Which was the more stunning sight on Thursday night, the Northern Lights or Ireland winning a football match? It’s probably a score draw. Which is what it looked like it would be too in Helsinki until Robbie Brady rolled back the years in the 88th minute to give Ireland “a first competitive win against any non-Gibraltar entity since 2022″, as Ken Early puts it. Brady celebrated like it was Euro 2016 all over again. “It cannot be overstated how much this group of young Irish men needed the veteran to deliver,” writes Gavin Cummiskey in his match report.
Heimir Hallgrímsson, need it be said, is hoping that this will be the start of a happier spell for the international team, although, not to be too negative, it could be a short-lived one – next up is Greece in Athens on Sunday, the same Greeks who beat England at Wembley last night. Gulp.
It was five years ago this month that Aaron Connolly made his Irish debut, but, by his own admission, it’s been pretty much all “downhill” since then. On Thursday he revealed that he’s been battling with an alcohol addiction, one he confronted during the summer when he sought treatment. He’s now hoping to make up for lost time.
Also in football, we hear from former international Stephanie Zambra who announced that she would be retiring from the game after Shamrock Rovers’ final match of the season tomorrow.
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Gerry Thornley, meanwhile, talks to the legend that is Ciarán Fitzgerald, the former Irish and Lions captain reflecting on his career and the rude health of Connacht rugby this weather. And Gerry also catches up with Tom Farrell, the former Connacht centre who is now a Munster man and very much looking forward to that Croke Park date with Leinster.
In Gaelic games, Seán Moran wonders if “the GAA might decide to cash in on the brand value of Croke Park with a naming rights partnership”, although thus far that prospect has been firmly ruled out. And Gordon Manning heard from football review committee chairman Jim Gavin who believes that the “rule enhancements” that will be trialled next week at Croke Park have the potential to “reinvigorate Gaelic football”.
In athletics, Sonia O’Sullivan shares her thoughts on the keystones of any good coaching structure, while in horse racing, Brian O’Connor looks at a crammed October fixture list – which, of course, is a boon for the gambling industry.
TV Watch: With two games left to play in their Under-21 European Championship qualifying group, the Republic of Ireland have a huge meeting with Norway in Turner’s Cross this evening. A win would guarantee at least a play-off place going in to their final game away to group leaders Italy next Tuesday (RTÉ 2, kick-off 7pm). And at 8.0pm, Ireland’s women play the United States at the WXV 1 tournament in Vancouver – you can watch for free on RugbyPass or, if you have access to it, the BBC Red Button.
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