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Best FIFA Men’s Player 2020 finalists announced

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski were chosen as the finalists.

FIFA have announced that Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski will make up the final three players contesting for the title of Best Men’s Player 2020.

This marks the first inclusion as a finalist for Robert Lewandowski, while Cristiano Ronaldo (2) and Messi (1) have both won the award since it started in 2016.

Lewandowski is seen as the favourite for the award having enjoyed an unbelievable 2020. The Polish striker has averaged more than a goal a game this year while also helping his team win a multitude of honours including; UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga & DFB-Pokal.

Some football fans have also suggested that Lewandowski was “robbed” of a Ballon D’or, with the prestigious individual award being cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are both – for once – seen as outsiders for the award.

FIFA have also announced the finalists for their other categories:

The Best FIFA Women’s Player:
  • Lucy Bronze (England / Olympique Lyonnais / Manchester City WFC)
  • Pernille Harder (Denmark / VfL Wolfsburg / Chelsea FC Women)
  • Wendie Renard (France / Olympique Lyonnais)
The Best FIFA Men’s Player:
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Juventus FC)
  • Robert Lewandowski (Poland / FC Bayern München)
  • Lionel Messi (Argentina / FC Barcelona)
The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper
  • Sarah Bouhaddi (France / Olympique Lyonnais)
  • Christiane Endler (Chile / Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Alyssa Naeher (USA / Chicago Red Stars)
The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper:
  • Alisson Becker (Brazil / Liverpool FC)
  • Manuel Neuer (Germany / FC Bayern München)
  • Jan Oblak (Slovenia / Atlético de Madrid)
The Best FIFA Women’s Coach:
  • Emma Hayes (England / Chelsea FC Women)
  • Jean-Luc Vasseur (France / Olympique Lyonnais)
  • Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands / Dutch national team)
The Best FIFA Men’s Coach:
  • Marcelo Bielsa (Argentina / Leeds United FC)
  • Hans-Dieter Flick (Germany / FC Bayern München)
  • Jürgen Klopp (Germany / Liverpool FC)
FIFA Puskás Award:

Limerick vs Waterford: Hurling Final Preview, TV Channel, Betting, Prediction

We had a preview of this year’s Hurling Championship Finale in mid-November as Limerick overcame a stern test from Waterford to win the Munster final. Now, Waterford have a second bite at the cherry on the biggest stage of all after a heroic semi-final win over Kilkenny. But, the challenge Waterford posed in that Munster showdown means John Kiely will be sure not to underestimate his opposition. Limerick have been the team to beat in this year’s Championship but Waterford have already caused more than one upset. Limerick vs Waterford takes place at 15:30 on Sunday.

The Déise men opened their campaign against Cork and recorded a four-point win to set up a Munster final against Limerick. Four points was again the difference between the teams but this time Waterford came out on the losing side. However, Liam Cahill’s side left that game with the knowledge that they could compete with the best. They brought a ferocious intensity and went toe-to-toe with Limerick’s physicality in midfield.

In the 51st minute of that game Waterford were ahead. Then, Limerick’s strength in depth proved to be crucial. Kiely introduced reinforcements and his big guns on the pitch raised their game accordingly. Kieran Bennett was assigned to Cian Lynch for that game and Callum Lyons stuck to Gearóid Hegarty like glue. Still, these two Limerick leaders hit four points between them. It will be interesting to see how Cahill deploys his man-markers this time around. He will likely stick with what proved successful in the Munster final. However, there is no room for error with the stakes so high.

Following their Munster final defeat, Waterford beat Clare to set up a semi-final against Kilkenny. That game against the Cats resulted on one of the most entertaining games of Hurling to grace the Championship in what was already an action-packed year. As a result, Waterford carry the momentum into this final.

Special Limerick Team

In contrast, Limerick’s journey to the final yielded less drama and close-calls. Entering the Championship as favourites, their performances have justified this title. After conquering Munster, John Kiely’s troops beat Galway in the semi-final with three points to spare. The showing was a great example of how Limerick have the necessary tools to overcome whatever challenge is thrown at them.

In that semi-final, Limerick quickly fell five-points behind the Galwegians. Despite managing to come back without any sense of desperation, Kiely will be keen to ensure his side hit the ground running in the final.

Limerick’s physicality and intensity in the middle-third has been the source of much of their praise this year. However, their efficiency in front of goal has been their most valuable attribute.

As much as Liam Cahill will be focusing on the midfield battle, he must set-up his team to try and neutralise an incredibly economical Limerick attack. After failing to live up to expectations last year, Limerick are aiming to claim their second Liam McCarthy in three years.

Meanwhile, Waterford haven’t had an All-Ireland win since 1959. But, the loss of 2017 will be fresh in many minds and they’ll be keen end their drought.

Limerick vs Waterford is on RTÉ and Sky Sports Mix.

Limerick are 2/5 favourites with Paddy Power. On the other hand, Waterford are 5/2 and a draw is 10/1.

Prediction: Limerick.

All-Ireland SHC Final: Limerick vs Waterford, Sunday, December 13th, 15:30 (Croke Park). 

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Dundalk defeated by Arsenal in final Europa League group game

Despite their best efforts, Dundalk lost all their group games.

The Aviva Stadium was the setting as Dundalk took on Arsenal in their final Europa League game of this campaign. Having just won the FAI Cup at the weekend, the Lilywhites would have been in good spirits going into the game, despite being already eliminated from qualifying. They produced a respectable, spirited display but Dundalk finished the group stage with 0 points as Arsenal claimed a 4-2 victory.

Unfortunately for Dundalk, it didn’t take Arsenal long to get going. Eddie Nketiah found the net after 12 minutes. The goal came as a result of a mistake from defender Andy Boyle, his clearance was closed down by the Arsenal striker before he closed down on goal and finished calmly into the net.

They had their second just minutes later. This time it was a wonderstrike. Mohamed Elneny struck from well outside the box and the ball floated into the top corner, leaving no chance for Gary Rogers.

With the scoreline at 2-0 after 18 minutes, most would have expected a long night for Dundalk. That wasn’t the case, though. Dundalk didn’t panic and got their own back in the 22nd minute. The goalscorer was Jordan Flores and it was a typical strike from him. He picked up a loose ball before playing a 1-2 with Michael Duffy and smashing into the back of the net from just inside the box.

Opportunities were few and far between afterwards, but Dundalk very nearly equalized in the dying embers of the first half. Darragh Leahy got on the end of a cross and his shot appeared to be goal bound, but it was blocked and went out for a corner which led to nothing.

The first half finished 2-1 to Arsenal but Dundalk should have been proud of their first half display. Despite being outclassed in the beginning of the game, they came back and didn’t look out of place despite the difference in reputation between the two teams.

Dundalk started the second as they ended the first by matching Arsenal in quality and producing a handful of decent attacking moves, albeit without any chances.

Their hard work was all but undone in the 67th minute, though. Joe Willock scored for Arsenal after a succession of defensive mistakes/frailties from Dundalk. Despite not being a natural goalscorer, Willock also netted against Dundalk in October.

Arsenal got their 4th of the night in the 79th minute. Young striker Folarin Balogun was the scorer. He was afforded far too much space as he was playing in before he coolly slotted past Gary Rogers.

Dundalk deserved to decrease the deficit given their display on the night and they did so in the 85th minute. Sean Hoare rose highest to meet a free kick with the back of his head which ended up in the back of the net.

The match finished 4-2 as Dundalk’s Europa League campaign ended while Arsenal advanced to the knockout stage. The scoreline was perhaps slightly harsh on Dundalk who remained competitive for much of the match.

Ireland announced one-day internationals against UAE and Afghanistan

Ireland Cricket set for return in the new year.

Ireland’s men cricket team will return for to play in January 2021. Cricket has been on hold since Ireland’s heroic win over World Cup winners England in August of this year. First up for Ireland head coach Graham Ford and his men will be a four game series against UAE starting on the 8th and ending on the 14th of January.

The three matches against Afghanistan that follow carry a higher degree of significance for the Irish as they will be part of the World Cup Super League. This league will make up part of the qualifying phase for the Cricket World Cup in 2023. Ireland currently have 10 points and sit in 5th position in the Super League having beaten England 2-1.

Of the 13 teams in the league, hosts India along with the top seven will automatically qualify. In addition, the bottom five sides will enter another qualifying event against five Associated sides. Two successful team from this event will make it to the 2023 World Cup.

Confidence is high heading into next month’s fixtures, with Ford emphasizing that the important win over England, as well as the victories over the T20 World Champions, the West Indies “have helped build self-belief within the players and have demonstrated the progress we are making as a squad.”

Ireland Squad and Abu Dabhi Series Dates

Ireland Squad:

Andrew Balbirnie (C), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, David Delany, Gareth Delany, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, James McCollum, Kevin O’Brien, Neil Rock, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.

International Dates:

UAE vs Ireland: January 8th, 10th, 12th & 14th.

Afghanistan vs Ireland: January 18th, 21st & 23rd.

 

Joe McDonagh Cup Final Preview – Antrim vs Kerry

Both Antrim and Kerry had secured their place in this year’s Joe McDonagh Cup Final before the final round of games two weeks ago. Given the late start to this year’s cup, there is no jump to the Championship for the victor. However, this fact won’t curtail either of these two teams who are hoping to reward a good season with silverware. Antrim vs Kerry is at 13:00 on Sunday as a curtain-raiser to the Senior Championship Final.

Most recently, Antrim played Meath in their final group game. The Ulster side showed no sign of respite despite already being qualified. Their scoreline of 2-30 was no doubt a sign of intent from Darren Gleeson’s side.

Gleeson refused to agree with those who consider his side to now be in ‘bonus territory’. The former Tipperary goalkeeper continued to say that his side’s earlier win over Kerry won’t grant them any advantage for this final which will “take a life of its own”.

The only blemish on Antrim’s otherwise perfect record this year was a draw with Carlow. Yet, the fact that they are undefeated and have already beaten Kerry this year will boost the players going into the climax whether Gleeson admits it or not.

Despite their defeat to Antrim in mid-November by seven-points, the Kingdom were the first to secure their place in the final. They bounced back from defeat with a convincing win over a strong Carlow side.

Kerry captain Bryan Murphy echoed Gleeson’s words in dismissing the suggestion that recent results would carry into this game.  “When it comes to a Final it’s anyone’s day,” he says. “Tactics nearly go out the window.”

Kerry have played Antrim thrice this year already but have come off worst on all three occasions. Yet, this is more than enough time to get to know an opponent so Sunday may allow the Munster men to finally decipher the highest rated Ulster Hurling team in Ireland.

The Joe McDonagh Cup Final is on RTÉ on Sunday.

Paddy Power have Antrim as 8/15 favourites versus Kerry’s 7/4 price. A draw is 9/1.

Prediction: Antrim.

Joe McDonagh Cup Final: Antrim vs Kerry, Sunday, December 13th, 13:00 (Croke Park). 

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Ireland must up efforts to land Bamford

With goals continuing to elude Stephen Kenny’s Republic of Ireland side, the manager and the FAI need to up their efforts to bring Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford into the fold.

 

Bamford’s eligibility for Ireland is no secret, with the Whites striker featuring for the nation once at under-18 level. Former boss Mick McCarthy tried to bring the 27-year-old into the fold last year but said that, ultimately, the decision would rest with the player himself, who at the time was focusing on Leeds’ promotion push.

 

Many questioned if Bamford would be able to make the step up to starting regularly in the Premier League, having helped Leeds win the Championship title last season. The former Chelsea academy starlet has so far answered those critics with seven goals in the first eight league games of the campaign, including a hat-trick against Aston Villa.

 

 

There seems to be little doubt that Bamford is ready to test himself at international level, after what he has done with Leeds, who are 9/1 in the mobile betting to be relegated from the Premier League this season. Now it appears Bamford is waiting to make up his mind on whether he will pledge his allegiance to Ireland or England.

 

Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate has already spoken about Bamford’s start to the campaign, with the national boss being seen at Elland Road this season. Competition for places is strong in the England squad, with skipper Harry Kane almost guaranteed a starting role, while the likes of Jadon Sancho, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Tammy Abraham, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford all compete for the other attacking roles.

 

If Bamford can continue his current form at Leeds then perhaps he has a chance of earning a call-up but the dilemma rests on where his long-term future is best suited. There is no doubt Bamford would earn regular game time with Ireland and could find himself as a key figure for Kenny’s side.

 

 

Kenny has looked to bring a new style to the Ireland squad, with the boys in green looking to play a bit more football and be slightly less direct than they have in the past. That would certainly suit Bamford, who has come on leaps and bounds since Marcelo Bielsa’s arrival at Elland Road. The forward’s ability to press and hound defenders, to link up play and of course finish, makes him an extremely attractive prospect for Ireland.

 

Bamford might still harbour hopes of being an outside England pick for Euro 2020 but, again, competition will be fierce for the major tournament next summer. If Ireland can convince him that the green jersey is the way to go, then it could go a long way to solving the team’s goalscoring issues at present.

 

Ireland have now gone seven games without a goal following their goalless stalemate against Bulgaria in their last match of 2020. The high level of withdrawals from the squad due to illness and injury has been well-documented and that has certainly not helped matters. But a host of first-team regulars back in the fold, and Bamford in the number nine jersey next year, could see Ireland back pushing for tournament football once again.

 

How NI’s Jonathan Rea Made it Six World Superbike Titles in a Row

Jonathan Rea continued his extraordinary dominance in the motorcycle world in October by winning his 6th consecutive Word Superbike titlein Portugal. The Northern Irishman continues to rewrite the World Superbike record books and is now just 1 race win away from eclipsing 100 career race wins. He is not done yet, though, and will be eyeing 2021 which will be a huge year for the Kawasaki rider.

A Tumultuous Season

It was hardly the typical success story that Rea has come accustomed to, though, largely due to the interference of COVID-19. The pandemic created an agonizing 5-month hiatus between round one in Australia and round two in Jerez and the season being shortened to 8 events as opposed to 13. Rea also had to battle against a new foe – ex-MotoGP rider Scott Redding – who pushed Rea right until the end.

Pushed to the End

It was an average start to the season with a crash in the opening round resulting in a 19-point deficit, but the enforced break helped him to regather and he went on to win 5 consecutive Superpole sprint races. It was only Redding that would have been able to overcome the deficit heading into the final weekend, but Redding was forced to retire with technical difficulties paving the way for yet another title for Rea. Despite this, Redding enjoyed a fantastic debut season with 5 wins and it marks the start of what should be a thrilling rivalry moving forward.

Achieving Legendary Status

The latest addition to Rea’s trophy cabinet have many now stating that he can justifiably take his place among the pantheon of NI’s all-time sporting heroes, including comparisons to the legendary motorcycle racer Joey Dunlop who was voted Northern Ireland’s greatest ever sportsman in a Belfast Telegraph poll in 2015.

The Future

Rea, 33, has a long way to go yet and it will be fascinating to see if he can continue his dominance in years to come especially with Redding now on his tail and pushing him to new heights. It is expected that Rea will have new machinery to work with next season as Kawasaki prepare to introduce a new ZX-10R so it will be fascinating to see how he fares.

Carole Nash (of which Rea is an ambassador) recently caught up with Rea who reflected on a challenging season:

“All around us, the world was at a standstill but we were able to go racing and, luckily we were able to turn a crash in the first race of the season into a really positive year, where we were able to win a sixth world championship.”

It may not have been the typical kind of success story that Rea has come accustomed to, but it is a special type of victory and yet another incredible chapter in the Northern Irishman’s illustrious career so far.

Why mobile casinos could be the future of the gambling industry

In the 21st century we have become accustomed to not only information, but also work, study and entertainment being mostly available online. As such, it is not surprising that also online casinos have become a common occurrence, gaining popularity in the last few years. Even more so, mobile casinos – those available to play on your smartphone, have become even more popular. This makes sense when you think of the price difference between a smartphone, available from as cheap as 100 euros, compared to a laptop – where even the cheapest ones are rarely below 500. The simple fact that most people are inseparable from their mobile phones is enough of a reason for mobile gambling to be becoming the most popular form of gambling. Read on to find other reasons why mobile casinos could be the future of the gambling industry. 

Extremely accessible

As already mentioned, mobile devices are practically extensions of our arms these days, people rarely leave home without one. This also means that gambling on a mobile will be easily accessible – you can quickly play a few rounds while waiting for the bus, on your lunch break, or even while waiting for a document to load at work (though maybe watch out on this one, you don’t want your boss getting angry!). With data packages or contract phones you are also provided with a constant secure internet connection, which is ideal when transferring money online. Mobile phones also have a longer battery life than computers or laptops do, meaning you are free to play for longer without being restricted to sitting next to a power socket. 

Not only are mobile phones more accessible there are more casinos than ever which offer mobile phone friendly gambling options, while this is a blessing it can make choosing which to play a difficult decision. Japan 101 have put together a comparison of some of the most popular online casinos, if this perks your interests check it out here. 

Technology is better

Back in the day, I remember downloading one picture from the internet onto my phone and being so excited that it worked. These days we take, share, and download more pictures in a day than our great-grandparents ever witnessed in their lifetime! And that’s not the only thing we use mobile phones for. Compared to the earliest mobile phono prototypes, our mobile devices are basically minicomputers in our pockets. Because of this, there is barely a difference in quality between playing online games from your phone compared to a computer – in fact, most games are specifically designed to work on a phone, and may even work better on one than on a computer! If you compare a computer to a smartphone that is half its price, the phone will probably have better battery lifespan, the operating system is easier to navigate, and most importantly, you can be connected to the internet 24/7 without any connected cables or wifi (with a laptop, you need either a wifi connection, LAN, or a hotspot from your phone). These all point to reasons why mobile phones may be the future of not only the gambling industry, but life as we know it. 

Smartphones are widely used

Because of the price difference, as well as the portability and multifunctionality of smartphones, it is more common, if one has to choose between the two, for people to choose a smartphone over a computer. Afterall, with the correct accessories connected to the phone, like a keypad or screen sharing, even the few perks laptops have over phones can be mitigated. Basically, anything that can be done on a computer can be done on a phone. More games are created for mobile gambling now than ever before. Developers such as Microgaming and Play’n GO release hundreds of new mobile gambling games yearly, as their popularity increases. These games are on a totally different level quality wise as those of previous years. Special effects and impressive graphics on sites as well as exotic six reels storylines in slot games are bringing more and more players to mobile gambling.

Conclusion

With the evolution of technology and the handiness of smartphones, it is not surprising that online gambling is turning ever more towards mobile gambling. As gambling game providers, it would be wise to set your gaze on the mobile industry, and as players, well, why not try it out the games of the future?

Republic of Ireland U-19s & U-17s learn of European qualification opponents

Both the Republic of Ireland Under-19s and Under-17s have discovered their opponents for their respective 2021-22 UEFA European Championship qualification campaigns.

In Nyon today Tom Mohan’s Republic of Ireland Under-19 side were drawn in Group 6 against Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.

Colin O’Brien’s Republic of Ireland Under-17s are in Group 5 of the qualifying competition with Poland, North Macedonia and Andorra.

Both the Under-19 and Under-17 sides were top seeds for the draw as they are ranked among UEFA’s top 10, with the teams 9th and 10th places respectively.

Tom Mohan’s reaction

Republic of Ireland Under-19 Head Coach Tom Mohan, said of today’s draw:

“There’s no easy games in international football. Bulgaria and Bosnia-Herzegovina have been very good at this level. Montenegro are a competitive and difficult opponent at this level too.”

Tournament hosts Slovakia qualify directly for the final tournament in summer 2022. Top seeds Portugal receive a bye to the elite round in spring 2022.

Hosts will be appointed to stage the mini-tournaments played either between 30 August and 7 September, 4 and 12 October, or 8 and 16 November 2021.

The top two in each group plus the third-placed team with the best record against the leading pair in their section progress to join Portugal in the elite round.

UEFA U-17 Qualifiers

Reacting to the Under-17 draw, Republic of Ireland Head Coach Colin O’Brien said:

“It’s great to see the draw and it gives us games to aim for in 2021. We now have an opportunity to plan for our opponents.

“The 2005 age group played Poland twice last year in Galway. They will be Under-17s by the time we play these qualifiers. I managed against Andorra last year. North Macedonia is a new challenge for us but we look forward to the challenge of the group.”

Qualifying Tournament 

Matches will be played between 1 July and 16 November 2021, with mini-tournament dates and hosts yet to be confirmed.

The top two teams in each group will join top seeds Netherlands and Spain in the spring 2022 elite round. The four third-placed teams with the best records against the top two in their section will also enter the elite round.

Hosts Israel qualify directly for the final tournament in May 2022.

Qatar added to Ireland World Cup qualification group

They join Portugal, Serbia, Luxembourg and Azerbaijan as Ireland’s opponents. 

Reports fluctuated earlier surrounding Qatar’s potential inclusion in European World Cup qualifying as preparation for the finals. Those reports were then confirmed by the FAI by way of a tweet announcing Ireland’s fixtures.

They have already qualified for the finals due to their position of host, however this will give the nation a chance to see where they’re at in terms of competitiveness. They won’t be competing for points, meaning their games will be played as friendlies.

Ireland will play Qatar twice in qualifying, both home and away. The venue of these fixtures has not yet been decided. Given the distance between the two nations, it could very well be played in a neutral ground.

Qatar are ranked at 59 in the FIfa World Rankings, not many places below Ireland who are currently ranked 42. Despite not being a traditional football powerhouse, Qatar should provide stern competition for Ireland given their growth over the past few years.

Ireland are first set to play Qatar on March 30th. The final match between the two countries will take place on October 12th.

 

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