This sporting week

My blog today is about the weekend sport.

 

The all Ireland hurling final replay was a great game but I felt that Claire have never lost control. In my opinion this game will be remembered for its goals with score line of 5.16 to 3.16. Shane O’ Donell was brilliant as he is only nineteen and he scored a hat trick of goals and points scoring 2 goals in the first 15 minutes

 

In the Rugby League Super League final is between second placed Warrington and fourth placed Wigan. Warrington destroyed Huddersfield in their semi final so you can not say too much about a match like that. With a 22-12 win and in my opinion are most ready for the final in my opinion Sam Tomkins will be a very important factor in the winning and loosing of this final for Wigan as well as Joel Monahan for Warrington but a few players are leaving for Australia next year so that might be a factor also. I would give it to Wigan by no more than 6 points a converted try.

 

 

 

 

Premiere League soccer . I am surprised in how well Arsenal are doing with their early season form but Liverpool and Tottenham are right behind them. I wonder how much time Man United will give David Moys as at this moment in time they are not doing so well. Even at this stage things are interesting but Liverpool can only now play for the FA cup while the others will have Europe how will that effect them? Everton being the only Premiere League team not to be beaten must mean that Martinez is doing something right Celtic may need a bit of a miracle against Barcelona this week

 

 

My Predictions

Man City 1-2 Everton

Cardiff 0-2 Newcastle

Fulham 1-0 Stoke

Hull 1-1 Villa

Liverpool 3-0 Crystal Palace

Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd

Norrich 1-2 Chelsea

Sounthampton 1-2 Swansea

Totnam 2-0 West Ham

WBA 0-1 Arsenal

 

In Rugby Union definitely the match of the week is between Munster and Leinster a game that I think is in the balance but I feel that Leinster have sorted out their house more so than Munster at the moment but this is an old rivalry and anything can happen. Lenster by less than five. I am surprised not to have heard more information about the Anglo French cup and I am surprised and disappointed by this as coaches need to know what to aim at.  

 

 

world cup qualifing euro zone sept 2013

In this septic blog I will be looking at all of the European tams routes to the world cup

The top team here qualifies automatically here and second goes into a 2 legged play off

Pool A

 

 

 

 

 

 

Belgium needs to get 2 points from their next 2 games while Croatia is secured a play off position. Croatia has to play Belgium in a top of the table match where Belgium can secure a quailing position.  In the final match of their campaigns Belgium play Wales away and Croatia play Scotland at home. My prediction Belgium top Croatia second  

Pool B

In pool B Italy have secured qualification into the world cup. While Denmark are only one point behind  Bulgaria. The Czech Republic and Armenia have both got a chance of qualifying but they are both 3 points behind Demark so their chances are very slim  Demark play Italy in what looks like a must get something from and Malta a must win. Bulgaria play Czech Republic home and Armenia away.  Armenia play Italy away while Czech republic play both Malta and Bulgaria away. My prediction Bulgaria second  

Pool C

Germany need 2 more points to secure qualification. Sweden need 4 points to qualify for the play offs while Austria being 3 points behind need to beat Sweden The Republic of Ireland are praying for a miracle. Sweden play Austria in a must win match for Austria first then Austria then play the faro islands and Sweden host Germany . Germany host Ireland but that will not be easy as Ireland have a near perfect away record . Then they go to Sweden. Ireland play Kazacktan in their final match. My prediction Germany top Sweden second

Pool D

The Netherlands have qualified for the world cup with 22 points while Hungary has 14 points and both Turkey and Romania are one point behind. Hungary starts with a home tie with the Netherlands and then an away one with Andorra. Turkey play Estonia at home and then the Netherlands away. Romania play Andorra away and then Estonia at home. My prediction Romania second

Pool E

Switzerland need 2 points from their last 2 games. Chasing for second are. Iceland on 13 Slovenia on 12 Norway on 11 and Albania on 10. Slovenia play Norway at home in the first match. Albania play Switzerland away in a must win tie while Iceland play Cyprus at home. In the second bunch of matches Norway play Iceland at home in a vital match while Slovenia play Switzerland away and Albania play Cyprus away. My prediction Switzerland top Slovinia seccond

Pool F

Russia are on top of this pool with Portugal one point behind and Israel still in with a half a chance 5 points behind that.  Russia first play Luxemburg away while Portugal play Israel at home. In the final match Russia play Azerbyjan away  Portugal play Luxemburg at home and Israel play Northern Ireland. My prediction Russia top Portugal second

Pool G

Bosnia Herzegovina and Greece are both on 19 points while Slovakia are still in with a half chance with 12 points. Grease play Slovakia at home while Bosnia  play Lichtenstein at home. In the final match Lithuania play Bosnia at home, Greece play Lichtenstein at home and Slovakia play Latvia away. My prediction Greese top Bosnea second

Pool H

England sit on top of the group with 15 points Ukraine and Montenegro are a point behind on 15 while Poland is 2 points behind that with 13. England play Montenegro at home while Ukraine play Poland at home and on the final day England play Poland at home Ukraine play San Marino away and Montenegro play Moldova at home. My prediction England first Montenegro second   

Pool I

Spain and France are level with 14 points. Spain first play Belarus at home then Georgia at home. France play Finland at home. My prediction Spain top France second

 

2013 all ireland final

Minor match  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goals win matches and that was the case in this match as in my opinion Mayo’s first goal won the match. In the first 10 minutes Tyrone were on top just before Mayo got the goal and then Tyrone got a point just before half time. Mayo then got an early goal just after half time putting themselves 3 points ahead. Mayo then took control to lead by 6 points before Tyrone got a late consolation goal Final score Mayo 2.13 Tyrone 1.13

All Ireland Senior Final

 

At the start Mayo required hawk eye to see whether they would be given a point, Hawk eye saw the score as wide.  Mayo got the first score anyway from a bit of a scramble then the ball was passed wide for a score. Mayo then had a free kick which they hit early and it was passed into a Dublin hand that equalised. Lee Keegan gets a score from a running move then passed wide. Keith Higgins gets a running score from a cross type pass. Mayo then got another point from a free kick. A Dublin player Paul Hartley handled the ball on the ground. Dublin then hit a high punt and Bernard Brogan gets above the keeper to lob over and score a great goal. Mayo reply with another easy point. Kieran Kilkenny gets another point to level. Alan Freeman has a goal chance but Brogan got the point. Andy Moran hits a great shot as the ball was passed from Dublin’s full back line. Michael Daragh Mc Cauly has another goal shot where he got 1 one 1 but the keeper pulled off a great save.

 Half time Mayo 0—8 Dublin 1-4

Ciaran O’ Sullivan gets a shot from a difficult angle from play to equalise. Eoin O’ Gara gets one on one hit a shot and the Mayo keeper hits it over the bar. Mayo hit a simple free to equalise. Paddy Andrews hits a pressure shot to equalise but they are all presursure shots in an all Ireland.  Burnard Brogan hits a top point so Dublin lead by 3 points. Mayo receive a high ball, 2 passes then a shot into empty Dublin net. Dublin replayed instantly with a goal where a great passing move with a cross type pass to allow Brogan to get his hand to it, resulting in another fine goal. Mayo reply with an easy free.  Then Dublin get a distance shot from play.   At the end of the game Mayo should have shot for goal but they took easy points and I thought that they were odd decisions as the goal was so close.

Final score Dublin 2.12 Mayo 1.14

 

I definitely think that mayo could have got a draw or a win if they controlled the first half better or if they shot for goal rather than points.

 

Man of the math Bernard Brogan with 2.3

Gaelic football final 2013 Barrys prediction

My blog today is about the All Ireland football final  this Sunday in Croke Park between Dublin and Mayo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mayo has had a quite easy passage with Tyrone being the only team that have challenged them at all this season. Also Dublin was similar as only Cork gave them a game but Kerry was not far away either. If both teams were truly tested then we might have a way to judge who will win but they were not so it will all happen on that day. I think that Dublin are the stronger of the two teams but Cluxton taking the frees could be a down fall for confidence if he misses them

I think that the key battles will be in the midfield and half forward lines as it is where the games are won and lost as it is where the half backs drive forward and the balls have to go through the area that matters the most and what tactics are played here during the match

There have not been enough questions asked of these teams this season but the close matches that did happen say that both teams are ready but I will go for Mayo as they want it more and have not won an all Ireland since 1951

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tyrone vs. Mayo. In the minor final one of the stars playing for the Tyrone team plays for my club Eglish a very small village with a very big success. His mother is very friendly with mine as they played camogie together a very long time ago. He also goes to St Pat school Armagh. I do think that this team is ready for the final and I do think that Tyrone can win it

MY THOUGHTS ON THE RUGBY LEAGUE PLAY OFFS

MY THOUGHTS ON RUGBY LEAGUE

Wigan had pulled out the big result of the week by beating Huddersfield and they do seem most ready to win the super league .They also have got four players in the dream team  which is a  selection of the best players in super league. Warrington is one of the smaller teams in this competition but they are a team that have been doing very well this season in both league and cup as they reached the challenge cup final this might give them a slight advantage.

Also the quarter finalists Leeds had a  disappointing loss to Warrington. This will be the big test for Leeds as having to play consecutive losses might mean that this will be a lot harder for them , St Helens a quality win over Hull Fc tells me that this team is ready for anything and if they get that level of performance again they can do anything, Huddersfield a team who were the best this season in my opinion if they can show that type of consistency over a season it says that there will be blip in the works. I do think that they can do well even though they are a small club.  They also have 5 players in the dream team . Hull FC  are a  team that are doing very well especially as there is the other team in Hull as well.

My PREDICITION

I think that a lot of teams can win this Super League . Wigan to me are the favourites Warrington are second as they have reached the semi final. Next is Saint Helens, and Leeds as these 2 are the big clubs and I think that they are roughly even . after that is Huddersfield the most consistant team in the league and the outsider Hull

                       HOPE YOU ENJOY THE RUGBY LEAGUE IF YOU ARE A FAN LIKE ME

 

 

relegation

Relegation

These two  I think will go straight back down

 

I will start here with Hull and they have bought a few players that know the premiere league like Tom Huddlestone from Tottenham and top goalkeeper Steve Harper from Newcastle but one of their big problems is that they do not know the premiere league and this might be their downfall but they have bought from odd teams like Gedo from El Absy and Sagbo from Evon TomonGallard also so I am not sure

Crystal Palace have bought too many players during the transfer window to be any form of a success in the top league a lot of England it about buying the right player for the right price and I do hope that they do better than I expect but I think that this year they will go back down. Some are good like a free for former Scottish keeper Alan Mc Greggor Camerone Jerome from Stoke and Barry Bannon from villa are their big signings

There a good few teams that I think might be in this position

 

 

Norrich have bought a lot of players from both abroad and the championship but the one person I think will help them is Gary Hooper from Celitic he will definitely get them goals also Carlo Nash may work for them as a quality keeper.

 

 

Stoke have not bough too many players this year and the only one that I recognise is Steven Ireland who I think is on a downward spiral and this makes me think that they may be in big trouble

I do not instantly recognise any of the stars here but I do think that they know enough to stay up

 

Paulo Di Canio is a bit of an oddball and he may be one of the things that keep Sunderland in a bit of a pickle. In my opinion he may have bought too many players and none of them have been bought from an English club except Borini from Liverpool who may give them a chance this season. It does take time to understand the English premiere league game and that might be their downfall

 

WBA do not seem to be doing well this season but they do not seem to have form at the moment their biggest signing is Anelka from Juventos on a free as he is used to English football after playing in the premiere league before with Arsenal and Liverpool. Also Scott Sinclair and Sigertson will give them some attacking force.

 

West ham the only player I instantly recognise is Stewart Downing but I do think that because they are West ham that they can do well

I will go with Stoke to go down with them this season but anything can happen

 

 

 

 

 

 

English soccers top teams what Barry thinks

SOCCER BLOG

The first question I will ask here is not who will be champions of England and in my opinion nothing is clear yet nor should it be.

 

Liverpool seem to be picking up the points that they need and it may give them the incentive they need to go for it. They have also bought smart with people like Kolo Toure on a free and Sakho from PSG. Also one that seems to be worth his money at the moment is Minolet, a goalkeeper bought from Sunderland for 9.3m

 

Manchester United did not buy in the summer the only player they did buy was ex Everton star Marion Falini which says to me that Moys is scared to make this his team.

 

Arsenal also only bought one player in Ozyl from Real Madrid one of the pest players in the world they still did only buy one star and if it fails this this year it might be off with Arswens head

 

Man City have brought a few players in as they usually do but this year may be more focused on the champions league rather than the premiership getting out of their group and reaching the semis

 

Chelsea have bought 2 big players namely Willam for 30m and Andre Shurrle from Levercuson but in my opinion Chelseas biggest signing is Jose Morinho from Real Madrid as he is able to take the pressure of the team

With the exception of James Mc Carthy from Wigan Everton did not seem to be taking too many big transfer deals this summer and that may keep them small but they have done some smart loan deals in Gareth Barry and Romel Icocu

 

Spurs have bought a lot of players from abroad this season and that will  make things a wole lot harder for them Paulinho from Corinthians of brazil and Lambela from Roma both cost 26million each so they are trying to buy their way into the champions league but it will not be easy for them at all.

In my opinion Chelsea will be there or there about as well as Manchester United I have a feeling that Man City will be focused on the Champions League and I think that Liverpool's early season form may put them their or their abouts.

 

My prediction for the coming season:

1 Chelsea Jose Knows too much about his team

2 Liverpool Rodgers is buying smart

3 Manchester united The senior players and former players will get united to this point gigs, scoles and Nevelle

4 Man City or Arsenal I am not too sure about whether Pelegrini knows English football and gain the right number of points |Arswen does but never buys

FA Cup Man City after things fail in England this may be Pelaginis last chance

League cup its all about guess work as some put out strong teams and others put out weaker teams in this competition it could be anyone I will go for an outsider I like Newcastle  but it should more than likely go to Liverpool or Everton