Gary Connaughton

Ireland

Sports Writer at Balls.ie

Sportswriter @ballsdotie. On the road for a while 🌏

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Articles

Nottingham Forest Star Had Brilliant Roy Keane Quip In O'Neill Interview

3 weeks ago | balls.ie | Eoin Harrington |Rob O'Halloran |Lee Costello |Gary Connaughton

Nottingham Forest held on for a hard-fought victory over Manchester United on Tuesday night to move ever closer to a historic return to the European Cup. Nuno Espirito Santo's side scored early on, as United academy product Anthony Elanga came back to bite his old team with a charging counter-attacking strike.
"I've Had Enough Of That Rubbish" - Roy Keane Drops All-Timer Of A Rant About Man United

1 month ago | balls.ie | Niall McIntyre |Joshua Bell Curran |Lee Costello |Gary Connaughton

Roy Keane went on an all-timer of a rant on this week's 'Stick To Football' over Manchester United's slump to 14th in the Premier League table, with Bruno Fernandes in the firing line. The topic of Bruno Fernandes and his performances as Manchester United captain really got Keane going as he rowed with Arsenal legend Ian Wright over the midfielder's leadership qualities.
Arne Slot Echoes Alan Shearer's Work Rate Concerns Over Darwin Nunez

1 month ago | balls.ie | Lee Costello |Rob O'Halloran |Gary Connaughton |Conor McEvoy

Liverpool are soaring high at the moment, but Darwin Nunez appears to be at crossroads regarding his future at the club. While Mo Salah is scoring freely next to him, the goals have not came regularly enough for the number nine, and following a bad miss against Aston Villa last week, the fans seemed to have had enough. Speaking before Liverpool's crucial tie against Man City last Sunday, Newcastle legend Alan Shearer questioned Nunez' commitment to the cause on BBC 5 Live.
Stephen Kenny Fears One Issue Could Turn LOI Fans Away Despite Popularity

2 months ago | balls.ie | Rob O'Halloran |Lee Costello |Niall McIntyre |Gary Connaughton

The League of Ireland is going from strength to strength but Stephen Kenny believes fans will be turned away from the product if one glaring issue remains. The former Ireland manager has had a transformative impact since joining St Patrick's Athletic midway through last season, nearly pushing them to an unlikely League of Ireland title.
'It's Astonishing': Bradley Not Convinced By Ref's Explanation Of Why 'Stonewall' Penalty Wasn't Given

2 months ago | balls.ie | Rob O'Halloran |Lee Costello |Gary Connaughton |Daniel Carpenter Byrne

Shamrock Rovers' history-making European run ended in heartbreak in Tallaght on Thursday as Rovers fell 5-4 in penalties to FK Molde. A missed penalty from Aaron Greene was the difference between the sides in the end. It's a bittersweet end to an unlikely European odyssey. Rovers will have regrets, as Molde were reduced to ten men just before the fulltime whistle when Amundsen was sent off for a second yellow.
Arne Slot On Why He Found It 'Hard To Accept Darwin Nunez' Behaviour'

2 months ago | balls.ie | Lee Costello |Niall McIntyre |Joshua Bell Curran |Gary Connaughton

Liverpool dropped two more points away from home last night as they drew 2-2 against Aston Villa, and Darwin Nunez missed a golden opportunity to win the game. Mo Salah had put Liverpool 1-0 up, before Villa turned it around to make it 2-1 before half time, and a Trent Arnold-Alexander goal equalised with more than 20 minutes to go.
The Best Current Footballer From Each Of The 32 Counties

Dec 26, 2024 | balls.ie | Gary Connaughton

Down through the years, the majority of top Irish players seemed to emerge from Dublin. The capital was the lifeblood of football on the island, while Belfast would provide a huge chunk of the talent in Northern Ireland. That has steadily been changing in recent times, with a larger spread of talent now emerging across the country.
Roy Keane Had A Surprising Attitude When It Came To Drinking Guinness On Christmas Day | Balls.ie

Dec 25, 2024 | balls.ie | Gary Connaughton |Joshua Bell Curran |Niall McIntyre |Eoin Harrington

The festive period is a very busy one for footballers in the UK. Whereas many countries have a winter break over Christmas, British football kicks into overdrive. Of course, this leaves players in an awkward position when it comes to enjoying themselves. They want to join in with the festivities with the rest of their family, although they can't really do so due to their commitments on the pitch.
Quiz: How Well Do You Remember The Father Ted Christmas Special?

Dec 24, 2024 | balls.ie | Mark Farrelly |Joshua Bell Curran |Niall McIntyre |Gary Connaughton

We always enjoy making quizzes for you to enjoy here on Balls, but this is arguably the most craic we've had in putting together anything in the history of our lives. It's Christmas Day, and of course, what's the first thing you think of when you think of Christmas? The Fr Ted Christmas Special of course! By my count, A Christmassy Ted has been on television 231 times already in the last week, so you've probably just watched it and all of this will be fresh in your memory.
At 65, Paul McGrath Can Look Back On Ireland Career With Pride

Dec 4, 2024 | balls.ie | Eoin Harrington |Rob O'Halloran |Lee Costello |Gary Connaughton

It's hard to think of many figures in Irish sport whose name carries as much admiration and aura as Paul McGrath. A star of Manchester United and Aston Villa for seven years apiece, McGrath remains one of the most gifted centre-backs ever to grace the English league and to don an Irish shirt. McGrath was a lynchpin of Jack Charlton's immortal side of the late '80s and early '90s, producing heroic performances at Euro '88, Italia '90 and, most famously, at USA '94.