Columns - Irish Examiner

Liam Mackey

Manchester United v Leicester City - Barclays Premier League - Old Trafford

Leicester Effect will outfox us all

With Claudio Ranieri’s brilliant band of merry men claiming the most unlikely of Premier League title wins, prepare to hear from all and sundry about the new cliche du jour, the Leicester Effect...

Sat, 07 May, 2016

Tony Cascarino: The Ice Cream Man cometh again

All set for the big one tomorrow? The Super Sunday to beat them all?

Sat, 30 Apr, 2016

Referees deserve the appliance of science - and so does football

“I got to the age of 29 and got sent off, because a player kicked me and I kicked him back. I tried to get the referee to rescind the decision. The referee stopped me before I could go any further and said ‘if you think you can do any better, have a go yourself’.”

Sat, 23 Apr, 2016

Ireland’s own maestro John Giles still getting right to the point

Things were hot and heavy in the Vincente Calderon on Wednesday night and, for a time, threatened to get even hotter and even heavier in the Montrose cauldron, as Eamon Dunphy and Liam Brady clashed on the merits, or otherwise, of Atletico Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Barcelona in the Champions League.

Sat, 16 Apr, 2016

It's squeaky bum time

A photo in the papers on Thursday morning, from the previous night’s PSG-Man City game, pretty much sums up where we’re at as football negotiates the fabled run-in.

Sat, 09 Apr, 2016

Shane Duffy the good news story amid Ireland health warnings

Injury time – that’s where Irish football finds itself right now.

Sat, 02 Apr, 2016

When sorrow is tinged with joy at memory of Dutch master Johan Cruyff

The sad news on Thursday of the death of Johan Cruyff sent me back to David Winner’s Brilliant Orange, a book as unconventional and imaginative as the Dutch football culture which it investigates and celebrates.

Sat, 26 Mar, 2016

The highs and lows of professional football

Two products of professional football, Emmanuel Petit and Alan Dunne present a vivid contrast and although Dunne never reached the heights of the Frenchman, he still has much to be grateful for...

Sat, 19 Mar, 2016

'If Leicester can do it...' - The triumph of little over large

Brian Carey likes to tell the story of an encounter a friend of his, a Manchester United supporter, once had with some Grimsby Town fans.

Sat, 12 Mar, 2016

New Euro 2016 rules could see referees send players off before the match even starts

Should an Irish player get sent off for fighting in the tunnel at the Stade de France before our Euro 2016 finals kick off against Sweden in June, I can tell you even now who’ll be to blame.

Sat, 05 Mar, 2016