Heimir Hallgrímsson had admitted that he was concerned about the reception his players might receive at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday evening. “He need not have worried,” writes Gavin Cooney, “for all the fraught forecasts and queasy concerns” in advance of the game, the focus was firmly on football. And while the surrendering of a two-goal lead saw the occasion end in frustration, the crowd were at least treated to “as close to a perfect goal as you will see”, as Ken Early describes Troy Parrott’s opener.
Parrott is having “the season of his dreams”, says Gavin Cummiskey in his match report, his two goals against Austria bringing his tally to nine in his last six competitive caps. Hallgrímsson was left purring over that first goal, but exasperated by the game ending in a draw. He put that down to fatigue. “This week has not only been difficult physically, but it has been mentally difficult as well.
In rugby, Gerry Thornley gives his thoughts on the news that Ian Flanagan is to step down as the chief executive of Munster Rugby, a development that he says “is not the least bit surprising” following a review in to the governance of the province.
John O’Sullivan rounds up the team news from all four provinces ahead of the second round of URC games, Ciarán Frawley set to make his debut for Connacht against Benetton this evening. Gerry previews that game, Connacht in need of a win after losing their opening URC fixture.
Leinster suffered the same fate in round one, Leo Cullen looking for an improvement against the Sharks tomorrow. He could do with Jordan Larmour regaining fitness, but it’ll be a couple of weeks yet before he returns to action after his latest injury. John talks to the winger, who is currently rehabbing a calf strain that he picked up in preseason training.
And ahead of Ireland’s second game against Japan in a week, Michael Scully hears from Jemima Adams Verling, the 20-year-old backrow who broken in to the side at the start of the international window.
In Gaelic games, Gordon Manning looks at the impact Éamonn Fitzmaurice might have for Galway now that he’s been appointed manager, his “end-goal leading the county to a first Sam Maguire title since 2001”.
And in racing, Brian O’Connor turns his thoughts to “the growing bang of irrelevance about betting shops” – there were close on 1,400 of them in Ireland in 2008, that number down to 684 at the end of last year.
TV Watch: Connacht are away to Benetton in the URC this evening (TG4 and Premier Sports 1, 7.45pm), and at the same time you can choose from France v Italy (Virgin Media Two) and Ukraine v Northern Ireland (BBC 2) in the Nations League.
