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Johnson and Davis Love III named Ryder Cup vice captains

The USA have named Zach Johnson and Davis Love III Ryder Cup vice captains. The news comes as golf is set to get back up and running in the coming weeks.

Davis Love previously captained the Americans in 2012 and 2016, will now team up with Ryder Cup captain, Steve Stricker. Love has a 50% strike rate in terms of win as captain, the USA lost in 2012, but beat Europe who were captained by Darren Clarke four years later 18-11. Zach Johnson was also a member of that team in 2012. However, he has been on the losing side 4 times. RTE Sport that Padraig Harrington has selected England’s Luke Donald and Sweden’s Robert Karlsson as his vice captains. Last month Harrington said that it is unlikely the Ryder Cup will go ahead unless there is fans. He said, There’s no doubt that it makes the tournament so much better.

The Ryder Cup is scheduled to take place in Whistling Straits in September, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, it is likely it will go, however crowds and spectators may be limited at the event, if any. Speaking to the PGA of America Steve Stricker said, “With the Ryder Cup it’s important to surround yourself with quality individuals who you can lean on and who have the best interests of the team in mind”. He continued, “Both Zach and Davis share a passion to compete at the highest level and are strong communicators, which is important, especially when we’re in the heat of competition.”

Zach Johnson said he is really privileged to be named as vice captain. He said, “In a domestic Ryder Cup it’s important to defend ‘our turf’ and to do so on behalf of Steve – in his home state at Whistling Straits – is a great opportunity for our team to make a statement.” Davis Love said he is anxious to get to work and he is confident that Stricker has a good program in place. He said, “I’m confident in the program he has in place and am anxious to get to work”.

The action will get underway at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin. The event runs from September 25th to 27th.

No Sport in UK until June 1st

There will be no elite sport in the UK until at least June 1st. This sport will more than likely be behind closed doors with no spectators in attendance.

The UK government on Monday released a roadmap on what they intend to do over the coming weeks, in terms of what activities can be carried out. In regards to sport in the UK, this falls under step 2 in their road map. It states that sports can return on June 1st but must be behind closed. It says, “Permitting cultural and sporting events to take place behind closed-doors for broadcast, while avoiding the risk of large-scale social contact”.

The document states that cinemas and venues can re-open in step three, which is no earlier than July 4th. It states, “Some venues which are, by design, crowded and where it may prove difficult to enact distancing may still not be able to reopen safely at this point, or may be able to open safely only in part”. All of this information is available in the document entitled Our Plan to Rebuild: The UK Government’s Covid-19 Recovery Strategy’.

The document does state that the opening of venues, such as sports stadiums “will be only be fully possible significantly later depending on the reduction in numbers of infections”.

It looks certain now that the various organisations will hold meetings to discuss their next plans of action and when to get sports going from June onwards. Football has been out on the back burner in the UK for nearly two months now (March 13th). However, we reported  last month that the Premier league are looking to return to complete the 92 games in June.

Horse Racing in the UK could also return in June. Horse racing stopped in the UK on March 17th. The news came from the British Racing Authority twitter account where they tweeted,  “Industry leaders are meeting to discuss the available information and will issue an initial response later today”.

The first horse racing events which could possibly fall under the June opening of venues will be the 1000 guineas and 2000 guineas as Newmarket. Whether they will. Go ahead or not is another question. Obviously things will have to stop, ie the slow of the spread of the virus to allow this to happen. However, we are still looking at no sport until June 1st at the earliest.

Video – Sky Sports Football

GAA unlikely to return if social distancing remains in place

GAA president John Horan has said that the GAA is unlikely to return this summer if social distancing remains in place. He also said the GAA is set to lose over 50 million euros because of the impact of the coronavirus.

Horan was speaking about the impact on the GAA of the virus on The Sunday Game. He addressed the careful approach in which the GAA will take, as well as casting further on whether we will see action in the hurling and football championships this summer. Speaking about social distancing in the GAA he said, “I can’t see it happening to be quite honest. If social distancing is a priority to deal with this pandemic, I don’t know how we can play a contact sport. That is what Gaelic games is. It is a contact sport.”

He did also state that if the 2020 championship was to go ahead it just start this year to be played. He told the Sunday Game, that it is unlikely league action will be completed. He continued,” There was a concept in it that people could gather together in groups of four. We felt that just couldn’t be marshaled within clubs and that is why we continue to keep our premises closed”.

Mr Horan also addressed the how the GAA will find themselves in owing to the coronavirus pandemic in terms of financially. He said, “Throughout the organisation taking into account county boards and clubs, the loss for the year for us is probably in the region of €50m.” He also said he didn’t like the idea of games been played behind closed doors. He said, “I have a bit of an issue with the closed doors concept. If it is safe enough for the players to be in close contact on the pitch, then it is going to be safe enough to have a certain number of people in the ground gathering,”

He said if the championship was to start in 2020, it would could continue into February of 2021. He said,” I think this year’s Championship would have to start in 2020 and go into the first two months of 2021″. “After that, if we’re back in action, we would have to move on and get on with the 2021 competitions. At this stage I would be inclined to say we will struggle to finish the league.”

Going on this basis a GAA return is not likely to happen before July at least. Of course if things get better then the five stage plan announced by the Taoiseach could be pushed forward.

Pro 14 rugby fixtures list could be set for August

  • Pro 14 rugby fixtures could be set to return in August 2020. Leinster v Munster & Connacht v Ulster might be the first matches.

BBC report that plans are currently been discussed to resume a curtailed Pro 14 championship on August 22nd.

Talks have been ongoing between the Pro 14 and clubs. It is likely that if the games were to be played they would be played behind closed doors. This would mean no spectators present in the stands. A full return of the Pro 14 competition would be difficult as it covers five countries, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Italy and South Africa. Therefore, it wouldn’t be feasible in the current climate to just begin games.

BBC report that a virtual meeting was held on Thursday. Proposals were put in place to play two rounds of conference with sides playing teams from their own country from August 22nd. This would mean for example fixtures between Leinster, Connacht, Munster and Ulster. However, when you look at Wales, Scotland and South Africa, it would potentially mean teams would have to play each other on consecutive weekends.

Scottish rugby chief operating officer Dominic McKay, who is also a board member of the PRO 14 said that any resumption to the competition will be dependent on government approval. He said, “We are still looking at scenarios that might see some way of potentially finishing the PRO 14 season”.

Wales Online have released the potential fixtures which have been pencilled in for August 22nd, which shows in terms of Ireland provincial games,  Leinster playing Munster and Connacht versus Ulster. August 29th will see Leinster travel to Ulster and Connacht travelling to Munster. Heineken Champions Cup games are also scheduled to resume with these beginning on September 12th. The semi-finals are to take place on September 26th. Whether these are likely to be given the go ahead remains questionable. This is my opinion because teams will have to travel to different countries.

A fixture list has also been drawn up which Wales Online report is likely to see the season finish in August/September. They report that the Pro 14 play-off semi-finals are pencilled in for the 5th of September. The final scheduled to take place around the 17-19th of September. Obviously, these are only drafts as if the games were to go ahead they will have to get the green light from government officials.

At present rugby is seen as non essential. This is just like every other sport as we still are in midst of the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, rugby falls under stage 5 in terms of the governments 5 stage plan here in Ireland. This would mean rugby can commence from August 10th. However, as previously stated if it was to return the number of spectators will be limited or non existent. Previously, discussions took place on whether to call the season and give Leinster the trophy. This was because they had the most points of all the sides in conference A and B. European place were also going to be awarded on the basis of the teams position in the table. However, this is obviously not going to happen now owing to the new proposals which have been drawn by the PRO 14 hierarchy.

Personally, I can see the games returning. However, they will obviously have to be behind closed doors. The only concerning aspect is probably when we reach the semi-finals stages where are the games going to be played for example? Would it be okay for example for Edinburgh or Glasgow to travel over to the RDS? These are all the questions that have to be answered.

But we can now disclose fixtures featuring Cardiff Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and the Scarlets, as well as those involving the Irish and Scottish teams, could all be switched to the Republic and probably be played behind closed doors.

 

The fixture list

AUGUST 22

Proposed fixtures

Leinster v Munster

Ospreys v Dragons

Connacht v Ulster

Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors

Zebre v Treviso

Southern Kings v Cheetahs

Scarlets v Cardiff Blues

Proposed fixtures

Ulster v Leinster

Cardiff Blues v Ospreys

Dragons v Scarlets

Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh

Benetton v Zebre

Cheetahs v Southern Kings

Munster v Connacht

SEPTEMBER 5

Winner Conference A v Runner-up Conference B

Winner Conference B v Runner-up Conference A

SEPTEMBER 12

European quarter-finals

SEPTEMBER 17-19

PRO14 final

SEPTEMBER 26

EPCR semi-finals

 

Top 5 All-Ireland Hurling finals 2000 to 2020

No sign of the GAA starting back so I am going to continue with some of my lists. This is probably one of the more difficult ones as there has been some cracker of All-Ireland hurling finals between 2000 to 2020.

  1. 2010 Tipperary 4-17 Kilkenny 1-18 – This was a game for the history books for sure. Brian Cody’s Kilkenny were going for five All-Ireland titles in a row, but Liam Sheedy’s men put a stop to that as they ran out 8 point winners in a fearless display. Lar Corbett netted a hat trick of goals for the Premier men which halted the drive for five that many thought the Cats would get.

2. 2014 Tipperary 1-28 Kilkenny 3-22 – This was the drawn that had everything. John O’Dwyer had a free from around 97m to win the game for Tipperary, however it was deemed wide by Hawk-Eye. If Hawkeye wasn’t around I wonder would have it been given? Who knows. TJ Reid shot the lights out with 1-08, Richie Hogan put in a masterclass with 0-06. For Tipperary, Bubbles and Seamie Callanan hit 0-14 between them, 0-10 from play. Kilkenny would go on to win the replay to 2-14 three weeks later.

3. 2013 – Clare 0-25 Cork 2-19 – A cracking game that ended in a draw thanks to a last gasp point from Clare corner back Domhnall O’Donovan. Colin Ryan knocked over 12 points in a super performance, with Pat Horgan doing the majority of scoring for Cork. Clare would on to win the replay, 5-16 to 3-16 two weeks later with Shane O’Donnell bagging 3-03 in a man of the match performance.

4.  2018 – Limerick 3-16 Galway 2-18 – A massive year for Limerick winning their first title since 1973. Graeme Mulcahy, Tom Morrissey and Shane Dowling bagged the goals for the Shannonsiders. Kyle Hayes put in a man of the match performance. One of the good days for Limerick supporters.

5. 2017 – Galway 0-26 Waterford 2-17 – Many thought it was going to be Waterford’s year were the famine would end. Incidentally, it was a famine for Galway as well no title since 1988. Joe Canning registered 0-09, while David Burke’s put in an inspiring performance in midfield. Burke would go on to win man of the match and Liam McCarthy headed west for the first time in 29 years.

That completes my list of the top 5 All-Ireland Finals 2000 to 2020. Keep an eye over the coming days and weeks for some more of my favourites top 5 lists.

Cork jockey Johnny Allen wins his third South Australian Derby

Co. Cork-born jockey Johnny Allen won his third South Australian Derby with this morning’s victory aboard race favourite Russian Camelot in the 2500m (1m 4½f) $400,000 Group 1 centrepiece at Morphettville, Adelaide.

The Victoria-based rider and the Irish-bred Danny O’Brien-trained colt, a son of Coolmore’s 2012 Investec Derby winner Camelot, defeated Dalasan by one-and-three-quarter lengths with the winner of the Victoria Derby, Warning, a further length behind in third.

Corkman Allen, who previously won the race on the Darren Weir-trained horses Howard Be Thy Name (2016) and Volatile Mix (2017), kept the favourite wide throughout the contest, and was hugely impressed with Russian Camelot’s performance, in this the colt’s third win, admitting:

“Obviously, he’s an exceptional horse. A lot’s been made of his preparation, but I think the bigger factor is he’s still six months younger than these horses. If he can beat them now, when he’s only just turned three, imagine what he can in six months or a year’s time.”

Russian Camelot, the first northern hemisphere-bred colt to win a Derby in Australia, crept into the race from his wide berth rounding the home turn, moving into the lead in the final 150 metres, and putting daylight between himself and his rivals.

There was a sting in the bail for the Irishman, however, following his 9th Australian Group 1 success, when stewards found him guilty of careless riding early in the race. Allen was deemed to have tightened Exalted Ambition as he moved the favourite inwards towards the rail at the 2000 metre mark.

As a result, he has been suspended for five South Australian meetings, starting after next Saturday’s Group 1 meeting at Morphettville.

Russsian Camelot was the final part of a Saturday treble for Allen who had earlier won the Group 3 TAB SA Sires’ Produce Stakes over 1400m (7f) with Ringbolt and the Listed 1600m (1 mile) Adelaide Galvanising Adelaide Guineas on Game Keeper.

After this morning’s impressive win, Russian Camelot has been promoted to favourite for the 2020 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on 3rd November.

USA women’s team to appeal equal pay decision

The USA women’s soccer team will appeal a district court decision which was handed out last week . The case which their claims for equal pay.

The court through out the case in which the players had claimed they were underpaid in comparison to male footballers. Gary Klausner, District Court judge deemed that the players were paid more on a per game and a cumulative basis. The judge said on his decision, “”This approach — merely comparing what each team would have made under the other team’s CBA — is untenable in this case because it ignores the reality that the MNT and WNT bargained for different agreements which reflect different preferences, and that the WNT explicitly rejected the terms they now seek to retroactively impose on themselves,”. This evidence is insufficient to create a genuine issue of material fact for trial.” This has now led to the women’s World Cup Champions to proceed higher up the ladder.

Megan Rapinoe, who is a star in terms of women’s football in America said, “You can look at the total compensation and say, ‘Oh, the women’s team made a little bit more.’ In that time that we made just a little bit more, we’ve won two World Cups and we’ve won just about every single game that we’ve played in. So the rate of pay is just so different. And it’s just so frustrating. To be honest, I think so many women go through this.”

Molly Levinson, a spokesperson on behalf of the players stated, “Equal pay means paying women players the same rate for winning a game as men get paid,”. Furthermore, she said, “The argument that women are paid enough if they make close to the same amount as men while winning more than twice as often is not equal pay”. The men’s football team also issued a statement in support of their female counterparts, “For a year and a half the USMNT players have made proposals to the Federation that would achieve equal pay for the USMNT and USWNT players. We understand the WNT players plan to appeal last week’s decision and we support them.”

RTE Sport report that the players were seeking 66 million dollars in damages under the Equal Pay Act. Women’s pay has always risen  questions in regards to the game. Ada Hederberg is currently the highest female paid soccer player in the world with an annual salary of around 340,000.a year In comparison Barcelona’s Lionel Messi is the highest paid male player with 100 million euros . He takes home 71 million after tax and earns over 20 million in endorsements.

Video credit to ESPN.

 

FIFA set to make temporary rule changes

World Football governing body, FIFA, have approved a temporary rule change which will allow five subs per match, while also the halting of VAR for a period of time.

RTE report that proposals to allow an additional two substitutes which were put forward by FIFA in order protect player welfare owing to Covid 19. The International Football Association Board approved the new rules changes. FIFA released a statement with the news, “As football begins to consider resumption of competitions across the world following the Covid-19 pandemic, the International Football Association Board (The IFAB) has agreed to make a temporary amendment to the laws of the game based on a proposal received from FIFA seeking to protect player welfare”.

It continued, “For competitions which have either started or are intended to start, but are scheduled to be completed by 31 December 2020, the IFAB has approved FIFA’s proposal to introduce a temporary amendment to Law 3 – The Players, which will allow for a maximum of five substitutes to be made per team”.

“The decision on whether to apply this temporary amendment will remain at the discretion of each individual competition organiser, while The IFAB and FIFA will determine at a later stage whether this temporary amendment would need to be extended further (e.g. for competitions due to be completed in 2021).

In the closing of the statement, “In relation to competitions in which the video assistant referee (VAR) system is implemented, these competitions are permitted to cease its use upon restart at the discretion of each individual competition organiser. “However, where VAR is used, all aspects of the laws of the game and, by extension, the VAR protocol will remain in place.”

Top 5 Full Backs in Gaelic Football 2000-2020

With the GAA still a couple of months away from returning to some sort of normality, I have once again decided to look at the top 5 full in Gaelic Football from 2000-2020.

  1. Darren Fay (Meath) – Fay had a remarkable career with the Royal county. He made his debut in 1996 and retired in 2008. He won 2 All-Ireland titles, 3 Leinster titles, 1 National League and 3-all-star awards. The Trim man simply has to go down as one of the toughest defenders that played the game.

2. Francie Bellew (Armagh) – Bellew played for the Orchard county from 2002 to 2009 making over 40 appearances. In that time he won 5 Ulster titles, 1 All-Ireland title, 1 National League and 1 all-star. With Crossmaglen he won 13 County titles, 7 Ulster titles and 5 All-Ireland titles. He will go down as one of the best to play the game.

3. Neil McGee (Donegal) – McGee has been a remarkable and still is for club and county. The Gaoth Dobhair club man has made over 170 appearances since 2005 with Donegal. He has gone on to win 5 Ulster titles, 1 All-Ireland, 1 National League and 3 all-star awards. His all-star awards came in 2011, 2012 and 2014. A tough man marker and any day you would away with a few scores would be seen as a good one.

4. Paddy Christie (Dublin) – Christie played with Dublin from 1995 to 2007. In that time the Ballymun club man won 3 Leinster titles and 1-all star. That all-star award came in 2002. A no nonsense defender that always gave 100% to the Sky Blue jersey of Dulin

5. Barry Owens (Fermanagh) – Probably doesn’t get the recognition he deserves so we simply have to put on the list. He was certainly one of the best full backs around but called it a day in 2014. He made his debut in 2001 for the Ernersiders and would claim all-star awards in 2004 and 2006.

That completes my top 5 full backs in Gaelic football 2000-2020 list. Be sure to keep an eye for a few more over the next couple of days !

Big weekend of sport on TG4 – Italia ’90, Celtic League Rugby and GAA

We are getting well used to watching of highlights of sporting events and there is a big weekend of sport on TG4 – Italia ’90 World Cup, Celtic League Rugby and GAA All-Ireland Gold all feature on this weekends highlight reel.  

Tonight, Friday 8 May

7.30pm   World Cup Gold

A gem from the Sports Archives – Republic of Ireland v Netherlands from the 1990 FIFA World Cup at Stadio La Favorita in Palermo. The golden age of Irish soccer provides the basis for this archive-based international soccer series. Jack Charlton’s Irish team included such players as Packie Bonner, Ray Houghton, Mick McCarthy, John Aldridge, Paul McGrath and Kevin Moran. The Netherland’s team included stars such as Ruud Gullit, Marco Van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman. This was the final match of the group stages.

Tomorrow, Saturday 9 May

10.05am   Soccer – Third Level Finals Highlights 2020

The 100th Collingwood Cup Final from Dalymount Park features 1st-time finalists DCU against Ulster University, seeking their first title since 2006.

7.15pm   Rugbai Gold

A look back at the Celtic League meeting between Leinster and Connacht at Donnybrook in September 2002. Reigning Champions Leinster are in impressive form and haven’t been defeated at the venue for three years. Connacht are hoping for a domestic upset with a first away win against Leinster in seventeen years. There are reasons for optimism as they come into this interpro having won their first two league matches against Borders and Cardiff.

Sunday 10 May

2.40pm    All Ireland Gold

Dublin v Armagh in the 2002 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi Final from Croke Park. This pulsating match was played in front of 79,386 spectators with Joe Kernan’s Armagh team hoping to qualify for the final and win their first All-Ireland.

4.05pm   All Ireland Gold

A chance to see Galway v Tipperary in the 1988 All Ireland Hurling Final. Now established as the two top teams in the game, these intense rivals met in the previous year’s semi-final, a fast and furious encounter won by Galway. Tipp have relieved their opponents of the National League title the previous spring and look to bridge a long gap back to 1971 when they last took Liam McCarthy home. Galway have their own ambitions – the first back-to-back All-Ireland sequence in the county’s hurling history. This will be a tightly contested final, in the balance right up to its thunderous conclusion.

5.40pm    Cloch le Carn – Jimmy Magee

This episode of Cloch Le Carn looks back at the career of Jimmy Magee through the eyes of those who knew him best. His children Linda, Patricia and Mark recall a loving father and family man while Fr Brian D’Arcy and Des Cahill remember a man who was great company and always up for a bit of devilment! There are also contributions from Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Seán Bán Breathnach and Tadhg de Brún.

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