Barry's Blog

FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP G ENGLAND 0-1 BELGIUM JUMPING JANUZAJ Out of nothing, a gorgeous goal! Januzaj cuts in from the right, drops a shoulder to waltz past Rose, and curls an unstoppable shot across Pickford and into the top left! Batshuayi celebrates by catching the ball as it springs from the net and battering against the post. It rebounds into his startled coupon. Entertainment worth waiting for! https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2018/jun/28/world-cup-2018-england-v-belgium-live MY OPINION England can look at this match with a sense that they have got the potential to go far in the competition. Belgium do look impressive and seem like they can beat anyone at this moment but as both teams took a few risks maybe there is less assurances. PANAMA 1-2 TUNISIA KICKING KHAZRO After Mathlouthi makes an awkward save from a long shot, Panama recycle possession. Rodriguez passes to Torres at the edge of the box and then takes the return ball and lets fly f...

FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP E SERBIA 0-2 BRAZIL PERFECT PALINHO Coutinho spots a tremendous run from deep by Paulinho and clips the perfect pass through to him. The keeper charges out but Paulinho gets there first and pokes the bouncing ball over him and into the net! Brazil zip forward and wins a couple of corner. Neymar curls the second one into the near post and Thiago Silva heads into the net from six yards! https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2018/jun/27/serbia-v-brazil-world-cup-2018-live MY OPINION Brazil look like they are getting better as the tournament is going on and I think that they have the quality to kill off any team like they did Serbia. I think that Serbia had some poor defending for Brazils first goal which killed them off. SWITZERLAND 2-2 COSTA RICA RUIZ GETS LUCKY Lichtsteiner’s deep cross was headed down superbly by Embolo into the path of Dzemaili, who battered it into the net from eight yards. Kendall Waston scores Costa Rica’s...

FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP C AUSTRILIA 0-2 PERU GREEDY GUERRO KNOCKS OUT AUSSIES Long ball for Guerrero that the skipper does well to chase down and then cross for Carrillo to smash home on the volley from the edge of the box Lovely interplay down the left ends with Cueva cutting inside to shoot but the ball ricochets off an Australian defender to Guerrero who clips a neat poacher’s finish with his left foot across Ryan. https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2018/jun/26/australia-v-peru-world-cup-2018-live-socceroos?page=with:block-5b3252eae4b0973193b2f4ee#liveblog-navigation MY OPINION Australia had a real chance to play themselves into contention but after they conceded the first goal I think that they gave up and I don’t really know how they should look at this world cup. As for Peru this is an honourable win. DENMARK 0-0 FRANCE HAREIDE COACHES DENMARK TO LAST 16 But they saw little in the way of goal-mouth excitement, with the first shot on target ...

GAA FOOTBALL QUALIFERS OFFALY 2-14 1-19 CLARE MIGHTY MALONE A goal from Ruairi McNamee gave Offaly an early advantage which they built on to lead by 1-03 0-02 with 13 minutes on the clock. Clare were then denied what looked to be a stone-wall penalty after corner-back Eoghan Collins appeared to be fouled, but play was waved on much to the bemusement of the Clare contingent present in O’Connor Park. Banner forward Jamie Malone then got the game’s opening goal, with a great finish to the back of the net after a superb set-up by Keelan Sexton to reduce the deficit to one point, but the Corofin clubman was wondering how he hadn’t scored a hat-trick before the break as two of his goal-bound attempts rebounded off the crossbar and the post respectively. Clare looked to be well in control heading into the interval, but Offaly were awarded a penalty before the break when Shane Nally was fouled by Pearse Lillis and goalkeeper Alan Mulhall made no mistake with the finish to ...

FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP A SAUDI ARIBIA 2-1 EGYPT DYNAMIC AL-DAWSARI What a save from Essam Elhadary, who celebrates becoming the oldest player in World Cup history by saving Fahad Al Mulwallad’s penalty kick. He dives to his right and knocks the ball off the crossbar and back into play. Super agility from the 45-year-old. That was a wonderful finish from Salah, who sprinted between two defenders to latch on to a long, bouncing ball from deep. He controlls the ball beautifully with his first two touches before lifting it over the onrushing goalkeeper with his third. He wheels away in celebration as the ball bounces into the net Referee Wilmar Perez spots a handball in the Egypt area and points to the spot. It’s going to VAR. Salman Al Faraj sends the goalkeeper the wrong way and blasts the ball down the left. That penalty looked a little harsh too - Fahad Al Mulwallad and Ali Gabr both had a hold of each other’s shirts as the Saudi striker went to ground. A low drive i...

LEINSTER FINAL LAOIS 0-10 1-25 DUBLIN KILLER KILKENNY The holders did race into a 1-01 to no score lead thanks to a fourth minute Rock goal when he caught a high ball in from Eric Lowndes, spun clear of Finbarr Crowley and slammed home. But Laois' response was terrific as they reeled off four points in a row to tie up the game by the 17th minute. It was a hint that Laois could trouble Dublin in the air but that threat didn't materialise. In fact, Laois only scored once more in the half when Alan Farrell pointed in the 27th minute. Even that score came with a sense of regret as Farrell was in on goal with a man over but chose to boot it over. Dublin, meanwhile, were strangely errant in front of goal at the other end and blasted eight first-half wides while Con O'Callaghan missed two goal opportunities. Dublin's accuracy improved in the closing minutes of the half and they reeled off five points in a row including two from Rock to open up a 1-08 t...