The narrative around the Irish women’s rugby team has taken a positive turn after a prolonged period of unfavourable headlines. Subsequent to the internationally-commended feat of qualifying for the World Cup and defeating Australia in Belfast recently, they managed to triumph over the reigning world champions, New Zealand. This, as Johnny Watterson emphasises, signals substantive progress for the team. Their augmented success is further evidenced by their ascension from 10th to 6th in global rankings following the appointment of Scott Bemand as coach in July 2023. The team approaches this Saturday’s WXV1 game against Canada with a renewed vigour.
Simultaneously in football, Gavin Cummiskey was privileged to see an extraordinarily thrilling match at Tolka Park on Monday evening. Despite their recent underwhelming performances, top-placed Shelbourne demonstrated untamed resilience after trailing 2-0 to St Patrick’s Athletic. The game was tied 2-2 before they conceded another goal in the last minutes, making for an unforgettable spectacle.
Regarding Leinster in rugby, there is optimistic anticipation for RG Snyman’s debut in Saturday’s UCR meeting with Benetton after his recovery from a foot injury. While they also count on the availability of numerous Irish internationals for the Italian excursion, John O’Sullivan shares Jacques Nienaber’s prediction of their performance being slightly unsteady considering the eight weeks’ inactivity.
Galway club Corinthians continues to enjoy a commendable run, courtesy of their young squad of 19-year-olds. Gerry Thornley writes about how their exceptional performance in the new All-Ireland League season comes after an impressive promotion last term.
The article also includes crucial details about the senior football championship draw and why Ulster signifies hope. The Irish women’s shocking victory over New Zealand uplifts the spirit, while Jens Lehmann stands out following a dramatic week. Lastly, Saudi’s global game is about more than sportswashing; it’s key to the kingdom’s future-proofing strategy.
The recent events in Gaelic games have been a mixture of disappointment and jubilation for All Ireland champions, Kerry. Kerry’s women’s team has witnessed the resignation of Declan Quill and Darragh Long, their joint managers, only weeks after guiding the team to their inaugural senior title since 1993, reveals sport reporter Gordon Manning. Despite this, the team’s spirit was lifted on Monday afternoon after discovering all 15 players from their victorious All-Ireland line-up were nominated for the 2024 TG4 All Stars.
It might feel as though the 2024 men’s football Championship had just concluded, yet the draw for the 2025 regional championships is lined up this coming Saturday. Gordon is ready to answer any queries related to this, including whether there’s any real value in regional championships nowadays.
For those keeping an eye on the Champions League on the telly tonight, prepare for some serious channel switching. Here’s what’s scheduled for play: Virgin Media Two and TNT Sports 2 are showcasing Borussia Dortmund versus Celtic, Slovan Bratislava takes on Manchester City on Virgin Media More and TNT Sports 1, while Arsenal goes head-to-head with PSG on Premier Sports 1 – all matches are set to commence at 8pm.