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Ireland Beat France To Continue T20 World Cup Charge

Ireland produced a dominant display with the ball to defeat France and maintain second place in the ICC T20 World Cup European Qualifier tournament on Sunday morning.  

The third game of the tournament saw Ireland take on France in their first-ever meeting in international cricket.

After winning the toss, Ireland elected to bowl and immediately imposed their authority on the match with some frugal bowling.

Sophie MacMahon (1-2) and Leah Paul (2-5) bowled a tight and economical line leaving the French struggling at 7-2 after the first powerplay.

The French batters struggled under the conditions and pressure from the Irish bowlers, and wickets began to tumble.

All six Irish bowlers used picked up wickets as the side in blue collapsed for just 24 runs.

Ireland openers Rebecca Stokell (7*) and Louise Little (12*) knocked off the 25 runs required for victory within three overs.

Ireland claimed another 2 points and a boost to their net run rate, but, as they are set to face the Netherlands tomorrow morning in their final game of the tournament in a crunch match for what looks like 2nd place in the Qualifier Tournament. 

 The Netherlands have won the last two games heading into the final matchup with Ireland.

Neither side have been able to beat Scotland, who look set to seal the top spot with an unblemished record.

The Dutch have beaten Germany and France in recent days and will be a tough test for the Irish, who previously played them in July.

Ireland won the series 2-1 and will hope that the result of the final game will not motivate the Netherlands to an impressive victory.

Mayo Win Nancy Murray Cup After Two-Point Victory Over Tyrone

Mayo camogie marked their first season of adult camogie after a lengthy absence with a 3-8 to 1-12 victory over Tyrone to claim the Nancy Murray Cup at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada.

Tyrone’s camogie team missed out on silverware for the county while their Men’s football side went one step closer to the Sam Maguire.

The goals were crucial with two of them coming from Ciara Delaney, having been set up by player of the match Áine Charlton. Captain Helen O’Malley also raised a green flag but Tyrone almost pulled off a spectacular comeback, getting to within one of the westerners having trailed by 11 but they just could not get over the line.

Mayo led by 2-6 to 0-4 at half-time thanks to Delaney and O’Malley’s majors, the latter part of a run of 1-5 without reply as Tyrone failed to score in the second quarter. When Delaney finished after another strong run by Charlton 15 seconds after the restart, it seemed like curtains.

But with Reagan Fay in inspired form and bringing her tally to eight points, the Red Hand women rallied. Niamh McNulty’s goal after an excellent catch was a real boost but when it seemed like momentum was in their favour, Mayo dug deep and Orla Hession pointed to leave Tyrone needing a goal that they couldn’t get.

Meanwhile, champions Armagh, who beat Clare in their semi-final by 2-13 to 1-6 on Saturday, will play Wexford in the All-Ireland premier junior final at Croke Park on September 12, as a result of the Yellowbellies’ 3-18 to 0-8 victory over Roscommon.

Roscommon had two early chances but two wides resulted and once Wexford got to grips with the excellent opposition sweeper, Rachel Fitzmaurice by playing the wings, they began to make hay.

Megan Cullen got an eighth-minute goal and it was 1-2 to 0-0 at the water break. On the resumption, all the Wexford inside forwards, Emma Tompkins, Emma Codd and Lisa Firman registered points and  Ailis Neville scored to make it 2-7 to 0-1 at half-time.

The Roscommon point came from a long-distance free by Shauna Fallon just before the short whistle.

The Connacht side were awarded a penalty early in the second half but Fallon’s shot was too central and goalkeeper Lara O’Shea was able to make the stop.

With that, any hope of a spectacular comeback dissipated.

When Roscommon removed Fitzmaurice from her sweeping role as they needed to chase the game, it opened space and Wexford profited. Chloe Cashe, who had been kept to a point in the first half, got a goal at the end of an excellent move on 41 minutes and finished with 1-8.

Fitzmaurice and Niamh Watson tried hard for Roscommon but it was all about Wexford, Clodagh Jackman, Aideen Brennan, Cashe, Neville and Cullen among those to shine.

Elsewhere, the talented Áine Magill completed 24 hours she won’t forget in a hurry as she played for Antrim in the intermediate semi-final against Galway and then against Laois in the Tesco All-Ireland B semi final.

She up a star outing for Antrim in their win over Galway by scoring 1-3 from midfield as the Saffrons’ minors as they came out on top of a thriller against Laois by 3-19 to 3-12 to reach the Tesco All-Ireland B final.

Antrim will face Offaly in the final, who defeated Derry by 4-12 to 1-8 in the other semi-final.

Kevin O’Brien runs Zimbabwe ragged in series-levelling win

A sparkling Kevin O’Brien half-century, his first for Ireland in 31 innings and nearly two years, laid the platform for a series-leveling win in the T20 series against Zimbabwe.

The last time he passed fifty in national colors, O’Brien carried onto a magnificent career-best 124 against Hong Kong.

Ireland had fallen to a three-run defeat in the opener, with Zimbabwe making 117 on that occasion, but found chasing a target of 153 easier, in large part thanks to O’Brien’s efforts. The first delivery he faced struck him on the wrist and left him requiring treatment from the physios, but he shrugged off the blow to play a match-defining knock.

At first, however, it was Paul Stirling who did much of the scoring, with O’Brien content to turn the strike over to his opening partner. Stirling nudged his second ball fine for the first boundary of the innings, and peppered the boundary thereafter, with a crunching back-foot smash and a lofted off-drive finding the extra-cover rope, with a six over the leg-side needing the delivery of a new ball.

O’Brien carved Richard Ngarava over the offside before swinging Tendai Chatara through his leg to prove his own form, but did enjoy one moment of fortune, dropped by Craig Ervine running back from mid-off, with the ball popping out of the Zimbabwe skipper’s grasp and rolling into the rope.

By the end of the powerplay, Ireland had 53, with Stirling 31 off 27 and O’Brien 15 off 11. Two balls later, six had been added to the total but Stirling had been dismissed, with Ryan Burl dragging one down and punished before finding the inside edge through to the keeper.

 

Andrew Balbirnie joined O’Brien to steady the ship, with their 18-run stand occupying four overs and containing a solitary boundary, O’Brien sweeping Milton Shumba behind square. Balbirnie dragged Burl onto the stumps, but the entrance of George Dockrell injected some spark into the innings, with he and O’Brien running Zimbabwe ragged.

Their partnership contained five twos and a three, with pressure mounting on the touring side. O’Brien managed to find the boundary regularly too, bringing up a special half-century in perfect style, lofting Wellington Masakadza gloriously over extra-cover for six.

He fell not long after, caught at mid-off off Shumba, and another tense finish looked on the cards with 12 required from the last two overs. But in a flash, it was over, with Dockrell finding the fence three times in three deliveries, and victory had been secured with seven wickets and nine balls to spare.

Ervine briefly threatened to mount a resistance, striking two boundaries in his 12-ball stay, but Ben White removed him, the leg-spinner pinning the Zimbabwe skipper lbw for his maiden international wicket, the perfect gift on his 23rd birthday.

At the halfway stage, Zimbabwe were 64-4, and one delivery later that became 64-5, a leading-edge from Chakabva looping up into the offside where Stirling took a one-handed catch at full stretch. The grab gave Getkate his third wicket, and he finished with career-best figures of 3-20.

However, having dominated the opening half of the innings, Ireland could find no way through the sixth wicket stand between Shumba and Burl. After a quiet over from Simi Singh, it was a six-off Getkate that got the fightback underway. Burl skipped down the track, launching high and handsome over the straight boundary and into the houses behind.

Eight runs came in that and each of the following two overs, before another six, slog-swept by Burl off White over deep midwicket helped Zimbabwe accelerate further.

Zimbabwe ended with 152-5, the pair having put on 88 runs in just under 10 overs and took the momentum into the innings break. But O’Brien would ensure that it was Ireland who claimed victory.

On a less positive note, Ireland’s medical staff have confirmed Curtis Campher injured his left shoulder in the field in last Friday’s game and was forced to withdraw from the second match. Scans have revealed a sprain of the AC joint with some associated ligament damage. He will miss the rest of the T20I series and see a specialist as a precautionary measure.

Cork inch out Kilkenny in camogie semi-final

Paudie Murray and Brian Dowling have spoken highly of their teams after a dramatic game in the All-Ireland camogie semi-final

Cork 0-15

Kilkenny 1-11

Paudie Murray explained the decision to leave out skipper Linda Collins as a requirement for impetus from his bench and that call proved a masterstroke, as the Courcey Rovers forward was a danger for all 14 minutes of her involvement, concluding with a dramatic winner as the clock just wound into the fourth and final minute of injury time.

It was a stunning conclusion to a riveting affair that Cork dominated, for the most part, the wonderful Chloe Sigerson shooting five points.

On the red card for Cronin, Murray said to not have seen the incident but felt that Katrina Mackey should have had a penalty when Meighan Farrell came from nowhere to deny the full-forward a goal.

“I thought our first half was good, but our third quarter killed us. We spoke about a lot of things during the week and I think some of them went out the window. That 15 minutes really annoyed us. But I suppose Kilkenny were always going to have their period of dominance so I thought we showed great composure and great character. I think the team is starting to develop its own character,” said Murray.

“It takes a small bit of time for a new team to develop a new personality in the dressing-room and new characters. I think they are starting to do that.

“This is a very young team. Ciara O’Sullivan is 19, Fiona Keating 20, we have a lot in around the 21/22 years. This is a big day out for them. I thought we managed it very well.”

 

Brian Dowling, who had won an All-Ireland in his first season as manager last year, having previously served as deputy to Ann Downey, was understandably downbeat.

“The first half was a bit disappointing. I asked the girls for more energy and in fairness, they brought that to Cork and in fairness to these girls over the last number of years.

“They’ve died with their boots on for Kilkenny camogie.”

“I can’t ask for any more of them since I’ve been involved with them and unfortunately there are just days like this when you come up a little bit short and we’re just going to have to lick our wounds now.

“We got a great goal and we even pushed on to go a bit up but we probably needed to go (more) up. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen today.

“I don’t think we hurled as well as we could, especially in that second quarter of the first half, we probably didn’t score too much in that quarter but I can’t fault these girls for the effort and they’ve been great champions. Any time you play Cork, there’s never been anything between them and, we got the lucky breaks last year and they got them today.”

He hailed the character of his players.

“It wasn’t easy for these girls to lose three All-Irelands; it would have been easy to pack it in and retire but players like Collette Dormer, Denise Gaule, and Katie Power – what she’s gone through to get on the pitch is unbelievable. They’ll do anything to play, injections, whatever.

“Kellyann Doyle was only passed fit last night.

“How she was able to play that match I’ll never know. She couldn’t raise her arm on Friday evening.”

“I can’t speak highly enough of these girls – they’d die for the Kilkenny jersey. There’s a great bond in that group, but it’s so disappointing when you lose. You learn a lot more when you lose so you have to move on from here.”

SCORERS FOR CORK: O Cronin 0-6(5fs); C Sigerson 0-5 (1f); K Mackey, F Keating, S McCarthy, L Collins 0-1 each

SCORERS FOR KILKENNY: D Gaule 0-7(fs); M O’Connell 1-0; K Power 0-2; K Doyle, K Nolan 0-1 each

CORK: A Lee, P Mackey, L Coppinger, M Cahalane, L Hayes, L Treacy, S McCarthy, H Looney, A Thompson, C Sigerson, F Keating, C O’Sullivan, A O’Connor, O Cronin, K Mackey. Sub: L Collins for O’Sullivan (50)

KILKENNY: A Norris, M Teehan, C Dormer, D Tobin, K Doyle, M Farrell, C Phelan, D Gaule, G Walsh, M Walsh, K Nolan, M O’Connell, S Fitzgerald, K Power, A Doyle. Subs: L Murphy for Fitzgerald (38), N Deely for Teehan (48), M Kenneally for A Doyle (55)

Tyrone Book Place In All-Ireland Final With ET Victory Over Kerry

Tyrone have booked their place in this year’s All Ireland Senior Football Championship final after a one-point victory over Kerry after extra time.

The side will contest their first All-Ireland in three years and will hope to win their first Sam Maguire since 2018.

Conor McKenna scored a brace and super-sub Conor McShane put up 1-3 to help their side book a date with Mayo on Sunday, September 11.

The win rounds up a month in which Tyrone suffered a Covid outbreak and the GAA were forced to postpone the fixture twice, as well as the All-Ireland final – a game initially scheduled to be played on Sunday, August 29.

Feargal Logan and Brian Dooher’s side got off to a slow start but took the driver’s seat after Kerry’s opening scores and maintained their lead for the rest of the half.

Kerry star David Clifford lost the ball and Peter Harte capitalised, with the ball eventually finding McKenna who put it past Shane Ryan for the first goal of the game.

Goalkeeper Niall Morgan scored from far out to add the side’s tenth point just before the half-time whistle and give Tyrone a marginal lead.

Kerry were frustrated time and time again by Tyrone’s defensive system and energy – boss Peter Keane got his side to adopt this system for the rest of the game.

The change initially paid off with both sides struggling to break each other down but Kerry’s powerful attack, which had scored 87 points in the championship this season leading up to the game, gave the Munster champions the advantage in the third quarter.

Tyrone kept within a goal of Keane’s side and were rewarded for their hard work with a late second goal putting them a point ahead of the 37-time All-Ireland winners with two minutes of regular time to go.

McShane punched the ball in after fellow substitute Darragh Canavan had his shot saved.

Sean O’Shea levels it before Darren McCurry and David Clifford trade blows for their side, with nothing to separate them after 70 minutes.

Clifford was replaced before the start of extra-time after an eight-point performance kept the side in the game.

However, without him, Tyrone began to pull away after another scoring spree, this time on the other side of the end of regular time, got the side a third goal.

McKenna got his second of the day to give the Ulster champions a five-point lead and the Munster champions a mountain to climb.

Logan and Dooher’s side scored 1-2 on either side of the full-time whistle (of regular time) to regain control.

Tyrone never let go of the lead but Kerry did their best to earn it back with four points bringing them just short of forcing penalties.

Tyrone persevered and will face Connacht champions and 2020 All-Ireland finalists Mayo in the biggest fixture of the footballing calendar on Sunday, September 11.

Meath Score Late Against Tyrone To Win All-Ireland MFC

The Meath minor footballers have won the 2021 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship after a one-point victory over Tyrone.

Meath wing-forward Shaun Leonard wriggled into space to fire over the winning point in the final minutes of the game to give his county a first minor football crown since 1992.

Tyrone’s strong start was not maintained and the Leinster champions fought back to take the minor crown after a huge battle in Croke Park.

Several wides cost the Ulster champions as they failed to pull away from Cathal O Bric’s side.

The teams were tied eight times throughout the biggest match on the minor football calendar before Leonard sealed the win for the Royals.

Tyrone captain Cormac Devlin found the net in the eighth minute to give his side a four-point lead.

However, O Bric’s side responded well and the two teams were level at 1-04 just six minutes after Devlin’s opening goal.

Meath had the lead after the first half – a slender one-point margin in their favour.

The Royals increased their lead to three after substitute Conor Owens had tied things up at 1-08 a piece.

Oisin O Murchu scored his final point of the game in that stretch to bring his total to 1-02 in the game – the most of any Meath player.

Owens was involved in the final Tyrone stretch of point-scoring alongside Ruairi McHugh and Ronan Cassidy but the sub could not help his side force extra time after Leonard’s winning strike.

Meath ended a 29-year-wait for a minor football title while the 11-year wait for the Red Hand will go on.

Gerard Donnelly’s side scored 53 points en route to this year’s final and won the Ulster final by seven points.

Their semi-final win over Cork saw the side outscore the Munster champions by 14 to book a date with Meath.

They came in as favourites but Meath had other plans.

Manchester City Pile Pressure On Arteta In 5-0 Rout

Manchester City 5-0 Arsenal

Manchester City thrashed Arsenal with a five-goal drubbing at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Arsenal’s slow start to the season failed to get up to speed once again as defensive ineptitude and calamitous performances were all they could muster against a rampant Manchester City.

City made use of the false nine system their boss Pep Guardiola had implemented last season, with Ferran Torres starring in the title role.

The North London side’s defending in their own box was worryingly poor as Ilkay Gundogan headed home in the seventh minute.

Torres’ first of the day came five minutes later with the same problems evident in the Arsenal backline.

Arsenal were disconnected and disparaged throughout the game while Manchester City played with swagger and made a rout look uniform.

Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Joao Cancelo and Gabriel Jesus added a third for City before the half ended to kill the game.

Rodri added a fourth early in the second half with Torres adding his second and wrapping up the scoring six minutes from time.

Arsenal failed to get on the scoreboard as they failed to get a shot on target in a miserable performance that will surely put Mikel Arteta’s job under intense scrutiny – the side’s only shot came early in the first half.

The former Arsenal captain has had multiple high-profile tactical mishaps – the match against Chelsea least week being a recent example of this.

Pep, on the other hand, will have gained more faith in the formation that took City to their first-ever UEFA Champions League final.

The fluidity on display throughout the match and the seamless transitions between defence and attack, as well as Jesus’ continued run of impressive form on the wing, will only serve to compliment a devastating setup further.

Manchester City will face Leicester City after the international break on Sunday, September 11.

Pro16 – List of Fixture Dates & Kick-Off Times for United Rugby Championship 2021

We have the List of Fixture Dates & Kick-Off Times for United Rugby Championship 2021 for Connacht, Munster, Ulster & Leinster rugby teams.

Kick-off times and dates Guinness PRO16 Rugby Championship Cup can now be confirmed with the opening game kicking off in South Africa.

R1 – Friday, September 24

Zebre v Emirates Lions | 17:35 UK / 18:35 ITA & SA | Super Sport, Premier Sports

Ulster v Glasgow Warriors | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | Premier Sports

Cardiff v Connacht | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | BBC Wales, TG4, Premier Sports

 

Saturday, September 25

Benetton v DHL Stormers | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA | Italian TV, Super Sport, Premier Sports

Leinster v Vodacom Bulls | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA | TG4, Super Sport, Premier Sports

Edinburgh v Scarlets | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA | Premier Sports, S4C

Munster v Sharks | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | RTE, Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

Sunday, September 26

Dragons v Ospreys | 14:00 UK / 15:00 ITA & SA | Premier Sports

 

R2 – Friday, October 1

Connacht v Vodacom Bulls | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | TG4, Super Sport, Premier Sports

Scarlets v Emirates Lions | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | BBC Wales, Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

Saturday, October 2

Benetton v Edinburgh | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA | Italian TV, Super Sport, Premier Sports

Glasgow Warriors v Cell C Sharks | 15:00 UK / 16:00ITA & SA | Premier Sports, Super Sport

Zebre v Ulster | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA | Premier Sports

Dragons v Leinster | TBC | S4C, RTÉ, Premier Sports

Ospreys v Cardiff | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | Premier Sports

Munster v DHL Stormers | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | RTE, Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

R3 – Friday, October 8

Ulster v Benetton | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | BBC NI, Premier Sports, TG4

Ospreys v Cell C Sharks | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | BBC Wales, Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

Saturday, October 9

Leinster v Zebre | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA | RTE, Italian TV, Premier Sports

Glasgow Warriors v Emirates Lions | 15:00 UK / 16:00ITA & SA | Premier Sports, Super Sport

Connacht v Dragons | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA | TG4, S4C, Premier Sports

Edinburgh v DHL Stormers | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA | Premier Sports, Super Sport

Cardiff v Vodacom Bulls | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | S4C, Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

Sunday, October 10

Scarlets v Munster | 14:00 UK / 15:00 ITA & SA | S4C, RTE, Premier Sports

 

R4 – Friday, October 15

Ulster v Lions | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | BBC NI, Super Sport, Premier Sports, RTE

Dragons v DHL Stormers | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | BBC Wales, Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

Saturday, October 16

Zebre v Glasgow Warriors | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA | Italian TV, Premier Sports

Benetton v Ospreys | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA & SA | S4C,  Premier Sports

Leinster v Scarlets | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA | TG4, S4C, Premier Sports

Edinburgh v Vodacom Bulls | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA | Premier Sports, Super Sport

Munster v Connacht | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | RTÉ, Premier Sports

Cardiff v Cell C Sharks | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | S4C, Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

R5 – Friday, October 22

Scarlets v Benetton | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | BBC Wales, Premier Sports

 

Saturday, October 23

Zebre v Edinburgh | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA & SA | Italian TV, Premier Sports

Glasgow Warriors v Leinster | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA & SA | Premier Sports, TG4

Connacht v Ulster | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA | TG4, Premier Sports

Cardiff v Dragons | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA & SA | Premier Sports

Ospreys v Munster | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA & SA | S4C, RTÉ,  Premier Sports

R6 – Friday, November 26

Connacht v Ospreys | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA/ 21:35 SA | RTE, BBC Wales, Premier Sports

 

Saturday, November 27

DHL Stormers v Zebre | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00SA | Super Sport, Premier Sports

Benetton v Glasgow Warriors | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA | Italian TV, Premier Sports

Cell C Sharks v Scarlets | 15:30 UK / 16:30 ITA / 17:30SA | Super Sport, S4C, Premier Sports

Dragons v Edinburgh | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA | Premier Sports

Vodacom Bulls v Munster | 17:45 UK / 18:45 ITA / 19:45SA | Super Sport, TG4, Premier Sports

Leinster v Ulster | 20:00 UK / 21:00 ITA / 22:00 SA | RTE, Premier Sports

 

Sunday, November 28

Emirates Lions v Cardiff | 14:00 UK / 15:00 ITA / 16:00SA | Super Sport, S4C, Premier Sports

 

R7 – Friday, December 3

Vodacom Bulls v Scarlets | 17:35 UK / 18:35 ITA / 19:35SA | Super Sport, BBC Wales, Premier Sports

Edinburgh v Benetton | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21:35 SA | Premier Sports

Leinster v Connacht | 19:45 UK / 20:45 ITA / 21:45 SA | TG4, Premier Sports

 

Saturday, December 4

Cell C Sharks v Zebre | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA | Super Sport, Italian TV, Premier Sports

Ospreys v Ulster | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 SA | Premier Sports

Emirates Lions v Munster | 15:30 UK / 16:30 ITA / 17:30SA | Super Sport, RTE, Premier Sports

Glasgow Warriors v Dragons | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA | Premier Sports

DHL Stormers v Cardiff | 17:45 UK / 18:45 ITA / 19:45SA | Super Sport, S4C, Premier Sports

 

R8 – Friday, December 24

Zebre v Benetton | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA | Italian TV, Premier Sports

 

Sunday, December 26

Cardiff v Scarlets | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 SA | BBC Wales, Premier Sports

Ulster v Connacht | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA | BBC NI, TG4, Premier Sports

Ospreys v Dragons | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA | S4C, Premier Sports

Munster v Leinster | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21:35 SA | RTE, Premier Sports

 

Monday, December 27

Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh | 19:00 UK / 20:00 ITA / 21:00 SA | Premier Sports

 

R9 – Saturday, January 1

Dragons v Cardiff | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 SA | BBC Wales, Premier Sports

Connacht v Munster | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA | TG4, Premier Sports

Scarlets v Ospreys | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA | S4C, Premier Sports

Ulster v Leinster | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21:35 SA | Premier Sports, TG4

 

Sunday, January 2

Benetton v Zebre | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00 SA | Italian TV, Premier Sports

Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors | 14:00 UK / 15:00 ITA / 16:00 SA | Premier Sports

 

R10 – Friday, January 7

Leinster v Emirates Lions | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21 :35 SA | TG4, Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

Saturday, January 8

Benetton v Cell C Sharks | 13:00 UK / 14:00 ITA / 15:00SA | Italian TV, Super Sport, Premier Sports

Zebre v Vodacom Bulls | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00SA | Super Sport, Premier Sports

Edinburgh v Cardiff | 15:00 UK / 16:00 ITA / 17:00 SA | BBC Wales, Premier Sports

Connacht v DHL Stormers | 17:00 UK / 18:00 ITA /19:00 SA | RTE, Super Sport, Premier Sports

Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys | 17:15 UK / 18:15 ITA / 19:15 SA | Premier Sports, S4C

Munster v Ulster | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21 :35 SA | RTE, Super Sport, Premier Sports

Scarlets v Dragons | 19:35 UK / 20:35 ITA / 21 :35 SA | Premier Sports

 

R11 – Weekend of Jan 28/29/30

Connacht v Glasgow Warriors

Ulster v Scarlets

Cardiff v Leinster

Dragons v Benetton

Ospreys v Edinburgh

Vodacom Bulls v Emirates Lions

DHL Stormers v Cell C Sharks

Zebre v Munster

 

R5 (SA Derbies) – Weekend of Feb 4/5/6

Emirates Lions v Cell C Sharks | TBC | Super Sport, Premier Sports

DHL Stormers v Vodacom Bulls | TBC | Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

R8 (SA Derbies) – Weekend of Feb 11/12/13

Vodacom Bulls v Cell C Sharks | TBC | Super Sport, Premier Sports

DHL Stormers v Emirates Lions | TBC | Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

R12 – Weekend of Feb 18/19/20

Leinster v Ospreys

Munster v Edinburgh

Cardiff v Zebre

Dragons v Ulster

Scarlets v Connacht

Emirates Lions v DHL Stormers

Cell C Sharks v Vodacom Bulls

Glasgow Warriors v Benetton

 

R13 – Weekend of Mar 4/5/6

Munster v Dragons

Ulster v Cardiff

Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors

Ospreys v Zebre

Vodacom Bulls v DHL Stormers

Cell C Sharks v Emirates Lions

Edinburgh v Connacht

Benetton v Leinster

 

R9 (SA Derbies) – Weekend of March 18/19/20

Emirates Lions v Vodacom Bulls | TBC | Super Sport, Premier Sports

Cell C Sharks v DHL Stormers | TBC | Super Sport, Premier Sports

 

R14 – Weekend of March 25/26/27

Connacht v Leinster

Munster v Benetton

Cardiff v Glasgow Warriors

Vodacom Bulls v Dragons

Emirates Lions v Ospreys

Cell C Sharks v Edinburgh

DHL Stormers v Ulster

Zebre v Scarlets

 

R15 – Weekend of April 1/2/3

Leinster v Munster

Scarlets v Cardiff

Vodacom Bulls v Ulster

Emirates Lions v Edinburgh

Cell C Sharks v dragons

DHL Stormers v Ospreys

Glasgow Warriors v Zebre

Benetton v Connacht

 

R16 – Weekend of April 22/23/24

Ulster v Munster

Cardiff v Ospreys

Dragons v Scarlets

Vodacom Bulls v Benetton

Emirates Lions v Connacht

Cell C Sharks v Leinster

DHL Stormers v Glasgow Warriors

Edinburgh v Zebre

 

R17 – Weekend of April 29/30 and May 1

Munster v Cardiff

Ospreys v Scarlets

Vodacom Bulls v Glasgow Warriors

Emirates Lions v Benetton

Cell C Sharks v Connacht

DHL Stormers v Leinster

Edinburgh v Ulster

Zebre v Dragons

 

R18 – Weekend of May 20/21/22

Connacht v Zebre

Leinster v Edinburgh

Ulster v Cell C Sharks

Dragons v Emirates Lions

Scarlets v DHL Stormers

Ospreys v Vodacom Bulls

Glasgow Warriors v Munster

 

Benetton v Cardiff

The ‘United Rugby Championship will kick off in September 2021 as the top clubs from South Africa (Cell C Sharks, DHL Stormers, Emirates Lions and Vodacom Bulls) combine with the Guinness PRO14 to create a world-class 16-team league.

The United Rugby Championship will be bigger, bolder and stronger than its predecessors. Teams from five of rugby’s elite nations – Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales and South Africa will transform the competition into a league of super clubs, which will embrace difference and champion its athletes on their journey with the URC proudly representing all of those involved with the game.

Off the field the United Rugby Championship will strive to provide a platform for our players to tell their stories so that their achievements in sport and society can inspire the next-generation of rugby talent and the sport’s supporters to prove that rugby is a game for all.

This game-changing agreement between SA Rugby and PRO14 Rugby will strengthen their existing partnership and will drive greater growth of the game for the benefit of all 16 teams in the league.

Martin Anayi, CEO of United Rugby Championship, said: “Fans have always asked more of our league and now we are taking it to new heights. The United Rugby Championship will see World Cup winners, icons of the Guinness Six Nations, the Rugby Championship and stars of the British & Irish Lions tour turning up the intensity in an exciting new league format. Since the origins of the Celtic League in 2001, the vision has been to innovate and evolve in order to create a compelling competition which would challenge our players and teams to be at their very best every single week. Their potential has never been in doubt and now we can provide them with the arena to be the very best.

“Forming the United Rugby Championship will begin to reshape the world of club rugby. We are creating a league that embraces and celebrates difference and where the only way to succeed will be to match the skill and intensity of the international game.

“The arrival of South Africa’s elite teams and the removal of fixtures from international match weekends will make our league stronger across the board. We will see heroes taking on heroes every week in iconic locations to create an appeal that will be unmatched in in the world of club rugby.

“We now have a clear purpose and identity that everyone associated with our league can stand behind. We have listened and we have answered the challenge set by our clubs to take this competition to the next level both on and off the field. North and south will now collide on a regular basis and we cannot wait to see who will rise up as the first champions of the United Rugby Championship.”

Tipperary Club Hurling Championships 2021 – Preview, Fixtures, Betting

The Tipperary Senior A hurling club championship throws in this Saturday with 16 clubs battling to be kings of the county

This will be another competitive year to decide what Premier county club will take home the Dan Breen Cup.

The titleholders Kiladangan are looking to retain the competition this year. They have already made a good start to the season recently winning the North hurling championship against a strong Kilruane side. That game was decided by powerful forward Billy Seymour as he laid a mark wanting to start for Tipperary seniors next year.

Kiladangan won their first title last year but will have stiff competition against Tipperary’s most successful club, Thurles Sarsfields. The Thurles club has won 36 cups in its long history and will want one more.

The dark horse for this competition could be Clonoulty who have had some decent performances in recent years. It will be interesting to see if they can push on and finally fulfill their club’s potential this year.

The 16 teams will be in four different groups with the two best teams in each qualifying for the knockout rounds.

Group 1: Éire Óg Annacarty, Druim agus Inse, Thurles Sarsfields, Upperchurch-Drumbane

Group 2: Holycross, Toomevara, Clonoulty, Cathail S Ciocam

Group 3: JK Brackens, Loughmore-Castleiney, Kildangan, Moycarkey-Borris

Group 4: Nenagh Éire Óg, Borris-Ileigh, Kilruane McDonaghs, Roscrea

 

Round 1 Fixtures:

Saturday 28th August

Thurles Sarsfileds v Druim agus Inse – Semple Stadium – 16:30

Toomevara v Holycross – Semple Stadium, Thurles – 13:00

Kildangan v Loughmore- Castleiney – Semple Stadium, Thurles – 19:00

Borris-Ileigh v Roscrea – Moneygall GAA – 17:00

Sunday 29th August

Upperchurch-Drombane v Éire Óg Annacarty – Pairc Ciocam Dundrum – 18:30

Cathail S Ciocam v Clonoulty – Clonmel Sportsfield – 14:00

JK Brackens v Moycarkey-Borris – Holycross GAA – 18:30

Nenagh Éire Óg v Kilruane MacDonaghs – Toomevara GAA – 14:00

 

Betting

Thurles Sarsfields 9/4

Kildangan 11/4

Borris-Ileogh 7/1

Loughmore-Castleiney 15/2

Nenagh Éire Óg 8/1

Kilruane 9/1

Clonoulty 14/1

Toomevara 20/1

Druim agus Inse 20/1

Moycarkey-Borris 33/1

Upperchurch Drombane 40/1

JK Brackens 40/1

Roscrea 40/1

Holycross 50/1

Éire Óg Annacarty 66/1

Cathail S Ciocam 80/1

Tipperary Club Football Championship 2021 – Preview, Fixtures, Betting

The Tipperary Senior A Gaelic Football club championship kicks off this Saturday with 16 of the Premier county’s best teams going for the title

This looks to be another competitive year in the Premier county for the Senior Gaelic football club championship.

This competition is dominated by the clubs in the southern part of the county with Fethard as the most successful club in the competition. They have not won a title in 20 years and now there are new champions in town.

Clonmel Commercials come into this year as the reigning titleholders. Last season they impressive won their 19th senior Tipperary football championship and are likely favourites for this year’s competition.

A possible outside competitor in this year’s edition could be Arravale Rovers. The six-time county champions last won the competition in 1985 but have always been a historic football club in Tipperary. It seems like time brought back glory to the legendary Sean Treacy Park.

The 16 clubs are split into four groups with the two best clubs in each qualifying for the knockout rounds.

Group 1: Cahir, Aherlow, Upperchurch-Drombane, Moyle Rovers

Group 2: Éire Óg Annacarty, Moyne-Templetouhy, Kilsheelan-Kilcash, Ballyporeen Clonmel Óg

Group 3: Ardfinnan, Clonmel Commercials, Arravale Rovers, Moycarkey-Borris

Group 4: Rockwell Rovers, JK Brackens, Loughmore-Castleiney, Cumann Cill Náile

 

Round 1 Fixtures

Saturday 3rd September

Cahir v Aherlow – Beal Atha Poirin – 19:30

Éire Óg Annacarty v Moyne-Templetouhy – Boherlahan GAA – 18:45

Ardfinnan v Clonmel Commercials – Cahir GAA – 13:30

Rockwell Rovers v JK Brackens – Holycross – 18:00

Sunday 4th September

Moyle Rovers v Upperchurch-Drombane – Leahy Park Cashel – 18:00

Kilsheelan Kilcash v Ballyporeen Clonmel Óg – Ardfinnan GAA – 18:00

Arravale Rovers v Moycarkey-Borris – Golden – 15:30

Loughmore-Castleiney v Cumann Cill Náile – Littleton – 18:00

 

Betting

Clonmel Commercials 4/6

Loughmore Castleiney 11/4

Moyle Rovers 11/2

Kilsheelan 14/1

Arravale Rovers 16/1

JK Brackens 16/1

Cahir 20/1

Ballyporeen 33/1

Ardfinnan 40/1

Killenaule 50/1

Éire Óg Annacarty 50/1

Rockwell Rovers 66/1

Aherlow 66/1

Upperchurch Drombane 66/1

Moycarkey 100/1

Moyne Templetouhy 100/1

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