Soccer Shorts

Today's other stories in brief

Benefit game

A Limerick and District league representative side will take on the city's National League team at Jackman Park this evening in a benefit game for the Murray family, who were the victims of a firebomb attack last month, writes Emmet Malone. Admission to the game is €5 and the funds raised will go to the Murrays, whose car was set alight by youths, causing serious injuries to two of the family's children, Gavin (four) and Philomena (six).

Drogba accuses Hunt

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has accused Reading's Stephen Hunt of intentionally injuring goalkeeper Petr Cech during last Saturday's Premier League match.

"When Petr was carried out of the ground, he (Hunt) was laughing," Drogba was quoted by the French sports daily L'Equipe yesterday. Cech underwent surgery and has since regained full consciousness and is improving, Chelsea said.

United pair resign

Manchester United finance director Nick Humby and commercial director Andy Anson have resigned. The Old Trafford side confirmed the news yesterday before making a formal announcement that both men, who have formed a key bridge between the previous PLC board and the new ownership structure under Malcolm Glazer, will leave in February to take up fresh challenges.

Debuts for duo

Irish under-21 manager Don Givens will hand Tony Kane of Blackburn Rovers and Arsenal's Joseph O'Cearuill their international debuts in tonight's friendly in Luxembourg, just a matter of weeks after the pair declared for the Republic.

IRELAND (v Luxembourg): D Quigley (UCD); T Kane (Blackburn Rovers), J O'Cearuill (Arsenal), R Keogh (Bristol City), D Stapleton (Unattached), P Cregg (Falkirk), I Morris (Scunthorpe United), G Dicker (UCD), J Paul Kelly (Bohemians), A Keogh (Scunthorpe United), A Stokes (Falkirk).

50 on award list

The nominations for the prestigious European Footballer of the Year award were announced in the magazine France Football. The winner will be announced on November 27th.

NOMINATIONS: Ballack (Chelsea), Buffon (Juventus), Cahill (Everton), Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Cole (Chelsea), Coupet (Lyon), Cris (Lyon), Ronaldo (Manchester United), Deco (Barcelona), Diarra (Real Madrid), Drogba (Chelsea), Essien (Chelsea), Eto'o (Barcelona), Fabregas (Arsenal), Gallas (Arsenal), Gattuso (AC Milan), Gerrard (Liverpool), Giuly (Barcelona), Grosso (Inter Milan), Henry (Arsenal), Juninho (Lyon), Kaka (AC Milan), Klose (Werder Bremen), Lahm (Bayern Munich), Lampard (Chelsea), Lehmann (Arsenal), Makelele (Chelsea), Malouda (Lyon), Mendez (PSV Eindhoven), Messi (Barcelona), Pirlo (AC Milan), Podolski (Bayern Munich), Puyol (Barcelona), Ribery (Marseille), Ronaldinho (Barcelona), Riquelme (Villarreal), Robben (Chelsea), Rooney (Manchester United), Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Shevchenko (Chelsea), Terry (Chelsea), Thuram (Barcelona), Tiago (Lyon), Toni (Fiorentina), Torres (Atletico Madrid), Vieira (Inter Milan), Villa (Valencia), Zambrotta (Barcelona), Zidane (Retired).

In brief . . .

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has revealed he is keen to sign Liverpool midfielder Darren Potter, who is on a season-long loan, on a permanent basis . . . West Ham will consider separate offers for the club following meetings this week with the two consortiums vying to take over the club . . . Tottenham's Calum Davenport has had the red card he picked up against Aston Villa rescinded by the Football Association.