‘The Beautiful Game: A Football Blog’

By Dave McArdle Friday 30/11/2012 Another week has come and gone in the world of football – Mark Clattenburg returned to refereeing in the hot-bed of the Premier League, Rafa Benitez’s Chelsea flattered to deceive yet again and Robin Van Persie delivered the fastest goal scored in the league this season. The midweek action saw Manchester United and Aston Villa both 1-0 win at home. QPR and Fulham both earned a point a piece away at Sunderland and Chelsea respectively. Tottenham and...

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Performance of the week winners

Congratulations to our performance of the week winners Michael and Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC) and Linda Conroy (Mullingar Harriers) for their selection on the Irish Cross Country team on the back of their achievements at the National Inter County Cross Count...

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Allen to start for DIT in League Final

Offaly forward Bernard Allen is set to start at corner forward for DIT in their Third Level Football League Final against St Mary's Belfast tonight Killeshin's Jeremy Mahon is among the subs This evening's final throws in at Mayobridge at 7....

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Morning headlines

GAELIC GAMES Tributes are flowing in from the football world following  Padraic Joyce's retirement. The 35 year old won two All Irelands, 3 All Stars and a footballer of the year prize during his career. Joyce made his debut for the Tribesmen in 1998 and has picked up 4 county titles throughout an illustrious career. Outgoing Westmeath GAA chairman Tom Farrell has confirmed that he's set for a break from administration when he's term comes to end next month. Farrell had been linked...

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Schools GAA results

Mountmellick Community School have advanced to the second round of the North Leinster Post Primary Schools C Senior Football with a 5-12 to 2-4 win over Clonaslee Vocational School It's been confirmed that Pairc Ciaran, Newtown Cashel will host the Leinster Vocational Schools Inter County Football match between Longford and Offaly this Friday evening with a throw in time of 6 O'Clock Offaly defeated Longford at the same stage last year&nb...

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Combined Counties Football League Fixtures Week 17

Friday November 30th Senior Division Willow Park v Arlington; 8.00; Willow Park Athlone; P Nolan, I Stacey, K Ronan Saturday December 1st All games 2.30 unless stated Umbro FAI Youths Cup 2nd Round Boyne Rovers v Killavilla Utd; Time TBA, Drogheda; Local Edenderry Town v Ratoath Harps; 6.30; Fr Paul Park Edenderry; A Dunne Tullamore Town v Green Hills Boys; 2.00; Leah Victoria Park Tullamore; S Lowry  Under 17 Division Longford Town v Daingean Town; Flancare Park Longford; K Ronan Rosenallis (Prov) v St Aengus; The Grove Rosenallis;...

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Performance of the Week Shortlist

Our performance of the week shortlist Portlaoise Ladies RFC - All-Ireland Division Two Champions Portlaoise GAA - Leinster Club Football Finalists Michael and Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC) and Linda Conroy (Mullingar Harriers) - Inter County Cross Country Lough Lene Gaels - 6 in a row Westmeath minor camogie winners Athlone GAA Under 21s - County finalists Athlone Town U19s - Still top of Airtricty League Tullamore Town: FAI Junior Cup win  St Brigids GAA - 3 in a row Connacht champions  Joe...

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Third Level League Final Tonight

IT Carlow face UL in the final of the Higher Education Division One Final this evening Westmeath's Cathal Scally and Offaly duo Kieran McManus are part of the UL panel While Offaly's Barry Harding, Sean Gardiner, Tom Carroll and Conor Clancy and Laois' Neil Foyle, Stephen Maher, TJ Lawlor and Paddy Keating are involved with IT Carlow The match throws in at Ballykelly at 7.30 ...

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Wednesday morning headlines

SOCCER Athlone Town are set to play a pre season friendly against League of Ireland champions Sligo, a game has also been lined up with Bohemians New manager Roddy Collins is in the process of getting his first team squad together and is hoping to have four under 19 players involved next year Collins says he's working on getting more fixtures arranged and will be looking at more players today The draw was made last night for round five of the FAI Junior Cup CCFL Premier Division side...

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FAI Junior Cup 5th Round Draw

The draw was made tonight for round five of the FAI Junior CupCCFL Premier Division side CK United, who won away to Ferns last Sunday, will have a home tie against Pearse CelticThe winners of the Athlone derby between St. Peters and Willow Park will play host to Ballymun UnitedShould Crettyard get past Lions FC they'll have a home tie against Swinford/Westport/ ManullaCity United await the winners of the fourth round tie between Rathangan United and Mullingar Athletic; If Tullamore Town make...

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AIT student on Irish Cross Country Team

Athlone Institute of Technology student, John Travers, has qualified for the Irish team to compete in the u23 European Cross Country Championships in Budapest. The Drimnagh man is in second year of the Higher Certificate in Sport and Recreation at AIT and is a sports scholarship holder. Travers secured the final spot on the Irish team at the Woodies DIY Inter-Counties and Juvenile Cross Country Championships at Tattersalls, Ratoath last weekend. Having gone into the race as favourite,...

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Schools GAA results

SCHOOLS GAA Colaiste Naomh Cormac defeated Banagher College by 3-17 to 0-15 in the Leinster Vocational Schools Senior Hurling this afternoon St Fergals Rathdowney lost 1-13 to 1-11 away to Colaiste Mhuire Johnstown Tomorrow's North Leinster Senior Football C match between Mountmellick Community School and Rosenallis Vocational School will now be played at Rosenallis at 12.30...

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Midlands 103 Performance of the Week Award

We're looking for your nominations for the best performance by a Midlands team or athlete in the past week. Each weekend we'll pick a winner from your nominations and highlight their performance on our weekend shows In Play and The Inside Line. At the end of the month we'll select a performance of the month and the winners will go forward for an award at the end of the year. You can send nominations to sport@midlandsradio.fm, or by message on our facebook (midlands.sport) or twitter (@MidlandsSport)...

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Mulhares and Conroy on Irish Cross Country team

Congratulations to Michael Mulhare and Mary Mulhare (both Portlaoise AC), and Linda Conroy (Mullingar Harriers) on their selection on the Irish Cross Country team for the Euros Full team Senior Women Fionnuala Britton(Kilcoole AC) Lizzie Lee (Leevale AC) Ava Hutchinson (Dundrum South Dublin) Linda Byrne( Dundrum South Dublin) Sara Treacy (Moynalvy AC) Sarah McCormack (Clonliffe Harriers AC) Senior Men Joe Sweeney (Dundrum South Dublin) Michael Mulhare (Portlaoise AC) Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham...

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Monday headlines

GAELIC GAMES Portlaoise and Ballymun Kickhams will contest the Leinster Club Senior Football Final in Mullingar on Sunday week The game will be a repeat of the 1982 decider which was won by Portlaoise on the way to their All-Ireland title Portlaoise were pushed all the way by Longford's Killoe at O'Moore Park yesterday with the men in black and white coming through by 1-11 to 2-5 Ballymun's Ted Furman found the net again as Kickhams won 1-8 to 0-5 away to Sarsfields in the other semi final While...

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CCFL Week 16 results

Combined Counties Football League Results Week 16 Umbro FAI Inter-League Cup A.U.L 4, C.C.F.L 1; Under 18 Division Birr Town 1, Killavilla Utd 1; Derry Rovers 1, Tullamore Town 3; Umbro FAI Junior Cup 4th Round Ferns Utd 0, C.K. Utd 4; Rathangan 3, Mullingar Ath 5 aet; O’Neill’s LFA Over 35 Cup Mullingar Town 0, Patricial FC 1; Combined Counties Shield 1st Round Newtown FC 3, Horseleap Utd 2; Monksland Utd 3, Raharney 2 aet; Combined Counties Shield 2nd Round Colmcille Celtic 3, Longford...

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‘The Beautiful Game: A Football Blog’

Dave McArdle Manager Madness Another day and another sacking in the Premier League. QPR this morning unsurprisingly confirmed the termination of Mark Hughes’ contract “with immediate effect”. The expensively assembled QPR side, bankrolled by Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, lie at the foot of the table as they have only been able to muster a meagre 4 points from 12 games played this season. The rumour mill is in overdrive today as to who will replace Hughes, with Harry Redknapp...

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Gibbons performs well in France

Athlone's Brendan Gibbons has preformed well on his European senior debut The teenager clocked a time of 3 minutes 57 in the 400 metres as he finished 35th in the heats in France And as part of the 4x50 relay team alongside Brendan Hyland, Cian Duffy and David O'Sullivan they set a new Irish Junior record of 1 minute 47, that was good enough for 11th place Sycerika McMahon has qualified for this evenings semi finals of the 50 metre breaststroke The Olympian finished her heat in an Irish...

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Rugby team news

Athlone's Robbie Henshaw starts at full back for Conancht's Rabo Direct Pro 12 trip to Newport Gwent Dragons tomorrow Captain Gavin Duffy returns to the team and will start on the left wing Henshaw's Buccaneers clubmate Mick Kearney starts in the second row for the 7 O'Clock kick off at Rodney Parade Mullingar's Conor Gilsenan will captain Leinster A against Connacht Eagles at the Sportsground tomorrow evening. Birr's Shane Delahunt and Laois' Eoghan Masterson are among the replacements. Tom...

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Gilroy in for Ireland

Ulster winger Craig Gilroy's hat trick performance against Fiji has been rewarded with a start against Argentina on Saturday afternoon  Gilroy replaces his clubmate Andrew Trimble in the only change from the side that lost to South Africa  That means another start for once Buccaneers and now Connacht forward Mike McCarthy in the second row Backs: Simon Zebo, Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Gordon D’Arcy, Criag Gilroy, Jonny Sexton, Conor Murray;   Pack is Cian Healy, Richardt...

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Leinster Club Hurling Final on December 2nd

The Leinster Club Hurling Final will be played on December 2nd.  Oulart the Ballagh had requested for the provincial decider to be put back to December 9th but that request has been turned down. Offaly champions Kilcormac Killoughey will play Oulart or Ballyhale in the final.&nbs...

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Lowry ill ahead of DP World Tour Championship

Offaly's Shane Lowry has taken ill in Dubai. He's due to play the DP World Tour Championship tomorrow - where he's down to tee off at 6.45 alongside Marcus Fraser. Shane is understood to be suffering from a virus and has attended hospital where he was placed on a drip for a number of hours this morning. He's said to be feeling better following treatment and his expected to take part tomorrow. Lowry is currently 23rd on the Race to Dubai standing...

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Ollie Campbell Interview

Lions and Ireland rugby legend Ollie Campbell spoke to Will O'Callaghan on Midlands Today yesterday ahead of his visit to Athlone ...

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“The Hard Yards “by Podge O’Donnell

Ireland v Argentina – Could this be the changing of the guard? There is no doubt that we are either currently entering or about to enter a major period of change in the make-up of the Irish rugby squad. For all that witnessed last Saturday’s game in Thomond Park, it was clear to see that we have a crop of players not really featuring at International level that could/should or at least can, come into the team and do job or possibly a better job! Ireland did themselves justice against...

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