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McIlroy and Leinster both eager to go beyond ‘nearly men’

There is a battle brewing for the Leinster number 10 jersey; Kevin McStay will remain at Mayo; Shamrock Rovers keep pressure on in title race

Rory McIlroy after finishing the 18th hole during the final round of the US Open at Pinehurst Resort - the season has been filled with near misses for the Holywood golfer. Photograph: Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
Rory McIlroy after finishing the 18th hole during the final round of the US Open at Pinehurst Resort - the season has been filled with near misses for the Holywood golfer. Photograph: Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
Mary Hannigan's picture
Mary Hannigan
Tue Sept 24 2024 - 10:35

For the vast majority of golfers, a season that featured three tournament triumphs would be regarded as a highly successful one – unless that golfer is Rory McIlroy. “You’d swear he had forgotten the art of winning,” writes Philip Reid. “He hasn’t.” But “that haul of victories isn’t enough simply because more is expected of him than anyone else”, a string of “close calls and near-misses” leaving him lumbered with the tag of golf’s “nearly man”. Philip takes us through those near-misses, the most painful of them all his “implosion” at Pinehurst in the US Open. “That’s going to haunt Rory for the rest of his life,” as Nick Faldo suggested at the time.

Leinster suffered a bit of an implosion themselves last season, a campaign that promised so much ending trophy-less. Will it be different this time around? Tyler Bleyendaal is very much hoping so, John O’Sullivan talking to their new backs and attack coach.

The Leinster number 10 jersey is up for grabs, Ross and Harry Byrne, Ciarán Frawley and Sam Prendergast the chief candidates for nabbing it. Bleyendaal addresses that rivalry, as does Gerry Thornley. “Not since the Felipe Contepomi/Isa Nacewa/Johnny Sexton debate circa 2008/09 has the Leinster outhalf pecking order looked so open and fluid.”

In Gaelic games, Mayo finally got around to deciding that Kevin McStay will remain at the helm as their football manager, Gordon Manning reflecting on the “fertile environment for tittle-tattle” that the 92-day wait for that decision created.

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In soccer, Gavin Cummiskey was at Tallaght Stadium on Monday evening to see a late Graham Burke winner keep Shamrock Rovers’ hopes of a fifth consecutive League of Ireland title alive. “Somehow, in this mediocre season, the champions are four points off leaders Shelbourne with five games to play.”

And Gavin brings news of the FAI’s plans to increase coaching time for the best 14-to-18-year-olds in the country, using funds from their now disbanded Emerging Talent Programme.

Ryan Moore, meanwhile, will be the focus of attention on his first appearance at the Listowel festival today, Brian O’Connor previewing the debut in the Kingdom of “the world’s top jockey”. And Brian also looks ahead to the hopes of Ger Lyons’ Babouche of pulling off a rare Group One double at Newmarket on Saturday.

TV Watch: Australia are 2-0 up in their five-match ODI series against England, so they have a chance to wrap it all up in Durham today (Sky Sports Cricket from noon). There’s further coverage of the Listowel horse racing Harvest Festival on TG4 (2.25pm-6pm) and this evening Sky Sports has League Cup action, among their offerings Manchester City v Watford (7.45) and Wycombe Wanderers v Aston Villa (8.0).

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