February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
With the arrival of Argentinian Gabriel Heinze, O’Shea is finding himself on the bench a lot more of late and has not started a Premiership game since the beginning of October. Many observers feel that he has not continued the progress he showed for club and country last season.
“There is no way I am leaving Old Trafford,” O’Shea said. “I am definitely staying, without a doubt. And fingers crossed, I will be here for a long time to come. When you are playing for Manchester United, you are going to face pressure. I have faced it before, no doubt I will face it again in the future. What you have to do is make sure when you get a chance, you put the manager under pressure not to leave you out.”
O’Shea did start in what was basically United’s reserve side in last Wednesday’s League Cup quarterfinal win over Arsenal, but in football you just never know. As the old saying goes, there is no smoke without fire
and United may be willing to offload O’Shea if they get a good offer.
DECISION AUGERS
ILL FOR O’CONNOR
Ireland’s Cian O’Connor has been given an extension until next Monday to prepare his defense in the case before the International Equestrian Federation. O’Connor’s gold-winning horse, Waterford Cyrstal, failed a drugs test at the Olympic Games. His defense team must be worried after last week’s decision by the IEF to disqualify Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum following a positive dope test on his horse Goldfever. Team gold will now go to the U.S. with Sweden moving up to silver and the Germans dropping to bronze. It was found that the prohibited substance Betamethasone had been administered in a skin ointment to Goldfever.
NA PIARSAIGH’S LOSS
IS CARLTON’S GAIN
As predicted on these pages a few weeks back, 19-year-old Aisake O hAilpin has joined his brother Setanta at Aussie Rules club Carlton Blues. But while the Australian club are getting another player for free the move is devastating to the O hAilpin’s club Na Piarsaigh, who recently won the Cork senior hurling title with three O hAilpins on the team: Aisake, Sean Og and Setanta, who was back home on holiday from Australia.
“From a club point of view it’s very disappointing as we put a lot of work into bringing them to where they are now as hurlers, but of course we wish them both well and if it doesn’t work out in Australia they will always be welcome back at Na Piarsaigh,” club chairman Paddy Connery said.
SUPPORT COMES
WITH NO STRINGS
You really know how wealthy a person is when he does not request his or his company’s name on the county jersey he is about to sponsor. Race horse owner J.P. McManus is backing the Limerick hurling and football teams for the next three years, but the logo on their jersey will not have any reference to McManus but instead will read “Sporting Limerick.” Munster Council chairman Sean Fogarty said that the slogan brings purity to sponsorship. “The majority of sponsors become involved because they see it as a good business deal,” Fogarty said. “But there is nothing in this for Mr. McManus.”
GIVEN HITS 300
Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given recently clocked up his 300th appearance for Newcastle United, which is not bad going for a 28-year-old. But, of course, the Donegal-born keeper has no intention of retiring and said he hopes to carry on for another ten years. “I am only 28 which is young in goalkeeping terms and about the age when you should be at your best. I would like to have another 10 years at the top as long as I can steer clear of injuries.”
Given, however, is unlikely to break the record set by former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who made 1,005 English League appearances.
TIPP BOSS IS BACK
Seamus McCarthy is back as Tipperary football manager, replacing Andy Shorthall, who quit this summer in controversial circumstances. Shorthall and his selectors quit in a row over the postponement of a hurling club game in the county. McCarthy, who in his previous spell in charge of Tipperary, took them to two Munster finals in the 1990s, will have John Owens, Jim Healy and Colm O’Flaherty as his selectors.
Former Meath midfielder Liam Hayes is the new Carlow senior football manager. Hayes, who wrote on sport for the Sunday Press, has become a publisher himself since the demise the Press group. His only managerial
experience has been with the Lucan Sarsfields club in West Dublin where
he now lives.
Another former Meath player getting involved is Gerry Cooney. He has coached the Meath minor and Under-21 teams, and has now joined the Offaly camp where he will be a selector with new manager Kevin Kilmurray. Cooney is a native of Tullamore. Kilmurray’s second selector will be former Offaly player James Stewart from the Clara club.
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McGRATH LOOKS GOOD
I met up with former Irish international Paul McGrath at a recent testimonial game in Dublin and I must say he seemed in great form. We spoke in the team room at St. Patrick’s Athletic. He was relaxed in what for him were familiar surroundings. In a recent interview for Irish television, McGrath said he was struggling to stay off the booze, but seeing is believing and it seems the Big Man looked in great shape. Meanwhile, George Best said he hasn’t had a drink for two months. Best said he gave up the booze after watching a heart-breaking television program about liver donors. Best was lucky enough to get a liver transplant a few years ago.