LIAM FITZGERALD IS eight years old. He has Down syndrome and has spent the last three and a half years battling cancer.
But he’s also a massive ice-hockey fan and adores the Boston Bruins. So, he was a special guest earlier this week when the team beat the Florida Panthers. As the players skated off after their pre-game warmup, Liam grabbed his chance to get close to his heroes.
What followed was immensely touching.
His mum, Christine, told boston.com that Liam spends his mornings watching hockey highlights and likes to ‘interview’ the players when he meets them with his favourite question being ‘What are the keys to the game?’
And it came in handy on Tuesday when he got the chance to have an intimate conversation with Patrice Bergeron.
Our decline is now complete …. We are the new Scotland.
I think that Cyprus defeat is far too long ago now to still be an issue in the slightest. Euro 2012 was a killer though and I’d prefer we didn’t qualify for Euro 2016 as I couldn’t stomach another humiliation on that scale.
That was a desperately unlucky draw, that was a nightmare group.
What fan doesn’t want their team to qualify though?
A win against Poland and Scotland at home and it’ll all appear a lot differently. On our day, with the right players fit, we are more than capable of doing so.
This article is one hell of a knee-jerk reaction. Scrappy game, tough atmosphere against a side who a better than us on current form. It’ll probably be the exact same game at home but i fancy us to win it
The article title may be a genuinely held belief but it’s guff. Ireland is a third tier team full of journeymen players. That our first choice keeper still plays for Millwall, and our first choice striker is pension age should be enough of a red flag for even the most loyal supporters.
Once we accept that, then results like last night’s can be appreciated with perspective….
Opinions not allowed on here?
Greece sacking Ranieri is knee jerk; this article isn’t.
It’s well thought out and to the point. Too many Irish fans are shamelessly clinging onto the hope that the national side have a sincere hope of performing consistently. They don’t.
A few positive results might improve the overall standings for a newly formatted competition which is near impossible not to qualify for. Qualification for Euro 2016 is not a great achievement, yet it’s one which Irish fans should be overwhelmed with. Under par achievements are the best Ireland will ever attain.