Roscommon are the first provincial winners of the 2019 football and hurling championships after winning Sunday's Connacht final against Galway. The Rossies claimed their second Connacht triumph in three years with a four point win in Salthill, against an abysmal home effort which only amounted to two points in the second half. Sunday also seen the conclusion of the Munster hurling round-robin - where Clare defied their recent form with a home win over Cork and Tipperary made it four wins from four with a win over Limerick in Thurles. A Limerick win would've seen Clare progress, but instead Cork joined Limerick and Tipp in the top three thanks to scoring difference. The latter two will contest the Munster hurling final. Nicky English writes in his column, that Bonnar Maher's injury takes the gloss off Tipperary's impressive shadow boxing win.
American Gary Woodland seen off the challenge of defending champion Brooks Koepka to claim his first major title in the US Open last night. The expected challenge from Rory McIlroy never materialised after a double bogey on the second. In the end he signed for a round of 72 and a total of five under par to tie for ninth. Graeme McDowell finished three under and in a tie for 16th, and two shots further back was Shane Lowry who finished the week with a welcome round of 69 which included five birdies and three bogeys.
In his column this morning, Ken Early asks, what if Maradona had been more like Messi? "If he had been cooler, more reserved, more sensible – more like Messi? – then maybe he could have protected himself, sustained his excellence for several more years, finished his career with dignity. And, perverse as it may seem, that career probably would not be remembered half so fondly today." The Diego Maradona film is being released this week, as Messi sets out on his latest effort to win an international trophy in the Copa America.
Ireland Under-20s take on England, for the third time this season, for tonight's fifth to eighth place semi-final at the World Rugby Under-20 Championship. Injury has seen six of the Irish squad return home prematurely from the tournament but on the flip side, Clontarf secondrow Brian Deeny, who missed out travelling with the squad initially after damaging ankle ligaments in training, has finally arrived in Argentina and will be on the bench. Read the team news in full here.
