It’s been a rough old baptism for Heimir Hallgrímsson since he took over as Republic of Ireland head coach last July, the team winning just two of their six games since then and failing to score in four of them. Confidence, then, is unlikely to be overflowing when they take to the field in Plovdiv this evening for the first leg of their Nations League play-off against Bulgaria. Hallgrímsson was, though, upbeat when he spoke to the press on Wednesday. “We are ready to go again,” Gavin Cummiskey heard him insist.
Bulgarian coach Ilian Iliev has had his own troubles of late, his impartiality being questioned because he’s also in charge of a local club side. Gavin found him to be pretty unruffled by it all, though, Iliev adamant that he’s not quitting his position and that his only focus is on Ireland. (Incidentally, if you’re baffled by the Nations League and the consequences of this play-off, we’ve had a go at explaining it all).
And our permutations maestro Muireann Duffy has had a go at outlining the possible ups and downs and stay-where-you-ares ahead of the final round of National football League games at the weekend. Is it complicated? Is it what. Take Kerry and Mayo in Division 1, for example – mathematically, at least, they could reach the final or get relegated. Squeaky bum time.
Ciarán Murphy notes, though, that reaching the league final “is talked about in roughly the same terms as an outbreak of cholera in the camp”. There’s limited enough enthusiasm, then. So, he’s devised a plan to shake it all up.
National Football League permutations: Who can make league finals and who can be relegated?
Gordon D’Arcy: Ideal opportunity for Ireland to take stock and move forward with clarity
Gerry Thornley’s Six Nations Team of the Tournament: Three Irish players make the cut
James Abankwah catches Hallgrímsson’s eye, and Ireland rugby team ‘far from a crisis’
Gordon Manning, meanwhile, talks to former Dubs forward Diarmuid Connolly about Stephen Cluxton’s likely role for the county in the championship this year, and he hears from Sligo manager Aaron Kernan in the build-up to their meeting Leitrim on Sunday.
In rugby, Gerry Thornley chats to Irish centre Eve Higgins ahead of the Six Nations opener against France in Belfast on Saturday, Higgins hopeful that Ireland can build on the momentum they created in 2024.
In the URC, the provinces will have to make do without their Irish contingents for the resumption of the competition this weekend, all of them on mandatory rest breaks after the Six Nations. John O’Sullivan brings you the state of play for the Irish sides, and what they need to do to progress, while Johnny Watterson has the latest from a Munster camp buoyed by the return to training of Craig Casey and Jack O’Donoghue.
And on the eve of this weekend’s World Indoor Championships in China, Ian O’Riordan talks to Sophie O’Sullivan, one of a six-strong Irish team, who will be competing in the 1,500m.
TV Watch: Shane Lowry and Séamus Power are in the field for the Valspar Championship in Florida which gets under way today (Sky Sports Golf, 11.30am-10pm). And at 7.45pm, the Republic of Ireland kick off away to Bulgaria in the first leg of their Nations League play-off (RTÉ 2).
