February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Roy Keane, who has seen red in a few Charity Shield finals, seems certain to start and another Corkman Liam Miller could also figure at some stage.
The Premiership kicks-off on Saturday week. And already Robbie Keane looks like he could miss the big kick-off. Keane picked up an ankle injury playing for Spurs in a pre-season friendly against Rangers at Ibrox last week. He was also the target of booing by the Rangers fans. Now maybe the Celtic supporters who boo former Rangers players when they come to Lansdowne Road, will cop on and mature a bit.
Followers of English football probably know by now that the lower divisions are being re-named this season. The old Nationwide division one will be known as the Coca Cola championship, while what was the Nationwide division two will be known as Coca Cola division one and the old Nationwide division three becomes the Coca Cola division two. Sounds a lot better than the old Football League division four which is what it really is.
Meanwhile Irish international Mark Kinsella has found a new club. Kinsella, who was released by West Bromwich Albion at the end of last season, is staying in the Birmingham area and has joined Walsall.
NISSAN WANTS
NEW OPEN DATE
Nissan is to continue its sponsorship of the Irish Open Golf Championship for at least another year. And Gerard O’Toole, chief executive of Nissan Ireland, hopes that the car company will commit to the championship for a further three years. Next year’s tournament will be held at the Montgomerie Course in Carton House in County Kildare probably in May. Nissan, if they are to continue as sponsors, are hoping to bring Nissan Europe on board and they would like a new date. The current one, which comes immediately after the British Open, does not attract top players. ‘We were not happy with the field we had this year because so many players pulled out at the last minute. We are not happy with the date coming so soon after the British Open, but it was the only one we had when we came on board as sponsors two years ago. With added prize money and a new date, we could move this event onto a new level,’ said O’Toole.
Meanwhile Tiger Woods has confirmed that he will take part in the American Express Championship at the Mount Juliet Course in County Kilkenny from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3. But Woods said the main reason he loves coming to Ireland is to fish. He said: ‘We go to Ireland to fish; golf just happens to be a side bar. The fishing in Ireland is fantastic, whether it it’s Waterville, County Kerry or just outside Dublin.’
OLYMPIANS VIE
FOR NATIONS CUP
Irish show-jumping supporters will have a final opportunity to check on the Irish Olympic team when they compete at this week’s Dublin Horse Show in the RDS. The top eight teams in the world will compete at the Ballsbridge arena for the Nations Cup. The Irish team is: Captain Shane Carey, Marian Hughes, Cian O’Connor, Billy Twomey and Jessica Kurten. The chef d’equipe is Ned Campion. The other countries taking part are: France, who have won the trophy for the past two years, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Italy and the
U S. A rider from New Zealand and number of top Irish international riders will also take part. And we will have the youngest-ever competitor in the pony jumping section. Seven-year-old Conor Hanley from County Mayo will follow the footsteps of his father and mother by competing in the RDS.
REF GETS RED CARD
Longford referee Eugene Murtagh faces a lengthy ban after being sent off while playing for his club Sean Connollys in a junior championship game against Mostrim. Murtagh apparently was annoyed when his son Eugene junior was earlier sent off after an altercation with a supporter. Apparently Murtagh senior verbally abused the match referee Mick Doherty in the dressing rooms after the game. Ironically Doherty has been of Murtagh’s regular umpires when he was on intercounty duty!