After what proved to be a bruising weekend on the URC front, a few more names have been added to Ireland’s already lengthy injury list, Mack Hansen among them after he left the Dexcom Stadium in a moon boot on Friday. John O’Sullivan updates you on the walking wounded and who’s in danger of missing Saturday week’s Test match against New Zealand in Chicago.
Johnny Watterson was at Croke Park to see Munster hand out a hiding to Leinster, their first win over their old pals in two years. “Flawed decision-making, inaccuracy in execution, careless offloads and passes” led, writes John, to Leinster’s downfall, Munster’s defence the star of the show, with Tadhg Beirne having “a stunning game”.
Leo Cullen admitted that Leinster aren’t “battle-hardened” just yet, while a mightily content Clayton McMillan saluted his Munster side for succeeding in being “the hunter, not the hunted” in the course of the game. Simon Zebo, on duty for Premier Sports, was well chuffed with the outcome too, Philip Reid noting his “persistent interjections of oohs and aahs and downright chortling” in the commentary box.
There was no chortling in the Liverpool dressing room at Anfield on Sunday after they lost to, of all people, Manchester United. Since their transfer spree in the summer, “they’re like a python with indigestion after swallowing a couple of donkeys,” writes Ken Early, Arne Slot still not sure how his team is supposed to fit together. As for Mo Salah, “not only is he not the future of the team, he’s no longer even the present”.
Back home, a Kelly Brady hat-trick sent Athlone Town on their way to a 3-2 win over Bohemians in the FAI Cup final, thereby sealing the club’s first ever league and cup double.
In Gaelic games, it was a frantically busy weekend on the club front, Seán Moran at Parnell Park to witness Ballyboden St Enda’s beat Na Fianna in the Dublin football final, Newbridge and Kilcoo collecting the Derry and Down titles, but Ballina Stephenites and Westport having to do it all over again after they drew the Mayo final.
In hurling, Denis Walsh was in Páirc Uí Chaoimh where Sarsfields were comfortable enough winners over Midleton in the Cork decider, while Na Piarsaigh are the Limerick champions for a ninth time after beating Doon by seven points.
Denis also found the time to turn his thoughts to next year’s Enhanced Games, where athletes will be permitted to take performance enhancing drugs. It is, he writes, “an abomination on every level”, but are we really opposed to cheating in sport? Like, say, did you bemoan Thierry Henry’s handball but cheer Diego Maradona’s? (No comment).
TV Watch: TG4 have the highlights from a lively GAA club weekend at 8.0, and at the same time West Ham kick off against Brentford in the Premier League (Sky Sports).
