There were two hugely positive signs for Irish football fans during West Ham’s weekend draw with Chelsea. Declan Rice put in another top performance against a quality Premier League side while Josh Cullen was trusted to come on and help the Hammers in the closing stages. The Republic of Ireland footballers [Cullen is a key […]

8 years ago

A young talent to keep the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial on their toes. Back in November 1992, Alex Ferguson was on the look-out for a new striker. Dion Dublin was recovering from a leg-break and Ferguson needed someone to take the attacking burden off Mark Hughes and Brian McClair. He looked north […]

8 years ago

Breaking kayfabe. The phrase is usually reserved for the professional wrestling circuit and refers to fighters breaking character when there is a supposed feud or alliance going on. Where the UFC is involved, the lines between Mixed Martial Arts and the WWE often blurs in a hackneyed manner. Conor McGregor is perhaps the greatest ever […]

8 years ago

We know what the promotion would love to stage as a main event in Russia, but fans may have to settle for Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson: Part 5. The UFC’s 25th anniversary press conference was supposed to be a forward gazing event that also celebrated a quarter century of MMA marvels and deeds. What we got […]

8 years ago

“Did he just throw that?” Michael Chiesa is no stranger to hyping up his UFC fights – he famously took a run at Kevin Lee during a press conference over ‘your mama’ insults last year – but even he was stunned by the attack on a bus carrying him and several MMA stars on Thursday. […]

8 years ago

“It’s known, I care about Conor.” Dana White and Conor McGregor have toasted to good business plenty of times over the past five years but their relationship appears to be at its worst point yet. Although he labelled McGregor’s part in Thursday’s attack on a bus carrying UFC fighters as “disgusting”, White has steered clear […]

8 years ago

What a complete mess. The UFC held its 25th anniversary press conference at the Barclays Center on Friday night and was missing its biggest star. He was down the road at a Brooklyn court-house having his bail set for $50,000 after his sorry part in an attack on a bus carrying UFC fighters the day […]

8 years ago

The lightweight title contender is not the only one concerned about Conor McGregor’s well-being. Sometimes these men and women of the UFC get so blown away by the hype and trash talking that they forget why they got involved in Mixed Martial Arts in the first place. Conor McGregor may have made a name for […]

8 years ago

“Smash the windows. Smash the windows!” Stunned scenes aboard the ‘red corner’ bus in the loading bay of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center (sic) on Thursday night as Conor McGregor leads an assault. A shocked Artem Lobov tries his best to calm matters but to no avail. A whole, sorry mess already way out of hand. Michael […]

8 years ago

Bubba Watson was already in the mood when he took part in the Masters Par 3 tournament. Check out this gem of a put from the two-time Masters champion: Wait for it… Bubba Watson’s trick putt at #themasters Par 3 Contest was amazing. pic.twitter.com/9aHwCc5OAz — CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 4, 2018 And it gets better. […]

8 years ago

Rory McIlroy is poised. It was an odd enough round for McIlroy native but he is in a great position to attack going into Masters weekend at Augusta. Four birdies, three bogeys and a plethora of clutch pars. As most golfers struggled against Augusta National, McIlroy carded a gutsy round. Having only erred once in […]

8 years ago

Some action away from the Masters, at Augusta. Former Open and US PGA champion John Daly set up camp, this week, at the Augusta branch of the famous Hooters bar and restaurant. ‘Wild Thing’, who had a best ever Masters finish of third in 1993, was on hand near the famous golf course in Georgia […]

8 years ago

“Unbelievable.” That was the reaction of 19-year-old Irish defender Conor Masterson to his experience on the Liverpool bench for their Champions League victory over Manchester City, on Wednesday. The former Lucan United player has been doing well within the Reds’ underage set-up but was promoted to a sub’s role after injuries befell several senior defenders. […]

8 years ago

“Send me a location. I’m going to come. Wherever you want. Ireland, New York, Brooklyn or Moscow. It doesn’t matter.” If Khabib Nurmagomedov was rattled inside the ‘red corner’ bus when it came under attack, in Brooklyn on Thursday night, it definitely did not show. ‘The Eagle’ was the intended target for an ambush that […]

8 years ago

I knew it. Always knew it. Surely didn’t I tell ya. Always said that about him. Always said he was a scumbag…. No sooner had Conor McGregor reached a worrying nadir than the outbursts began. Quicker than a hand trolley flung through a bus window, they tweeted, commented and decried. Hatred mixed with derision and […]

8 years ago

This is just awful. Max Holloway told his management team, last Sunday evening, that he was ready to become a UFC legend. Six gruelling, unforgettable days later and he has been left spent and without a title fight. The Hawaiian may go by the moniker ‘Blessed’ but this week’s events have begged to differ. Holloway […]

8 years ago

What an unholy mess. Max Holloway tried to ride to the rescue but to no avail. Aside from the bus attack debacle at the UFC 223 media day, in Brooklyn, on Thursday night, the Dubliner was always set to lose his 155lbs strap as soon as main event fighters Khabib Nurmagomedov and Max Holloway [the […]

8 years ago

A great mentor in his early years. Conor Murray made his Munster breakthrough at the end of the 2009/10 season. He made the No.9 jersey his own by the end of the following season and was starting for Ireland at the World Cup just five months after that season concluded. Murray has been the main […]

8 years ago

Definitely worth considering. PRO14 and Aviva Premiership officials may openly rail against this notion, but take a moment to consider the glorious possibilities. In the wake of England ending up with no representatives in the last four of the Champions Cup, claims of top players being burnt out, and some worrying financial valuations, rugby lovers […]

8 years ago

This is a real problem for young lads trying to bulk up

8 years ago

By Friday afternoon [around 4pm Irish time] Conor McGregor may officially hold no UFC belts. Already relieved of the UFC featherweight belt he claimed by beating Jose Aldo in December 2015, McGregor is set to lose his lightweight crown too. He won the 155lbs strap by beating Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, in November 2016, […]

8 years ago

“Coming from Lucan to Anfield, it’s just a different ball game.” Conor Masterson had one of the best seats in the house, at Anfield last night, as he witnessed his Liverpool teammates tear Premier League champions-elect Manchester City to shreds. Named on the Liverpool bench, the 19-year-old defender was able to quell his own personal […]

8 years ago

Any leader seeking to change a culture should look at this

8 years ago

Conor Murray played about 70% of Munster’s latest European Cup stand in a team that was getting battered back and holding on for dear life. We often hear about scrum-halves being at their best when their team is on the front-foot. Murray put in a world-class performance of how to help one’s team survive, and […]

8 years ago

“F**k off!” That was the reaction of one English rugby scribe as a colleague asked if he felt Leinster outhalf Johnny Sexton was targeted by Saracens players. Sexton played 68 minutes of his side’s 30-19 Champions Cup quarter final win over Sarries and came in for some close attention. He always does, and he is […]

8 years ago

Kieran Marmion, Luke McGrath, John Cooney, Joey Carbery and Ian Keatley, your time to shine could be close on the horizon. Ireland have been indebted to Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton for the best part of eight seasons now but Joe Schmidt may have a big call on his hands. The halfback pairing helped Ireland […]

8 years ago

Andrew Conway got the headlines for “crucifying” Toulon at Thomond Park but there was a great appreciation from the French media for Munster’s unheralded backline. Toulon fans may not have taken their full away day allocation of seats, but the travelling hordes of French press certainly filled their fair share of seats. Many of those […]

8 years ago

It had been 77 days from Andrew Conway’s last game in a Munster jersey but he was showing no signs of flagging. 74 minutes into an intense Champions Cup scrap against Toulon and Francois Trinh-Duc was looking to relieve pressure. The outhalf should have found touch but that was not Munster’s problem. Conway reached high […]

8 years ago

There was an extremely personal and yet totally public moment at the end of Munster’s 20-19 Champions Cup win over Toulon. Amid all the celebrations and rúla búla, Munster head coach Johann van Graan slipped away from his players and coaching staff and took a moment on the halfway line. Asked after the game about […]

8 years ago

“We’re going to cop a lot of shite for this in the coming week, I’m guessing, but we have to be prepared to handle that and take learnings and go forward.” May 19th 2017 and Isa Nacewa sat in front of a packed room on one of his toughest evenings as Leinster captain. An underdog […]

8 years ago

Some going from Dan Leavy. The Leinster openside had a superb Six Nations and carried on from that Grand Slam-winning effort by stepping up in a big way for his province. The 23-year-old took an almighty fight to Saracens and ran amok in his side’s 30-19 victory that now sees them paired against Scarlets in […]

8 years ago

Look, you’d want to be damned well foolish to go into a game against Johnny Sexton and not talk about getting in is face and letting him know he’ll get nothing easy. Sexton is one of the very best outhalves in world rugby and he will punish teams at will if he is given time […]

8 years ago

The Irish tide keeps on rising. Leinster followed Munster into the last four of the Champions Cup after running over Saracens at the Aviva Stadium. Dan Leavy and Tadhg Furlong were both sensational but every player in blue had a positive impact. Tries from Garry Ringrose, Dan Leavy and James Lowe were enough to completely […]

8 years ago

LEINSTER 30-19 SARACENS Leinster joined Munster, Scarlets and Racing 92 in the Champions Cup semi finals after comprehensively seeing off Saracens at the Aviva Stadium.  Tries from Garry Ringrose, Dan Leavy and James Lowe were enough to do for a spirited but outclassed Saracens side. Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster’s men will meet Scarlets in […]

8 years ago

The raw stats will tell you that Sam Arnold and Rory Scannell combined for 20 tackles, two turnovers, 15 carries and 71 metres gained. Munster players, coaches and fans will tell you they brought so much more. Arnold and Scannell partnered each other in Europe for the first time, against Castres, in January. Saturday at […]

8 years ago

Munster went into their Champions Cup quarter final without Keith Earls, Tommy O’Donnell, Chris Farrell, Jaco Taute, Tyler Bleyendaal, Chris Cloete and Duncan Williams. After 25 minutes, they lost Simon Zebo. Toulon head coach Fabien Galthie did not mean it as an insult, post-match, when he said this Munster side finds its’ greatest strength through […]

8 years ago

Conor Murray is stone-cold. There was a moment near the end of the first half, in Munster’s 20-19 win over Toulon, when Munster had a penalty near the halfway line. Referee Nigel Owens was playing advantage but Murray only had Sam Arnold off his left shoulder. Every other Munster player was either at his feet, in […]

8 years ago

At the end of Munster’s nerve-popping 20-19 win over Toulon, Johann van Graan went to the halfway line and took a knee. It was a personal moment – one between van Graan and ‘My God’ – at the end of a scintillating game of rugby. The South African was well aware of what he was […]

8 years ago

Conor Murray is operating at a whole other level from every other scrum-half in Europe. In world terms, only Aaron Smith of New Zealand comes anywhere close to touching him. By the end of 2018, we may be acclaiming Murray as the world’s very best player. Right now, he is well on track for the […]

8 years ago

Some bunch of men. Munster are into the Champions Cup semi-finals after a superb victory over Toulon at Thomond Park. Having trailed 6-0 and 19-13 at different stages of a fierce contest, a stunning Andrew Conway try was converted by Ian Keatley to give Munster a 20-19 win. Here’s how we rated Johann van Graan’s […]

8 years ago

MUNSTER 20-19 TOULON Munster battled back from the brink to win an absolute clinker at Thomond Park. Trailing by six points with less than five minutes to go, Andrew Conway ran in a beauty from 40 metres out, leaving several Toulon players in his wake, to clinch the match for his side. From start to […]

8 years ago

Codology. We should have known Francois Trinh-Duc was not starting for Toulon when he casually missed three kicks from placed balls in the pre-match warm-ups, at Thomond Park, and brushed it off as if nothing hsd happened. The French No.10, who had an indifferent Six Ntions championship after being recalled by Les Bleus, was named […]

8 years ago

Measure of the man

8 years ago

This will get you the best results

8 years ago

Top dog

8 years ago

“Garry was very unlucky to miss out.” Those were the comments of Lions head coach a little under a year ago after he announced his squad to tour New Zealand. “There was some discussion and debate. The most discussion was on midfield but it was a big decision leaving out [England lock] Joe Launchbury.” In […]

8 years ago

30 men. 5 wins. 1 Grand Slam. Ireland are the 2018 Six Nations and Grand Slam winners and they did it in utter style at Twickenham. Having swept all comers before them, Joe Schmidt took his squad to London to take on last year’s champions. England were all but beaten by half-time and the 24-15 […]

8 years ago

18 games into his professional rugby career and James Ryan has won the lot. Dan Leavy has won all nine Tests with Ireland but has tasted defeat on a few occasions with Leinster. Still, that is impressive going for the pair and the young Grand Slam winners are still near the start of their respective […]

8 years ago

Peter O’Mahony was a man born to lead. To take the fight to teams. To make a difference. The Munster captain is back in the Ireland back row, dominating lineouts and breakdowns, and enjoying another fine season for his province. Read the full, inspiring story of #TheMakingOf a @Munsterrugby and @IrishRugby hero by @jackjotoolehttps://t.co/sBmVcrz9Vk — […]

8 years ago

All told, Ireland used 30 players over the course of their successful 2018 Six Nations campaign. Only eight started all five games of the Grand Slam but all 30 contributed to the trophy haul. Over the course of the championship, SportsJOE was at each of the matches and offered up player ratings for the men […]

8 years ago