Dan McDonnell
danmcdonnell.bsky.social
Dan McDonnell
@danmcdonnell.bsky.social
3.6K followers 160 following 130 posts
Irish Independent Football Correspondent. LOI Central co-host.
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Reposted by Dan McDonnell
S9E9: James Keddy and Paul Doolin are in studio this week. Ten years apart, will they get back together? Dan talks good vibes in Drogheda. Another busy mailbag. Enjoy.

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Packie Bonner hasn't lived in Ireland for years & has made some bizarre & questionable comments since joining the FAI board - and yet it seems like his influence is growing

A piece on a comeback that has generated unease as opposed to reassurance

m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...
Daniel McDonnell: Unease lingers around the prominence of Packie Bonner since his return to the FAI’s top table
Packie Bonner wasn’t happy. In a corridor outside a meeting room in the Buswells Hotel, the Italia ‘90 hero summoned this reporter for a conversation.
m.independent.ie
I think of you often, Liam….
“Can I be brutally honest? The decisions that are being made within the FAI..I think they are making a right bollocks out of everything.”

Caught up with James McClean during the week. He’s got a few things to say about the direction of Irish football

m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...
James McClean interview – ‘It feels like the FAI haven’t got an absolute clue what they are doing’
It’s 7.15pm on a cold Tuesday night in Huddersfield when a home fan makes his way down the steps to try and get James McClean’s attention.
m.independent.ie
JW manages that………he should be getting a code to you soon
Patrick Hickey quit a steady job in Chicago during the pandemic to see if he could get anywhere with ⚽️. His journey involved couch surfing & washing dishes in 🇪🇸 before an agent offered an 🇮🇪 option

Piece on unlikely story behind league’s top scorer

m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...
Patrick Hickey’s remarkable rise from Chicago to the Corrib via the Canaries
Patrick Hickey is shivering as he patiently fulfils every request for a picture on a bitterly cold Galway evening, with local kids happily circling around the six-foot-six native of Chicago who has be...
m.independent.ie
Galway’s tribute to Caulfield, Sligo strife, Shels slip under radar, red mist in Derry and a baffling result in Athlone

5 takeaways from last night in the LOI - a new Sat morning piece we will be carrying through the season

m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...
Galway’s tribute to Caulfield, Sligo strife, Shels slip under radar, red mist in Derry and a baffling result in Athlone
The second Friday night of the season generated plenty of talking points around the country in both divisions.
m.independent.ie
10 years ago, a total of 18k attended Week 1 in both divisions

This weekend, over 51k attended the LOI Premier Div games alone, a figure inflated by today's worthy experiment.

At a crucial time, the numbers are both a statement & a fact.

Piece from Aviva

www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...
Daniel McDonnell: Bohemians got the result, but there were no losers from this Aviva Stadium experiment
This was an afternoon where the attendance figure was both a statement and a fact.
www.independent.ie
Who owns every club in the League of Ireland?

A piece looking at the range of backers - from Irish billionaires to half a dozen clubs with support from North America and then the multi club and member run models (and grey area around the odd club too)

m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...
Irish billionaires, US investors, multi-club and member-run models – Who owns the League of Ireland clubs
Under several headings, a record-breaking League of Ireland year is expected.
m.independent.ie
After a winter hiatus, the Halfway Line newsletter returns this week. We've changed the release day this year so the email will be coming your way every Thursday morning.

Sign up for free at the link here

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Issued every Friday.
www.independent.ie
Molde’s Aker Stadium is one of the most picturesque venues in Europe. A quiet place but it’s rare you walk out of a press exit to this…
Record breaking Tottenham move is a big step for Mason Melia, and a giant leap for Irish football. Piece on a gamechanging transfer and the importance of a LOI owner - Garrett Kelleher - with the means to reject offers and hold out for the best deal

m.independent.ie/sport/soccer...
Daniel McDonnell: Tottenham move a big step for young Mason Melia, a giant leap for Irish football
On a spring evening in London, a big step for a Wicklow teenager named Mason Melia will likely be remembered as a giant leap for Irish football.
m.independent.ie