As conveyed by Gavin Cummiskey, the first-ever European visit of the Palestinian women’s football team created an unprecedented event in the annals of Irish football. The team was heartily greeted at the fully-packed Dalymount Park on a Wednesday evening with the song “All You Need is Love” ringing out from the speakers as they prepared for their match with Bohemians. President Michael D Higgins, amidst the 4,390 spectators waving Palestinian flags, didn’t seem to grudge their narrow 2-1 triumph against the host team. It was a significant tour of Ireland for the team drawn from West Bank and around the globe, culminating with Nour Youseff’s winning goal.
Cavan Sullivan too dreams of achieving a football career on an international stage. But as Dave Hannigan points out, predictions at an early age, like those being made now for the 14-year-old Philadelphia Union player, should be approached with caution. Freddy Adu serves as a stern reminder; at the same age, he was touted as a game-changer for football in the U.S., but his career only declined thereafter.
Another athlete who faced a fair share of early predictions is Rory McIlroy. Despite the pressure, he has managed to establish an impressive career. Golf writer Philip Reid recounts McIlroy’s recently expressed ambition to capture his first major championship in a decade during a pre-US PGA Championship press meet. He, however, steered clear of answering any questions about his personal life.
In the meantime, Kellie Harrington is escalating her training for the upcoming Olympic Games, her final international competition. The intriguing prospect and her reaction to potentially confronting ex-Irish associate Amy Broadhurst on the contender’s list was brought to light by Ian O’Riordan.
Ciarán Murphy, a Gaelic games enthusiast, has expressed his desire for more of these matches to be broadcast on GAAGo, emphasising that there has never been a better time for fans, thanks to the manifold platforms currently available to view the matches on. Gordon Manning recently had a chat with Ken Hogan, former Tipperary goalkeeper and manager, ahead of the definitive face-off against Cork at Semple Stadium this Sunday, which will determine whether they advance in the championship. In addition to this, he talked to April’s footballer of the month, Ryan McHugh from Donegal, who discussed Jim McGuinness’s significant contribution to the team since he resumed his managerial post.
On the subject of rugby, John O’Sullivan caught up with Cian Healy who has recently made an impressive commitment to extend his contract with Leinster for a remarkable 19th year. He stated, “I relish every moment of playing rugby and will continue doing so till the very end. Not just for the love of the sport but also for the companionship of my team”.
Today’s TV watch sees the US PGA Championship kick-off at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky (Sky Sports Golf, 1pm-midnight). Later in the evening, Leeds United and Norwich City are geared up for a gripping second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final at Elland Road, after a scoreless first leg (Sky Sports Football, 8pm).