Subscriber OnlySport

Chelsea and Arsenal reach final; It’s time for the D4 boys to roll up their sleeves

Morning Sports Briefing: Keep ahead of the game with ‘The Irish Times’ sports team

Four clubs from the same country will feature in the finals of Europe’s two club competitions for the first time. Photograph: Reuters
Four clubs from the same country will feature in the finals of Europe’s two club competitions for the first time. Photograph: Reuters
Fri May 10 2019 - 07:30

For the first time ever, four teams from the same league will contest football's two European club finals. Eden Hazard kicked the winning penalty, in what could be his last ever action in a Chelsea jersey at Stamford Bridge, as the hosts needed a shootout to beat German club Eintracht Frankfurt after a 1-1 draw on the night. At the same time in the Mestalla, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang bagged a hat-trick as Arsenal beat Valencia 4-2 on the night and 7-3 on aggregate, to set up a Chelsea v Arsenal final on May 29th. Three days before Liverpool take on Spurs in the Champions League decider. Back in Dublin, Ireland exited the Under-17 European Championship, after the hosts were held to a 1-1 draw against Belgium. Due to Czech Republic beating Greece in the other game in the group, only three points would have sealed Ireland's passage to Sunday's quarter-final.

Jackie Tyrrell's column is back this morning, ahead of the start of the 2019 hurling championship this weekend. He writes that Dublin are coming for Brian Cody's Cats, but they'll be ready: "It's been a problem for Dublin teams all down the years. Just when they look to be coming with a bit of momentum and they're fancied to take down one of the bigger teams, they freeze and flatter to deceive."

Ahead of Leinster's Champions Cup final against Saracens this Saturday, Matt Williams explains in his column (subscriber only) that Leinster's standard in victory over Toulouse won't cut it against the English club: "Leinster must ring Saracens's bell with extreme physicality. It's time for the D4 boys to roll up their sleeves and deliver aggression, niggle and good old-fashioned "lads let's go bash them up". Of all the duels which could make the St James' Park earth tremble, Tadhg Furlong v Mako Vunipola is right up there - and the Irish prop knows the intensity and physicality of this final will be as close to a Test match as makes no difference.

Meanwhile, Ruaidhrí Croke has put together a weekend sporting guide to tell you everything you need to ahead of the busiest weekend of the sporting year so far with football, rugby, GAA and more. You can read that here.