Can anyone beat Dublin? It's the question that many have been asking for years now and so far it is yet to be answered as Jim Gavin's side go in search of their fourth All-Ireland title in a row. In his column this morning Jim McGuinness attempts to give an answer as to how it can be done with patience the key factor while teams also need to get under their skin. "What nobody has managed to do is psychologically ruffle them. If you want to beat Dublin, that is the number one requirement," he writes. Meanwhile, the GAA are to investigate the actions of Roscommon manager Kevin McStay in their defeat to Donegal at the weekend after McStay made clear contact with linesman Niall Cullen just before half-time and moments later hit the Fermanagh official on the head with a ball.
On to soccer and the German FA have denied Mesut Özil's accusations of racism after the Arsenal midfielder yesterday quit the international game at the age of just 29, citing discrimination due to his Turkish roots. "The DFB regrets the departure of Mesut Ozil from the national team. However, this does not change the determination of the association to continue the successful integration work consistently and with deep conviction," they said. Meanwhile, José Mourinho has called on Paul Pogba to take his World Cup form to Manchester United, saying that the player needs to direct his focus better. "It's about him giving the best he has to give. I think the World Cup is the perfect habitat for a player like him to give the best. Why? Because it's closed for a month, where he can only think about football," Mourinho said.
In golf Rory McIlroy says he is much closer to where he wants to be in rediscovering his putting touch after a successful week at the British Open which saw him finish in a tie for second behind eventual winner Francesco Molinari. The four-time Major winner was nine strokes better in putting for the week in comparison to his performance at the Irish Open and will now look to take the improved form into the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in two weeks before the final Major of the year – the US PGA Championship – takes place at Bellerive Country Club. Speaking of the US PGA, it will not be available to watch on television in Ireland or the UK after Eleven Sports' announcement yesterday.
The Tour de France gets back underway in the Pyrenees today after yesterday's rest and Chris Froome has said he is fully behind Geraint Thomas in his quest to win the race, saying "as long as there's a Team Sky rider on the top step in Paris I'm happy." The quotes came as a shock to many with Froome chasing a record-equalling fifth Tour title under a cloud of controversy which has seen the race get ugly in recent days with booing and spitting from the crowd as well as plenty of criticism from the French press, something that drew the ire of Team Sky principal David Brailsford yesterday.
