Cork on Cork violence! Paul O’Connell has been fortunate enough to rub shoulders with Roy Keane on several occasions, over the years. One of his fondest memories is of a dinner with the Manchester United and Ireland legend about his stint studying with the All Blacks. When he finished up playing, Keane took over as […]

3 years ago

“It’s Warren Gatland, though. Warren Gatland.” Former England coach Clive Woodward may have been leading the ‘Wales could turn over Ireland’ charge, at the weekend, but Greg O’Shea is not buying it. Warren Gatland, back in charge of Wales after three years away, is not buying it either. Wales were poor under Wayne Pivac in […]

3 years ago

“Absolutely no chance.” Ireland may be on the move for a big World Cup game but Katie McCabe looks set to be staying put, with Arsenal. FIFA have confirmed that Ireland’s World Cup opener against Australia, on July 20, will now take place in the 82,500-seat Stadium Australia venue, in Sydney. The game was due […]

3 years ago

No more hanging about. World Rugby is pressing its officials on a number of changes and measures that it hopes will speed up games in the 2023 Six Nations, and beyond. Ever since the 2021 Lions Tour, World Rugby have been looking into ways, with stakeholders and players past and present, to improve the professional […]

3 years ago

“It’s crazy to think that he might come straight in and start.” Considering that Ireland are heading into the Six Nations with regulars like Johnny Sexton, James Lowe, Tadhg Furlong and Bundee Aki lacking game-time, the mood in this island is optimistic. Warren Gatland’s Wales are up first, in Cardiff, and Ireland have often struggled […]

3 years ago

Both are eligible to play for England but have played a combined 36 games, underage and senior, for Ireland. Before he was literally kicked out of Brighton’s FA Cup win over Liverpool, Ireland star Evan Ferguson was attracting another sort of close attention. The 18-year-old was the subject of two separate Times articles reflecting on the […]

3 years ago

“They looked like Del Boy and Rodney!” Many rugby supporters will be questioning how Owen Farrell managed to get clear of a long ban for another no arms tackle, to be ready for the opening game of the 2023 Six Nations. The England captain escaped any sanction, during the game, for his high shot on […]

3 years ago

The Liverpool boss answered the question but was not happy with the line of enquiry. Jurgen Klopp admitted that a Fabinho foul on young Ireland striker Evan Ferguson was “not cool” but he refused to accept that a lack of discipline had cost his side against Brighton. The FA Cup holders slipped to a 2-1 […]

3 years ago

You could not have scripted it… John Egan proved the late villain for Wrexham but a hero to Sheffield United supporters at the end of a pulsating FA Cup clash in Wales. Non-league Wrexham, who are co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, gave Championship side Sheffield United one hell of a fright but […]

3 years ago

The Ireland international was in severe discomfort as he left the field. Brighton have knocked holders Liverpool out of the FA Cup, but at a cost to one of their top young talents. Fabinho was lucky to avoid a red card, minutes before the Reds were stunned by an injury-time winner. Liverpool went 1-0 up […]

3 years ago

Ireland are being urged to ‘act fast’ and give the 18-year-old a competitive debut. Evan Ferguson has two Ireland caps to his name but, as this nation found to their cost with Declan Rice, he will not be locked into playing for this country until he has appeared in a competitive fixture. The Brighton striker […]

3 years ago

“I wish Jacob Stockade well but I’m not too confident, to be honest.” When it comes to debating the Ireland team to face Wales in the 2023 Six Nations opener, against Wales, the forward pack all but selects itself. It is the backline that has the most live competition. Iain Henderson is fit again and […]

3 years ago

The pair have combined for 13 goals and five assists since the World Cup. Manchester United are on course for their first cup final of the Erik ten Hag reign after beating Nottingham Forest 3-0 at the City Ground on Wednesday. Roy Keane was watching on from the Sky studio, at the ground, and three […]

3 years ago

“You’re a Frenchman? Typical” Johnny Sexton was in good form at the 2023 Six Nations launch in London, earlier this week, but was not having one line of questioning from a French reporter. The Ireland captain has yet to play for Leinster since going for a ‘procedure’ to fix a cheek injured in a home […]

3 years ago

“I’m living in reality. I don’t know where he’s living.” Rory McIlroy insists reports of his practice range meeting with Patrick Reed are ‘a storm in a tea-cup’ but followed it up with quotes that show real animosity between the pair. At the Emirates Golf Club range, on Tuesday, Reed attempted to speak with McIlroy […]

3 years ago

“Oh, they’ll definitely be following him.” The news has been out in the ether since mid January, but Robbie Henshaw is still as excited as the rest of us when it comes to the planned Netflix series on the Six Nations. Rugby is set to get the ‘Drive to Survive’ treatment when the same producers […]

3 years ago

Leinster will face Ulster at the Aviva Stadium for a place in the quarter finals. The pool stages of the 2022/23 Champions Cup have wrapped up and the line-up for the Last 16 is now complete. Leinster, as top seeds, Munster and Ulster have all qualified for the Last 16, with two of the provinces […]

3 years ago

“You have to prepare your questions better.” Pep Guardiola dipped into the Alex Ferguson book of post-match interview tactics to deliver his best salvo since taking over as Manchester City manager. The Spaniard fired a broadside at his players, warned the league could be lost if his team do not rediscover their old “fire” and […]

3 years ago

Erik ten Hag was only praising the 21-year-old last week. Manchester United have brought in Wout Weghorst, on loan, but the rest of their January transfer business looks set to be timid enough. Facundo Pellistri and Shola Shoretire are heading out in search of first team football. Ten Hag awarded Pellistri his senior debut, over […]

3 years ago

Ultimately, the ceiling potential of Joe McCarthy sees him miss out. For Kieran Treadwell, today’s Ireland Six Nations squad announcement is a matter of the right player but at the wrong time. With Ultan Dillane announcing, early last season, that he was heading to La Rochelle, it was effectively the end of the Connacht lock’s […]

3 years ago

“They will have the opportunity to push their case.” Many of the Ireland players that missed out on Ireland selection, today, will have known their fate before the rest of us did. Joey Carbery will have processed what the rest of us are reacting to now. The impending departure of Ben Healy to Edinburgh looked […]

3 years ago

Here we go again. The IRFU have announced Andy Farrell’s Ireland squad for the opening rounds of the 2023 Six Nations. Italy have gone with a small squad of 33 players for rounds one and two of the championship, while France (with 42 picks) have been on the other end of the scale. We are […]

3 years ago

You could see the glint in his eye as the producer threw back to the studio. Whenever you tune in for a spot of Roy Keane punditry, there are some old reliables he hits on: Demanding effort and doing the basics of running hard and working for teammates Referring to prima-donna players as lazy or […]

3 years ago

A couple may catch you out. Back in 2003, the highest spending team in the January transfer window spent £9m getting one man in to shore up their defence. 19 years on, the same club splashed out £85m on four players to shore up their entire XI. It is just one example of the spiralling […]

3 years ago

“I’m going to put my neck on the line with this fella… “ Ever since the Bank of Ireland Nations Series wrapped, there has been speculation on who Andy Farrell will select for his Ireland squad, for the opening rounds of the 2023 Six Nations. Farrell appears more open to bringing in new faces than […]

3 years ago

“And with that, probably a future captain as well. And that’s even more pressure on him, now!” Leinster have won 15 from 15 in two competitions, this season, and are averaging just a tick under six tries a game. At the weekend, Caelan Doris scored one of them and assisted in another two. Josh van […]

3 years ago

“The parents all got together and said, ‘This is not on. We want our kids to play rugby’. Thankfully they did!” Connacht supporters – and any lover of good rugby, in fairness – were thankful, too, after John Porch scored another blinding try for a side that are chuffed to have him. At the age […]

3 years ago

TOTTENHAM 0-2 ARSENAL Aaron Ramsdale was kicked by a Tottenham fan and Granit Xhaka had to be held back as Arsenal claimed another big win to stretch their Premier League lead. Bukayo Saka played a big hand in both Arsenal goals as his shot from a tight angle forced a Hugo Lloris own goal and […]

3 years ago

As RED as red card as you will see all year. In the closing stages of the All-Ireland junior football final, it all went to hell in a hand-basket. Paudie Clifford survived one brutal foul but could not help himself in the closing stages. Stewartstown had led Fossa by three points at half-time, in Croke […]

3 years ago

Harry Maguire, the peacemaker. Football fans would all have spotted Manchester City players remonstrating with referee Stuart Atwell and his match officials during and after their defeat to rivals Manchester United. TV cameras did not pick up on some unsavoury post-match scenes in the tunnel leading from the pitch, well after the final whistle. City […]

3 years ago

MAN UTD 2-1 MAN CITY Marcus Rashford equalled a 2003 Ruud van Nistelrooy record as Manchester United stunned their city rivals in a pulsating derby. City were still fuming over a Bruno Fernandes goal when Rashford scored the winner. United had the better of the first half, at Old Trafford, but Rashford spurned two of […]

3 years ago

The reigning European champions are wary of a wounded Ulster side, with a point to prove. La Rochelle’s versatile back, UJ Seuteni says his side are gearing up for a fired-up Ulster side coming to Stade Marcel Deflandre, this weekend. Dan McFarland’s side have a seat nearest the door at the last chance saloon, this […]

3 years ago

Netflix, give us a shout if ye need a hand with the title. Netflix has announced it will stream a ‘Drive to Survive’ style behind-the-scenes documentary on the 2023 Six Nations. The Netflix Six Nations show will be shown in 2024… when Ireland is collectively, and just about, getting over our latest World Cup quarter […]

3 years ago

“He was just craving to play.” Not long after Jack Crowley had made his Test debut, an Irish rugby legend was on Twitter singing his praises. Waving the Cork, Munster and Ireland flag, Ronan O’Gara congratulated the young outhalf on his appearance off the bench in a win over Fiji and added, “He dreamt of […]

3 years ago

“Obviously, I’m being a bit Munster-esque here.” Italy have been the first to show their Six Nations hand, naming their squad for the opening rounds of the 2023 championship. England are due to name their squad next Monday while Wales and Ireland will follow in the days after. In 2022, Andy Farrell named a 37-man […]

3 years ago

The England captain will be able to play Scotland in early February. The unholy mess surrounding rugby’s citing and disciplinary process has, once again, been exposed for what it is. Owen Farrell has been proven to have made a “reckless” and dangerous tackle to the head of an opponent but is clear to start the […]

3 years ago

Does that lad ever take a moment for himself?! Lee Keegan is an inter-county player no more, and both attackers and defenders across the country can breathe easier for a while. For a dozen years this lad was wound up and let spin until the rest of us got dizzy watching. As a Dublin supporter […]

3 years ago

“There’s no way. If you’re a good organisation, you can’t win that game!” Tanking in order to get good draft picks is about as American as apple pie and extremely loose gun ownership regulations. On Sunday, after another wretched season, the Houston Texans ripped up the script, won a game and left many of their […]

3 years ago

Well said by ‘The Diamond’. There has been an almost eerie silence from the UFC, broadcasters ESPN and Endeavor, who own and control the promotion, ever since news emerged that Dana White had struck his wife, Anne. Dustin Poirier has said his piece, though. TMZ ran an exclusive interview with the UFC president himself after […]

3 years ago

“The stories I’ve heard… and I haven’t done a fierce amount of digging into it… “ Throw a contentious topic at Roy Keane and you better have done at least a bit of digging into it. Keane told Tommy Tiernan that he quickly moved on from his playing days, but he still has bite when […]

3 years ago

The South African would arrive at the province following the World Cup. Munster are a massive move for Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx, and may be willing to move one another international star to help seal the deal. SportsJOE understands the province have set their sights on securing Marx on a two-season deal, with the hooker […]

3 years ago

“He’s got him on toast.” In the current form Marcus Rashford finds himself, there are not many defenders that would fancy facing him. Seamus Coleman gave it his all against the Manchester United star but Roy Keane reckons even peak Coleman would have struggled. Rashford was named Man of the Match by Lee Dixon, on […]

3 years ago

Your sporting test before the weekend gets too crazy… with more sport! As you will all know, over on JOE, the Friday Pub Quiz is somewhat of a religion, with tens of thousands of you playing it each week. To satisfy that thirst for quizzes, we’ve started The SportsJOE Friday Pub Quiz, and popping it […]

3 years ago

“I just think he’s going to be pivotal, to be honest, in this upcoming year.” As much as others may write him off, over the past few years, or big-up the next young colt, Peter O’Mahony remains a key figure in the Irish set-up. Back in 2012, he was young lad (aged 22) chomping at […]

3 years ago

“Frankly speaking… “ The words ‘frankly speaking’ were just about the only frank words uttered in a bizarre and fawning dazzle-fest for Cristiano Ronaldo. Al-Nassr is the new home of one of world football’s greatest ever players, and just about every stop was pulled out to make the 37-year-old feel welcome. The Saudi club staged […]

3 years ago

“Our talisman, Johnny Sexton was off getting an x-ray.” Irish rugby supporters are used to the sight of Johnny Sexton down and clutching some part of his body – he puts himself through the wringer – but images of him leaving the RDS pitch, on Saturday, were unsettling. Sexton went too high on Connacht captain […]

3 years ago

*According to some sage footballing heads Ahead of the World Cup, the scribes at FourFourTwo were tasked with coming together and (eventually) agreeing on a Top 100 of footballing superstars. They did just that, and their 10 best footballers created some debate. As it now turns out, a bold call made back in November 2022 […]

3 years ago

The only shame was that the Wexford native did not feature much in the reflective moments when Ireland turned the tables. The summer of 2022 will be fondly remembered by Irish rugby fans as the moment lads like Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Furlong took the fight to New Zealand. ‘Tackling the […]

3 years ago

‘Christ almighty, what are you doing?’ Gerwyn Price’s colourful campaign at the PDC World Darts Championship is over. He picked a memorable way to go, at least. The No.1 seed, who earlier in the tournament forced Sky Sports to apologise for some unfortunate and grim gestures during a win over Jose de Souza, took his […]

3 years ago

LEINSTER 41-12 CONNACHT “A head injury for Johnny Sexton perhaps taking the shine off it a little bit. You can see the scar on his left temple.” The Leinster captain has only played 236 minutes in the United Rugby Championship this season. After his second half collision with Jarrad Butler, some Leinster and Ireland fans […]

3 years ago