Mick O’Dwyer was ‘one of the most influential personalities in GAA history’

Gaelic games has lost one of its true titans with the death of Mick O’Dwyer at the age of 88, Seán Moran taking us through the extraordinary life of “one of the most influential football personalities in the GAA’s history”. And we take a trip through that life in O’Dwyer’s own words. “I’ve packed everything I wanted to into the years I’ve spent on this planet,” he said. “I’ve done everything I wanted to do. I’ve no more to do. I got great enjoyment out of it and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

By his own admission, O’Dwyer was “addicted” to football, so he would, no doubt, have eagerly anticipated the start of the championship at the weekend. Just like Ciarán Murphy who, while admitting he might be getting ahead of himself, has a notion “that this will be the greatest Gaelic football championship ever staged”. Partly because of the news rules, partly because of “the continued retreat of Dublin”.

The Dubs, though, have received no small boost with the return to the squad of 2020 All Star centre back John Small, just when, as Gordon Manning writes, it appeared he was set to join the exodus from the camp.

Gordon also talks to Cork’s Rob Downey ahead of Sunday’s hurling league final against Tipperary, the county not having won the title in the captain’s lifetime - you have to go back to the dim and distant past of 1998 for the last time they raised the trophy.

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In rugby, Johnny Watterson brings news of the confirmation of Ireland’s coaching team for July’s games against Georgia and Portugal, Mike Prendergast among those who will assist Paul O’Connell. Prendergast has a more pressing matter to focus on though, namely Munster’s Champions Cup game against La Rochelle on Saturday when he’ll come up against his old buddy Ronan O’Gara.

Nathan Johns listened in when O’Gara spoke about what the game means to him. “It’s a love story,” he said, “it’s the two teams who have given me most in rugby, Munster and La Rochelle”. Having tried to sign him before, O’Gara is a big admirer of Jack Crowley, the outhalf insisting he hasn’t been distracted by all the outside noise about his future.

The Irish women’s football team had some noise to blank out too after that 4-0 Nations League defeat by Slovenia in February, Gavin Cummiskey hearing from Amber Barrett ahead of tomorrow’s game against Greece in Crete.

And in his America at Large column, Dave Hannigan looks at the prospects of University of Florida lineman Desmond ‘Dez’ Watson being picked up by an NFL club in the draft later this month. Picking him up won’t be easy - he weighs 33 stones. “Can a character of his epic dimensions remain healthy enough to handle the more sapping pro schedule?”

TV Watch: Padraig Harrington and Seamus Power are in the field for the Texas Open (Sky Sports Golf, 1.15pm and 8.30pm) which, for those not yet qualified, offers a final chance to book a spot in the Masters. There’s racing from Aintree from 1.30 (Virgin Media One and ITV) and this evening Chelsea are at home to Spurs in the Premier League (Sky Sports, 8pm).