Ireland get together in Luxembourg for one last job
a friendly away to Luxembourg
to contend with, Gavin Cummiskey previewing this evening's game. And he hears from Irish captain
Nathan Collins who is likely to have a new gaffer when he returns to Brentford
, Thomas Frank on the verge of taking over from Ange Postecoglou at Spurs.
James McDermott traces
the development of football in Luxembourg
, optimism rising there over their chances of qualifying for their first ever major tournament. In Luc Holtz, they have the second-longest-serving national coach in Europe, but he's been
embroiled in no end of controversy after naming Gerson Rodrigues in his squad
- Rodrigues is currently serving an 18-month suspended sentence after being found guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend.
In Gaelic games, that penalty shoot-out in the Munster hurling final
brought back some memories for Conor McManus
, not least of the one that decided Monaghan's All Ireland quarter-final against Armagh two years ago. Happy memories, too - McManus scored twice.
Our GAA crew pick out
five things they learned from the weekend
, Denis Walsh writing about how the character of the Munster final 'changed noticeably' when referee James Owens took over from Thomas Walsh after the latter suffered from cramp. Gordon Manning addresses the same matter, and asks
what exactly we want from our officials
? Let the game flow, or clamp down on every infringement?
READ MORE
In rugby, Gerry Thornley looks ahead to
the URC final between Leinster and the Bulls
, Leinster badly in need of a win to wrap up a frustrating season. While Sam Prendergast 'might have left his kicking boots at home last weekend against Glasgow',
Johnny Watterson hears Tyler Bleyendaal salute the young outhalf
who, he says, has become 'one of the game drivers' in the Leinster squad.
Owen Doyle, meanwhile, was left 'perplexed' by URC chief executive Martin Anayi's response to Jaden Hendrikse's 'cramp and wink' carry-on against Munster. '
Incredibly, he did not condemn the gamesmanship
,' instead insisting that the game needs 'characters'. If this behaviour catches on, says Owen, we will see it 'spread like slurry' in the game.
In golf, Philip Reid is over at Oakmont Country Club for the build-up to the US Open, Dustin Johnson the last winner of the tournament when it was staged at the Pennsylvania course.
Much has changed in the world of golf since then
, Johnson among those who 'jumped ship for a bottomless pit of greenbacks' on the LIV tour.
And in racing, Brian O'Connor brings news that Ireland's champion jockey Colin Keane has secured
one of racing's most prized jobs
after he was appointed as the number one in Europe to Juddmonte. 'It opens the way for the Meath jockey to take his career to the next level on the world stage.'
TV Watch:
RTÉ 2 has live coverage this evening of the Republic of Ireland's friendly away to Luxembourg (7.45), and at the same time on ITV, England play Senegal, who drew in Dublin last Friday.
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