Kerry boxer Kevin Cronin set to return to the ring for first time since New York defeat
Almost a year to the day from that first controversial bout with Brennan, Cronin will be back in the ring at the Point Depot when he faces English man Grant Dennis at super midddleweight.
The fight is on the undercard of Mick Conlan's return to the ring when he'll face Jack Bateson on Friday, September 5. Conlan is Cronin's manager. Victory for Cronin is understood to have the potential set up an Irish title bout against Cathal Crowley.
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Irish Examiner
5 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Howard focusing on the title not the blazer after making last 16 at Lahinch
Fota Island's David Howard slipped one arm into an Irish blazer when he eased his way into the last 16 of the Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Lahinch. Ranked second in the Order of Merit with the top two automatically selected tomorrow night for next month's matches at Woodhall Spa, he beat Palmerstown House's Ross McCormack 2&1 before seeing off Charleville's Jordan Boles 6&5 to set up a last 16 clash with Irish Close champion Thomas Abom from Edmonstown. It was an intense 24 hours for the reigning East of Ireland champion, who had to dig deep just to make the cut and keep his hopes of an international cap alive. But having played his last six holes on Thursday in five-under to qualify, he continued his excellent play in a light westerly breeze yesterday, making five birdies in the morning and another four in the afternoon. 'It's a long day, long week, and I have a few things hanging over me.' said Howard, who has decided not to worry about the mathematics of who might overtake him in the Order of Merit and focus instead on winning the championship. 'I need to say second to the guaranteed a pick for the Homes but while I try to not think about and play my golf, obviously it's in the back of my mind.' West of Ireland champion Dylan Holmes, who beat Keith Egan and Niall Hearns to make the last 16 and set up a meeting with Donegal man Ryan Griffin, could overtake Howard if he wins the title. But Howard is focusing on his battle on the opposite side of the draw, where Galway veteran Joe Lyons faces Lahinch's Jonathan Keane and Conor Stapleton from Westport faces Paul O'Hanlon, a 19th hole winner over 2023 champion Colm Campbell. 'If I win this week, no one else can get in the way,' said Howard, who feels his putting is coming together after some recent work with Kevin Morris at Fota Island. He faces a tough task against Thomas Abom, who chipped in for birdie at the 18th to take Tralee's Mark Gazi into extra holes before two-putting for a winning birdie from long range at the 20th. The winner will face Roganstown's Mark Cadden or Abom's brother Liam, who beat Galgorm Castle's Josh Hill one up. Cadden held off a back nine comeback from veteran Pat Murray to win his morning match one up before ousting former Irish Close champion Quentin Carew 2&1 in the afternoon. At the top of the draw, leading qualifier Dylan Keating fell in round one to Monkstown's Sean Desmond, who was the last man to qualify, and went on to beat East Clare's Eoin Magill. He now takes on 2019 winner and former Walker Cup star Caolan Rafferty, who came back from three down with five to play to edge out Berehaven's Joe O'Neill on the 18th. The Dundalk man won the 14th, 15th and 17th to level the match before O'Neill hit his approach too close to the wall at the 18th to make a full backswing and conceded after twice failing to get on the green. 'It was just a rough spin in for Joe,' Rafferty said. 'I just kept hitting fairways and greens and what happened on 18, it's not nice when something like that happens to a nice guy like Joe.' The winner of Desmond-Rafferty will take on Galgorm's Jordan Hood, who beat the combative Douglas man Barry O'Connell one up, or the steady Athenry grinder David Kitt. Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, Lahinch First rd: S Desmond (Monkstown) bt D Keating (Seapoint) 1 up E Magill (East Clare) bt B Oberholzer (Clandeboye) 2/1 C Rafferty (Dundalk) bt P Curran (Edmondstown) 5/4 J O'Neill (Berehaven) bt J Butler (Naas) 3/1 B O'Connell (Douglas) bt A Buchanan (Royal Portrush) 1 up J Hood (Galgorm Castle) bt C Clarke (Balmoral) 2/1 D Kitt (Athenry) bt R Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire) 5/3 C Cooley (Belvoir Park) bt D Reddan (Castleknock) 1 up R Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) bt R Latimer (Knock) 3/2 A McCormack (Castletroy) bt E O'Carroll (St Annes) 6/5 D Holmes (Greystones) bt K Egan (Carton House) 3/2 N Hearns (Mountrath) bt J Foley (Elm Park) 2/1 L O'Neill (Connemara) bt S Downes (Royal Dublin) 23rd F Dobbin (Malone) bt E Sullivan (Portmarnock) 3/2 J Whelan (Grange) bt J Rackard (Bunclody) 3/2 A Smith (Mullingar) bt D Lally (Blainroe) ) 5/4 J Lyons (Galway) bt C Hickey (Dooks) 5/3 B Cahill (Dundalk) bt S Barry (Fota Island) 1 up S Loftus (Lahinch) bt J Maginn (Mourne) 19th J Keane (Lahinch) bt G O'Neill (Malahide) 4/3 C Stapleton (Westport) bt T Scroope (Nenagh) 3/2 G Donohoe (Enniscorthy) bt R Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) 2 up P O'Hanlon (Carton House) bt J Walsh (Douglas) 6/5 C Campbell (Warrenpoint) bt K Bornemann (Douglas) 3/2 T Abom (Edmondstown) bt M Gazi (Tralee) 20th J Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) bt C Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 4/2 J Boles (Charleville) bt D Hogg (Belvoir Park) 6/5 D Howard (Fota Island) bt R McCormack (Palmerstown House) 2/1 L Abom (Edmondstown) bt D O'Sullivan (Tralee) 3/1 J Hill (Galgorm Castle) bt TJ Ford (Co Sligo) 21st Q Carew (Castleknock) bt B Howlin (The Heritage) 19th M Cadden (Roganstown) bt P Murray (Adare Manor) 1 up. Second rd: Desmond bt Magill 1 up Rafferty bt O'Neill 1 up Hood bt O'Connell 1 up Kitt bt Cooley 3/2 Griffin bt McCormack 1 up Holmes bt Hearns 5/3 O'Neill bt F Dobbin 5/3 Whelan bt Smith 5/4 Lyons bt Cahill 6/5 Keane bt Loftus 3/2 Stapleton bt Donohoe 1 up O'Hanlon bt Campbell 19th T Abom bt Sutherland 2/1 Howard bt Boles 6/5 L Abom bt Hill 1 up Cadden bt Carew 2/1. Today - Third rd.: 8:00 Desmond v Rafferty 8:12 Hood v Kitt 8:24 Griffin v Holmes 8:36 O'Neill v Whelan 8:48 Lyons v Keane 9:00 Stapleton v O'Hanlon 9:12 T Abom v Howard 9:24 L Abom v Cadden.
Irish Daily Mirror
5 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rory McIlroy hailed for hilarious Happy Gilmore cameo with WWE star Becky Lynch
Happy Gilmore 2 was released on Friday and Rory McIlroy was taken down a peg by Ireland's WWE superstar Becky Lynch. The cult movie sequel hit Netflix on Friday after months of hype on the back of the 1996 comedy classic starring Adam Sandler as an unorthodox and aggressive hockey star turned golfer. A host of the best players in the world appear in the sequel and, despite some extraordinarily harsh words from critics on the movie, viewers have hailed McIlroy for his part. The plot tells the tale of Sandler as Happy Gilmore, coming out of retirement to raise money to send his daughter to ballet school. He is paired with golf superstars McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau as the traditional stars of the sport to take on the new 'Maxi League' golfers. That group includes Irish WWE star Becky Lynch. The WWE star is Rebecca Quin in real life, a native of Limerick. "You guys get your clothes from the lost and found at comic-con," asks McIlroy on stage as the golf teams face off ahead of the contest. Lynch steps forward and grabs McIlroy by the nipples, asking, "Where'd you get these melons? Your mom." DeChambeau intervenes, shouting, 'don't you touch my boy's t*****s, those are my t*****s," before a mini brawl breaks out. One fan online reacted: "Never thought I'd see the day when Becky Lynch gave Rory McIlroy a double purple-nurple." "A Rory McIlroy /Becky Lynch face off wasn't on my bingo card for 2025," said another." Another fan stated on social media: "Rory McIlroy in Happy Gilmore is hilarious. A film that takes you away from the goings on in this world, really enjoyed it" "John Daly is sensational in it. And a surprisingly comic turn from Rory McIlroy of all people," said another account. Social media personality Paige Spiranac makes an appearance, as does Kansas City Chiefs ' tight end Travis Kelce. Despite the stellar line-up and huge promotional outlay, early reviews have been particularly harsh of the movie. A review stated: "When it comes to "Happy Gilmore 2," Netflix's latest comedic collaboration with "SNL" sensation Adam Sandler, you'd be better off taking a cue from Happy's golf rival Shooter McGavin (Christopher MacDonald) and simply eating a piece of s**t for breakfast." Ouch. Maybe don't give up the day job, Rory. A more balanced Guardian review reflected: "The sequel is unlikely to convert newcomers but there's more than enough to entertain its cult fanbase." Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
Irish Examiner
35 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Harrington moves ahead in bid for Senior Open history
Pádraig Harrington will bid to become the fifth player in history to win both The Open and ISPS Handa Senior Open as he takes a one-stroke lead into the weekend at Sunningdale. The Irish golfer, who won and then successfully defended the Claret Jug in 2007 and 2008, carded a five under round of 65 on the famed Old Course at Sunningdale as he reached eight under par after the first two days. Already a Senior Major winner this year after his U.S. Senior Open success at The Broadmoor in Colorado last month, Harrington leads by one stroke over defending champion K.J. Choi of South Korea, who hopes to become the first player to successfully defend a Senior Open title since Christy O'Connor Jnr in 2000. Choi carded six birdies in his round of 67 and the 55-year-old did hold the lead at one point on nine under par after a birdie at the 14th, but two dropped shots on 16 and 17 saw him slip back into a share of second alongside 2018 European Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn. Bjørn stormed into contention as he carded a seven under par round of 63 after starting the day level par following his opening round. The 15-time DP World Tour winner carded seven birdies and an eagle to move 41 places up the leaderboard. Major Champions Ernie Els and Justin Leonard, also aiming to write their names in the history books as winners of both The Open and Senior Open, sit in a share of fourth place on six under par alongside Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina and Australia's Cameron Percy. Stephen Allan, also of Australia, and Englishman Greg Owen share eighth on five under, while Major winners Paul Lawrie, Corey Pavin and Y.E. Yang are among a clutch of golfers in a tie for tenth on four under. Harrington said: 'I rode my luck a lot today. Got my head in the game. Did a lot of good stuff mentally. Short game was sharp. Made my birdies on those holes that you -- two putt on 1, two putt on 9, two putt on 11, crazy kind of three putt on 15. 'But I did a good job, where I should make a score I scored, and then I got in trouble on plenty of other holes. Hit some recovery shots and managed my game, but I never showed much confidence out there at all in my swing. 'I obviously like these 72-hole ones and the bigger golf courses suit me. I'm glad to see there is a little bit of moisture on this course. It is starting to firm up a bit. "As it gets a little shorter, that advantage will be taken away from me. I seem to be scoring okay, so maybe I'll do it a different way this time.'
