Latest news with #DiarmuidMangan
Irish Times
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
IRFU find chickens are coming home to roost for provinces
'On the surface,' writes Gerry Thornley, 'all seems hunky dory' with Irish rugby. The men's team are ranked third in the world, the women's side fifth, and Leinster are one win away from becoming the first side to reach four successive Champions Cup finals. But? 'Scratch underneath and the gap between Leinster and the other three provinces has never been bigger , nor more alarming', he says. In investing more heavily on Ireland's international teams the IRFU 'have taken their eye off the provinces ... the chickens are already coming home to roost'. Not that Diarmuid Mangan will be too concerned about Leinster continuing to pull away from the pack, the former Ireland under-20 star enjoying a stellar year with the province. Gerry talks to the 22-year-old about the rapid strides he's been making, including a call-up to the senior Irish squad. Owen Doyle, meanwhile, reflects on 'the chaotic cock-up' in Munster's URC defeat to the Bulls , when referee Andrea Piardi incorrectly reduced them to 14 men for 13 minutes, his mood not lightened by how the lineout was officiated either. 'The contest at the scrum has long since disappeared over the horizon, the lineout should not be allowed to follow it.' In Gaelic games, Denis Walsh concludes that there is no such thing as a safe lead in hurling any more , as Cork can attest to after Clare's comeback at the weekend. 'Violent scoreboard swings have become a constant hazard for every team. This is how hurling rolls now: wild.' READ MORE And in his column, Conor McManus looks back at Donegal and Down's Ulster championship wins over Monaghan and Fermanagh, respectively, reckoning that defending champions Donegal are in rude health : 'two from two, unscathed and still on course for the provincial final.' In soccer, Gavin Cummiskey was at Tallaght Stadium to see Bohemians complete a gobsmacking comeback against their best buddies Shamrock Rovers, scoring three times in the last 20 minutes having been 2-0 down. How did the Bohs faithful greet teenager Rhys Brennan's 96th-minute winner? Rather ecstatically. In his Different Strokes column, Philip Reid takes us through the Irish playing schedule for the week, Leona Maguire in action at the Chevron Championship in Texas, the first major of the year, and Rory McIlroy back on the horse at the two-man Zurich Classic of New Orleans where he and Shane Lowry will be defending their title. And in horse racing, Brian O'Connor reports on a roaring Welsh dragon at Fairyhouse on Monday , Haiti Couleurs becoming the first cross-channel trained winner of the Irish Grand National in 11 years. TV Watch: There's continuing coverage of snooker's world championships on BBC1, BBC Four and TNT Sports through the day and evening. At 8pm, Manchester City play Aston Villa in the Premier League (Sky Sports) and Barcelona are at home to Mallorca in La Liga (Premier Sports 1).
Irish Times
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Diarmuid Mangan making rapid strides towards the top
It was always a case of 'when' Diarmuid Mangan would break into the Leinster team rather than 'if'. Even so, for him to describe the last 12 months since making his debut for the province away to Zebre as 'decent' must be one of the season's understatements. Mangan started his seventh match of Leinster's season in last Saturday's 41-17 win over Ulster and has played in six of the province's last seven games, making his Champions Cup debut off the bench against Glasgow a week previously. An athletic, skilful lock/backrow who was part of the Irish Under-20 team which won Grand Slams in 2022 and 2023 and also reached the World Under-20 Championship in 2023, in the midst of all this Mangan was also called up to the Irish senior squad during the Six Nations . READ MORE 'It definitely came as a shock,' admits the 22-year-old, who received the call from Simon Easterby the day after playing the full 80 in Leinster's tough 22-19 win away to the Ospreys. 'I was in my sittingroom roaring and shouting at my two brothers while trying to do my debrief from the game and then next minute, my phone started ringing. It was Simon Easterby's number and I was like to the two of them 'lads, you need to be quiet here. This is a serious phone call'. 'I was nervous going in but having the likes of Sam and Cian Prendergast in there, and Jamie Osborne as well, helped,' says Mangan. 'I would have known Jamie from playing at Naas Rugby Club and I would have lived with him for two years, so having him, Sam and Cian in there definitely gave me a bit of comfort. 'I could bounce things off those lads and chat to them about kind of what it was going to be like. I learned loads in that camp and it's an environment I really want to get back to.' Diarmuid Mangan with Daniel Hawkshw, left, and Sam Prendergast, right, on Ireland Under 20 duty in 2023. Photograph: Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Sam Prendergast is a good friend, as well as team-mate through the ranks, since they were five-years-old. 'Our dads were both in the Army, working with the UN in Syria. Our families would have been very close and have a good connection. So, it's class to be able to play in these games with him and it feels so natural. It's unbelievable when you take a step back and realise this is something we chatted about when we were 15/16 and playing at Newbridge together and it's happening now. 'He takes everything in his stride and he's so calm,' adds Mangan, admitting the younger Prendergast has been both an inspiration and a sounding board. 'We would be over at his house for barbecues when we're younger, we'd always be playing on the green. I've got three brothers and there was himself and Cian so we'd always be playing tag rugby, soccer, Gaelic. His skill level is just unbelievable. Like you can see it now he's able to kick off both feet, his range of passing is unbelievable. He's always had those skills.' On Mangan's sole weekend off in this run of Leinster games, he made his sixth AIL appearance of the season for UCD in a side featuring eight Leinster players, including four who played in the province's win over the Sharks in Durban a week previously, which preserved the club's 1A status with a 40-10 last-day win at Young Munster. 'They have been huge for me and stayed huge for me. As an academy player, the physicality is just that small bit below the URC and if you're not selected for URC or Champions Cup, you are getting a great test on a Saturday. You can take huge confidence from big performances in there to go into these URC games. Dan Sheehan's father, Barry, is the president. So it was so nice to be involved in keeping the club up.' In what's been a hectic few months, Mangan has also taken enormous pride in travelling down to Cork with his parents to support his younger brother Ciarán in Ireland's Under-20 Six Nations campaign. 'It was great to share those experiences and hopefully I'll get to play with him, fingers crossed, with Leinster over the next few years.'
