Now the big test comes at Lansdowne Road on Saturday when the Republic open their World Cup qualifying campaign against Cyprus. Robbie Keane, who missed the Bulgaria game is back. Roy Keane, who missed the European Championship qualifiers, would have been a major boost, but I suppose we will have to get used to doing without the oft-injured Corkman. A bonus for Kerr has been the arrival of another talented midfielder, Andy Reid.
Expect the lads to get off to a good start on Saturday with maximum points against the Cypriots. Then it’s on to Switzerland the following Wednesday to try to erase the memories of Basel last October.
TV WAGS THE DOG
Sadly, TV now dominates the dates and times for most big events, such as rugby’s Heineken European Cup. Now the Munster Branch of the IRFU are not happy that their away games have been fixed for 5 p.m. on Sunday to suit live coverage on Sky Sports. Said a Munster spokesman: “It’s not fair on our supporters, who will find it very difficult to get back home for work on Monday morning.”
Meanwhile, the tradition of Friday night football at Donnybrook is over for the present as Leinster will now play their home games on Saturday afternoon at Lansdowne Road. The Heineken Cup gets under way on the weekend of Oct. 24.
LOGO LOCO
There has been a mixed reaction to the launch last week of a new logo by the FAI. Some people say they cannot see the shamrock in the new design. But it’s a bit like the controversial logo launched by the GAA a few years ago. There is much criticism in the early stages, but eventually people just accept it.
DUNDALK BEEFCAKE
The film “Calendar Girls,” where a group of middle-aged English housewives posed for a charity calendar has been replicated by many teams around the world since then. The Dundalk soccer club are the latest to get in on the act. The players from the County Louth club have already posed with only towels and footballs preserving their modesty. But before publication, Dundalk need to secure sponsorship before going ahead with their novelty calendar for 2005.
DUBLIN CITY WOES
Boxers are great people to talk up a fight. And I suppose the same goes for brothers of boxers.
Roddy Collins, brother of former World Champion Steve Collins, has certainly been grabbing the headlines since he took over as manager of Dublin City. First he announced that 14 players were being put on the transfer list. One Dublin wag said he was surprised to hear that they had 14 players.
Then last week Collins brought in Carlton Palmer, the 39-year-old former England international to try to help them pull away from the relegation zone.
At present Dublin City are propping up the premier division, but if they get a few wins could overtake St. Patrick’s Athletic. But the team, which broke away from Home Farm, have no fan base and it’s a mystery how they can survive considering they only get a few hundred people at their home games.
Meanwhile, Ian Hill has quit as manager of Cobh Ramblers following their loss in the FAI Cup to Athlone Town.
NO CUES ALLOWED
Another sportsman with a boxing connection is Australian snooker player Quinten Hann. Quinten was apparently upset at a recent snooker tournament in Dublin when Irish people claimed Aussie Rules footballers were not as tough as Gaelic footballers. So Hann issued a challenge to any Gaelic footballers willing to take him on.
I can of a few who would be able to look after themselves in the ring. We will believe it when it happens.
The National Stadium confirm that the venue has been booked for Sept 25, but Armagh’s Oisin McConville has denied reports that he is willing to challenge the Aussie.
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MEATH HOLD THE LINE
Sean Boylan’s bid to bring former Meath player Colm Coyle on board as a joint manager may be blocked by the county’s bylaws. Apparently, Boylan is keen to bring Coyle, who quit as Monaghan manager a few months back, on board, but Meath County Board rules allow for only a single manager who picks his own selectors. That rule would also end any hopes Mattie Kerrigan and Paul Kenny have. Colm O’Rourke, who put forward a plan for schoolboy football in the county, withdrew his application when the County Board couldn’t guarantee to implement his plan. We should know the identity of the next Meath manager on Sept 20.
Meanwhile, former Fermanagh manager Dominick Corrigan has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Longford job.
“I am not interested in county management,” he said. “I am involved with the Carrickmore club and there is where I will be staying.”
With John O’Mahony apparently preparing to take a break from the game, Denis Connerton’s replacement in Longford could be Declan Rowley (ex-Leitrim) former Longford minor boss Jimmy Gacquin or the former Westmeath manager Luke Dempsey, who was assisting Carlow this year.
Finally, it’s a long away to go to St. Patrick’s Day 2005, but we already know that reigning All-Ireland club football champions Caltra will not be defending their title at Croke Park on March 17. Caltra were recently beaten by Salthill-Knocknacarra at the quarterfinal stage of the Galway football championship.