Tony Lally

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@McDonnellDan Jay O’Shea? One PL appearance for Birmingham as a sub at Old Trafford right after joining from Galway Utd. I think he might have played in the Prem for Galway rather than D1 though.

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@emmetjryan Ah right, fair enough. In that scenario, Thanos would be… Ronaldo?

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@Ankaman616 Football, Carl. Bloody hell.

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@PhilippeAuclair Both finalists have their flaws and frailties, and on flip side, both have unity, a sense of destiny, and a megastar to revolve around. It’s as perfect a final match-up as I can recall in some time.

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@gcooney93 True, but that type of semi-final win has precedent too - Brazil beating Sweden 1-0 in 94 and Turkey 1-0 in 02, Italy edging Bulgaria 2-1 in 94 - goals scored by Romario, Ronaldo, Baggio.

France 2022 do take “rope a dope” and “killer punch” to a new level though, right enough.

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@gcooney93 Netherlands did qualify for the 1974 final by beating Brazil, and the 1978 final by beating Italy, but the format in those tournaments was for groups to determine the finalists, rather than knockout games.

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@gcooney93 Yep, but World Cup semis are pretty much always a cruel place for underdogs.

Take the “big six”: Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Spain, Italy, France.

The last time one of that group lost a World Cup semi to a team from outside the group was 1958, when Sweden beat West Germany.

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@McCarthyMick And aiming to be only the third team to retain it after Italy 1934/1938 and Brazil 1958/1962.

On flip side, they could also be the third side to reach the final as reigning champions and lose, after Argentina 1990 and Brazil 1998.

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@MiguelDelaney The flow of the game weirdly reminds me of Ireland v Spain in WC 2002 last 16, with Morocco playing all the football at 1-0 down, and Ziyech in the Duff role as chief tormentor…

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@clancycathal @lauriewhitwell @TheAthleticUK @AndyMitten @SkySports @Ankaman616 Classic 😂👏

[Balls.ie @ballsdotie]

Champion #TaylorSerrano

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@GaryLineker @ronnieo147 Outrageous. In full flow like that, he remains one of the great wonders of the sporting world…

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@AndyMitten United in the CL last 16 starting to feel a bit like the Jamaican bobsleigh team in Cool Runnings. Minus John Candy, the good vibes, and the happy-go-lucky attitude, of course...

[utdreport @utdreport]

The best video you'll see in a long time 😍

via @ManUtd

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@colmtobin They locked down themselves to deal with the dreaded “dance fever”…

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@FourFourTwo Rafa Benitez will be appointed Newcastle manager by the end of January.

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@R_o_M There’s no outstanding candidate on the market right now but given past trends it’s very likely that Tuchel and Pochettino will become available over next 18 months, as might Conte. Moving decisively at that point might be more important than any appointment the board makes now.

[Tony Lally @GalwayRed77]

@MiguelDelaney @TonyEvans92a @jonawils Fair points. If you study the club’s history it becomes increasingly evident that the years 1989-2013 didn’t constitute the Alex Ferguson chapter of the United story, so much as the United chapter of the Alex Ferguson story.