Liverpool stars make classy gesture to Sean Cox at Aviva
THE Aviva Stadium was my destination on Saturday evening for Liverpool’s final pre-season friendly against Napoli.
Over 51,000 were packed into the Lansdowne Road venue for a comfortable 5-0 victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
There was a fantastic rendition of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ prior to kick-off which had the hairs standing on the back of my neck and got my two boys up standing on their seats.
Liverpool’s new-look team were excellent with recent signings Alisson, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Shaqiri all impressing and the players and staff paid a classy tribute to Sean Cox at the end of the 90 minutes when they unveiled a banner in the centre of the pitch in tribute to the Meathman.
Cox continues to recover in hospital from injuries received in a sickening attack prior to last season’s Champions League semi-final against Roma at Anfield.
Many of the Liverpool players remained on the pitch long after the final whistle for photographs and to sign autographs. Mo Salah in particular climbed the advertising hoardings behind the goals and went into the crowd to embrace the fans. The ‘Egyptian King’ remained there for over 30 minutes signing autographs until asked by the Liverpool security team to return to the dressing rooms.
GOOD NEIGHBOURS
OUR neighbours Monaghan are through to their first All Ireland semi-final in 30 years. The fourth smallest county in Ireland in terms of population (only Leitrim, Longford and Carlow have less) have shown what can be achieved by a county if everyone is pulling together.
The Farney men’s emphatic final Super 8 win over Galway in Salthill means not only have they qualified for the final four, but they finish top of
Group A and thus avoid a semi-final clash with Dublin.
The knock-on effect of this result means that Kerry are dumpedd out of the championship and Galway must now facece up to the four-in-a-row chasing Dubs on Saturday. rday.
Monaghan are rewarded with a semi-final nal clash the for following Donegal day in with Ballybofey Tyrone thanks who accounted cs to a late flourish from their subs bench.
The last time Monaghan reached the last four was in 1988 when they lost to Cork. Stefan White and Eamon McEneaney were in the Farney forward line. Three years earlier they had taken the great Kerry team to a semi-final replay. The draw was secured in dramatic c circumstances from the boot of Eamon on McEneaney, one of the best place kickers kers of his generation, who pointed an injuryy time free from beyond 50 metres. Kerry won thee replay. While high Monaghan level in recent have times, been their pitching record at aconsistrd in consistently headquarters is poor.
Based on recent Croke Park meetings Tyrone will likely be many peoples’ favourites but this Monaghan team won’t fear Mickey Harte’s men.
They’ve already put them to the sword in the first round of this year’s Ulster championship, beating them in their own back yard in Omagh at the end of May, and I have a sneaky feeling that Malachy O’Rourke will guide our neighbours to their first All Ireland final since 1930.
SHORT
DUNDALK unfortunately came up short in Cyprus last week as Stephen Kenny’s side went down 4-0 to AEK Larnaca in temperatures that rose above 30 degrees. The home side served up a blistering start and scored twice in the opening 20 minutes ripping great holes in the Dundalk defence. The visitors had a stone wall penalty denied when Jamie McGMcGrath was clearly fouled in the box but the CroCroatian referee waved play on. AEK AE added a third before the break and finished finis out the game comfortably in the second se half. It’s the first time Dundalk have ha been humbled in Europe under Kenny’s stewardship but they will have to dust themselves down quickly as the fight for domestic honours continues with arch rivals Cork City.
The Leesiders 2-1 win in Waterford pu puts them two points clear at the top of the table but Dundalk have two games in hhand.
HURLING HURLIN HEAVEN
I was on holidholiday for the past two weeks so wasn’t able to keep in touch with what was going on back home but anyone I spoke to was raving about the All Ireland Hurling championship.
I caught some highlights in recent days of the previous weekend’s semi-finals, the Galway/Clare draw and Limerick’s win over Cork.
Both matches were magnificent with incredible levels of skill, commitment, fitness and passion over 100 minutes of play.
Pundit Anthony Daly described it as
‘a gift from the gods’. Yesterday’s replay was just as thrilling with
Galway edging out Clare by a single point 1-17 to 2-13.
The final in two weeks time has a lot to live up to.