BRENTFORD’S IRISH CONTINGENT are savouring a crucial home win over Manchester United. 

Keith Andrews’ side beat the troubled Red Devils 3-1 in the Premier League this afternoon.

“I’m more convinced he’s gonna save it than they score”

Nathan Collins and Caoimhin Kelleher react to Brentford’s 3-1 victory over Man United, and the saved penalty 🗣

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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 27, 2025

Caoimhín Kelleher saved a Bruno Fernandes penalty in the second half, while Nathan Collins played the full game.

Brentford captain Collins conceded the penalty in the 75th minute after a tug on Bryan Mbeumo, the score 2-1 at the time.

While Michael Owen and Joe Cole are among the pundits who felt Collins should have been sent off rather than just booked, the Leixlip man played down the incident.

“I knew (I wouldn’t be sent-off . . . tactical,” he told TNT Sports in a post-match interview alongside Kelleher.

Nathan Collins fouls Bryan Mbeumo. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

“I had trust in him though (to save the penalty), I’ve seen him do it before. When he goes into a penalty, I’m more convinced he’s gonna save it than they score.”

“It was obviously important,” Kelleher added. “It come at an important time in the game, when we were 2-1 up. It was a big save and obviously we did well to finish it off and get the win.”

Collins hailed his Irish teammate, who joined the Bees from Liverpool this summer.

“Ah, unbelievable. Since he’s come in, he’s been so part of the group, so fluid. We’ve needed him. He’s got that security that we need behind us, he’s been top-class.”

“It’s been brilliant,” Kelleher reflected on life in West London. “Obviously Nathan’s helped me a lot to settle in, the lads here have been really welcoming. It’s a really good club, we just need more games like this now.”

Brenford started the day just above the relegation zone in 17th place with one win, but their victory was fully merited with United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir making some impressive saves.

Keith Andrews celebrates at full-time. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

“I haven’t had many games as a manager, so it (ranks) pretty high,” said Andrews, having succeeded Thomas Frank over the summer.

“A lot will get made of me in a new role, but the one thing I take is just proud of what we’ve produced against a very talented set of players.

“I thought we dovetailed nicely between enticing them and hurting them.

“We tried to create overloads and it certainly felt how we played that (going) around and through at times would be on, and the players did that with real courage and conviction.”

Collins also outlined Brentford’s ambition to push on after their second league win of the season: they host Manchester City next week.

“I don’t think we’re at our best yet either. I think today we had spells where we weren’t good enough, we reapplied pressure on ourselves. There’s a lot more to come from us.

“This is the bottom standard and we work from that.”

– With reporting from Press Association

England 33

Canada 13

ALEX MATTHEWS SCORED two tries as tournament hosts and favourites England ended their long wait to win a third Women’s Rugby World Cup title with a 33-13 victory over Canada in a Twickenham final on Saturday.

Victory in front of a record crowd of 81,885 gave England their first world title since defeating Canada 21-9 in the 2014 final in Paris — a match in which No 8 Matthews played — and third in total following their 1994 triumph.

This success also extended England’s record run to 33 consecutive wins, with the Red Roses having won 63 of their past 64 matches — the lone blemish a defeat by New Zealand in the Covid-delayed 2022 final.

It was a much-needed win for an England side whose temperament had been repeatedly called into question after five defeats by New Zealand in the previous six World Cup finals.

England enjoyed a significant 21-8 half-time lead after outscoring Canada, appearing in just their second final, three tries to one in the opening 40 minutes.

Canada’s Asia Hogan-Rochester opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute before England hit back through Ellie Kildunne, Amy Cokayne and Matthews.

Fly-half Zoe Harrison converted all three of those tries in front of a crowd that comfortably surpassed the previous highest attendance for a stand-alone 15-a-side women’s international of 58,498 at Twickenham for England’s 2023 Six Nations match clash against France.

England’s forward power proved increasingly telling and lock Abbie Ward’s try early in the second half put the Red Roses in command at 26-8 before Matthews, after a period of sustained Canada pressure, scored her second try 11 minutes from time.

England and Canada, first and second in the world rankings respectively, were unchanged from their semi-final wins, with Canada hugely impressive in dethroning double defending champions New Zealand 34-19 and England less convincing in defeating France 35-17.

Canada, who launched a crowd-funding campaign to help bolster their dreams of World Cup glory, struck first against the Red Roses — the best-resourced team in the women’s game.

Hogan-Rochester’s well-judged grubber kick gave Canada excellent field position, with the Maple Leafs then disrupting the ensuing England line-out before the left wing sprinted in down the touchline.

Goal-kicking lock Sophie de Goede was unlucky to see her conversion bounce back off the post.

Canada’s lead lasted just two minutes, however, as England hit back through Kildunne, the world player of the year.

The full-back, fresh from two tries against France, left two defenders in her slipstream as a typical slalom run saw her score a superb try between the posts.

England’s forwards, with Sadia Kabeya outstanding, then scored in familiar fashion when a driving maul ended with hooker Cokayne being shoved over for a 19th-minute try.

Even though Canada, with several players at clubs in England’s Premiership Women’s Rugby competition, knew what was coming their way, they were unable to deal with their opponents’ forward power in the 26th minute.

Scrum-half Natasha Hunt peeled away from the base of an advancing England scrum and nearly scored herself before releasing Matthews, who dived over for a try.

De Goede landed a simple 34th-minute penalty to cut England’s lead to 13 points.

It seemed England had another driving maul try minutes later but it was disallowed for offside following a review by the television match official.

But England did have a fourth try in the 50th minute, when, following several close-range drives, Ward powered over Canada’s line.

England, however, were soon reduced to 14 players when hooker Hannah Botterman was yellow-carded for dump-tackling Canada veteran Karen Paquin.

Hogan-Rochester made the advantage count, exploiting an overlap out wide to score her second try of the final in the 53rd minute to cut England’s lead to 26-13.

Canada, with Botterman still in the sin-bin, kept pressing for another try only to spoil a promising position near England’s line with a knock-on from a tap penalty.

Matthews then put the result beyond doubt, driving low and hard, for a try converted by Harrison as England posted a 14th consecutive win over Canada.

– © AFP 2025