WOMEN’S FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Republic of Ireland v Australia

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With the start of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign delayed until next month, the focus for the Republic of Ireland Women’s National Team is on Tuesday’s game with Australia.

Ireland were meant to have played Georgia in their opening Group A game last Friday but that was rescheduled until June 2022. So their preparation this week has been centred on the 11th-highest ranked team in women’s football.

Tickets are almost sold out for the game, with a capacity set at 4,000 due to COVID restrictions.

TEAM NEWS
Midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn is ruled out due to a foot injury.

All of the players & staff have tested negative for COVID-19.

QUOTES
Republic of Ireland Manager Vera Pauw
“Australia are officially the ninth-best team in women’s football and recently finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics. We know just how good they are and this opportunity to test ourselves against such a top-class opponent is one that we are ready to make the most of.

“We have never played against Australia at senior level before so this fixture is a first in many ways. Crucially, though, it acts as another chance for us to work together as a group to be in the best position possible for our first 2023 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

“The start to our qualifying campaign has been delayed due to COVID issues in Georgia – where we faced the possibility of travelling without over 20 players – so we now have to look ahead to a double-header in October at home to Sweden and away to Finland. We know how difficult these games will be so that is why this test against Australia is so important to take positives from our performance.”

Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe
“It’s an exciting game, Australia are a top class side and it will be a great test for us. We’ve been playing against a lot of top quality teams of late and they certainly fall into that bracket.

“I know a few of the Australian players from my club, Arsenal, and we’ve been having a laugh talking about the game. But it will be down to business on Tuesday for them and for us because we want to put on a good performance.

“One of the big things about this game is that we can finally have our fans back in Tallaght after so long away due to COVID. We’re fully aware of the need to maintain social distancing and the protocols in place, but there is no doubt that they will make a difference for us – they have always been fully behind us.”

SQUAD LISTS

Republic of Ireland WNT Squad
Goalkeepers: Grace Moloney (Reading), Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Eve Badana (DLR Waves)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham City), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Diane Caldwell (North Carolina Courage), Louise Quinn (Birmingham City), Claire Walsh (Glasgow City), Savannah McCarthy (Galway WFC), Áine O’Gorman (Peamount United), Isibeal Atkinson (Celtic)
Midfielders: Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Jamie Finn (Birmingham City), Ciara Grant (Shelbourne), Niamh Farrelly (Glasgow City), Aoibheann Clancy (Wexford Youths), Jess Ziu (Shelbourne), Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
Forwards: Heather Payne (Florida State University), Rianna Jarrett (London City Lionesses), Amber Barrett (FC Koln), Kyra Carusa (HB Hoge), Clare Shine (Glasgow City), Emily Whelan (Birmingham City), Saoirse Noonan (Shelbourne), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City)

Australia
Goalkeepers: Lydia Williams (Arsenal), Mackenzie Arnold (West Ham United), Teagan Micah (Rosengard)
Defenders: Angela Beard (Fortuna Hjorring), Ellie Carpenter (Lyon), Steph Catley (Arsenal), Charlotte Grant (Rosengard), Emma Checker (Melbourne City), Winonah Heatly (Vaxjo), Alanna Kennedy (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Jenna McCormick (Vittsjo GIK), Jamila Rankin (Brisbane Roar), Tameka Yallop (West Ham United), Kyra Cooney-Cross (Melbourne Victory), Amy Harrison (PSV Eindhoven), Chloe Logarzo (Kansas City), Emily van Egmond (Unattached)
Forwards: Mary Fowler (Montpellier), Emily Gielnik (Aston Villa), Sam Kerr (Chelsea), Hayley Raso (Manchester City), Kyah Simon (Tottenham Hotspur), Remy Siemsen (Sydney FC)

CAPS LIST
Republic of Ireland
Goalkeepers: Grace Moloney (5 Caps / 0 Clean Sheets), Courtney Brosnan (4 Caps / 1 Clean Sheet), Eve Badana (3 Caps / 0 Clean Sheets)
Defenders: Harriet Scott (21 Caps / 0 Goals), Niamh Fahey (94 Caps / 0 Goals), Diane Caldwell (83 Caps / 3 Goals), Louise Quinn (86 Caps / 11 Goals), Claire Walsh (3 Caps / 0 Goals), Savannah McCarthy (5 Caps / 0 Goals), Áine O’Gorman (107 Caps / 13 Goals), Isibeal Atkinson (Celtic)
Midfielders: Denise O’Sullivan (84 Caps / 11 Goals), Jamie Finn (5 Caps / 0 Goals), Ciara Grant (15 Caps / 0 Goals), Niamh Farrelly (3 Caps / 0 Goals), Aoibheann Clancy (0 Caps / 0 Goals), Jess Ziu (4 Caps / 0 Goals), Katie McCabe (52 Caps / 10 Goals)
Forwards: Heather Payne (18 Caps / 1 Goal), Rianna Jarrett (15 Caps / 1 Goal), Amber Barrett (23 Caps / 3 Goals), Kyra Carusa (2 Caps / 0 Goals), Clare Shine (7 Caps / 0 Goals), Emily Whelan (5 Caps / 0 Goals), Saoirse Noonan (0 Caps / 0 Goals), Leanne Kiernan (20 Caps / 4 Goals), Lucy Quinn (0 Caps / 0 Goals)

FAI Set Date For 2021 Women’s Cup Final

The FAI Women’s Cup final is set to be played on Sunday, November 21st, the Irish governing body for association football have announced.

This year’s showpiece event will be held at Tallaght Stadium with kick-off set for 5:30 pm.

While a big crowd is expected on the day, the game will also be broadcast live on RTÉ2.

The semi-finals are set for the week ending October 10th with current Cup holders Peamount United paired with 2018 and 2019 champions Wexford Youths, while Shelbourne will take on Galway WFC.

The four sides earned their spots in this year’s semi-finals after wins over Treaty United, Athlone Town, Cork City and DLR Waves respectively.

Peamount United took down Shelbourne and Wexford in their run to the cup final last year, where they dispatched of Cork City in a six-goal rout to take their second FAI Women’s Cup.

Their victory over Cork ended a decade-long drought in the competition and the side are favourites to retain their crown this season.

Peamount also lead the Women’s National League currently with Shelbourne and Wexford in second and third and Galway in fifth.

Wexford will be looking to get revenge on the holders for their 1-0 semi-final loss last November and move one step closer to winning a third cup in four years.

Shelbourne are searching for their first piece in silverware in four years and will look to end the wait with a win in Tallaght in November.

They face Galway, who won the competition in 2007 under the name Galway Ladies League.

The county league has since become a feeder for Galway WFC, who are still on course for their second FAI Women’s Cup victory.

Shelbourne will host Galway at Tolka Park while Wexford Youths will make the journey to Greenogue to play rivals Peamount United for a spot in the final.

Ulster Lock Treadwell Gives Injury Update And Hails Mikey Kiely

Ulster second-row Kieran Treadwell is taking it day-by-day after picking up a shoulder injury ahead of the upcoming inaugural United Rugby Championship.

The competition involves all 12 teams that took part in the Pro14 last season, as well as four South African sides – the Bulls, Stormers, Sharks and Lions.

All four sides were set to get a taster of the new-look competition during the Rainbow Cup, but coronavirus worries derailed those plans – only the Bulls faced a side in the Pro14; a loss to Benetton Treviso in the final of the competition.

The 25-year-old Irish-capped lock is working on his fitness as he looks to regain the starting berth he had nailed down last season.

He noted that the new rules set to be implemented in the upcoming season also encourage himself and the rest of the Ulster squad to continue improving their fitness.

Former Limerick senior hurling strength and conditioning coach Mikey Kiely will be at the centre of that focus, having joined the province following the Treaty County’s successful Liam McCarthy defence this year.

“He’s a great guy,” Treadwell said. “He’s really knowledgeable and he gives a different perspective.

“His background, it’s very fitness-based and he’s very knowledgeable in what he does and how he delivers it. As a bloke he’s a really, really good guy and I’ve a lot of time for him.

“[Rugby is] similar [to hurling] in that it’s a team sport but the difference is that there’s more continuous play.

“They’re quite transitional is how he put it to me, I’ve spoken to him quite a few times about how it differs.

“He seemed to be saying it was quite similar, but there’s more boys over 100 kilos so it is a bit different.

“We obviously saw that they [Limerick] got to the final and won, obviously the boys were talking about that.

“You see the way that they play, they have serious engines on them, the way they look, they’re big guys.”

Kiely is expected to further improve Dan McFarland’s Ulster setup following the side’s growth under the former Scotland assistant coach.

Ulster begin their season on Friday, September 24 when they play host to McFarland’s former team, Glasgow Warriors at the Kingspan Stadium.

The Three Best Male Tennis Players From This Millennium So Far

Isn’t it funny how while many people used to assume that the sport of tennis is one that’s left for a specific demographic, mostly wealthy, it has become one of the most popular sports in the world? Nowadays, Tennis holds its own very respectable grounds in comparison to other popular sports in the world, with sports betting sites taking more and more interest in offering the best tennis odds offers and promotions as some of the most important tournaments that this sport offers have gathered more and more world recognition and fame.

One of the main reasons for the proliferation of tennis as one of the most popular sports in the world has been mainly due to the mass following that some of their most important players have gained. Be it because of their prowesses on the courts, their multiple title reigns and the promotion of their image all around, they have played important roles in making the sport of tennis as popular as it is now. Here we count down the three best male tennis players from this millennium thus far.

Roger Federer

Of course if we’re going to make a list of the best male tennis players, we have to start the list with who’s considered as the GOAT (greatest of all time) in the sport, Swiss player Roger Federer. Ever since making his debut back in 1998, Federer has easily become the equivalent of Michael Jordan or Tom Brady in the tennis world. When people speak of tennis excellence, the name Roger Federer is automatically the first name most if not all people think of.

His list of titles and accomplishments read like any tennis player’s dream career. Having won a staggering 20 Grand Slam titles, while being runner up for 11 more ties him at first place for the most GS titles in the history of the sport, tied with two other players we’re about to mention, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic. His accolades don’t just end at tournament and GS championships, Federer is also a Davis Cup winner with Switzerland as well as being a gold medalist after winning the doubles tournament with countryman Stanislav Wawrinka in 2008 and a silver medalist in the individual tournament in 2012. Just to add one more tidbit of information, ever since starting his career Federer has held the No.1 position in the ATP rankings for 310 weeks, including a 237 consecutive week record that still holds to this day, while also finishing as the world’s number 1 player in five different occasions. If you want to talk about tennis greatness, Roger Federer will always be the top player to talk about.

Rafael Nadal

Just like Lio Messi has Cristiano Ronaldo in soccer, Roger Federer has Spaniard Rafael Nadal in tennis, and boy are we lucky we’ve been able to see them excel at their craft for the entirety of their careers. Nadal, who started his pro career in 2001 has been the perfect rival to Federer and another of the absolute best tennis players to ever play the game. As previously mentioned he holds the record with Federer and Djokovic for having won a total of 20 Grand Slam titles, including a record-breaking 13 wins in the French Open, a tournament that anybody can argue is Nadal’s favorite.

He has held the number 1 spot in the ATP rankings for a total of 209 weeks, being awarded the No.1 player of the year honors a total of five times, just like Federer. He holds a total of 88 professional titles and just like Federer has had the honor of winning Olympic gold individually in 2008 and in doubles action in 2016 where he also won a bronze medal in the individual tournament. Nadal has been one of the most important, if not the most important player in the history of the game when it comes to helping the sport become a worldwide phenomenon given his immense levels of popularity worldwide but especially in Latin American countries. Again, just like Messi has Ronaldo, Federer has Nadal.

Novak Djokovic

Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic could easily make the claim to be the greatest tennis player of all times and with ample reason. While he holds the Grand Slam title record with Federer and Nadal, all with 20 wins, Djokovic has the record for most Australian Open wins with 9, he shares the record of most Masters events titles with Nadal at 36 wins each and he’s the only player in the Open Era of tennis to have won a double career Grand Slam, meaning that he won all the four major Grand Slam tournaments in a year, but twice.

On top of that, he holds the record for most weeks as the No.1 tennis player in the world, a title he holds to this date, according to the ATP with a total of 336 weeks and has finished as the No.1 ATP player of the year a total of six times in his career, a record he shares with another tennis legend, Pete Sampras. While Djokovic has had to battle for his legacy and supremacy in the world of tennis against Federer and Nadal, their matchups are worth epics and what he has done for the sport and will continue to do until his retirement will only help to broaden his legend as he could one day very well be crowned as the best player to ever play the game.

Three clubs withdraw from Farah Palmer Cup

The Farah Palmer Cup will continue without Auckland, Counties-Manukau and North Harbour, who are unable to continue in the competition due to their inability to train or play under COVID-19 Alert Levels

The final week of the regular season of the FPC Premiership and Championship will be completed with the remaining 10 teams. The respective finals series will be played on the first two weekends in October.

New Zealand Rugby General Manager Community Rugby Steve Lancaster said the decision was made in consultation with the three Auckland-based Provincial Unions and the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association.

“It’s tough on the Auckland-based players who desperately wanted to represent their provinces in the final weeks of the competition, but after consulting with all parties it was clear we could not extend the competition any later than we have already.

“We needed to provide certainty to all involved in the competition and ultimately pushing out the finals again, while the Auckland-based teams are unable to train or play was just not feasible at this time,” Lancaster said.

📈 The @AllBlacks have moved to the top of the World Rugby men's rankings pic.twitter.com/U75h8AVo88

— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) September 20, 2021

Defending champions and competition leaders Canterbury as well as Waikato, currently in second place, have already qualified for the finals series. Wellington Pride are still in the hunt for a semi-finals spot.

If Wellington beat the Bay of Plenty Volcanix in their final match of the regular season at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui this Saturday, 25th September, they will join Canterbury and Waikato in a three team finals series that will see the top qualifier go through to the final and the second and third-placed sides play a preliminary final.

The FPC Championship will go straight to the three-team finals format where current leaders the Manawatu Cyclones will be joined by Northland and Hawke’s Bay.

“In consultation with the Provincial Unions, it was confirmed that we would not replace Auckland teams with teams below them on the points table. For the integrity of the competition, it was agreed that only teams who qualified for the play-offs would progress beyond the end of pool play.”

“While it’s not the finish to the season we’d all hoped for, the positive is that we can look forward to some really meaningful fixtures over the next three weeks and a continuation of the exciting rugby we’ve seen throughout the season,” added Lancaster.

Under current COVID-19 Alert Level 2, the FPC can continue throughout the rest of New Zealand (outside of the Auckland region) if COVID-19 guidelines are followed.

Individual Provincial Unions will determine whether those guidelines are able to be met for this weekend’s rugby and will communicate directly with their respective clubs and schools.

Ireland Captain Ciara Griffin Hails Team Performance v Italy

Ireland Women’s national team captain Ciara Griffin has hailed her side’s performance in their victory over Italy on Sunday afternoon.

Griffin and co. ran out 15-7 winners over Rugby World Cup 2021 Europe Qualifier hosts Italy in the second round of games.

Their first win of the qualifiers follows a shock loss to 2019-20 Rugby Europe Championship winners Spain in the opening round.

The national side needed a win against their Six Nations rivals to keep their qualification hopes alive heading into the third and final round of fixtures.

Griffin noted that the side had a much-improved showing defensively after doing a lot of work with defence coach Kieran Hallett over the week.

“We did a lot of work this week in terms of defence with Kieran. As a group we’re composed in our defensive structure, there’s a lot of organisation there,” the Ireland captain said.

“To be honest, it’s just fulfilling our defensive system. You saw that today, it worked well. We were quite composed in our defensive line and in terms of working and disrupting rucks.

“Comparing last week to this week, we definitely fulfilled our defensive system better.”

Griffin led by example with a fantastic last-ditch effort to deny the Italians just metres short of the Irish try line near the end of the first half.

Ireland let their lead slip momentarily after losing full-back Eimear Considine for ten minutes but took control once again soon after a converted Italy try and added a second try of their own when Italy were reduced to 14 women.

After their win, there were scenes of celebration among the Irish players but their captain insists that all eyes are on the Scotland match on Saturday.

“At the end, when the final whistle went, there was elation and relief because there was pressure on us.

“You want to celebrate a win but you saw that as soon as we came back in from the pitch, we had our huddle and we switched focus onto the Scotland game.”

“Now it is getting the mental switch pressed onto this Saturday’s game.”

Mayo GAA release end of Season Statement after All-Ireland loss

Mayo GAA release end of Season Statement after All-Ireland loss

Mayo GAA have recently released their end of season statement after their All-Ireland final loss to Tyrone on September 11th.

In the statement, Mayo GAA officials announced they will hold discussions in the coming weeks to discuss the 2021 season with the senior management team and plan ahead for the upcoming season.

Officials also hit out at the personal attacks on management and players after the loss to Tyrone. With manager James Horan and captain, Aidan O’Shea picked out by many fans and pundits alike.

However, the statement did not address any of the speculation surrounding coaches Ciaran McDonald and James Burke, who is rumoured to have left Horan’s backroom team.

Mayo GAA release end of Season Statement after All-Ireland loss

End of season statement

Click link below🔽https://t.co/xkt0Qdm9yB pic.twitter.com/2iWk2CzPx9

— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) September 19, 2021

The statement read;

“Mayo GAA would like to thank its players, team management, backroom staff and supporters for all of their efforts during the 2021 inter-county season.

“While the season did not end the way we would have liked we commend all our players and management for the remarkable effort and commitment put in by all involved, especially given the challenges of team preparation during this pandemic.

“We understand how much hope and expectation there was for the match last weekend and realise that everyone is extremely disappointed, however it is important that we support each other throughout Mayo GAA.

“We acknowledge that with so many changes to this year’s panel, great progress was made during the season.

“Constructive criticism forms part of the narrative of our games.

“However, unfortunately over the last few days, there has been a number of personal attacks on both players and team management that are completely unnecessary and unacceptable to all involved with Mayo GAA.

“It is only one week since the game, it is important for all involved to take some much-needed downtime, spending time with their family and friends.

“The officers of the board will, in the coming weeks, meet with the management team to review the season gone and plan ahead.

“As always with football, there is a game to look forward to and the players have now returned to their clubs.

“We look forward to seeing them all in action over the coming weeks and we wish them and all of our clubs the very best during the upcoming club campaign.

“We ask all supporters to continue to be mindful of the Covid-19 guidelines when attending club games and to cooperate with clubs at all times in what will no doubt be another great season of club championship games.”

For more News and Stories on GAA, click here.

Ireland Women’s Boss Adam Griggs Praises Parsons After Italy Win

Ireland Women’s national team boss Adam Griggs has praised winger Beibhinn Parsons after she helped Ireland get the win they needed against Italy after a poor game against Spain last Monday.

The side suffered a shock defeat to the 2019-20 Rugby Europe Championship winners in their first game of the Rugby World Cup 2021 Europe Qualifier tournament and needed a win to ensure that their qualification hopes stayed alive for the final round.

Ireland came away with a 15-7 victory that showcased an improved team performance after a shocking display in the loss to Spain.

Parsons shone on the day with her two highlights being a try to open the scoring and a dazzling run that led to Ireland’s second one of the day.

The head coach heaped praise on the 19-year-old back: “She’s outrageous. She had a really good game, she’s so hard to beat one-on-one.

“The beauty of her collecting that ball at the back, having time and space to pick out players one-on-one meant she was able to use her feet, bounce them off and get into space quickly with that acceleration that she has.

“The pleasing aspect for me of the try was that once she was brought to ground we recycled the ball quickly.”

Ireland’s backs worked well together to produce their second try following Parsons’ superb run.

The side looked much better as a whole throughout the game, although their set-piece still let them down at times.

Italy struggled to make their mark on the game and only got on the scoreboard when full-back Eimear Considine was in the bin.

Griggs said: “I’m happy that we got the result we were after. I thought we did a really good job of keeping Italy at bay and forcing pressure on them through our defence.

“It was something we spoke about this week, putting a real emphasis on closing down their space and not giving them time on the ball and I thought we did a really good job of that and it showed. Them struggling to exit kept us in the right areas of the field.

“It would have been nice to execute a couple more of those opportunities but at the same time we were after the result and we’re happy with that.”

Ireland will face Scotland next Saturday at 5 pm with a win and a bucketload of points needed to earn automatic qualification, should Italy beat Spain.

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk: Where to watch, Time, Betting

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk: Where to watch, Time, Betting

Anthony Joshua will defend his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles against tricky Ukrainian specialist Oleksandr Usyk on September 25 at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

Joshua was scheduled to fight Tyson Fury to unify the Heavyweight division in what would have been the biggest fight in British boxing history this month, but due to the arbitration from Deontay Wilder, Fury will close off his rivalry with the Alabama boxer in their trilogy bout on October 9th.

His opponent, Oleksandr Usyk is an Olympic gold medallist (like Joshua) from London 2012. The 18-0 professional moved up from cruiserweight in 2019, defeating heavyweights Chazz Witherspoon and Derek Chisora on his way to being set to fight Joshua.

Usyk will be Joshua’s toughest opponent to date, his footwork, movement and overall boxing ability is something Joshua has yet to face in his quest for heavyweight supremacy.

To whom this may concern…@DAZNBoxing https://t.co/6s1SLn8bWd pic.twitter.com/sdqMQFjP2w

— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) September 18, 2021

Joshua spoke on the fight with great enthusiasm;

“Look where we are now, Joshua versus Usyk, it’s probably bigger or just as big as [the Fury] fight,” added Joshua, who has won 24 of his 25 fights and insists he is taking nothing for granted.

“There’s a great Ukrainian following in boxing and in the UK and they will be out in force. There will be 50-60,000 Brits who will come out for the fight, it’s a fight with big interest.

“Even though it’s not Fury, it’s still a great fight. Even though it’s annoying, I’m glad I can still take on an opponent who makes me want to get up in the morning because I want to improve and get better.

“There’s a lot of talk about size, a good big guy beats a good little guy. If that’s the case why I am getting up in the morning to train? Why am I sitting in ice baths? Why I am passionate about it? Because I’m fighting a good guy.

“We’re still taking on a good fight and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

What TV channel is Anthony Joshua vs Usyk on?

TV subscribers in the UK and Republic of Ireland can buy the pay-per-view from Sky Sports Box Office. This fight will be available in more than 170 countries, including streaming services in the US such as DAZN (The Netflix of Sports)

How much will it cost?

The Sky Sports Box Office price is set at £24.95 (€29.00). After this fight, Anthony Joshua’s long-term broadcasting deal with Sky will end and he will become a free agent.

How to watch the fight in the UK/Ireland?

Sky subscribers can purchase the fight online, through their box or by calling 03442 410 888. If you’re calling from the Republic of Ireland, it’s 0818 220 225.

How to stream the fight?

You can stream the fight live using the Sky Sports Box Office App on mobile devices and online – order here.

The NOW TV Smart Stick or NOW TV box is also an option for fans wanting to order the fight.

What time does the fight start?

Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that the main event is scheduled to start before 11 pm. With the fighters ring walk to start at 10 pm.

Betting

Anthony Joshua: 4/11

Draw: 22/1

Oleksandr Usyk: 9/4

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk: Where to watch, Time, Betting

For more News and Stories on all things Boxing, click here.

Ireland Men’s Secure Fourth Place At Vancouver 7s

The Ireland men’s national sevens team fought their way to a fourth-place finish at the Vancouver Sevens – the first leg of the curtailed 2021 World Rugby Sevens series.

The side fell short of a spot in the final after topping their pool after an unbeaten first day but achieve their highest-ever finish at a World Series event as a core team.

Nine players made their debuts for the national sevens side throughout the weekend as the rotated squad impressed in the Canadian city, coming into the tournament with just 22 caps to their name altogether.

Munster Academy winger Conor Phillips caught the eye with four tries, while Liam Turner, Mark Roche, Sean Kearns, Gavin Mullin and Shane Jennings all scored two each.

Ulster academy winger Ben Moxham also grabbed one in his first tournament with the side, scoring in extra-time in the quarter-final against Hong Kong to ensure a spot in the semi-final.

The team, coached by James Topping for the week, won twice and drew once on the first day before the experience of Kenya and Great Britain proved to be too much in the latter stages.

Ireland scored 74 points on the first day, including a 50-0 thumping of Jamaica, but injuries hampered their second day as they fell short of a spot in the top three.

A one-sided defeat to Kenya made clear the difference between the two squads and Great Britain made up for a lacklustre performance in the pool stage with a 24-14 win over Topping’s side in the bronze final.

However, Ireland can take positives from the tournament as they head into the World Series finale in Edmonton on a high.

Ireland Sevens Squad – Vancouver 7s

Niall Comerford (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Chris Cosgrave (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Sean Cribbin (Suttonians RFC)
Shane Jennings (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
Sean Kearns (Ireland Sevens)
Ed Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Steven Kilgallen (UCD RFC)
Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College) (capt)
Ben Moxham (Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
Gavin Mullin (UCD RFC)
Conor Phillips (Young Munster RFC/Munster)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Liam Turner (Dublin University FC/Leinster)

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