Barry's Blog

GRAND SLAM DARTS Tuesday November 12 Groups A-D Final Matches Ian White 5-4 Wesley Harms (B) Steve Lennon 5-4 James Wade (B) Michael van Gerwen 5-2 Ross Smith (A) Robert Thornton 5-3 Mikuru Suzuki (C) Gerwyn Price 5-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh (C) Dave Parletti 5-2 William O'Connor (D) Darren Webster 5-4 Gary Anderson (D) Adrian Lewis 5-3 Jim Williams (A)

GRAND SLAM DARTS Monday November 11 Groups E-H Final Matches Gabriel Clemens 5-2 Richard Veenstra (G) Michael Smith 5-4 Martin Schindler (H) Dave Chisnall 5-1 Lisa Ashton (E) Daryl Gurney 5-2 Brendan Dolan (G) Peter Wright 5-2 Danny Noppert (F) Ryan Harrington 5-1 Wayne Warren (F) Rob Cross 5-4 Jamie Hughes (E) Glen Durrant 5-0 Nathan Aspinall (H)

GRAND SLAM DARTS Group Matches E-H (Best of 9 legs) Brendan Dolan 5-1 Richard Veenstra (G) Danny Noppert 5-1 Wayne Warren (F) Jamie Hughes 5-1 Lisa Ashton (E) Martin Schindler 4-5 Glen Durrant (H) Daryl Gurney 4-5 Gabriel Clemens (G) Peter Wright 5-2 Ryan Harrington (F) Michael Smith 5-1 Nathan Aspinall (H) Rob Cross 3-5 Dave Chisnall (E) Group Matches A-D (Best of 9 legs) ·          Steve Lennon 5-4 Wesley Harms (B) ·          Darren Webster 5-2 Dave Parletti (D) ·          Ross Smith 1-5 Jim Williams (A) ·          Dimitri Van den Bergh 5-1 Mikuru Suzuki (C) ·          Gerwyn Price 5-4 Robert Thornton (C) ·          James Wade 5-4 Ian White (B) ·      ...

RUGBY LEAGUE  WORLD CUP IRELAND 25-4 ITALY KILLER KING On a boggy pitch, Ireland got off to a flyer when skipper Bob Beswick cut up the middle and an inside pass gave prop Pat Moran the opportunity to open the scoring.  Roland Podesta converted but from the restart Ireland knocked on and Italy utilised the greasy conditions to grubber through for excellent hooker Joseph Tramantana to dive on the ball, Jack Campagnolo wide with the conversion attempt. Beswick was again the provider, this time for George King going over low between the posts and, when Italy kicked out on the full from the resumption, Joe Keyes sent Moran barrelling through for his second try. Not surprisingly as the rain worsened, both sides struggled to hold the ball and gave away penalties, the hosts having a further try disallowed for a forward pass, Ethan Ryan then gaining a goal line drop out but without reward. With conditions worsening at the start of the second half and possession ...

PREMIERE LEAGUE TOP 2 MATCH LIVERPOOL 3-1 MAN CITY FABINHO BECOMES FAN  FAVORITE   City think they should have had a penalty for handball, after the ball flicked off Alexander-Arnold’s thigh and into his arm. The referee waves play on and Liverpool raid down the left. Mane’s low cross is poked clear, but Fabinho runs onto it, takes a touch and blasts it inside the post from 25 yards! They’ve only gone and stolen a second! Robertson’s cross is a beauty, and it bounces to Salah, who heads it in! But was he onside?  It’s a gorgeous Henderson cross, and Mane stoops to head in at the back stick! Bravo gets two hands to it, but can only fumble it in! Angelino’s low cross deflects to Bernardo Silva, whose low shot clips the inside of the post on its way in! https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2019/nov/10/liverpool-v-manchester-city-premier-league-live?page=with:block-5dc83e2a8f08c2d1f80dd354#liveblog-navigation MY OPINION I think that thi...

Ireland have finished in third place at the ICC Twenty20 World Cup qualifying series after beating Namibia by 27 runs in Saturday's play-off match. The Irish, who had already secured qualification for next year's final tournament in Australia, batted first and were dismissed for 135 in Dubai. Captain Gerhard Erasmus hit 51 for Namibia, who appeared to have Ireland's modest total in their sights. But they lost the last five wickets for 18 and were all out for 108. Off-spinner Simi Singh claimed three Namibian wickets to earn the man of the match award. The Netherlands claimed the title with a seven-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in the final. rish openers Paul Stirling (25) and Kevin O'Brien (17) both fell to catches in the outfield when beginning to look dangerous. Andrew Balbirnie looked in control of his innings and appeared comfortable picking off runs with the odd boundary, but he top-edged the last ball of the 15th over and was caught at back...

RUGBY WORLD CUP FINAL ENGLAND 12-32 SA KOLBE COLD England hold the scrum this time and Vunipola picks from the base and shovels a despicable pass to Farrell which puts his captain under pressure in his own 22. He tries to run it out but Garces again does not like England in the breakdown. Penalty for Pollard to launch at the posts. The Bok ten slots it In the midst of all the action, Mbonambi had to leave the field for a head injury assessment, Malcolm Marx replaces him, and Lood De Jager has done some serious damage to his arm and is replaced by Franco Mostert. The England captain thumps the ball through the sticks.  England finally get a toe-hold and then mangle receiving the restart to give SA as scrum in the England half. England hold it up before SA pop up on their loose-head side and Garces gives a penalty to South Africa. Hmm, not sure about that, England were going backwards and Cole looked angled in a bit but I think SA popped that up. That’s an easy on...

Ireland have joined England, Wales and Scotland in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup without playing a game. The Irish moved a step closer to qualifying by beating Spain 42-8 in Valencia a week ago and became the 13th nation to secure their spot when Italy beat the Spaniards 34-4 in Lignano on Saturday. The result eliminates Spain and sends both Ireland and Italy through ahead of their meeting in Dublin next Saturday. https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2019/1102/1088265-ireland-qualify-for-2021-rugby-league-world-cup/ MY OPINION Ireland secured a spot in the 2021 rugby league world cup when Italy beat Spain to assure both teams qualification as they had both beaten Spain and I want Ireland to get a good draw and run as we will see the groups at the end of the month I do hope Ireland finish on top but wonder with what they can do why they are in the bottom seed

WOMEN GET THAT BIT OF LUCK WHERE MEN DO NOT Following last night's 0-0 draw the second leg at Energia Park also finished without a goal and the game went down to penalty shuttles. Ireland trailed 3-1 in that shootout but goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran pulled off two stunning saves, while Beth Barr and Chloe Watson scored to send the shootout to sudden death. Roisin Upton somehow shot the ball in from the tightest of angles and Canada couldn’t convert their penalty and Ireland began to celebrate. However, the joy was cut short momentarily as the Canadians referred it to the video umpire looking for a foul. "No clear reason to change your decision," came the reply eventually and the Green Army could begin the celebrations in earnest. https://www.rte.ie/sport/hockey/2019/1103/1088426-ireland-0-0-canada-ireland-win-on-penalties/ MY OPINION This was another game based on luck and in this game Ireland got that bit of luck needed to secure a spot in Tokyo. I ...

BIG DEFEAT FOR IRISH AS VAN MEERKEN KILLS IT Seasoned county cricket veteran for Essex Ryan ten Doeschate starred with the bat for the Dutch, striking three boundaries and two sixes on his way to an unbeaten 43 off 22 balls, while Ben Cooper (37 off 35) and Roelof van der Merwe (25no off 16) too contributed to a total of 158-4. Ireland's run-chase got off to a rip-roaring start, with openers Paul Stirling (29 off 24) and Kevin O'Brien (22 off 22) bringing up a fifty partnership inside seven overs. But slow-left-arm spinner Van der Merwe (2-19) came into the attack and removed both to turn the game, first picking up O'Brien caught in the deep in his opening over and then bowling Stirling in his second. The rest of the innings followed suit, with the Ireland batsmen completely flummoxed by spin, as Netherlands skipper Pieter Seelaar claimed 3-17 to run through the middle order - Ireland ultimately falling well short on 137-9. https://www.skysports.com/live-sc...

BRONZE MEDAL MATCH NZ 40-17 WALES SMITH SLINKY The All Blacks’ loose head prop with the first try! They shrug off that early missed penalty by Mo’unga as Retallick collects a good off-load and bursts into the 22 with a lovely step off his left foot. He then sees Moody on his right shoulder and sends him clear with a clinical pass. Moody sprints beyond the cover and dives over for the first score. A yard of space is all they need. The All Blacks move into the Welsh 22, Smith collects from a ruck, then sees Barrett running a perceptive diagonal line to the inside. Smith off-loads and Barrett charges through the gap and under the posts. Mo’unga adds the conversion. Sensational score by Hallam Amos. Wales take it through more than 10 phases near the All Blacks’ line. There are some bone-jarring tackles from the All Blacks but Gatland’s men spin the ball left, and instead of using an overlap, Amos dummies convincingly before showing Mo’unga a clean pair of heels to sprint o...