Rory McIlroy’s unexpected ending at the US Open will take some time for not only him, but Ciarán Murphy as well, to process. Murphy described the incident as an “extremely harsh instance in the merciless world of sports”. He expects the coming weekend to bring more such events, noting the high-stakes nature of the GAA, where “victory persists and defeat returns, epitomizing the binary nature of sport.” Will Louth withstand and push Cork aside? Gordon Manning is analysing Louth’s potential to advance to the quarter-finals in the football championship, facing Cork in Monaghan this Sunday. They’ve come out on top in this season’s league, but have been outpaced in the championship since the 1957 All Ireland final.
Meanwhile, in Germany, Ken Early witnessed the hosts be the first team to secure their spot in the second round, defeating Hungary 2-0 in Stuttgart. Toni Kroos’ impact in the game has ignited the thought in Ken that “the most influential move by any coach in this tournament was Julian Nagelsmann convincing Kroos to step out from international retirement”. While Gavin Cummiskey watched Scotland salvage their tournament by drawing equal with Switzerland, leading to a “high-stakes match” with Hungary on Sunday evening.
In rugby news, John O’Sullivan details the IRFU’s strategy to fill the absence during Andy Farrell’s Lions sabbatical, as confirmed by performance director David Humphreys. They plan to hire additional temporary coaching staff during his departure.
Meanwhile, in his America at Large column, Dave Hannigan shares the tale of Muhammad Ali’s childhood home. Ali once said it could soon be made a national monument, and while it didn’t quite reach that level, it did feature on the Louisville Civil Rights Tour. It is currently listed for sale at a hefty sum of $1.5 million (€1.4m).
In light of his divergent career path, which has frequently vacillated between highs and lows, Auguste Rodin has once again showcased his unparalleled brilliance by claiming victory in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday under Aidan O’Brien’s guidance. Meanwhile, there is anticipation surrounding Willie Mullins’ Vauban’s performance in today’s Gold Cup, with Brian O’Connor evaluating his chances.
On the television front, England is scheduled to face off against Denmark in the second group match of Euro 2024 this afternoon, which will be broadcast on RTÉ 2 and BBC 1 at 5pm. Earlier in the day, Slovenia will compete against Serbia, with this game being aired at 2pm on RTÉ 2 and UTV. Later, viewers can look forward to the thrilling clash between Spain and Italy at 8pm on the same channels. The Royal Ascot, including the Gold Cup at 4.35pm, will be covered by ITV4 from 1.30pm to 4.25pm and then UTV from 4.15pm to 6pm. Later in the evening, golfers Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow will compete in the third major of the season, the LPGA Championship in Washington state, with live coverage on Sky Sports Gold from 11pm to 3am.