The Tokyo Olympics had a golden end for Ireland thanks to Kellie Harrington's success in the ring, but it was ultimately a disappointing Games on the track with a number of Irish athletes underperforming at the Olympic Stadium. Indeed, this is the view of Sonia O'Sullivan in her column this morning, she writes: "It's always easier to talk when there is success and progress beyond what was predicted, but we had very few Irish athletes that performed at an acceptable level of where they even are on the track. I could say field too, except no Irish athletes qualified in a field event." And while she believes there are Covid-19 related caveats to this underperformance, more accountability needs to be taken at the top: "There is a lot of good in Irish athletics, but it's not being managed at the necessary professional level that allows athletes to deliver results that justify the work, time and effort put in. We can and should be so much better when you see the results from youth and junior championships."
Bohemians face a daunting trip to play Greece's PAOK Thessaloniki in the second leg of their Europe Coference League third round qualifier tonight (kick-off 6pm). Keith Long's side take a 2-1 lead with them to the Toumba Stadium after last week's win at the Aviva Stadium, with a raucous crowd close to the 29,000 capacity expected to click through the turnstiles. And 19-year-old Dawson Devoy, one of Bohs' youthful core, is ready to embrace the madness: "Those are the games you want to play in, you want to play in big games. I'm looking forward to it." Elsewhere tonight Dundalk welcome Dutch side Vitesse to Tallaght after last week's 2-2 first leg draw in Arnhem (6pm), while Shamrock Rovers look to defend a 1-0 lead against Teuta Durrës in Albania (7pm).
Chelsea have picked up their first silverware of the season, after they needed penalties to see off Villarreal in last night's Uefa Super Cup at Windsor Park. Thomas Tuchel's European champions took a first-half lead through Hakim Ziyech in Belfast, with the Moroccan winger later forced off injured. However the Yellow Submarine were much improved after the interval, with Gerard Moreno scoring a deserved 73rd-minute equaliser. The two sides couldn't be separated after extra-time and Kepa Arrizabalaga was Chelsea's hero off the bench, saving Raul Albiol's decisive spotkick in sudden death. Elsewhere, Lionel Messi was formally unveiled as a PSG player yesterday, "I'm eager to get playing and I'm going to be doing it alongside some of the best players in the world," he said.
Elsewhere in her column this morning Joann O'Riordan has discussed one of her pet hates - political opportunists piggy-backing on the success of the likes of Kellie Harrington after her Olympic gold. She writes: "Some politicians would pop up behind various champions and dangle funding in front of them like a god holding a carrot before a donkey who'd travelled across the Sahara. It was funny until you realise that those people popping up behind different champions are also responsible for slashing budgets in healthcare, sport, education and everything a child needs to become a sportsperson, let alone an elite one."
And Ireland's fantastic rowing four of Aifric Keogh, Eimear Lambe, Fiona Murtagh and Emily Hegarty have been named the Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswomen of the month for July. The quartet won a thrilling, famous bronze medal in Tokyo.
