The Football Association of Ireland is engaged in a bit of a dance to uncover a full-time replacement for Stephen Kenny, with Lee Carsley, their seeming preferred option, fallen in and out of the competition periodically. Carsley could be back in the mix after Marc Canham, the FAI’s football director, disclosed that the successful applicant would only be revealed in early April due to “existing contractual obligations”, a statement that Gavin Cummiskey found indicative. Considering that Carsley’s under-21 English squad has a gap in their fixture schedule from March till September, it’s possible he’s the chosen one, albeit we’re yet to find out.
While the wait continues, John O’Shea fills the temporary role, claiming to have prepared for this chance since his late twenties. According to Ken Early, O’Shea not only desires and feels equipped for the position, such candidates have been thin on the ground in Ireland.
In tandem with the hectic period in Irish football, English rugby is also facing some turbulence. Gerry Thornley, however, cautions Irish rugby teams not to become too complacent before their journey to Twickenham for the forthcoming Six Nations match.
Owen Doyle is bemused following referee Christophe Ridley’s perplexing denial of a second penalty to Italy when Paolo Garbisi’s injury-time attempt struck the pole during their game against France.
In the realm of Gaelic sports, Gordon Manning reviews past Football League games where only half of the total home sides emerged victorious. He also gives insights into Rory Beggan’s endeavour to secure a professional contract post his participation in the NFL Combine at Indianapolis. Beggan, however, will be back in town in time to receive his club goalkeeper of the year award at Croke Park on Friday night.
Reflecting on Ireland’s performance at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, Ian O’Riordan offers his insight. Similarly, Philip Reid details Shane Lowry’s distressing final round at the Cognizant Classic marking a decline since his British Open victory in 2019, a result of having found his ball in a pond twice.
In other news, the Champions League makes its return today. Bayern Munich, trailing by a 1-0 disadvantage from their first matchup with Lazio, must overcome this gap to secure a place in the quarterfinals (broadcasted on RTÉ 2 and TNT Sports 1, at 8pm). On the other hand, Real Sociedad, down by 2 goals ahead of their game against Paris Saint-Germain (airing on TNT Sports 2 at 8pm), have their task cut out for them.
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