Tyrone vs Kerry classics - Canavan inspires '05 triumph
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The Guardian
40 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Bitter rivals Malmö and Copenhagen set for Champions League showdown
Every day, tens of thousands of people are thought to commute across the 8km bridge between Malmö and Copenhagen. The name of the bridge – Öresund if you're Swedish or Øresund if you're Danish – is one of only a few things that divide the people of the two cities. Another one is football. After Malmö beat Latvia's RFS in a Champions League qualifier last week their winger Jens Stryger Larsen, who has more than 50 Denmark caps, led the club's supporters in a vociferous chorus of 'We hate Copenhagen' – the identity of their third-round opponents no secret, the draw already made. Stryger Larsen came through the ranks at Brøndby – FC Copenhagen's fierce rivals – and is one of a couple of Danish players in the Malmö squad. His chanting was criticised by Danish police, who said it was 'helping to stir up a hostile atmosphere' before the two-leg tie gets under way in Sweden on Tuesday. It will be an easy trip to the Eleda Stadion for Copenhagen's travelling support: less than an hour by road or rail. Revellers are known to make the short hop to enjoy a cheaper night out in the industrial Swedish city than they can get in Denmark's more regal capital. 'Malmö is always going to be the little brother, city-wise,' says Agnes Gertten, who has commuted to Copenhagen for work in the past, of the Malmö fan association Supporterhuset. Despite the friendly relationship shared by Malmö and Copenhagen as cities, there is rivalry between MFF and FCK, felt more strongly from the Malmö side. Although the clubs play each other only occasionally – there have been two competitive meetings in the past two decades – that animosity stems from a Royal League encounter in 2005, when Danish police were accused of attacking away supporters in the stands after little provocation. The blame game was played and a three-year court case followed, with no individuals prosecuted. The teams' first competitive meeting at Parken since then was in the Europa League in 2019, which the visitors won 1-0 to top their group. 'For me, it was very emotional,' says Gertten, who will attend both legs over the next week. 'We had just lost a friend earlier that year … he really hated Copenhagen. I cried like a baby. I think it was a feeling of being the greatest.' Scandinavian pride is at stake here. Bodø/Glimt's recent rise has brought a new element, but MFF and FCK have spent much of this century as the region's top dogs and vehicles for the Sweden-Denmark pan-sporting grudge. 'We are the most successful club over here,' says William Galambos of MFF Support, 'and they are the most successful club in Denmark. Both clubs are used to winning and want to be the best in Scandinavia.' Malmö and Copenhagen, winners of six of the past 10 titles in their respective domestic leagues, can attract the best of the rest in the region and an intermingling of nations is common. 'Since we are the two big clubs, both in the stands and on the pitch, the best players in Scandinavia have their eyes on us and Copenhagen,' says Galambos. Anders Christiansen, the captain, is another Danish voice in the MFF dressing room, which includes the Malmö-born goalkeeper Robin Olsen, who won two Danish titles with FCK. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Copenhagen's captain is Viktor Claesson, a Swede, and they also have the forward Jordan Larsson, the son of Henrik. 'The Swedish players, they are looking forward to it,' says David Bastian-Møller of the Copenhagen Sundays website. 'Jordan Larsson agreed that it would be a nice game to play as a Swede.' From Malmö, there is talk of 'hatred', so how would Copenhagen describe the feeling towards their neighbours? 'Insignificance,' smiles Bastian-Møller. 'From a Copenhagen perspective, there is not really a rivalry. We have a huge rivalry with Brøndby, we meet them usually four times a season. Malmö, we don't really pay attention to them.' But of course, he would say that. 'A lot of Copenhagen supporters try to say that they don't really care about us,' says Gertten. Both teams are two rounds from the Champions League proper, which neither took part in last season. 'Barcelona in Parken, or Real Madrid, or one of the big English teams …' imagines Bastian-Møller when he thinks of potential match-ups. Malmö have already landed their dream opponents. 'Each year when we are in Europe, we want to meet Copenhagen,' says Galambos. 'That's the only team we always want to meet.'
Belfast Telegraph
14 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Instonians' Anna Ellerby takes five wickets to help Ireland defeat the Netherlands
The Instonians left-arm seamer had the excellent figures of 5 for 14, while CSNI's Emily Carville took three wickets as the Dutch were dismissed for 83 – Manouk Bruijn top-scoring with 28. Ireland's batters were soon in trouble in the chase, slumping to 24 for six with Mia Van Egdom taking three wickets. They were rescued though thanks to an unbroken seventh wicket partnership of 60 between Merrion's Aisling Lawlor, who made an unbeaten 28, and Clontarf's Genevieve Morrissey who scored 25 not out in the four-wicket win. Earlier, Ireland had won the morning game by 33 runs in another low scoring contest. Irish senior international Alice Tector top-scored with 24, and Bready's Millie Spence hit three boundaries in a quickfire unbeaten 21 as the Girls In Green made 118 for 8. CSNI opening bowler Vanessa Minford took three wickets in the Dutch reply as they were bowled out for 85 – skipper Lara Leemhuis making 20. There were also wickets for Erin Bond, Emily Carville, Anna Ellerby, and Millie Spence in a fine bowling effort. Ireland are back in action when they play Scotland on Tuesday afternoon, whom they also meet on Thursday morning.
The Independent
15 hours ago
- The Independent
Henry Pollock, Dan Sheehan and five players who could shape the next British and Irish Lions tour
With a series victory secured in Australia, the British and Irish Lions hierarchy now head home to debrief the tour and begin to look ahead to their next trip to New Zealand. A number of changes to the structure of the quadrennial adventure are on the table as the Lions prepare to take on the All Blacks in 2029, a journey that will follow the inaugural women's tour to the country in two years' time. Sketching out a squad at this stage would be pure folly – so much can and will change in the next four years, while the identity of the head coach, even if Andy Farrell again, will dictate plenty. New stars will emerge in the intervening period while others will fade, though one hopes that each nation's fluctuating fortunes will come together to leave a more equal spread of representation across the squad. While any predictions of this ilk are purely speculative at this juncture, here are five players who could shape the series next time around: Caelan Doris, Ireland Let's begin with something of a forgotten man in the last seven weeks, a would-be skipper denied his first British and Irish Lions tour by the most cruelly-timed injury. Caelan Doris had established himself as both certain starter and leadership linchpin ahead of a 2025 trip where he surely would have thrived. It is a slightly strange quirk that Jack Conan has started the last six Lions Tests without ever really commanding a first-choice place at No 8 for Ireland. Having turned 33 during the trip, his time in red is surely at an end, perhaps clearing the way for another Irishman to take the shirt. Perhaps the Doris/Farrell axis will have found a way to end their nation's World Cup woe by then… Henry Pollock, England As a learning experience for a young player experiencing a quite extraordinary rise, the Lions tour felt just about perfect for Henry Pollock. The 20-year-old flashed at times, showcasing his unique blend of speed and skill in wide channels and the work as a connector and collector that earmarks him as such a special prospect. It always felt, though, a long shot that he would feature in the Tests given the depth of options available on the flanks. One would expect Pollock to be fully established at international level by the time the 2029 tour rolls around. That said, the England back row room is suddenly looking incredibly crowded – Tom Curry's standards refuse to slip, Sam Underhill was back with a bang in Argentina, Ben Curry and Ben Earl are incumbent options; Guy Pepper looks a force on the rise. Add in Tom Willis and Chandler Cunningham-South and Pollock might have a fight on his hands for autumn involvement. Dan Sheehan, Ireland One unsavoury clearout on Tom Lynagh slightly marred an otherwise exemplary trip to Australia for Dan Sheehan. The Irish hooker set the tone right from the very start Down Under, captaining and scoring inside the first two minutes of the win over the Western Force. A hooker very much in the modern mould, his lineout darts can go forgotten but he was rock solid in that area in contrast to a couple of his colleagues until the wretched conditions of the third Test. At only 26, he must have another tour or two in him. Farrell clearly rates his leadership, too, and may look to further develop that side of Sheehan's game in the run up to the 2027 World Cup after a significant recent loss of experience from his Irish squad. It is tough to see, at this stage, a challenger emerging for the Lions hooker berth but watch out for Kepu Tuipulotu down at Bath. Macs Page, Wales Probably the boldest call of this quintet but there is so much to be excited about Macs Page. In a relatively compact frame, Page packs plenty of pace and power and his capacity to play at outside centre and on the wing is valuable in an era where backline positional versatility is increasingly a must as six/two benches become more and more common. Page toured Japan with Wales this summer without making an appearance but his time will surely come after a solid season with the Scarlets. The return of Louis Rees-Zammit, who is thought to have agreed a deal with the breakaway R360 league but may still return to traditional club rugby beforehand, could complicate matters, and others including Mason Grady and Blair Murray will also be eyeing those outside back spots under new Welsh coach Steve Tandy. Of versatile backs elsewhere, the development of Jamie Dobie may be one to monitor with the Scotland scrum half increasingly deployed as a wing option. Maro Itoje, England Already assured of a rich Lions legacy for his role in three tours so far, would a return to the nation where he first made his name in the famous jersey appeal for Maro Itoje in four years' time? There is little reason why a durable and uber-consistent figure cannot make it to New Zealand in 2029 with the lock continuing to hit the high peaks of which he is capable and bedding in nicely as a captain, too. It is now eight straight Test starts for the 30-year-old after an initial outing off the bench in 2017 – surpassing Alun Wyn Jones's professional era record of nine is surely in Itoje's sights. The Saracens and England forward has spoken about a possible retirement at the age of 35, a birthday that would come mere months after a possible fourth Lions tour.
