Paul Mannion and Jack McCaffrey are set for a dramatic return to the Dublin panel, manager Dessie Farrell has revealed. Mannion has not been involved since the end of the 2020 campaign, while McCaffrey stepped away midway through that same season. McCaffrey (28) was Footballer of the Year in 2015 and the return of the exciting pair is seen as a major boost in terms of Dublin’s All-Ireland ambitions in 2023. Stars grabbed the attention as holders Kilmacud saw off Cuala in the Dublin SFC. As the TV cameras were packed away, the impish congregation waited for the appearance of the Holy Trinity — Paul Mannion, Shane Walsh and Con O’Callaghan.
As the Ladies European Tour golf heads to Dromoland Castle in Co Clare for this week’s Irish Open, in today’s subscriber only piece, Denis Walsh asks why there was no uproar about women’s golf’s alliance with the Saudis? “They are funded from essentially the same pot of Saudi money that bankrolls the LIV Golf Series, and a litany of other ‘sportswashing’ projects. The Jack-Nicklaus designed links course at Ferry Point, where the LET heads next, is owned by the city of New York, but licensed to the Trump Organization.” Rory McIlroy finished fourth at the Italian Open as a few loose shots cost him; Bob MacIntyre beat Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff at Marco Simone GC. In a wild finish on the PGA Tour, Danny Willett three-putted from inside five feet to give Max Homa the win, who had just chipped into the hole for birdie. Meanwhile Cameron Smith won his first LIV Golf tour event.
Say what you like about Todd Boehly, he knows how to get people’s attention, writes Ken Early, after Chelsea’s new American owner suggested the possibility of an All-Star game for the Premier League. “Boehly’s mistake was not to get a couple of details wrong. It was to suggest English football could take a “lesson” from American sports. This made him guilty of the (serious-in-England) offense of failing to know his place.” Arsenal and Everton were victorious on Sunday in the Premier League, with Arsenal going back to the top of the table. Extra-time goals took Derry into the semi-final of the FAI Cup as Shelbourne avoided them in the draw for the semi-finals.
An Irish trio played a role as Liverpool shocked ESL champions Chelsea — Niamh Fahey, Leanne Kiernan and Megan Campbell — with Republic of Ireland boss Vera Pauw monitoring international players’ club form in advance of the World Cup playoff. Mary Hannigan writes about the pain of being happy that Liverpool won. “The 2022-23 women’s Super League came along and you checked to see which club had the most Irish players, thereby determining to which one you would parochially offer your heart and soul for the season ahead. And it was Liverpool. Oh God.”
In today’s The Offload column, John O’Sullivan writes Jason Jenkins doesn’t miss a thing in excellent Leinster debut. The South African showed his promise with a fine display and a try in the win over Benetton Parma. Forwards had to bail Leinster out of jail in the opening weekend of the URC as backline woes nearly hand Zebre upset win. It was a comfortable opening night for Ulster on a night of Nevin Spence tributes as Connacht refused to roll over but were never a factor in the contest. Meanwhile, sloppy Munster were made to pay in an opening defeat to Cardiff, the first match under a new coaching ticket defined by a litany of basic errors.
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