Uruguay defeat Ireland by 3-2 in soccer friendly in Dublin

Uruguay defeated Ireland by 3-2 in a friendly international in Dublin on Tuesday night.

Uruguay scored after 12 minutes but Shane Long, Ireland's best player responded after 15.
Uruguay scored two more and were looking like easy winners at half time.

However, a penalty from Fahey saw Ireland back in the game but they could never come up with the tie score.

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly suspends Michael Floyd after drunk driving arrest

Irish coach Brian Kelly has suspended junior receiver Michael Floyd Monday indefinitely after he was arrested for drunk driving.

"In light of what happened this past weekend, I let [Floyd] know that he has been suspended indefinitely from football team-related activities," Kelly said. "Football needs to take a backseat at the moment while Michael gets his life in order, and while I don't know when Michael will be reinstated, it will not happen until Michael demonstrates he has successfully modified his behavior and the legal and university disciplinary matters have run their respective courses."

Floyd was arrested by Notre Dame Security Police after running a stop sign. He failed three sobriety tests.

Floyd apologized for his actions.

"I want to apologize to my family, friends, teammates, coaches, the University and the extended Notre Dame family for my behavior this weekend," he said. "I absolutely recognize that I have many things to work on to become a better person and will need to regain the trust of all whom I have hurt within my immediate family and the Notre Dame family."

University spokesman Dennis Brown said Notre Dame was taking the matter seriously.

"It is well known that Notre Dame has high standards for student conduct, takes these matters seriously, follows the facts where they lead, and, when necessary, institutes appropriate sanctions at the appropriate time," Brown said.

Ireland win historic rugby victory over England by 24-8

Ireland won an historic victory over England at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and stopped England's grand slam attempt.
The final score of 24 -8 did justice to an Irish side who outplayed England from the kick off.
Well on top in the first half Ireland relied on the penalty kicking of man of the match Jonathan Sexton,pictured, who kicked four and an unconverted try from Tommy Bowe.
Early in the second half Ireland continue to rout England with Brian O'Driscoll scoring his record 43rd international try and Sexton converted. Ireland 24-England 3.
England did score a try to briefly threaten but Ireland with Ronan O'Gara replacing Jonathan Sexton at out half held on easily for an historic victory
England used all seven substitutes including Jonny Wilkinson in a vain effort to turn the game aorund but Ireland easily took everything thrown at them for an easy victory..

Ireland lead by 24-3 against England in rugby

Early in the second half Ireland continue to rout England with Brian O'Driscoll scoring his record 43 international try and Sexton converted. Ireland 24-England 3.
Ireland led England 17-3 at half time with yet another Jonathan Sexton penalty adding to three he scored earlier and a Tommy Bow unconverted try.England's solitary response was a penaty by Flood. They also had a player sin binned as Ireland ran rampant.

Ireland lead England 17-3 at half time of rugby international and lead England 17-3

Ireland lead England 17-3 with yet another Jonathan Sexton penalty adding to three he scored earlier and a Tommy Bow unconverted try.England's solitary response was a penaty by Flood. They also had a player sin binned as Ireland ran rampant.

Ireland 14 England 0 in rugby international

Tommy Bowe went over for a try after a quickly taken penalty by Jonathan Sexton after half an hour. Sexton missed the conversion failing to add to his three earlier penalty goals

Ireland 9 England 0 after 20 minutes in rugby international

Jonathan Sexton kicked a third straight penalty but it could have been much better as Brian O' Driscoll's try was called back for a forward pass.

Ireland lead England 6-0 in rugby international after 15

Ireland took a 6-0 nil lead after fifteen minutes in rugby international after two Jonathan Sexton penalties.

Ireland lead England 3-0 early in rugby international

A bright start for Ireland against England as Jonny Sexton converts a penalty after five minutes.
Ireland 3 England 0

Irish Outrage after Wales illegal score wins rugby international

Ireland were outraged after Wales defeated them in the rugby international in Cardiff by 19- 13 on an illegal try.

The Welsh winning try came after they used a different ball than the match ball in a lineout-- forbidden under the rules.

The referee awarded the try despite the Irish protests but the replay clearly showed they had switched the ball.

Welsh coach Warren Gatland said the method of victory did not bother him.

He said: "It doesn't take the shine off the win for me. I don't care, we won the game.

"I can understand why Ireland are frustrated but we've had some rough decisions in the past so I'm not complaining.

"Had the referee gone to the fourth official he would have gone back to the lineout. But it doesn't mean we would not have won the game. We showed real character with our defence."

Ireland were left fuming.

Captain Brian O'Driscoll (pictured0 said: "It's extremely frustrating when a simple error has such a huge bearing on the game. People make mistakes but some are unforgivable."

Ireland leads Wales by 13-9 at half time in rugby international

A try by Brian O'Driscoll after only three minutes gave Ireland a lead they never lost in the first half against Wales in Cardiff in a very exciting game
A last second penalty gave Ireland a 13-9 lead at the half with all to play for in the second half.
O'Gara kicked the penalty as he had kicked one earlier
Ireland were plagued by penalties again during the first period and were made to suffer by some excellent goal kicking by Wales.

Tikki Barber unretired? Don't tell Eli Manning of the Giants

Giants running back Tiki Barber is making a comeback?

Lets hope Eli Manning doesn't get too excited by the idea of playing with Prima Donna Tikki again.

Tikki is the guy who dismissed Eli as lacking the right stuff shortly after he retired.

Eli just went ahead and won a super bowl.

Tikki had pissed off his teammates long before that, effectively announcing his retirement midway thru the previous season and upsetting the team's balance.

Tikki played for Tikki that was always obvious.

Now he's either broke or bored or both.

I suspect its both.

But the NFL is cruel on running backs, average career three years.

Tikki is well past his sell by date.

The Giants will trade him but if they ever meet him maybe Michael Strahan will come out of retirement just to slam his old buddy into the ground one more time.

Don't do it Tikki, there are too many people waiting to take that shot at you.

Go back to the 23-year-old you left your pregnant wife for.

That's more your speed these days.

Coach Kelly of Notre Dame talks Michael Floyd, quarterback controversy and year two

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has told The New York Times that "year two will be a lot different to year one" under his tenure.

Kelly who comes to New York on March 16th for a charity dinner told the Times that when he arrived at Notre Dame there was a negative attitude that he had to remove.

"Everyone talked about what was wrong with Notre Dame; there wasn’t a consistency. There were too many head coaches here. There was no consistency, for whatever the reasons the changes were made, right or wrong. Going into our off-season workouts with our guys, Year 2 is a lot different than Year 1."

Asked about a quarterback controversy Kelly said he was in much better shape entering the new season than he was when he got there.

"Last year at this time, Dayne Crist was appointed or anointed, whatever word you want to use, the heir apparent to Jimmy Clausen. It’s way too much pressure for any kid who had no experience to have on his shoulders. And then he was backed up by no one with any experience.

"We come into this year with two guys who’ve won football games and a quarterback who fits the system that we recruited. We don’t have Dayne Crist feeling like he has to carry the load of the entire Irish nation on his shoulders. It’s a totally different feeling when you come in and have those dynamics working for you, compared to what it was last year."

He also stated the return of wide receiver Michael Floyd meant an incredible amount to the team.

"Part of building a program is the trust you need from your players and in recruiting. When you see a Michael Floyd, who was not recruited by me or this staff, nor was he a guy who had to come back to college, it does a lot toward giving trust to your program. Its like: “Hey, they’re doing the right things here. I’m sticking around.” That is why he got the sixth star from me. That meant here’s a guy who wants to stick around because he believes in what’s going on."

Sensational result as Ireland beat England at cricket world cup -- biggest upset in history of the game say experts

In the annals of Irish sporting victories it is the most unlikely ever.

Beating England at cricket is the equivalent of Ireland beating the Yankees, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter etc. at baseball.

Yet Ireland have pulled of an incredible miracle in the cricket World Cup in Bangalore.

How much were they the outsiders?

Well bookmakers had them at 150-1 after England had batted first and ran up -- well a cricket score of 327 runs.

Ireland has fifty overs or innings to surpass that total, an unheard of accomplishment.

No one in the history of the cricket World Cup had ever overcome such a deficit.

And for Ireland to do it over England, who had just recently beat Australia for the Ashes, perhaps the major trophy in cricket, was entirely absurd.

That was before a cricketer called Kevin O'Brien who no one had ever heard of hit the fastest century in the history of the world cup. He hit all around him and the English could simply not cope.

Suddenly Ireland were in with a shout and as the game drew to a close they surpassed the English total.

Cue a celebration that was as wild as it was unexpected.

Irish Prime minister -elect Enda Kenny showed what the victory meant to the beleaguered country.

"Ireland's victory marks one of the finest days in Irish sport, and my warmest congratulations go out to each and every member of the squad after this historic win.

"Their supreme effort will lift the spirits of every single Irish person, no matter where they are in the world. Ireland's performance is truly inspiring, demonstrating that, with self-belief, the apparently impossible can be made possible, and that real change can occur."

Amazing.