Ireland have been forced to admit defeat in their efforts to be granted a replay of their World Cup play-off clash with France.
Having seen FIFA reject their appeals to have the second leg of the tie replayed because of Thierry Henry's handball in the run-up to William Gallas' decisive goal, the Football Association of Ireland, backed by both French skipper Henry and Ireland captain Robbie Keane, had turned to the French Football Federation. Click to continue reading...

Isn't it typical, you wait all year for a horse story and then two come along at once. Like the number 7 going up the Ormeau Road in Belfast, or whatever your local bus is that decides it's too afraid to drive up a road on it's own so it'll wait for it's mate.

I'm still really sick, be prepapred for a hell of a lot more nonsense ahead.

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Jogaram em Belfast, no Windson Park, amistosamente, as seleções da Irlanda do Norte (30º no ranking da FIFA) e a seleção da Sérvia (20º no ranking da FIFA).
Antes desse jogo, as 2 seleções jogaram:
Copa do Mundo
1982Zaragoza 17/06/1982 YUG0:0NIR Group matches
Eliminatórias Eurocopa
1992Belgrade 27/03/1991 YUG4:1 (1:1)NIR Group matches1992Belfast 12/09/1990 NIR0:2 (0:1)YUG Group matches1988Sarajevo 14/10/1987 YUG3:0 (2:0)NIR Group matches1988Belfast 29/04/1987 NIR1:2 (1:0)YUG Group matches1976Belgrade 19/11/1975 YUG1:0 (1:0)NIR Preliminary round1976Belfast 16/03/1975 NIR1:0 (1:0)YUG Preliminary round
Amistoso
2004Belfast 28/04/2004 NIR1:1 (1:1)SCG
2000Belfast 16/08/2000 NIR1:2 (0:1)YUG
O árbitro desse jogo, foi: Abbey tusen (Luxemburgo). Click to continue reading...

Ireland captain Robbie Keane has urged the team to become national heroes by beating France in the World Cup play-off.
Giovanni Trapattoni's side host France at Croke Park on Saturday before Wednesday's return leg in Paris.
"If you look on paper, they have got world-class players all over the pitch," said Keane. Click to continue reading...

Isn't it just typical, you book yourself a little holiday only to find yourself home one week before the Arsenal head to Alkmaar which is just up the road from where you were and you miss what is for most a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, and that is seeing Arsenal in an away Champions League match. Click to continue reading...

An empty Stadion Slaski was a witness of the Bialo Czerwoni's last World Cup qualifying game. We lost to Slovakia 0-1 due to Seweryn Gancarczyk's own goal, an "effort" that best summarizes our campaign. Just as in Bratislava and Belfast it was our own player that cost us points in the game. No we're in for two and a half years of friendly games.

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Southend is putting together an ambitious bid to become the UK's first ever City of Culture.
The year long accolade - beginning on 1st January 2013 - would enable the winning location to host big ticket national cultural events, as well as putting on a year-long programme of their own. Click to continue reading...

It doesn't half suck waking up in Belfast as opposed to Amsterdam. When that waking up occurs at 5am and means that it's back to work, well, it's just suck central.

The good news is that the Interlull is now officially over and we can start counting the wounded as they crawl through the door at the Grove.

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Shay Given will captain Ireland in Wednesday night's final World Cup qualifier against Montenegro as he wins his 100th senior international cap.
Manager Giovanni Trapattoni has handed the 33-year-old Donegal man the captain's armband as he and full-back Kevin Kilbane each complete a century to leave themselves only two adrift of Steve Staunton, Ireland's most-capped player. Click to continue reading...

I completely forgot to mention this in my blog, but as I feel so special, I shall give it it's own blog and not just an UPDATE on the other one.

Sitting yesterday after the match I was seething/stewing/ranting, sometimes it was one at a time, sometimes all three. Anyway, You're on Sky Sports was on and I decided I'd send them an email.

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It's always hard to write anything after a game like that, especially that I still feel the hangover caused by it. I'll be honest with you, of course I'm not jumping with joy, but at the same time I'm not so enraged or ashamed as after the game in Belfast. The Czech Republic game aside, we've been playing horribly for the last year and a half.

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QPR Official Site - SCOUTING FOR PEARLS
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Former 'R' Stephen Lynch has joined Jim Magilton's scouting network.
Lynch, who spent four years at Loftus Road before leaving in 1989 for Newcastle, will work primarily in Ireland, looking to attract young talent to the Club.
The 39 year-old is looking forward to his new role at a Club he has supported all his life. Click to continue reading...

The first of four "games of the year" awaits us on Saturday. The first of four must-win games. The rematch for the Belfast catastrophe earlier this year. Ladies and gentleman, welcome back to World Cup qualifiers.

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But I thought they lost 1-3? ...and then the Scousers woke up, checked their Twitter accounts and found it had all been just a bad dream. Thanks to Keith Belfast for the tip.

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The international break ended with some satisfaction for the under-fire British teams. England produced one of their best results and one of their best performances for many years in the 4-1 thrashing of Croatia. Scotland got the 2-1 win in Iceland they so desperately needed after the disappointment of the 1-0 defeat in Macedonia. Click to continue reading...

Last night saw Part 2 of the September double-header taking place in the European World Cup 2010 qualifiers, so let's give you the low-down and the hoe-down on what went on across the continent...
Group 1
Two very late goals from Christian Poulsen and Daniel Jensen turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 victory for Denmark against Portugal last night. Click to continue reading...

This is just disgusting on so many levels. Allegedly, Mark Anderson, who is apparently a Chelsea supporter, murdered William McClatchey, a supposed Liverpool fan, after they got into a heated debate regarding Rob Styles' questionable penalty call last Sunday. Anderson then went on to dismember the body and leave it in a wheelie bin behind their apartment complex in Belfast, Ireland. Click to continue reading...