#irelandisrael-fixtures

#irelandisrael-fixtures

If there is one thing we should take as a life lesson from football's transformation over the last 18 months or so, it's that the wheel really does turn.

England will play their first match of the summer against fellow World Cup 2026 participants New Zealand in Tampa Bay on Saturday, June 6. The Raymond James Stadium is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and hosted Super Bowl LV in 2021.

Next month marks the 15th anniversary of that surreal Sunday when James Horan made his first summer statement as Mayo manager. The start of a riotous, roller-coaster decade embracing seven All-Ireland finals, one draw, six defeats and an infinity of 'what ifs'.

To be honest, I probably put some of the blame on myself. I had a lot of chances to score and I didn't. It wasn't good enough in front of goal.

Seamus Coleman remains a vital presence for Ireland, showcasing leadership qualities that inspire his teammates. The upcoming play-off is not just a game; it represents a significant moment in Irish football history.

Michael McArdle's first game as NI manager will take place at the home of Irish Premiership side Glenavon against Malta on Tuesday, 14 April. They will then travel to Malta for the second of April's double-header on Saturday, 18 April. NI will make the trip to Turkey on Friday, 5 June for their final away game before their final home game against Switzerland on Tuesday, 9 June which will also be played at the Lurgan venue.

Gabriel Adebambo is on the hunt for a golden ticket to see Ireland in Prague on Thursday night, joining thousands of supporters making the trip.

Perhaps a more telling stat is the last five meetings between the two teams. Ireland have all of them. The last time they played here they ran out 36-0 winners. The time before that it was 33-7. The time before that was 57-6. However, the Italians ran them close last season and were it not for a Dan Sheehan hat-trick, they might have lost.

Ireland are comforted to the return of full fitness of Courtney Brosnan, even if her side had successfully negotiated the Belgium promotion play-offs without her, albeit not without some fraught moments for Grace Moloney. The other two changes from that last-gasp aggregate success in Leuven saw Megan Connolly displace Ruesha Littlejohn, who has played effectively no football since, while Anna Patten came in for Jess Stapleton.

The club's use of slogans such as 'forever pure', and the repeated chanting of ethnic slurs such as 'terrorist' directed at Arab players, are not isolated incidents but rather form part of a systemic pattern of conduct that offends the basic rules of decent behaviour and brings the sport into disrepute.

Changes galore, and notable ones at that, across both matchday squads. Steve Borthwick hands fan and media darling (and bloody good player) Henry Pollock his first start in the back row, where he will be joined by the returning Tom Curry. In the backs Tommy Freeman returns to a wing berth at the expense of Tom Roebuck, which brings Ollie Lawrence back into the centres. The bench is a 6:2, with Jack Van Poortvliet and Marcus Smith as the backs options.

Connor Parsons of Bohemians, right, celebrates with teammates Dayle Rooney, left, and Patrick Hickey after scoring their side's first goal during the SSE Airtricity Premier Division match against Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park.