IRELAND PRESS CONFERENCE INTERRUPTED BY QUESTIONS OVER ISRAEL

 

PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTS INTERRUPT IRELAND DRAW WITH AUSTRIA

Campaign group Stop the Game threw tennis balls onto the field before a man invaded the pitch and was tackled by security

The Republic of Ireland’s Nations League match with Austria was twice interrupted by pro-Palestine protestors on Thursday evening following the controversial decision to play against Israel during this international camp.

Ireland’s players held a meeting last week and voted in favour of playing the scheduled matches against Israel despite opposition from supporters in Ireland who are against the conflict between Israel and Palestine in Gaza.

They defeated Israel 3-0 last Sunday (Sept 27) in a match played in Hungary and are scheduled to face the Israelis again in a behind-closed-doors contest in Serbia this upcoming Sunday (Oct 4).

Despite a heavy security presence at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Austria was subject to protests in the first half as campaign group Stop the Game threw tennis balls onto the pitch.

The balls were wrapped in stickers featuring the Palestinian flag and had the text “#StopTheGame” written on them. The campaign group launched the balls onto the field in the 20th minute with Ireland 1-0 up and later released a statement claiming responsibility for what it called a “limited tennis ball protest”.

Members of the group had also gathered before the game to oppose Ireland's matches against Israel with a small group displaying a Palestinian flag and banners in support of Irish player Gavin Bazunu, who decided to boycott both of his team’s matches against Israel in this international window.

The game resumed after a four-minute break, but there was another brief delay later in the first half as a man carrying what appeared to be a Palestinian flag invaded the pitch before being tackled, stopped and removed by stewards.

Elsewhere, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign also organized a protest outside the stadium, as well as others around the country calling for Ireland to boycott its remaining Nations League match against Israel.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) decided in June to move their “home” fixture against Israel to a neutral venue for “operational reasons” following widespread calls for a boycott.

The FAI has resisted the calls not to play and argued that the team could be hit with punishing sanctions by Uefa if it did so. Ireland are co-hosting the 2028 European Championship with England, Wales and Scotland and there could be possible ramifications.

This match wasn’t the first to feature a tennis ball protest as Irish fans also threw balls with Palestinian flags onto the field during a friendly game against Qatar in Dublin in May.

- Michael Jones

POST-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE | HEIMIR HALLGRÍMSSON | ISRAEL 0-3 IRELAND

 

RUGBY 🏉 WORLD RANKINGS

 

ISRAEL ISSUE FURIOUS STATEMENT AFTER IRELAND MANAGER MAKES 'GENOCIDE' COMMENT

 

The Israel FA have issued a furious statement in response to Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson's 'genocide' comment ahead of their Nations League fixture on Sunday night.

A lot of controversy has surrounded the fixture, with the 'Stop the Game' campaign publishing an open letter on Monday, signed by more than 100 sporting figures, calling for the players not to fulfil upcoming fixtures against Israel as part of a continued boycott amid the ongoing Gaza War.

Ciara Mageean, Louise Quinn, Tony Ward, Joe Brolly and Colm O'Rourke were among the signatories. As per the Daily Mail, the letter claimed that pressure was being placed on the players after previous attempts to influence governing bodies and the government came to nought.

"The FAI, UEFA, and the Irish Government have all failed you by not taking decisive action and taking this out of your hands," it claimed. But while governing bodies have not taken any form of direct action against Israel, despite calls for them to do so coming well before the 2026 World Cup, Ireland's boss has now had some choice words of his own to say.

Heimir Hallgrimsson Makes 'Genocide' Comment Before Israel Fixture

The Icelandic boss used forceful language in defending his team as they prepare to take the field against a side that the Football Association of Ireland wanted to have suspended from competitions. He said over the weekend:

"And I've said before, we're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide.

"So, we're playing against Israel. We're not playing with Israel."

Israel has not officially recognised or accepted any allegations of genocide, strongly rejecting such claims as false and stating that its military actions in Gaza are acts of self-defense following the October 7, 2023, attacks.

However, international bodies and expert organizations have applied the term to Israel's actions, with the UN concluding last year (as per the BBC) that acts of genocide have been carried out on Palestinians - a finding that many human rights organisations agree with, as records state at least 73,919 Palestinians and over 1,200 Israelis have been killed.

Israel Hit Back With Furious Statement

As reports circulated that the Israelis were considering filing a complaint to UEFA, the Israeli FA posted on X on Monday night (see the full post below):

"We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by the Republic of Ireland team coach.

"We're not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, we're playing against the coach who embodies them." 

The Ireland chief oversaw training at Abbotstown as he fine-tunes preparations for Thursday's meeting with Kosovo in Pristina, but it's the meeting with Israel in Debrecen in Hungary on Sunday, and in Backa Topola in Serbia a week later, that continue to dominate headlines.

- Robin Mumford

ROUND 4 | 2026 AMGEN IRISH OPEN

 

ROUND 3 | 2026 AMGEN IRISH OPEN | DP WORLD TOUR

 

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AUSTRALIA VS. IRELAND | RUGBY 🏉 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP 2026

 

CABO VERDE CONTINUES DREAM RUN, BECOMES SMALLEST COUNTRY TO REACH WORLD CUP KNOCKOUT PHASE

 

Cabo Verde's players celebrate after earning a draw against Saudi Arabia to advance to the round of 32 following their Group H match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston, Texas, June 26, 2026. /VCG

Cabo Verde completed an improbable run through Group H with a third consecutive draw at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the smallest-ever country to earn a spot in the tournament's knockout phase, following a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia in Houston on Friday.

The tiny island nation off Africa's western coast has enjoyed a stellar debut on football's grandest stage, having held 2010 champion Spain to a 0-0 stalemate before battling from behind to snatch a 2-2 result against Uruguay.

Cabo Verde's three points left the team in second place behind the Spaniards, who beat the Uruguayans later in the evening to top the group with seven points. The Blue Sharks will face reigning World Cup champion Argentina in the round of 32 on July 3 in Miami.

Drawing all three group matches does not guarantee advancement at major tournaments. But several teams have turned the trick in the past including Wales in 1958, Ireland and the Netherlands in 1990, and Chile in 1998. New Zealand, on the other hand, was eliminated despite picking up a trio of draws in 2010.

Spain's 1-0 victory against Uruguay largely came down to another goalkeeping mistake by Fernando Muslera, as La Roja advance to the knockout phase while also eliminating the South American powerhouse and two-time title winner.

Uruguay will go home without any victories from its three Group H games. European champion Spain will face the second-place team from Group J, either Austria or Algeria, in the Los Angeles suburb of Inglewood on Thursday.

Álex Baena scored in the 42nd minute after Muslera couldn't fully swat away his shot from inside the box. The miscue marked the third blunder of the tournament by the 40-year-old goalkeeper, who reportedly asked coach Marcelo Bielsa to substitute him out at halftime.

Earlier in the day, Ousmane Dembele produced his best-ever World Cup performance with a stunning first-half hat-trick in France's 4-1 win over Norway.

The 29-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward showcased the lethal finishing which helped him win last year's Ballon d'Or, finding the net three times in the space of 26 first-half minutes in the Boston suburb of Foxborough.

Dembele's trio of goals, along with Desire Doue's late header, allowed France to complete the first round with three wins from three matches following earlier victories against Senegal and Iraq.

Les Bleus progress to the round of 32 as Group I winners, bolstered by clear evidence that the French squad can once again be serious title contenders, even if captain Kylian Mbappe isn't the player scoring the goals.

Elsewhere, Senegal lit up the scoreboard against 10-man Iraq in a 5-0 victory that boosted its chances of reaching the knockout phase.

Substitute Pape Gueye scored twice in a second-half flurry as the Lions of Teranga, looking to advance from third place in Group I, took advantage of a first-half red card on Iraqi defender Rebin Sulaka, who prevented Sadio Mane from charging in on goal alone by yanking his shirt.

Habib Diarra opened the scoring in the fourth minute, but even though Sulaka was sent off in the 13th, the Senegalese side didn't find the net again until Ismaila Sarr struck in the 56th minute.

Gueye then added his two goals, both hard blasts from around the edge of the penalty area, with Iliman Ndiaye rounding out the rout after firing in the fifth. Senegal now has three points and a goal difference of plus-two.

Late evening games saw Belgium thrash bottom side New Zealand 5-1 to top Group G, while Egypt held on to second place after a 1-1 draw with Iran, which had a would-be winner in stoppage time ruled offside by the slightest of margins following a VAR review.

That cruel twist of fate left Iran hoping to be one of the eight best third-place teams poised to join the 12 group winners and 12 runners-up in progressing to the round of 32.

Source(s): AP

- CGTN 

ISRAEL FOOTBALL DISPUTE TO 'HEAT UP' AFTER PROTEST IN IRELAND

Ireland’s football match against Qatar was stalled by pro-Palestinian protests as pressure builds on upcoming games against Israel.

Palestine flags are displayed in the stands as part of a protest during the match in Dublin [Cathal Mcnaughton/Reuters]

Republic of Ireland midfielder ‌Jamie McGrath has warned that the controversy surrounding Nations League games against Israel could intensify after their friendly win over Qatar in ⁠Dublin was disrupted by pro-Palestinian protests.

Ireland are set to host Israel at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on October 4, ⁠while a September 27 fixture designated as an Israel home match is expected to be staged at a neutral venue.

Qatar"s match against Ireland was part of their preparations for this summer’s World Cup, where they begin their campaign against Switzerland on June 13. Ireland failed to qualify for the event.

Earlier this month, leading Irish footballers joined with celebrities in a campaign ‌calling for a boycott of Israel’s matches, but Ireland’s governing body for football (FAI) has said it will go ahead with the fixtures and that a refusal to play could lead to disciplinary measures.

Tennis balls featuring the Palestinian flag were thrown on to the pitch in Thursday’s friendly, ⁠causing the match to be halted twice, ⁠and McGrath expected more protests to follow.

“I’m sure it’s going to heat up over the next few months. We (the players) don’t want to be put into ⁠a position,” he told the BBC’s Northern Ireland bureau after the match.

“It’s obviously a unique scenario. The people [protesters], we have to listen to them, they have the right to do what they do, as long as it’s done in a peaceful way, that’s all that matters.

“Hopefully, the powers above us can work something out or use it for the greater good, I’m not sure what the process will be as it heats up.

"At the end of the day, we’re footballers and we don’t want to be caught in this, but sometimes we might have to.”

In November last year, 93 percent of FAI members voted ‌for ‌its leadership to press UEFA to suspend the Israel Football Association from Eu huropean competitions.

On Tuesday, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign held a protest at the Dail (Irish parliament).

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has also regularly weighed in on the debate and, ahead of the Qatar match, said his players must “win this war” against Israel in the upcoming matches.

McGrath was pressed further on the matter as to whether he believed a resolution would be found ahead of the matches.

“To be honest, I’ve no idea,” he replied.

“We obviously touched on it a few days, I’m sure as it heats up, it might be taken out of our hands, I’m not sure.”

- Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters

JAKE PAUL EXPANDS BOXING REACH WITH SKY SPORTS PARTNERSHIP

Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jake Paul has taken another step in boxing promotion, as Most Valuable Promotions secured a multi-year broadcast deal with Sky Sports and NOW. The agreement makes Sky Sports the exclusive home for MVP’s women’s boxing platform, MVPW, in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The deal focuses on expanding coverage of women’s boxing through regular events on traditional television. It also guarantees at least two all-female fight cards each year in the region. The move strengthens MVP’s presence outside the United States and adds another major broadcast partner as the promotion continues to grow its global reach.

MVPW Launch Set for London With Title Unification Fight

The partnership begins with MVPW-01 on April 5 at London’s Olympia. The event will feature a world title unification bout between Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper. Dubois holds the WBC lightweight title, while Harper enters as the WBO champion.

The fight brings together two top British fighters in a high-level matchup. Dubois, who is also Daniel Dubois’s sister, will aim to add another title. Harper brings experience across multiple weight classes and enters the bout with a record of competing in major fights.

Jake Paul and MVP Outline Vision for Women’s Boxing

Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, who co-founded MVP in 2021, explained the platform’s goal in a joint statement.

“Through MVPW, we are committed to delivering meaningful opportunities for fighters while producing premium events that expand the global reach and commercial potential of women’s boxing.”

“Bringing two premium all-female MVPW events to the UK and Ireland each year, starting with the historic MVPW-01 on Sunday April 5 at London’s Olympia, is exactly what we envisioned when we launched this platform.”

The pair also pointed to the strength of British talent. “We have the best female British boxers in the world and Sky Sports is the perfect home to showcase the elite talent and championship-level action that defines MVPW.”

“Together, we’re committed to continuing to elevate women’s boxing to the main stage it deserves, delivering unforgettable nights for fans across the UK and beyond.”

Broadcast Deal Expands Most Valuable Promotions’ Global Footprint

The agreement comes as Sky Sports continues to build its boxing coverage following changes in its previous partnerships. For MVP, the deal strengthens its presence in the United States and supports its focus on women’s boxing.

Paul has combined his role as a fighter and promoter to grow the brand. He has competed against the likes of Anderson Silva and Mike Tyson while promoting events that highlight female fighters.

The new partnership sets a clear structure for future events and increases visibility for women’s boxing in the UK and Ireland. With MVPW-01 set for April 5, the first event will serve as the starting point for the expanded platform under the new broadcast deal.

- Dogli Wilberforce

WORLD RUGBY RANKINGS | TOP 15 NATIONS

 

#GUINESSM6N TO BE CROWNED THIS WEEKEND

 

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SYEELERS GET IT DONE IN IRELAND | NFL ON ESPN

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WORLD RUGBY RANKINGS: ALL BLACKS CAN END FOUR-YEAR WAIT AS SPRINGBOKS' TOP SPOT UNDER THREAT

Top spot in the World Rugby rankings is up for grabs this weekend in the Rugby Championship as the Springboks could concede the number one ranking to the All Blacks or Ireland.

The opening round of the tournament sees South Africa host Australia at the iconic Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday, with the later kick-off seeing Argentina host the All Blacks in Córdoba.

With the 2027 Rugby World Cup draw taking place after the November internationals later this year, the world rankings are particularly important for the respective nations in terms of seedings.

With the help of World Rugby, we take a look at the weekend’s permutations.

Rankings permutations

Rassie Erasmus’ men’s standing at the summit of the rankings is under threat as they are likely to concede top spot in the event of a defeat or a draw to Australia in their first game of their title defence.

A stalemate in Johannesburg would mean that the All Blacks would have to beat Argentina later in the day to return to the summit for the first time since November 2021. If the Wallabies claim an upset, then a draw will be enough for New Zealand to leapfrog the Springboks.

Third-placed Ireland are not in action this weekend but can still benefit from the opening round of the Rugby Championship results if there are upsets.

In the unlikely event that both South Africa and New Zealand lose by more than 15 points. If only one of these were to happen, Ireland would still climb a place to second above that beaten side.

A victory by any margin for the Boks will see them retain their number one ranking, despite the fact that the world champions are unable to improve their rating due to the 10.70 points difference between the teams before home weighting is factored in.

This is because New Zealand can only gain a maximum of 0.45 rating points for beating lower-ranked Argentina, and they currently trail South Africa by 0.72 points.

There are possible movements elsewhere in the rankings as Argentina will oust Australia from sixth place – which would be enough for a Band 1 place come the RWC 2027 draw in December – if Australia are beaten and they avoid defeat against New Zealand. A draw for Australia away to the world champions would have the same impact if Los Pumas are victorious over New Zealand for the first time on home soil.

Argentina cannot fall any lower than seventh this weekend, even with a heavy loss to New Zealand.

SOUTH AFRICA (1) 92.78 v AUSTRALIA (6) 82.08

South Africa win by 15 points or less – South Africa 92.78, Australia 82.08 (No change)

South Africa win by more than 15 points – South Africa 92.78, Australia 82.08 (No change)

Draw – South Africa 91.78, Australia 83.08

Australia win by 15 points or less – South Africa 90.78, Australia 84.08

Australia win by more than 15 points – South Africa 89.78, Australia 85.08

ARGENTINA (7) 82.05 v NEW ZEALAND (2) 92.06

Argentina win by 15 points or less – Argentina 83.75, New Zealand 90.36

Argentina win by more than 15 points – Argentina 84.60, New Zealand 89.51

Draw – Argentina 82.75, New Zealand 91.36

New Zealand win by 15 points or less – Argentina 81.75, New Zealand 92.36

New Zealand win by more than 15 points – Argentina 81.60, New Zealand 92.51

Latest World Rugby rankings

As of 15/08/2025

1 South Africa 92.78

2 New Zealand 92.06

3 Ireland 89.83

4 France 87.82

5 England 87.64

6 Australia 82.08

7 Argentina 82.05

8 Scotland 81.57

9 Fiji 80.50

10 Italy 77.77

11 Georgia 74.69

12 Wales 74.05

13 Samoa 72.48

14 Japan 72.29

15 Spain 69.12

16 USA 68.45

17 Uruguay 67.52

18 Portugal 66.44

19 Tonga 65.46

20 Chile 63.83

- Jared Wright

MICHAEL CHANDLER URGES CONOR MCGREGOR TO FIGHT AMID RETIREMENT RUMOURS

McGregor hasn't fought since breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, and is yet to announce when he will make his return to the octagon

Michael Chandler is desperate to finally get his long-awaited fight with Conor McGregor

UFC star Michael Chandler has challenged Conor McGregor to a fight, despite the latter's recent hints at retirement.

McGregor - a former dual-weight UFC champion - hasn't fought since losing to rival Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 nearly four years ago. The Irishman suffered a nasty leg break in the clash, but has since flirted with the idea of making a return to the octagon. Despite his absence from the cage, 'The Notorious' has remained active.

As for Chandler, the UFC lightweight sensation is set to face rising 155lb contender Paddy Pimblett at UFC 314 later this month. The American fighter hasn't stepped in the cage since his loss to Charles Oliveira last November. Prior to the Oliveira clash, the former Bellator lightweight champion was waited two years for a shot at 'The Notorious.'

Both fighters were opposing coaches on TUF 31 in 2023, and it seemed they were destined to face each other in the octagon. However, an injury during training forced McGregor to withdraw from their scheduled UFC 303 showdown. Recently, the 36-year-old hinted at retiring from the sport to focus on his ambition to become the Irish president.

Chandler responded to McGregor's remarks in a chat with The Schmo, stating: "He's making that push for the President of Ireland. We'll see how true it is, or how much of a publicity stunt it is. As you guys can see, we had the TUF 31 deal, waited for the Conor fight, got the fight booked; he pulled out. Who knows if he's ever coming back? You can see by my actions of fighting Charles Oliveria in November and now Paddy Pimblett in April, I'm not sitting around waiting for Conor."

He added: "He knows his road back to the UFC goes through me. We have to finish The Ultimate Fighter 31. We still have a contract with both of our names on it, even though he was not a man of his word in showing up. First time he's ever pulled out of a fight was against me in his entire career. I don't think he wants that to be his legacy. However, if he does, I wish him well in his presidential run in Ireland. But if he comes back to the UFC, he has to fight me."

McGregor went viral after dropping some bombshell comments during a recent BKFC media event. He hinted at calling it quits from fighting, stating: "What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability. Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness."

He described the connection between the two nations, saying: "Ireland and America, we are siblings. We consider America our big sibling. So it's important for Ireland to be a peaceful, prosperous country for 40 million Irish Americans to have a place to visit, [to] come back to their home. So we wish for our relationship with the United States to continue, and we wish to be taken care of by the big bro. The United States should look after its little bro. And that's how we feel."

McGregor continued: "I've got two fights on the contract, I'm in negotiations. Last week something happened to me, I went to the White House and my heart bleeds for my country right now. So there's a lot of stuff going on back home, I'm happy with what I've done. There's something else for me that's in my gut right now and that's kind of where I'm going.''

However, McGregor seemingly quickly changed his mind as he claimed that becoming president would not stop him from fighting, but instead fuel his desire to get back in the octagon. When questioned whether he could juggle being a president and a fighter, he responded: "F*****g right I will, of course, are you crazy? That's part of why I want to do it! To be announced as the President of Ireland while having a fight? Imagine that. But for sure, hell yeah, hell yes."

- James Evans