European games bring rewards to clubs

League of Ireland clubs have had great results in Europe this season which is financially very rewarding and European wins also improve the UEFA domestic league coefficient for the standings next season. Winning the League to qualify for the Champions League qualifying rounds is very important as clubs that win its domestic competition now have three chances in Europe.

Invariably, LOI clubs don’t make much progress in the Champions League and they go down to the Europa League where they are paired with clubs they can compete with. Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk have both qualified for the lucrative Europa League group stage in recent seasons.

Irish clubs that start in the Champions League leave the Europa League, then move down to the new Conference League, which is probably the appropriate level for a League of Ireland club. In the past, winning the FAI Cup guaranteed the club entry into the Cup Winners’ Cup, but this competition no longer exists. Now the top three clubs in the Premier Division and the winners of the FAI Cup secure the European places. However, if the FAI Cup winners have already qualified for Europe, the club that finishes 4th in the League obtains the last European place.

There’s still plenty of interest in the FAI Cup knockout competition, which has David versus Goliath clashes and draws large crowds to the Aviva Stadium for the final (on November 28, 37,126 people showed up for see St Patrick’s Athletic beat Bohemians). This weekend’s clash between David and Goliath includes Shelbourne’s away game at non-League Donegal club Bonagee United. Reds’ Damien Duff has said he would love to win the FAI Cup as a manager and would therefore no doubt hate being on the wrong side of an upset. Likewise, the Bohemians are away at Lucan United, but that game could be moved to Dalymount Park. The only Premier Division game sees Drogheda United host Shamrock Rovers.

SERRANO IN FIGHT

IN MANCHESTER

Amanda Serrano will fight in Europe next month after all, but not against Katie Taylor. Instead, the unified featherweight world champion will look to become the undisputed queen of the division when she takes on undefeated IBF champion Sarah Mahfoud at Manchester Arena on September 24. The Serrano-Mahfoud unification bout was scheduled to take place at Madison in New York. Square Garden on August 6 as a co-feature alongside a celebrity fight involving his manager Jake Paul and Hasim Rahman Jr. The show failed at the last minute to admit Paul’s claims that his opponent had no no chance of gaining weight although that is hotly contested by Rahman.

FARRELL GETS

2 MORE YEARS

Dublin County GAA Council last week ended weeks of wild rumors when it confirmed that Dessie Farrell would stay on as the county’s chief football manager until 2024. Farrell completed three years in the role and there was speculation over his future since Dublin lost the All-Ireland semi-final to Kerry last month. It has been suggested that Farrell could be replaced following Dublin’s relegation from the National Football League First Division and two successive All-Ireland semi-final defeats. Farrell led the Dubs to All-Ireland success in 2020 in his first year in the role after taking over from Jim Gavin. Meanwhile, Declan Darcy, who has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Farrell, is said to join Leinster Rugby’s backroom team.

Meanwhile, at Kerry, it looks like Tomás O Sé will replace Declan O’Sullivan as Under-20 manager. O Sé was coach with John Maughan at Offaly last year.

BENNETTS LEASE

ON THE DAVY OF DEISE

New Waterford hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald will have to plan without brothers Kieran and Shane Bennett in 2023. Their father Pat Bennett has confirmed the siblings are destined to spend the coming season in Australia, with Kieran heading to Down Under next week and Shane is expected to follow in January. But a third brother, Stephen, will always be available for the Déise. Bennett senior, who recently led Ferns St Aidan’s to win their first-ever senior title at Wexford, was part of Davy’s backroom team at Waterford during his first spell in charge. He said: ”As a Waterford supporter I am delighted Davy is a proven winner. He has a better resume than anyone. My guys are really excited even though two of them are going to Australia so only Stephen will be left. I think the Waterford players are over the moon and delighted with his arrival. Davy is going to take them to a new level, so they’re really looking forward to it.

CRICKET HEROES

O’BRIEN retires

Irish all-rounder Kevin O’Brien has announced his retirement from international cricket after withdrawing from competition for this year’s T20 World Cup. The 38-year-old, who powered the Irish to victory over England in a 2011 World Cup group game with a 50-ball century, decided to call it a day before the World Cup T20 world in Australia, which is starting. in October, after having escaped the calculation of the selection. O’Brien, who played for Ireland for 12 years alongside his older brother Niall, said: “I am announcing my retirement from international cricket after 16 years and 389 caps for my country. I had hoped to end my career at the T20 World Cup in Australia, but having not been selected for the Irish team since the World Cup last year, I feel the coaches and management are looking elsewhere. He had spells with Surrey, Somerset, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Gloucestershire, played 153 one-day internationals, 110 T20 internationals and three Tests for Ireland. The Dubliner scored 9,048 runs including our first Test Hundred, a second inning swipe of 118 against Pakistan in 2018 and took 276 wickets as well as 181 catches.

NORTH WEST,

DEBUTS IN NEBRASKA

College football returns to Dublin next Saturday with the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium. The clash between Northwestern University (Wildcats) and University of Nebraska (Cornhuskers) will mark the first time either of these two college football titans will play in Ireland. So expect to see plenty of red in Dublin 4 on Saturday as University of Nebraska fans are known to take over stadiums, home and away, with their famous ‘Sea of ​​Red’ .

CLARKE SIGNS

FOR NEWRY

Former Armagh footballer Jamie Clarke switched to football when he signed with Irish League club Newry City FC. Clarke, 33, who played for his football club Crossmaglen Rangers, has also played in New York and Australia. Newry manager Darren Mullen said: “Jamie is obviously well known for his exploits on the pitch of Gaelic football, but he has shown in his short time with us that he can add something. to our attacking line-up. He’s a smart and skilled player and he’s keen to show what he can do at this level of football.’

LIFTING FOR

WALSH PARK

Waterford GAA plans to be the first county to begin major post-Covid stadium redevelopment work with the initial phase of a Walsh Park facelift due to begin in October. Work on the first phase, which would see a new roof, new seating and a redeveloped press area in the existing stand at the south end of the pitch and the erection of an uncovered stand at the north end, has been put out to tender and officials hope they can start in about two months. An enlargement of the existing land, from its current 80 meters to 84 meters, is also planned. Waterford secretary Pat Flynn said: “It’s off to a tender, but there’s still a long way to go.” this year due to rising construction costs.

9TH SEASON FOR

BOSS OF ARMAGH

Kieran McGeeney is to continue as Armagh’s chief football manager for a ninth season. The County Orchard All-Ireland winning captain was appointed manager in 2015 as a successor to Paul Grimley. McGeeney now becomes the second longest-serving inter-county football manager after Colm Collins of Clare. Armagh made great strides under McGeeney this year, finishing third in the National Football League Division One before reaching the All-Ireland quarter-finals through the back door, where they lost to Galway on penalties aim.

DENVIR OF DOWN

WAS ’60 WINNER

Another link to the famous winning side of Down All-Ireland in 1960 was severed with the death of Kieran Denvir. The Kilclief native was a talented footballer and bowler who lined up at first-team corner Down to win an Ulster final in 1959. The following year he came on as a substitute as Morne County beat Kerry to win the Sam Maguire Cup. the border for the first time. Kieran also played UCD, Ballina Stephenites in Mayo and Ulster in the Railway Cup.