Mullinalaghta landed one of the biggest upsets in GAA club history yesterday, as they beat Kilmacud Crokes 1-8 to 1-6 in Tullamore to lift the Leinster SFC title - a first ever crown for Longford. Gary Rogers' penalty won the day for the underdogs, on the 50th anniversary of the county's sole provincial senior title. Seán Moran was in O'Connor Park to see a small slice of history being made, he writes: "The statistics of the coup are already well aired. The half-parish on the border of Cavan with its population of 447 was facing up to the might of twice All-Ireland champions Kilmacud Crokes and their membership, conservatively pitched at 10 times their opponents' population. For further context, when the counties met in the summer's Leinster championship, Dublin had 19 points to spare. The Spartans were better odds at Thermopylae."
Elsewhere Munster took control of their Champions Cup Pool Two with a resounding - if ugly - 30-5 win over Castres at Thomond Park yesterday. Johann van Graan's side were dominant against the defending Top14 champions but unable to force the bonus point - however the South African was pleased with his side's efforts, especially after seeing both Joey Carbery and Chris Farrell ruled out in the lead up to kick-off. He said: "I think it was a good performance . . .If you said at the start of the competition we would be leading at the halfway stage of course we would have taken it. A massive test awaits us in these doubleheader returns and you don't just go to the champions of France in their back yard and get anything for free."
Ireland fullback Matt Doherty broke Newcastle United hearts on Sunday evening, with his 94th minute header giving Wolverhampton Wanderers a dramatic 2-1 victory at St James' Park. The win moves Wolves up to 10th, while Rafael Benitez's side remain three points above the relegation zone in 15th. Tonight Everton welcome Watford to Goodison Park. The most resounding result of the weekend came at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea inflicted a first defeat of the season on Manchester City. And in his column this morning Ken Early has written about Saturday's man of the match David Luiz, a player he believes attracts unfair criticism because of his appearance: "Most people pay only superficial attention, and unfortunately for Luiz, he's the kind of player who attracts a lot of it, because he has big hair."
The Copa Libertadores finally reached its conclusion last night, with River Plate beating bitter rivals Boca Juniors 3-1 at the Bernabeu after extra-time, and 5-3 on aggregate. The Superclasico was being played in Madrid after the second leg was postponed due to crowd trouble.
Ruby Walsh produced a peach of a ride as Min justified favouritism to win the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown yesterday. The 39-year-old - who was edged out on a brilliant Un De Sceaux by the mighty Altior on Saturday - was successful on all three of his rides on Sunday, with Tornado Flyer and Getabird also in the winners enclosure.
And Ronnie O’Sullivan won a record seventh UK Championship last night - 25 years after his first - thanks to a resounding 10-6 win over Mark Allen in York.
