The build-up to the All-Ireland final between Kerry and Galway continues and Ciarán Murphy writes in today’s Subscriber Only piece “pardon me Jerome, but that’ll be me cheering on Galway on Sunday”, referring to a book called No Cheering in the Press Box by Jerome Holtzman which was an oral history of American sportswriters. Galway man Murphy is willing to break that code on Sunday. He writes: “Your family is your family, wherever they are in the world, but football is the most potent, emotionally-charged thing linking me to my homeplace. The Galway footballers going on a run is the simplest, most enjoyable, most satisfying way to stay in touch with the people you grew up with. And the longer you spend away from your county, the more you cling to the links that remain.”
Galway’s coach and selector John Concannon strikes a confident tone ahead of All-Ireland final as he says it is a “50-50 game”, while Kerry has played a big role in the football education of Galway manager Pádraic Joyce, as Joyce played for IT Tralee back in college. “He’s a huge student of the game and knows a good footballer, their attitudes, their behaviour. He knows what it takes,” says former coach Val Andrews. On the Kerry side, Tadhg Morley highlights the importance of enjoying the buzz of All-Ireland week as the Kerry half-back discusses his transition from the full-back line as the county hunts their first title in eight years.
The end of the season has seen several GAA managers in hurling and football lose or step away from their jobs and the latest casualty was Donegal’s Declan Bonner who stepped down after five years in charge of the county. A big story could emerge today as speculation grows that Brian Cody may end 24-year reign as Kilkenny manager. Officials were aware of the situation but not in a position to confirm the conclusion of the most successful managerial career in GAA history. Meanwhile, Joanne O’Riordan writes that Louise Galvin has shined a light on mothers staying in sport with the Kerry footballer the latest star to publicly acknowledge challenges of combining sport with parenting.
At the World Athletics Championships, Mark English has clocked a season-best time to qualify for world 800m semi-finals as the Donegal doctor produces the fastest time in 800m by any Irish athlete in championship history, while 19-year-old Rhasidat Adeleke finished fourth in her women’s 400m semi-finals, which saw her ranked in ninth place in the world. In her column, Sonia O’Sullivan writes that you can’t help but be inspired by the world’s best athletes at Hayward Field. She says for the Irish performances so far, “I don’t think many rose to the occasion as much as they could have. I’ve been talking to some of the Irish coaches, Rob Heffernan and Feidhlim Kelly, and the athletes will tell you themselves they are the most disappointed, so it’s about deciding what needs to be done now.” Meanwhile, Nathan Johns writes about plateauing women athletes in their late teens and early 20s and how Irish 800m runner Louise Shanahan wants to change attitudes on post-pubescent time plateaus for young women. Georgie Hartigan, another middle-distance runner on the Irish scene says, “Our bodies definitely go through a dip in performance around 18, 19, 20,” she explains. “I don’t know why I couldn’t run any better and then suddenly my body got on its right track.”
In soccer, Bohemians’ “collective agreement” on base transfer fees has been rejected by rival clubs. The united front aims to strike a blow against football agents’ control of the market. In the Europa Conference League qualifiers, St Patrick’s Athletic and Sligo Rovers are in second-round action, with the Saints at home to Slovenian opponents while Sligo face tough trip to take on Motherwell in Scotland. In the Women’s Euros, a Georgia Stanway screamer fired England into Euro 2022 semi-finals, where England will now face either Sweden or Belgium in the last four at Bramall Lane.
