What a difference a win makes. In the space of two hours on a Saturday night, in the course of one simple game the narrative around Stephen Kenny’s Ireland side has shifted completely after back-to-back poor defeats against Armenia and Ukraine were followed up by a 3-0 trouncing of Scotland. What changed across those games? Plenty of things, but Ken Early today looks at the impact of a change of formation that freed up the likes of Troy Parrott to play so effectively off Michael Obafemi. It was a confidence-boosting win for sure, but the squad’s positivity will be tested tomorrow night as a stronger Ukraine outfit than the one that already beat Ireland in this window lies in wait in Poland, just 350km from their war-torn home.
Rory McIlroy loves Canada. Three years after he won the Canadian Open (Covid has elongated the wait for his title defence), the Holywood man has defended his crown in style, shooting a stunning 62 on the final day to win by one shot and give him plenty of momentum heading into this week’s US Open. It was a good news story and captivating tournament that the sport badly needed after the week that was in it with the inaugural LIV Golf Series event taking place. Brian O’Connor has some strong words for those playing on the Saudi-backed tour, labelling them ‘hard-faced stooges for a deeply cynical regime.’
The All Blacks have named their squad for this summer’s visit of Ireland. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, the former rugby league standout who has previously won the Dally M Medal given to NRL’s player of the year, has excelled with the Blues since his switch to union and has earned a maiden call-up. Finlay Christie and Folau Fakatava are the scrumhalves in the squad as experienced duo TJ Perenara and Brad Weber miss out. Closer to home, Leinster and Ulster’s defeats over the weekend has signified a changing of the guard in the pecking order of the United Rugby Championship now that a South African franchise will win the competition for the first time.
Armagh and Cork were the two sides yesterday to book their tickets to the All-Ireland football quarter-finals after seeing off Donegal and Limerick yesterday. They join Mayo and and Clare as the group of qualifiers to join all the provincial champions in the pot for this morning’s draw. The sides will be drawn against each other out of two pots; one provincial winner will be drawn against one of the qualifiers as provincial final pairings, as well as repeat 2022 championship meetings, are guaranteed to be avoided.
