Limerick's Peter Casey will likely line out in the All-Ireland hurling final on Sunday despite the fact that he was sent off in the semi-final against Waterford. The Limerick man successfully had his suspension overturned at a disciplinary hearing after the semi-final and it is the common occurrence of this which Ciarán Murphy is writing about in his column this morning. "Our referees have to be trusted to make a decision, and then backed when that decision is questioned. This isn't about Peter Casey. It's about referees being constantly undermined by the judicial system of which they are the first line," he writes. The availability of Casey is no doubt a boost for Limerick manager John Kiely but he was giving little away when he spoke to the media on Wednesday. With recent practice in the build-up to the All-Ireland final it seems the Limerick boss has become adept at the shadow boxing. Also this morning, former journalist Stephen O'Byrnes writes about his lifelong affinity for Limerick hurling while Dave Hannigan recalls a chance encounter with the ghost of Christy Ring in Croke Park. Last night, Cork under-20s landed their part of a potential Rebel treble by beating Galway to win the All-Ireland.
Moving to soccer and Shamrock Rovers face Flora Tallinn tonight in the first leg of their Europa Conference League playoff, knowing that a big pay day awaits the club should they get through to the group stages. Elsewhere, Dara O'Shea and Callum Robinson were both on target for West Brom last night as they beat Sheffield United 4-0. With a number of his first team regulars now performing at their clubs, it appears Stephen Kenny may finally be getting some sort of rub of the green. In the Premier League, Nuno Espirito Santo will decide today whether to play Harry Kane in Tottenham's Europa Conference League playoff tonight as the English striker continues to be linked to Manchester City.
Moving on, and the Paralympics is drawing closer with Team Ireland targeting medals. This year, Róisín Ní Ríain will be the youngest Irish team member when she competes in the pool and this morning she talks to John O'Sullivan about her journey to get here. Elsewhere, Killarney's Jordan Lee will represent Ireland in the high jump and, in her column this morning, Joanne O'Riordan speaks to his father Jarlath about a sporting life which has continually defied the fact that he only has one full arm.
Finally to golf and the women's British Open gets underway this morning with the event getting a prize fund increase of $1.3m, making it the most lucrative tournament in the female game. It is still a long way off the riches the men will be playing for this week, however, as the FedEx Cup playoffs begin with the promise of a $15m payday for the winner in three weeks' time.
