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Dublin cruise to emphatic opening win under Niall O Ceallachain as Davy Fitzgerald’s Antrim falter in NHL clash
Croke Park is proving to be Niall O Ceallachain’s field of dreams.
Just six days after managing Na Fianna to a historic All-Ireland club SHC title success, there was a similar outcome for his county team.
There was no cup at the end of this evening’s win, and Dublin will run into trickier assignments further down the line, but this was a positive start for the new regime.
Cian O’Sullivan top scored with 13 points for Dublin, the majority of those coming from frees, while debutant Conal O Riain also stood out in attack with 1-3.
There was an ominous feeling from Antrim’s perspective from the moment O Riain smashed a terrific ninth minute goal, leaving five points between the teams.
Dublin streaked away for a 14-point win in the end with O Ceallachain perhaps most pleased about his defence conceding just six points from play.
David Lucey, Iain O hEithir and Paddy Dunleavy were all newcomers at the back while new captain Chris Crummey slotted in at number six and typically led the line.
Conor Burke has been named Dublin vice-captain for 2025 and impressed too, getting on the scoresheet in a facile win.
Dublin will head to Mullingar to face Westmeath in Round 2 on February 9, the same day that Antrim will make the trip to Tullamore.
New Antrim manager Davy Fitzgerald will demand an improvement because they were summarily dismissed.
The Saffrons were missing ACL victim Conal Cunning and lacked his attacking threat though Dublin were without a string of players too.
There was no Eoghan O’Donnell, who has joined the footballers this season, while old hands Danny Sutcliffe, Ronan Hayes, last year’s captain Paddy Smyth and the entire Na Fianna contingent were missing too.
The newcomers stepped up well and Dublin hit the interval with a deserved 1-14 to 0-9 lead.
James McNaughton did the bulk of the scoring for Antrim, mostly from frees.
Paddy Burke and Niall McKenna had positive moments for Antrim too but they were under pressure throughout and never looked like grabbing a result.
Powerful full-forward John Hetherton, back in the Dublin team, struck two points and O’Sullivan continued to split the posts throughout the second-half.
Crummey, Dara Purcell and O Riain again late on all struck scores as Dublin ran amok.
O Ceallachain took the opportunity to run in all five of his subs and newcomer Jack Lambert was among them.
Dublin: E Gibbons; J Bellew, D Lucey, I O hEithir; D Gray, C Crummey 0-2, P Dunleavy; B Hayes, C Burke 0-1; Dara Purcell 0-3, D Power, C O Riain 1-3; C O’Sullivan 0-13, 11f, J Hetherton 0-2, F Whitely.
Subs: D O Dulaing for Whitely 53, S Gallagher for Gray 46, C Hayes 0-1 for B Hayes 57, David Purcell for Hetherton 60, J Lambert for Dunleavy 63.
Antrim: R Elliott; C Boyd, D McCloskey, P Burke; C Bohill, R McGarry, E Campbell; S Walsh, N Elliott 0-1; P Boyle, K Molloy, N McKenna 0-2; E O’Neill, N O’Connor 0-1, J McNaughton 0-10, 8f.
Subs: E McFerran for Boyd h/t, G Walsh for McGarry h/t, S Elliott for O’Connor 48, J Maskey for Bohill 54, J McLaughlin for O’Neill 66.
Ref: J Owens (Wexford).
British Airways killer Robert Brown could be freed with date set for next parole hearing
BRITISH Airways killer Robert Brown could be freed with a date set for his next parole hearing.
Pilot Brown, now 60, bludgeoned his estranged wife Joanna Simpson to death with a claw hammer before burying her in a pre-dug grave in Windsor Great Park.
The couple’s two young children were within earshot when he attacked her in the family home on Halloween 2010.
Brown was handed a 26-year term for manslaughter, after arguing that he was suffering from adjustment disorder at the time of the attack, and was due to be released in November 2023 after serving just half of his sentence.
Joanna’s mother Diana Parkes launched an appeal in The Sun to block Robert’s release, saying that she was convinced he would find a way to hurt her and her grandchildren if he was set free.
The then Justice Secretary Alex Chalk stepped in and used his Powers To Detain to stop him from getting out of prison, which was challenged in the High Court but upheld.
During the Judicial Review held last year into the case, the court heard that Brown could be at risk of killing again if he was released early from prison and has “no remorse”.
The Ministry of Justice has argued that Brown is a “significant risk of serious harm” due to his “non-engagement” with probation officers which would allow officials to properly assess the danger.
Brown “has been described by various professionals as hostile, superior, defensive, dismissive and grandiose” according to the ruling and “He continues to lack motivation to engage” with rehabilitation.
He has also “refused to undertake any offender behaviour programmes” including courses on healthy relationships and risk of intimate partner violence.
His case will now be heard by the Parole Board before a decision is made on his release.
The choice to hold the hearing behind closed doors was revealed by The Sun in September.
Representations made on behalf of the new Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood asked for a public hearing because “increased transparency is vital to building public confidence in the parole system”.
Brown argued that his right to privacy would be affected under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights if there was a public hearing.
Sir John Saunders on behalf of the Chair of the Parole Board said that the hearing must be held in private because of issues around privacy and because a “considerable amount” of the hearing will concern the killer’s mental health.
The Sun on Sunday can reveal Brown’s hearing will now be heard “early in 2025”.
The high profile case is yet to be listed.
A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: “We can confirm the parole review of Robert Brown has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes.
“Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.”
Joanna’s mother Diana Parkes said: “With Brown’s Parole Board hearing on the horizon, it is an incredibly anxious time for Jo’s family and friends.
“We implore the Parole Board must not let this man out of prison into the community.
“He has shown no remorse for the horrific and brutal killing that he committed against my daughter.
“The Parole Board must see that Brown cannot be trusted to follow licence conditions, including not entering exclusion zones.
“These rules will not stop him from doing anything dangerous, as rules have never stopped him in the past.
“The safest way for him to be monitored is to keep him in a restricted area.
“In Court, Brown, who was a British Airways Captain, said he would rather down the plane full of passengers than go to prison.
“We hope that the Parole Board can see Brown is a dangerous man to the community.”
Joanna’s best friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton said: “We are powerless in this process and all we can do for our sake and that of the public is pray that the parole board does a thorough job in looking at Brown’s index crime, the history of abuse behind it and his conduct in prison in making their assessment of risk and ability to manage it in the community.”
‘Outstanding’ 1930’s Ford Tommy Foster Roadster sells at auction for whopping £177,000
A VINTAGE Ford from the 1930s has been sold at auction for over £175,000.
The 1932 ice-blue Ford Tommy Foster Roadster has all the top-quality features that make the classic car “outstanding.”
This includes the ivory and blue tuck-and-roll Naugahyde interior with the famous satin-finish side-panel.
It sold for a whopping £177,000 at Mercum Auctions on January 17, 2025.
In 2007, Ford selected the vehicle as one of the 75 most significant 1932 Ford hot rods.
It was also part of the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Ford.
As the name suggests, the sleek vintage vehicle was built by Tommy Foster.
It took the hot rodder 15 months to complete the construction which he started in 1949.
A few years later, the car was awarded the winning spot in the 1952 Motor World Fair in Miami.
The auction listing detailed more about Foster’s homemade creation.
Foster, from Detroit, learned his craft through magazines, which saw him create “a smooth, sexy roadster that was resplendent in cool, ice-blue lacquer that he’d sprayed himself in his home garage.”
The only part of the vehicle not personally done by Foster was the upholstery.
He began with a genuine deuce roadster body that Foster bought from a fellow rodder who had altered its Z-ed frame rails.
Foster then took to shaving and smoothing the body, filling the cowl vent and relocating the gas tank.
The listing explained: “Over the ensuing 15 months, doing everything but the upholstery himself, he dropped in a bored-out, relieved ’39 Ford flathead with an Edelbrock dual intake manifold, finned 8:1 high-compression heads and an Iskenderian three-quarter cam.
“Neat, chromed Porter headers ran to steel-pack mufflers under the car and exited in ‘baloney-sliced’ chromed exhaust extensions that were faired into the rolled pan.
“There never was a hood for this car, so all that brightwork was part of its much-admired visual signature.”
His vehicle soon became one of the best, becoming “a frequent show winner virtually from its first appearance.”
The same year it won at the Motor World Fair, it featured in the August issue of Hot Rod which spread the word about Foster’s talents.
“Foster’s ’32 could stand smartly on its own wide whitewalls against any street roadster from the West Coast,” the listing stated.
The hot rodder retired from General Motors in 1978 and sold his iconic roadster.
It was then sold on again to someone who disassembled it and left it for a decade until it was purchased again and carefully restored and refurbished to Foster’s design.
The vehicle has since had numerous owners and has been displayed a number of times at Hot Rod exhibits.
Now the vehicle has a new home; its owner has “a period piece that is unlikely to be duplicated today.”
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Kirstie Allsopp secretly marries property tycoon after 20 years of dating
KIRSTIE Allsopp has secretly married a property tycoon after 20 years of dating.
The Location Location Location presenter tied the knot to her lover in an “elegant and lowkey” ceremony in Mayfair, London.
Kirstie has been in a relationship with the self-made property tycoon Ben Andersen – who is now her husband – for the past 20 years.
The pair first met in 2004 while attending a party for a prospective Conservative MP.
At the time, Ben and his ex-wife Theresa had only been separated for five months, with Kirstie forced to shut down rumours that she had “stolen” Ben from his ex.
“I did not [steal him]. I met Ben at a party for a prospective Tory MP friend of mine, Orlando Fraser.
“Ben’s wife, whom I knew at school and whom he was already separated from, introduced us,” she told the Evening Standard in 2012.
Before Kirstie met Ben, she had been described as “not girlfriend material” by someone she had dated.
She previously told Stylist magazine: “No one was interested in me in my twenties.
“I had ‘please marry me’ tattooed on my forehead. It was so vital to me to get married and have children.”
She then, at a later date, told The Mirror: “One chap said, ‘Kirstie, you will make someone a fantastic wife but you are not girlfriend material’.”
Paul Hughes edged out by Usman Nurmagomedov in classic Bellator title fight at PFL Road to Dubai
IRELAND’s Paul Hughes came up agonisingly short against Usman Nurmagomedov in the Bellator lightweight title fight at PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series.
The Irishman was on the wrong end of a controversial decision at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
The Derry man solidified his status as number one contender after a career best scalp of AJ McKee in November.
The 27-year-old Lavey ace earned the biggest win of his career in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last year after defeating AJ McKee via decision.
But now ‘Big News’ is 13-2 in his MMA career as the scorecard went in favour of the unbeaten Dagestani champion.
But Hughes was incredible over the five rounds as he tested the resolve of the champion, who noticeably slowed over the 25 minutes.
Many had the fight scored in favour of the Derry native at the final bell but the judges saw otherwise.
Nurmagomedov got a takedown in the final round and threatened to dominate but Hughes showed his class in the scramble and finished the contest in dominant fashion, landing a number of blows.
One judge scored the bout 47-47, and the other two gave it 48-46 to Nurmagomedov.
The fight was the last ever Bellator MMA title, and now the promotion will surely have to rematch the pair for the inaugural 155 PFL MMA strap after a Fight of the Year contender in the UAE.
Hughes reflected on the fight, stating it unfolded as he had anticipated.
He said he thought that he’d done enough to win but admitted holding something back and regretted not pushing harder.
Hughes also stated that he felt an immediate rematch felt inevitable before calling for the rematch to take place in Belfast.
Usman shouted out Dubai before giving Paul Hughes credit.
He said: “Paul Hughes you are tough. I underestimated this guy.
“I think I jumped to next level because of him. He made me better.”
Jamie Vardy undergoes celeb health treatment at top clinic within days of Rebekah launching vodka range
JAMIE Vardy started a “full body reboot” within days of wife Rebekah launching her own vodka range.
The 38-year-old Leicester City star is undergoing a celebrity health treatment called “Icoone” at a top London clinic.
Becky accidentally revealed his secret when she put a montage of photos on her social media to celebrate his birthday this month.
It showed him in a grey bodysuit, with just a pair of paper pants underneath, preparing for a procedure which can also reduce fat, improve circulation and help detoxify the body.
Loved by stars such as Paris Hilton and Gwyneth Paltrow, it is touted as “perfect for women on the go”.
Becky, who has had treatments from top aesthetician Sadaf Jaffari, suggested ex-England striker Jamie give it a try.
A source said: “Becky goes to see Sadaf for treatments and suggested Jamie should go too.
“Jamie’s having it as a muscle recovery treatment as he has to keep in tip top shape.
“He had to wear a grey bodysuit to have it done.
“He looked a bit daft but thought it was a good idea.
“He had the first one before Christmas and neither he nor Becky put it on their socials at the time.
“But when she did a round up of photos for his birthday this month she included it.
“He got a bit of ribbing from the other players and he just laughed it off.
“Jamie is superfit and takes huge care of his health and fitness these days.
“This treatment is all part of that.
“The days of Jamie Vardy having a party all night are over.”
Becky says her fruity vodka SKTL was inspired by Jamie’s home-made version which had sweets in it.
That tipple fuelled celebrations after Leicester’s Premier League win in 2016, and sparked the terrace chant “Jamie Vardy’s having a party”.
New boy Omar Marmoush can breathe new life into Man City but Abdukodir Khusanov has debut to forget vs Chelsea
PEP GUARDIOLA took a big gamble by throwing £92.5 million worth of new talent straight in for this top four showdown.
It threatened to back-fire when Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov made a major blunder in the third minute of his Manchester City career to gift Chelsea the lead.
But at least there was a hugely encouraging debut from Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush – who played a big part in helping City back into the game.
The £59 million ace has been one of the stand out stars of the German league this season thanks to his 20 goals – not to mention the assists.
And he has the energy to breathe new life into what has been a spluttering season for the champions.
Marmoush had a couple of great chances and also saw a goal chalked off for offside during his 74 minute run-out.
He also showed promising signs of a link up with Erling Haaland – which almost led to a goal midway through the second half.
The only downside was a habit of running offside – but put that down to over-enthusiasm as he tried to make an impression on his first run out.
Fellow new arrival Khusanov will need more than an arm round his shoulder over the next few days after the way his debut started.
Thankfully for him it didn’t get notably worse after that second minute blunder that gifted the visitors the lead – because for a while it looked like it might do.
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He got a yellow card a couple of minutes later and on a couple of occasions he looked in danger of getting another one.
Still there was a crucial block to deny Jadon Sancho a second goal of the night for the visitors and a sliding tackle that brought enthusiastic applause from his manager.
The first Uzbek to play in the Prem lasted until the 54th minute when Guardiola replaced him with John Stones.
City’s crowd are a forgiving bunch and he was given a generous round of applause as he made his way off – so that will have made him feel better.
It always looked like a big gamble from Pep to pitch him straight in – after all he’s only played just over 30 games of top level football.
