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Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Enda McEvoy on calling the All Ireland final: 'I can't believe you didn't tip us...'
THE story begins in the summer of 1996. It was warm and sunny, everyone appeared to be doing the Macarena and Limerick and Wexford were making their way by circuitous routes – the former after a punishing campaign in Munster which would tell on them in the end, the latter by winning their first Leinster title in 19 years – to Croke Park. Your correspondent, newly installed as hurling correspondent of the Sunday Tribune, had opposed Wexford in the provincial final ('you'd have been mad to go for us,' Liam Griffin did have the decency to say afterwards) and again in the All Ireland semi-final. This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in Take us with you this summer. Annual €130€65 Best value Monthly €12€6 / month
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Andy Farrell is plumping for pedigree over form for the first Lions Test - but there is an uneasy, fingers-crossed feeling about it, writes CHRIS FOY
Andy Farrell is banking on players with outstanding pedigree really stepping up for the Lions in their series opener against Australia - because his likely line-up is not awash with form picks. The visitors are set to rely on a side full of stellar reputations, but in several positions the players who have performed best are expected to miss out. That is certainly the case at No 8, where Ben Earl has made more of an impact than Jack Conan, but the Irish specialist is preferred. There are various other examples, as the head coach is following the example of so many predecessors by trusting in players he knows best. James Lowe has been operating far below his usual, exalted standards on the left wing, but he is due to make the cut in the starting XV, partly due to the injury setbacks which have hampered back-three contenders Blair Kinghorn and Mack Hansen. At scrum-half, Jamison Gibson-Park is another member of the dominant Leinster and Ireland contingent who will be deployed en masse, in the belief that he will soar to a performance peak when needed. Somehow, he was named Man of the Match in the win against the Brumbies in Canberra, but he had blown hot and cold in an unconvincing win in the Australian capital. Frankly, he has been eclipsed by stellar displays from Alex Mitchell and Ben White, but he is a Farrell favourite. The pattern continues up front. Tom Curry has not reached his own familiar heights, but he will start at openside ahead of Jac Morgan, who has played the house down and been the Lions' pre-eminent jackal threat on the tour to date. To complete the back-row doubts, Tadhg Beirne is seemingly set to start at blindside rather than Ollie Chessum, despite playing his best lately in the second row. Even the great Tadhg Furlong has just about located second gear - he is certainly not at full tilt. But there are pockets of form. Ellis Genge and Dan Sheehan are on a thunderous roll in the front row. At lock, Maro Itoje and Joe McCarthy have both stood out with towering exploits. Finn Russell is in supreme form, as are Tommy Freeman and Huw Jones. It is good to see common-sense should prevail as Jones is set to be unleashed alongside Scotland midfield partner Sione Tuipulotu. It makes perfect sense to tap into the established chemistry between those two and Russell. So, all in all, this is not a form XV of Lions all going into the Test series with unstoppable momentum, far from it. There is an uneasy, fingers-crossed feeling about some of the marginal selections, but even allowing for the misgivings, this potential line-up should have far too much firepower for the vulnerable Australians.
Irish Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Munster to host Gloucester at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in December Champions Cup clash as fixture details confirmed
Munster open their 2025/26 Champions Cup campaign under new coach Clayton McMillan against Bath on Saturday, December 6th before breaking new ground in Europe when taking Gloucester to the home of Cork GAA, Páirc Uí Chaoimh for their round two clash on December 13th. Munster then travel to the Stade Felix Mayol to take on Toulon before rounding off the pool stages at home to Castres Olympique for what will feel like the millionth time they have met. Leinster and La Rochelle will do it all again on Saturday, January 10th when they meet for the seventh time in this competition. No venue is confirmed as yet – the building work at the RDS won't be completed so the province will once again look at match specific venues – but there is a possibility it could be played at Croke Park. READ MORE Leo Cullen 's charges open their campaign against Harlequins, whom they beat in the Round of 16 in last season's tournament. That match is likely to be played at the Aviva Stadium. The URC champions also make the short trip across to the East Midlands to face another perennial foe, the Leicester Tigers for a Friday night game, while their last pool match is away to Bayonne on January 17th. In the Challenge Cup , Ulster open their campaign against Racing 92 on a Friday night at the renamed Affidea Stadium in Belfast, where they will also play their final game against Stade Francais. In between, Richie Murphy's side will visit Cardiff and play the Cheetahs. The South African side have to play the game in Europe at a venue yet to be determined. Stuart Lancaster's first game in charge at Connacht will be a short hop to Wales to take on the Ospreys, who haven't specified their home ground for next season. Connacht will host Georgian side Black Lion at the Dexcom Stadium where they will also be in action against Montauban. They travel to Montpellier in round three. 2025/26 Champions Cup Pool Fixtures Round 1 Saturday, December 6th: Leinster v Harlequins, TBC (5.30pm); Bath v Munster, The Rec (8pm). Round 2 Friday, December 12th: Leicester Tigers v Leinster Rugby, Welford Road (8pm) Saturday, December 13th: Munster v Gloucester, Páirc Uí Chaoimh (5.30pm) Round 3 Saturday, January 10th: Leinster v La Rochelle, TBC (5.30pm) Sunday, January 11th: Toulon v Munster, Stade Felix Mayol (1pm Irish time) Round 4 Saturday, January 17th: Bayonne v Leinster, Stade Jean Dauger (3.15pm Irish time); Munster v Castres Olympique, Thomond Park (5.30pm) 2025/26 Challenge Cup Pool Fixtures Round 1 Friday, December 5th: Ulster v Racing 92, Affidea Stadium (8pm) Sunday, December 7th: Ospreys v Connacht, TBC (3.15pm) Round 2 Saturday, December 13th: Cardiff v Ulster, Cardiff Arms Park (8pm); Connacht v Black Lion, Dexcom Stadium (8pm) Round 3 Sunday, January 11th: Toyota Cheetahs v Ulster, TBC (3.15pm); Montpellier v Connacht GGL Stadium (1pm Irish time) Round 4 Saturday, January 17th: Ulster v Stade Francais, Affidea Stadium (1pm); Connacht v Montauban, Dexcom Stadium (8pm).
Irish Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
'F it anyway' - emotional TJ Reid breaks silence following Kilkenny exit
Kilkenny legend TJ Reid penned an emotional message as he broke his silence following Kilkenny's exit from the All-Ireland Hurling Championship. Reid is one of the game's all-time greats, but as he turns 38 this November, time is ticking on his intercounty career. Kilkenny were narrowly beaten by Tipperary in a thriller in Croke Park a couple of weekends ago, and it remains to be seen if that will be Reid's last act in a Kilkenny jersey. However, his emotional post did not mention retirement. "F it anyway Harper. A week on and it still hurts," he wrong on Instagram. "Grateful for another year wearing the black and amber jersey. Completing 6 Leinster titles in a row is still a wonderful achievement but it would have been brilliant to get back into an All-Ireland Final and to compete in it. Thanks to my best supporters @niamhdebrun and my little daughter Harper, and to all the Kilkenny supporters. "Thanks to a group of special players. We had a great journey this year, sport is about the process and progress and we enjoyed every moment of it. "Up Kilkenny". Reid has a whopping seven intercounty All-Ireland titles to his name as well as six club All-Ireland titles in one of the truly great hurling careers of all time. First joining the Kilkenny panel in 2007, Reid would go on to collect seven All-Star awards during his illustrious career and has won 14 Leinster Hurling titles. Speaking to media earlier this season though, Reid has hinted that he wants to play until he is 40-years-old. He also opened up on how he decides if he'll play the following year or not. 'That decision comes in November. If it was in the immediate aftermath of last year's game (loss to Clare) you might have thought differently about it. 'I needed to take the time. I must say most players will be annoyed and frustrated and 'F this' or whatnot, 'F that. This is a waste of a year again.' 'You have to allow things to settle down and go again. But the main thing is that I suppose you have to have the belief in yourself as well that you can be an impact and I'm still very confident in that department. And look, you have to enjoy the process as well. 'We all know for a long time now that the demands of inter-county players are high and the dedication is high, but I always had that and I enjoy it internally as well.'
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘A week on & it still hurts' – TJ Reid bares his soul over semi-final agony as Kilkenny fans make plea
TJ Reid has reflected on another year in black and amber and how the pain from their All-Ireland semi-final loss still stings. The nature of 3 Reid and Co needlessly chased a goal in the dying moments thinking they were trailing by a bigger margin than they actually were 3 Being consoled by two and a half year old daughter Harper after their loss to Tipp 3 He noted that winning their sixth Leinster title in succession is 'a wonderful achievement' Sharing a powerful image of him crestfallen at the final whistle but being sweetly consoled by his daughter, the 37-year-old wrote: "F it anyway Harper. "A week on and it still hurts. Grateful for another year wearing the black and amber jersey. "Completing six Leinster titles in a row is still a wonderful achievement but it would have been brilliant to get back into an All-Ireland Final and to compete in it. "Thanks to my best supporters Niamh and my little daughter Harper and to all the Kilkenny supporters. Read More On GAA "Thanks to a group of special players. We had a great journey this year, sport is about the process and progress and we enjoyed every moment of it." At this juncture of his emotional Instagram post he then started to quote a viral speech given by Hollywood A-lister The Ballyhale Shamrocks man continued: "I wish I knew that this too shall pass. You feel bad right now? You feel p***ed off? You feel anxious? This too shall pass. "Oh you feel great? You feel like you know all the answers? You feel like everybody finally gets you? This too shall pass. Most read in GAA Hurling "Time is your ally, and if nothing else, just wait. Just wait it out. - Tom Hanks. Up Kilkenny." The upfront nature of his post prompted a tonne of support from Kilkenny fans as well as those from rival counties. 'Easiest interview I've ever had' jokes RTE GAA host after pundits go back and forth before Meath vs Donegal Kieran hailed: "Love this TJ. Great reflection." Similarly, Lauren praised: "Proud of you always, you always give it 100%." Meanwhile Brid noted: "Another amazing year, Harper is so proud." GIVE IT ANOTHER HURL? Despite his advancing years, the seven-time All-Star is still clearly able to be a difference-maker at inter-county level. As such, plenty of followers begged him to continue on with Derek Lyng's side for at least another year. Barry urged: "Congrats on another amazing year with the Cats, than you for all the enjoyment watching you play has been my privilege. Here's to next year." In April Reid It remains to be seen if he will be back for another tilt with the Cats. For now, all eyes of hurling fans can't venture beyond Sunday when Galway referee Liam Gordon
