Has the League of Ireland undergone a “stark drop in standards” or is it experiencing a “wild spike in competitiveness”? Its managers have different views on that matter, but whatever the truth, this season’s title race has turned in to a humdinger, with just six points separating the top six sides with three games to go. “Predictions are like a coin toss,” writes Gavin Cummiskey, “normality forsook this league a long time ago”. With most of the contenders slipping up badly of late, their supporters’ nerves are shredded, none more so than those of the Shelbourne faithful who’ve seen their side drop points in their last five outings. They’re still on top, though, and if they can beat Waterford United this evening, the faithful might sleep easier.
On the international front, Eileen Gleeson has named her squad for the upcoming Euro 2025 play-offs against Georgia, but the bulk of the focus at her press conference on Thursday was on recent critical comments by Athlone Town manager Ciarán Kilduff who claimed there is a “disconnect” between the league in Ireland and the national team. Gleeson fiercely refuted that suggestion.
In Gaelic games, Paul Keane heard from Gaelic Players’ Association chief Tom Parsons ahead of this weekend’s interprovincial tournament at Croke Park, when the Football Review Committee’s suite of new rules will be tried out.
In rugby, Ireland’s women have been drawn in a pool with Japan, Spain and some bunch called New Zealand for next summer’s World Cup in England, “reviving memories,” writes John O’Sullivan, “of their greatest moment in the tournament when they beat the Black Ferns 17-14 in 2014″. More of the same, please.
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John also has team news ahead of tonight’s URC game between Ulster and Ospreys, the queue for the treatment room at Ulster remaining “oversubscribed”, but they are at least buoyed by the return of Stuart McCloskey and their Emerging Ireland players.
Leinster’s and Emerging Ireland’s James Culhane knows all about treatment rooms. When playing against Connacht last December, he fractured his shoulder and tore his hamstring, his season ending there and then. But, writes Gerry Thornley, he is due to make his first Leinster start of the season against the same opposition tomorrow – and he’s hoping for slightly better fortunes.
At a time when “Irish racing’s long-term sustainability is bound up with horse welfare”, Brian O’Connor believes shrugging shoulders at its ‘wastage’ rate – “what happens to horses once their usefulness is over” – won’t cut it any more. “Facing up to it must be a priority because broad acceptance of animal sports is rooted in consensus about its central participants being treated properly from birth to death.”
TV Watch: It’s Leinster v Connacht (6pm) and Munster v Ulster (8pm) in the first of the Interprovincial football championships this evening (TG4), when those new rules will be trialled. Ulster host Ospreys in the URC at 7.35pm (Premier Sports 1) and 10 minutes later Premier Division leaders Shelbourne kick off against Waterford United (Virgin Media Three).
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