Captain Monaghan 'emotional' over Ireland return
Ireland skipper Sam Monaghan says she will "savour every moment" of her return from injury after 13 months on the sidelines. The lock injured her ACL representing her club Gloucester Hartpury in June 2024 before calf and hamstring injuries further delayed her return to action. Now able to see "light at the end of the tunnel", the 32-year-old has been named to start in the second row for Ireland's World Cup warm-up fixture against Scotland in Cork on Saturday. "It was really emotional seeing my name on the teamsheet again, not only for me but for my family, team-mates, everyone that's been on the journey with me, physios, S&Cs," said Monaghan."You build up a hunger. It's kind of like you've been starving for the last 13 months and you finally get your opportunity."I'm sure I'll really savour every moment and just want to do the best I can for the squad around me. They've really looked after me the last year so I'll be extremely excited to get back out on the pitch with them."
Monaghan's second row partner on Saturday, Eimear Corri-Fallon, has also struggled with injuries over the past year."Me and Eimear have played together before in Dubai [at the WXV tournament in 2023] and Six Nations so we have that second row connection. "Unfortunately, both of us had a bit of a rough year so we're kind of on the same journey at the minute. It's nice to come back out on the pitch together."Monaghan and Corri-Fallon are not the only returning players to Ireland's panel for what is the first of two warm-up fixtures before the World Cup which begins in England later this month.Wing Beibhinn Parsons, who broke her leg in December, will also start at Musgrave Park as Scott Bemand's side build towards the tournament where they will be in a pool alongside Japan, Spain and New Zealand. Ireland, however, have already been dealt a series of injury blows with key forwards Dorothy Wall and Erin King ruled out of the World Cup, while 2025 Six Nations Player of the Championship Aoife Wafer is a doubt. "Injuries are always so tough. We've such a strong connection as a group so when we lose someone we really feel it," Monaghan said."On and off the pitch they are such big characters, but they are both working extremely hard and I know how tough a journey it can be."That's high-level sport. It's given the opportunity for someone else to come in and we've had other girls come in and put their hand up and really perform."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
8 minutes ago
- Metro
Enzo Maresca makes shock U-turn and tries to block Chelsea transfer
Enzo Maresca has held fresh talks with Christopher Nkunku in a bid to convince the misfiring Chelsea forward to stay at Stamford Bridge. Nkunku was expected to be sold by Chelsea following another disappointing season at the Premier League club. Chelsea spent £52m to sign Nkunku from RB Leipzig in 2023 but the France international missed most of his first season in west London through injury. Nkunku was back fit last season but still endured a disappointing campaign, contributing just three goals in the Premier League. Chelsea fans have been hugely underwhelmed by Nkunku's form at the club considering he was named the Bundesliga Player of the Season in 2021-22 and was the league's top goalscorer before his arrival. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. The Blues were open to offers for Nkunku during the January transfer window and were expected to cash in on the 27-year-old this summer. Chelsea have bolstered Maresca's squad with several new signings this summer so the sale of Nkunku would give them a chance to make room for the new additions and raise some funds. However, according to L'Equipe, Maresca recently held talks with Nkunku and made it clear that he could still be part of his project at Stamford Bridge. Maresca appreciates Nkunku's profile and knows squad depth will be needed as Chelsea look to challenge Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City for the title while competing in Europe. It is unclear whether Nkunku will settle for a rotational role in Maresca's squad as he has aspirations of making France's squad for next summer's World Cup. Appearances: 65Goals: 6 Assists: 2 His representatives are also aware of interest from several possible suitors, recently holding talks with Serie A giants Inter Milan. French outlet L'Equipe say clubs in the bottom-half of the Premier League have also expressed interest in a deal but Nkunku intends to play for a top-level club. Nkunku was linked with Bayern Munich and Manchester United earlier in the summer but those two clubs appear to be focusing on other targets. In an exclusive interview with Metro back in April, former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf urged both the club and Nkunku to 'cut their losses' and go their separate ways this summer. 'I think they need to cut their losses and go their separate ways,' the ex-Chelsea centre-back said. 'It's best for the club but also the future of the player. Careers are pretty short so you have to react quickly if it doesn't work. More Trending 'And it can happen like this – sometimes the chemistry doesn't work. I was very happy to see him come to Chelsea, but it's never worked. 'He's never been able to settle down, maybe because the position he's been offered wasn't the right one. 'It's always difficult to come from a family club like Leipzig to a club where you have to perform and the pressure is one you always. I had that when I moved from Strasbourg to Chelsea and it's a big task if you're not able to cope with the situation. 'It's never worked for him but he's still a good player. He will have to rebound but we've seen that before with players like Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah when they left.' Chelsea have two pre-season friendlies against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan next weekend before their Premier League campaign starts on August 17 against Crystal Palace. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: James Maddison update after Tottenham star suffers 'brutal' injury MORE: Ian Wright's dream Arsenal signing announces he wants summer transfer MORE: Tottenham could hijack Arsenal's bid to sign Eberechi Eze as they look to replace Son Heung-Min
The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
Marlie Packer cleared for opening match of England's World Cup campaign
England flanker Marlie Packer will be available to feature in the opening match of the World Cup after being handed a one-match ban for her red card in Saturday's win over Spain. The 35-year-old was sent off in the second half of the Red Roses' 97-7 warm-up victory in Leicester following a clumsy clearout on the left leg of Spain full-back Claudia Pena. Packer's suspension rules her out of her country's final warm-up match, away to France on Saturday. Hosts England begin the World Cup on Friday, August 22 against the United States in Sunderland. In determining the sanction, World Rugby's foul play review committee noted Packer accepted foul play occurred but she did not agree the offence warranted a red card. Her challenge, which did not result in injury to Harlequins player Pena, was deemed to be 'reckless'. The committee decided the offence warranted a two-match ban but opted to award full 50 per cent mitigation. England's 15-try success at Welford Road was Packer's first match as captain since being replaced in the full-time role by Zoe Aldcroft in January. The Saracens forward, who has 111 Test caps, led the Red Roses to back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams in 2023 and 2024 and is one of head coach John Mitchell's vice-captains.
BBC News
39 minutes ago
- BBC News
Tyrone beat Laois to win All-Ireland Intermediate title
Tyrone captured their first All-Ireland Ladies Intermediate Football title since 2018 with a 2-16 to 1-13 victory over Laois in Sunday's final at Croke Park. Aoife Horisk and Katie Rose Muldoon scored goals in either half to help the Red Hands avenge last year's agonising one-point decider defeat by Leitrim. Niamh O'Neill top scored for Tyrone with 0-7, while Horisk finished with 1-3. In a tight first half, Laois struck the first goal after 22 minutes when Shifra Havill emphatically fired the ball into the roof of Amelia Coyle's net. Tyrone were initially frustrated in their hunt for goals, being denied first by Laois corner-back Faye McEvoy's goal-line clearance before Sorcha Gormley was denied from the penalty spot. But after Laois carelessly gifted possession back to the Ulster side, Gormley teed up Horisk, who drilled a low shot past Eimear Barry to help give Tyrone a 1-7 to 1-5 half-time lead. Laois kept in touch after the restart with a couple of Mo Nerney points and Fiona Dooley's score, O'Neill and Horisk ensured Tyrone kept a slender Leinster side's hopes of overturning the deficit in the closing stages were dented when Ciara Crowley's yellow card was followed by an O'Neill were a point up when Muldoon delivered the decisive blow, finishing low to the net from close range with six minutes remaining. Having established a more comfortable cushion, O'Neill, Gormley and captain Aoibhinn McHugh sealed a six-point win for scorers: N O'Neill 0-7 (3f), A Horisk 1-3 (0-1f), S Gormley 0-3, K Muldoon 1-0, A McHugh, S McCarroll, C McCrossan 0-1 each. Laois scorers: E Lawlor (3f), M Nerney (3f) 0-5 each, S Havill 1-0, F Dooley, J Moore, E Lacey 0-1 each. Tyrone: A Coyle; J Lyons, G McKenna, E Quinn; C Campbell, M Mallon, C Canavan; A McHugh, S McCarroll; E McNamee, S Gormley, A Horisk; N O'Neill, C McCrossan, M Corrigan. Subs: E McCanny for McCrossan (36), K Muldoon for McNamee (45), A McGahan for Campbell (53), C McCaffrey for O'Neill (58), J Barrett for Horisk (59).Laois: E Barry; S Farrelly, C Dunne, F McEvoy; A Gorman, A Moore, A Moran; F Dooley, J Moore; S Havill, E Galvin, C Crowley; E Lacey, E Lawlor, M Nerney. Subs: L Kearney for Gorman (39), M Cotter for McEvoy (45), K Donoghue for Lacey (47), A Fitzpatrick for Havill (56).Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).
