Proof that beating the ‘shower from over the road’ still means something

Rumours of the demise of the provincial championships? Well, as Malachy Clerkin tells us, “for a phenomenon we keep being told is a dead duck, they have done some amount of quacking in recent years”. “Riotous underdog victories” by Leitrim, Roscommon (twice), Monaghan, Down and Westmeath (twice) have proved that “beating the shower from over the road still means something”.

It certainly did in Dr Hyde Park last Sunday when Roscommon won their first Connacht crown since 2019. And Stephen Rochford believes if they maintain the form they produced against Galway, starting in their first round championship game against Tyrone, then they will “need to enter the All-Ireland discussion”.

Roscommon’s memorable day features in our crew’s ‘What we learned from the GAA weekend’ - as does Kerry’s strength in depth, homegrown managers dominating football’s provincial championships and, in hurling, Waterford getting stuck in limbo in Munster, and the ageless Liam Rushe having a blinder for Dublin against Wexford.

Adam McCann-Gibbs has left his GAA weekends behind him for now, the former Down minor footballer set to make his college football debut in August for the University of North Carolina at, of all places, the Aviva Stadium. Michael Scully talks to the 18-year-old who is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Charlie Smyth.

Gerry Thornley: Repeating top-eight URC feat would be an even bigger outcome for Irish game

Stephen Rochford: If Roscommon beat Tyrone, they’ll be All-Ireland contenders on merit

Nicky English: Cork get expected win but in unexpected circumstances

In rugby, Gerry Thornley looks ahead to what could be “a fairly fraught final round of the United Rugby Championship”. And if the results fall favourably, all four Irish provinces could finish in the top eight, which would be a “remarkable achievement”.

In his Whistleblower column, Owen Doyle gives his verdict on the officiating in last weekend’s URC games. And he invites Ulster fans who were incensed by the decision to award a late penalty try to the Stormers, that resulted in a 38-38 draw, to “reconsider”.

Ireland’s women, meanwhile, are limbering up for Sunday’s meeting with Scotland at the Aviva Stadium in the final game of their Six Nations campaign. Johnny Watterson talks to captain Erin King about the first stand-alone game the team will have played at the venue.

In golf, Philip Reid picks out five to watch at this week’s US PGA Championship, among them Shane Lowry whose game is well suited to the course at Pennsylvania’s Aronimink Golf Club. Rory McIlroy will, need it be said, be worth a watch too - so long as the blister on his pinky toe heals up and he sorts out “a left miss” that has crept into his swing.

And in racing, Brian O’Connor reports on Aidan O’Brien’s hopes of yet another Classic success in Saturday’s Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, The Lion In Winter with a lucrative first Group One triumph in his sights.

TV Watch: It’s stage four at cycling’s Giro d’Italia today, TNT Sports 1’s coverage starting at noon, and at 8pm this evening, Southampton and Middlesbrough meet in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final, the first ending scoreless (Sky Sports Football). Hull City await them in the final, the prize a slot in the Premier League.