 12/1
Aerion Power                                  12/1 from 25/1

5.35pm King George V Handicap
Sir Lamorak                                  10/3 from 11/2
Surefire                                         5/1 from 9/1
Siskany                                          6/1 from 10/1
Tashkhan                                       12/1 from 25/1

6.10pm Buckingham Palace Handicap
Boardman                                      13/2 from 10/1
Danyah                                          10/1 from 20/1

Royal Ascot Top Jockey Betting:

Frankie Dettori                            EVS
Ryan Moore                                 11/4
William Buick                               7/2
Oisín Murphy                               16/1
Andrea Atzeni                              20/1
Jim Crowley                                 25/1
Hollie Doyle                                 33/1
Tom Marquand                             33/1
Silvestre De Sousa                        50/1
James Doyle                                 50/1

“After fourteen races there is still lots to play for in terms of Top Jockey” says Betfred’s Matt Hulmes.

“William Buick and Frankie Dettori lead the with a pair of wins apiece but, just like the weather and the ground, it is likely to change over the next three days.”

Royal Ascot Day 3 Going and Non-Runners

The going for day three of Royal Ascot is Good to Firm.

Chris Stickels, Clerk of the Course at Ascot, said at 9.30am:

“We had 2.4 millimetres of rain overnight and it is just starting to rain lightly now. We may see an occasional shower this morning before racing and a possible sharp shower this afternoon.”

Going Stick Readings at 8am:

Stands’ side: 8.6
Centre: 8.1
Far side: 8.4
Round 8.4

Stalls:
Straight Course: Centre
Round Course: Inside

The running rail on the Round Course that was positioned approximately three yards out from approximately nine furlongs out to the Home Straight on Tuesday and Wednesday has been removed, providing fresh ground.

Weather

2.4 millimetres rain overnight to 6.30am Thursday. Occasional showers are possible this morning, then possible sharp afternoon showers. Thunderstorms are expected on Friday (8 to 12 millimetres forecast). Possible occasional showers for Saturday.

Non-Runners 

5.35pm King George V Handicap
17 Surrey Gold (Self Cert – Bruised Foot)

6.10pm Buckingham Palace Handicap
22 Teston (Declared in error)

There will be live TV coverage of all races on today’s Royal Ascot card on Virgin Media, UTV/ITV and Sky Sports Racing.

Preview: Offaly and Derry Battle For Division Three Glory

The Offaly and Derry footballers will contest the National Football League Division Three final this weekend, as announced Monday.

The final will be held at Croke Park on Saturday, 19th June at 5:00 pm.

It will be the only National Football League final played before the Championship begins, unless there are any changes.

The fixture will be part of the Government’s pilot testing programme and 2,400 spectators will benefit from that.

Analysis

The two sides have already earned promotions to Division Two after their impressive seasons in Division Three North and South respectively.

Derry capped off an impressive second league campaign under former Fermanagh boss Rory Gallagher with a win over Limerick.

Offaly completed the same feat with their victory over Fermanagh.

Derry will come into the game as favourites after dominating Division Three North, registering a points difference of +41 over their four games.

Their defending has looked well-instructed and orderly.

Furthermore, the pace of Ethan and Conor Doherty troubled opposition defences and will be something to keep an eye on this weekend.

Full-forward Shane McGuigan will be another threat that the Offaly defence will have to deal with.

A 2-26 (32) haul in his first four games of 2021 paints a picture of a man on a mission.

Half-forward Niall Loughlin offers a quality second option for Derry in the final third.

Derry’s blistering attack will go up against an Offaly defence that allowed 59 points across their four games.

Prone to error, the Offaly backs will have their work cut out for them if they are to contain the Derry forwards.

Their lapses in concentration against sides such as Wicklow are examples of the holes Derry can expose on Saturday evening.

Joe Maher and veteran Niall McNamee are serviceable scoring options for Faithful County.

The latter has been Offaly’s go-to off the bench and has got some important scores for the side.

However, Offaly’s chances are more reliant on their defence’s concentration.

They could find it to be a step too far against a Derry side firing on all cylinders.

Prediction: Derry by 5.

Odds

Derry 2/5

Draw 8/1

Offaly 5/2

The Best Irish Players in Premier League History

The English Premier League has a deep-rooted history of Irish talent that has graced the pitch. Between the beloved fan-favourites to living legends, we can safely say the historic moments captured in English football would not be the same without some Irish presence. With that said, let us preview some of Ireland’s greatest EPL icons. 

Roy Keane – Manchester United

EPL Appearances: 366

Career Highlights: Seven Premier League titles. 

No surprise here. 

Roy Keane is the most iconic Irish-born player to ever play football, let alone inside the EPL. Keane played a massive role in one of Alex Ferguson’s most successful Manchester United squads. Besides being one of the most accomplished midfielders of his era, Keane had no qualms in kicking the opposition just as hard as the ball if it meant gaining possession for his squad. 

Keane led the Red Devils to their historic treble in 1998/99, but this treble was just three of the 17 trophies he achieved at the club and will remain one of the greatest ever to step foot inside Old Trafford. 

Robbie Keane – Tottenham, Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa

EPL Appearances: 349

Career Highlights: Highest-scoring Irishman of all time in the Premier League.  

Despite the circulating myth, Robbie and Roy Keane are no relation even though they share a surname, place of birth and historic football career. 

Robbie Keane enjoyed 126 goals whilst competing at the highest level of English football; this puts him at the top of the Irish scoring goal charts in the EPL. The star striker was first spotted at Coventry City, as his talents led him to bigger and better clubs, including Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa. 

During his professional career, the lack of trophies is almost unbelievable – winning just one League Cup during his time spent in England. 

Denis Irwin – Manchester United 

EPL Appearances: 328

Career Highlights: 7 English Premier League titles. 

Leeds United must regret selling a young Denis Irwin because their overlooked talent became one of Alex Ferguson’s most significant signings. The left-back joined the Manchester United squad in 1990 and, to this day, remains as one of the greatest defenders the division has ever had the pleasure of watching. 

Alongside Roy Keane, Irwin raised seven Premier League titles, countless trophies and proved himself as one of the best young signings in the Red Devils history. 

Damien Duff – Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea & Newcastle

EPL Appearances: 392

Career Highlights: Seven Premier League titles. 

Mr Duff’s legendary career was a fast-rising one, and he became a hot prospect after spending his first two years at Blackburn Rovers. It did not take long before huge offers for his services were incoming, and a move to Chelsea saw the winger claim two EPL titles.

Once the glory days at Chelsea were finished, he went on as a valuable player for Newcastle United and Fulham, eventually ending his career in the sunshine with a move to Australia in 2014.  

 

John O’Shea – Manchester United

Image link HERE. 

EPL Appearances: 445

Career Highlights: Five Premier League titles. 

We simply cannot ignore the accomplishments of John O’Shea, and again, yet another Irish marksman who flourished at Manchester United. When making the best footballing free sports picks for Irish soccer, O’Shea probably does not come to mind for most fans, but his career should not be undervalued. 

Making 445 appearances in the Premier League is an accomplishment itself (more than any outfield player in Ireland’s history), whilst capturing five Premier League titles at Manchester United.

Shay Given – Newcastle United, Manchester City & Aston Villa

EPL Appearances: 451

Career Highlights: Seven Premier League titles. 

Holding six more appearances than our previous outstanding Irish player, Shay Given managed to crush attackers dreams with his long stature and goal stopping ability whilst topping the appearance record with 451 games played in the English Premier League. 

The former goalkeeper was one of the league’s most impressive performers during his stay at Newcastle United, regularly featuring in the Team of the Year, before eventually joining the likes of Manchester City, where he continued to deliver the goods. During the end of his career, Shay Given played for Aston Villa until his eventual retirement. 

 

 

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