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Blow for Dublin GAA as Dessie Farrell reveals nine-time All-Ireland winner and ‘great servant’ ‘unlikely’ to return
DESSIE FARRELL revealed it is “very unlikely” that Michael Fitzsimons will feature for Dublin in 2025.
The nine-time Sam Maguire winner has not featured for the Capital in either of their two Division 1 football league games so far.
And speaking to TG4 after their defeat to Donegal on Saturday evening, Dublin manager revealed the veteran would not be back this year.
He said: “It is unlikely that Michael will be back with us.
“He has had a long, long season when you combine the inter-county and the great run that Cuala had.
“He is a busy man in his profession as well. Every one knows that so it is very unlikely that we will have Mick back.
“He has been a brilliant servant and we miss him greatly but that seems to be the situation at the minute.”
Fitzsimons’ season only ended on January 19 when he and Cuala won the All-Ireland senior club football final against Errigal Ciaran.
It was far from Fitzsimons’ first national medal, however, as it represented his TENTH at senior level and ELEVENTH overall.
The 35-year-old added the club crown to his NINE Sam Maguires won in the Sky Blue of Dublin.
He was one of three men to cross that landmark when Dessie Farrell’s men beat Kerry in the 2023 final – the others being James McCarthy and Stephen Cluxton.
McCarthy has since retired – as has Brian Fenton – while Cluxton is expected back at some point this season.
But he will be the last of the three amigos, with Farrell paying tribute to the other two for the impact they had on Dublin.
He added: “Himself and James McCarthy, two fabulous ambassadors for Dublin GAA over the years.
“I think the education they have given the rest of the players and the standards the set has been pretty immense.
“A huge loss for us but a great opportunity for others and already we are seeing a different face to this Dublin team, a different identity starting to emerge.
“The experience isn’t there but hopefully the heart and desire will be and we will work with that.”
Fitzsimons himself placed the All-Ireland he won with Cuala right up there alongside the Celtic Crosses won in the Sky Blue.
The 14-time Leinster SFC winner said: “Every single game with the club is . . . like, it’s different.
“The bond we have with Dublin is phenomenal and the way you get to know lads, from different parts of the city, that’s phenomenal.
“But you can’t beat winning with the club. I would have watched all of those club All-Ireland finals in envy, but admiration for those lads too. Mossy Quinn just finished up and led Vincent’s, just phenomenal, and Michael Savage, Ger Brennan . . . lovely lads.
“I’d see them doing it and then Crokes were doing it, with Paul Mannion and Rory O’Carroll.
“I’d get on very well with those lads and was always so impressed with what they did — Darragh Nelson at Ballyboden the same.
“It was always something we’d dreamed of but a lot of times we didn’t think it would happen. We knew we had decent players but it was pulling it together and getting a panel.
“Then we had 32 lads out training and we were just emphasising that that was the importance of it, as in having such a big group pushing in the same direction and committing.
“Even if they weren’t getting game-time or getting the fruits of it on the pitch, they were phenomenal as a group.”
https://twitter.com/GAA_BEO/status/1885807432565178592Model Sara Sampaio lays low in tight red corset after wowing on new Superman film set
ACTRESS Sara Sampaio gets set for a well-earned nap after her Kryptonite-powered performance in the new Superman flick.
Portuguese Sara, 33, was lying low as she became a scarlet lady in the red corset by Dutch label Hunkemöller.
But she hit new heights as villain Lex Luthor’s assistant-turned-love-interest in Superman, out in cinemas this summer.
Sara plays Eve Teschmacher in the latest Man of Steel big screen offering, with relative unknown US actor David Corenswet, 31, in the title role.
We bet Sara steels some of his scenes.
Sara has also recently celebrated hitting eight million followers on Instagram.
She told her followers: “8 million of you!!!
“Thank you for coming on this journey with me!”
Sara previously shared a video of herself in different poses with Instagram followers and urged them to be body positive.
Sara said: “Be kind to people and yourself and please stop commenting on people’s changing bodies.”
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Average length of a daytime quickie is getting shorter, shock sex survey reveals
THE average daytime quickie now lasts just two minutes, a survey reveals.
A spontaneous bonk in 2023 took two and a half minutes — but got shorter last year.
The two-minute romp usually take place between 10am and 3pm, the survey shows.
That compares with 4mins 10secs of passion during a morning lay-in from 6am to 10am.
A WFH lunchtime love-in — usually between noon and 2.30pm — typically lasts 4mins 30secs.
Afternoon antics — from 2.30pm to 5pm — stretch to 5mins 4secs.
Teatime frolics from 5pm to 8pm slow to 5mins 10secs.
“Normal” nookie from 8pm to midnight lasts 5mins 24 secs.
But the most lingering lust happens after midnight — and takes a leisurely 7mins 10secs, according to the survey by affairs dating website Illicit Encounters.
Its relationships expert, Jessica Leoni, said: “Brits like their romps like their tea — quick, satisfying and at all hours of the day.
“The humble quickie is standing the test of time — albeit getting even speedier.
“Perhaps we’re all busier than ever. Britain’s bonking round the clock.”
Illicit Encounters questioned 2,000 members for its survey.
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RTE star Maura Derrane shares glimpse inside ‘fabulous’ holiday in Germany with son Cal
RTE star Maura Derrane has shared a glimpse inside her “fabulous” holiday in Germany with her son.
The popular host has one son, Cal, with her politician husband, John Deasy, who she tied the knot with in 2005.
Maura often shares snippets of her day-to-day life over on Instagram.
The Today host recently jetted off on a winter trip to Wiesbaden in Germany with her son.
The pair went to see the Kochbrunnen – the most famous hot spring in the city.
The mum-of-one took to her social media today to share a clip of herself and Cal at the water fountain.
Maura was all smiles as she recorded herself in front of it while Cal stood on the opposite side.
They were both dressed in big coats paired with hats and scarves.
The presenter captioned her post: “Greetings from #weisbaden #germany where the fountain waters are hot thermal springs.
“Cal was not as impressed as me #kochbrunnenwiesbaden #thermalwater #spatown.”
Maura’s fans and friends all flocked to the comments to share their love for her post.
Amelia said: “Beautiful. MAURA. Enjoy.”
James wrote: “Enjoy your time in Germany.”
Annie commented: “Wow what a great place to spend a holiday. Enjoy.”
Fiona gushed: “Looks fabulous.”
Another added: “Beautiful Maura.”
Maura recently made a super stylish return to Today wearing a “fantastic” blazer.
FAB FIT
The Galway native was back on screens yesterday alongside her usual co-host Daithi O’Se for another episode of fashion, lifestyle and cooking.
Maura is renowned for chopping and changing her aesthetic on the show with a floral dress one day and a two piece suit the next.
The 54-year-old opted for a chic yet casual look for the show as she donned a simple grey tartan jacket from Zara.
The trendy jacket totally dressed up her look and made for an edgy twist.
The printed jacket had a cropped silhouette and silver buttons down the front.
And fans looking to try out Maura’s fabulous outerwear don’t have to worry about breaking the bank.
The Short Round Neck Jacket is currently available on the Zara website for just €35.99.
Fury as MoD spends £40k a week on LIMOS in ‘pointless waste’ of money
THE MoD spent £40,000 a week on chauffeur-driven cars, we can reveal.
Its bill for taxis and limos in the year to April was up 45 per cent to £2.1million.
The outlay would pay the annual salary of 83 private soldiers earning £25,200 a year.
One car for defence officials cost £4,500 for a 1,060-mile return journey from barracks in Chepstow to Inverness.
Another staff round trip from Loughborough to Scotland’s east coast set the cash-strapped MoD back by £3,500.
Our investigation, using Freedom of Information laws, also revealed a £3,000 car ferried officials around the country then back to the Midlands.
William Yarwood, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, called it a “pointless waste” of money.
It comes as experts warn the UK is vulnerable to attack due to lack of investment in the Armed Forces.
Former MP and Defence Committee chair Tobias Ellwood said: “If people were aware of how vulnerable we are, there would be a greater outcry to spend more on defence.”
The MoD blamed the previous government. It said: “We are committed to securing value for money for taxpayers and cracking down on waste.”
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Inside the rise of Savinho with Man City star so talented that under-14s coach was SACKED for leaving him on the bench
HE is the shining light whose midweek heroics stopped a dismal season from turning into a total disaster.
A rare bright spark in the Etihad gloom, as Pep Guardiola’s serial winners struggle to keep their campaign on an even keel.
And rated such a standout talent back home that — even in a nation boasting the likes of Vinicius Jr and Endrick — many are hailing him as Brazil’s standard bearer of the future.
Not bad going for the skinny South American who arrived at Manchester City in the summer as a £21million snip in an era of eye-watering fees — and a near-unknown to plenty of fans.
Yet, while others were in the dark, Guardiola always knew Savinho would be a gem. A kid tipped for greatness from the day he walked into Atletico Mineiro as a 12-year-old.
His off-the-bench role in rescuing City’s Champions League assault — he scored one and made another in the must-win game against Club Brugge — was just one more notch on the belt.
For Savinho has been the headline act at every level since his first steps with Mineiro, who immediately realised they had an uncut diamond on their hands.
Which makes it even more amazing to learn, just two years into his footballing education, he was once left to rot on the bench by a coach who could not see what all the fuss was about.
Savinho was only 14 and Mineiro’s top brass were so petrified their priceless jewel may slip through the net that the man responsible had to go. Immediately.
Leaving him out was the football equivalent of turning down The Beatles — and even now the man who took him to the club shakes his head in disbelief.
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Joao Paulo Alves de Paula was Savinho’s first coach at Mineiro and they are still so close that he stays with the City star when he comes to visit.
Joaozinho, as he is known, recalls that jaw-dropping first sight of the lad — and the similar amazement when he could not get a game.
He revealed: “Savio was in a group of 20 kids and the only one we picked. He was only 12, a year younger than the others but overwhelmingly the best.
“Back then Atletico Mineiro did not have an Under-12s, so he was against older kids from the start. And he stood out above everyone.
“When I saw him on trials day I almost fell over. His technical ability and dribbling were extraordinary for a child of that age. I was so excited to see him with the ball at his feet.
“Over the next three years he took huge strides, made decisions in seconds and finished like an adult — all with boundless confidence and a smile.
“But it wasn’t all a walk down the red carpet because when Savio moved to the Under-14s, the coach just didn’t like him.
“He kept leaving him on the bench. He barely played and when he did, it was at left-back. My hair was standing on end.
Coach ‘snubbed’ Savinho
“Savio can play on either side but he’s a winger. I couldn’t believe what the coach was doing.
“That mistake, that lack of judgment, could have cost Savinho his football career and seriously damaged the club.
“So, with such crazy things and wrong decisions, the coach was fired and I took over the Under-14s. The smile was back on Savio’s face.”
And that smile has rarely been off the face of the Brazilian since.
Former Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli gave him a debut at 16 and within two years the City Football Group had signed him.
He was initially placed with Troyes but, after loans at PSV Eindhoven and Girona, Savinho moved to the Etihad in a deal worth £33.6m in July last year.
Brazil debut vs England
A Brazil debut came against England in March, ten caps have followed and at Christmas he had a starring role — including a first City goal — in getting the champions back on track.
Then, with their Euro hopes on the line as Brugge held a half-time lead, Pep turned to Savinho to save the day and was rewarded with a second-half rescue act.
Even Guardiola, not given for singling out players, highlighted his Brazilian star — and Joaozinho reckons he will get even better under the Spaniard.
He added: “If he has no serious injuries, Brazil will be world champions with Savio in the team.
“The team is going through big changes and Savio will be their leader, no doubts.
“He is in great hands with Guardiola as his coach and I’m certain he is going to become a huge star of both the Premier League and Brazil.”
Savinho also believes he will flourish under Guardiola.
He said: “I scored plenty of goals at Girona, they demanded a lot from me. Here, Pep is also very demanding.
“I’ve been working on my finishing. As a forward, I can’t simply expect our striker to score all the goals.”
Ruben Amorim is absolutely right to slam Marcus Rashford – and Man Utd boss has Sir Alex Ferguson’s backing
IF THERE’S one thing in life I love, it’s a straight talker — even though it can’t half land you in trouble at times.
There were a couple of famous occasions it did just that in my managerial days and I’m sure you know where I’m going with this.
Once was when I was QPR boss and was asked why I had left out Adel Taarabt, I could have come out with all sorts of excuses.
Instead, I said I couldn’t pick a player who was about 3st overweight and you can imagine the fallout from that.
Then there was probably the most memorable of all at Spurs, when Darren Bent missed a sitter from about a yard against Portsmouth.
In the interview afterwards, I said my missus could have put it in and it all went off. The player wasn’t happy, neither was his agent, it went berserk.
As much as I was having a pop, I didn’t mean it in a nasty way.
It was a joke, a throwaway comment every bloke watching in the boozer with his mates would have said.
In my book you’ve got to be able to laugh at yourself — I’ve never been afraid of that.
Like the times I made a substitution which turned the game for us.
If anyone said it was inspired, I’d tell them, “I’m not that clever or I’d have had him in from the start… I obviously picked the wrong team!”
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Although it was annoying when Benty missed, I was only having a laugh.
And it certainly wasn’t on my mind when I pulled up at Derby a few years later.
The chairman had asked if I’d help out (interim manager) Darren Wassall and I’d totally forgotten Benty was there as well, to be honest.
When I realised, I was like, “Oh my God, this could be embarrassing” and I’m sure there was plenty of mickey taking in the dressing room when the other lads heard I was going in.
Anyway, literally within a minute of me walking onto the training pitch, Darren hit this absolutely blinding 30-yard volley that flew into the top corner.
I looked at him and shouted, “Hey Benty, my missus wouldn’t have scored that one!”
And that was it, he burst out laughing, all the lads fell about, it was all forgotten.
I’ve seen him plenty of times since, at Soccer Aid and stuff, and we get on fine. He knew it wasn’t meant maliciously — I was just telling the truth as I saw it at the time.
Which is why I’ve no problem with what Ruben Amorim has said about Marcus Rashford not being in Manchester United’s team.
He’s done exactly the same — said it as he sees it.
What’s he supposed to do when people ask why he’s not picking a guy on £325,000 a week? Say, “He’s training great, I just went with someone else”, or claim Rashford’s got the flu?
He’s been honest and said he’s not playing as he’s not training well and when he does, he’ll be back in the side.
Those who pay his wages have a right to know. Tell the truth… there’s too much bulls**t these days.
You get managers whose teams have been beaten by four or five saying, “We played well, we were just unlucky.”
Who faces who in the Europa League?
Here's a look at the ties across the competition...
Teams who finished from ninth to 24th in the Europa league phase will play off to decide who reaches the last-16.
PLAYOFF ROUND
Bodo/Glimt vs Twente or Fenerbahce
Anderlecht vs Twente or Fenerbahce
FCSB vs Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Ajax vs Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Real Sociedad vs AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland
Galatasaray vs AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland
Roma vs Ferencvaros or Porto
Plzen vs Ferencvaros or Porto
Winners of playoff ties will then face the teams who finished in the top eight of the league phase in the last-16…
LAST 16
Lazio vs Roma or Plzen or Ferencvaros or Porto
Athletic Bilbao vs Roma or Plzen or Ferencvaros or Porto
Man Utd vs Real Sociedad or Galatasaray or FC Midtjylland or AZ Alkmaar
Tottenham vs Real Sociedad or Galatasaray or FC Midtjylland or AZ Alkmaar
Frankfurt vs FCSB or Ajax or Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Lyon vs FCSB or Ajax or Royale Union Saint-Gilloise or PAOK
Olympiakos vs Bodo/Glimt or Anderlecht or Twente or Fenerbahce
Rangers vs Bodo/Glimt or Anderlecht or Twente or Fenerbahce
B******s — say it is as it is: “We were crap and got turned over.”
I’m telling you this, Amorim is all right in my book and I know Sir Alex Ferguson likes him. You can’t have a better man on your side than that.
He’ll give it a right go, for sure. He’s got a bit of life in him and won’t fail for lack of trying.
He just wants his players to give it their best shot as well.
I’m sure he wants to pick Marcus. He wants someone with pace, who can run at people and score goals and a couple of years ago Marcus did that better than most.
If he applies himself in training, the manager will have no problem sticking him in again because we all know what a handful he can be — he’s a real player, there’s no doubt.
But until he’s convinced, there is no chance. In which case Marcus has a problem and probably will have to move on.
Fair play to Amorim for being honest. Too many managers soft-soap players these days, but clearly not this guy.
And that makes him all right in my book.
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Marcus Rashford to seal Aston Villa loan transfer with £40m buy option – but Man Utd will pay star £81,000-a-week
MARCUS RASHFORD was last night set to sign a loan deal with Aston Villa.
That was despite the Manchester United striker having privately vowed never to play for another Premier League club.
Rashford, 27, is due for a medical today after agreeing terms which will see him continue to earn £325,000-a-week as United will cover 25 per cent of his wages.
Villa also have the option to buy the England striker at the end of the season for around £40million.
A United insider told SunSport it had been made clear to Rashford he would not play for United again while Ruben Amorim was the boss.
A source said: “Marcus always said he would never play for another club in England because he is a United fan.
“He started to think he needed to move earlier this season and wanted to go to a big European club.
“The reality is he’s not had the interest he expected. Villa first showed a tentative interest in him last November.
“Amorim has made it very clear he has no future at Old Trafford.
“Villa have managed to offer him two things — keeping his wage the same and Champions League football.”
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Villa boss Unai Emery has promised new signings after selling striker Jhon Duran to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr for a reported £70million.
Emery said: “There are two days left in the window. We’ll get some players to help us because we’re in the Champions League last 16.”
New England boss Thomas Tuchel has also given Rashford — who has 60 caps — hope that he can regain his England place if plays regularly.
Rash was left out of the Euro 2024 squad by ex-boss Gareth Southgate.
Our source said: “Tuchel told Marcus and his representatives he saw Marcus as an essential part of the England squad going forward.”
