Latest from The 42
The 42
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
'Not taking the lead is hurting us' - Pat's slump in form continues
STEPHEN KENNY SAID his St Patrick's Athletic side are paying the price for errant finishing as their poor form was extended with a goalless draw away to Cork City. The game marks City's first clean sheet of the season in what was their 22nd game, and it means that Pat's have taken only one point from their last four games and have slipped to sixth in the league, fully 17 points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers. 'It was probably fair overall', said Kenny post-game. 'In the first half some of our play was very good, our possession play, I thought Jason MccLelland was probably the most influential player on the pitch from left-back. Incredible range of passing, really got us playing. Cork were still dangerous on the counter attack, but we had a lot of the play. Zach Elbouzedi had two great chances, Mason[ Melia] had two headers, one was a good chance to be honest. 'We had a lot of play, that final bit wasn't to the level it needed to be, but we need to take the lead. We actually didn't play as well in the first-half earlier in the season here, when we won 2-0, we didn't play all that great and we went in at half-time 2-0 up. Chris Forrester and Brandon Kavanagh pulled goals out, we didn't play all that great, but we are two up and it's a different game. 'Not taking the lead is hurting us. Cork came at us in the second half, three forwards, into the Shed End, free kicks and corner kicks, not really clear-cut chances, but still very dangerous. We didn't do enough to win it, I didn't feel. We misplaced passes second half, we actually caused some of our problems. We didn't create enough in the second half. 'The game the other night against Derry, we dominated start to finish and played really well in, probably our best performance in weeks, I don't know why we're not scoring at the moment. We are just missing our opportunities, maybe snatching at chances at the moment. 'It wasn't a game of a lot of chances. It was important we didn't lose the game, we probably didn't do enough in the second half to win it but we should have went in in front. 'It has been a poor two weeks for us. We have gone from having an unbeaten home record for a full year to losing two 1-0s, with one shot each, Shels and Derry. Missed a penalty to take the lead against Drogheda, so it sort of stemmed from that. Momentum can take you up, like Derry winning their two games 1-0, but it's probably have a negative effect with us, in that we haven't capitalised on the opportunities. 'We have gone from being last year's goalscorers, and even if we haven't been firing on all cylinders at times this season, we were still been first or second top scorers, until this period. Scoring goals hadn't been an issue for us, but it has been for the last couple of weeks, it has hurt us and moved us right down the table. We have to regroup and get back to wining ways.' Advertisement Kenny says Pat's will not make any 'kneejerk decisions' in the transfer market, though admits his side are missing the influence of injured midfielder Romal Palmer. City boss Ger Nash, meanwhile, is open about the scale of change ahead for Cork City in July, with defenders Rory Feely and Fiacre Kelleher along with Aston Villa attacker Charlie Lutz confirmed signings and eligible to play from 1 July. There will be outgoings too, though Nash declined to specify who would leave. He declined to comment specifically on Tein Troost, the on-loan Dutch goalkeeper who has been linked with an imminent exit according to reports in the Netherlands. 'We are pleased with the performance, we are pleased with the clean sheet', said Nash. 'It was really important that we played with passion and made ourselves harder to beat. We were pretty good value for it, we limited them to very few clear cut chances, and while I am not saying we were brilliant, we created the best one or two chances in the game. I am pleased with the point, but disappointed not to get three.' The best chance of the game fell to Kitt Nelson in the box just before half time, but he blazed over having been teed up by Sean Maguire. Nelson today confirmed he had extended his loan spell from Preston through to the end of the season. 'It's a big moment, but it's football, it happens', said Nash. 'It's a big moment in the game, but I am pleased Kitt Nelson decided to stay here. It says a hell of a lot about him and a hell of a lot about us and what we want to do. Happening people like him opt-in is incredible and in my experience that is not always the case. He will score goals this season. 'There's going to be some changes. We have brought some players in, some players will will all come out in the next couple of days. Some players will leave the club and we will wish them well, and some players will join the club. 'On the other side of it, by the middle of July I'll have people who are desperate to be here, that's really important when you're a football manager when you look around the dressing room. 'The players who will leave I have been very pleased with, they have been great, but I need players who are here for the fight. The staff are up for the fight, the dressing room needs to be up for the fight. We are fighting for this football club and that's really important to me.' Asked whether he felt some of the players he inherited had not given him the impression they wished to be at the club, Nash declined to comment. 'We are fighting, you could see that tonight. '
The 42
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Lions hope to 'create moments' as Irish crew get shot against Force
ANDY FARRELL AND his Lions coaches are urging their team to create memories when they play their first fixture on Australian soil against Western Force on Saturday [KO 11am Irish time, Sky Sports]. The Lions are eager to kickstart their tour after losing 28-24 to Argentina in their Dublin opener as they build towards the Test series against the Wallabies, which begins in Brisbane on 19 July. Although they may be the worst-performing of Australia's Super Rugby sides this season, the Force have been reinforced by the presence of six Wallabies who have been released for the Optus Stadium showdown. Irish scrum coach John Fogarty has highlighted the importance of the Lions rewarding their supporters – more than 30,000 are expected to head Down Under – after seeing the Aviva Stadium turn red last Friday. 'The lads need to create moments for people to get behind,' said Fogarty, who oversaw a dominant scrum performance against the Pumas. 'Whether it's in a scrum or off a line-out or attacking play or defensive play, we need to make sure we're creating moments that capture the minds of the people that matter most. That's the plan. 'It's an amazing thing, the Lions. You get behind it instantly. It was disappointing against Argentina because you feel like you're letting people down a little bit due to the performance and the result.' The Lions at Optus Stadium on Friday. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO Head coach Farrell has made 13 changes to his starting XV for this clash in Perth, with eight Irish players in the starting XV and three more on the bench. Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan will captain the Lions on his debut for the tourists, while Scoland's Finn Russell makes his first appearance of 2025 at out-half. This is a prime chance for the Irish contingent and others to lay down an early claim to be part of Farrell's Test side. Connacht man Mack Hansen starts on the right wing and he knows what's awaiting the Lions tomorrow after being present as a spectator for the Brumbies' famous upset of the tourists on their last visit to Australia in 2013. Canberra-born Hansen will face some of his old Brumbies team-mates, including a former housemate in Bayley Kuenzle. 'I was at that Brumbies game [in 2013] with my dad and brother and the Brumbies beat the Lions, so these things do happen,' said Hansen, who sat out Friday's captain's run as his training load was managed. Advertisement 'We were sitting behind the goalposts watching it. It was mad. You don't expect anyone to actually do it, but I talked to guys after that and they'd been pumped up for the game for weeks, working towards it. 'They saw it as the be-all and end-all. Also, guys are playing to try to get into the Wallabies as well, so there's still a lot on the line for a lot of these teams. 'None of the games are going to be easy. Everyone wants to win – it's not just us that want to win. 'We want to win every game but the Force aren't saying 'all right boys, let's go out and lose by 40'. They'll be coming out thinking 'we can cause an upset'. They've only got one game, then they're on holiday. Mack Hansen in Perth this week. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO 'There will be this, then they'll have 10 toes up for the next five weeks, so I'm sure they're going to give it their all. 'When you get that time after time after time after time for however long we're here, it will take its toll on us, but that's a good thing. It makes us better and it makes the game more exciting.' Any doubt the Lions have a target on their backs was immediately dispelled by the defeat to Argentina last weekend. Hansen knows that any more setbacks will be poorly received by the Lions' coaching team. 'We are four of the best teams and have some of the best players in the world. You should be winning every time, so every time it's a loss that just isn't good enough,' he said. 'That's the best thing that this group has on its shoulders at the moment because we know that and as disappointed as we were, we don't want to feel that again. 'If anything, it's good to feel it early and then we know that we'll get our heads absolutely chewed off if it happens again, so the plan is to win from here on out. 'A lot of the chat has been about us and what we need to improve. The only thing that can beat us is us really.' WESTERN FORCE: Ben Donaldson; Mac Grealy, Matt Proctor, Hamish Stewart, Dylan Pietsch; Alex Harford, Nic White (captain); Tom Robertson, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Ollie Hoskins; Sam Carter, Darcy Swain; Will Harris, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Vaiolini Ekuasi. Replacements: Nic Dolly, Marley Pearce, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Lopeti Faifua, Reed Prinsep, Henry Robertson, Max Burey, Bayley Kuenzle. BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS: Elliot Daly; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Sione Tuipulotu, James Lowe; Finn Russell, Tomos Williams; Pierre Schoeman, Dan Sheehan (captain), Tadhg Furlong; Scott Cummings, Joe McCarthy; Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Henry Pollock. Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Jack Conan, Alex Mitchell, Huw Jones, Marcus Smith. Referee: Ben O'Keeffe [New Zealand].
The 42
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- The 42
Hamilton given formal warning as difficult Ferrari start continues
LEWIS HAMILTON'S DIFFICULT start to life at Ferrari continued on Friday as he was handed a warning by the race stewards after winding up 10th in second practice for the Austrian Grand Prix. The seven-time champion was alleged to have impeded his successor at Mercedes, Italian teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli, at turn four of the fast and technical Red Bull Ring circuit in the Styrian Alps. Hamilton apologised immediately and explained that he had not seen Antonelli approaching behind him as he descended over the crest of a hill on a slow lap and drifted into the racing line. Hamilton raised his hand to signal his apology to Antonelli as he passed him. After speaking to Hamilton, the stewards decided to give the Briton a formal warning — the usual sanction for such a misdemeanour in practice. It is the third time this season that Hamilton has been warned. 'The driver of car 44 (Hamilton), although constantly checking his mirrors after being informed by the team about car 12 (Antonelli) closing in, slowly moved on to the racing line on the approach to turn four and thereby unnecessarily impeded car 12 which had to take evasive action,' said the stewards in a statement. Hamilton was given a three-place grid drop at the Monaco Grand Prix where he impeded four-time champion Max Verstappen in qualifying when his race engineer Riccardo Adami wrongly informed him that the Dutchman was not on a flying lap. Advertisement Hamilton struggled with gearbox problems on Friday as he evaluated a new floor design on his Ferrari car. His teammate Charles Leclerc was fifth, six-tenths off the pace of McLaren's Lando Norris. Offaly teenager Alex Dunne, a McLaren junior and the current Formula 2 Championship leader, finished fourth in his first ever F1 session as he temporarily deputised for Lando Norris. Meanwhile, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff suggested he was interested in signing Max Verstappen to partner George Russell in a potentially explosive driver line-up for the 2026 season. During a series of interviews, it emerged that he had made contract with the four-time world champion and that this had affected contract talks with Russell who has been in outstanding form this year. Russell told Sky Sports F1 that it was entirely 'normal that conversations with the likes of Verstappen are ongoing', adding that a team that aims to win the championship has to go for the best drivers, engineers and pit-crews to succeed. 'But from my side, if I'm performing as I'm doing, what have I got to be concerned about? There are two seats in every Formula 1 team.' Wolff has flirted with the idea of recruiting Verstappen for some time, but also expressed satisfaction with the current partnership of Russell and teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli — a precocious talent, but not yet an experienced or metronomic points-scorer. It may be, as many seasoned observers believe, that Wolff feels he can manage the testy rivalry between Russell and Verstappen, who have clashed several times in the last year both on and off the track. But, he conceded, it remains much more likely that Russell will stay at Mercedes next year -– his contract ends this season -– than that Verstappen, who is contracted to Red Bull until 2028, will arrive. 'He has been part of our programme for 10 years,' Wolff said. 'He's always performed to the expectations and he's continuing to do so. These are normal business contract discussions as I have been doing for 30 years… And contract discussions are not held in Town Halls.' He added in a separate interview: 'At the moment, clearly you need to explore what's happening in the future, but it doesn't change anything of what I said before about George, about Kimi, about the line-up that I'm extremely happy having'. Verstappen declined to comment on the speculation when asked in a news conference on Thursday, but he is known to be frustrated with his Red Bull car this year. 'I don't think we need to talk about that,' the 27-year-old said. 'It's not really on my mind. Just driving well, trying to push the performance and then we focus on next year.' Much may depend on events at Red Bull where long-serving team consultant Helmut Marko is a key part of Verstappen's inner circle, but may be considering his own future amid reports that four-time champion Sebastian Vettel has been approached to replace him. In the wake of the departures of F1′s most successful designer Adrian Newey to Aston Martin and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley to Sauber-Audi, it could be that Verstappen is also ready to leave. Next year will see F1 move into a new era with major rule changes requiring new engines and new cars –- an opportunity that may favour a Mercedes revival. – © AFP 2025
The 42
5 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Cork City keep first clean sheet of the season in goalless draw with out-of-form Pat's
Cork City 0 St Patrick's Athletic 0 THIS CLASH OF the out-of-form yielded little to lift any gloom. Cork City kept their first clean sheet of the season but Sligo's point at Bohemians means they made up no ground at the bottom of the league, though their team's earnest toil eventually distracted hardcore supporters from their mutiny against the club's owner. Pat's, meanwhile, show no sign of being snapped from their indolence: they have the dishonour of being the first team to fail to score against Cork City this season, and have now won one of their last eight games. The Pat's players trooped to their restive fans at the end of the game and were given little encouragement. This football business: nobody's happy. This was a clash of two dispirited teams. Pat's had lost their three previous games to bring attention to a run of just three wins in 14 games, since an April victory at Turner's Cross. City, meanwhile, were winless in 10 matches – half of them under Ger Nash – and had slumped to the bottom of the league. Much of the first half was more notable for the sour churn from the Shed End. City fans protested the ownership of Dermot Usher during Monday's draw against Drogheda and they cranked up their discontent midway through the half, unfurling a couple of banners aimed at Usher and again chanting 'twenty-five euro, you're having a laugh', in reference to single admission ticket prices. These were accompanied by thick black plumes of flare smoke, and a few tossed toilet rolls, a classic emblem of fan protest that have a specific resonance with this situation. At one point Djenairo Daniels was warming up nearby and threw the rolls off the pitch, remonstrating angrily with a couple of irate City fans. To describe this as a distraction from the on-field action would be too great a compliment to pay to said action. City started with zeal and followed their manager's instructions to push high on Pat's restarts, but Pat's soon fell into an easy dominance without really having to do much to earn it. Pat's were their classic 4-3-3 selves, but too often sterlie, with their wingers largely shackled and Brandon Kavanagh and Barry Baggley lacking penetration on the edge of the City box. Elbouzedi did at one point get some separation, cutting inside to send a low shot whistling by Tein Troost's right-hand post. Jake Mulraney's benching is a symbol of Pat's baffling torpor these days, but he was sprung into action shortly after, replacing the injured Simon Power. He made an instant impact, sending in a low cross that Elbouzedi got caught under his feet when he should have steered it in at the near post. Advertisement City, though, wasted the best chance of the half. In another episode of Pat's sleepy attitude, Brandon Kavanagh was robbed of the ball when he dropped deep to collect a throw-in, and Sean Maguire squared the ball in the six-yard area to Kitt Nelson, who slung a left-footed shot over the bar from just in front of the penalty spot. The home groans quickly gave way to rousing shouts, and for all the mid-game toxicity, City were roared from the field. City grew emboldened after the break; Pat's, with the exception of Mulraney, got worse. They continued to knock around bloodlessly until someone would sloppily give it away, while Melia continued to struggle, his attempts to drop and link play undone by errant touches. Joseph Anang, meanwhile, remained scrambled in his own box, at one point coming for a cross and missing it by miles, but he was bailed out by a scrum of bodies in the box which prevented Maguire from. getting his shot off. City introduced their own teenage superstar, Cathal O'Sullivan, along with Daniels and instantly sparked, though again struggled to fashion anything clear-cut. Pat's remained determined to lose possession in awful areas – Redmond was next to fall victim to the malaise, losing a simple challenge with Daniels – but City lacked the quality to capitalise on these moments, with Sean Hoare recovering to snuff out that particular danger. Forrester made his introduction with 15 minutes to go but City merely went to a higher level, and delightful interchange between Maguire, O'Sullivan and Mbeng saw Sean Hoare haul Mbeng's jersey back by the right touchline in another exhibit of a distant mind. Tein Troost, making what may be his final City appearance at the end of his loan deal, was forced into action late, acrobatically tipping Brandon Kavanagh's curling shot over the crossbar. That was a rare involvement for Troost who, for all of Pat's possession early in the game, was thoroughly underworked, as was the case when a ball broke kindly for substitute Aidan Keena on the edge of the box but could only scuff his volley wide. Mulraney provided Pat's little attacking impetus but he was forced into being defensively sharp in the final minute of stoppage time, heading away under pressure at his back post. Pat's cleared the corner, but they are now looking to Europe and the FAI Cup to save their season. City, for all their improvements under Nash, may find any such salvation beyond them. Cork City: Tein Troost; Milan Mbeng; Freddie Anderson, Charlie Lyons, Darragh Crowley; Matthew Kiernan (Josh Fitzpatrick, 74′); Greg Bolger (Rio Shipston, 74′), Sean Murray (Evan McLaughlin, 64′); Kitt Nelson (Cathal O'Sullivan, 56′); Alex Nolan (Djenairo Daniels, 56′) Sean Maguire St Patrick's Athletic: Joseph Anang; Axel Sjoberg, Sean Hoare, Joe Redmond, Jason McClelland; Jamie Lennon, Barry Baggley (Kian Leavy, 75′), Brandon Kavanagh; Zach Elbouzedi (Chris Forrester, 74′), Mason Melia (Aidan Keena, 66′), Simon Power (Jake Mulraney, 35′) Referee: Marc Lynch Attendance: 2276
The 42
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The 42
Silver for Corby and bronze for McCartney at Euro U23 Championships, Walshe wins gold in Rome
IN A SPECTACULAR showing for Irish swimmers on Friday night, a gold, silver and bronze were won in Slovakia and Rome. Ellie McCartney added to 200m IM gold at the European U23 Championships with bronze in the 100m breaststroke, Eoin Corby won his first international medal with silver in the 200m breaststroke, and at the Sette Colli International Ellen Walshe claimed gold in the 400m individual medley. National Centre Limerick's Eoin Corby becomes Ireland's fifth ever European U23 medallist joining Mona McSharry, Ellen Walshe, Daniel Wiffen and McCartney on the list. Corby was impressive in his execution of the race going from seventh after 50m, to sixth after 100m, he moved to third after 150m and closed out to claim silver in 2:10.50 – the time a significant one for the 23-year-old who was exactly on his personal best set back in 2021. Gold in the race went to Austria's Luka Mladenovic in 2:10.08 with Ukraine's Maksym Ovchinnikiv taking bronze in 2:10.77. 'Obviously, I'm delighted with that race,' Corby said. 'I knew after this morning I had a bit more in me, I'd a quick finish and I just kind of tried to build on that this evening. I know a lot of the guys in the race, I know how they race, they know how I race, so just about playing to your advantages and your strengths putting the race together this evening, so I'm very very happy with it.' The Limerick man returns to the pool on Saturday morning for the 100m breaststroke. Ellie McCartney, U23 European Champion in the 200m individual medley, added a bronze medal in this evening's 100m breaststroke final. The 20-year-old, seeded fifth from the heats, took over a second off this mornings' time of 1:08.70 to finish in 1:07.58 for her second medal in as many days. Estonia's Enelia Jefimova won the race in 1:06.30 while silver went to Lithuania's Kotryna Teterevkova in 1:07.50. Advertisement 'I'm quite happy with that swim' McCartney said. 'It's nice to get my hands on the wall again and get another medal, the time was just a bit off my PB but that's understandable when I'm not fully rested for this. It was key to control my emotions, especially after last night and then control it again tonight ahead of the 200m breaststroke tomorrow.' McCartney returns to the pool on Saturday for the heats of the 200m Breaststroke. In Rome, Ellen Walshe was a clear winner of the 400m individual medley final touching in 4:37.80, over three seconds ahead of her closest competitor, Italy's Anna Pirovana (4:41.09). In the 50m breaststroke B final Mona McSharry took the top spot in 30.89. Walshe and McSharry will both be back in action on Saturday. Walshe doubles up with the 200m Butterfly and 200m Individual Medley, while McSharry is entered in the 200m Breaststroke. Back in Slovakia, National Centre Limerick's Jack Cassin was agonisingly close to a medal in the 200m butterfly. The Cork man swam a personal best of 1:57.34, his second PB of the day, to finish just outside the medals in fourth place, only 1/10th of a second separating him from the bronze medallist Apostolos Siskos of Greece in 1:57.23. The swim concludes Cassin's Championships with focus now turning to the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in July. In the 400m freestyle final, Cormac Rynn swam a personal best of 3:53.57 to finish eighth overall. Rynn, 19, whose previous best was 3:53.70 in the event, is swimming his first year as a senior and will also be in action later this month at the World Aquatics Championships. The Carrick-on-Shannon native will be back in the pool on Saturday for the heats of the 100m freestyle. Also in action on Saturday morning in Slovakia for the final day of competition, Brandon Biss competes in the 100m backstroke, Evan Bailey and Oisin Tebite join Rynn in the 100m freestyle and Lottie Cullen and Maria Godden swim the 200m backstroke. Report courtesy of Swim Ireland.
