A return to normality has been talked about a lot over the past few months and, while there is not much normal about Kilmacud Crokes and Ballyboden playing in front of an empty stadium, it's better than the two teams not playing at all. The Dublin Senior Hurling Championship got back underway yesterday with an easy win for Crokes in Parnell Park on a day that felt very different for a big club championship game. In his Tipping Point column this morning, Malachy Clerkin writes about the return to reporting on a match from the ground and how the familiar sights and sounds are even more welcome than usual.
In soccer, it was an empty Wembley that saw Chelsea dismantle Manchester United to book their place in the FA Cup final after another poor performance from David de Gea. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made a number of changes for the match and they backfired but it was de Gea's performance that will be focused on after goals from Olivier Giroud, Mason Mount and an own goal from Harry Maguire sealed United's fate. After the match, Frank Lampard says he wants his players to focus on the "three domestic finals" they have coming up to claim third place and win the FA Cup. There was some solace yesterday for United in that their chances of finishing in the top four now lie in their own hands with two matches to go after Tottenham beat Leicester 3-0.
Moving on and as part of a new series beginning this morning, Irish Times sports writers will look back on some of the great stadiums of the world they have reported on. First up is Keith Duggan who recalls his first visit to Madison Square Garden to see the New York Knicks in action on a night when he took a punt on getting accreditation and ended up in the Knicks dressing room with just himself and Patrick Ewing.
Finally to golf and Jon Rahm overcame a shaky finish, as well as a two-stroke penalty on the 16th, to win the Memorial tournament last night on a brutally difficult final day at Muirfield Village. The victory also means the Spaniard takes the world number one spot from Rory McIlroy.
