Leinster pales in comparison to spectacular Munster decider
Some weekend, that. Top billing? You'd be torn between Carlos and Cork, the former, Señor Alcaraz, for
his astounding comeback against Jannik Sinner
in the French Open final, the latter, the hurley-wielding Rebels, for their part in a Munster final that won't soon be forgotten.
'Everything about it was staggering,' writes Denis Walsh of the game at the Gaelic Grounds. '
The suffocating intensity, the twists, the spectacular scores
and the crazy misses.' It was, says Seán Moran in his match report,
'a smouldering, frantic affair'
, one that was decided by the first ever shoot-out in a provincial final.
As Ian O Riordan puts it in his
round-up of the weekend's hurling
, nothing Kilkenny and Galway could produce on Sunday was ever going to outdo what was served up the day before. Nicky English agrees. The Leinster decider was, he writes,
'a pale imitation of the Munster final'
, but while Kilkenny prevailed, he's not convinced they are contenders this year.
They did, though, survive a late Galway rally to win
their sixth successive Leinster title
, Ian in Croke Park to witness their triumph. Paul Keane heard from
Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng
after, and Paul was on hand too earlier in the day to see
Kildare produce a breathless second-half display
against Laois in the Joe McDonagh Cup.
READ MORE
There wasn't too much drama in the Tailteann Cup, the form guide holding as
Sligo, Wexford, Offaly and Westmeath all progressed
, but there was plenty of it on the opening weekend of the women's football All-Ireland championship, Dublin and Meath both needing last second equalisers against Waterford and Armagh, respectively. Kerry opened the defence of their crown with a win over Mayo in Tralee, while last year's runners-up Galway saw off Tipperary in Tuam.
Denis, meanwhile, previews
RTÉ's five-part series on the history and nature of Gaelic football
, the first episode of Hell for Leather airing tonight. Its timing, he says, 'couldn't have been more opportune because this has been the most spectacular football season in living memory' – thanks in no small part to the new rules.
In rugby, after enduring three straight URC semi-final defeats, Leinster finally broke the code,
comfortably beating Glasgow on Saturday
to set up a meeting with the Pretoria Bulls at Croke Park in next Saturday's final. Gerry Thornley reports on the game and hears from
Leo Cullen
and
Jack Conan
, while Johnny Watterson analyses
a performance that was far superior to Leinster's last outing
.
And in racing, Brian O'Connor looks back at
Lambourn's Epsom Derby success
, one that gave Aidan O'Brien a record-extending 11th win in the classic. Lambourn is now odds-on to become the 20th horse to complete the Epsom-Curragh Derby double at the end of this month.
TV Watch
: There are highlights from the GAA and rugby weekends on TG4 and RTÉ 2, respectively, at 8pm, while the pick of the night's football action is Wales' World Cup qualifier away to Belgium (Virgin Media Three, 7.45pm). And at 9.35pm, there's the first episode of Hell for Leather, a history of Gaelic football, on RTÉ One.
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Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Nathan Collins says crushing Wembley defeat to England helped Ireland to reset
As the clouds of doom hovered above the Ireland squad leaving Wembley last November, it was hard to see any silver lining. The Boys in Green were on the receiving end of a brutal second-half beating as England drove home their numerical advantage after Liam Scales' red card. Scoreless at the break, Ireland were under the cosh but holding their own before the floodgates opened as England scored five without reply to leave Ireland dazed. Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon and Conor Gallagher scored three goals in five manic minutes, before Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis added the gloss. It was a brutal reality check that this Irish team under Heimir Hallgrimsson has a long way to go before they can entertain the notion of qualifying for tournaments. The relentless hamster wheel that is English club football afforded those bruised Irish players a quick and natural distraction from what had unfolded.. It may have been four long months until the next international game, but they didn't have to dwell on their Wembley woe for too long over the festive period. But Nathan Collins has revealed how that crushing defeat to England afforded him and his team-mates the opportunity to reset going into an important World Cup year. Tonight in Luxembourg, Ireland will hope to pick up a third win in four games of 2025, and doing so would extend the unbeaten run to four. All of which matters, according to Collins, going into September's opening games of the quick-fire World Cup campaign, against Hungary and Armenia. Reflecting on that chastening day at Wembley, Collins said last night: "For me personally, it probably created a bit more hunger. 'Especially more hunger and desire to do better for Ireland. That one hurt a lot of people and affected a lot of people. 'So it was nice to have a little break away from people, reset and go again. The hurt in the dressing room after, it was not a nice place. 'But for me, it created a new hunger. It definitely reset me, to want to do better and improve for the next camp. It might have worked in a good way for us." Ireland are coming from such a low base that any sign of progress this year was going to represent a step in the right direction. And the back to back wins over Bulgaria in the March Nations League playoff set solid foundations in that respect. Friday's 1-1 draw against Senegal was another positive, even if Ireland failed to see out a winning position, and victory in Luxembourg would keep the momentum going. 'I feel the performance against Senegal was a really big step,' said Brentford centre-back Collins. 'We were so comfortable in the game, so comfortable in our shape. 'We performed to a very high degree and it's about pushing that, growing that and getting better. We're building a squad and players are challenging other players.' Collins, who played every minute of Brentford's Premier League campaign, continued: 'I just think there's a bit more of a base now in the team, a bit of solidity. 'Last summer, it was a bit all up in the air, wasn't it? Just everything regarding Ireland at that time. But now the way the squad is, the way we have our manager here, everything is solidified, we're building our base. We're growing with that, we're working from that and we're trying to create momentum for us to get better.' Identifying areas where Ireland must improve is also important, according to Collins who said: 'The chances we conceded against Senegal, we could have defended better. "If we want to get to the next stage we have to see out games like that. We're definitely good enough to go score another goal but also not concede or give them chances. 'Tonight is going to be another tough challenge, but it's another game for us to get better as a team and try to get another result to keep us going.' But Collins knows that Ireland will have to pick up some big results in the World Cup campaign, if they are serious about reaching the finals. The Ireland squad gathered around the TV on Sunday evening to watch group rivals Portugal clinch the Nations League title after a penalty shootout win over Spain. 'We know how good their squad is and their depth of players is unbelievable,' said Collins. :But if we do what the manager wants from us, we'll create our own problems against Portugal. We're a completely different team to Spain and will create completely different problems and defend in a different way. 'We'll frustrate them in ways that they won't like. We know how good they'll be, but they have to know how tough a game it will be for them against us'.
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
Talk of Thomas Frank moving to Tottenham won't distract Nathan Collins from task in hand
Ireland captain Nathan Collins and his new team-mate at Brentford, Caoimhín Kelleher , are braced for a preseason without their club manager Thomas Frank. The Danish coach is being linked to the vacancy at Tottenham Hotspur after the Europa League champions sacked Ange Postecoglou. 'Every time I turn on the TV, I see it,' admitted Collins in advance of the friendly in Luxembourg. 'Can't get away from it, unfortunately. I have my own problems with the game tomorrow, staying fit and looking after myself – I haven't taken too much of an interest.' Reportedly, Frank has a release clause, believed to be around £10 million (€12 million), to break a contract that runs until 2027, with that figure expected to rise if back room staff at Brentford follow the 51-year-old to north London. READ MORE Liverpool sold Kelleher to Brentford last week for an initial £12.5 million (€15 million), rising to £18 million (€21 million) based on performance-related add-ons. 'We have been joking about [Frank's possible departure],' said Collins. 'But he is all right. Brentford is a good club and whatever happens they will have a plan. There are good people in the back room plan, so there will be a plan. If he stays, even better. We can only see what happens.' Collins, who was the only outfield player to play every minute of the Premier League's 38-match season in 2024/25, was previously asked by club officials about Kelleher's character. 'A few people asked me what he was like, obviously I spoke highly of him, I'm not going to lie. But no, listen he done it all himself, he's shown what he can do on the highest level of football for Liverpool. 'I am looking forward to it, I get on really well with him here, he shows his qualities as a 'keeper as well. But it will be even better when we can train together every day and build our relationship a bit more, on and off the field, to help Brentford and Ireland as well. I am buzzing for him, it's a great move for him and he deserves to be a No 1 at a club.' [ Caoimhín Kelleher signs for Brentford from Liverpool in deal worth up to €21m Opens in new window ] On Ireland facing Portugal in the World Cup qualifiers in Lisbon on October 11th and Dublin on November 13th, Collins said he did not learn anything new from Sunday's Nations League final win over Spain. 'We didn't need to see last night to know how good Portugal are. We know how good their squad is, their depth of players is unbelievable, but if we can do what we can control and the manager wants from us we will create our own problems against Portugal. 'We're a completely different team to Spain and will create completely different problems and defend a different way. We'll frustrate them in ways that they won't like. We know the standard and how good they'll be but they have to know how tough a game it will be for them against us.'
The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
Have expectations been set too high for Ireland after mixed Nations League group?
IT STARTED AND finished with 1-0 wins at home, but Ireland bookended their Uefa Women's Nations League group campaign quite differently. The opener was a scrappy, unconvincing victory over Türkiye at Tallaght Stadium in February, marking Carla Ward's first game in charge in a period of much change. The closer brought the best performance of her tenure, a dominant triumph against Slovenia at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, albeit just by the minimum — and revenge, of sorts, for the 4-0 humbling in Koper in game two. It wasn't enough to usurp the Slovenians atop Group B2 and secure automatic promotion: Ireland will go head-to-head with Belgium for League A status in the playoffs in October. The expectation at the outset was Ireland would easily win the group, like they did under Eileen Gleeson in 2023. 'But we didn't have Slovenia,' Ward warned in February. 'The teams are closer, but naturally we want to win all six and I'm sure I'll have a lovely summer.' She had to settle for five, and much to ponder ahead of two international friendlies against USA later this month, and the campaign-defining playoff against Belgium. In the autumn of 2023, Gleeson's side made light work of Northern Ireland, Hungary and Albania as they enjoyed a 100% record, scored 20 goals and conceded two. Slovenia, Türkiye and Greece were better opposition this time around as standards rise across Europe, but this was a patchy series as Ireland scored 10 and conceded six. Have expectations been set too high? Ward believes the team overachieved by reaching the World Cup in 2023, while they have certainly punched above their weight at times through the years. The Koper horror show was a wake-up call for Irish women's football as a whole, as we wrote at the time, with wider development coming into question. That will only continue as head of women and girls' football Hannah Dingley exits after an underwhelming year in the job, but the team, at least, appear to have put that shocking result in the rear-view mirror. Advertisement Ireland head coach Carla Ward and assistant head coach Alan Mahon during that defeat to Slovenia. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO The last few months have been a rollercoaster for the Irish women's game. Failure to qualify for Euro 2025 was a gut-punch last December, with the FAI opting for a change of management thereafter. The exit of Gleeson, and more so Colin Healy, dominated the headlines for weeks on end, the external noise undoubtedly taking a toll, with Ward appointed in the thick of it all. That wasn't the only major squad change: Ireland lost a combined total of 395 caps as Niamh Fahey, Diane Caldwell, Louise Quinn and Julie-Ann Russell all retired. Much has been made of the transition, leadership void and Euros play-off hangover, along with changes of system and style. Ireland had been wedded to a back three/five and direct approach under Gleeson, Vera Pauw and Colin Bell, with Ward preferring possession-based, attacking football in a fluid 4-3-3. Players have made no secret of their wishes to play a more expansive game, but the collective technical ability has been questioned in some quarters. Patience has been urged. Defensive solidity has always been Ireland's DNA, and this was often lost sight of in recent months. The quest to improve going forward seemed to come at the expense of strength at the back. They were torn apart too many times, not just in the first Slovenia implosion as player and positional experimentation backfired spectacularly. A four-goal second-half salvo away to Greece was the other end of the scale, attacking encouragement evident against lowly opposition. A balance was struck to good effect against Slovenia in Cork. 'Probably the way I'd put it would be a Carla Ward team on the ball and an Irish mentality off the ball,' the manager said afterwards. 'That's what we need to build on. If we want to play in an exciting way going forward, and that's the way I like my teams to play, we have to be better off the ball. 'The Irish have always been very good defensively. So let's go back to the Irish basics. It's tight, it's compact, it's together. And then add in how we want to play with the ball. 'If we can combine the two, the future is bright.' In all, Ward used 21 players through the six games. The former Aston Villa boss appears to have not yet settled on her first-choice XI, while the first and last matches were the only in which she didn't make half-time changes. Courtney Brosnan, Anna Patten and Denise O'Sullivan played every minute, while Aoife Mannion and Lucy Quinn started five games before injury and illness hampered their involvement in the finale. Katie McCabe was also a mainstay, barring suspension and an injury concern in the Greece double-header. The captain and Champions League winner is unavailable for the upcoming US friendlies — 'she's on the verge of burnout,' as Ward said — and several other players are unlikely to travel. That squad selection will be interesting, the door potentially open for younger and fringe players, and League of Ireland talent. Ireland captain Katie McCabe. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO Acid tests await against Emma Hayes' world number one in Colorado (Thursday 26 June) and Cincinnati (Sunday 29 June), but development will be stressed in these games ahead of the all-important playoff in October. Belgium are a consistent force in League A, and are preparing for this summer's Euros, grouped with world champions Spain, Italy and Portugal. Ireland will be disappointed watching from afar, the sense of missed opportunity deepening, but they must focus on the next job. Elísabet Gunnarsdótti's side are 20th in the world rankings, six places above Ireland, while the highlight of their mixed Nations League group campaign was a 3-2 win over European champions England. Belgium won 1-0 the last time they played Ireland in an international friendly in April 2021, and they'll have home advantage in the second leg, but Ward and co. will hope to upset the odds, return to League A, and in turn, boost their 2027 World Cup qualification chances. Maintaining a balance between Carla Ward football and the Irish way is the aim going forward. Compromise is key. The jury is still out on this first campaign. Only after October's playoff can definitive conclusions be drawn.
