Sport with John Duggan: Ireland V Austria preview

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

The Hard Shoulder, with Ciara Kelly and Shane Colman. On Newstalk, with Ciara.

Ciara Kelly (0:09)

John Duggan joins us now with the sports news. JD, the Republic of Ireland under-21s attempting to qualify for a European Championship final for the very first time.

John Duggan (0:17)

And they're playing Finland and Tampere in the first leg of their playoff. Ciara, the home side lead by Goltanil, have not witnessed scenes like this in ages. Snow on the pitch. For a time, the referees stop play and there's been a 10 minute delay at half time as they clear the snow on what's an artificial pitch, but the markings were getting obscured. So the disappointment from an Irish perspective.

Shane Coleman (0:39)

Just on the stroke of half time, wasn't it? The goal they got to go ahead.

John Duggan (0:45)

Yeah, Finland scoring from literally the last play of the half, a header by the sub, Anni Helen finding the bottom corner. Now, the win over England brought the boys in green, the young ones, to the brink of making next year's finals, which will be jointly hosted by Albania and Serbia. Good for Ireland in a way because the tricky conditions are making a bit of a wash, but Finland scoring that goal means the next goal is very important now. If there's going to be another one in the game, the second leg of Turner's Cross on Tuesday.

Shane Coleman (1:11)

Okay, well, fingers crossed that they can get the pitch back operational and also maybe Ireland could pull something back.

John Duggan (1:17)

Oh, and Eldine up front with Tommy Lannigan.

Shane Coleman (1:19)

Yeah, there's goals in that team, definitely. The senior team facing Austria in the Nations League tomorrow?

John Duggan (1:25)

In Linz in Austria, 7.45 kickoff time. Live commentary here on Off The Ball, Saturday on Newstalk, a special extra edition bonus show, one to five shows, seven to ten shows. So you know what to do, folks, when you're listening to the radio. Heber Haugransen's men, they've got a lot of win over Israel, a draw with Israel, a draw with Austria and a defeat to Kosovo. So we've got Kosovo in Dublin on Tuesday to wrap up the group. So a couple of wins will be very welcome as we look to get into League A. We're in League B at the moment. Just looking at who's available here, Quivin Caterhurst has been playing in goal on a regular basis in the Premier League for Brentford.

Dara O'Shea, likewise for Epstridge Town, John Egan for Hull.

Shane Coleman (2:04)

Both playing really well.

John Duggan (2:06)

Captain Nathan Collins back in the squad now.

Liam Scales scored for Celtic last weekend. Jacob Ryan in and out of the Everton team. Connor Coventry from Charlton has started the last three games for Ireland.

Shane Coleman (2:16)

Did well.

John Duggan (2:18)

We have Finn Azaz expected to be back involved from the start now for this match tomorrow.

Shane Coleman (2:23)

Malumbi I'm guessing will be in there as well?

John Duggan (2:25)

Possibly, although in one of the games he played Azaz back with Coventry and needed a more attacking team.

Shane Coleman (2:30)

If he plays three up front though, I think you have to have Malumbi in there, do you not?

John Duggan (2:34)

As for almost an engine.

Shane Coleman (2:35)

Yeah.

John Duggan (2:36)

So in the forward positions, Jack Mullen, as we know, absolutely flying ten goals.

SPEAKER_1 (2:39)

It has to start, doesn't it?

Shane Coleman (2:41)

What a revelation he's been.

John Duggan (2:42)

He's been amazing. So hard to make it over there. Troy Parrish, though, a quiet spell for him. Just two goals for how best this season so far, but obviously for the national team, he's been doing very well.

Shane Coleman (2:51)

And I think they'll play the Swansea striker up front. I think they'll play Ida as well. I could be wrong. It's hard to predict the team, but I'm guessing Ida will be there.

John Duggan (3:00)

They have some injuries and they might not be at their fullest strength.

Ciara Kelly (3:05)

It's great to go into a game and not be like, oh, we haven't a hope, isn't it?

John Duggan (3:08)

Well, we're competitive now. Since everything turned around with those Portugal and Hungary games last year, Ciara, we've been competitive now at national level. So it bodes well ahead of a European Championship, which we're going to co-host, you know.

Ciara Kelly (3:21)

Yeah, absolutely. And Pochettino has been confirmed the new head coach of Man U.

John Duggan (3:25)

Marcel Pochettino, 54-year-old former Argentina defender, signed a two-and-a-half-year deal, we believe, with the Red Devils. His first game as United boss after he leaves the USA will be a baptism of fire away to Liverpool.