The highlight of that international window for the Republic of Ireland’s players was, you’d imagine, the final whistle in Backa Topola on Sunday evening. Come the end of their draw with Israel, they “just wanted to get off the pitch, on to their aeroplane and out of this nightmare at last,” writes Ken Early.
It was a pairing that “was drenched in rancour from the moment the draw was made,” says Gavin Cooney, “a fortnight of fierce sound and fury” culminating on a silent stage in Serbia. From start to finish, it was “bleak and acrimonious”.
Gavin Cummiskey reports on a game that came at the end of “a gruelling four-match, 15-day camp”, one that featured another flare-up at half-time when an Ireland backroom staff member alleged that he was spat at by an Israeli player.
“I’m absolutely delighted the window is finished,” said Heimir Hallgrímsson, the head coach understandably relieved it was all over. “I think we will look back on these two weeks as a defining moment. Every problem from now on will seem lesser.”
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In rugby, Gerry Thornley reviews a URC weekend that saw two wins, a draw and a defeat for the Irish provinces, a bit of an improvement on round one’s whitewash. Charlie O’Shea had a night to remember in his first start for Munster, scoring two tries in their win over the Pretoria Bulls, while Ciarán Frawley achieved the same feat on his debut for Connacht, helping them to victory away to Benetton.
Ulster shared 10 tries in a thriller of a 33-all draw in Glasgow, but Leinster suffered their second defeat on the trot, this time to the Sharks in Durban. They did at least pick up a late bonus point in their 26-20 defeat, John O’Sullivan reporting on an invaluable experience for a young side.
And Ireland’s women helped themselves to seven tries in their second win over Japan in a week, Alana McInerney and Sophie Barrett both marking their debuts with tries in a 43-19 win in Cork.
Denis Walsh uses his column today to look at “Munster’s descent into tortured mediocrity”. He struggles to recall “the last time a Munster team didn’t feel dwarfed by the legacy of the jersey”, the organisation in need of a change of leadership at the top – “but there are no miracle cures”.
In Gaelic games, Gordon Manning rounds up the club weekend during which two Dublin greats set up a county final shootout after Con O’Callaghan’s Cuala and Ciarán Kilkenny’s Castleknock won their semi-finals. Gordon has all the results from around the country, Kerry’s Dingle and Meath’s Summerhill among the champions to fall.
And in racing, Brian O’Connor reports on Daryz becoming the first colt in close to half a century to win back-to-back Prix de l’Arc de Triomphes. Joseph O’Brien’s Thundering On was out of luck in the race, but the trainer at least had the consolation of Group One glory with Green Empress in the Prix Marcel Boussac.
TV Watch: TG4 has highlights from the GAA club weekend at 7.30pm, and at 7.45pm France are at home to Belgium in the Nations League (Virgin Media Two), having beaten them 1-0 in Brussels last Monday, and Northern Ireland host Georgia (BBC2) who they beat 1-0 in their opening group game in Tbilisi.
