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Cork may refuse to travel to Killarney; Leona Maguire makes steady start

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

Munster Council announced on Wednesday night that the Munster semi-final would go ahead in Killarney on Saturday May 7th, with Cork having home advantage against Kerry in the next two years that they are drawn together. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Munster Council announced on Wednesday night that the Munster semi-final would go ahead in Killarney on Saturday May 7th, with Cork having home advantage against Kerry in the next two years that they are drawn together. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Fri Apr 01 2022 - 07:35

The Cork footballers may refuse to travel to Kerry for their Munster semi-final following a meeting late last night. A statement from the players is expected today after the match was fixed for Killarney despite their management's request that it go ahead in Páirc Uí Rinn. Paul Mannion doesn't appear to be lining up a return to the Dublin football team, explaining at a media event: "It's well-documented the commitment and time that goes into playing inter-county football. Sometimes when you're in that it can be a bit of a bubble. I've enjoyed being outside that a little bit and being able to spend more time and focus on the club and on other things. It's been a nice time."

Leona Maguire got off to a steady if unspectacular start with an opening round of level par 72 in the first Major of the year – the Chevron Championship. Rory McIlroy's decision to play the Valero Texas Open for the first time in eight years – as a fine-tuner for next week's Masters – didn't produce the desired effect as he struggled to an opening round of level par 72. Johnny Watterson's column is looking at a potential Masters return for Tiger Woods: "Audience is permissive. Audience is promiscuous. If sexy or compelling is on the other channel they switch and if a broken up 46-year-old golden calf is the best the PGA have to meet people's needs, heck that's the law of diminishing returns."

The 2022 World Cup draw takes part this afternoon and David Gorman has put together an all you need to know guide explaining who has qualified and how does it work? Simmering tensions boiled to the surface at the Fifa congress on Thursday when Norway's soccer chief Lise Klaveness hit out at the 2022 World Cup's Qatari hosts over the country's human rights record. There are five League of Ireland fixtures tonight in the premier division - check out the preview here.

Meanwhile, with fitness doubts about Tadhg Beirne (thigh), Jean Kleyn (leg strain), Simon Zebo (concussion) and Mike Haley (knee), entering a meaty month of the season, Munster head coach Johann van Graan will not be inclined to take a risk against Leinster this weekend.