15cm longer than its tallest sleeper

SHANE DILLON Travel Editor

IF, LIKE ME, you have the best mum in the world, why not show how much you care this Mother’s Day with a gift she’ll love?

Here are a couple of ideas to help put a smile on your mum’s face, with another great suggestion in the panel below ...

Killenard The Heritage in Killenard, County Laois, have a perfect package to enjoy with your mum – a two-night break with all the ingredients of a fantastic getaway, afternoon tea, dinner in its beautiful new restaurant, a pampering spa treatment and even a 10% discount for nearby Kildare Village.

Make your way through the picturesque village of Killenard and arrive at the luxurious hotel before catching up over a delicious afternoon tea on arrival.

Head to the award-winning spa for a pampering one-hour spa treatment; choose from an Inner Calm massage or Restore and Revive Facial.

You can also while away the hours in the relaxing Heritage Spa Experience (Above, above left) Turn to The Shelbourne for a luxury spa treament and stay; alternatively, head out of Dublin to nearby Killenard, where The Heritage (left) also o ers a spa treatment, afternoon tea, and even a shopping discount

Thermal Suite.

A different sort of therapy is available at Kildare village nearby, where you can indulge in retail therapy with the fantastic 10% discount.

As part of this package, you can also enjoy dinner in the beautifully refurbished restaurant, Blake’s. The Mother’s Day Relax and Unwind package includes two nights B&B, afternoon tea, dinner on one evening, access to the two-hour spa experience and a one-hour spa treatment each, and a 10% discount card for Kildare Village Shopping, priced from €239PPS.

For further information, see www.theheritage. com, or call 057 864 5500. Dublin Closer to home, or for those of you who want to bring mum up to ‘the big smoke’, Mother’s Day at The Spa at The Shelbourne begins with a relaxing back massage, followed by a rejuvenating essential steps facial.

The luxury treatment finishes with a stylish mini manicure in The Salon, with Mother’s Day at The Spa at The Shelbourne an 85-minute treatment that’s available throughout all of March, for €145 per person, making it a mother’s day present that is ready whenever she is. With seven elegant treatment rooms, and a uniquely opulent relaxation room overlooking St Stephen’s Green, The Spa at The Shelbourne will give your mum a lavish five-star spa experience. And, if you’re looking to treat your mum to a night in the heart of the city, stay overnight in the lavish hotel from €299 per room, including parking.

For further information, see www.theshelbourne. com, or phone 01 663 4000.

RACHEL D’ARCY SPOIL your mum this Mother’s Day with an overnight stay at the stunning Tulfarris Hotel and Golf Resort in Blessington. Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Wicklow Mountains and Blessington Lakes, and just 40 minutes from Dublin, it’s the perfect spot for a small getaway with your mum to treat her to some luxury this year.

The hotel’s Mother’s Day Package – from €105PPS – includes an overnight stay in a luxury room, a gift from the luxury resort for your mum, and a full Irish breakfast and dinner in its newly renovated restaurant, Fia Rua.

On arrival as part of the package, you’ll be treated to Tulfarris Tipples afternoon tea, served in the 18th Century manor house where you and your mum can enjoy an assortment of sandwiches, pastries and more, all accompanied by a wide variety of teas, coffees or a Tulfarris Tipple cocktail.

Tulfarris Tipples afternoon tea can also be booked throughout March to celebrate your mum, at €30PP, which also includes a complimentary gift and a Tulfarris Tipple cocktail. Tulfarris Hotel and Golf Resort includes the luxury 4-star hotel, championship golf course, clubhouse and several restaurants and bars.

For further information on Tulfarris Hotel and Golf Resort, or to make a booking, see www.tulfarrishotel.com or call 045 867 600. Spoil your mum with a terrific Tulfarris stay

THE first food deliveries by drone in Ireland will take place in University College Dublin’s (UCD) campus at the end of March.

Manna, a drone delivery company, has acquired a fleet of drones to deliver food directly from the restaurant to the customer – staff and students on campus. The food will be transported inside the cargo area of the drone and will hover about 10m above the ground before lowering the order to the customer on a biodegradable piece of string.

Manna says the whole process in the pilot takeaway food delivery service at UCD should only take a few seconds.

The company has so far signed up takeaway service Just Eat and restaurant chain Camille Thai as its first partners, with more planned to join during the year. Social entrepreneur Bobby Healy (pictured), who founded Manna, said he was “extremely proud of the team and what we have built”.

He added: “It is a pleasure to work with such highcalibre partners on our project in Dublin – our first European launch, in UCD.

“It’s clear that drone delivery provides a faster, cleaner, safer, cheaper and higher-quality alternative to road-based delivery. We are excited about how that will improve the world.” New delivery system worth droning about

INDEPENDENT craft brewer Brewdog is inviting its customers to return empty cans in return for a stake in the business. The Scottish brewery, which was founded in 2007 and first arrived in Dublin last year, says you can return 50 empty Brewdog cans to its Dublin bar on the docklands for one share in the company.

The initiative, entitled Cans For Equity, is part of the brewery’s Brewdog For Tomorrow scheme in a bid to encourage more sustainable businesses practices among the brewing industry.

The Brewdog for Tomorrow scheme also includes five other initiatives, including Once Beer Vodka, where imperfect beer is distilled into vodka, and DIY DOG, which encourages home brewing to reduce transport miles. Can it – if you want to get a stake in business

HAVE you ever woken up and felt like a train has hit you in your sleep? Or do you watch every hour on the clock go by as you toss and turn in bed? If the answer is yes, the problem could literally lie in your mattress!

Here are some mattress testing tips from EZ Living so you can sleep in style.

MATTRESS TESTING TIPS:

1. Ever hear the phrase, “You shouldn’t go shopping when you’re hungry”? The same applies for mattress testing.

You should never go mattress shopping when you’re tired because no matter what type of mattress you lie on, if you’re tired, you’ll find anything comfy! Get a good night’s sleep before you make the investment. 2. The length of the mattress is just as important as its width. A mattress should be 10-15cm longer than its tallest sleeper.

3. It is essential that the comfort of the bed is just as important as its quality. You should never compromise on comfort over quality, and you should never compromise on quality over comfort. Some people make the mistake of going for the most expensive mattress as they assume it is “the best”. However, the most expensive mattress might not necessarily fit your own personal needs.

4. To find the perfect mattress, you’ll need more than just sitting on the edge and giving it the occasional bounce or two. You don’t sleep sitting on the edge, so why let that be the deciding factor? If you’re a side sleeper, lie on your side, if you’re a ‘starfish’ sleeper, become the star that you are. You should lie in every position you would normally lie in.

5. The most important thing to consider when selecting a mattress is to confide in a knowledgeable salesperson. Researching online will only get you so far. Therefore, to get a proper diagnosis of your needs, a highlytrained salesperson will point you in the right direction. trained salesperson

The EZ Living Furniture Mattress Madness Sale starts today – Thursday March 5. For more information see www.ezlivingfurniture.ie For more information see

THE DAYS are getting a bit longer, although Winter still seems to have a bit of a chilly grip outside. But have no fear – you can certainly turn your home into a little oasis with a dash of green and bring the outside in – without the icy winds, of course!

Fresh neutrals, such as white and light woods, combined with shoots of fresh, green plants and scented candles, will bring your decor a step closer to warmer seasons.

The quickest way to get this look is to change up your heavier textiles (such as pillows and blankets) to lighter versions. Choose colours such as white and beige and bring in a hint of a tropical jungle with plant-inspired patterns (such as palm leaves in the cushion below) and then fill your room with plenty of green plants.

Littlewoods Ireland Palm Leaves Cushion €31.99

LET SPRING BEGIN AND FILL YOUR HOME WITH FRESH NEW ACCESSORIES, PLENTY OF PLANTS AND SCENTED CANDLES

Next Je erson White Bench Set €650

Penneys Buddha ornament €7

Penneys Green Hexagon Wild Mint And Sage Candle €3

Next woven co ee table €216

WITH EASTER just around the corner, Søstrene Grene has gathered a selection of cracking good Easter products, including colourful eggs, lovely ornaments, fine linen napkins and creative DIY projects for all the family to enjoy.

Let pastel colours adorn your home, inside and out, with beautiful decorations, or create a fun Easter egg hunt in the garden.

These Easter products will help to create the perfect atmosphere and capture magic and fun-filled moments for the occasion. These whimsical products will be available in stores from March 12. Capture the magic of Easter with whimsical decorations

BEAUTYBits TV PRESENTER Lucy Kennedy has been announced as the new SS2020 brand ambassador for iclothing.com, featuring in their brand-new campaign.

Renowned for her effortless style, Lucy is known for her enviable casual wardrobe. Iclothing.com has taken that style and added more occasion and even red carpet looks to her wardrobe.

This latest collaboration with the queen of Irish TV marks a new direction for the brand. Launched in 2012, iclothing.com started off as a very small venture. Within 10 years the brand has grown hugely and now sells in both Ireland and the UK. Lucy Kennedy – the new ambassador of casual

iclothing.com India tie-waist culotte jumpsuit in mushroom €44.95

Pastelsgotech  Rachel D’Arcy, Style Editor THE WEATHER is brightening up, so why shouldn’t our wardrobes, too? River Island has just dropped its latest menswear edit, with pastel brights, to boot.

The Pastel Tech collection provides perfect holiday wear in lightweight t-shirts and shorts, as well as jackets and cover-ups.

Ranging in shades from lilac to a more rose-red, the colour story for the edit delivers a subtle Summer palette as we make the transition from a dreary Irish Winter to the (slightly) warmer Irish Summer – or the two weeks in June, as they’re more commonly known! With colour blocking the theme of River Island’s collection, the wearable nylon and jersey fabrics also prove powerful for packing in a suitcase and jetting off to warmer climes, or even bringing along to your favourite festival this summer.

As detailed by River Island themselves, the Pastel Tech edit is designed to “catch attention for directional yet effortless ‘thrown together’ styling”.

The items on offer are available to buy from RiverIsland.com, and in selected stores, with prices ranging from €22 to €65. Pastels

THE BELOVED Dutch brand Viktor&Rolf has unveiled its latest eyewear collection at Specsavers, Viktor&Rolf Vision. The 15 optical styles, and three styles of sunglasses, are priced at €239 and are available now in all Specsavers Ireland stores.

The range embodies the avant-garde aesthetic of the brand, but remains wearable for day-to-day wear. Traditional glasses shapes are reinvented and brought to life in a rich colour palette of burgundy, bright yellow, silver and gold. New eyewear collection

PADRAIG CONLON

CYCLING is a wonderful, stimulating and healthy activity with so many benefits for young and old alike.

With the arrival of Spring, and better weather, now is the time to maybe consider getting back in the saddle. Improved cardiovascular and mental health are just two of the many benefits you’ll gain from regular cycling.

Because it’s an aerobic activity, cycling gives your heart and lungs a great work out while also reducing your blood pressure and your cholesterol level.

Cycling also releases endorphins – chemicals that make us feel good, and the increased health and fitness gained by regular cycling helps to create a happier and improved outlook on life.

Here in Dublin, we are lucky with the climate as it generally never gets too hot, wet or cold to cycle and the city is relatively flat.

In comparison to cities with a similar population density, for example, Dublin gets less freezing weather than Copenhagen, and less rain than Amsterdam.

However, a lack of good cycle lanes is an issue in Dublin, and calls are increasing for the implementation of the GDA (Greater Dublin Area) Cycle Network Plan.

First put forward by the National Transport Authority in 2013, the plan will see the number of segregated cycle routes in and around Dublin increase from 500km to 1,485km in length.

The roll-out of the GDA Cycle Network Plan has been stalled over the past seven years, but some routes have been built – among them the 7km Canal Way, and 3km of the Sutton to Sandycove route.

Despite this, there are still some excellent cycle routes which are safe and well worth a spin.

MY OWN THREE FAVOURITES ARE: • Clontarf to Howth (12km): Taking you along the coast, you can detour into Dollymount Strand along the way for some added excitement. St Anne’s Park can also be included in this route. •Sandymount - Dun Laoghaire (8km) Another coastal route with great views of Dublin Bay, highlights include a lovely park between Booterstown and Blackrock village, the 40 Foot bathing area, Bullock Harbour and Collimore Harbour, with stunning views of Dalkey island. • Dodder Valley Park (6km) Tallaght to Rathfarnham: Even though this route brings me to work, it is lovely! This route takes you along the banks of The Dodder with plenty of trees thrown in for good measure!

SHANE DILLON

HOW much would you want a tech platform to pay you a month for access to your contacts?

While you couldn’t pay me to hand over that info, plenty of other people have a price they’d settle for, according to a key new multi-country study by a US thinktank.

The Technology Policy Institute carried out a study of people living in the US, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Columbia and Argentina, in a bid to see how people value their private and digital information.

Germany came out on top of the study, with our European friends saying they’d want the tech titan to pay them about $8 per month for sharing their contact information with third parties. However, US users would only seek $3.50.

Understandably, financial data, including bank balances, held the most value for individuals, with location data commonly considered the least valuable data to share, with a range of metrics besides contacts info up for access consideration – at a price.

Averaging out the multi-country data, across all the people studied, consumers would have to be paid a monthly $8.44 to share their bank balance information, $7.56 to share fingerprint information or $6.05 to read an individual’s texts, while at the lowest end of ‘worth’, consumers would only want to be paid $1.82 per month to share their location data, and nothing to be sent advertisements via text message.

With tech giants increasingly in the news over data privacy concerns, there’s a growing academic, consumer and lawmaker interest in the ways in which such data is monetised.

PICTURE this: think of a film where The Hero has been yakking away on his iPhone to save the day/city/planet. You’ve probably already thought of someone in a recent film or TV show, where the iPhone has been an incidental but obvious bit of product placement.

Now think of the last time you saw the Bad Guy on an iPhone, and, and, and ...

Well, good luck with that, as it’s just been revealed that Apple won’t let its products be used by ‘the bad guy’ in films.

Director Rian Johnson (Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) let slip in a Vanity Fair video that particular nugget of cinema info, which won’t surprise anyone when they

Dr Evil might ask: “Hello? Where can I get a frickin’ iPhone? Hello?!”

think of Apple’s firm, positive image control of its brands. As such, you’ll often see plenty of characters using Apple products – but now canny viewers will know that the character they’re focused on can’t be The Bad Guy, or a killer, or a terrorist, if they’re ever shown using an iPhone ...

DECLAN GLYNN

BACK IN 2002, Ford launched its very first fast Focus, the ST170.

Now, three generations later, petrol power for Ford’s latest Focus ST comes courtesy of a 2.3-litre four-cylinder (EcoBoost) engine, which boasts 280bhp, and a whopping 420Nm of torque for swift acceleration.

The all-new Focus ST boasts an aggressivelysculpted signature exterior, with a large rear spoiler designed to enhance aerodynamic performance.

An all-new selectable drive mode feature (conveniently located on the steering wheel) lets the ST driver tailor the car’s drivability to suit the road conditions at hand.

These modes comprise Normal, Sport, Slippery, and Track options, with each mode capable of providing the driver with the requested assistance at all times.

The Ford Focus ST is also available with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel unit producing 190bhp, while a slick six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard, as does front wheel drive.

There is no automatic gearbox or all-wheel-drive option available in the new fast Focus.

My review car was a 2.3- litre EcoBoost Ford Focus ST-2 5-door, which was finished in Ford Performance Blue paintwork.

Featuring anti-lag and Electronic Limited Slip Differential (eLSD) technologies, the new Focus ST is the most powerful, agile, and responsive yet, and is the product of engineering genius from the Ford Performance professionals. Petrol power for Ford’s latest Focus ST comes courtesy of a 2.3-litre four-cylinder (EcoBoost) engine

QUICK FACTS The standard equipment in the new Focus ST is impressive, with a host of optional extras available for the ultimate in individual personalisation.

Capable of a top speed of 250kmph, the Focus ST can go from 0-100kmph in just 5.7-seconds.

Co 2 e m i s s i o n s o f 179gpkm translates into annual road tax of €750, while a fuel return of 8.2l/100km is possible from a combined driving cycle.

On the road, the new Focus ST really does show its true colours, with exhilarating driving dynamics and effortless acceleration taking centre stage, while strong brakes ensure that the Focus ST stops with the same urgency with which it accelerates.

Providing exciting handling, and everyday usability, the new Ford Focus ST could very well be the only performance car you could ever need.

With pric ing from €41,099 (ex-delivery), the Focus ST adds affordability to the performance car mix, too. 1) Exhilarating driving dynamics 2) Petrol or diesel engines 3) Slick 6-speed manual 4) Created for road and track 5) On sale now

New Puma ready to pounce on market JUST arrived in Ireland, the new Ford Puma introduces Ford’s advanced, fuelsaving mild-hybrid powertrain technology alongside class-leading practicality and head-turning design for compact crossover customers.

Powerful, responsive performance and optimised fuel efficiency is expertly delivered using Ford’s EcoBoost Hybrid 48-volt technology – seamlessly integrating electric torque assistance with a low-friction, three-cylinder 1.0 litre EcoBoost petrol engine, delivering 125PS.

In Ireland, the new Puma is offered in three series: Titanium, ST-Line and STLine X, with pricing from just €24,465 (ex-delivery).

An impressive array of comfort, convenience, safety, infotainment, and security features come as standard across the entire range, with a whole host of optional extras available for total personalisation.

My full review of the amazing new Ford Puma will be coming soon.

Codewords are like crossword puzzles - but have no clues! Instead, every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. HOW TO SOLVE

All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number! To start you off, we reveal the codes for two or three letters.

As you find letters, enter them in the key and into the grid. Cross off the letters in the A to Z list.

FIND THE HIDDEN WORDS ANNEXATION BALACLAVA BEER COPIOUS DESCRIBING DODO ENDEAVOR ESCALATOR FLUSHED IMPEDIMENT INVITED IRAQ MALAGA METRO OUTSPOKEN PANT PERSECUTED POOCH QUARTO SKINS SUAVE WAGERS

 THE FUTURE IS LOCAL , THE FUTURE IS FREE !  DUBLIN GAZETTE GET YOUR

CALL 01 60 10 240 YOUR LOCAL PAPER ! YOUR LOCAL NEWS !

FOLLOW US TODAY ON Facebook: www.facebook.com/ DublinGazetteNewspapers Twitter: @DublinGazette

LET DUBLIN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS INFORM YOU OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND SCORES OF YOUR FAVOURITE TEAMS THE BEST IN DUBLIN SPORT OLIVIA THE PIONEER: SOCCER:OLIVIA O’Toole looks back on how things have changed for young girls since her days growing up, dream ing of playing for the Repbulic of Ireland.

O’Toole scored 54 goals in 130 caps, at a time when the extent of publicity for the women’s national team was the FAI asking players to put up posters on the day of the game.  GAZETTE PAGE 28

 sport@dublingazette.com

RAMPAGING Academy lock Ryan Baird helped himself to a memorable hat-trick in Leinster Rugby’s 55-19 Guinness PRO14 bonus point win over Glasgow Warriors at the RDS Arena. The former St Michael’s College student took just three-and-a-half minutes to crash over, the hosts’ thun derous attack producing further scores for Dave Kearney, James Lowe and captain Scott Fardy to create a 24-7 halftime lead.

Kyle Steyn deftly doubled Glasgow’s try tally, adding to Tommy Seymour’s slick 25th-minute effort, but Lowe completed his brace before Baird bril liantly accelerated away in the 55th minute and then went over again past the hour mark.

Kearney finished with a hat-trick of his own, cancelling out an Alex Allan score, on a night that Leinster moved 20 points clear at the top of their Con ference A.

The hosts got over from their very first attack, a scrum penalty allowing them to carry with great intent before Baird expertly burrowed over from a couple of metres out. The heavilyinfluential Harry Byrne converted to the right of the posts.

Leinster tidied up lineout ball after an overcooked Pete Horne kick, and another powerful carrying spell forced Warriors backwards. Armed with a penalty advantage, Byrne’s long pass put Kearney over in the corner to make it 12-0 after as many minutes.

The Warriors did clip the lead back to five points through Seymour’s try off George Horne’s inside pass but Fardy soon outfoxed two defenders with a scooped offload to send Lowe raiding over for a seven-pointer.

Luke McGrath’s initial break sparked a furious late hunt for the bonus point, Fardy duly delivering it off a close-in ruck.

However, Glasgow had an encour aging start to the second half. Skipper Ryan Wilson was involved as quick hands released Steyn for a superb inLeinster’s Ryan Baird breaks through a tackle. Picture: John Crothers

and-out finish from his own 10-metre line.

Leinster cancelled out that score in the 51st minute, Will Connors’ turno ver and another burst by Baird leading to Lowe spinning free.

It got even better for the table-top ping province when Baird stormed over from 45 metres out, stunning scrum half Horne and the chas ing wingers with his pace. The St. Michael’s College product picked from a ruck to add a much more straightfor ward third try with 63 minutes on the clock.

Leo Cullen’s side pushed through the 50-point barrier, Fardy starring in the build-up to Kearney’s second of the night before Jones’ loose offload gave the Ireland winger his third.

SPORTS EDITOR: Stephen Findlater sfindlater@dublingazette.com

WELL done to the Junior A laOUR Under 15’s are hoping to fund a trip to Portugal in early summer, to that end, they are doing a used clothes collection in our clubhouse every Saturday and Sunday. We can help you clear some clutter in the process. So winners all around!

We have launched advertising opportunities for our new artificial pitch in the last week, which are easily viewable on all our social media. Do not hesitate to contact any member of the sub committee on the launch page for more details.

Your annual membership is now due. Please see Linda or a member of your management team asap. Adult players/full membership is €100 and €50 for the unwaged. Social membership is €40 per annum. Remember, this entitles you to apply for entry into our (what seems to be now annual) ticket draw for all Ireland football final tickets! We encourage all people involved in the club, be it supporter, parent or just a well wisher, to join the club and become a member of our burgeoning family. All new comers welcome. Linda is most welcoming! You can contact her by using these: lindaparnell@ yahoo.ie or 0872733022 or go to our website for more information.

Our artificial pitch replacement is well underway, and we advise all juvenile teams that during this process, Pairc Ciceam will essentially be a building site and therefor out of bounds for safety reasons. We ask all juvenile teams to please comply with this rule. It’s envisaged that the pitch will now be completed by the end of March (weather has caused significant delay). We also advise that our grass pitch is currently closed until further notice, will reopen soon, weather permitting.

A huge thanks to our local DCC representatives and to some of the members of Trinity Comprehensive school for their assistance in making our community easier on the eye with the Better Ballymun action day. The fruits of which can be seen all across the community, and in our clubhouse. Míle buichas!

IT WAS a quiet week for sport. Hopefully the weather will improve enough for games to be played this week.

A couple of reminders: juvenile registration is overdue. Please take heed that no child can train or play without being registered. Also, the club have set a deadline for payment of membership fees for this year. If you haven’t paid by the 16th of March, you will lose the privilege of your discount card.

Azzuri will be in the club taking orders for club gear and other sportswear on Saturday 7th March (this Saturday) from 9:30am Dates for our hugely popular Easter Camps are: Junior camp 4 to 7yr olds, Tuesday 7th to Thursday 9th April; Senior camp 8 to 12yr O’TOOLE’S

olds, Tuesday 14th to Thursday 16th April; the camps run from 10am to 1pm each day @ €30 per child.

For information call David on 086 3101034 or Hellen 086 3060254 or Kelly (evenings or weekends only) 085 1600381; places will be limited, so booking early is essential.

Well done to some of the parents of our Féile boys & girls on their endeavour to raise funds. They had a few days bag-packing in Donaghmede over the weekend.

Entertainment for this weekend is: Saturday night with ‘PULSE’ and Sunday it’s music of the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s. ‘Find the Joker’ jackpot is €830 this Sunday.

There was no winner of our Thursday night ‘Live’ Club Lotto draw.

 DAVE DONNELLY sport@dublingazette.com

“I ACTUALLY got that rule changed,” begins Olivia O’Toole, Ireland’s most-capped footballer of all time and, arguably, its greatest-ever goalscorer. O’Toole scored 54 goals in 130 caps, at a time when the extent publicity for the women’s national team was the FAI asking play ers to put up posters on the day of the game.

Organised football for teenage girls was virtu ally non-existent in most of the country, so O’Toole did what any other com mitted footballer would do and joined a boys’ team in her age group.

From 15 to 18, she played underage foot baller with her local team, Sheriff YC, and one morning in the Phoenix Park brought about the classic ‘Irish solution to an Irish problem’.

“When I was playing football, I played with the boys,” said the 49-yearold, who recently took the reins with St Patrick’s YC who will enter the newlycreated Eastern Women’s Football League next month.

“I went out at 15 years of age with Under-16 Sheriff to the Phoenix Park, played a match, went up for a header and busted a young fella’s nose.

“He went to hit me and they were all like: ‘You can’t hit her’. That’s the only time they found out I was a girl.

“There was a big uproar and I actually got that rule changed for girls to be able to play up to age 16 or 17. There were no girls’ teams then.

“I went at 17 to play ing with girls in their 30s. There was nothing there for me from 16 up. Now they have the under-17s league and it’s properly done.”

O’Toole was part of the Irish side that reached a play-off for Euro 2009, losing 3-0 in Iceland (“it should never have been played – it was an ice rink”) after drawing 1-1 at Rich mond Park.

Even then, publicity for the national team was practically non-existent – to see projections of over 5,000 people and a real buzz around Thursday’s Euro 2021 qualifier with Greece is gratifying.

“I was talking to a girl and she was like ‘what did you do when you played matches?’ When we played, we got handed posters when we were stripping for the matches going out to play.”

Like fellow interna tionals Emma Byrne and Ciara Grant, Arsenal came

knocking for the striker. Arsenal were the domi nant team in England but that was no guarantee of a fair wage.

She was offered oppor tunities to take up scholarships in the United States but, having left school at 13, she was daunted by the prospect of returning to full-time education.

“We were offered at the time IR£150 and work in the launderette washing the senior men’s laundry. “I was like, ‘I ain’t leav ing my family for £150’.

“I was asked to go to America as well, but the thing that I took issue with was the schooling part. To me, that was daunt ing, because I was out of school.

“I’d left school when I was 13 – not that I’m stu pid or anything, but I just didn’t do schooling. To me, at 22 or 23, going to a col lege, it was daunting to me.”

Boh’s Boyle’s brilliance BOHEMIANS continue to top the Megazyme amputee football national league after they picked up a pair of wins last weekend in the latest series of games.

James Boyle was in red-hot form as his hat trick along with a goal from Robert Balog saw the side run up a 4-1 win over Cork City.

Boyle duly added a double against Shamrock Rovers in the second game of a day affected by high winds from Storm Jorge. The win made it six wins out of six for Bohs thus far in the fourteam competition and has them four points clear at the top with Rovers.

Rovers, for their part, did run up a 5-1 win over Scottish side Par tick Thistle which lifts them up to 14 points in total with four wins out of six.

Cork are in third with a win and a draw while Partick are improv ing and have risen to seven points.

Olivia O’Toole celebrates a goal against Italy in 2007. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile 5 March 2020 CITY  DUBLIN GAZETTE 29

THE Ryan sisters Lottie and Bonnie, along with mum, Morah; broadcaster Georgie Crawford; actress Demi Issac Oviawe and fitness enthusiast Leanne Moore, will make up the 2020 Vhi Squad and are calling on women all around the country to run stronger together and join them at the largest all-female event of its kind in the world on May 31! Enter now at www.vhiwomensminimarathon.ie. Picture: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

UCFL DIVISION 3 Mid Sutton Sportslink 2 Glasnaion FC 3  JOHN MOONEY sport@dublingazette.com

MID SUTTON Sportslink missed the opportunity to move into second position in the UCFL Division 3 when they were narrowly beaten by Glasnaion FC in Furry Park on a 3-2 scoreline on Saturday afternoon.

The win threw the visitors a bit of a life line as, with games in hand over both their hosts and second placed Riverside United, they could join the title-chase if they are successful in those games, but that’s down the line.

Saturday saw Storm Jorge hold off until the final whistle sounded but there was a strong swirling wind throughout and it made good football hard to come by.

There was little goalmouth action in the opening half although the home side did break the deadlock on 30 minutes. Sean Dineen slipped a pass into Lorcan Quinn who turned two defenders and laid the ball on a plate for Ciaran Sinnott to slot home. The visitors responded and could have been on level terms minutes later when Keven Bell had a clear shot on goal but he blazed over the bar.

However, the equaliser did arrive straight from the kick-off of the second half as the visitors did what they threatened to do in the first half. Ger Malone latched onto a Niall Dolan pass and crashed home via a post.

With 15 minutes remaining, Glasnaion notched two in two minutes to all but wrap up this tie when Malone fired in an effort that somehow found its way to Dolan and, with the home defence looking for offside, he slotted home.

Two minutes later, it got even better as McKenna chased a through ball, keeper Liam Bailey came out and got to the ball first but it Mid Sutton Sportlinks Lorcan Quinn is held off the ball by Glasnaion FC’s Stephen Meehan

squeezed under him.

As the ball trickled towards goal, defender Brian Tobin got back and stopped it on the line only for McKenna to follow up and force the ball home.

It looked all over but the home side chased and harried and their effort was rewarded when Dineen crashed home his 17th league goal of the season.

There was time to get an equaliser but no matter how hard they tried, there was no joy for Mid Sutton as Glasnaion celebrated.

Mid-Sutton Sportslink: Liam Bailey, Garvan Morris, Sean Beadie, Brisn Tobin, Tommy Refnan, Billy Hyland, Keith McDonnell, Brian Collins, Lorcan Quinn, Sean Dineen, Ciaran Sinnott, Mick Carr, Conor Phelan, Stephen Redmond, Shane McCarty, Amair Zmalee.

Glasnaion FC: Kevin Darcy, Michael Naughton, James Kelly, Stephen Mark Brady, Kevin Bell, Paul McKenna, Niall Dolan, Ger Malone, Carl Lenihan, Conor Fay, Dan Harrison, Ian Gilligan, Owen McCort, Michael Moore, Larry Lillis, James Collins, Kevin Brady, Stephen Meehan.

MEN’S HOCKEY  STEPHEN FINDLATER sport@dublingazette.com

CLONTARF and Railway Union took another step closer to what looks set to be a final day showdown for the men’s Leinster Division One title.

’Tarf had the trickier task in hor rible conditions at Portrane as the wind made things difficult for any major fluidity for either side.

Portrane took the lead in the first quarter with a low Chris Neville drag flick; Kevin Mullins equalised from a high reverse following a counter attack just before half-time. The Bulls moved into the lead when Davyn Keuter scored his 18th goal of the campaign via a corner goal in the final quarter. Kevin Mur ray’s tap-in in the closing minutes sealed the 3-1 win.

Michael McKenzie’s hat trick – bringing his season’s total to 11 in the league – and a double from Michael Fulham saw Railway Union win 5-0 early on Saturday morning against Dublin University in the Santry sun.

It leaves Railway six points back, but with a game in hand, with the final day of the season potentially pivotal in deciding who wins the Leinster crown when the top two meet. Rathgar moved up to third with a comfortable 5-0 win over Bray with Andy Malcolm scoring two first half goals to set them on their way.

Raheny’s Mark Smyth starts to celebrate his 200m win. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

NATIONAL INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS  sport@dublingazette.com.com

RAHENY Shamrock’s Mark Smyth landed his first national senior title when he scorched around Abbotstown to claim the national 200m indoor title.

Smyth set a new personal best and club record, posting 21.04 seconds to claim the title, 0.69 seconds ahead of Donore Harriers’ Paul McDermott. The time moves Mark Smyth to fifth on the Irish all-time list.

The 21-year-old Smyth had set a new personal best in the heats, stopping the clock at 21.37 seconds to win his heat and qualify automatically for the final. In so doing, he became the 31st Raheny Shamrock athlete to claim a national senior title and the sixth athlete to win an indoor title.

A day later, he added a 60m silver with his club mates Isuelt O’Donnell and Brian Fay doing likewise in their events.

Isuelt O’Donnell posted a fast 2:07.07 for 800 metres in a tight finish where Dublin City Harriers’ Nadia Power took gold in 2:06.26 and Claire Mooney bronze in 2:08.06.

Brian Fay collected silver in a very fast 1,500m final as Star of the Sea’s Andrew Coscoran sped to the title in 3:41.36, Fay less than two seconds behind in a speedy 3:43.13. That would have been enough to break James Nolan’s longstanding Irish record of 3.44.

Indeed, Clonliffe Harriers’ Eoin Pierce recorded a fast 3.45.35 which, in most years, would have been enough to take the title.

Clonliffe was another club to take home a wealth of medals. Keith Marks captured the national long jump title in a new club record of 7.33m while there was a first national title for Ariel Lieghio in the women’s pole vault with a best of 3.95m, only narrowly missing 4.05.

The big story of the day was the welcome sight of seeing Brian Gregan line up once again in the national final after his injury travails.

Gregan battled like the true competitor that he is all the way to the line and will be pleased to take bronze in his comeback in a time of 48.21.

Rolus Olusa took a fine bronze in the 60 hurdles in a time of 8.43. He also placed fifth in the long jump with a best of 6.78. Shannon Sheehy took high jump bronze on day one and duly qualified well for the 60 hurdles final where she had an outstanding run to fifth place in a new personal best and new Clonliffe indoor club record of 8.69.

Crusaders’ Niamh Allen, meanwhile, took second place in the women’s 3,000m.

AIL DIVISION 1A UCD 22 Clontarf 19  sport@dublingazette.com

RONAN Foley’s sixth try of the season could be his most important of all after UCD edged out Clontarf 22-19 in a fiercely-contested Ener gia All-Ireland League tie at Belfield.

Using the rain-soaked pitch to his advantage, number 8 Foley squeezed in under a couple of defenders to score a deci sive 70th-minute try in a game that doubled up as the Leinster Senior Cup final. The students are provincial champions for the first time since 2016. Facing into a gust ing wind in the first half, Clontarf’s hopes of bouncing back from a heavy defeat to Garryow en took some early hits. Alex Penny and David Ryan both crossed for the students inside the open ing quarter of an hour, adding to James Tarrant’s initial penalty.

It was a fascinat ing battle at scrum half where Le inster pair Paddy Patterson and Hugh O’Sullivan chipped away behind two deter mined packs. UCD celebrate their victory last Saturday at Belfield against Clontarf. Picture: Deryck Vincent

Closing in on half-time, ’Tarf got off the mark with a well-worked score from winger Michael Courtney for 15-5.

Good patience by the Clontarf forwards was rewarded with a 47th minute try, prop Ivan Soroka grounding the ball under a pile of bod ies.

Courtney was released to complete his brace in the 64th minute, with Sean Kearns add ing another well-struck conversion for a 19-15 turnaround in very test ing conditions. However, that good work was undone five minutes later when ‘Tarf captain Michael Noone saw yellow and UCD wrestled back control for the closing stages.

Foley swiftly seized his opportunity to drive in low over the line, Tarrant tagging on the extras for a three-point advantage. Kevin Croke’s charges showed impressive com posure and game management to close out the result, controlling possession with a frustrated Noone watching on from the touchline. UCD have closed the gap on second-placed Garryowen to five points, while ’Tarf now lie seven points outside of the top four with four rounds remaining.

UCD’s Jonny Guy

DONORE Harriers’ John Travers (146) stormed to an impressive 3,000m title at last weekend’s National Indoor Athletics Championships in Abbotstown. He held off the challenge of Dundrum South Dublin AC’s Hiko Tonosa, catching out his arch rival on the last lap to make a brilliant sprint and win in style in a time of 8.00.96. Tonosa came home in 8.03.55. Travers sprints to 3,000m title

Ballyboden St Enda’s Aran Waters rises highest in midfield. Picture: John Kirwan

AFL DIVISION ONE  sport@dublingazette.com

LAST year’s league finalists – and reigning Dublin SFC champions – Ballyboden St Enda’s displayed the midas touch in front of goal to record a 3-10 to 0-14 victory over Na Fianna.

Tom Hayes, Ross McGarry and Darren O’Reilly recorded second half majors to ensure the hosts came away with the two points on offer.

Playing with the breeze in the first half, the home team was first on the score board after three minutes when Warren Egan split the posts.

Na Fianna responded almost imme diately but in the next 10 minutes Alan Flood, Ross McGarry and Aran Waters added points.

Na Fianna got two back from play and then up popped Bob Dwan and Brian Bobbett to cancel out these scores. The visitors had two points from frees each side of a similar point from McGarry as half time arrived, leaving the home side 0-7 to 0-5 ahead.

This could have been even more favourable were it not for two late goal chances that went abegging.

First, Conor Dooley cracked a shot off the crossbar and they would go on to see two second half penalties saved. Egan was denied with the first of them but Hayes knocked in the first goals soon after. The second penalty was blocked but Ross McGarry picked up the rebound to fire home and when O’Reilly palmed in, it helped build a 10-point lead which put them out of sight.

After the first round of matches in AFL1 were called off a fortnight earlier, this round was also curtailed but there was a win 2-13 to 1-11 win for Clontarf over Ballinteer St John’s.

St Maur’s beat Castleknock 1-12 to 0-12; Skerries Harps saw off St Brigid’s 1-6 to 0-8 while Thomas Davis won 2-3 to 0-5.

In the second tier, having dropped down at the end of last season, St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh will be hellbent on securing a return to Division One in 2021. They certainly made a fine start to their campaign by registering a 1-14 to 0-9 victory against St Anne’s in Broombridge.

In the absence of current Dublin foot baller Seán Bugler, seven-time Celtic Cross winner Bernard Brogan stepped up to the mark for Plunkett’s.

He dovetailed effectively with Gareth ‘Nesty’ Smith, who represented Dublin at underage level before lining out for Cavan at the senior grade.

A win looked in doubt for Plunkett’s when they led by just two points at the break having played with the elements at their backs.

The wind wasn’t as strong on the resumption, though, and the Martin Savage Park brigade emerged as worthy victors in the end.

Warren Egan shoots at goal for Boden. Picture: John Kirwan

2019 Feile champs Kilmacud Crokes

BOYS’ and girls’ U-14 GAA teams in south Dublin gearing up for this year’s John West Féile can win €1,000 of kit by creating videos of their clubs’ Féile memories.

John West, which sponsors the Féile na nÓg and Féile na nGael U-14 football, hurling and camogie tournaments, are preparing for the competition finals with a €1,000 kit giveaway to teams.

The 2020 John West Féile na nGael hurling and camogie finals take place in Dublin, Kildare and Meath on the weekend of June 5-7. This year, the John West Féile na nÓg football finals will be held across Donegal, Derry and Tyrone on the weekend of June 26-28.

Four GAA clubs now have the chance to win €1,000 each towards their Féile 20 kit. Entries are now open and to be in with a chance of winning, all teams have to do is send a short video through the Teamer app featuring their club’s best Féile memories.

Ideas can include profiling a Féile hero, photographs set to music of a magical Féile moments, Féile journeys, the role of your coach, training highlights, parental support and host family memories.

UCD’S LEINSTER CUP LEADERS RUGBY:Students get double boost with AIL victory also bringing Leinster Senior Cup trophy to Belfield. SEE P30

SOCCER: Legendary Irish striker Olivia O’Toole talks about the huge changes in publicity for the Irish women’s team. SEE P28

ATHLETICS: Raheny, Dublin City Harriers, Donore, Clonliffe and Crusad ers all win national indoor championship medals. SEE P30

 sport@dublingazette.com

DCU Mercy were crowned the 2019/20 Basketball Ireland Women’s Super League champions on Sunday afternoon as they ran out 81-58 point win ners over Maree at DCU in the penultimate game of the season.

Mark Ingle’s charges were pushed all the way by the Galway outfit.

It took a stunning third quarter display from American Meredith Bur khall that ultimately put them on the road to glory, as she dominated under the boards and headed to the free throw line on numerous occasions.

She slotted home 12 points in the quarter, with 10 of these coming from the free throw line.

A tense and close first half saw Maree get the better of proceedings early in the first quarter, with Fiona Scally, Carol McCarthy and Claire Rockall dominating the scoring to edge them into an early lead.

Good play from DCU’s Ashley Russell, Burkhall and Rachel Huijsdens saw the Dubliners claw back the lead though, to trail by just two at the end of the first, 14-16.

An extremely close sec ond quarter followed, with Sarah Woods, Huijsdens and Burkhall all on-form for DCU.

Rockall and Scally, along with good scores from Maggie Byrne, kept Maree with the hosts every step of the way to tie the game up at 31 points apiece at the half. DCU Mercy’s Super League winning side

“ To be fair to the girls, they have been the best team in the league all year. Not by much, but the best team “ Burkhall hit her stride in the third, dominating the offensive boards and picking up numerous fouls to put Maree in foul trouble.

Two key threes from Maeve Phelan and Woods pushed DCU further in front and they headed into the final quarter 55-45 to the good – having outscored Maree 24-14 in the period.

Another huge quarter followed in the last, with Russell and Burkhall dominating, while Woods delivered two big threes at key stages to stop Maree’s momentum.

Again, free throws were the story of the quarter with DCU knock ing down 10 points from the line in the period, and they pushed on to win out 81-58 in the end.

Speaking afterwards, captain Sarah Woods said: “We’re just elated.

“We came in today with a job to do. We know how good Maree are, they beat us in Galway and we knew it would be a really tough game.

“I’m just so happy to be holding the trophy now and to be finally able to say we’re league win ners.”

Coach Ingle added: “I’m feeling great because we won but, to be fair to the girls, they have been the best team in the league all year. Not by much, but the best team with their record of 15 [wins] and one [loss]. The only loss was away to Maree which can always happen.

“We were very well pre pared for this one during the week and I think the side with the best record over the course of the sea son are worthy national champions, no matter who they are.

“I also have to com mend Basketball Ireland for the trophy itself; it is worthy of a national champion.

“The last 20 seconds I felt confident!” he said when asked when did he feel the job was finally done.

“Every third quarter, we have been very good, especially at home. I don’t know what that is.

“Sometimes, we have gone on to outscore peo ple, others we set the tone defensively, but usually that is what separates us.”