The way things have been going for the Dubs of late, Stephen Rochford is struggling to see them having a long summer ahead. Their defeat by Louth last Sunday underlined the notion that their opponents aren’t fearing them too much any more, and that meagre enough crowd of 16,160 at Croke Park suggests the faithful are, well, losing faith. Is it time to switch their home games – however many they might have left – to Parnell Park? They will be away to Cavan anyway for their next one.
Gordon Manning picks up on that theme in his reflection on the weekend’s games. “Are we nearing an era when Dublin might return to Donnycarney for some fixtures,” he asks. Mind you, whichever venue they choose, playing at home hasn’t proved to be too advantageous in this championship, almost two thirds of the games thus far won by the away teams.
In ‘What we learned from the GAA weekend’, our reporters pick out Dublin’s stony silence after that defeat by Louth, Aidan O’Shea hitting the century mark in appearances for Mayo, competition for places fuelling Armagh, gifted youth giving Cavan hope for the future and Clare’s under-20 All Ireland hurling triumph putting a pep in their step.
If you’re looking for news on this morning’s draw for the second round of the All-Ireland SFC series, David Gorman has you covered – need it be said, there are some tasty pairings in there.
Confused by the new format for the All-Ireland football championship? Here’s how it works
Dublin’s silence sounded like thunder after latest defeat: What we learned from the GAA weekend
Meddling with the hurling championship to soothe weaker teams misses the point entirely
What Irish rugby can learn from France
In rugby, Jacques Nienaber has cast some doubt on his future as a member of Leo Cullen’s backroom team. Michael Scully heard the South African point to media and fan criticism of his blitz defence system following Leinster’s Champions Cup final defeat – which left him concluding that “people don’t value me here”.
Have Leinster hit their ceiling this season?
Owen Doyle, meanwhile, is living in dread of what tinkering might be done to the game when “the great and the good” of World Rugby convene soon. Australia and New Zealand, in particular, are pushing for the introduction of some “innovations” – needless ones, in Owen’s view, when “the game is in rude health” and “scintillating, competitive rugby is being played”.
The left side of Chelsea’s defence should be in rude health next season – because they’ve just signed Katie McCabe. After almost a decade with Arsenal, the Irish captain has signed a three year deal with their London rivals, Carla Ward saluting her as “the best left-back in the world”.
Ward is preparing her side for Friday’s World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, followed by a trip to Grenoble next Tuesday for their meeting with France. She’ll be without the suspended Denise O’Sullivan and Emily Murphy for the game in Cork, both “huge losses”, she admits. Gavin Cummiskey reports.
In golf, Philip Reid looks ahead to this week’s US Open in Los Angeles where two Irish players – Leona Maguire and Olivia Mehaffey – will be in the field. And in racing, Brian O’Connor turns his eye to Saturday’s Epsom Derby when Aidan O’Brien will be seeking an unprecedented four-in-a-row in “British racing’s Blue Riband”.
TV Watch: TNT Sports has more live coverage from the French (tennis) Open through the day, and at 1.15 this afternoon they take us to cycling’s Giro d’Italia where Lara Gillespie will be hell-bent on making up the ground she lost on Monday. And if you’re pining for a bit of football, there are two friendlies on your tellies tonight – Croatia v Belgium (Virgin Media Two, 5pm) and Wales v Ghana (BBC Three and S4C, 7.45pm).
