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Posts by Brendan O'Brien

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Olympic champ Daniel Wiffen may swap California training base for Dublin The 24-year old made the switch from his long-time base in Loughborough University in the UK to Cal Berkeley, where his twin brother Nathan also swims, last year

In a perfect sports/media world, every athlete would be as open as Daniel Wiffen

Here's the Olympic champion on life in California, and why he might swap it for Dublin if next week's Irish Open doesn't go fully to plan

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...

3 weeks ago 0 0 0 0
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World Cup play-off comment: Without doubt, one that got away The biggest show on earth remains half the world away for the Boys in Green.

On-the-whistle comment on the Republic's devastating World Cup playoff exit

One that got away, simple as

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer...

3 weeks ago 0 0 0 0
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Watch: Seamus Coleman not done yet as Irish talisman sets the tone Coleman’s role as emotional bellwether for this Irish team is more finely-honed than ever.

Seamus Coleman just hits differently

Piece on the Irish captain, the motional bellwether for a team that has rekindled the bond between the Boys In Green and their legions of fans

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/arid-4...

3 weeks ago 0 0 0 0
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Late to the party, Ireland new boy Harvey Vale aiming for instant impact Vale’s emergence at this late stage of the World Cup qualifying cycle, and the inclusion of the uncapped Bosun Lawal who is being tipped for a significant role in the playoff against Czechia on Thursd...

Harvey Vale wouldn't be the first to make a late, late bid for a place in an Irish squad in the run up to a major tournament

From John Sheridan to James McClean: the story so far

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer...

4 weeks ago 0 0 0 0
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World Cup playoff podcast: The view from the Czechs ahead of Ireland showdown Brendan O'Brien, in Prague, speaks to journalist Jonas Bartos about the mood around the Czechia squad, how they rate Ireland and what we can expect on Thursday night.

Spoke to Czech football journalist Jonas Bartos ahead of the Republic of Ireland's World Cup playoff to find out how the locals see it

A fairly positive take on where they are at under new (74-year old) manager Miroslav Koubek

📽️🎙️

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer...

4 weeks ago 0 0 0 0
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World Cup play-off podcast: Heimir Hallgrimsson shows hand for Prague and pens contract extension Brendan O'Brien and John Fallon react to the news that the Boys in Green manager is staying on and set up a huge week for Irish football.

First of what will likely be many football pods over the next week as the Republic of Ireland prepare for their World Cup playoff date in Prague

@JFallonExaminer takes us through the news here of Heimir Hallgrimsson's new contract and the latest squad

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer...

1 month ago 0 1 0 0
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Six Nations Podcast: not to be for Ireland after a thrilling final day It’s a Triple Crown but no title for Ireland as an epic Six Nations comes to an end. Simon Lewis and Brendan O’Brien run through Ireland’s defeat of Scotland and try to sum up a truly memorable Champi...

ations

Ireland look reborn and France conceding 96 points in their last two games and finishing as champions just about summed it up

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
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Forget Paris: Ireland cap a remarkable five weeks with Triple Crown Andy Farrell has overseen an impressive transition since the opening-night defeat to France.

From despair to triumph in five weeks

Piece on how Ireland's superb defeat of Scotland caps an incredible swing in fortunes

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
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Watch: Ruby Walsh breaks down how tactics have changed down the years Our racing columnist Ruby Walsh chats to Brendan O'Brien ahead of another helping of festival racing to come on Thursday.

Today's Cheltenham chat with Ruby Walsh where our @ExaminerSport columnist breaks down how tech and rule changes have transformed racing

Simple, brilliant insight as always

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
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Conan the contrarian: 'Mystic Jack' happy to be proven right as he aims for last word The Ireland back row has played Scotland nine times and won all nine but he knows Saturday could be Ireland's sternest challenge in some time

Fantastic headline!

(Not mine, unfortunately)

👏

Jack Conan as entertaining and interesting as always this week

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
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Watch: Ruby Walsh explains difference between Cheltenham inside and outside the rails During his career as a Ruby Walsh never really got to experience to mania around Cheltenham.

Con Houlihan, that immortal line about Italia '90, and what the jockeys can't experience until they quit the saddle

Today's Cheltenham chat with Ruby Walsh

📽️

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing...

1 month ago 1 0 0 0
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Back row shuffles pointing the way forward for Andy Farrell's Ireland Josh van der Flier has been a foundation stone for Farrell's Ireland backrow but even he has found himself without a place to sit as the head coach plays musical chairs with his selections

Lots of focus on Ireland's musical chairs at No.10, on the wings and in the front row in this Six Nations.

The back row has been in some flux too

Piece here on what that says about where the team is going

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

1 month ago 0 1 0 0
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Watch: Ruby Walsh on crowds, covid and Cheltenham Our champion columnist on criticisms of the fan experience at Cheltenham in recent years, and on how the festival’s covid experience has shaped it.

Has Cheltenham turned a corner?

Irish Examiner racing columnist Ruby Walsh on the fan experience, and how Covid fed into some of the problems the festival experienced in the years after

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/racing...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
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Ireland v Wales, Six Nations, live minute-by-minute updates Join us for live coverage of Ireland's Aviva Stadium clash with Wales.

The Irish Examiner Ireland-Wales Six Nations liveblog is up and running with all the info you need to know before the 8.10pm kick-off

Includes a quick look at Jamison Gibson's remarkable journey on the night he wins his 50th cap

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
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Nick Timoney: 'There were times I was fairly sure I wouldn't play for Ireland again' Timoney was electric off the pine when Ireland found some belated rhythm in Paris on opening night, not quite so influential when introduced against Italy at home, but impactful third time around in t...

'There were times I was fairly sure I wouldn't play for Ireland again'

Nick Timoney is on the verge of a first Six Nations start this Friday

He's 30 years of age

Another lesson in the value of patience and perseverance in the current Ireland squad

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
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Better late than never for 'vindicated' Stuart McCloskey It's 10 years since McCloskey learned that moments like he's having right now for Ireland do not last forever

“Ah, I don't know what the craic was with Joe [Schmidt]. I don't think we saw eye to eye...."

Open, honest stuff from Stuart McCloskey who is tearing it up for Ireland ten years after a "tainted" debut against England

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

1 month ago 0 0 0 0
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Six Nations Podcast: Ireland destroy England at Twickenham Brendan O’Brien and Simon Lewis talk through Ireland's historic victory at Twickenham

Pod with Simon Lewis dissecting Ireland's extraordinary return to form against England in Twickenham

One of the great days

🎙️

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

2 months ago 0 0 0 0
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England v Ireland, Six Nations live minute-by-minute updates Can Andy Farrell's side back up last weekend's victory over Italy by claiming a famous win at Twickenham?

The Range Rovers are parked, the wicker baskets are out so it must be England-Ireland at Twickenham time

Come join our Irish Examiner Sport minute-by-minute liveblog

Kick-off is at 2.10 but we're already up and running...

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

2 months ago 0 0 0 0
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Six Nations Podcast: England v Ireland preview Brendan O’Brien and Simon Lewis talk through Andy Farrell’s decision to start Jack Crowley in Twickenham, the other changes and the abuse directed this week at Edwin Edogbo

Latest Six Nations pod with Simon Lewis as we chat through Jack Crowley's return to the No.10 jersey for Saturday's game against England in Twickenham

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

2 months ago 0 0 1 0
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Ireland v Italy, live Six Nations, minute-by-minute Can Ireland kick-start their campaign against an in-form Azzurri side at the Aviva Stadium after last week's false start in Paris?

It's Ireland v Italy, but not as we know it

Definite buzz about this one

Come join us for the minute-by-minute...

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

2 months ago 1 0 0 0
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Super Bowl snooze shows the truth for sports fans: we want heavyweights The low-wattage Santa Clara game was a tough watch for the neutral - especially on this side of the Atlantic.

The Super Bowl snooze, US Steel and Jack Nicholson's electric turn as Colonel Nathan R Jessup...

'You want me on that wall, you need me on that wall..."

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...

2 months ago 0 0 0 0
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Agwi pain hurts Ireland as Syria confirm Davis Cup drop On Sunday, Michael Agwi fell short of Taym Al Azmeh as he struggled for the sort of form that had set the UL Arena alight in 2024

Lyndsey Vonn, the GAA and Ireland's Davis Cup player Michael Agwi

To play or not to play: sport's eternal wrangle with fitness, injury and readiness

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...

2 months ago 0 1 0 0
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From Drico to Henry to Adeleke - 10 times Stade de France stirred Irish sporting soul There is hardly a venue on the planet that has come to frame the fortunes of modern Irish sport more than the Stade de France.

Irish sport should own shares in the Stade de France at this stage!

Here’s ten of our best and worst days there ahead of tonight’s Six Nations opener…

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

2 months ago 0 0 0 0
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Meet the Team Ireland athletes competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics The quartet was announced on Thursday afternoon ahead of the Milan-Cortina Games that get underway with the opening ceremony on February 6th

Meet the four athletes competing for Ireland at next month's Winter Olympics...

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...

2 months ago 1 0 0 0
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Sports bodies grilled in Oireachtas over handling of elite rowers' welfare issues The gathering had been called to address what has been described as a toxic culture in rowing’s high-performance system, and on the back of claims made in the Sunday Independent by a number of athletes
2 months ago 0 1 0 0
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Rugby podcast special: a 'bun fight' in a cold Edinburgh for the Six Nations launch Brendan O’Brien and Simon Lewis check in with all the latest Six Nations news from the tournament launch in a freezing and wet Edinburgh

Took 20 minutes to chat through all the news and views from the Edinburgh launch of this year's Six Nations with Simon Lewis

Ireland's prop crisis, France's, ehm ... prop crisis, expectations, anticipations and a bit more besides

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

2 months ago 1 0 0 0
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Fabien Galthie not interested in Irish injury woes The France head coach has issues of his own, at tighthead for one.

Managed to write something about Fabien Galthie without using the term 'Gallic shrug'

It's about all that was missing when he was asked about Ireland's injury issues

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

2 months ago 1 0 0 0
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Connacht’s new gaff

Not like the old gaff!

2 months ago 0 0 0 0
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OFI looking at the Irish-American route to make up €2m LA Games  gap Costs for an Olympic Games have inevitably gone up due to inflationary pressures and the extra distances involved in the next Olympics in Los Angeles in two years’ time.

Olympic medals don't pay for themselves...

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/others...

3 months ago 1 0 0 0
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Clayton McMillan: 'Rich history doesn't give Munster a rite of passage' The province suffered a huge setback last Saturday in the form of a 31-29 Investec Champions Cup defeat at home to Castres that knocked them out of the Champions Cup.

“We have got to earn our right to be there"

A brutally honest Clayton McMillan fronted up again for media on Monday after Munster's Champions Cup exit over the weekend

No excuses, no polish. That's good

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/...

3 months ago 0 0 0 0