The duo looked dead and buried with a dive to go but nailed their back two-and-a-half somersault half twist to jump from eighth to third.

It meant a first medal for Britain at this week’s meet at the Olympic Aquatics Centre and was a stunning breakthrough for the duo after they agonisingly finished fourth at last July’s World Championships.

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Charlie Mulgrew celebrates scoring

22/02/2012 – 21:37:11
Celtic 2 Dunfermline 0

Charlie Mulgrew celebrated his first Scotland call-up with a wonderful strike against Dunfermline at Parkhead which helped take Celtic 20 points clear of Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

In the 33rd minute of one of the most one-sided games of the season, Mulgrew, in Craig Levein’s squad for the friendly against Slovenia next week, fired high past Chris Smith from 30 yards for the opener.

The Fifers goalkeeper saved the defensive-minded Pars from more suffering until the 76th minute when substitute James Forrest, on for Emilio Izaguirre, made it number two from close range.

It was Celtic’s 13th consecutive win in all competitions, equalling a feat achieved by Martin O’Neill’s side in 2004, and it confirmed, if needed, that Neil Lennon’s men certainly have the title all but sewn up, with a treble in their sights.

The Hoops manager made four changes with a view to utilising his squad in the run-in, as he had promised to do.

In came full-backs Cha Du-ri and Izaguirre and midfielders Ki Sung-yueng and Kris Commons with Adam Matthews and Forrest on the bench and Victor Wanyama and Thomas Rogne out altogether.

Dunfermline boss Jim McIntyre also made four changes, with defender Andy Dowie, midfielders Paul Burns and Ryan Thomson, and striker Liam Buchanan in for Martin Hardie, Gary Mason, Andy Kirk and Jordan McMillan.

The Fifers could have played them all, it would have been unlikely to have made a difference as Celtic dominated from start to finish.

It soon became clear the Pars would get 10 men behind the ball and leave Buchanan to forage on his own in attack.

Cha led the Celtic charge down the right flank but in the eighth minute it was his South Korea team mate, Ki, who tested Smith with a drive from distance which the keeper saved.

In the 19th minute, following the Pars’ first corner of the game, Gary Hooper escaped the Dunfermline rearguard for the first time but Smith was adjudged to have got a touch to his shot to send it just past the post but again the Parkhead side failed to capitalise from the corner.

It was one-way traffic, Smith made another decent save, this time from Anthony Stokes’ drive before Commons fired over the bar.

Lennon’s side went down the right, down the left and through the middle in their bid to find space and Hooper succeeded again on the half-hour mark but his header was gathered by Smith.

But the breakthrough eventually came in the 33rd minute when Mulgrew decided he had had enough of the subtle approach and from 30 yards fired in a left-footed drive which gave Smith no chance.

As the home side set about sealing the win before the break, Hooper set up Commons but again Smith blocked the drive from 12 yards for a corner which came to nothing.

It was relentless pressure. Commons had yet another effort, this time a decent drive from outside the box, which Smith parried to safety.

In a fleeting appearance in the Hoops’ box, defender Alex Keddie had a header from Joe Cardle’s corner easily saved by Fraser Forster, who at last saw a bit of action.

The second half began in similar fashion to the way the first had ended with Celtic attacking and Dunfermline defending.

In the 50th minute Stokes had a great chance to make it 2-0 when Izaguirre’s cross from wide on the left ended up at his feet eight yards out but with plenty of time and under no pressure, he slid the ball past the post.

Next it was Hooper’s turn to miss a good chance, the former Scunthorpe striker screwing the ball wide of the target from 10 yards after the ball had broken to him when Cha had failed to get on to a clever pass from Commons.

There was simply no respite for the Pars and in the 55th minute Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley fired at Smith after Cha had set him up with a fine cut-back, before the Fifers keeper had to parry again from Hooper, who then thrashed the ball over the bar from close range to end another home attack.

Just after the hour mark Thomson’s goal-bound header from a Paul Willis corner, his first touch since coming on for Cardle, was headed off the line by Izaguirre.

Smith was soon back in action and he did well to tip a shot from Celtic skipper Scott Brown over the bar after good work from Ki with nothing coming from the corner once more.

In the 76th minute substitute Forrest stabbed in Hooper’s cross at the back post for number two.

The turkey-shoot continued with Commons flashing a shot from the edge of the box over the bar before Smith fumbled his low drive from similar distance before the ball was eventually cleared to safety.

There was time for the luckless Smith to make another two saves from Hooper and the final whistle came as a relief to the battered visitors as Celtic march on.

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Alex Ferguson

30/12/2011 – 13:01:45
Alex Ferguson believes Tottenham are currently playing the best football in the Premier League.

Heading into the New Year programme, Spurs are seven points adrift of pacesetters Manchester City and Manchester United.

Harry Redknapp’s men do have a game in hand though and with both City and United to play within a six week spell from the end of January to the beginning of March, the Londoners cannot be written out of the battle just yet.

“Tottenham can definitely win it,” said Ferguson.

“They play the best football in the country and their current form is the best in the country.”

By the time United visit White Hart Lane, Ferguson will hope to have some of his defenders back.

Unless Phil Jones or Rio Ferdinand make a rapid recovery from an illness and a back injury respectively, the Red Devils will be forced to field a central defensive partnership of Michael Carrick and Patrice Evra against Blackburn at Old Trafford tomorrow, with Antonio Valencia at right-back.

“We can cope,” said Ferguson, “especially in home games.

“Michael Carrick’s form has been one of the key points in recent wins. He can pass the ball and has the height, pace and experience.

“It wasn’t a problem for him against Wigan. He was flawless.

“Patrice also has the experience and the spring to head the ball.

“If that is the case then fine. We will get on with it.

“We are at home. We will have the majority of the ball. We have to make sure we are positive when we have it and do enough to win.”

The one piece of good news for Ferguson is that Chris Smalling should be fit, either for Wednesday’s trip to Newcastle or the FA Cup third round trip to Manchester City next Sunday after reports claiming the England man was set for an extended absence due to glandular fever were rejected by the United boss.

“Chris has tonsillitis,” said Ferguson.

“These reports about glandular fever are well off the mark. He had glandular fever when he was a kid. That is not the case here.”

Ferguson also confirmed United intend to exercise their option to extend Dimitar Berbatov’s contract by an additional 12 months, even though the Bulgarian, whose present deal expires in the summer, could in theory talk to interested third parties from January.

Berbatov has been an infrequent member of Ferguson’s matchday squad this season but responded to his second Premier League start on Monday by bagging a hat-trick in the five-goal hammering of Wigan.

Not that his manager was shocked by such a contribution from last season’s joint Golden Boot winner.

“You can’t be surprised at the performances of a player with that ability,” said Ferguson.

“It is what you expect.”

If United’s defensive options are stretched as far as Ferguson fears, Wayne Rooney could be required to fill a midfield berth, which may give Berbatov yet another chance to impress.

Alternatively, the Scot, who celebrates his 70th birthday tomorrow, could use Javier Hernandez and Danny Welbeck in the one area of the field where he has a choice to make.

Ferguson can expect Blackburn to offer more resistance than Wigan, purely due to the manner Steve Kean prefers his team to play.

Whether they have the ability to follow up that impressive draw at Anfield by claiming points at Old Trafford is a different matter, particularly as they have lost Jones since being hammered 7-1 on their last visit.

A repeat of that showing would bring even more pressure on Kean, who revealed yesterday he has spoken to Ferguson in the wake of abuse he received after the home defeat by Bolton just over a week ago.

“It shocks you in a way,” said Ferguson.

“The pressure on managers in the game today is enormous. In the case of Steve Kean, when the supporters react in that way, you say there is something wrong with society.

“Every manager knows it is a results industry. You live by that part.

“If he gets poor results, he knows he can lose his job. There has to be a better way of doing it.”

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Full-back Steven Whittaker – who missed the visit to Celtic Park – will not be available for Monday’s game as he prepares to seek the advice of a specialist for a pelvic problem.

Better news for the Scottish champions is the return of defender Dorin Goian from suspension for the meeting with the Steelmen.

Provisional squad: McGregor, Papac, Bocanegra, Wallace, Healy, Broadfoot, Bartley, Davis, McCulloch, Edu, Aluko, Wylde, Lafferty, Jelavic, Weir, Bendiksen, Alexander, Fleck, Goian.

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Manchester City produced a strong finish to power into the last 16 of the Europa League at the expense of 10-man holders Porto tonight.

Sergio Aguero set up victory by extending City’s 2-1 first-leg lead after just 18 seconds at the rainswept Etihad Stadium before hitting the bar later in the first half.

Edin Dzeko came off the bench to add a second after 76 minutes before the sending off of Rolando preceded further goals from David Silva and David Pizarro in the closing minutes.

Although the decisive goals came late, the result did not flatter the Barclays Premier League leaders.

The Portuguese champions may have controlled the game at times but they lacked a cutting edge and Roberto Mancini’s side always looked more threatening in attack.

The build-up to the match was overshadowed by City striker Carlos Tevez’s apology for his recent conduct while Chelsea’s latest troubles also commanded headlines.

Both issues were again highlighted as Mancini said prior to kick-off he would meet Tevez tomorrow while Chelsea’s under-pressure manager boss Andre Villas-Boas arrived to watch the game.

Villas-Boas won the Europa League with Porto last season but his former club’s grip on the trophy was loosened almost as soon as the game began.

The 5pm kick-off may have been problematic for some fans but the players raced out of the blocks to make the perfect start.

Aguero, who struck six minutes from time last week, started where he left off as he was played through by Yaya Toure and slipped the ball low past Helton.

City looked comfortable for their lead and could have had a second when Silva beat the defence with a brilliant ball for Toure.

Helton rushed out of goal to meet the Ivory Coast midfielder on the edge of the box and spread his body to block his shot.

Porto enjoyed some spells possession but struggled to create meaningful chances until first-leg goalscorer Silvestre Varela found space to test Joe Hart.

Joao Moutinho curled a free-kick over as Porto continued to look for a way back into the tie.
Aguero was unlucky not to score a second as he seized upon a long ball and headed it past the advancing Helton.

It left him at a tight angle wide on the left but his chip was almost perfect as it dropped on to the bar.

Porto again showed composure in possession but did not threaten much around the box, although Lucho Gonzalez fired over.

The powerful Hulk tried to create problems but drove a cross across goal from a good position.

City spurned another chance to extend their advantage as they broke from deep and Aguero released Toure.

Toure appeared to have a good shooting opportunity but he checked back as cover arrived and Aguero drove wide.

Nicolas Otamendi missed the target as Porto went close just before the break.

The game remained open as the second half got under way with Aguero dribbling into the Porto box to tee up Silva but Maicon slid in to deny the Spaniard.

At the other end Gonzalez prodded an effort narrowly wide from 18 yards.

Porto then pieced together a nice passing move and Maicon drove the ball into the box but the offside flag was raised before James Rodriguez turned it into the net.

Hulk almost broke through as Porto attacked again but Samir Nasri got a foot in at a vital moment.
City again pressed for another with Silva winning a corner from Helton with a powerful drive, before play was held up after Otamendi was accidentally kicked in the face by team-mate Maicon.

City put the result beyond any doubt as substitute Dzeko, who had been on the field just seven minutes, was slipped in by a fine ball from Aguero and finished with confidence.

It quickly became a double blow for Porto as Rolando, who had been booked early in the game, was shown a second yellow card as City celebrated – perhaps for protesting too much for offside – and left the field.

City then went on to wrap up the game in style as Silva added a third after 84 minutes after substitutes Pizarro and Dzeko combined to provide a tap-in.

Another followed two minutes later as Pizarro again linked up with Dzeko and broke into the box to slam past Helton for his first goal for the club.

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Donal Óg Cusack

22/02/2012 – 18:59:48
Cork captain Donal Óg Cusack says he is as hungry as ever for success with the Rebels as he sets out on his 17th senior inter-county campaign this weekend.

Cusack, who turns 35 on March 16, says that his eagerness to pull on the Cork jersey is as great as when he first did so back in 1996 in an Oireachtas tie against Tipperary.

“I love the game, it’s one of the reasons why I get out of the bed in the morning,” he said.

“My love for the game has grown over the years and you also understand that you are not at the start of your career and you are probably not at the middle of your career either.

“It’s something you appreciate very much, all of the small things, and appreciate being able to train and hopefully stay injury free.”

The Rebels’ long-serving goalkeeper says he is in a privileged position to have commanded the posts for Cork for so long.

“I am privileged. Making my debut in 1996 in the Oireachtas competition, Cork senior hurling has been part and parcel of my life ever since. Probably the biggest part of my life ever since. I’m privileged and that’s the way I treat it.

“There are other ‘keepers on the panel who are absolutely top class guys – I couldn’t say enough about them in terms of their commitment and capabilities and that is constantly putting pressure on me, but that’s something I welcome.

“I have a responsibility to those guys as much as everybody else to be doing the best that I can.”

Cusack was speaking at the announcement of the Gaelic Players Association’s partnership with mental health organisation Headstrong, which will see 25 inter-county players act as mental health ambassadors.

He says the importance of giving support in this area cannot go unnoticed, explaining: “I think every team and every club and everybody has come across mental health issues and it is one of the areas where the GPA can contribute towards, through the structures that exist and players being role models inside in the communities.

“Having to start the conversation going is one of the key things and if young people can see older players who are role models coming into their clubs and into their schools and talking about the issue then you would imagine that will only encourage them to do the same. Hopefully it will get them talking about it.”

One man whom Cusack has also had a great responsibility to and a great respect for over the years is Cork’s newly-appointed senior hurling boss Jimmy Barry Murphy.

JBM was Cusack’s underage manager and also of course was at the helm in the late 1990s when All-Ireland senior success came winging its way to Leeside.

Donal Óg is looking forward to the second coming under the St. Finbarr’s clubman. “Players want to work for him,” said Cusack of Barry-Murphy.

“I remember walking into a Cork dressing-room in 1994. He was in charge of the minor team and I remember walking in and thinking, ‘that’s Jimmy Barry-Murphy there’, and sitting down listening to him.

“When he walks into a Cork dressing room you get the exact same feeling still. He’s an iconic character in Cork. He was a hero to a lot of us young kids.

“When he’s around the place he’s still the exact same. And dealing with him in a manager-captain relationship, he’s still ‘Jimmy Barry-Murphy’ to me, he’s still a hero to me and I think he brings that out in players, that people just want to do it for him as well as doing it for themselves.”

On the pitch, Cusack is looking forward to renewing rivalries with Waterford this Saturday under the Pairc Uí Rinn floodlights in their Allianz Hurling League opener.

“Waterford will be no different to Cork in that they have had a tough winter’s training, but playing the game is what it is about and they will be no different (to us),” admitted the Cloyne clubman.

“Cork and Waterford have had great games over the last number of years and they are both counties who are passionate about their hurling and it is a great way to kick it off on Saturday night down in Pairc Ui Rinn.

“Nobody wants to see players not involved but I’m sure John Mullane will have plenty to say later in the summer yet, but having said that there will be plenty of top players in action this weekend and every player who will be going out there will want to win.

“I know the league is a secondary competition, but I think this year with much fewer teams every game seems like a big game and a competitive game – every team will want to win.”

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Graeme McDowell

22/02/2012 – 19:07:17
Graeme McDowell was the first player to tee off in the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson today – and the first player to make his exit.

For the second year running Northern Ireland’s former US Open champion lost to Korean YE Yang, this time by a 2&1 first round margin.

McDowell led after five holes, but Yang took control with birdies on the next two and then a par at the 476-yard ninth, where Europe’s Ryder Cup hero double-bogeyed.

A six-foot birdie putt on the short 12th brought the gap back to one, but it was the closest McDowell could get and a superb approach to four feet on the 17th allowed the 2009 USPGA champion to close things out with a birdie.

“I’m playing good – today is a big mountain over,” said Yang.

McDowell was out of the 64-man event before top two seeds Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy had even started against South Africans Ernie Els and George Coetzee respectively.

In the first of six all-European clashes Scot Paul Lawrie led England’s Justin Rose by two with four holes to play.

Rose struck first with a par on the 208-yard third, but three bogeys left him two down after eight and, even with a double bogey on the 10th, Lawrie maintained the upper hand.

Tiger Woods, beaten on the opening day by Thomas Bjorn last year, found himself two down after two to Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Woods was the closer of the two on the first, but missed from seven feet after Fernandez-Castano – currently on course for a Ryder Cup debut in September – had holed from 10.

The Madrid golfer then carved his drive down the long second into the desert, but Woods followed him and had to play his second shot left-handed.

England’s Robert Rock, conqueror of Woods and the world’s top four in Abu Dhabi last month, trailed Australia’s world number eight by one after eight, while 2010 winner Ian Poulter was all square with Korea’s Bae Sang-moon with eight holes remaining.

Their compatriot Simon Dyson lost the first two holes to Australia’s John Senden and Open champion Darren Clarke bogeyed the long second and then hit his tee shot into the lake on the next to fall two down to American Nick Watney.

Lawrie’s fellow Scot Martin Laird, meanwhile, was on level terms with big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros after eight.

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Roberto Mancini

22/02/2012 – 19:31:07
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini tonight said he had “no problem” with Carlos Tevez and the striker could be considered for selection in “two or three weeks”.

Tevez said in a statement released by City last night that he was “sincerely and unreservedly” sorry for his actions in taking an unauthorised three-month leave of absence from the club.

The Argentinian also withdrew his appeal against a fine of six weeks’ wages.

Tevez has not played for City since he was accused of refusing to warm up during the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich on September 27.

Mancini, at the time, said Tevez was “finished” at the club as a result and the dispute escalated when the player then flew to Argentina without permission on November 7.

However, after tonight’s 4-0 defeat of Porto booked City’s place in the last 16 of the Europa League, Mancini said Tevez would be available once he deems him match fit.

The Italian told ESPN: “One week after Munich I called him to my house and said, ’Carlos, apologise to everyone and it’s finished’.

“I have no problem. I think he needs two to three weeks to train, then some games.”

On tonight’s contest, Mancini continued: “We played a good game. Maybe 4-0 was too much but it was important we went into the second stage.

“Porto had lots of possession and it’s not easy to play against them.”

The Italian was pleased to see David Pizarro come on and score his first goal for the club.

Mancini continued: “I know him very well, he was with me at Inter. He came on for 20 minutes, played very well and scored a goal. His experience can be very important for us.”

On their future prospects in the competition, Mancini added: “We want to get to the final.

“It will be difficult but for this reason I will play the best team, although we can make some changes every game.”

City captain Vincent Kompany believes he and his team-mates showed they can win the competition.

A first-minute goal from Sergio Aguero set City on their way to seal a 6-1 aggregate triumph, with late strikes from Edin Dzeko, David Silva and Pizarro inflicting further damage at the Etihad .

Kompany added on ESPN: “It was a great victory. I think today showed how serious we are about this competition.

“Four-nil is a great result against the holders of the competition from last season.

“I didn’t think we were at our best but we did exactly what we needed to

Aguero’s early goal effectively killed off the tie, another valuable strike from the Argentinian who joined City last summer.

“And this is his first season (at City) as well,” Kompany said.

“He is doing so many great things for the team.”

Pointing out the threat City possess, and the abundance of scoring opportunities they had tonight, Kompany added: “It just shows we always create chances. The strikers have a lot of fun up front.

“It’s good the end of the season is approaching, I don’t think our team has ever been stronger.”

Midfield general Yaya Toure said: “I think the game today was fantastic.

“To score early was very important for us.”

Defeat with the Ivory Coast in the African Nations Cup final was a jolt for Toure, and has increased his hunger for a trophy with City.

“It’s very important for me,” he said. “We lost that final against a good team.”

Toure added: “It’s very important for us to win something this year.”

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