Month: October 2022

CONNACHT SECOND ROW Ben Marshall has retired from professional rugby on medical advice after suffering a concussion-related injury. Marshall played just five times for Connacht. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO The 26-year-old has been out of action all season and the Guinness Pro12 champions confirmed the unfortunate news this afternoon. Marshall joined Connacht at the start of…

WHILE IRELAND AND their supporters will be confident that Paddy Jackson is more than capable of doing a fine job at Murrayfield on Saturday, Scotland will have been encouraged by news that Johnny Sexton has been ruled out of the Six Nations clash. The Leinster out-half’s calf issue continues to bother him and Ireland say…

Updated 18.45 THIS THIRD ARTICLE in our series on mental skills is focused on Strength-Based Thinking (SBT) and how to apply it in sports and other areas of life or performance. Read the first two articles in this series here.  In basic terms, SBT involves reminding yourself, in particular your brain/mind, of the various aspects…

Roger Federer celebrates after beating Rafael Nadal in an incredible Australian Open final Source: Aaron Favila Slaughtneil players celebrate at the final whistle of their All-Ireland semi-final Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO England head coach Eddie Jones wasn’t in the best of shape at the RBS 6 Nations Media launch Source: PA Wire/PA Images Carl Frampton dejected…

JORDAN LARMOUR ISN’T the type of guy who lacks confidence, particularly on a rugby pitch, but this is all new territory for him; the cameras, the questions and the glare of publicity. ‘This is my first one,’ he announces upon his arrival for media duty in the hotel lobby. In the limelight: Ireland U20 winger…

Murray Kinsella reports from Stadio Olimpico ALL VERY RELAXED in Rome, but then how could it not be with clear skies and a soul-warming sun sitting over the Italian capital. Conor O’Shea gathers his team around him and delivers a speech containing an impressive amount of Italian, as well as a few key messages in…

IT COULD HAVE been worse. Ireland false-started this year’s Six Nations, conceding three tries in the opening 30 minutes of the tournament. But they could have thrown in the towel, failed to respond by re-taking the lead or let Scotland kill them off, score a fourth try and put five points between the sides on…

FORMER ALL BLACK Francis Saili says he wants to stay with Munster and is hoping to extend his two-year contract, which expires this summer. Saili, who will be 26 next week, missed the opening four months of the season with a shoulder injury but has played in all eight games since he made his return…

MUNSTER CENTRE FRANCIS Saili has been called to face a disciplinary committee in Edinburgh on Wednesday. The All Black has been cited for an alleged illegal high tackle during Munster’s weekend comeback win away to Ospreys in the Pro12. The charge, under Law 10.4 (e) dangerous tackling, relates to Saili’s contact with Ashley Beck in…

Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO HomeRetired Irish footballer Paul McCarthy has died suddenly aged 45A toe injury means Dave Kearney will face another spell on the sidelinesConor Murray and Johnny Sexton will take full part in Ireland training tomorrowSeán Hurley has departed the Kildare panel as he recovers from hip surgeryNeil Gallagher has become Donegal’s latest All-Ireland winner to retireChiefs…