Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BLUES DELIGHT AT NEW SEXTON DEAL
2 Portadown
JOHNNY SEXTON has been told to play on for as long as he can after signing his new one-year IRFU deal.
The Ireland skipper’s (far right) contract extension will see him play with Leinster to the end of the 2021-22 season, less than two months before he turns 37.
Last week he clarified remarks that he could finish before the end of the World Cup cycle in late 2023 by saying he hasn’t put any date on his retirement.
“I imagine someone like Tom Brady is an inspiration at the moment,” said Leinster assistant coach Robin Mcbryde.
“When you get to a certain age you just take it year by year and if your body is telling you to carry on then carry on.
“I’m sure the body will tell you when enough is enough and if the body doesn’t then the mind certainly will.
“You see it in someone like Alun Wyn Jones, he’s at the top of his game as well and I think he is 36 as well. Long may he continue, really, because of the support that is out there for players nutrition-wise, fitness-wise.
“I’m sure we’ll see players play a little bit longer. If you are at the top of the game and able to achieve the absolute highest standards you demand of yourself then there is no reason to stop. “Play as long as you can because once you hang up your boots the closest you will get to it is coaching and you end up just being a supporter after that.
“It’s great news because he is such a great player and he has a lot more to offer.”
Harry Byrne is a doubt for Saturday’s big PRO14 conference A clash at Ulster as the Leinster out-half is following return to play protocols after suffering a head injury in last weekend’s win over
Glasgow.
Cian Kelleher (inset) needed stitches for a facial injury and he is due to be assessed this week – as will Ciaran Frawley, who injured his shoulder in the warm-up on Sunday.
Coleraine
0
CARL KENNEDY
A BEN Doherty double from the penalty spot made it 13 unbeaten for Coleraine who climbed to within two points of Linfield at the league summit.
Doherty opened the scoring from the spot with a thumping effort early doors and put the game to bed with a second penalty 11 minutes from time to make it 10 wins and three draws in Coleraine’s last 13 league outings.
Elsewhere, Adam Lecky bagged a hat-trick as Crusaders climbed to third with a 3-0 win over 10-man Larne at Inver Park.
Larne, who have won just two of their last 11 games, lost Fuad Sule to a red card on the half hour before Lecky capitalised with three goals in 22 second half minutes.
A stunning Shay Mccartan strike salvaged a 1-1 draw for Ballymena United against Cliftonville, who had led through a Ryan Curran penalty.
It took a Colin Coates equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw for Glenavon with 10-man Carrick, who led through Daniel Kelly before losing Chris Rodgers to a first half card.
Warrenpoint Town cruised to a 4-1 win over Dungannon Swifts with an Alan O’sullivan brace and goals from Daniel Byrne and Adam
Evans. The Swifts, who lost Terry Devlin to a second half red card, had led through Ben Gallagher’s first minute opener.
RANGERS’ combined firepower has been blowing their rivals away all season. Last Thursday, Ianis Hagi teamed up again with Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos to put on a performance against Royal
Antwerp which was rated by boss Steven Gerrard as the best of the campaign.
Hagi (left) said: “The most beautiful thing is we are all different as attackers – everybody has his own qualities – and that makes us unpredictable. There will be moments in any season when you win games 1-0.
“But there will be other games when the players are red hot. At the end of the day three points is all that matters.”
BOURNEMOUTH and Watford have been charged with misconduct over a brawl during their Championship game on Saturday.
Watford’s Joao Pedro and Bournemouth’s Jack Wilshere were sent off – both for second yellow cards – following a stoppage-time melee (left) sparked by Pedro’s late sliding challenge on Jefferson Lerma. The clubs have until Friday to respond.
The Cherries go to Bristol City tonight, with Robins boss Nigel Pearson aiming to build on Saturday’s 3-1 win at Swansea in his first game in charge.
City have never made it to the
Premier League, but have invested millions in improving their ground and building a new training centre.
Pearson, who signed a contract at Ashton Gate until the end of the season, said: “The foundations for success are here.
“The ambition for success is also here. Those two things being aligned are very important.”
MASON BENNETT boosted Millwall’s hopes of staging a push for the play-offs with a late winner.
Gary Rowett’s side appeared set for another home stalemate before Bennett (left) reached Ryan Woods’ long ball ahead of Preston keeper Daniel Iversen to head home in the 86th minute. The Lions had been forced to recover after falling behind to Ched Evans’ 12th-minute wonder strike.
The Preston striker produced a stunning volley to beat keeper Bartosz Bialkowski from 20 yards after latching on to a headed clearance from Lions defender George Evans.
It was an outstanding finish, but
Millwall’s Scott Malone produced his own eye-catching effort to level six minutes before the break.
The left wing-back collected the ball near halfway before unleashing a 25-yard screamer into the top corner.
And the home side looked more likely to break the deadlock before Bennett finally clinched the points.