HAS HISTORIC SUCCESS ever felt as oddly queasy as this?
Let’s first pause to acknowledge what Rhasidat Adeleke has just done.
Adeleke tonight became only the third Irish athlete to qualify for an Olympic sprint final, after Bob Tisdall in 1932 and Thomas Barr in 2016. Given they achieved theirs over hurdles, Adeleke is in a paradigm of her own.
Our 2024 medal glut shouldn’t sate us to the point we ignore the rubicon Rhasidat Adeleke has just crossed.
But by the heights of her own standards and the negligible limits of her awesome talent, Adeleke didn’t cross her rubicon quickly enough, finishing second in the night’s first semi-final behind Bahrain’s Eid Salwa Naser.
The fact Salwa Naser is recently back from a two-year ban for violating drug-testing whereabouts rules and then coasted home in 49.08 – her fastest time since her ban was imposed – added a further knot to a night of tangled success.
“It was a very messy race,” Adeleke told RTÉ afterwards. “I’m just excited that I’m able to get into the final and fix everything for when I do get into the final.”
On her day, Adeleke is good enough to win an Olympic 400m medal, but there is a lot to fix if Friday is to be her day.
If Adeleke was nervous before the race, Lieke Klaver’s false start compounded those nerves.
“At first they held us really long and I think I was ready to go then,” she told RTÉ. “But when we went again I feel I was just thinking about it too much and didn’t execute my first 100m as I should have.”
Her instructions from her coach, Edrick Floréal, are to use her sprint speed to get out fast, and then fight to hold on for dear life down the home straight. Adeleke went out in 23.22, which is broadly close to the 23 second target set by Floréal.
Eid Naser, however, went out faster, in 23 seconds dead. Perhaps the expectation she would be ahead at this point spooked Adeleke.
“I didn’t execute my first 200m as I should have, but that’s all things we can fix for the final,” said Adeleke. “And I think I also panicked a little bit which made me break form really early but I’m excited, I’ve made the final and I can give it my best shot.”
Her tone while speaking to RTÉ didn’t quite betray excitement. Most concerning for Adeleke and her coach is the extent to which she faded at the end, running the final 100m in 14.51 seconds. Only Ayallah Butler, who finished sixth, was slower over the closing 100m than Adeleke. Of course the times alone may not tell the full story, and Adeleke may have kicked into conservation mode knowing she had probably done enough to fend off third-placed Henriette Jaeger for an automatic qualifying spot in the final.
After the race, Adeleke did not follow custom and walk through the mixed zone to speak to reporters. We were told she was too fatigued after the race to speak to the written media, having spoken to broadcasters. Her RTÉ interview certainly seemed to be missing some of the zest of her usual appearances.
The message from Adeleke’s team after the race is that she is feeling fine, but is putting all her energy into refuelling and recovering for Friday’s final.
The single biggest reproach to this nagging feeling is, of course, the fact that semi-finals are for getting over the line.
Nickisha Pryce – one of only three contenders to run faster than Adeleke this season prior to tonight – didn’t qualify for the final at all, flaming out by finishing fourth in her semi-final, albeit in a quicker time than Adeleke’s.
That semi-final was won by Marileidy Paulino, who looks to have the gold medal sewn up. Eid Naser’s sudden return to form may be her claim to silver. The bronze medal, though, is still to be fought for, with Natalia Kaczmarek, who pipped Adeleke to European gold in June, the strongest contender. She won her semi-final in 49.45, just ahead of Britain’s Amber Anning,
The assumption before the Games would be that Adeleke needed to dip below 49 seconds for the first time to win a medal, but Kaczmarek’s time was such that Adeleke might make a podium by matching her PB of 49.07.
But as Adeleke admits, she has a lot to fix between now and 7pm Irish time on Friday.
But in these Games of unfathomable yield, Rhasidat Adeleke has given Ireland another national occasion to anticipate.
This is a magnificent thing, even if tonight did not augur well for her medal hopes.
Kevin Long is such a weird one.
29 years old. At Burnley for nearly ten years. Presumably on a half decent wage. Comes to the side in when Ben Mee or James Tarkowski are injured and rarely puts a foot wrong at EPL level.
Never complains in the press or agitates for a transfer.
Played well again for Ireland tonight but can really only be seen as a bit part player for his country because that’s what he is for Burnley?
Couldn’t have him in ahead of Clark who’s just after battling to win his place back in Steve Bruce’s improving Newcastle side.
@Donal McGrath: every time he plays he looks like our most assured defender, and is probably the best of them on the ball. It’s a weird one alright, but if we actually want to play ball we need central defenders like him who can hold and pass the ball rather than lumping it forward after 2 or 3 sideways passes and getting themselves in trouble
@Donal McGrath: agreed regarding Kevin Long, looked solid again tonight. Clark done very well too and thought he would have been in with a chance of starting Monday potentially depending on the formation Mick goes with.
@Donal McGrath: i thought he was excellent and if i was any team coming up to the premiership that like to pass the ball out from the back hes a good option
I thought Cullen and Byrne were very good. Sadly they have no chance of starting on Monday.
Hendrick and mcclean need to prove themselves,which I doubt they will.
@Fr Romeo sensini.: agree 100%..in neither have performed well for Ireland in the last year or so…no doubting their commitment, but for me I wouldn’t start either against Denmark
Byrne should start, with more senior players around him he could really flourish. And we need to attack. Brady please no, awful display again. Missed an easy take down in the box and then gestured to someone like they had done something wrong. Maguire, good goal but overall very poor.
@Toon Army: agreed. Byrne is creative and his passing is top class. Always looking for a break. In my eyes should defo start.
@Toon Army: It’s funny how everybody sees things differently, I like Byrne but thought he was average last night, maybe even poor, whereas I thought Maguire actually looked dangerous throughout the game and got the great goal to top off a very good performance. I also liked the look of Cullen in the first half but I feel he disappeared a bit in the second. It’ll be some craic if we somehow manage to beat Denmark or get through via the qualifiers and end up at the euros with a couple of games in Dublin!!
@Shane Flanagan: agree with your analysis . Shame Cullen didn’t keep it up for full 90 , you could see his value from first half performance if he played in Danes game. Mcguire isn’t good enough for the next step up unfortunately , very poor oppo last night.I agree would be good craic but not gonna happen . A draw is as good as we can get . No real goal threat. I was really looking forward to mcGold Connolly partnership ..such a a shame
@Michael Flannery: Maguire isn’t good enough?then where does that leave Collins?
@Thomas Devlin: exactly maguire had a really good match byrne browne parrot helped him with that . brady was pish .for a player of his “caliber”
It doesn’t matter how well any of them played because Mick McCarthy has his team picked and it includes McClean, Hendrick and Whealen. Afraid to take a gamble on Byrne, Cullen etc..
Love Parrotts play quick touches such clever movement.would love to see him and mc goldrick play as interchangeable 9 and 10
He’s on the fringes, but any time I’ve seen Alan Judge I think he’s always lively, positive, accurate and creative bringing others around him into the game.
Josh Cullen was my MOTM. He could be used perfectly in this Irish team as he links the play between defenders and attackers so well and just what we need. He was the standout player in our last friendly too so definitely should be in with a shout on Monday to start but I doubt Mick even has him in his thoughts for Monday unfortunately.
I never knew the nz soccer team were the all whites.and the nz basketball team are the TALL blacks. GENIUS.
@Seriously stunned:
Our basketball team are the LITTLE Leprechauns better than GENIUS.
Robinson,Maguire,O’Dowda and a half fit out of form Brady still all better options than James McClean on the left.Cullen was awesome as was Jack Byrne.
Thought Lee O’Connor was solid throughout and the most impressive of the newbies. Great cross for the goal.
Parrott was OK. I’d actually completly agree with Mick Mc’s opinion. “Troy did okay. He didn’t set the world on fire, but what he did I was really pleased with. He ran the channels, had a couple of chances — I know everyone is desperate for him to score — but the ‘keeper thwarted him. I’m pleased, overall.” I would ask the question though, is Adam Idah more deserving of playing last night? He has looked more impressive in the u21 campaign to date than TP imo.
Byrne I thought was very poor. The game was made for a player of his ilk and he didn’t produce anything of note. Ireland had loads of possession and if Byrne can’t show well in that game then he has no place playing against stronger opposition. He’s busy and looks the part, but what did he actually do with the ball? He offers nothing defensively either.
Having watched the U21 game, I like the look of Coventry and we all know about Molumby. Both are much more rounded players than Byrne for example. Both can attack and defend, box to box type players. Byrne is a luxury number 10 type player and I can’t see too many Irish teams over the next 10 years requiring such a player.
@John Lewis Hamilton: Can’t agree with that. He was involved in everything we did that was good in the first half. We had lot’s of possession because he didn’t lose the ball. Faded a bit in the second but we went a bit more direct and he has played a full season now. You’re complaining that he didn’t defend while also talking about how poor the opposition was….where did he let them team down defensively?
Cullen definitely played well enough to force his way into the starting 11, in place of Whelan, and since its a game we need to win I’d rather have Byrne in place of Hendrick who has contributed very little in years. It’s between Robinson and Maguire to play alongside McGoldrick and I think Robinson will hold on to his place. But I think Mick will start with his tried and tested and none of the starting 11 from last night will start Monday, bar perhaps the keeper if Randolph doesn’t recover from injury.
@Ger: The jack Byrne talk is over the top. Every manager in England and Scotland must be wrong. He has some nice touches and plays a few nice passes. You are on about replacing a premier league regular with a 10m price tag . Utter nonsense
@Michael Flannery: Every manager in England and Scotland? How about Holland and Ireland? Did you ask all of them? His troubles in England have been well documented and need to be taken in context. This site alone has done the story to death. At Oldham he was playing brilliantly but they froze him out because they needed to cut the wage bill. The fans petitioned to have him brought back in. Judge him on merit. He’s a 23 year old who can play positive, exciting football. Hendrick may have been valued at 10m at one stage but who would pay that based on his performances for Ireland? Not saying Jack should take his place but your arguments aren’t all that useful.
Hadn’t really seen Cullen play until last night but was really impressed with his ability to link the play with passes from deep. If Glenn Whelan was to get injured or suspended, I think Cullen could do a good job as his replacement.
@EK: if Glen Whelan wasn’t available I think Christy Brown would do a good job as his replacement
@Thomas Devlin: Not in the squad
I cant for the life of me understand the whole Jeff Hendrick thing he was a decent player once but he has literally done nothing this whole qualifying campaign to deserve automatic selection. He spent the last 2 or 3 matches handing the ball back to the opposition through bad passing and im talking 5 or ten yard basic 8 year old could do it stuff. We played some nice ball last night but i presume we will be back to the old hoof it and hope monday night
@Michael McGrath: He just doesn’t look arsed. It’s time to call a spade a spade. He looks bored out there for both Ireland and Burnley
@Michael McGrath: if they tried something different and lost…so be it
@Michael McGrath: if they tried something different and lost…so be it
@Michael McGrath: if they tried something different and lost…so be it
Someone tell Whelan to pack it in please.
It didn’t matter if the Lads had scored ten goals last night the same inept players that Mick has inexplicable faith in will start on Monday and Randolph will probably be man of the match,enough said.
Honestly, compared to just how bad our midfield and upfront has been lately, I’d be playing this and hoping for the best. Randolph, Stevens, Clark, Duffy, Doherty – Cullen, Browne, Hourihane – Robinson, McGoldrick, Maguire.
put them all in the Danes wont have prepared for that !
For me Byrne has to start, looking like our best player now, also Maguire has to play as well, either starting or off the bench
Let’s be honest, we haven’t a hope against Denmark. Mick played ultra conservative against a bog standard Georgian team and now we are screwed. We were rubbish against the Swiss who were equally bog standard. Like MON and Trap, our managers are afraid of invention and afraid to play football. England obliterated Montenegro by playing attacking football. If our mindset is defend defend defend them what is the point? I’ll eat my virtual hat if anyone from that team stats against denmark
@Joe: Joe Joe your the man I’ve been saying this for years and everybody put there ole ole hats. This man is no better than o neill or trap only thing In His favour is 2 qualify from the group. He’s a don’t concede at all costs manager and nobody that played last night will start on Monday. I’m glad I stopped going after Paris 2009 if I’m correcz
Dustin
“SQUAD UPDATE | Derrick Williams ruled out of #IRLDEN due to injury
Lee O’Connor will link back up with #IRLU21 “
Parrott is 18. Duffy is unlikely to start on Tuesday
@Gerry Keogh: parrot is 17
@Gerry Keogh: why wont duffy start?
my Ideal 11
Randolph
Egan, Duffy, Clark
Doherty, Hendricks, Browne, Hourihane, Stevens
Connally Mcgoldrick
Not one of the players from last night will feature is Jack Byrne better than Glen Whelan yes will he start no is Troy Parrot as good as Scott Hogan or James Collins yes will he start no. Mick Mccarthy rarely changes his team he has his favourites just like when he managed before. By the way we’ve only score 6 goals in 7 games and won just 3 Gibralta twice and Georgia. We don’t deserve to qualify but if we score first this man will shut up shop and try to hold on that’s the way he manages.
team i would like to see 4-2-3-1randolph doherty duffy clarke stevens ,cullen hourihane ,maguire, mcoldrick, robinson,parrot
or
3-5-2 long duffy clarke, doherty stevens,cullen hourihane byrne mcgoldrick robinson/maguire. would suit w’bs at club level long and cullen pas it out from the back
at least we would hold onto the ball .byrne and hourihane dead balls .byrne is our best attackinng midfielder not scared to pass the ball tricks take lads on himself give orders he should be brought on if not started. and cullen has to start instead of an over the hill whelan
No way should Maguire be starting any kind of competitive game for Ireland