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Ireland to face Russia, Slovakia, Armenia in European Championships 2012 qualifying

SEAN O'SHEA

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, February 7, 2010, 10:00 AM

Updated Sunday, February 7, 2010, 3:16 PM

Read more: Europe, Ireland, Russia

Following today’s draw for the qualifying stages, Ireland is in Group B of the European Championships. The country will play against Russia, Slovakia, FYR Macedonia, Armenia, and Andorra, according to RTE.

Former Ireland international player Ray Houghton was optimistic after the draw. “I'm delighted,” he told RTE. “The other top seeds are further ahead of us but Russia are certainly beatable.

“I actually think we can win it,” he added, “I certainly believe the number one spot is there for the taking.”

Northern Ireland face some tough challenges. They are Group C along with world champions Italy. The group also has Serbia, Slovenia, Estonia and the Faroe Islands.

England are in Group G with Wales, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Montenegro, and Germany is in Group A.

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Posted by Chieftain on Feb 10, 2010, 10:02 AM EST

We will win this group and be a contender for the Euro Cup!

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Posted by Kilsally on Feb 08, 2010, 11:07 AM EST

Northern Ireland face Italy in tough European group http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8502854.stm Northern Ireland's David Healy in action against Italy's Riccardo Montolivo A weakened Northern Ireland side lost 3-0 in Italy in June 2009 Northern Ireland have been drawn against world champions Italy in the European Championship qualifiers. They will also face Serbia, Slovenia, Estonia and the Faroe Islands who are managed by former Republic of Ireland boss Brian Kerr.

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Irish sport is popular and widespread. Levels of participation and spectating are high on the island of Ireland. Throughout the country a wide variety of Irish sports are played, the most popular being Gaelic games (such as Gaelic football, hurling and camogie), soccer, rugby union and boxing. By attendance figures Gaelic football and hurling are by far the most popular sports in Ireland, (34% of total attendances at sports events being to football and 23% to hurling), while golf and soccer (including 5-a-side) are the most played at 17% of the population each. Many Irish sports, such as boxing, cricket, rugby union, Gaelic football and hurling, are organized in an all-island basis, with a single team representing Ireland in international competitions. Other Irish sports, such as Association Football, have separate organizing bodies in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. At the Olympics, a person from Northern Ireland can choose to represent either Ireland or Great Britain. The various GAA discipline finals are easily the largest sporting events regularly held in Ireland, in both terms of attendance and media coverage. The biggest national sporting event in Ireland is the final of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, held annually in Croke Park in September. It usually attracts a sell out crowd of 82,500 to Croke Park. Many of the matches in the championship attract crowds of 50,000, depending on who is playing. Aside from the GAA, the biggest multi-sport event held in Ireland regularly is the Community Games. The games are organized every year from a local level, where hundreds of thousands of young people compete in different disciplines such as athletics, swimming, cycling etc., in the first half of the year. Winners progress to county level, and then to the Community Games finals. One of the biggest international Irish sport events is international Association Football. The Republic's national team has punched above its weight in recent years, qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, and performed well against such teams as Brazil and Portugal. In rugby union, Ireland's national team has been ranked in the top five teams regularly over the last few years, and has produced major stars such as Keith Wood and Brian O'Driscoll. In golf, Ireland is home to several top golfers such as Padraig Harrington.

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Ireland to face Russia, Slovakia, Armenia in European Championships 2012 qualifying

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