The latter stages of the All-Ireland senior football championship became a lot clearer yesterday as the draw for the fourth round of the qualifiers was made which also put a shape on how the Super 8s will play out. And before we even get to that stage we have a few tasty ties – none more so than the meeting of Mayo and Roscommon. Kevin McStay was the man who in fact drew out that clash during the draw yesterday morning and this morning he writes in his column that it's a real nightmare draw for both teams. "The winner will play Kerry away in game one of the Super 8s a week later," he writes. "Just what you need after a bruising border derby in the fourth round is the sight of the steward down in Killarney smiling at you as you arrive. "Howya! You're very welcome to Fitzgerald Stadium! 'Tis great to see you!" With the Super 8s also taking shape, Seán Moran looks at what it means for the main protaginists with Dublin facing another trip north for their away match against either Cavan or Tyrone. If you're still unsure on it, you can find a full list of throw-in times and venues for both the round four qualifiers and the Super 8s on our fixtures page.
On to golf and players were greeted by a bright and breezy day at Lahinch yesterday as many began to gather for this week's Irish Open. From the Co Clare venue, Philip Reid writes that the strong Irish contingent will be a big boost for the event as organisers hope that the weekend will sell out. Indeed Robin Dawson was the last Irishman into the field when he got the sponsor's exemption previously reserved for Gavin Moynihan before the Dubliner qualified on merit. The Irish Open is always one of the biggest draws of the Irish sporting summer but the reality is that golf in Ireland is facing a battle to stay relevant among younger generations. In our consumer pages this morning, John O'Sullivan takes a closer look at the membership scene in Ireland and what clubs are doing to attract younger generations to actually come and join.
Moving to SW19 and, after just one day of Wimbledon, we already have a story for the ages after 15-year-old American Cori Gauff knocked out Venus Williams in the stifling cauldron of court number one. Johnny Watterson was there to witness victory for the youngest player ever to qualify in the Open Era and he writes "a 39-year-old multiple Grand Slam winner, a 24-year-age difference and an African-American opponent they call Coco, if there was ever a glimpse of generational shift it was the final match on court one on Monday at Wimbledon." The other shock on day one in the women's draw was the exit of number two seed Naomi Osaka at the hands of Yulia Putintseva while Novak Djokovic cruised through in the men's draw.
Tonight England meet USA in the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup and a match that could well be one of the biggest ever in the women's game. It is also the biggest match of Phil Neville's managerial career and the England coach spoke yesterday about how a team meal under the stars in the Arabian desert last year was the turning point for his team. On the domestic front Dundalk maintained their eight-point lead at the top of the table last night with a comfortable 3-0 win over Waterford while Shamrock Rovers moved two points further clear of Bohemians as they beat St Pat's in Richmond Park.
