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Ireland Finish 10th At First-Ever Olympics

The Ireland Men’s Sevens side has finished 10th in the Sevens tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Head coach Anthony Eddy’s team were the first Irish rugby side to represent Team Ireland at the Olympics.

Eddy’s men suffered a big loss to Kenya on Wednesday morning in the ninth-place final, losing 22-0 to the Shujaa after beating them less than 24 hours previous.

The match did not get off to the best start for captain Billy Dardis and his squad with a cagey start being interrupted by a Kenyan try to kick-start proceedings.

Kenya captain Andrew Amonde retired after the game and his teammates made sure to play their hearts out to send him off into the sunset riding a high.

Hohnstone Olindi opened the scoring for his country and the conversion was scored.

The side held onto their slim lead until halftime, putting them in prime position to earn ninth.

Jacob Ojee scored his side’s second try and put the result beyond doubt for anyone watching.

Ireland’s handling and concentration were once again below the level that was expected of them coming into this tournament.

Two more tries followed for the Kenyans but they were merely icing on the cake that symbolised a strong performance and revenge against the side that beat them on Wednesday morning.

Amonde was visibly emotional after the final whistle as his career came to an end.

Ireland ends their campaign with a win record of 40% (2W, 3L) and valuable experience at the Olympics that will help them on their push towards Paris 2024.

It was a subpar tournament for Eddy’s side and one that his players were clearly disappointed with after the Pool C game against Kenya.

However, they can hold their heads high knowing that they’ve once again grown as a side and taken the Sevens programme in Ireland to new heights – a trend that they will continue to follow.

Dream start for Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove at Tokyo 2020

Sailors Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove earned a race win on their Olympic debut in the Men’s skiff event at Tokyo 2020.

The Dublin pair won from Britain and Germany and will lead going into race 2 in the 49er class.

Light and shifting winds delayed racing, including an abandoned race in which the pair were also at the front of the fleet.

The thrilling single race of the day saw the pair gradually improve from fourth place to first over the three laps of the course close to Enoshima Island. The actual finish was delivered with a watery flourish as the Irish crew skidded over the line barely centimetres ahead of the British boat.

“You only have to win by a few centimetres”

“It was pretty close but you only have to win by a few centimetres,” said Robert Dickson of Howth Yacht Club. “We didn’t know (crossing the line) that we’d done it until we came in and Matt (coach McGovern) told us.”

While three races had been planned for the opening day, a near calm followed by shifting wind direction meant a series of delays plus the abandonment of the first race attempt in which the Irish crew also sailed well.

“I feel thrilled, we can’t ask for a better start,” Skerries Sailing Club man Seán Waddilove.  “But you have to remember that this is the very first race and anything could change with eleven races to go, plus a medal race – hopefully.”

The event rules prevent race starts after 5pm local times so racing resumes on Wednesday as scheduled with the missed races added where the programme allows later in the week.

Meanwhile, Annalise Murphy had her best day of the regatta so far with a consistent ninth and ten places partially off-setting her disappointment of the opening two days.

The double-Olympic veteran and Rio Silver medallist moved from 32nd place to 20th overnight and the series will have a rest day on Wednesday. Four further races on Thursday and Friday will decide the top ten places for the medal race final on Sunday.

The Extra.ie FAI Cup Second Round Draw

Shamrock Rovers will travel to Dalymount Park to face Dublin rivals Bohemians in the Second Round of the Exta.ie FAI Cup.

The draw, which was completed on RTE 2FM by Alan Cawley, will also see Leinster Senior League side St. Mochta’s head to Oriel Park in the hope of an upset against Extra.ie FAI Cup holders Dundalk.

Following their dramatic penalty shoout-out victory over Athlone Town, Waterford FC have been handed a home tie against Dublin’s Kilnamanagh.

Another derby tie takes place as Finn Harps welcome Derry City while Colin Healy’s Cork City will welcome St. Patrick’s Athletic to Turner’s Cross.

Dates and kick-off times will be confirmed in due course with all matches set to take place in the week ending Sunday, August 29.

FAI Cup – Second Round Draw

Waterford v Kilnamanagh
Dundalk v St. Mochta’s
Finn Harps v Derry City
Maynooth University Town v Cobh Ramblers
Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers
Cork City St. Patrick’s Athletic
UCD AFC v Longford Town
Killester Donnycarney v Wexford

Colin O’Brien names 20 players for 3-day training camp

Republic of Ireland Under-17 Head Coach Colin O’Brien has called-up 20 players for a three-day training camp at Johnstown House Estate this week.

O’Brien and his backroom team have been hosting a number of assessment days for players in recent weeks as they look to put themselves in the frame for an international double-header at the end of August.

It is part of the build-up for the first round of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifiers that take place in October with Ireland facing Poland, North Macedonia and Andorra at Turner’s Cross.

The group met up today and will play a behind-closed-door friendly on Wednesday.

Republic of Ireland Under-17s training camp squad

Goalkeepers: Conor Walsh (Sligo Rovers), Fintan Doherty (Derry City).

Defenders: Finn Cowper Gray (Klub Kildare), Sam Curtis (Unattached), Cathal Heffernan (Cork City), Luke Browne (Shelbourne), Rudhan Kane (Klub Kildare), Luke O’Brien (Shamrock Rovers), Trisden Hughes (Klub Kildare).

Midfielders: Eanna Fitzgerald (Cork City), Gavin Hodgins (Shelbourne), Justin Ferizaj (Shamrock Rovers), James McManus (Bohemians), Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh (Cork City), Darius Lipsivc (St. Patrick’s Athletic).

Forwards: Franco Umeh (Cork City), Liam Murray (Cork City), Mark O’Mahony (Cork City), Caden McLoughlin (Villarreal CF), Alex Nolan (St. Patrick’s Athletic).

Olympic Golf: McIlroy and Lowry Preview And Tee-Times

Team Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry will begin their quests for Olympic medals on the morning of Thursday, July 29th at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama.

Round One of the Olympic Golf tournament is scheduled to begin at 23:30 pm on Wednesday, July 28th – McIlroy and Lowry will tee-off several hours later.

Both golfers will be playing at their first Olympic Games after choosing not to travel to Brazil in 2016 due to the Zika virus outbreak.

McIlroy and Lowry are the two highest-ranked Irish golfers in the world and the latter is the most recent Irish golfer to win a major – The 2019 Open Championship.

The pair will go up against other top golfers in the world such as Justin Thomas and 2021 Championship Golfer of the Year Collin Morikawa.

Rio 2016 Gold Medalist Justin Rose will not compete this year and neither will Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau as both have contracted Covid.

Rory McIlroy comes into the tournament in Saitama off the back of some mixed form which has seen him miss multiple cuts but also get back to winning ways at the Wells Fargo Championship.

His form can be encapsulated by a contrast between the tied-seventh finish at the US Open on a tough Torrey Pines course in June and a poor Open Championship several weeks later on a Links course.

The Northern Irish golfer has been paired with Morikawa, an American, and South Korean prospect Sungjae Im for a 2:25 am tee time on Thursday morning, followed by a 00:25 am start for Round Two.

Shane Lowry enters this year’s Olympics a better player than he was in 2016 and has also been the most consistent Irish golfer at the top level, of late.

Lowry’s solid weekends have seen the Offaly professional post his best-ever finishes at the PGA Championship and The Masters this year, along with a respectable eighth at the high-profile Players’ Championship.

The Clara native will play his opening rounds with Patrick Reed of the USA and Team GB’s Tommy Fleetwood.

The trio will tee-off after McIlroy and co. in both rounds, with a tee time of 2:36 am in Round One and 00:41 am in Round Two.

The two golfers’ groups will be among the last to play the 18 holes on Thursday and among the first to do so on Friday.

Click here to see all the tee times for the opening two rounds of the Olympic tournament.

Click here to see the Olympic schedule for Thursday, July 29th.

Springboks Side For 2nd Lions Test Announced

South Africa has announced the Springboks team that will face Warren Gatland’s British and Irish Lions in the second Test of the three-game series on Saturday.

Head coach Jacques Nienaber has made three changes to his starting XV and a further three to the bench ahead of this weekend’s pivotal clash.

Two of these changes are in the front-row, where Kitshoff – who made his Test debut against Ireland in 2016 – will make his 50th cap next to Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe in a new-look combination for the hosts.

First Test loosehead Ox Nché was ruled out due to the neck injury he picked up but fortunately for Nienaber, Mbonambi’s hamstring strain has recovered sufficiently for him to start the match.

Leicester Tigers’ Jasper Wiese earns his first Test start after making his debut off the replacements bench against Georgia earlier this month.

Handre Pollard is in line to equal and possibly break Jackie Snyman’s record of six career penalty goals against the British & Irish Lions when he starts at fly-half.

Nienaber has opted for a six-two split on the bench, which sees Trevor Nyakane and Vincent Koch provide cover at prop, while Marco van Staden takes over from Rynhardt Elstadt as loose forward cover along with Kwagga Smith.

Herschel Jantjies and Damian Willemse will provide support in the backline.

This comes after their unexpected switch to a 5-3 split last week for the first Test.

South Africa Team v Lions 2nd Test

15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 63 caps
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse) – 15 caps
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 16 caps
12 – Damian de Allende (Munster) – 48 caps
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 15 caps
10 – Handré Pollard (vice-captain, Montpellier) – 50 caps
9 – Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks) – 31 caps
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 1 cap
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers) – 57 caps
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 52 caps
5 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 41 caps
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 87 caps
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 40 caps
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers) – 38 caps

1 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 49 caps

Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 35 caps
17 – Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls) – 44 caps
18 – Vincent Koch (Saracens) – 21 caps
19 – Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks) – 46 caps
20 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps
21 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 8 caps
22 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 12 caps
23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 8 caps

To see the Lions squad, click here.

Nicholas Quinn: ‘This Is Only A Step In Mona McSharry’s Journey’

Rio 2016 Olympian Nicholas Quinn has praised Mona McSharry for reaching the Women’s 100m Backstroke final and tipped her to achieve bigger things in the latest Swim Ireland swimming review video.

Mona McSharry became the first Irish swimmer to take part in an Olympic final since Michelle Smith in 1996.

McSharry came eighth in the final but Quinn was full of praise for the 20-year-old, who made her dreams come true.

“All these experiences are going to stand to Mona as she moves forward in her career because let’s be clear, this is only a step in Mona’s journey,” Quinn said on his daily review show.

The Irish senior record holder can add Olympic finalist to an already-impressive resumé that includes a World Championship in the 100m Breastroke and high finishes at senior European Championships.

At only 20 years of age, McSharry has her whole career ahead of her and can become an even better swimmer over time.

McSharry swam the final in 1:06.9 and Quinn feels there are a lot of positives she can take from her performance.

“Her dive was probably the best dive she’s done across the three rounds. She turned a 50 in 31.6, which was the same time she turned at the 50 in the semi-final.”

However, he feels that the University of Tennessee student used up the majority of her energy too early and it’s what cost her on the latter 50m.

McSharry’s run to becoming only the second Irish person to swim in an Olympic final has caught the eye of the Irish public.

The Sligo native was the third-youngest woman in the final and, at her age, could have several more Olympic appearances on the cards in the future, form permitting.

Olympian Quinn described the Olympic finalist as an inspiration for a generation.

“Mona won’t realise the impact she has had on others yet, but she will in years to come.”

Lions Announce Team For Second Test v Boks

The British and Irish Lions have announced the side that is set to face South Africa in the second test in Cape Town this Saturday.

Three changes have been made to the side that beat the Springboks 22-17 in the first test of the series last Saturday.

Conor Murray comes into the side at scrum-half in place of Scotland’s Ali Price.

Chris Harris takes the number 13 shirt this weekend ahead of Saracens and England player Elliot Daly.

Mako Vunipola starts at loosehead prop after an appearance off the bench at the weekend.

Alun Wyn Jones will captain the side once again after completing 80 minutes just 28 days after he dislocated his shoulder against Japan.

Man of the Match Maro Itoje remains on the side along with England teammate Courtney Lawes, who also made a big impression with his work rate.

Ball-carrying machine Jack Conan will look to add to his twelve from the first test with a second consecutive start at number eight.

Tadhg Beirne is the only Irishman available off the bench.

The second test against South Africa will be shown live on Sky Sports with the match kicking off at 5 pm.

British and Irish Lions: Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland); Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England), Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland), Duhan van der Merwe; Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales), Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland); Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland); Maro Itoje (Saracens, England), Alun Wyn Jones – captain (Ospreys, Wales); Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England), Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #839

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales), Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors, Scotland), Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England), Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland), Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby, Wales), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland), Owen Farrell (Saracens, England), Elliot Daly (Saracens, England)

Olympic Boxing: Aidan Walsh Beats Ill-Disciplined Mengue Ayissi

Team Ireland’s Aidan Walsh enjoyed a unanimous decision victory over Cameroonian Olympic boxer Albert Mengue Ayissi to progress to the Men’s Welterweight quarter-finals.

Mengue Ayissi was the aggressor in the fight with Walsh more than happy to sit back and enjoy a defensive, counter-attacking role.

The Cameroonian swung wild and dangerously throughout the fight, getting docked points twice in the three rounds for dangerous hits.

Four of the five judges working at the match scored the first round in favour of Aidan Walsh after a strong finish to the round displayed the differences in quality between the two fighters.

The 24-year-old from Belfast stuck to his gameplan and continued to cut a frustrated figure out of his opponent, who couldn’t get the better of Walsh.

The Olympic boxer’s sister, fellow Olympian Michaela, was audible throughout the fight, cheering her brother on as promised.

The Cameroonian’s first point-docking was given out in the second round for hits to the back of the head.

His constant counter-jabs picked away at Mengue Ayissi and earned the respect of the judges, who all scored the second round in favour of the Irishman.

Mengue Ayissi earned a second deduction at the start of the third round and it gave the boxer some urgency to secure a grand finish but it was too little, too late for the Olympian.

Walsh was even more conservative in the final round after the second deduction, knowing the fight was won if he stayed on his feet.

The judges awarded the Belfast boxer a unanimous decision win (30-25×3, 29-26, 28-27) over his opponent and gave the Team Ireland athlete a ticket to the Welterweight quarter-finals.

Walsh will face Mauritius’ Merven Clair in the quarter-final after the latter beat number-four seed Zeyad Ishiash from Jordan, with the fighters close to Olympic bronze.

The fight will take place in the early hours of Friday morning.

Ireland Reach 9th-Place Final After Win Over R.O.Korea

The Ireland Men’s Sevens team won their second game in a row on Tuesday morning and booked their place in the ninth-place final after a strong 29-0 win over the Republic of Korea in the semi-final.

The side was knocked out of contention for a medal after their victory over Kenya was not enough to take them through but did not let that trouble them.

The five-try performance was a great response to the disappointment of missing out on the quarters.

Mark Roche got the ball rolling with the first try for the boys in green, but not before Ian Fitzpatrick had to leave the field through injury.

Moments later, Conroy was in for his first score of the tournament after a frustrating pool stage for the Tullamore speedster.

Both conversions were missed and Anthony Eddy’s side went into the break with a solid 10-0 lead.

Korea started the second-brightly but could not make any of their possession pay.

Ireland soaked up their pressure and retaliated with three late tries to ensure their spot in the ninth-place final tomorrow morning.

Gavin Mullin notched two of the side’s final tries with Conroy doubling his personal tally in the game too.

Their tries were complemented by three conversions to cap off a strong display from the Olympians.

Ireland will now face Kenya for the second time in the tournament to determine ninth-place after the Shujaa beat Japan 21-7 in the second ninth-place semi-final on Tuesday morning.

The two teams will play for the title of best-of-the-rest at 1:30 am on Wednesday, July 28th.

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