Paul Fennessy

2 weeks ago | the42.ie | Paul Fennessy

GOALKEEPERS ARE often regarded as a little different, more out there than the average footballer. More than any other player, they can make or break a team in any given game. Consequently, slagging them off is sometimes a bad idea. Before England’s crucial 1974 World Cup qualifier with Poland at Wembley, legendary manager and then-ITV pundit Brian Clough described the visitors’ number one as “a circus clown in gloves”.

2 weeks ago | the42.ie | Ryan Byrne |David Sneyd |Paul Fennessy

ELLIS CHAPMAN HAS explained how therapy sessions helped him overcome the worst period of his career while at Cheltenham Town before signing for Sligo Rovers last year. The talented midfielder says the move to the League of Ireland allowed him to rediscover his love for the game after previously taking action to work on his own mental health. Chapman barely played for 18 months due to injury prior to getting a chance to resurrect his career with the Bit O’Red when John Russell offered a contract.

2 weeks ago | the42.ie | Paul Fennessy

1. McCabe remains indispensable, but what is her best position? IF THERE were any doubts over the degree of influence Katie McCabe has on this Ireland team, the Greece match in Crete will have silenced the skeptics. The Arsenal star had a calf issue and so started that game on the bench. But with Ireland labouring at half-time and the score 0-0, it was no surprise to see the Kilnamanagh native replace Megan Campbell during the break. The 29-year-old’s introduction transformed the game.

2 weeks ago | the42.ie | Paul Fennessy

AMBER BARRETT may not always be one of the first names on the teamsheet, but her importance to this Ireland squad cannot be underestimated. With first-choice striker Kyra Carusa absent due to a quad injury, Barrett led the line last night and took advantage of a dubious penalty decision to convert the spot-kick confidently amid a 2-1 win over Greece. The Standard Liège striker was clinical when she needed to be, despite some pre-spot kick mind games.

2 weeks ago | the42.ie | Paul Fennessy |Gavin Cooney

THE LEGENDARY Hollywood screenwriter William Goldman once famously proclaimed: “Nobody knows anything.”He was referring to the movie industry’s uncertainty over whether or not a film in production would become a hit. At best, he explained, it was an “educated” guess. This logic could also be applied to young footballers. After Lionel Messi’s rise to superstardom, there was a rush to identify ‘the next Messi’.