On the face of it, a late-June friendly against Zambia in Tallaght might not have ‘momentous’ stamped all over it, but for some of the Republic of Ireland players who were given a run-out by Vera Pauw last night, it was the game of their lives. There are, after all, World Cup squad places up for grabs.
If there were any doubts about Amber Barrett’s selection, she all but booked her seat on the plane with two goals in Ireland’s 3-2 win, Louise Lawless hearing from the Donegal woman after the game. And Gavin Cummiskey heard Pauw salute the efforts of Claire O’Riordan, the Celtic defender doing her chances of making it to Australia no harm either.
What Stephen Kenny wouldn’t give to be preparing for a World Cup. Instead he’s had to endure some tense press conferences of late – mind you, not as tense as some of the ones Johnny Watterson recalls, leaving him concluding that “pressers are the garden rake sitting on the lawn waiting for someone to come along and step on it”.
In Gaelic games, Joe Canning is feeling a bit tense himself ahead of Galway’s All Ireland quarter-final against Tipperary on Saturday. “I’m really worried about this game,” he writes. “In my heart, I’m hoping Galway can pull it off, but my head is saying something different.”
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Joanne O’Riordan, meanwhile, talks to Tipperary football captain Maria Curley about the stand being taken by players in football and camogie against their governing bodies over being treated like “second class citizens”.
In golf, Philip Reid reports on two fine opening rounds for Irish golfers in the United States on Thursday, Leona Maguire beginning her challenge at the PGA Championship in New Jersey with a “stress free” 69, while Shane Lowry fired a bogey-free 64 at the Travelers championship in Connecticut.
Lara Gillespie is flying high too, the cyclist having a fine season after two years hampered by illness and injury. Shane Stokes talks to the Enniskerry woman about her impressive comeback.
And in horse racing, Brian O’Connor looks at the decision of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board to reject the appeal of Armagh trainer Ronan McNally against his record 12-year disqualification from the sport.
Brian also hears from Westmeath trainer Adrian Murray after his shock 150-1 winner at Royal Ascot on Thursday. “It’s brilliant, I just cannot believe it. I fell into racing by accident, I’m just speechless,” he said. A happy accident, that.
Telly watch: It’s the penultimate day of Royal Ascot, with two Group One races on the card, the Coronation Stakes and Commonwealth Cup (Virgin Media One 1.30-5.30 and Virgin Media Two 5.25-6.30). You can follow Leona Maguire’s progress at the PGA Championship on Sky Sports Golf (5.0-8.0) and Sky Sports Mix (10.0-midnight), while RTÉ2 has live coverage of the league meeting between Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers (kick-off 7.45).
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