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Hurling qualifier round 1 fixtures confirmed.

Next Saturday’s round 1 hurling qualifiers have been confirmed by the GAA this lunchtime. The round 1 draw took place on RTE radio 1 earlier today. All Ireland Champions Tipperary and Leinster Champions Wexford were both given a bye into round 2.

First up on Saturday at 1:15pm is the meeting of Laois and Clare at UPMC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny. This game will be broadcast on the GAA Go platform.

The second qualifier between Dublin and Cork will take place at Semple Stadium, Thurles at 3:45pm and will be shown on Sky Sports Mix.

Live updates on both these games can be found here.

Gareth Bale is Back in Business

Gareth Bale scores winner against Brighton

A goal that was scored in North London, but made in Madrid. Fellow summer recruit Sergio Reguilón cut in on his weaker foot and delivered an inviting cross which Gareth Bale converted. A difficult finish made to look easy. Both players arrived from Real Madrid and while Bale has had to wait patiently to make his impact, Reguilón has caught the eye on several occasions thus far.

Bale’s winning goal was his first in a Spurs’ shirt for seven and half years. Yet the Welshman celebrated like it was his first for the club, brimming with joy as he embraced his teammates. All that was missing was a ‘genuine’ roar from the fans, but for now the piped-in noise will suffice.

Although seven years have elapsed since his last game for the club, the spark still remains and Spurs’ fans can’t help but express their excitement at the prospect of Son, Kane and Bale leading the line.

Bale will feel he still has a lot to prove, especially to Real Madrid fans. Even his new boss Jose Mourinho was intrigued to see how Madrid would react to their former player’s first goal of the season: “When I have five minutes I’m going to Safari to look at Madrid websites to see what they say”. A cheeky swipe at his old club from Mourinho, who continued by reiterating that “he (Bale) knows we care about him”.

Tottenham Hotspurs 2-1 Brighton Hove Albion

The game itself was a relatively tight affair. Spurs left it late against Burnley on Monday evening and this game had a similar feel to it. Harry Kane netted Spurs’ first from the penalty spot. Kane was bundled over on the edge of Brighton’s box by Adam Lallana. The former Liverpool man was adjudged to have fouled Kane, however from the replay it appeared that the striker went looking for the foul.

Brighton came back into the game after conceding, and got their equaliser early in the second half thanks to a well-placed finish from full-back Tariq Lamptey. Again controversy surrounded this goal. Despite a VAR review of Solly March’s badly-timed tackle on Pierre Højbjerg in the build-up, the goal stood.

The tide turned again. Erik Lamela and Harry Kane were both denied by the woodwork. With twenty minutes left on the clock, Gareth Bale arrived onto the pitch and grabbed the winner. Inspired by the number nine on his back, Bale created some space in Brighton’s box and headed home Reguilón’s cross.

The win takes Spurs up to second place in the league, two points behind leaders Liverpool. A strong start to the season for Mourinho’s men.

49ers @ Seattle Seahawks – Preview & Prediction and Fantasy advice

NFL Week 8 Sunday 9:25pm Game Preview



San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

Seattle suffered their first loss of the season last week, dropping a nail-biter in overtime to the Arizona Cardinals. This week they have another NFC West rival to contend with in the shape of the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners will be trying to make sure they don’t lose any more ground on the Seahawks in the playoff and divisional title race. They’re on a 2-game win streak and the injury issues that crippled their early season form have lightened somewhat. Games in this division are generally fiercely contested and this is poised to be no different.

Betpat Betting:
Money line: ​​49ers​​10/11​​Seahawks​​10/11
Points Spread: ​Seahawks -1.5​
Over/Under:​​53.5

I think this will be a high scoring game, I think both will go over 30 points so the over 53.5 is a good bet in my opinion.Not surprised they have it so tight, should be a really close game. I love Will Dissly at 25/1 to score 1at TD too.
Fantasy Football:
49ers:
San Francisco’s offense looks to have finally got back on track. But with Deebo Samuel out again and Jimmy Garoppolo’s form being patchy there will be a lot of importance on the running back trio of Tevin Coleman, Jerick McKinnon and JaMycal Hasty making an impact. The problem is none of these stand out to take the reigns as a lead back so opportunities will be limited for each in terms of volume but all are capable of splash plays, especially in the creative Kyle Shanahan running game.

Their main receiving threat need no introduction at this stage. George Kittle is the 2nd ranked TE in Fantasy despite missing 2 games, although a big chunk of his points was scored in the Eagles and Rams games. I’d have no problem starting him here anyway.


Seahawks:
Injury issues surround the Seahawks running back corps with Chris Carson, Carlos Hyde and Travis Homer all appearing asat least questionable in the injury report. Ex Miami Hurricane DeeJay Dallas is the next up on the depth chart and should expect to play some part. Just like the 49ers, I wouldn’t want to be relying on any of these.

That leaves Seattle having to use a pass heavy game plan. And they won’t complain about that. The combination of QB Russell Wilson and receiver DK Metcalf are amongst the league’s best. Add Tyler Lockett into the mix and this is an extremely dangerous offense.


My Prediction:
Tough enough game to predict. Seattle have been racking up the wins but a leaky defense holds them back from completely dominating. San Francisco have struggled for a lot of the season, but you always got the feeling they would get it right and return to form, especially when some of the injury madness lightened up a bit. Their recent play makes this an exciting game but I’m leaning towards a narrow Seahawks win

Seahawks by 4

Aubameyang breaks his duck as Arsenal defeat Manchester United

He dispatched his penalty in what would be the winning goal

Manchester United needed to find consistency following their erratic form earlier in the season. It appeared they were on the way to doing so given their recent results. Their unbeaten run was ended tonight, however. Arsenal came out victors in what was a lacklustre Manchester United performance. Many would have favoured Manchester United for the victory tonight, but that wasn’t to be.

After all, Arsenal were in less than impressive form prior to the match. Before this evening, Arsenal had lost 4 of their previous 5 Premier League games. Their win this evening means they now sit 8th in the Premier League table, moving up 5 places from 13th.

The form of their talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been called into question this year. The striker’s goal return has been nothing short of incredible over the years. However, this year he has struggled to find the net with regularity. He will be satisfied with his performance tonight, though. His goal to make it 1-0 would turn out to be the winner. Having struggled for consistency so far this season, his goal tonight should give the striker a massive confidence boost.

Oppositely, Marcus Rashford has been in incredible form of late. Rashford scored 6 goals in his last 4 games prior to today. His impressive return of 3 goals – as a substitute – midweek would have done his confidence no harm going into tonight. He failed to impress, though, as he was marshalled by the opposition and failed to find space throughout.

The match itself was anticipated to be an exciting affair but that wasn’t to be. While not being necessarily boring, the match was a tense affair. Arsenal kept the ball well in possession as Manchester United failed to disgruntle them by pressing high like they have done in the past.

In fact, it took 21 minutes before either team had a shot at goal. Academy graduates linked up as Marcus Rashford’s pinpoint ball was collected by Greenwood. He shot from a similar angle as his goal midweek, but Bernd Leno had no trouble as he comfortably dealt with his effort.

Arsenal struggled to create opportunities in the first half, but were quite clearly the better team. Lacazette had the best chance as the ball fell to him inside the box after a good passing move. He failed to make a connection with the ball though and the move broke down. Saka also had an opportunity from a header towards the end of the half, but his shot sailed over the bar.

Aubameyang had his first real chance of the game shortly after the first half commenced. Indecision from Fred allowed Lacazette to intercept and set up the Gabonese hitman. David De Gea had no problems, however, as his shot went wide of the post.

Manchester United had an opportunity of their own not long afterwards. Harry Maguire got his head to the ball from a good set piece delivery, but his attempt went just wide.

Paul Pogba was the villain in the 67th minute as his clumsy challenge inside the box brought down Hector Bellerin. Mike Dean made his decision almost immediately as he pointed to the spot. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ended his drought of 5 games without scoring by tucking away the resulting penalty.

United nearly got their equalizer on 84 minutes after a series of mishaps in the Arsenal box. Donny Van de Beek crossed the ball into the box before his cross bounced off Elneny and Leno on the way to hitting the post. In truth, it would have been very unfortunate for Arsenal as they had dominated much of the match.

Arsenal managed to hang on as the match finished 1-0. Aubameyang’s strike was the difference in an important match for both clubs.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens – Preview & Prediction and Fantasy advice

NFL Week 8 Sunday 6:00pm Game Preview & Prediction and Fantasy advice, the game will go a long way to deciding the division. 

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens Preview

Sunday opens with massive clash as 2 of the AFC North’s finest go head to head. Baltimore came into the season as the hot favourites but as we approach the midway stage of the season their 5-1 record is surprisingly only good enough for 2nd behind the 6-0 Steelers, the NFL’s only remaining unbeaten team. An impressive win against the Tennessee Titans last week would have silenced a lot of doubters and knocking off the Ravens this week will surely cement them as legitimate SuperBowl contenders. Can they keep their unbeaten run going or will the Ravens take that ‘0’ away?

Betpat Betting:

Money line: ​​Steelers​8/5​​Ravens​​1/2
Points Spread: ​Ravens –4​
Over/Under:​​45.5

I think 8/5 is excellent odds for the Steelers. The Ravenshaven’t looked all that impressive, despite the 5-1 record and I think the Steelers have more than enough about them to hand them their 2nd loss.



Fantasy Football:


Steelers:
If there was any doubt about this Steelers defense before last week, there shouldn’t be now. They held Derrick Henry to under 4 yards a carry, (even if they gave up a TD to him in the process) and did it without selling out too much to keep Ryan Tannehill and the passing offense in check. The face a different kind of test this week in the read option-based Ravens defense. They won’t win this battle on aggression alone and will need to stay disciplined, especially on the edge. But I trust Mike Tomlin to have a good plan in place and his player’s ability to execute it. If they get ahead and the Raven have to air it out more than they would like, there are turnovers there to be had too.

The offense also faces a very different prospect this week. While the Titans secondary were there to be got at, the Ravens have one of the best, if not the best, cornerback tandems in the league. Big plays will have to be earned by the Pitt receiver group, but they have enough talent there to get it done. I expect to see a lot of short to intermediate passes to Juju in the slot and he is a good option today especially in PPR leagues in my opinion.

James Conner has another tough task ahead of him at running back this week but that seems to be when he shows up the most. He may not ever be a fantasy giant, but he has shown he can keep putting respectable numbers up even against the better defences. I said last week I struggle to have any faith in him, and I’m not abandoning that, but it would be unfair to ignore his steady contribution.

Ravens:
As I already mentioned, the Steelers offense will have to earn every yard they get in this game. The face the no.1 defense in fantasy in the Baltimore Ravens, though they have played against their fair share of anaemic offenses to date. The Earl Thomas drama is in the rear-view mirror at this stage and they’ll be eager to impose their will on the Steelers attack.

Lamar Jackson was widely drafted early in fantasy drafts but so far hasn’t lived up to the billing. He and the Ravens have tried to convince everyone that he is good enough to beat teams with his arm if he has to, but the proof provided hasn’t been overwhelming. I expect the Steelers defense to try to make him do that again in this game, and I would be very apprehensive about starting Jackson unless you don’t have another viable option.

The knock-on effect is that his receivers may see more action than usual, but the question is the quality of those opportunities. Mark Andrews has been a favoured target of Jackson for a while now and should continue to contribute well for fantasy owners. And while Hollywood Brown hasn’t been doing too well as of late, he is always a big play threat.

At RB, whether Mark Ingram plays or not will be a latedecision. He hasn’t practiced all week which usually says he won’t play, although his advanced age and familiarity with the system would make it a lot easier for them to have held him out for precaution. But I think it’s unlikely he plays which puts the tandem of rookie JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards front and centre. That would likely result in a fairly even splitbetween the 2, and Justice Hill may even get a chance to make his way back from the wilderness. I don’t see a reliable option in this group.


My Prediction:


The AFC North games are usually very physical affairs and don’t expect anything different here. These 2 will go to war. If the Ravens can establish a rhythm on offense, they’ll be tough to stop but my gut favours the Steelers to keep them at bay.

Steelers by 10

Leitrim vs Mayo: Connacht Football – Preview & Starting Team News

There is no time for Mayo to dwell over their failure to remain in Division 1. They return to action just a week after the defeat to Tyrone and this time there is even more on the line. The 2020 Football Championship has been a long time coming but it’s here now and the knock-out format means no time for settling in. Leitrim vs Mayo takes place in Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday.

CLICK FOR live score commentary, with scorers and minute by minute updates

Leitrim suffered relegation themselves in the League. They had a chance of survival if they beat Tipperary in the final round. However, a two-point loss sealed their fate. Previously, they had to concede the game against Down. This was a result of players waiting on Covid-19 test results and not being able to field a team.

It has been twenty years since Leitrim last made it to a Connacht final. This year, they again drew the short straw as even an upset against Mayo would pit them against Roscommon in the semi-final with Galway on the other side of the draw. The return to action hasn’t exactly given Leitrim fans reason to be hopeful about this game. However, with no qualifiers to fall back on, they may relish the chance to take on some of the best in the game and see how they fare.

Can Mayo master Connacht again?

Mayo have not won a Connacht Championship since 2015 (their fifth in a row). This is surprising considering they made it to the 2016 and ’17 finals and 2019 semi-final. Indeed, it has been Connacht that has proven the hardest for Mayo to conquer in recent years.

When Mayo trounced Galway in the first game back recently, the familiar echoes of ‘Mayo are back’ echoed around the west. But, in typical Mayo fashion, they undid their hard work at home a week later to end their 23-year spell in Division 1.

This could prove to be the best thing to happen to James Horan’s side. In recent seasons, after losing in Connacht, Mayo progressively got stronger during the qualifiers. But, a loss this year does not yield a second chance. Therefore, with defeat already on their backs, Mayo could fall into the familiar pattern of finding form when they are on their last life.

The final two League games made for interesting reading for Mayo fans. The team selections yielded some very exciting prospects (e.g Tommy Conroy, Mark Moran, Eoghan McLoughlin, Oisin Mullin) but it was perhaps Aidan O’Shea’s deployment at full-forward that most caught the eye.

O’Shea was the biggest anarchist against Galway and even if he did not repeat the trick against Tyrone, the tactic is a good option to have. In fact, Leitrim could be the best place to experiment with such a move again.

The likes of O’Shea and Cillian O’Connor have been around for longer than it seems now. Likewise, the Keegans, Vaughans, and Parsons are aging faster than Mayo fans would want. As a result, this could be the greatest chance for Mayo to launch an All-Ireland quest again. It will only require five wins in a row to go all the way (Mayo played 10 games in the 2017 campaign). The new injection of youth could complement the experienced heads nicely.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP CLASHES

2012: Mayo 4-20 Leitrim 0-10 (Connacht semi-final)
2006: Mayo 1-10 Leitrim 1-9 Connacht semi-final)
1997: Mayo 0-18 Leitrim 0-11 (Connacht semi-final)
1994: Leitrim 0-12 Mayo 2-4 (Connacht final)
1988: Mayo 1-13 Leitrim 0-4 (Connacht quarter-final)

Things to note

(1) Other than against London and New York, Leitrim haven’t won a Connacht championship games since beating Sligo in the 2011 quarter-final in 2011.
(2) Mayo have lost to Leitrim only three times in the Connacht championship (1994-1976-1959).
(3) Mayo were relegated from Division 1 last weekend after winning two, drawing one and losing four of their seven games.
(4) Leitrim were relegated from Division 3 after winning one, drawing and losing four games. They also conceded a walkover against Down.
(5) Leitrim have scored only one goal against Mayo in their last six championship meetings and haven’t scored two goals against the green-and-red since 1976.
(6) The winners will play Roscommon in the semi-final on Sunday week.

 

Betting

Leitrim are as long 14/1 to cause an upset. Mayo are 1/66 and a draw is 33/1.

The game is being shown on RTÉ News Now.

Prediction: Mayo.

Team News

Leitrim

1.Brendan Flynn

2.Donal Casey

3. Donal Wrynn

4. Conor Reynolds

5. David Bruen

6.Aidan Flynn

7.Cillian Mc Gloin

8. Mark Plunkett

9. Domnnaill Flynn

10. Conor Dolan

11. Paddy Maguire (Captain)

12. Jack Gilheaney

13. Shane Quinn

14.Evan Sweeney

15. Keith Beirne

Mayo

1. David Clarke – Ballina Stephenites
2. Oisín Mullin – Kilmaine
3. Stephen Coen – Hollymount/Carramore
4. Lee Keegan – Westport
5. Patrick Durcan – Castlebar Mitchels
6. Rory Brickenden – Westport
7. Eoghan McLaughlin – Westport
8. Matthew Ruane – Breaffy
9. Conor Loftus – Crossmolina Deel Rovers
10. Bryan Walsh – Ballintubber
11. Ryan O’Donoghue – Belmullet
12. Jordan Flynn – Crossmolina Deel Rovers
13. Tommy Conroy – The Neale
14. Aidan O’Shea – Breaffy (C)
15. Cillian O’Connor – Ballintubber

Connacht Football Championship Quarter-Final: Leitrim vs Mayo, Sunday, November 1st, 13:15 (Carrick-on-Shannon).

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https://3.249.64.60/gaa/could-mayos-relegation-be-a-blessing-in-disguise/

https://twitter.com/MayoGAA/status/1321106158480953345

Tipperary vs Clare: Preview, TV Channel, Prediction, Betting

A Munster semi-final awaits the winner of Tipperary vs Clare this Sunday. These two teams went through their respective League campaigns without making any headlines and remaining in their respective divisions. But, Championship football can throw up surprises. This year, the knock-out format means there is no room for error so games will be nervy and anything can happen.

Clare’s win over Fermanagh in the first game back proved to be enough to save them in Division 2. Last weekend, they lost to Armagh but remained above the dropzone. There were some good spells against Armagh that Colm Collins will be very encouraged by. However, it will take a good performance for the full 70 minutes to advance in the Championship.

In Division 3, Tipperary secured their survival by beating Leitrim in round 7. A goal in each half went a long way to their success. Liam Casey’s strike five minutes from time put the game beyond Leitrim. But, the Connacht side fought for the full game. As a result, Tipperary are well prepared heading into the Championship.

Last season, Tipperary lost two in a row in the Championship. Now, it will only take one game to end their season. Hence, there is no room for error. In contrast, Clare bounced back from their defeat to Kerry in the Munster semi-final by going all the way to the fourth round of the qualifiers. There, just a point stopped them from going to the Super 8s.

Paddy Power have gone with Tipperary as the 8/11 favourites. Clare are 11/8 and a draw is 15/2.

GAA GO are live streaming the game.

Prediction: Clare.

Munster Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final: Tipperary vs Clare, Sunday, November 1st, 13:00 (Semple Stadium). 

https://3.249.64.60/gaa/list-of-51-gaa-live-matches-scheduled-to-be-shown-on-tv-by-rte-sky-sports/

https://3.249.64.60/gaa/list-of-51-gaa-live-matches-scheduled-to-be-shown-on-tv-by-rte-sky-sports/

https://twitter.com/TipperaryGAA/status/1320389266510368771

Monaghan vs Cavan: Ulster Football Preview & Starting Team News

Monaghan vs Cavan is the opener for what is easily the most competitive of the Provincial Championships. Last year, the same fixture threw up an upset as Cavan prevailed. Now, following the relegation to Division 3, Cavan are underdogs again. But, Monaghan are not exactly carrying form into this game. Hence, it could be an exciting tie to kick off an exciting Championship.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE SCORES

In round 7 of the National League, a draw with Meath was enough to see Monaghan survive in the top Division. In what was an up-and-down League for the Farney men, they will be content as they head into knock-out football. The Meath draw was preceded by a loss to Kerry. But, Seamus McEnaney will have told his side that if they were to lose, that was the time to do so.

2019’s defeat to Cavan in the Ulster Championship will be at the front of McEnaney’s mind. The loss shook the team who went on to lose to Armagh in the qualifiers. Now, he will be relying on his talisman Conor McManus to lead from the front. Thankfully for McEnaney, McManus is finding form at the right time. He scored 1-08 against Meath and 0-05 the week before against Kerry in just 35 minutes.

Cavan need to show mental toughness

On the other hand, Cavan will be wishing they had another week to prepare for this fixture. Last year’s trip to the Ulster final seems like a long time ago now in light of their new Division 3 status. Two losses since the restart will need to be quickly forgotten about by Mickey Graham’s men.

Graham admitted his side “got what we deserved” after failing to get a result against Roscommon. In fact, a win on the day could have seen Cavan finish in the promotion spots. But, Division 2 was the tightest of the four and, true to form, the loss saw Cavan fall to 7th. Graham continued to confess nerves among his team before the game.

If Cavan are to replicate their victory from last season, they need to quickly make peace with their League result. In the Championship there will be no time to wallow in self-pity. In particular, the Ulster Championship will be a gruelling one on its own. Beginning in the preliminary round only adds to the challenge.

Paddy Power rightfully have Monaghan at 3/10 favourites. Cavan are 10/3 and a draw is 8/1. The game is live on Sky Sports.

Prediction: Monaghan.

Starting Teams

Monaghan: Rory Beegan, Kieran Duffy, Conor Boyle, Ryan Whylie, Dessie Ward, Fintan Kelly, Karl O’Connor, Darren Hughes, Kieran Hughes, Ryan McAnespie, Micheál Bannigan, Dermot Malone, Stephen O’Hanlon, Conor McCarthy, Conor McManus

Cavan: Raymond Galligan, Jason McLoughlin, Killian Clarke, Killian Brady, Gerard Smith, Ciaran Brady, Luke Fortune, James Smith, Padraig Faulkner, Martin Reilly, Gearoid McKernan, Oisin Kieran, Oisin Pierson, Chris Conway, Cormac O’Reilly

 

Ulster Football Championship Preliminary Round: Monaghan vs Cavan, Saturday, October 31st, 1.15pm (Clones).

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https://3.249.64.60/gaa/could-mayos-relegation-be-a-blessing-in-disguise/

https://twitter.com/monaghangaa/status/1320857294880518144

Arsenal dominate as Dundalk slump to defeat

The match finished 3-0 after goals from Nketiah, Willock and Pepe

There was a palpable sense of excitement as Dundalk took on Arsenal in the Europa League group stage tonight. Dundalk were considered massive underdogs going into the match. There really wasn’t a great deal of expectation on their shoulders. Most were just happy to see a League of Ireland side compete at a high European level. Anything other than a loss would have been nice for Dundalk but realistically that was never likely, particularly given the club’s domestic form this season and the loss in their last Europa League outing.

The difference in quality showed in the end as Arsenal ran out 3-0 winners, but Dundalk can be largely happy with their performance. Dundalk can’t have too many complaints about the scoreline given some of the results we’ve seen in Europe over the past few months.

Dundalk went with a back five for this game as opposed to their usual four at the back. This would be a sign of things to come as Dundalk remained on the backfoot for the majority of the game. They held a very low line as Arsenal dominated possession and tried to fashion opportunities, but to Dundalk’s credit, they defended very well for much of the game.

They were very good in the first half, particularly. Arsenal tried and tried to break down the opposition defence and struggled at nearly every occasion as Dundalk held their line well and kept the Gunners at bay. In fact, it took Arsenal 30 odd minutes to get their first shot on target. In contrast, Dundalk managed to test the Arsenal keeper after just 4 minutes as McEleney let fly from distance. His shot was low and powerful as the keeper tipped the ball behind for a corner which came to nothing.

Although Dundalk did have the first opportunity of the game, they weren’t exactly positive in their game plan for most of the match. They mainly relied on counter attacks to provide attacking output and rarely kept possession in the final third.

Michael “Thierry” Duffy was much talked about prior to the match as being one to watch but he failed to make an impact like he normally does. Nevertheless, it would have been a special occasion for the Derry man who’s a big Arsenal fan himself.

Dundalk nearly went into half time with a clean sheet, but Arsenal finally managed to break through with a goal in the 42nd minute. Unfortunately for Dundalk, it was a goalkeeper mistake that led to the goal as Gary Rogers failed to deal with a corner and it was an easy tap in for Eddie Nketiah in the end. The goal was very unfortunate and cruel for Gary Rogers who has been a reliable keeper for a dominant Dundalk side over the years.

It didn’t take long before it was 2-0 as an unfortunate deflection off a Dundalk player fell to the feet of Joe Willock. He made no mistake as he finished into the roof of the net in the 44th minute.

The final goal came just after the second half begun. Gary Rogers could do nothing about the strike this time as Nicolas Pepe launched a missile of a strike into the net. Pepe failed to get going before his goal, but his strike demonstrated the quality he possess. He took the strike on with his weak foot as he was being closed down by onrushing Dundalk defenders, but he didn’t panic under pressure as his effort whistled into the top right corner. Brilliant goal. In truth, Arsenal could do with more consistency from the Ivorian winger as he’s failed to live up to his price tag thus far. Clearly he has a lot to offer but he must start doing so on a consistent basis.

After a frantic few minutes for Dundalk both sides of the half, they defended well again afterwards and ended Arsenal’s goalscoring exploits. The back three of Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle and Daniel Cleary performed admirably as they held their line well and helped to avoid disgrace at the hands of Arsenal. Chris Shields also performed well in a deeper midfield role as he broke up play a handful of times to relieve pressure.

Dundalk’s next fixture is an important match away to St. Pat’s on Sunday. Dundalk currently sit 3rd in the league table on 25 points. There are just 3 European spots up for grabs and Dundalk have missed out on the top 2 as Shamrock Rovers have claimed the League title and Bohemians sit comfortably in second. That means that Dundalk must hold their position in 3rd place. That won’t be an easy task, however, as Waterford and Sligo sit 1 and 3 points behind respectively.  Dundalk have qualified for Europe every season since 2013 so it would be a shame to see that run end, especially for Dundalk fans and players.

In terms of their next European date, they travel to Poland next Thursday to take on Rapid Wein. Like Dundalk, Wein have lost their previous Europa League group games after losing to Molde tonight. Needless to say, it should be a more competitive game than what we seen tonight.

Cork vs Waterford: Munster Hurling – Preview & Starting Team News

The Munster Hurling Championship commenced last weekend with Limerick vs Clare. Now, Cork vs Waterford will mark the first Munster semi-final on Saturday. Waterford enter this game with more to prove. On the other hand, Cork went steady in last year’s Championship without ever really threatening to be All-Ireland contenders.

Unfortunately, Cork will be without Eoin Cadogan and Darragh Fitzgibbon for the game due to injury. In addition to this, Robbie O’Flynn will serve his suspension for a red card received in March. On the other hand, Colm Spillane is available for selection. Furthermore, the suspension of the U20 Championship could mean Kieran Kingston adds some youth to his panel.

Previously, Cork’s League campaign was underwhelming as the team transitioned into Kingston’s return. This came off the back of last year’s quarter-final defeat to Kilkenny. After failing to make the Munster final last year, this is a chance to prove their ambition.

Waterford failed to win a single game in the 2019 Championship. However, Tadhg de Búrca’s return to top-form after injury means Austin Gleeson may once again feature in the forward line. A boost up front is exactly what Waterford need and Gleeson is more than worthy of providing it. The winter setting might see Waterford compete once again.

Cork are 8/15 favourites to advance to the final with Paddy Power. Meanwhile, Waterford are 15/8 and a draw is 8/1.

Sky Sports are sending their cameras to Thurles for this game.

Waterford – S O’Keeffe, S Fives, C Prunty, S McNulty, C Lyons, T De Búrca, A Gleeson
J Barron, J Dillon, K Moran, J Fagan, K Bennett ,D Hutchinson, S Bennett, J Prendergast

Prediction: Cork.

Munster Hurling Championship Semi-Final: Cork vs Waterford, Saturday, October 31st, 15:30 (Semple Stadium). 

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https://3.249.64.60/gaa/list-of-51-gaa-live-matches-scheduled-to-be-shown-on-tv-by-rte-sky-sports/

https://twitter.com/hoganstandgaa/status/1320843654496350209

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