Even before the FAI parted company with Stephen Kenny, all the indications were that they wanted Lee Carsley to succeed him, but over 100 days since the vacancy became official, no progress has, it would seem, been made on that front. “They knew for months that Kenny had no future with them and yet their medium-term planning seemed to revolve around a one-man wish list,” writes Denis Walsh, their failure to land him sending “the process into a spiral of dead ends and stories planted by agents”. He has a notion that we are now “condemned to traipsing up and down the aisles of world football’s manager superstores, searching for a special offer”.
At the rate Manchester United are going, Erik ten Hag might be available soon. Ken Early watched his side “offer absolutely nothing” after that early Marcus Rashford goal in the derby against City on Sunday, and reckoned they were happy enough to only lose 3-1. “How did it come to this,” he asks. “How have United come to accept such mediocrity?”
In Gaelic games Malachy Clerkin rounds up the weekend’s football action, with Monaghan’s defeat by Galway leaving them marooned at the bottom of division one. Seán Moran saw Derry suffer their first loss of the campaign, Dublin winning in the county for the first time in the 30 years, while Malachy was in Killarney to witness Kerry see off the challenge of Tyrone. And Denis was at “the Demolition Derby at the bottom of division two”, Kildare still pointless after their defeat by Cork.
In rugby, Gerry Thornley brings news that Ross Molony is moving to Bath at the end of the season, the lock having played his part in Leinster’s URC win over Cardiff on Saturday. There were victories too for Munster over Zebre, Connacht over Scarlets and Ulster over Dragons in what was a productive weekend for the provinces. Mind you, the win of the weekend probably belonged to Sligo, who ended Instonians’ 32-game winning streak in their AIL meeting.
Your complete guide to all the festive sporting action including TV details
Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year Awards: ‘The greatest collection of women in Irish sport in one place ever assembled’
Two-time Olympic champion Kellie Harrington named Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year 2024
Pub staff struggled to keep up with giddy Shamrock Rovers fans who enjoyed every moment of Chelsea trip
In athletics, Sarah Lavin and our women’s 4x400m team both had fifth place finishes in their finals at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, with Lavin’s feat in particular an impressive one in light of the quality of her opposition - her 60m hurdles final proved to be the fastest race in the history of women’s indoor sprint hurdles.
TV Watch: Shane Lowry is in contention at the weather-delayed Cognizant Classic which concludes today (Sky Sports Golf, 1.0). The Offaly man is tied for fourth, three shots off the lead. Your chief football offerings this evening are Shamrock Rovers v Derry City (Virgin Media Three, 7.45) and Sheffield United v Arsenal (Sky Sports, 8.0), while TG4 has highlights from the GAA weekend (8.0) and Against the Head wraps up the rugby action (RTÉ 2, 8.0).
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