As Gavin Cummiskey points out, the time when Ireland’s football managers could fill their teams with players from England’s premier clubs seems to be over. Only five players from the current squad under interim captain John O’Shea, set to play a friendly against Belgium, have made over ten appearances in the Premier League this season. Moreover, four of them are embroiled in the fight to avoid relegation. The forthcoming international break could then act as a respite from their domestic league woes. Despite this, facing the world’s fourth-best team, albeit missing a few of their star players, will be no easy task. A key highlight of the match is likely to be the central defensive partnership of Andrew Omobamidele and Nathan Collins, both from Leixlip.
Turning to Gaelic football, Seán Moran discusses the possibilities for the final weekend of the football league, with Derry and Dublin being the possible frontrunners for the Division One finale. The upcoming semi-final between Limerick and Kilkenny is also part of our Gaelic sports analysis, where we interview Limerick hurling manager John Kiely. Although injury will keep Kyle Hayes from the match, Kiely assures his return soon and explains his support for Hayes during his recent violent disorder trial.
In rugby news, we preview Ireland women’s Six Nations match against France, and Munster’s URC game with the Ospreys. We also explore what constitutes a “genuine rugby fan” due to recent debates about spectators’ experience at Aviva Stadium during the Six Nations.
Lastly, Brian O’Connor shares his thoughts on the Cheltenham Festival and questions whether the event is losing its charm. He observes that this year’s event lacked the usual excitement, with much of it seeming routine, a stark contrast to the anticipation that usually surrounds these significant race meetings.
In the realm of sports, Sharlene Mawdsley had an interview with Ian O’Riordan, discussing her controversial experience at the recent World Indoor Championships. She believed she had reached the 400m finals but was shockingly disqualified. Regardless, Mawdsley has moved on from the incident and is currently focussed on making the cut for Paris upcoming summer events.
On the television front, the under-21 squad from the Republic of Ireland, trailing Italy by a single point in their group, will be playing against San Marino this afternoon. This match is part of their Euro 2025 qualification journey and will be broadcasted on the RTÉ News Channel at 5pm. Meanwhile, Munster is back on the rugby field for a URC match against Ospreys, with the match set to air on TG4 and Premier Sports 1 at 7:35pm.