World Cup qualifiers
Last night’s 1-0 defeat to Serbia leaves Ireland’s World Cup hopes hanging by a thread.
The team were much brighter and purposeful than they were against Georgia at the weekend but still couldn’t manufacture a goal against a muscular Serbian side that played with ten men for the last 25 minutes, and led thanks to former Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolorov’s second half strike.
"I thought the players were fantastic" Martin O'Neill said after the game. "They gave every ounce for the shirt tonight. They had nothing left."
Ken Early believes that it was Ireland's lack of composure that proved costly;
“Patience and teamwork, that’s how football is played at the top club level these days. It looks as though Ireland have missed this memo and in their heads Ronnie Radford is always lashing it in from 30 yards. Serbia’s 10 men couldn’t believe their luck.”
Wales left it late to do so, but their 2-0 win over Ireland's next opponents Moldova, leaves them a point ahead of O'Neill's team with two games to go.
Again inspired by Liverpool teenager Ben Woodburn — they finally found the way to goal with Hal Robson-Kanu and Aaron Ramsey on target.
GAA
In his column this morning, Darragh Ó Sé explains why Mayo have never been in better shape than now.
“I’ve never seen a Mayo team in better shape,” he writes. “This isn’t Dad’s Army, trying to keep the whole show on the road even though the wheels are falling off. They’re more like The Dirty Dozen – battle-hardened gunslingers who have no time for nonsense and no notion for playing nice.”
Seán Moran meanwhile is explaining why Joe Canning is a viable candidate for Hurler of the Year.
“He hasn’t carried Galway this year. Had the team needed that, they wouldn’t be champions now, but he has led, orchestrated and driven his county to an All-Ireland.”
Athletics
Police raided the home of Brazil's Olympics chief Carlos Arthur Nuzman last night, accusing him of brokering a deal to bribe International Olympic Committee (IOC) members to bring the 2016 games to Rio de Janeiro with the backing of the former state governor.
