‘Let the Games commence,’ they’ll declare at Friday’s opening ceremony in Paris, but by then the Rugby Sevens will be well under way, Ireland’s men opening their campaign at the Stade de France today with games against South Africa (4.30 Irish time) and Japan (8.0). And captain Harry McNulty is more than happy to get up and running while athletes in all the other sports are still fine-tuning their preparations. “I prefer it,” he tells Ian O’Riordan. “Some sports are at the end, so you’re waiting around, whereas we literally come in, nothing’s started, and we’re the first sport done out of everything.”
John O’Sullivan sets the scene for the tournaments, the women’s campaign starting on Sunday, and confidently predicts that “Sevens Heaven” will feature liberally in the headlines should either Irish team earn themselves a spot on the podium. And John, Johnny Watterson and Nathan Johns team up to introduce you to the members of both squads (men, women), so there’s nothing you won’t know about them when you settle down in front of your TV.
In Gaelic games, Seán Moran reflects on Clare’s journey to that fifth All Ireland triumph, although the focus is now shifting to next Sunday’s football final. “I nearly can’t believe we’re talking about football this week,” writes Darragh Ó Sé, reckoning that such was the quality of the hurling final it “should be savoured like good wine.… we should be reliving it for days, talking about every last bit of it until the cows come home. But no, we’re on to the football final straight away.”
Reluctantly enough, then, he switches his attention to Galway v Armagh, but the prospect of the meeting excites him, not least because he doesn’t believe there’ll be much between the sides, both more than capable of winning it.
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We hear from both camps ahead of the game, Gordon Manning talking to “Armagh lifer” Ciarán McKeever – “from player to captain, from minor manager to senior coach ... few have given as much to the cause” - while John Fallon gets the thoughts of Galway selector John Concannon.
Gavin Cummiskey, meanwhile, reports on Shamrock Rovers’ 2-0 defeat by Sparta Prague in Tuesday’s Champions League qualifier in Tallaght, next week’s second leg now having the look of a dead rubber. There’ll be a consolation prize, though, should they get knocked out in the shape of a place in the third round of the Europa League qualifiers.
TV Watch: Ireland’s men get their rugby Sevens Olympic campaign under way today with games against South Africa (4.30) and Japan (8.0) – both on RTÉ 2 and Eurosport.
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