Don’t do QPR any favours – Poyet
Managerless Rangers head for the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night having emerged empty-handed from each of their previous 11 league games away from home, a return which has piled the pressure on them at Loftus Road. They will arrive on Wearside sitting in 19th place in the table and in desperate need of ending their travel sickness if they are to drag themselves out of relegation trouble. Sunderland, who pulled off a remarkable escape act last season, are only five points better off than the Londoners in 14th place, but have belatedly established a momentum with league and cup victories over Burnley and Fulham respectively and a hard-earned point as Swansea on Saturday. Further success against QPR and Sky Bet League One outfit Bradford in the fifth round of the FA Cup could give their season a very different complexion, and Poyet will allow no let-up. He said: “The idea is not to stop. We need to keep going, we need to keep believing. We knew halfway through the season that we had plenty of important games at home. “We were not very good at home in the first part of the season, so we need to improve that, and that means winning games and tomorrow, we have got another great opportunity, so it’s just playing the game to win as much as we can without excuses.” January signing Jermain Defoe has been key to that revival with two goals in his first five appearances, and his exploits have had a knock-on effect with his team-mates. Poyet said: “We know that if we do our job, if we create, if we keep the ball, if we pass it and if we find Jermain in certain areas, then he will do it because he has done it all his life. “It’s not like he is 60 years old. He’s 32, so he still has the ability to find the net and that brings the rest confidence which helps a lot.” Striker Connor Wickham is available after a calf problem, but midfielders Jack Rodwell and Emanuele Giaccherini are likely to miss out once again. Gus Poyet has urged his resurgent Sunderland team not to become the first to surrender a Barclays Premier League point to struggling QPR on their own pitch. Press Association However, Black Cats head coach Poyet knows that record will end sooner rather than later, and he does not want it to happen at the 12th attempt. He said: “If you asked me if I would expect any team to lose every single game away from home in one season, I would say to you: ‘No’. “Now that they can go one extra in the wrong way, it’s up to us. Of course they have got a part to play, but sooner or later it should change, I suppose. “I would be very surprised if they don’t get any points in the whole season away from home, very, very surprised.” QPR remain in a state of flux after the surprise departure of manager Harry Redknapp last week and with a replacement yet to be appointed amid speculation that Poyet’s former Tottenham team-mate Tim Sherwood could join forces with another one-time colleague Les Ferdinand, the club’s newly-appointed director of football. In the meantime, caretaker Chris Ramsey faces the task of trying to steady the ship, and he will do so in the north east without the services of injured striker Charlie Austin, whose 13 goals to date have kept the club in touch. Asked if his absence was a bonus, Poyet said: “Yes, yes. When you have got a player like Austin who is making the difference and winning games for you – like he did against us – if he doesn’t play, it should be a bonus. “When a big player is missing, the other team should take advantage.” 
Bubbles may be overrated anyway.Even the NBA and MLS, who will attempt to resume play in the more controlled environment of the Disney sports complex in Orlando, might not be able to pull it off. One star, the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, has already tested positive, The Associated Press reported Tuesday. If key players get sick – or opt out, as LAFC’s Carlos Vela apparently will – the product will be diminished.In Pandemic Baseball, the entire culture will have to change – no more showing up six hours before first pitch to hang out in the clubhouse, for example – and it still might not be enough. And if young, strong and healthy players are at risk (and remember, we don’t really know for sure what the long term effects are even for people who are infected and recover), the risks multiply for their families and the people those family members come in contact with. Remember, too, that a large number of managers and coaches fall in the high-risk category.Is it really worth it to try to force this with the danger that a rash of positive tests will at least diminish the game and could shut it down? Will we wind up with a game devoid of the joy it can engender at its best? The high five, the dogpile after a walk-off hit, the simple handshakes after a victory … we won’t be seeing those for a good, long while.It might have been better to instead chalk 2020 up to the fates, and to use the break to get to work on preserving this game – and rebuilding the trust between owners and players – for 2021, 2022 and beyond.Either way, Rob Manfred and Dan Halem, on the management side, and Tony Clark and Bruce Meyer, representing the MLBPA, should use this time to take a deep breath and start serious negotiations on the collective bargaining agreement that will expire at the end of the 2021 season. If nothing else, the last six weeks have reminded us that there’s a trust deficit between the parties, and now is a good time to work on repairing that relationship.Related Articles But as eager as Dodger fans may be to see Mookie Betts in their own very special shade of blue, and as much as Angel fans are impatient to welcome Anthony Rendon and welcome back Joe Maddon – any welcome, of course, being remote or virtual – it is best not to assume this will be a run to a championship.There is no certainty that this season will even conclude with a World Series because, as Dr. Anthony Fauci has reminded us, the virus – and nothing else – will determine whether schedules are completed. The head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told a House committee Tuesday he was cautiously optimistic that a vaccine would be available later this year or early in 2021, but also “really quite concerned” about community spread in some states, according to an Associated Press report.In other news, the Philadelphia Phillies reported four more positive tests among their personnel Tuesday, bringing their total to seven players and five staff members infected. Later Tuesday it was revealed that two Colorado Rockies players, including Charlie Blackmon, tested positive. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported Monday that 40 players and staff members had tested positive in the previous week, and teams aren’t even holding fully organized training sessions yet. Outbreaks in the Phillies’ camp in Clearwater, Fla., the Toronto Blue Jays’ camp in Dunedin, Fla., and the Giants’ camp in Scottsdale, Ariz., and the general spikes of cases in Florida and Arizona, led every team to close their spring complexes.Teams have made their home parks available for workouts and will use them for any extended spring training in the next few weeks, though the Blue Jays, because of Canada’s travel restrictions, are still trying to figure out where they’ll train. But even with strict and updated medical protocols in their home parks, it is hard in this layman’s eyes to see how this sport, or any other, can sail through without being ravaged by more infections.There was also talk over the weekend, as reported by Yahoo! Sports, that a “bubble” environment for baseball was being reconsidered and that it could take place in Southern California, where you have three major league parks, four California League parks and quality college facilities at, among others, USC, UCLA, and Cal State Fullerton. That was not part of the plan announced Tuesday. (I know this is a reach, but here’s a compromise: Players agree to a 50-50 split of revenue, with both a cap and a salary floor, if owners agree to open their books – totally – so there are no more secrets and no hidden revenue streams. Anyone?)In the meantime, looking ahead, there almost certainly won’t be any big money contracts signed this winter, even among the highest-profile free agents … like, uh, Mookie Betts. If I’m the Dodgers, and I’ve got a chance to keep one of the game’s top five players, I’d offer him above market value right now – one year contract, five-year contract, whatever – to keep Betts in blue beyond 2020.(Then again, that’s probably why I’m not running the Dodgers.)jalexander@scng.com@Jim_Alexander on Twitter Newsroom GuidelinesNews TipsContact UsReport an Error Angels’ poor pitching spoils an Albert Pujols milestone Angels offense breaks out to split doubleheader with Astros 
Jose Suarez’s rocky start sinks Angels in loss to Astros It looks like we will have a 2020 baseball season after all, at least on the major league level.Yay. (I think.)After several weeks of the most unseemly back and forth possible between the Commissioner’s office and the Players Association, Rob Manfred was expected to lay down the When and Where. The details, finalized Tuesday evening, are for a 60-game season that probably will not include an expanded postseason, but will include a universal DH and the rule that starts an extra inning with a man on second.(Purists, you may weep now.) Angels’ Mike Trout working on his defense, thanks to Twitter Angels’ Shohei Ohtani spending downtime working in outfield 
WWE https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/78/b9/rock-vs-triple-h-summerslam-1998_yl9d8xku3liqzr7pi6znwh27.jpg?t=1741234492&w=500&quality=80 Adding more drama leading up to the match was that the two were brothers-in-law with the story that the upcoming bout was tearing the family apart.There were no dull moments as they kept up a great pace trading moves for more than 25 minutes. When Hart slapped on the Sharpshooter, it looked like Bulldog was finished but he somehow escaped and then countered a sunset flip to get the three count and an incredible pop from the crowd.Afterwards, Hart wouldn’t immediately shake his hand, but instead hugged the new champion as they celebrated this classic moment. At the time, Daniel Bryan was riding a major high as the most popular superstar in the WWE but was still searching for that big win. Luckily for him, John Cena handpicked Bryan as his SummerSlam opponent for the WWE championship and giving fans the dream match they hoped for.It was a classic story with Cena using counter moves while Bryan showcased his technical skills and counters as they went back and forth. While each kicked out of the other’s finishing moves, Bryan hit the last move – a running knee and he scored the win to both the surprise and delight of the crowd at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.However, his celebration didn’t last long with special referee Triple H laying him out after the match with a Pedigree, allowing Randy Orton to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase to score an easy win for the title.4. AJ Styles vs. John Cena – SummerSlam 2016AJ Styles was looking to make his mark in his SummerSlam debut and there wasn’t a better person to do that against than the face of the WWE – John Cena.The two had clashed the previous month at Money in the Bank with Styles getting the win, but needing help from his friends Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. No one would interfere in this showdown with each looking to see who the better man was on that night.This bout kept building and building with each matching big moves with counters and near falls. Late in the match when Cena hit an AA off the top rope, he was befuddled when Styles kicked out yet again. He went for the move again only to be countered with a Styles Clash and then hit with the Phenomenal Forearm and Styles earning a clean win.3. Owen Hart vs. Bret Hart in a cage match for the WWF championship – SummerSlam 1994The jealousy Owen Hart had for his brother Bret had been building for a long time. “The Hitman” got all of the attention and the accolades while Owen felt he wasn’t getting his just due. So, he turned on his brother earlier in the year and beat him at WrestleMania.But that wasn’t enough and Owen wanted to take the WWF championship from Bret and show that once and for all he was better than his brother. And the right stage for this was SummerSlam inside the confines of a steel cage.Both the chemistry and intensity between the siblings was incredible as they pulled out all the stops with the drama building as they each tried to win. Finally, Bret threw Owen into the cage with his leg getting trapped between the big blue bars, allowing Bret enough time to escape over the top of the cage and drop to the floor to retain the title.2. Shawn Michaels vs. Triple H in an unsanctioned street fight – SummerSlam 2002 WWE https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/68/dd/wwe-summerslam-2002-shawn-michaels-vs-triple-h_4g16pommq5g51krhtv979s5fn.jpg?t=1740484556&w=500&quality=80 WWE https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/fe/c8/cm-punk-vs-brock-lesnar-summerslam-2013_1hicn4cs0e22v12jqbqntfil1g.jpg?t=1741456900&w=500&quality=80 This was billed as “The Best vs. The Beast” and it came at a time when Paul Heyman had recently turned on CM Punk and focused on backing Brock Lesnar.It was as intense of a match with Lesnar dishing out a horrible beating to the smaller Punk with chairs and other weapons. But Punk kept fighting back. And fighting back.And then people began to believe that Punk could do the impossible and beat “The Beast Incarnate.” But just when it looked like Punk had the match won, Heyman got in the way with Lesnar eventually connecting with a trademark F5 onto a chair for the win.While Punk lost the battle, he earned a ton of respect from the audience who loudly chanted his name as he limped to the back.7. The Undertaker vs. Edge in a Hell in a Cell match – SummerSlam 2008This was a culmination of their rivalry that began earlier in the year including a showdown at WrestleMania XXIV and there was only one match fitting for this clash – inside the unfriendly confines of the Hell in a Cell.These two used every weapon they could get their hands on including chairs, ladders and tables as they dished out the pain. Despite hitting several spears, the “Deadman” stayed alive and eventually chokeslammed the “Rated R Superstar” off the top rope through two tables and finished him off with a Tombstone Piledriver.Even after the match with The Undertaker nearly backstage, he returned to the ring to put an exclamation point on the night by chokeslamming Edge off the top of a ladder and through the ring with Jim Ross proclaiming on commentary that Edge was sent straight to hell.6. The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz vs. Edge and Christian in a TLC match for the WWF tag team championships – SummerSlam 2000WWE was willing to up the risk factor during the Attitude Era and the first-ever Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match took it to a whole other level and then some. It was breathtaking to see these six men take so much punishment in so many different ways including Bubba Ray Dudley falling off a ladder through four double-stacked tables outside the ring.This was a test of perseverance with Edge and Christian somehow surviving to the end and retaining the tag team titles in the groundbreaking match.5. Daniel Bryan vs. John Cena for the WWE championship – SummerSlam 2013 Join DAZN and watch more than 100 fight nights a yearHere’s a look at the 10 best SummerSlam matches of all-time.Make sure to follow Sporting News’ coverage of WWE SummerSlam 2019 including live coverage of the event on Sunday night. 10. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon ladder match for the Intercontinental title – SummerSlam 1995It was just a year earlier when these two put on a classic ladder match at WrestleMania X. Now it was time for the sequel, but the roles were reversed with Michaels quickly becoming one of the most popular stars in the company and Razor now truly in the role of “The Bad Guy.”This match built as it went on with plenty of suspense, including Michaels getting his hands on the IC title as it hung over the ring before being knocked off the ladder with a Razor’s Edge.9. The Rock vs. Triple H in a ladder match for the Intercontinental championship – SummerSlam 1998 This was a time that Triple H and The Rock were a slight notch below “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels. But these guys were hungry to prove they belonged in the top tier of WWE superstars.These two had incredible chemistry as they told a terrific story of how badly they each wanted the IC title and the prestige it carried. While there weren’t any massively dangerous spots, there was plenty of violence as they fought back and forth in what became a battle of endurance with Triple H outlasting The Rock. 8. CM Punk vs. Brock Lesnar in a no disqualification match – SummerSlam 2013 WWE SummerSlam 2019 is nearly here, taking place on Sunday, Aug. 11 in Toronto, Canada and available to watch on the WWE Network.The annual summer extravaganza has a rich history that dates back to 1988. Since then, SummerSlam has showcased some epic matches that are among the best and most memorable in WWE history. WWE https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/49/6b/daniel-bryan-vs-john-cena-summerslam-2013_15gnl8ixu8n2j16zm5rl6eopb0.jpg?t=1741743604&w=500&quality=80 It had been four years since Shawn Michaels had retired but when his friend Triple H turned on him, that was just the reason to come back. All eyes were on Michaels and whether or not he could once again be “The Showstopper” or even close to that performer.Michaels more than answered that question and put on a classic return performance as he and Triple H battled it out. That included Michaels breaking out a flying elbow off the top rope and sending “The Game” through a table on the floor.Most of the match was Triple H attacking Michaels’ back — the very injury that forced him into retirement years before. Michaels did a marvelous job of selling, fighting through the pain again and again before he countered a Pedigree with a roll-up to score the satisfying win and launching the second half of his Hall of Fame career.1. Bret Hart vs. The British Bulldog for the Intercontinental championship – SummerSlam 1992It was an amazing backdrop with SummerSlam ’92 taking place in front of 80,000 passionate fans at Wembley Stadium in London who were firmly behind the British Bulldog as he looked to win the Intercontinental championship.
By Allison Perrine | aperrine@tworivertimes.com Some people are concerned with the plan. At the Feb. 20 council meeting, resident Frank Barricelli said he was concerned it will narrow the traffic lanes, tighten the turns and prevent drivers from making right-hand turns on red. The intersection improvement follows additional work on Oceanport roads. This year work was completed on Monmouth Boulevard and on Myrtle Avenue from Monmouth Boulevard to Port Au Peck Avenue. This included drainage work, sidewalk improvements and road repaving, with help from Monmouth County. Pedestrian safety was also important when considering an update to the intersection, which is located near Oceanport Creek. There is currently a 90-foot crosswalk, without pavement, which is particularly dangerous for the elderly or people with strollers, White said. It’s a “significant distance” and officials were concerned about future pedestrian fatalities. The borough, in conjunction with Monmouth County engineers, will make improvements to the intersection of Oceanport Avenue (Route 11) and Main Street. The work will include sidewalk realignments, roadway tightening, drainage system improvements, signal modifications and dedicated left-turn lanes for all approaches, officials told The Two River Times March 20. Oceanport and Monmouth County will make improvements to Oceanport Avenue (Route 11) and Main Street. Image courtesy Google Maps “That is a long way to go without a place to stop to go across the street there. We’re really, I think, trying to be proactive here, realizing that there’s going to be additional pedestrian traffic going forward,” said Mayor Jay Coffey, noting that more people will be moving into Oceanport as projects are completed at the former Fort Monmouth site. The borough went out to bid for the work Feb. 13 and accepted the lowest responsible bidder, Earle Asphalt Company of Farmingdale, for $1.18 million. In response, the county gave the borough an additional $687,876 toward the construction work, totaling nearly $1 million in funds from the county toward the project. The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders approved the funding increase at its March 12 meeting. OCEANPORT – A well-trafficked Oceanport intersection will get a makeover in the coming months in order to become more efficient and pedestrian friendly. According to Oceanport Borough engineer William H. White III, the signal on the light timer must be upgraded due to damage from Super Storm Sandy. The signal was on a timer and “wasn’t sensing the traffic movements.” Once that is adjusted, everything must be updated, he added. “The whole entire intersection.” The article originally appeared in the March 26- April 1, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
Remember that Todibo arrived in January 2019 after paying Barcelona a million euros to Toulouse, signing a contract until June 30, 2023 and with a 150 million euros clause.However, his time at the Blaugrana club was rather discreet, having had little prominence. In fact, this season added four games in all competitions with a balance of 167 minutes.Nevertheless, in Germany it has a good cache, as demonstrated by the statements of the mythical German player, Lothar Matthäus, who came to ensure that the Frenchman was “the best center I’ve seen in a long time”. Today, Quique Setién has only three centrals in his squad -Gerard Piqué, Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti-, so everything indicates that the youth of the subsidiary, the Uruguayan Ronald Araujo and Juan Brandáriz, alias ‘Chumi’, could begin to have more options to enter the dynamic Working in the first team and even in the calls.Todibo already wears the Schalke shirtThe player has already posed with the shirt of his new team and has received the endorsement of his new coach. “He is one of the best young defenders in Europe. Since the recovery of Stambouli is taking a little longer than everyone expected, it makes sense to incorporate another plant. You can also play in the center of the field. We will give you the best possible support to develop your obvious potential. We are eager for it.“said coach David Wagner.Todibo himself also sang his first words in this new stage: “When I spoke with the club managers, the project convinced me to seek the success of young players. That’s why I chose Schalke. “In the same vein, the sports director, Jochen Schneider, got rid of praise with the central: “With his technical and physical skills and his understanding of the game, he is a player that excites us and that, of course, still has a development potential at 20 years. “ FC Barcelona confirmed on Wednesday the transfer until the remainder of the season of the French central Jean Clair Todibo to Schalke 04 for 1.5 million euros. In addition, the German team, which will also cover the entire player card, saves the possibility of buying the player from July 1 if you pay 25 million euros plus 5 in variables. Barcelona, on the other hand, also has a repurchase option, although paying twice the value of the Germans, that is, 50 million and 10 more in variables.
The ruling Unity Party (UP) has termed the Supreme Court’s action in recent electoral disputes involving two of its senators- elect as a “dangerous precedent.”Cllr. Varney Sherman and Morris Saytumah won their respective senatorial seats in the special elections with 13,651 and 8,857 votes in Grand Cape Mount and Bomi Counties, respectively, but the results were subsequently challenged before the high court, ignoring the required channels provided by the electoral laws of Liberia.The High Court has since ruled in both cases and instructed the National Elections Commission (NEC) to proceed with the certification of the UP senators- elect.At the ceremony yesterday, UP Secretary General Wilmot Paye noted that the trend of the Supreme Court signals a very “dangerous precedent” for Liberia’s fragile democracy.Paye told newsmen that his party is worried about the future of the country in the wake of “the interference from the High Court.”He equated the latest action by the Supreme Court to the “misuse of judiciary power,” and wondered what will be the role of the Supreme Court in 2017 when elections will be conducted for 73 electoral districts and for the presidency.“There are laws that govern electoral processes. The new Election Law states how complaints emanating from election competitions are addressed in Liberia and we expect the court to know these things. The law called for electoral disputes to start with the counties then to the Commission before finally reaching the Supreme Court. From all indications, these two cases began at the Supreme Court,” he said.“Imagine in 2017 how the Supreme Court will be overwhelmed with unnecessary complaints because they have set a very wrong precedent,” the UP stalwart stressed.Meanwhile, presenting certificates to the two winners in Monrovia, the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Cllr. Sarah M. Toe said after conducting hearings into complaints filed against the elected senators, the Board of Commissioners of NEC reaffirmed their election because the complainants could not prove “allegations of electoral fraud filed against the candidates.”“Consequently, the Supreme Court of Liberia last week rescinded its decision to prohibit the certification of Cllrs. Sherman and Saytumah.“Accordingly, and in keeping with Section 2.9 (q) of the New Elections Law of Liberia, we are gathered here today to certificate Cllr. Sherman and Cllr. Saytumah. The certification of Mr. Tornolah is still pending,” the acting NEC Boss noted. She said as much as these individuals felt discouraged because they could not be certificated with their colleagues during the certification ceremony on January 3, the NEC welcomes the decision of those who felt aggrieved by the outcome of the December 20, 2014 Special Senatorial Election in their recourse to the law. “This is a clear indication that our democracy is maturing. It is therefore the wish of the Commission that this practice of reverting to the law whenever a citizen feels aggrieved in a process will resonate in all areas of our lives as citizens of Liberia.” Cllr. Toe concluded. Speaking on behalf of the newly certificated senators, Bomi County Senator-elect, Morris Saytumah lauded the NEC, the Supreme Court and the electorate for the process that legitimized their election as senators of Bomi and Cape Mount Counties, respectively. He said that they are going to the Senate to make significant changes in the body politics of Liberia, noting that the current senate will work very diligently to ensure a smooth transition in 2017.Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Republic Bank Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nigel Baptiste has expressed disappointment over the fact that the financial institution’s plans to acquire Scotiabank’s assets in Guyana were not approved by authorities.Republic Bank CEO Nigel Baptiste“While this development is disappointing, we do not dwell on disappointment,” he is quoted as saying in an article published by Trinidadian media entity Newsday.“As a group, we remain fully engaged and committed to supporting the nation of Guyana through our operations there, as well as toward ensuring the success of all activities for which we have received the requisite regulatory approvals, under the proposed BNS acquisition,” he further stated.Guyana’s Central Bank recently denied Republic Bank Guyana’s application to buy out the Bank of Nova Scotia’s operations in Guyana.Last November, Republic Bank had announced its interest in acquiring the Canadian multinational bank’s operations in several countries, including Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Maarten, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.This is following Scotiabank’s decision to leave these Caribbean nations. At the time, the local financial authorities were not informed of the decision.Finance Minister Winston Jordan had expressed concerns that the sale might result in Republic Bank owning more than 50 per cent of the total banking assets in Guyana.In denying the application, Central Bank Governor, Dr Gobind Ganga said decision makers took into consideration concerns about concentration and competition which would have negative impacts on the country’s financial system.The Finance Ministry had revealed that Republic Bank’s share of the banking system assets in Guyana stood at 35.4 per cent and its deposits, 36.8 per cent. The purchase of Scotiabank’s operations would have seen that figure grow to 51 per cent.Nonetheless, the Republic Bank CEO said: “We appreciate the Bank of Guyana’s acknowledgement of the value of our longstanding role in the development of Guyana’s financial landscape and our continued contribution to the financial sector.”
Relative of Shawna Marie Byers, 23 years old, reported her missing yesterday morning to the RCMP. She was last seen on September 29 in the area of 102 Avenue and 99 Street in Grande Prairie.Police say she may be with her boyfriend, Dustin Ohs, although they do not believe foul play is a factor.“However, there is a concern for her well being and police would like to locate and speak with Byers as soon as possible,” Cpl. Roy Kennedy said in a written statement.- Advertisement -Byers is described as Caucasian, approximately 5’3 in height and 119 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Police are unable to composite a clothing description at the time of her disappearance.If you have information regarding Byers whereabouts, contact the Grande Prairie RCMP at 780 830 5701 or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 8477.
*DISCLAIMER: These subtitles are less accurate than Eden Hazard’s shooting was in 2015.As rumours began circulating that Chelsea’s Eden Hazard had decided his future was with Real Madrid, the talkSPORT translator sprang into action and interpreted a “new” interview with the Belgian winger which seems to back these rumours up.By the way, our translator did get a B in GCSE French… he just could have forgotten most of that by now!
As this year’s competitors make their way on to the starting ramp for the Donegal International Rally, I will be celebrating 40 years of trying to capture the magic that is the Donegal International Rally.I started out while still at St. Eunan’s College as a student to try and get photos of all the great rally cars on the special stages around Donegal.A view of James Cullen Ascona 400 in 1988 at the start of one of his best rallying seasons.. Photo Brian McDaidToday in the digital age it looks very easy to shoot all day for all of the three days and enjoy viewing the images on your computer that evening. It was a a bit different back in the day. Advertisement A roll of 36 exposure film took a week to develop and was very costly for a school-going student to pay for.I had a very understanding local chemist in the late Jim Mc Cormack who doubled as my darkroom man in them days and my supplier of camera gear. My first camera was a Zenith Camera which was pure crap, or maybe it was the young photographer who was at fault!In 1978 I modified my kit with a second hand camera, a Olympus OM1 with a fast 50mm lens and a telephoto 135mm f3.5. Advertisement Manual focusMy new gear worked well and there was no such thing as auto focus in them days so you had to figure out in advance where the car was going to end up before the rally car appeared on the stage.James Cullen , Donegal Motor Club’s most successfull rally pictured with his navigator the Late Ellen Morgan , David Lylellen and Miss Shell at the finishing ramp of the Donegal Rally.I think Jim Mc Cormack was a sorry man that year when I shot that much film for him to develop as I collected envelope after envelope of pictures of rally cars.Getting local competitors coverage in the papersGetting good pictures of rally cars that year was my start into photography for life, I had all the local papers demented leaving in loads of pictures of rally cars which were hard enough to get published at the time and editors ended up maybe using one or two rally pictures and then sending me out to cover soccer or GAA matches instead.Over the years I have covered the rally every June but always was ask to cover events on the run up to the Donegal Rally for local papers, and also got the odd picture into the national newspapers.Most treasured photoIn 1989 Alan Tyndall, (Plum) asked me to cover the Donegal Rally for the Irish Times to complement Des Bradley’s report for the following Monday’s paper. Always the true professional Alan Tyndall worked out a system I could cover the rally for the paper.Irish Times report of the Donegal Rally in 1989. Photo Brian McDaidOn the Friday of the rally he suggested that I get a good photo of all of the top 15 rally cars. Then it was into the darkroom in the old Donegal Democrat office on the Port Rd. in Letterkenny where I worked as the local photographer. I would then develop fifteen 10+8 black and white prints which we then packaged up and put on the CIE Express Bus to Dublin where the Irish Times staff met the Donegal Bus in Dublin to collect the pictures.Bad mobile phone coverage In them days the phone service on mobile phones was very poor in Donegal so it was arranged that I would phone the Irish Times from the Shandon Hotel on the Sunday evening as soon as we knew who was the winner of the rally and described the winning car to them.A single picture of a Toyota Celica of David Llewellin which was used in the Irish Times the next morning. That was in 1989 and it’s amazing now how much the way we take photos has changed and how quick we can publish them online right away.Local talentLocal competitors are the bread and butter of motorsport in Co Donegal over the years I enjoyed working with them. I remember on the run up to one of the Donegal’s myself and the late Eamon Harvey, who were both members of the Letterkenny Fire Brigade and were on standby at a long fire call at the Letterkenny Fire Station. Eamon ask me had I a camera in the car, and before I knew it we were heading down to Eamon’s Auto Factors who were his sponsor to get a photo of him presenting Eamon Harvey with a cheque for that year’s rally.National coverageOne of the big days on the run in to the Donegal Rally every year was the press day that the motor club did in both Belfast and Dublin.The famous Ford of Fishers on Fanad head stage in the hand of Kelvin Keys and Kevin Gallinagh. Photo Brian Mc DaidA trip to the Kings Hall in Belfast where the greats of the Donegal Rally like the late Bertie Fisher gave up his time to help and promote the Donegal Rally.The late Jim Kennedy at the finish of another successful Donegal Rally chatting with Bertie Fisher’s father Photo Brian McDaidThen on the same day that afternoon it was off to Dublin to Shell House who was their main sponsor at the time for another photo shoot for the national papers in Dublin.Favourite article on rallyingMaybe it’s because the late Sammy Fisher is no longer with us that the interview I done with him many years ago stands out as one to treasure, it was of course more about his little yellow mini than him.The quietly spoken Ramelton man told me about seeing the Mini sitting in the corner of the showroom of the old PMPA garages on the Port Rd. in Letterkenny.The little yellow mini of Sammy Fisher on the Muckish Stage of the Donegal International Rally in 1990’s The car was originally a green Cooper S when Sammy bought it in the PMPA garage on the Port Rd in Letterkenny ,many years before, Sammy developed the car from its factory specification. and painted the car yellow, Manys the competitor new to Donegal might not have been impressed to be seeded behind this little car, but as the event progressed, the would be gland the were behind it as Sammy and his Mini left the most of the field behind them. (Photo Brian McDaid)It was an original Mini Cooper S and did not start out life as yellow but British Racing Green and he knew the first day he seen that Cooper, that the car was going to be his.Sammy didn’t buy that car right away but eventually got the money together to buy it and rally it, and made it one of the great memories of the Donegal Rally.Donegal has produced a lot of great rally drivers over the years some like Vincent Bonnar, James Cullen, Declan Boyle, and Manus Kelly had the great honour of winning their home event, so many others have been there or there about; some of whom are no longer with us like John Connors, James McDaid and Derek Mc Mahon who gave us great memories of the Donegal rally.James Cullen pictured with Sponsor Tony Kelly and co-driver Cathal Mc Gettighan, Photo Brian McDaidOthers like Paul Harris, Joe Mc Hugh, Robert Ward, Damien Tourish and not forgetting the Milkman are only a few of the Donegal drivers that mixed it with the best of the rest in their days to make the Donegal rally one of the best event in Ireland.Three times World Rally champion Sebastian Leob pictured with Toni Kelly and Joe Hunter at the Start of the Donegal International Rally on FridayPrincipal Sponsors of the Donegal International Rally Donegal Oil Company represented by the Mc Mahon Family including Alister, Author, Anne and Derek pictured at the service area in Letterkenny. Photo Brian Mc DaidPaddy Hopkirk and Plill Coulter who were special guest at the start of the rally on Friday. Photo Brian McDaidDD Motoring: Forty years of snapping rally cars was last modified: June 1st, 2017 by Brian McDaidShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Tags:brian mc daiddonegal international rallymotoring