Latest news with #BobbyBurns
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Glentoran ace weighs in on north v south debate ahead of Linfield's much-anticipates clash with Shelbourne
The debate over the quality of the Irish League compared to the League of Ireland has been going on for years. Linfield being paired with Shelbourne in the Champions League qualifiers has brought it into sharp focus again with bragging rights at stake north and south of the border. Advertisement Bobby Burns is well placed to have an opinion on the subject having played a large chunk of his career to date in the Irish Premiership with Glentoran before he made the switch to Galway United last June. READ MORE: Joe Brolly slams standard of GAA punditry and RTE's All-Ireland coverage READ MORE: Padraig Harrington shows how he really feels after Rory McIlroy's 'terribly wrong' claim Like many the 25-year-old is looking forward to the two-legged clash between the reigning champions of their respective leagues. "I think the League of Ireland would be of a higher quality than the north, but the likes of Linfield, I'm sure they'll be looking at Shelbourne and fancying their chances that they can have a right go at it," Burns told Off The Ball. Advertisement "There's three or four really top sides in the league up north as well and I'm sure they could compete in this league well too, so I'm really looking forward actually to watching some of those games. "I think it'll be a really tight game between Linfield and Shelbourne and I suppose it goes back to maybe the thought of up north of people talking about a summer league. "Shelbourne are probably coming in with a bit more match fitness than that of what Linfield is, but Linfield have really good players and top quality, so yeah I'm looking forward to watching that game." Burns bagged his first Galway goal as he came off the bench to secure a share of the spoils for his side with a late equaliser against the Shels on Friday night as David Healy watched on from the stands ahead of signing a new three-year deal with the Blues. Advertisement Burns though is loving life in the League of Ireland with his new club. "I love the league here. There's certainly a lot more travelling in the league of Ireland than in the Irish league, but no, it's a great league," he said. "Ten teams and all full-time, a real intensity to every game, and especially some of the Dublin clubs and Derry, some of the quality of the players they have that you get the opportunity to play against is great. "But we have good quality here too and I think we've shown this season that we can do well against anybody. "For us, it's just about turning some of those draws into wins and kind of grinding out the wins and maybe getting a few more goals this year."
Irish Independent
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Reece Hutchinson the hero as Sligo Rovers beat Galway
Reece Hutchinson scored the decisive goal in the second-half, as Rovers collected just a second clean sheet of the year. It was what felt like another must win game for Rovers, who travelled to Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night desperate to pick up points, still sitting bottom of the table. With three defeats and two draws in their last five, the Bit O'Red have found wins hard to come by this season. John Russell's men had just two wins in their opening 15, and had only kept one clean sheet in those games. Russell made three changes to the side that lost to Bohemians the previous week, with John Mahon returning from suspension, and Matty Wolfe and Jad Hakiki returning to the starting 11. Ronan Manning missed out through injury, while Francely Lomboto and Harvey Lintott dropped to the bench. Galway had also struggled for form in recent weeks, and came into this Connacht derby with three defeats on the bounce. John Caulfield is without several key players through injury, and made three changes to his side for this tie. Bobby Burns, Ed McCarthy and Greg Cunningham all came back into the team, with Conor McCormack, Cillian Tollett and Regan Donelon all dropping out. In what was an even first half, Rovers started brightly. Rob Slevin diverted Hakiki's cross away from goal on three minutes, before the hosts put Rovers under pressure for a period, with Sam Sargeant barely troubled. Paddy Hickey's cross was volleyed at goal by the league's top scorer Dyer, with Rovers captain Mahon blocking it down, before Sargeant saved comfortably from McCarthy's low effort. Killian Brouder and David Hurley forced saves from Sargeant, before Gareth McElroy cleared Jeannot Esua's drive off the line. Brendan Clarke was called into action on 37 minutes, pushing Cian Kavanagh's overhead kick away from goal, claiming Jake Doyle-Hayes' tame effort in additional time at the end of the half. Dyer burst down the left-hand side two minutes into the second-half and just as the New Zealander went to pull the trigger, McElroy got his body in the way. Rovers were breathing a sigh of relief on 67 minutes when Paddy Hickey's shot somehow stayed out. The American cleverly worked his way around Hutchinson, aiming for the far post, only for his effort to hit the post and bounce around, with Rovers eventually clearing the danger. Two minutes later, Rovers went ahead. Former Barnsley man Matty Wolfe burst forward and picked out the run of Hutchinson on his left. The left-back cut inside and fired at goal, his effort taking a deflection and going in past Clarke to put the Bit O'Red ahead. The home side threw everything at Sligo Rovers late on, and were applying serious pressure, but Rovers to their credit held on and picked up a valuable three points. Two late goals from St Patrick's Athletic mean that Cork City lose again, and are now just above Rovers on goal difference. Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Rob Slevin, Killian Brouder, Greg Cunningham; Jeannot Esua, Cian Byrne, Bobby Burns (Colm Horgan, 57 [Brian Cunningham, 92]), Ed McCarthy (Stephen Walsh, 81); Patrick Hickey, David Hurley (Sean Kerrigan, 92); Moses Dyer. Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Harvey Lintott, 74), John Mahon, Gareth McElroy, Reece Hutchinson; Jake Doyle-Hayes, Matty Wolfe (Francely Lomboto, 82); Owen Elding, Jad Hakiki, Will Fitzgerald; Cian Kavanagh. Referee: Damien MacGraith.
CBC
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Season closes with a splash at P.E.I.'s ski hill with annual Aquaneige tradition
Event at Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park drew costumes, cheers and more than a few dunks in the pool Image | Brookvale Aquaneige 2025 Caption: Staff at the Brookvale ski park dug a 20-by-70-foot hole in the snow and fill it with crystal blue water for the event. (Connor Lamont/CBC) Skiers and snowboarders ended their season in style Saturday at Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park in Brookvale, P.E.I. It was the annual Aquaneige event, the final day tradition at the park that sees contestants try to do something that doesn't come naturally for those who enjoy snow sports — float. Staff at the park, home to the Island's only ski hill, dig a hole in the snow that is about 70 feet by 20 feet (or about six metres by 21 metres) and fill it with crystal blue water. Then, participants start partway up the slope and try to ski or board across the pool, to often mixed but entertaining results. "Coming down, you start feeling nervous and then you just gotta send it," said Bobby Burns. "I wiped out terribly. It's freezing in there. There's some ice chunks." Others had some beginner's luck. Jean-Luc Duguay was participating in Aquaneige for the first time, and he made it all the way across the pond without going for a dip. "Whether you make it across or not, everybody's getting cheers, so it's just nice to have that energy," he said. "Sending it off this way is a nice way to go out with a bang — or a splash." Both the participants and the crowd of spectators who came to watch the shenanigans were having fun on a beautifully sunny day in Brookvale. There were also lots of colourful costumes, like Yassine Elbahh, who rode atop his snowboard dressed as the comic book character The Flash. The jury is still out on whether it gave his board any improved aerodynamic qualities. "It's a great way to start the spring off," he said. It's kind of sad that the season's ending but we had a great season here this year, so can't ask for much more." Indeed, it was all a pleasant distraction from the fact that skiers and staff will have to wait another several months before getting back to the hill again, said Erin Curley, the park's operations lead. "Everyone loves it, it's a great event, it's a great way to end the season," she said. "It is very bittersweet. We love what we do and we would do it all year round if we could."
