Latest news with #JoeyOBrien
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Shelbourne survive spirited Linfield to reach Champions League second round qualifiers
Shelbourne are one win away from securing league-phase football in European competition next season. A 1-1 draw against 10-man Linfield at Windsor Park last night saw the Reds win their Champions League qualifying tie 2-1 on aggregate. Advertisement Ali Coote put the League of Ireland champions in front at Windsor Park, before Chris Shields equalised from the penalty spot for Linfield. There was further drama straight up the other end when Kerr McInroy headed home at a corner, but the VAR spotted a shirt tug and Madley chalked the goal off. Linfield were reduced to 10 men after 63 minutes when Mipo Odubeko – the goalscorer from last week's first leg in Dublin – was chopped down by Hall who was shown a straight red card. Next up for Joey O'Brien's side is a two-legged clash with Qarabag of Azerbaijan, beginning next week.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shelbourne survive spirited Linfield to reach Champions League second round qualifiers
Champions League qualifier, second leg: Linfield 1 (Shields 45+3) Shelbourne 1 (Coote 25) Shelbourne earned their place in the Champions League second round as Linfield pushed them to the last kick of an enthralling, non-televised spectacle at Windsor Park. Joey O'Brien's men performed like the champions of Ireland, with plenty of help from two Scotsmen Kerr McInroy and Ali Coote. It was Coote's goal that settled matters, although a Chris Shields penalty ensured the possibility of extra-time and penalties lingered until the final whistle. The first-half lasted 55 minutes. Three goals were scored. Only two stood the test of VAR. READ MORE Shelbourne's Paddy Barrett was still arguing with English referee Andrew Madley as everyone disappeared for a well-earned rest. Understandably so. The tie appeared to be over when McInroy wheeled away after leathering Shels' second goal on the night to give them a 3-1 lead on aggregate. The delirious celebrations of 1,300 Dubliners lasted as long as it took for Madley and his video assistants – Darren England and Nick Hopton – to spot Barrett holding Euan East's shirt. Shelbourne's Mipo Odubeko in action against Linfield's Josh Archer. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho The misdemeanour allowed McInroy to sprint into space and shoot. It is worth noting that Shields had a hand on Barrett as he took hold of East. The wonder is whether the Linfield left-back would have tracked McInroy's run away from goal, towards the penalty spot, where he profited from a short corner between Harry Wood and Tyreke Wilson. Regardless, O'Brien's training-ground special was rubbed off the scoreboard as the opening stanza ended with Shelbourne leading 2-1 on aggregate. O'Brien's men dominated proceedings for long stretches, with McInroy and Wood operating way above the standard, but that only tells half the story of a marathon opening period when Linfield should have scored at least one more goal. The game started like a train and never wilted. Ben Hall came forward to almost level the tie in the opening seconds, only to head over the crossbar. Conor Kearns would not last long in the Shelbourne goal, forced off and replaced by Lorcan Healy on the half-hour mark having possibly picked up the injury when scuffing a clearance straight to Matthew Fitzpatrick. The Linfield centre forward chipped the stranded goalkeeper but the ball went a yard wide of the post. Shels captain Mark Coyle also pulled up, to be relieved by Sean Gannon, who arguably strengthened the visitors' back five. Gannon rolled back the years when cleverly dispossessing Callumn Morrison before the winger could test the newly arrived Healy. Coote seemed to send Shelbourne into the next round, against Qarabag of Azerbaijan, when he put them 2-0 ahead on aggregate in the 25th minute. Shelbourne's Alastair Coote scores the opening goal of the game. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho Wood drew an initial save from Chris Johns before Coote shimmied to shoot first time, only to take a delicate touch and finish into the bottom corner. Tolka Park's Riverside-on-tour sounded like they had entered nirvana. The feeling lasted 20 minutes as, come the start of an epic period of injury-time, Wilson's hand denied Hall from making clean contact with another header. Penalty. Yellow card for Wilson. VAR agreed, and Shields finished to the bottom corner as Healy dived the wrong way. The next 10 or so minutes had both teams in a state of pandemonium. Linfield would pour forward. Shels would tear back at them with McInroy denied his goal as the contested toed and froed. Healy replicated Kearns' gaffe at the start of the second-half but Morrison replicated Fitzpatrick's tame effort as the scrambling replacement goalkeeper got a leg to the shot. Mipo Odubeko had been quiet until the 63rd minute when he pick-pocketed Matthew Orr, which prompted Hall to lunge and upend the Republic of Ireland under-21 international before he could race clear. Madley had no choice but to produce the red card. Odubeko had a chance to avoid any late drama but Johns batted his angled effort for a corner as six minutes of injury-time was announced. Shels kept hold of the ball to move on. LINFIELD: Johns; McGee (McCullough 76), Orr, Hall, East; Shileds, Mulgrew (Offord 76), Archer, Millar (Allen 83); Fitzpatrick, Morrison (McKee 68). SHELBOURNE: Kearns (Healy 32); Caffrey, Coyle (Gannon 22), Barrett, Ledwidge, Wilson (Norris 83); Wood, McInroy, Lunney, Coote (Boyd 83); Odubeko. Referee: Andrew Madley (England).
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shelbourne poised to keep Champions League ambitions on track but Linfield quietly confident
Champions League first-round qualifier, second-leg: Linfield v Shelbourne, Windsor Park, Wednesday, 7.45pm (Shelbourne lead 1-0 on aggregate) For anyone presuming they can watch the return meeting of this absorbing all-Ireland Champions League qualifier on RTÉ2, after the national broadcaster showed the first-leg from Tolka Park last Wednesday, they will instead be welcomed by coverage of Italy v Norway in the women's Euros quarter-final. What a pity. Surely, a rare European meeting between the League of Ireland and NIFL champions deserves to be platformed by RTÉ. Linfield escaped Dublin last week with a respectable 1-0 loss, having curtailed Shelbourne to Mipo Odubeko's 58th-minute strike despite 18 attempts on goal. READ MORE The Belfast side were fresh out of preseason but Ben Hall looked like a prime John Terry in the middle of a compact defence as 11 Shelbourne corners and as many crosses were headed clear. UEFA Champions League First Qualifying Round First Leg, Tolka Park, Dublin 9/7/2025 Shelbourne vs Linfield Shels' head coach Joey O'Brien celebrates after the game Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne Shels' new manager Joey O'Brien celebrated the result publicly but you'd wonder how he felt privately, after his team spurned so many chances to kill the tie. It was the relaxed, post-match demeanour of Linfield manager David Healy that should concern the 1,800 Shelbourne fans making their way north for this lucrative European game. Both clubs will turn a profit from Uefa prize money this season but an additional €750,000 goes to the team that progresses to the second round. Azerbaijani champions Qarabağ await, with the losers redirected to a Conference League qualifier, most likely against Malta's Hamrun Spartans. Considering the missed opportunities by Evan Caffrey and Sean Boyd in particular last week, Healy sounded quietly confident in turning over their Dublin counterparts. There is a number of reasons why Linfield will believe they can slow the one-way traffic on their return to Windsor Park. One being the return of former Dundalk midfielder Chris Shields from suspension. Linfield manager David Healy with Matthew Orr after their first-leg loss at Tolka Park last week. Photograph: Damien Eagers/PA 'We will be sensible in our set up and aim to press them,' said Healy. It is a special occasion for Healy as he takes charge of his local club for a 500th time. 'On a personal level, to manage 500 games is a milestone – certainly at this football club,' he said. 'I grew up in Killyleagh, no one knows it well, but I managed to have a career in football. I grew up supporting Northern Ireland, Man United and Rangers with Linfield being my local club. 'Although I never got the opportunity to play for Linfield, I had the privilege and pleasure to manage the football club. It has been an incredible journey.' If Shelbourne can shut out all the external noise, they are better equipped to engineer a comfortable victory with their British midfield duo Harry Wood and Kerr McInroy set to dominate possession. Any concerns about O'Brien stepping into the manager seat, having served as Damien Duff 's number two for three and a half seasons, were allayed by his inspirational triple substitution last week. Boyd arrived to instantly combine with Odubeko for the winner. That may convince O'Brien to start his two tall forwards from the off.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Notre Dame football stays hot recruiting adding 2026 3-star safety Nick Reddish
It seems like every time Notre Dame is a finalist for an uncommitted prospect, they're winning out the battle and the trend continued on Friday with 2026 safety Nick Reddish. The 5-foot, 11-inch and 185-pound North Carolina star picked the Irish over Wisconsin, Indiana and Virginia Tech. Notre Dame's 2026 recruiting class now is up to 26 verbals, and there isn't much room left to add any other prospects. Advertisement Reddish is the third safety in the class joining two elite others in Joey O'Brien and Ayden Pouncey. He's a bit smaller than his future teammates, as both of them have the size and frames to outgrow the position. As the No. 681 overall player in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports Composite. He's set to join an absolutely loaded position group, as Adon Shuler is expected to be a starter, while Luke Talich, JaDon Blair, Ben Minich and others battle out for the opposite starting job. That's not including either of the two transfers in Devonta Smith and Jalen Stroman, as the Irish possess one of the deepest units in the country. Reddish is a great addition to the room, as Notre Dame's class continues to impress. This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Nick Reddish commits to Notre Dame over Wisconsin and others
Irish Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Shelbourne aim to launch new era in Champions League clash with Linfield
Champions League qualifying, first round, first leg: Shelbourne v Linfield, Tolka Park, Wednesday, 7.45pm – Live RTÉ2, Premier Sports As the final touches were happening around Tolka Park on Tuesday afternoon, Shelbourne 's people were out in force. The club's co-owner Neil Doyle, chairman Mickey O'Rourke and chief executive Tomás 'Mossy' Quinn engaged with the media before and after Joey O'Brien held his first formal press conference as manager. They all sounded as excited as the 3,655 reduced-capacity crowd probably will when they cram into the old ground for Wednesday night's Champions League first-round qualifier against the Northern Ireland league winners Linfield. The second leg takes place at Windsor Park in Belfast next Wednesday. The Drumcondra venue has been a hive of activity this week as volunteers and staff were busy readying the club shop and manicured pitch for the all-Ireland tie. READ MORE Almost everyone was present, all except one man, Damien Duff , who resigned as Shelbourne manager on June 22nd. O'Brien choose not to mention Duff – his 'friend forever' – by name on the eve of a two-legged affair that is worth €1.71 million to the victors, and a second-round meeting with Azerbaijan champions Qarabag. The loser is guaranteed €960,000 and more Uefa prize money by being rerouted to a Conference League qualifier against either the Maltese or Lithuanian champions. 'To be honest, a lot has changed but a lot hasn't changed, really,' said O'Brien, trying to explain the void Duff left behind. 'It's still the same sort of thing; I'm coaching every day, I'm out on the pitch every day. 'I had a great relationship with the manager before, I would have had a lot of say in a lot of meetings. So in a way a lot has changed, but in a strange way nothing really has changed, if you know what I mean. 'I pick the team now, I suppose, but again I'm picking the team with the staff and previously I was helping the manager pick the team.' Seemingly, O'Brien used to play bad cop to Duffer's good cop when it came to motivating the players. Mipo Odubeko looks to have regained his scoring form at the right time for Shelbourne. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho The 39-year-old former Shamrock Rovers defender still refers to the fracturing of their 3½ year double act as 'shocking.' Shelbourne cannot afford to stand still and mourn Duff's departure. Progress to the Champions League second round, by beating a Linfield side that recently lost its best player Joel Cooper to Coleraine, would greatly increase their chances of securing a place in the Conference League group stages, which unlocks an eye-watering amount of Uefa prize money. Shamrock Rovers banked €6.391 million from their run to the knock-out stages of last season's competition. Shels have published losses of €3.5 million over the past three years, so the guaranteed €3.17 million for reaching the Conference group stages would make that expenditure worthwhile. Since O'Brien stepped into Duff's shoes, their form has improved, with two draws on the road and last week's 3-1 defeat of Cork City. 'I think people from the outside look at our league position [fifth] and think we've been really bad, but if they looked at all our games we have dominated most of them,' said O'Brien. 'We have not scored enough goals from the chances we have created and conceded really poor goals. 'But the quality of player in that dressingroom is a massive reason I want to be here and lead this team. It is a serious squad.' What jumped out from Friday's win against Cork was the sight of Mipo Odubeko calmly slotting his second goal in as many games following an 11-match barren spell. Still only 22, the former Manchester City youth player has shown glimpses of being the best striker on the island, without consistently finding the net. If Odubeko can rise to the occasion, there might not be much David Healy's Linfield can do about it. 'In the last few games he's been really, really good,' O'Brien agreed. 'When he is on it, he's a handful, sometimes he can be unplayable. So hopefully he is that over this tie.' Considering that Shelbourne have the superior squad on paper and Linfield are in preseason, they really should take a lead to Belfast next week.
