Ward and Ireland hoping to finally take flight against Belgium

It’s been a mixed bag of a reign so far for Carla Ward, but she’s about to face in to the most important games of her tenure as Republic of Ireland manager. Belgium are her side’s opponents in their Nations League promotion/relegation play-off, starting with the first leg at the Aviva Stadium this evening. Captain Katie McCabe is set to win her 99th cap, edging her ever closer to the landmark she’s long since dreamt of reaching.

Our columnist Karen Duggan is nervous about this challenge, though, having largely been unimpressed by Ireland’s form under Ward thus far. But Belgium are an inconsistent crew, so she’s clinging to the hope that “maybe this will be where this Irish team takes off”.

There was no joy for our clubs in European action on Friday, Gavin Cummiskey in Tallaght to see Shamrock Rovers beaten 2-0 by Slovenia’s NK Celje in the Conference League, while a cruel 90th minute own goal saw Shelbourne lose 1-0 away to North Macedonians Shkëndija in the same competition.

Also in football, Johnny Watterson writes about how a variety of Westminster politicians “interfered with, exacerbated, and inflamed” what was a sensitive policing matter in Birmingham regarding the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from their upcoming game against Aston Villa.

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In rugby, Clayton McMillan is, naturally, throwing his weight behind Jack Crowley starting in the number 10 shirt against New Zealand in Chicago on Saturday week, Gerry Thornley hearing from the Munster head coach. And Gerry also talks to Jack Conan about that game, the Leinster man confident Ireland can put it up to the All Blacks despite some rustiness.

In Gaelic games, Seán Moran hears Jack O’Connor reflect on a memorable year for his Kerry team, one that “seemed to mean a bit more to Kerry people than some of the others”. And Seán also looks ahead to the hurling international rules meeting of Ireland and Scotland in Inverness at the weekend.

In athletics, Ian O’Riordan has news that national champion Hiko Tonosa is a late addition to Sunday’s Dublin Marathon, an event that Sonia O’Sullivan believes needs a bigger prize purse if it is going to attract more of the best Irish athletes.

Nathan Johns, meanwhile, has news of Sarah Keane being appointed as the new chief executive of Cricket Ireland, making the former president of the Olympic Council of Ireland the first woman to hold that position in an ICC Full Member nation.

And in racing, envious eyes are being cast in the direction of the United States where “the orange grotesque in the White House”, aka The Donald, has transformed the sport by awarding a tax break that means 100 per cent of a thoroughbred purchase can be written off in the first year of ownership. Brian O’Connor tells you all about it.

TV Watch: TNT Sports 3 has more coverage from the UCI Track World Championships from 3.30pm this afternoon, and at 7pm the Republic of Ireland’s women take on Belgium in the first leg of their Nations League play-off at the Aviva Stadium (RTÉ 2).