A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Celtic’s Murphy facing a month on the sidelines
Celtic striker Daryl Murphy has been ruled out for up to a month with a hamstring injury. The Irishman, who spent last season on loan at Ipswich, limped off in the first half of Celtic’s 2-0 friendly defeat by Real Madrid.
Manager Neil Lennon told Celtic TV: “It is a grade one hamstring and it looks like it’s going to be three or four weeks.”
Murphy’s injury was overshadowed by a later and more concerning blow to 19-year-old Dylan McGeouch, who broke his jaw and was knocked unconscious in an aerial challenge with Nuri Sahin.
Lennon said: “He has had a plate inserted so it should be four or five weeks.”
There are also injury concerns over Scott Brown, James Forrest, Anthony Stokes, Gary Hooper and Paddy McCourt.
Messi: ‘I don’t compete with Cristiano, nor does he with me’
Lionel Messi insists there is no bad blood between him and his Primera rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Barcelona forward was at his scintillating best for his country on Wednesday night, scoring the second goal as Argentina beat Germany 3-1 in a friendly match in Frankfurt.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid striker Ronaldo was on target as Portugal secured a 2-0 victory over Panama.
Ronaldo recently gave an interview in which he claimed that he does not consider Messi to be his rival.
When asked by reporters in Frankfurt for his thoughts on the perceived conflict, the diminutive Argentinian agreed.
“I respect him, but I have no relationship with him, as I don’t with a lot of other footballers.
“I have relationships with my Barcelona club-mates, and with the international squad, Argentine players who I’ve got to know well over the years.
“There’s never been any kind of anger toward Cristiano.
“It’s all made up by the press who want to believe there’s a constant duel between the two of us, but I don’t compete with Cristiano, nor does he with me.”
O’Neill signs Saha to boost Sunderland’s striking options
Sunderland have signed free agent Louis Saha to boost their striking options on the eve of the new season. Saha tweeted on Wednesday morning that he was in talks with the northeast club before his signing, on a one-year deal, was confirmed.
The 34-year-old, who left Tottenham at the end of last season, could make his debut in the Black Cats’ trip to Arsenal to open the new Premier League season tomorrow.
Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill welcomed Saha’s arrival as much needed to bolster a front line he has readily conceded requires strengthening.
“Louis is a striker whose abilities have been proven at the very highest level and he brings with him a raft of experience of top-flight football,” he said.
“I’m sure he will be a great addition to our squad in an area we recognise needs strengthening and I’m delighted we have been able to complete the deal ahead of our first game of the season.”
O’Neill’s need had become increasingly pressing with 24-year-old Fraizer Campbell his most experienced striker before the arrival of Saha.
Kean unimpressed by Singh’s ‘apology’
Blackburn manager Steve Kean has hit back at the club’s global adviser Shebby Singh, claiming comments made about himself and midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen have disrupted preparations for the new season.
Speaking at an open meeting with fans last weekend, Singh stated Kean would be dismissed from his post if he lost three consecutive games early on in the season. The former Malaysia defender and television pundit went on to liken long-serving Norway international Pedersen to a “pensioner”.
Singh apologised for his comments earlier this week but that failed to satisfy the Professional Footballers’ Association, which criticised Singh’s “subsequent apology which didn’t seem to retract the comments, rather Mr Singh simply implied he was ‘too honest for his own good’”.
Kean appeared to subscribe to the PFA’s view when he addressed the issue.
“I don’t really think it was an apology,” he said. “There was an apology that feelings might have been hurt and people might have been rubbed up the wrong way, but I don’t really see a retraction being in there.”
Peamount United are cruelly denied
Peamount United cruelly missed out on a second successive Uefa Women’s Champions League group stage yesterday by virtue of goal difference.
The reigning Irish double winners followed up Monday’s 5-0 win over ASA Tel-Aviv by thumping Welsh representatives UWIC 4-0 yesterday in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
An opening day defeat to mini-group hosts Sarajevo last Saturday, however, ultimately cost them a place in the last 32.
Goals at the SRC Slavija Stadium yesterday by Stephanie Roche and Denise O’Sullivan inside the opening nine minutes put Peamount into a commanding lead and further strikes from Sara Lawlor and Roche early in the second half wrapped up the victory.
With Sarajevo already topping Group 5, Peamount were hoping to claim one of the two best runners-up berths available across the eight groups. In the end, though, they came up short by three
PEAMOUNT UNITED: Meehan, Haughton (Comerford 57 mins), Duggan, Byrne, Mustaki (L Quinn 84 mins), Russell, Barsley, McLoughlin, Roche, O’Sullivan, Lawlor (Kinsella 78 mins).
