Soccer Digest

A round-up of today's other news in brief

McShane injured in friendly game

PAUL McSHANE is a doubt for the start of the season and for the Republic of Ireland’s next internationals after he sustained possible knee cartilage damage during Sunderland’s first pre-season friendly at Darlington last night.

McShane had been a half-time substitute in Steve Bruce’s first game as Sunderland manager and scored a rare goal with a header but a few minutes later McShane limped off and Bruce was pessimistic afterwards. “We fear cartilage damage, it’s as serious as that,” Bruce said. “We’ll have a scan in the morning.” As well as McShane, Andy Reid scored with a deflected shot and another second-half substitute, Roy O’Donovan, also scored.

Hartlepool move for Cork City pair

CORK CITY confirmed yesterday that they have accepted an offer from Hartlepool, reported in Cork to be in the region of € 55,000, for Colin Healy and Denis Behan and both players have been given permission to start talks about personal terms with the Victoria Grounds club, writes Emmet Malone.

If the figure is correct – and a website in Hartlepool claimed the amount involved was actually close to € 110,000 – the offer would actually be around € 30,000 lower than an offer made by the English outfit last week which City officials were reported as dismissing as “insulting” and “derisory”.

The acceptance of the offer, though, suggests that the club’s financial situation, which has been the subject of a number of recent High Court hearings is increasingly desperate.

City will be back in Court on Monday week by which time, they have been told, they must have reached an agreement in relation to their€ 360,000 tax arrears or face the possibility of being wound up.

Crouch holding Sunderland talks

PETER CROUCH flew into Newcastle airport yesterday for talks with Steve Bruce, Sunderland’s manager, after Portsmouth agreed a €12 million fee for the England striker.

It is felt Crouch would prefer to go to a London club but Bruce said: “Why should Sunderland not be the place for Peter Crouch?”

And Alan Smith is attracting interest from his old manager Sam Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers. Allardyce would like to take the utility player to Ewood Park on a year-long loan from Newcastle United but will demand that the Tyneside club continue paying a percentage of Smith’s €60,000-a-week wages.

Wigan or Wolves for McCarthy

IRELAND under-21 international James McCarthy looks set to choose between Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton after the two Premier League clubs agreed a fee of slightly over €2 million with Hamilton for the 18 year-old midfielder, writes Emmet Malone.

The teenager had previously attracted interest from Liverpool, Tottenham and Sunderland

Hull City’s move for Republic of Ireland striker Daryl Murphy collapsed yesterday when the club failed to agree personal terms with the 26 year-old. The Waterford man had previously turned down a move from Sunderland to Ipswich.

Downing moves to Aston Villa

STEWART DOWNING completed a €12 million move to Aston Villa yesterday, saying it was essential to play in the Premier League to achieve his England aspirations.

The winger, who arrived at Villa’s training ground on crutches because of a broken foot that will keep him out of action until September, completed a medical and signed a four-year-deal.

Motherwell’s joy short-lived

MOTHERWELL fell to a Europa League defeat in Albania after John Sutton saw his penalty controversially disallowed by Austrian referee Fritz Stuchlik.

Sutton slotted home a spot-kick just before the hour mark but was ordered to re-take the penalty after a home player encroached into the 18-yard box.

The goal should have stood but Sutton’s second attempt was saved and Flamurtari soon scored the only goal of the game when Ermir Strati’s half-volley from the edge of the area bounced in off the post.

Ryan Flynn’s debut goal gave Falkirk a 1-0 victory in the first leg qualifier against FC Vaduz.

The home side celebrated the their first game in Europe with a win that just might be enough to see them through. Flynn, the former Falkirk academy player on a season-long loan from Liverpool, scored with a deflected drive five minutes after the interval.

Veron leads Estudiantes to victory

JUAN Sebastian Veron was lauded as his club’s outstanding player of all time after leading modest Estudiantes to Libertadores Cup victory on Wednesday.

“Veron is the outstanding player of Estudiantes since the club was created,” said coach Alex Sabella after the playmaker’s role in the 2-1 win over Brazil’s Cruzeiro.

The victory in Belo Horizonte gave the Argentine club their fourth title and the first since their 1968-70 treble when Veron’s father Juan Ramon was their main inspiration.

“This title is for everyone, for the fans, for the people that love me and those that don’t,” said Veron.

Estudiantes will go to Abu Dhabi in December looking to win the Club World Cup where Barcelona will be favourites.