Sport

The Morning Sports Briefing

Mayo into a third final in five years, Our writers’ moments of the Rio Olympics, and Ken Early on Joe Hart’s predicament

Mayo are into another All-Ireland final - but can they take that final step this time? Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Mon Aug 22 2016 - 08:56

GAA

Tipperary's football fairy-tale was ended yesterday evening by a more experienced Mayo team - their five point semi-final win setting them up for a third All-Ireland final in five years.

For Keith Higgins and manager Stephen Rochford - it's a case of, a lot done, but a lot more to do. "Parts are pleasing but we are certainly aware that we need to pull it more together for the next four weeks," explained the Mayo manager in his post-match interview.

Tipperary manager Liam Kearns meanwhile - incredibly proud of his players and hopeful that this season will be a platform for consistency, and not a one-off.

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“We didn’t try to change the face of football, we tried to play it the way it should be played.”

Premier League

In yesterday's Premier League action - Michail Antonio struck a late winner for West Ham to beat Bournemouth and ensure a winning start for the Hammers' new shiny home, the London Stadium.

Meanwhile David Moyes' Sunderland suffered another defeat - this time to newly promoted Middlesbrough - with Crishtian Stuani on the double in a 2-1 win.

Ken Early's column this morning focuses on how Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is paying the price for being an old-fashioned shot-stopper. Dropped by Pep Guardiola for not being a playmaker - the Catalan manager's attitude is "if the goalkeeper has to make 10 saves, then the defence he's meant to be organising is a disaster."

Rio Olympics

Meanwhile, in the final act of the Rio Olympics last night - the USA dream team secured gold in the men's basketball after a convincing win over Serbia.

After the final day of action our writers in Rio (Ian O'Riordan, Johnny Watterson, Keith Duggan, Tom Hennigan) gave their moment of the Olympics. And they varied from the pure ecstasy of Thomas Barr's dreams becoming a reality at the highest stage - to Michael Conlan's post-defeat interview. The grief of sport, at its most cruel moment.

Golf

Kim Si-woo completed a brilliant weekend for South Korean golf when he blew away the field for a five-stroke victory at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina on Sunday. The 21-year-old South Korean, in his 38th start on the

PGA Tour, is the youngest winner since Jordan Spieth won the 2013 John Deere Classic at the age of 19 years, 11 months.