7 days agoBlogsComments Off on ‘It’s not always been easy’, says RTE star in emotional tribute as he marks major milestone with wife
RTE star Donal Skehan has shared an emotional tribute to his wife as they celebrated a major milestone.
The Irish chef and his wife Sofie tied the knot back in 2015 in Dublin’s City Hall, surrounded by their loved ones.
Donal shared an emotional tribute to his wifeinstagram/@donalskehanThe pair celebrated ten years of marriageinstagram/@donalskehanThe TV chef posted a series of throwback snapsinstagram/@donalskehan
The happy couple, who now have two children together, marked their tenth wedding anniversary today.
Donal took to his Instagram to pay a heartfelt tribute to his wife on the special day.
The dad-of-two posted a series of gorgeous throwback snaps from their wedding day.
In the caption of his post, the TV star gushed over the “incredible” journey they’ve been on together.
He wrote: “Happy anniversary Sof. Ten years married today! From Paris to Dublin City Hall to Lisnavagh House, and somehow we’re still standing – what an incredible bloody rollercoaster it’s been. If these two kids above could have known what was coming down the tracks!”
Donal also reflected on some of the highs and lows they’ve faced as a couple.
He said: “We’ve had two brilliant boys, four house moves, five years in LA, bought our first home, the cookbooks, the shows, the travels and one or two meltdowns (mostly mine), and a whole lot of figuring it out as we go.”
The 37-year-old then opened up about his admiration for Sofie as he added: “It’s not always been easy – but it’s been real, and full, and ours.
“Sofie is the calm in the storm, the better half by a mile, and the one who keeps the show on the road when I’m off chasing the next big dream!”
Fans and friends flocked to the comment section to share their love and congratulate the pair.
RTE star Arthur Gourounlian wrote: “Happy anniversary, you beauties. We love you both very very much. Sofia, your husband of 10 years, better be spoiling you big time because he even forgot the date he thought it was the 26th.”
Virgin Media’s Brian Dowling joked: “Happy anniversary guys!!! Sofie you DESERVE the Nobel Peace Prize for this.”
Theresa said: “Congratulations on ten years of togetherness. And many adventures along the way. Enjoy celebrating… and dreaming the next ten years.”
And with him all the way was personal chef Eric Triliegi – who has worked with the likes of Conor McGregor and Ryan Garcia in the past.
Triliegi – an expert in helping fighters cut weight through nutrition – has the job of making sure Paul is fuelled for 12 weeks of training.
He told SunSport: “For someone like Jake or an athlete it’s actually very simple.
“We want to make sure he’s getting enough carbohydrates so he has enough glycogen storage in his muscles to be able to perform.
“We gotta make sure he has enough fat so we can give him some of that good fat energy as well and then he has to have the right amount of protein so we keep him lean.
“When we do the water load, we like to have him have more muscle mass because water and muscle cell combine, water and fat don’t combine.
“So I like to make sure that he’s lean with muscle, got enough muscle so when the water load happens, it’s doing the right things.”
Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr
JAKE PAUL’S controversial boxing career rolls on this weekend with the Problem Child facing boxing royalty in Anaheim, California.
Paul will face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, a highly-decorated former world middleweight champion.
The Mexican, 39, has fought just once in the last four years but has the best boxing resume of any fighter to step into a ring with Paul – bar Mike Tyson, who was aged 58 at the time they fought.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Paul’s favourite fight camp meal is chicken marsala – an Italian-American dish made of shallots, garlic and a wine sauce.
He has up to four meals a day – breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks mixed in with smoothies between his sessions.
And if Triliegi fancies treating Paul , he serves up a sweet treat – all still healthy, of course.
He said: “Honestly, I’m not big on cheat meals but I will do a no-bake cheesecake, passion fruit cheesecake, things like that.
“But I use all healthy ingredients.”
Paul’s last fight was up at heavyweight in November when Mike Tyson controversially came out of retirement aged 58.
He jumped up to 227lb (16st 2lb) before winning on points and now drops back down to the 200lb cruiserweight limit of 14st 4lb.
And Triliegi said: “The last fight camp for Tyson we were having over 3,400 calories a day – maybe a little bit more.
“We were gaining weight, so it was a lot easier. Now with this, he came in camp light around 215, so the weight cut’s been real easy, real simple.”
Triliegi has to make sure Paul’s calories are reduced as the fight edges closer and the weigh-in approaches.
But the chef – who brought out his own book called Fight Food – even tracks the boxer’s SLEEP to help him shed the unwanted pounds
Triliegi said: “I monitor everything, his sleep cycle, light, deep, in REM, his training, rest blocks.
“If everything is going smoothly, he can eat the food that he wants, he can eat when he wants.
“But we just monitor a little bit of the portion control. But other than that, we’re monitoring sleep, making sure he doesn’t eat too late.
“If you eat too late when you go to bed instead of resting, you’re digesting so it’s taking away from the purpose of sleep so we pretty much keep track of everything.”
Jake Paul’s chef Eric Triliegi even lives with the boxerJake Paul tucking into one of his meals
7 days agoBlogsComments Off on Three reasons why Marcus Rashford’s dream move to Nou Camp could be perfect for Barcelona, Man Utd… and Lamine Yamal
MARCUS RASHFORD’S future at Manchester United looks bleak to say the least.
After being exiled by manager Ruben Amorim in December, he has not had a look-in since, which prompted him to secure a loan transfer to Aston Villa.
AlamyMarcus Rashford’s future lays away from Man Utd[/caption]
GettyHe has openly spoken about linking up with Barcelona[/caption]
GettyBut how could the potential switch be beneficial to all parties, including Lamine Yamal[/caption]
Despite scoring four goals and adding six assists under Unai Emery, Amorim is adamant the English winger will not be a part of his plans at Old Trafford and is even willing to leave him behind from the squad’s pre-season tour.
He discussed a position change to suit the Camp Nou outfit’s needs and was full of praise for Yamal, saying: “It’s difficult to put into words what he’s doing because he’s not supposed to be doing it at 16, 17.
“He’s playing at the highest level, I don’t think we’ve seen it. To have his mentality is a skill.”
Below, we look at the tactical details behind the potential transfer of Rashford to Barcelona, and why both clubs and Yamal can all benefit from the deal.
Movement
One of the most consistent strengths of Rashford’s game has been his movement and ability to make decisive runs beyond the last man and to attack the space behind the opposition defensive line.
When Rashford first came through at Man Utd under Louis van Gaal he often played as a more dynamic centre-forward option.
Join SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Old Trafford
Gradually, however, Rashford moved over to play from the left of the attack and in these areas he became less dangerous when breaking the line through movement.
If Rashford were to move to Barcelona and play as the central striker, his movement in tight spaces combined with the way he can explode from a standing start will offer real value for Hansi Flick‘s side.
This is especially true with Yamal playing from the right side of the attack.
Despite only being 17 years old, there is a very real argument to be made that Yamal is one of, if not the best, player in the world.
His vision and ability to find a pass when cutting inside on his left foot would be ideal in releasing Rashford.
Here we see how Yamal finds clever angles to release team-mates in dangerous areas
While Lewandowski has been one of the top strikers in football across the last decade – and a top physical specimen – he has lost a yard of pace and sharpness, and his ability to make runs and create separation quickly has declined.
The quality of his runs and movement is still there, but the athleticism to keep up with his brain has faded.
This is where Rashford could make a lot of sense for Barcelona.
His explosiveness and ability to make line-breaking runs would enable Yamal to make these passes with confidence.
Rashford’s movement here gives Amad an option to pass to slip the ball to him before the Englishman goes on to score
Rashford can create immediate separation from defenders and take advantage of his passes.
His extra athleticism on the last line could be a crucial detail for Barcelona in their bid to retain the LaLiga title and win the Champions League.
Meeting crosses
Barcelona have a long-standing tradition of being extremely greedy with possession of the ball.
Under Flick they play an extremely high defensive line and look to force the opposition into deep defensive blocks.
This does, of course, carry some risk in terms of leaving space that can be attacked, but they also dominate the ball in the final third and create opportunities to break into the opposition area.
However, this means they have to find ways to break down the opposition.
In order to do so, there are points Barca will cross from the wide areas, either through Yamal on the right or through Raphinha on the left.
Lewandowski has always been good from these positions thanks to his sharp brain and quick movement, but once again, his declining athleticism has led to issues.
Here we see how Yama is able to produce a quality cross which only needs to be met by a willing runner
Rashford has long been underrated for his ability in the air and his movement to attack crosses into the area.
He reads the flight of the ball well and his jinking movements will often unbalance defenders as he moves one way before cutting and attacking at a different angle.
The forward will often make long runs from deeper areas, knowing the angles to attack the space in the opposition penalty area.
These runs tend to be at a higher speed and intensity, and as such it can be exceptionally difficult for defences to defend them.
Here a deep run from Rashford allows him to burst past defenders before getting the ball in a dangerous area
All he needs is quality delivery.
There is a real sense that signing a player like Rashford would bring an extra dimension to the attack for Barcelona.
Playing back to goal.
One thing Rashford had definitely appeared to struggle with in the past was playing with his back to goal when playing centrally.
His explosive pace and curving runs are anathema to a target-man style centre-forward who can bring team-mates into play around them.
In his younger days this might have been put down to a lack of concentration or composure.
But it was interesting to note he Rashford referenced how he now feels more comfortable playing with his back to goal as a central striker.
To succeed as the No. 9 at Barcelona, this aspect of his game would need to be top-dollar.
Here we see how Barcelona’s attack is brought into play by the hold-up of Robert Lewandowski
If Rashford is able to allow Barcelona to play quickly forward to a safe platform and then link play with team-mates who will be swarming forwards to support him, he will be integral.
At 5ft 11″, Rashford certainly has the frame of a forward who can hold off defenders with his back.
His combination play and ability to get around his marker through sheer acceleration and strength would make him a real threat if utilised correctly.
And the mere threat of this happening will force opposition defenders to think twice about getting too tight when marking him.
At Aston Villa Rashford showed glimpses of his central hold up link play, in this example dropping deep before bursting forwards
Rashford is no longer a young and raw player.
He is an experienced international player who is in his peak years and has the tools to be able to play centrally for a team with the attacking dominance of Barcelona.
Conclusion
A move abroad feels like the logical next step for Rashford to make, with a change of scenery to a club like Barcelona appearing to make sense.
It would be fascinating to see whether his profile and skill set could provide that next level for Barcelona in terms of unlocking the attacking threat of the team.
TRANSFER NEWS LIVE – KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW
7 days agoBlogsComments Off on Donegal GAA star overjoyed at birth of baby boy days before All-Ireland quarter-final against Monaghan
DONEGAL star Ryan McHugh has already had a week to remember as wife Bridget gave birth to their son on Monday.
Sharing an adorable pic of the new arrival from the hospital, Ryan revealed his name is Senán.
@ryanmchugh2The happy couple got married around two years ago[/caption]
@ryanmchugh2They’ve given him the beautiful Irish name of Senán[/caption]
The two-time All-Star made sure to thank all of the staff who had ensured Bridget and Senán received the best of care over the past few days.
He wrote: “Senán McHugh 23/06/2025.
“I would just like to thank Letterkenny Hospital for the wonderful care they took of Bridget and Senán over the past week. Thankfully everyone is doing good and back home.”
Despite reaching this life-changing milestone, Ryan is still set to line out at Croke Park on Saturday when Donegal lock horns with neighbours Monaghan.
The side announced by Monaghan boss Gabriel Bannigan shows two changes from their win against Down.
Stephen Mooney and Killian Lavelle make way for Jack McCarron and Gavin McPhillips. Gary Mohan is a sub after limping off against Clare.
We’re still awaiting team news from Jim McGuinness but the Kilcar half-back is always one of the first names on his team sheet.
At 6.15pm attention at GAA HQ will turn to a renewal of a classic early 2000s rivalry in the form of Tyrone against Dublin.
Earlier this week Red Hand legend Sean Cavanagh spoke of his hope that the sight of the Sky Blue jerseys in Croker will bring out the best in his countymen.
The three-time All-Ireland winner reckons it could spark their summer as they chase their first semi-final since going all the way in 2021.
He emphasized: “I feel there’s a big performance in this Tyrone team. The talent is there, and I know Malachy is the right man to get it out.
“I think the sight of Croke Park and the sight of the Dubs and the Sky Blue jersey will definitely bring out whatever’s in those players right now.
“As a supporter I do feel there’s a big performance in the team, and I think they’ll all see it in that way. They’ll all see it as an opportunity to bring it on Saturday night.
“Any year that Tyrone has good years, it usually takes a big game and the sight of something that will energise and excite the team to get it out.
“So I’m cautiously optimistic that the sight of a Dublin jersey on a Saturday night in Croke Park will do that.”
Ahead of that tussle Marc O Se has floated a rumour doing the rounds in the Kingdom that Jack Barry has returned from Australia and may even make the matchday panel.
