A record crowd and, finally, a win for Dublin over Cork in the All-Ireland Ladies SFC final at Croke Park. Those were the stories from yesterday's curtain-closer on the 2018 inter-county scene in both codes as Mick Bohan's side finally overcame their nemesis who they had previously lost out to at the same stage in 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2016. From Croke Park, Mary Hannigan reports on a 'special day' for the Dubs.
Speaking of special days there were two more of them over the weekend for Ireland's rowers as Gary and Paul O'Donovan first claimed gold in the lightweight double sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Bulgaria before a dominant Sanita Puspure dominated the women's singles sculls final on Sunday to finally claim a world title at the age of 37. From Plovdiv Liam Gorman writes that true grit and determination paid off for a remarkable Irish team once again.
On to soccer and Liverpool's perfect start to the season continued on Saturday morning with a 2-1 win away to Tottenham Hotspur with Jurgen Klopp's charges looking formidable once again. In his column this morning Ken Early writes that it is Klopp's belief in the power of the collective that has seen Liverpool start so well. On Saturday that power was seen against a Mauricio Pochettino team which employs similar beliefs, even if Harry Kane can occasionally seem a little to determined to boost his own statistics. "Last season Kane was determined to beat Salah in the race for the Premier League's Golden Boot. If that individual award had meant nothing to him, he might not have gone to such lengths to claim the goal against Stoke in his second game back after the injury," he writes.
On Saturday evening Manchester United showed a glimpse of what they were capable of in their 2-1 win over Watford at Vicarage Road although they were indebted to David de Gea once again. Meanwhile, closer to home Derry City claimed an 11th League Cup title when they saw off Cobh Ramblers 3-1 at the Brandywell yesterday.
In rugby, John Cooney's time looks like it has finally come after his long journey through the provinces to the position he is in now where he is the main man at Ulster. Cooney's kicking skills have got Ulster out of jail a few times already this season and with his elevation also comes a transformation in the way Irish coach Joe Schmidt might now look at his options for the international series of matches in November, and through to the Six Nations Championship next year.
Meanwhile, Jamison Gibson-Park believes he has a lot more to add to his game despite his two impressive tries in Leinster's 52-10 win over Dragons on Saturday. "My pass is one thing I have been trying to focus on. It can still be a lot better. The speed of it really and getting there quicker I suppose. Fitness was another big part of that and trying to be in the best shape as you can so you're not fatiguing," he said.
Finally to golf and Malachy Clerkin writes that, with or without the hype, nothing matches a closely-fought Ryder Cup battle. The biennial competition will get underway in Paris on Friday week but the build-up is well and truly underway for what is one of golf's greatest spectacles.
