“Orange in Clones. Maroon and white in Croke Park,” Sunday was a tale of two provinces. Armagh won their first Ulster football title since 2008, Westmeath took only the second Leinster crown in their history, both games going to extra-time. Seán Moran and Gordon Manning round up a memorable day for both counties, Monaghan and the Dubs left licking their wounds – but their summers aren’t done yet.
Tipperary’s summer is, though, almost done, the All-Ireland hurling champions, writes Denis Walsh, “left in a lifeless heap” by Clare at Semple Stadium. Nicky English reflects on that game, and the rest of the weekend’s hurling action, including victories for Limerick, Kilkenny, Offaly and Dublin over Waterford, Kildare, Wexford and Galway, respectively.
Two late goals helped Dublin’s women over the line against Kildare in their Leinster football final, making it an eye-watering 13 titles in a row. The big guns are still to get their camogie championship campaigns under way, but already the sport has found itself in hot water – yet again – with the rescheduling of two provincial finals without the players being consulted. The skorts controversy proved the players have power, writes Denis, it’s now time to use it.
In rugby, John O’Sullivan reports on Ireland putting Scotland to the sword on a historic day for the women’s game, a crowd of 31,294 turning up at the Aviva Stadium for their first stand-alone fixture there. Captain Erin King hailed a very special day.
Let’s talk about the GAA and a dangerously stupid culture of violence
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John also rounds up the weekend’s URC games, Leinster, Connacht and Munster all progressing to the quarter-finals of the competition, but Ulster missing out after their defeat by Glasgow Warriors.
In football, Jack Moylan marked his Irish debut in style with a hat-trick against Grenada in Saturday’s friendly, Gavin Cummiskey reporting on the game. Gavin also has news of call-ups for teenagers Mason Melia and Jaden Umeh for upcoming games against Qatar and Canada.
And Ken Early looks back on a remarkable season for Celtic, in to which they crammed no end of chaos. But with “the unimaginably corny twist of the legend coming out of retirement to save the season”, they managed to pip Hearts to the title. Martin O’Neill’s success is “one of the most interesting things to happen in football this year”.
In golf, “a brilliantly constructed final round of 65” saw England’s Aaron Rai triumph at the US PGA Championship, Philip Reid rounding up a day that saw Rory McIlroy fail to fire. Pádraig Harrington, though, had a fine outing, his top 20 placing his best in a major since 2021.
In athletics, Mark English became just the fourth Irish athlete and the first Irish man to win a Diamond League race when he produced an exceptional run in the 800m in Shanghai, and in racing, Brian O’Connor reports on the launching of an investigation in to the 53-minute delay to the start of racing at Navan on Saturday.
TV Watch: Loving neighbours Kerry and Cork square up in the Munster minor football final this evening (TG4, 7.35pm), and at 8pm, Arsenal can nudge themselves in the direction of the Premier League title if they beat already-relegated Burnley at home (Sky Sports Premier League).
