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GAA Qualifiers – Armagh v Tyrone – Preview, Stats, and Starting Teams

GAA Qualifiers – Armagh v Tyrone – Preview, Stats, and Starting Teams, they meet in the championship for the first time since 2017.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE GAA SCORES ON ARMAGH V TYRONE

In 2017 Tyrone won an All-Ireland quarter-final by 18 points against Armagh.

Their most recent clash was in this year’s Allianz League when Armagh won by 2-14 to 0-14 in the Athletic Grounds in February.

They have met 44 times in the championship, with Armagh winning 21 to Tyrone’s 17. There were five draws and one game was abandoned.

Tyrone have an exceptional record in the qualifiers, winning 31, drawing one, and losing only four of their 36 games. In addition, they won the 2005 and 2008 All-Ireland titles, via the qualifiers. They also reached 2017 final by the same route. Ironically, one of

Tyrone’s four qualifier defeats came against Armagh, losing a second-round tie by three points in Omagh in 2014. Tyrone’s other qualifier defeats were against Sligo in 2002, Laois in 2006 and Kerry in 2012.

Armagh have also played 36 qualifiers, winning 23, drawing one and losing 12. They reached the 2003 All-Ireland final, via the qualifiers, where they lost to Tyrone.

Season so far
Armagh: 3rd Division 1; Ulster SFC: Lost to Donegal by seven points.

Tyrone: 5th Division 1: Ulster SFC: Beat Fermanagh by seven points; Lost to Derry by 11 points.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
2017: Tyrone 3-17 Armagh 0-8 (All-Ireland quarter-final) 2014: Armagh 0-13 Tyrone 0-10 (All-Ireland Qualifiers)
2012: Tyrone 0-19 Armagh 1-13 (Ulster quarter-final)
2011: Tyrone 2-13 Armagh 0-13 (All-Ireland Round 3 qualifier) 2009: Tyrone 2-10 Armagh 1-10 (Ulster quarter-final)

Starting Teams

Due to be announced on Friday evening.

Tailteann Cup – Fermanagh v Cavan – Preview, Stats, and Starting Teams

Tailteann Cup – Fermanagh v Cavan – Preview, Stats, and Starting Teams. This will be their first championship meetings for nine years.

Click here for live scores on Fermanagh v Cavan

They met twice in 2013, with Cavan winning both Ulster and All-Ireland qualifier ties.

It’s 7-2 in wins to Cavan, with one draw, in ten championship meetings with Fermanagh over the last 40 years.

Their last competitive clash was in last year’s Allianz League when Fermanagh won by a point (Div 3)

Season so far

Cavan: Winners Allianz League Div 4 (promoted); Ulster SFC: Beat Antrim by ten points; lost to Donegal by six points. Tailteann Cup: Cavan 0-24 Down 1-12

Fermanagh: 5th Division 3; Ulster SFC: Lost to Tyrone by seven points; Tailteann Cup: Fermanagh 1-12 Longford 0-12.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
2013: Cavan 1-14 Fermanagh 0-10 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
2013: Cavan 0-13 Fermanagh 0-11 (Ulster quarter-final)
2012: Cavan 3-13 Fermanagh 0-15 (All-Ireland Qualifiers – Round 1) 2010: Fermanagh 1-13 Cavan 0-13 (Ulster quarter-final)
2009: Cavan 0-13 Fermanagh 1-9 (Ulster quarter-final)

United Rugby Quarter-Final – Ulster v Munster – Preview, Match Stats & TV Coverage

ULSTER RUGBY v MUNSTER RUGBY At Kingspan Stadium, Belfast, Live on TG4 at 7.35pm. Referee: Jaco Peyper – Preview, Match Stats.

Overall URC head-to-head record:

Played 41, Ulster won 17, Munster won 22, with 2 matches drawn.

Match Facts 

1) Ulster Rugby have won their last two United Rugby Championship fixtures since losing to today’s opponents, Munster, at Kingspan Stadium on 22 April. This is Ulster’s only home defeat in the Championship this season.

2) Kingspan Stadium has hosted three previous play-off matches in the United Rugby Championship with Ulster winning all three, against Neath in the 2001 quarter-final, Scarlets in the 2013 semi-final and Connacht in the 2019 European Cup play-off fixture.

3) Munster Rugby have won only three of their last seven United Rugby Championship encounters, with two of those being in Cork.

4) The Munstermen have won only once away from home in any competition since late January, on their visit to Ulster in Round 16.

5) Munster have lost all seven away games they have played in the play-off stage of the United Rugby Championship.

6) Munster have won their last three matches against Ulster since the Ulstermen’s 15-10 victory in Belfast on 2 January 2021.

7) The two rivals have met just twice before in United Rugby Championship play-of competition, both semi-finals, in 2001 and 2003 with Munster victors on both occasions, 15-9 at Landsdown Road and 42-10 at Thomond Park respectively.

TEAM NEWS HEADLINES

#ULSvMUN

  • John Cooney will make his 100th appearance for Ulster, as he has been named to start at scrum-half
  • Stephen Archer will make his 248th appearances for Munster with Peter O’Mahony returning to captain the side

FRIDAY, JUNE 3

Ulster v Munster

Kingspan Stadium, Belfast – KO 19.35  IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA

Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU, 10th league game)

AR 1: Hollie Davidson (SRU) AR 2: Ben Blain (SRU)

TMO: Marius van der Westhuisen (SARU)

Live on: Premier Sports, TG4, SuperSport & URC TV

Ulster: Stewart Moore, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, John Cooney, Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (CAPT), Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen

Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Gareth Milasinovich, Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Nathan Doak, Ian Madigan, Ben Moxham

Munster: Mike Haley, Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Keith Earls, Joey Carbery, Conor Murray, Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Peter O’Mahony (CAPT), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Jason Jenkins, Thomas Ahern, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Chris Cloete

Tailteann Cup – Carlow v Westmeath – Preview, Stats, and Starting Teams

Tailteann Cup – Carlow v Westmeath – Preview, Stats, and Starting Teams. They meet in the championship for the first time since 2013.

In 2013 Westmeath won a Leinster first-round tie by 11 points in Mullingar.

Carlow’s last championship win over Westmeath was in 1985. They have lost six times since then.

The last Allianz League game between them was in 2019 when the sides drew in a Division 3 clash.

Season so far

Carlow: 7th Division 4; Leinster SFC: Lost to Louth by 15 points; Tailteann Cup: Carlow 1-12 Tipperary 1-10.

Westmeath: 3rd Division 3; Leinster SFC: Beat Longford by eight points; Lost to Kildare by three points; Tailteann Cup: Westmeath 1- 13 Laois 0-13.

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2013: Westmeath 3-15 Carlow 1-10 (Leinster SFC) 2003: Westmeath 1-17 Carlow 1-12 (Leinster SFC) 2002: Westmeath 1-14 Carlow 0-10 (Leinster SFC) 1999: Westmeath 2-10 Carlow 1-8 (Leinster SFC) 1998: Westmeath 1-18 Carlow 2-5 (Leinster SFC)

Starting Teams 

Due to be annoucned on Friday evening

 

Tailteann Cup – Leitrim v Sligo – Preview, Stats, and Starting Teams

Tailteann Cup – Leitrim v Sligo – Preview, Stats, and Starting Teams, they may be close neighbours but their championship paths haven’t crossed very often in recent times.

Click here for Live scores on Leitrim v Sligo

In fact, this will be their first championship clash since 2016 when they met in an All-Ireland qualifier.

This will be only their sixth championship meeting in the last 30 years.

Remarkable sequence – is it Leitrim’s turn? If the pattern of the last seven championship games between them continues, Leitrim will take their place in the semi-final as Sligo won in 2016. There have been eight championship games between them since 1985, with each winning every second game.

Sligo beat Leitrim by six points in Markievicz Park in this year’s Allianz League (Div 4)

Season so far:

Leitrim: 4th Division 4; Connacht SFC: Beat London by four points; lost to Galway by 23 points. Tailteann Cup: Leitrim 2-14 Antrim 1-12.

Sligo: 3rd Division 4; Connacht SFC: Beat New York by four points; lost to Roscommon by 12 points; Tailteann Cup: Sligo 3-15 London 2-16 (aet).

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS

2016: Sligo 2-15 Leitrim 1-10 (All-Ireland qualifiers)

2011: Leitrim 1-10 Sligo 0-10 (Connacht quarter-final)

2006: Sligo 1-7 Leitrim 0-9 (All-Ireland qualifiers)

2005: Leitrim 1-11 Sligo 0-9 (Connacht quarter-final)

2002: Sligo 2-13 Leitrim 2-4 (Connacht semi-final)

Starting Teams

Due to be announced on Friday evening

Tips On How To Know Which Horse Will Win The Race

Do you have difficulty picking horses to win a race? Have you been losing bets on horse racing? If the odds have never been in your favor, it’s necessary to review your approach.

While placing a bet on a horse race, you need to analyze the races from different angles. Putting various strategic pieces together will enable you to get the entire picture of the race. This tvg guide to the belmont may help you understand it better.

Knowing the fastest horse is not all that you should do. You’ll have to consider certain factors to understand how each horse will perform in the race. Below are some tips to help you know which horse wins the race.

Do Not Just Bet On Your Favorite

Betting on a horse race is a puzzle because it’s an unpredictable activity. Based on statistics, the favorite horses come first, about 30% in races. It means that staking all your money on your favorite will give you fewer chances of winning.

The secret here is to look for the horse that offers more value than the one that’s likely to win. You will need to do your study before picking your selections. The more comprehensive the research, the easier and more enjoyable betting will be for you—knowledge, they say, is Power!  

Understand The Sign Of A Confident Horse

Understanding the signs of a confident horse is not something one can do while sitting at home and watching the races on TV. Being present at the event will make you pay more attention to the pre-race attitude of the horses and know how they are reacting. For example, a fretting, jittery horse will show a poor performance than a confident and calm close runner with a fine shiny coat.

Knowing The Trainers

The horse’s trainer is as important as the horse you are choosing. You would be surprised if the stable winners per month were broken down; you will see these winning patterns repeat themselves. For instance, Donald McClain frequently wins at Bangor, while Nicky Henderson frequently wins at Newbury.

Trainers tend to have different records on different lanes. Those who have won before will know just what to do to win again, while some will be experienced in preparing runners for specific courses.

Looking into trainers’ statistics will help you know more about a horse and its trainer. Poor trainer records in certain courses will inform you not to bet on that race as it does not offer value for money.

Knowing Your Jockey

Getting a massive amount of betting insight and understanding horses to win a race means getting to know the racehorse Jockey is essential. As trainers are good with various courses, jockeys have their favorite positions. Ryan Moore’s favorite position is Ascot, while Ruby Walsh has been the leading Jockey at Cheltenham numerous times.

Are you wondering why jockeys do well at specific positions? Here it is, trainers are more likely to pair the strongest horse with the best riders. It’s crucial to learn and understand trainer combinations and specific jockeys. Sometimes, in contests, trainers tend to field more than a runner. Knowing who the stable Jockey is will help you know which horse is the leading hope of the yard.

Consider The Distance

Another crucial factor to consider in deducing a winner is the distance of the race. It’s necessary to pay attention to closers that stretch out and front runners that shorten up in the distance. On flat and over obstacles, horses tend to limit how long they can race before losing stamina. Selecting a horse with tested strength can significantly benefit you.

Understand Horse Racing Terminologies

Compared to other sports globally, horse racing has tons of terminologies and phrases one needs to understand to get a smooth betting journey. Some of which are listed below:

Good Rating Figures: If you can spot a horse that enjoyed and raced its best in the last race, it could be easy to know the winner of the next.

Race Comments: This perception can be considered invaluable. If you are searching online, try looking for horses that are said “quickened” or “it ran on well,” then you will find a young horse (colt or filly) in fine shape.

Change In Class: Trainers sometimes may decide to put weaker horses in some high-class races hoping for a miracle. So when considering a runner with a good record, check its opposition’s quality.

Conclusion

Betting on horse racing is fun and mind-bending at the same time. For beginners, to get the best from horse betting, you’ll have to take time to learn and understand how the horse race event works. You should also know how to compare racehorses’ forms.

Also, applying the techniques mentioned above should allow you to earn more in upcoming horse racing events.

William O’Connor & Steve Lennon Ireland pair at World Cup of Darts

The 32 two-player pairings for the 2022 Cazoo World Cup of Darts have been confirmed ahead of June’s tournament in Germany with William O’Connor & Steve Lennon representing Ireland. 

Taking place at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt from June 16-19, the 12th staging of the World Cup will see two-player teams representing their countries across four days in a combination of Doubles and Singles matches.

 

While many nations had already confirmed their two-player line-ups through various qualification events and criteria, nations whose players qualify via the PDC Order of Merit saw their line-ups confirmed on Monday May 30.

The 2021 event saw Peter Wright and John Henderson claim a second World Cup title for Scotland, with the duo set to defend their title this summer.

Four-time champions England and Netherlands will both be represented by new-look pairings.

Michael Smith and James Wade will line-up for England, while Danny Noppert and Dirk van Duijvenbode will team up for the Netherlands, with Michael van Gerwen missing the tournament due to arm surgery.

Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton will reunite for a fifth consecutive year to form the partnership which saw the trophy head to Wales in 2020.

Last year’s runners-up Mensur Suljovic and Rowby-John Rodriguez will join forces once again, while Dimitri Van den Bergh and Kim Huybrechts will bring passion to the stage for Belgium.

2019 runners-up Republic of Ireland will once again be represented by William O’Connor and Steve Lennon.

Damon Heta and Simon Whitlock will look to take the trophy home to Australia for the first time, as will Daryl Gurney and Brendan Dolan for Northern Ireland.

Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler are sure to receive vocal backing from the German-dominant crowd in Frankfurt.

Daniel Larsson’s run at the Jack’s Dutch Darts Championship last weekend in Zwolle saw him secure a place in the Sweden side to partner Johan Engstrom, with Dennis Nilsson missing out on qualification.

2022 Cazoo World Cup of Darts
Competing Nations & Pairings
Australia – Damon Heta & Simon Whitlock
Austria – Mensur Suljovic & Rowby-John Rodriguez
Belgium – Dimitri Van den Bergh & Kim Huybrechts
Brazil – Diogo Portela & Artur Valle
Canada – Jeff Smith & Matt Campbell
Czech Republic – Adam Gawlas & Karel Sedlacek
Denmark – Vladimir Andersen & Andreas Toft Jörgensen
England – Michael Smith & James Wade
Finland – Marko Kantele & Aki Paavilainen
Germany – Gabriel Clemens & Martin Schindler
Gibraltar – Justin Hewitt & Craig Galliano
Hong Kong – Lok Yin Lee & Ho Tung Ching
Hungary – Nándor Prés & Gergely Lakatos
Italy – Guiseppe Di Rocco & Gabriel Rollo
Japan – Tomoyo Goto & Toru Suzuki
Latvia – Madars Razma & Nauris Gleglu
Lithiuania – Darius Labanauskas & Mindaugas Barauskas
Netherlands – Danny Noppert & Dirk van Duijvenbode
New Zealand – Ben Robb & Warren Parry
Northern Ireland – Daryl Gurney & Brendan Dolan
Philippines – Lourence Ilagan & RJ Escaros
Poland – Krzysztof Ratajski & Sebastian Bialecki
Portugal – Jose de Sousa & Vítor Jerónimo
Republic of Ireland – William O’Connor & Steve Lennon
Scotland – Peter Wright & John Henderson
Singapore – Paul Lim & Harith Lim
South Africa – Devon Petersen & Stefan Vermaak
Spain – Jose Justicia & Tony Martinez
Sweden – Daniel Larsson & Johan Engstrom
Switzerland – Stefan Bellmont & Thomas Junghans
USA – Danny Baggish & Jules van Dongen
Wales – Gerwyn Price & Jonny Clayton

Five South African sides in next season’s European Rugby competitions

EPCR has confirmed that the five leading clubs from South Africa will compete in the Heineken Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup from the 2022/23 season and beyond.

The Stormers, Bulls, Sharks and Lions, who have qualified from the United Rugby Championship (URC), will join Europe’s top clubs in the competition.

In addition to the four qualifiers from the URC, the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs have been invited to participate in the 2022/23 EPCR Challenge Cup.

Leinster Rugby, Ulster Rugby, Munster Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby, the Ospreys, the Cape Town-based Stormers, the Bulls from Pretoria and the Durban-based Sharks will compete in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup following impressive campaigns in the URC.

The Lions from Johannesburg and the Cheetahs will represent South Africa in the EPCR Challenge Cup.

The formats for next season’s Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup will be announced shortly, in conjunction with details of the Pool Draws for both tournaments which will be staged towards the end of the month.

SARU Chief Executive, Jurie Roux, said:

“Our five franchise teams will now play in two new territories against opponents we’ve never played before. We’ve already experienced the intensity of the URC, and now we’ll also face the top clubs from England and France. We would like to thank all stakeholders who have been involved in the negotiation process – the Board and staff of EPCR, the URC, Premiership Rugby and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby.

During the 2022/23 season, EPCR will continue to be supported by Heineken as the title partner of the Heineken Champions Cup, as well as by EPCR’s Official Logistics Partner DHL and Official Hotels Partner IHG Hotels & Resorts amongst others, with future exciting partner announcements expected in the near future.

The 2023 Finals weekend is scheduled for Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May.

Sarah Healy breaks Sonia O’Sullivan’s U23 National 1500m record

Sarah Healy seen competing in the U23 Women's final during the SPAR European Cross Country Championships Fingal-Dublin 2021 at the Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin. Credit: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile. Photo provided by Athletics Ireland.

Sarah Healy broke the U23 National 1500m record at the World Athletics Continental Tour gold meeting in Ostrava this week.

The UCD AC athlete set a new time of 4:02.86 after an incredible performance in the Czech Republic.

Healy’s time takes three seconds of the previous record set by Olympian Sonia O’Sullivan who set the record in 1991.

The 21-year-old Healy now moves to fourth on the Irish all-time list behind O’Sullivan, Ciara Mageean and Geraldine Hendricken.

So far this season Healy has broken three U23 Distance Records. Earlier this year during her impressive indoor season Healy set new 1500m (4:06.94) and 3,000m (8:53.67) records.

Belmont Stakes Horses: Essential Quality

The Belmont Stakes is one of the most significant events that occurs every year. This is because it takes place on the dirt track at Belmont Park, which is North America’s longest thoroughbred racing track. It is always exciting to see who will be the next champion to come out on top. Take a look at the latest tvg odds for the belmont stakes for more detail. 

 

Because of this, the Belmont Stakes has seen many champion thoroughbreds competing in this grueling event. One of these high achieving thoroughbreds is Essential Quality, who made headlines during the 2021 Belmont Stakes. 

 

This is a look into Essential Quality’s career highs as a race horse who maintained a reputation for his stamina, power, and enthusiasm during his career. 

Starting Position

Firstly, Essential Quality entered the 2021 Belmont Stakes with odds at 2-1 after drawing the position at number two. The thoroughbred was a Breeder’s Cup Juvenile winner the previous year, and widely regarded as a champion racer. 

 

Essential Quality began the 2021 season at the Belmont Stakes, and did not leave much to the imagination. The stunning gray colt gained momentum around the backstretch and did not stop until he finished on top of the podium. 

 

Although he did not appear in that year’s Kentucky Derby or Preakness Stakes, Essential Quality certainly made light work of the final Triple Crown event. He made the test of champions appear effortless, and demonstrated his determination at Belmont Park in 2021. 

 

At the end of the 2021 Belmont Stakes, Essential Quality’s odds had changed to 1.30. Despite finishing fourth during the Kentucky Derby previously that year, Essential Quality had a reputation to defend as one of the highest achieving colts of his time. 

Luis Saez

Having won his first Triple Crown event with Essential Quality in 2020, Luis Saez knew that the gray colt was going to achieve great things under his guidance. The two made an excellent team, and certainly did not disappoint in the 2021 Belmont Stakes. 

 

Thanks to his achievements with Essential Quality during his prime, Saez became the third-highest ranked jockey in North America in 2020 for total wins, and for amount earned. The pair worked well together, and proved their ability as high achievers during the 2021 Belmont Stakes. 

 

Saez made some of his main American thoroughbred racing accomplishments with Essential Quality. He understood the colt’s need to win, and used his competitive nature to his advantage. It is the mutual understanding that made the pair so unique as well as successful. They achieved a great deal together, and certainly deserve more recognition. 

Awards And Records

Despite Essential Quality failing to break any records at the Belmont Stakes, he has achieved a huge amount of success as a thoroughbred racer. Essential Quality also earned the Eclipse Award following his 2020 Breeder’s Cup Juvenile win. As a result, the thoroughbred racer was named that year’s American champion two-year-old colt. 

 

Following the huge success of the pair, they went on to appear in the Jim Dandy Stakes, Travers Stakes, and Breeder’s Cup Classic in the same year. The thoroughbred won all of these races, apart from the Breeder’s Cup, where he lost by a neck. 

 

However, many feel that it is Essential Quality’s performance at the Belmont Stakes that contributed to his recognition during the Eclipse Awards. Essential Quality was named the 2021 American Champion Three-Year-Old Male. 

 

Following the success of the 2021 Belmont Stakes, Essential Quality earned an impressive $800,000. That is 53.3% of the total purse for the annual event. Not only that, but Essential Quality finished the race around the track at Belmont Park in 2:27.11, which is three seconds behind 1973 champion Secretariat. 

Rivals

Hot Rod Charlie was on track for a Belmont Stakes win in 2021. This can be seen by his setting the record for the fastest fraction on the initial quarter-mile. In spite of an impressively strong start, Essential Quality sped through the track and showed his potential as a Belmont Stakes winner. 

 

It was a tough fight until the end, with Essential Quality winning by just 1 ¼ lengths! Saez stated in an interview that the thoroughbred always fights, and is determined to win against others. This was certainly evident at the end of this event, as Essential Quality completed the race at Belmont Park in 2:27.11.  

 

Despite competing against some high achieving winners of previous Triple Crown events, Essential Quality won the run for the carnations in 2021. 

 

Another significant rivalry which was not seen at the 2021 Belmont Stakes was between Essential Quality and Midnight Bourbon. Their close competition could be seen during the Travers Stakes, where the pair battled it out for the gray colt to finish in first place by a neck. 

Summary

The Belmont Stakes have seen a huge amount of thoroughbred champions with their own unique talents. Some went on to set new records for the event, and others kept a tense competition until the final stretch. 

 

Essential Quality achieved a huge amount of success during his career as a colt, and he played an important role in getting crowds excited at Belmont Park. 

 

The gray thoroughbred performed exceptionally well under the direction of Luis Saez, and the pair went on to win multiple races following their 2021 Belmont Stakes success. Check out the link above to look out for the next high achieving duo.