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Munster Rugby announces pre-season games against Bath and Exeter

Munster Rugby has confirmed two pre-season fixtures ahead of the 2021-22 campaign against Premiership clubs Bath and Exeter Chiefs.

Munster host Bath at Thomond Park on Saturday, September 4, before travelling to Devon for a clash with Exeter Chiefs the following Saturday, September 11.

Both games kick-off at 3pm. They will provide preparation for the  the first round of United Rugby Championship fixtures scheduled for the final weekend of September.

Ticket details for the home game with Bath will be confirmed.

Saturday 4th September
Munster v Bath, Thomond Park, 3pm.
Ticket details to follow.

Saturday 11th September
Exeter Chiefs v Munster, Sandy Park, 3pm.

Tickets for the away game at Exeter are available at www.exeterchiefs.co.uk.

Young Rider and Junior Eventing European Championship Squads Named

Horse Sport Ireland High Performance Managers Sue Shortt and Dag Albert have confirmed the GAIN Equine Nutrition Young Rider & Junior Eventing Squads for the 2021 European Championships in Segersjo, Sweden 25th – 29th August 2021.

Young Rider Eventing Squad
  • Alannah Kelly and Cooley Bounce (ISH).
  • Brian Kuehnle and Tullibards Now or Never (ISH).
  • Jennifer Kuehnle and Polly Blue Eyes (ZfDP).
  • Zara Nelson and OLS Queen Bee (ISH).
  • Heather O’Connor and HSH Has It All (ISH).
  • Jim Tyrrell and Rock Gift (ISH).

The non travelling reserves are Emily Barrett with BGS Mikado (ISH) and Zara Nelson with OLS Pixie Hollow (ISH).

High Performance Young Rider Eventing Team Manager Sue Shortt said:

“Most of these riders are veterans of several Pony and Junior European Championships, and a Children on Horses show jumping Gold medallist.  I’ve selected a squad of riders that have shown in training and competition, that they have the skills and experience to cope with a big, technical cross country course.”

Junior Eventing Squad
  • Godfrey Gibbons and Milchem Free Spirit (ISH).
  • Sarah O’Donnell and Blessington Prince Royal (UNK).
  • India Rogers and Hollybrook Star (ISH).
  • Tom Rowlatt McCormick and Mon Ami Alme (BE/SIES).
  • Susan Shanahan and Eisfee (HANN) or Fernhill Whisper (ISH).
  • Olivia Swan and Silver Bróg (ISH).

The non travelling reserves are Clodie Coen with Ballinglen Susies Master (ISH), Lucy Cosgrove with Kilcoltrim Swift (UNK), Ellen Creed with Interface (KWPN) and Darragh Hanlon with Marco (UNK).

Denis Lynch edges out Darragh Kenny in Berlin

Last to go Denis Lynch and the stallion Cristello rode to a blistering victory in the Longines Global Champions Tour of Berlin the 1.50m DKB Championship competition at the weekend.

The Tipperary man clinched victory by half a second from Offaly’s Darragh Kenny and Vinci de Beaufour.

Third place in the jump-off went to German rider Katrin Eckermann and Cala Mandia.

A delighted Lynch praised his horse, saying:

“The horse has been in great form recently. To win here is really great and I am delighted with him. It is a great class to win, Cristello is very impulsive, a real fighter and trier so we work well together.”

Ten clear rounds

From the international field of 32 contenders, there were 10 clear rounds that made it into the jump off. First to return to the ring home hero Marcus Ehning and A la Carte NRW. They jumped clear and set a time of 38.46 seconds. Darragh Kenny swifty knocked him off top spot with Vinci de Beaufour to stop the clock in 36.99 seconds.

Young talent Andrzej Oplatek and Conthinder opted for a slightly steadier pace counting on a double clear to help them stay in the placings. While it started to unravel for Pieter Devos after he clipped the Longines oxer and misjudged the side to the final fence causing a refusal and collecting 18 faults, in the end, to rule themselves out of contention.

Though many top-class international riders tried to better Kenny’s performance, all failed until his fellow Irishman took to the arena.

Lynch and Cristello cleared every fence, with the pair shaving milliseconds off the time. They flew towards the last to stop the clock in 36.47 seconds, to take the win, and give Irish riders a 1-2 in Berlin.

The Longines Global Champions Tour and GCL team series now moves to the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London from 13-15 August 2021.

Leinster to host Harlequins on Friday 10 September

Leinster Rugby and Harlequins have announced a Bank of Ireland Pre-Season Fixture ahead of the start of the 2021-22 season.

The reigning Guinness PRO14 and Gallagher Premiership champions will face each other on Friday evening, 10th September with a 7.00pm kick-off.

Details around the venue, spectator numbers and protocols around same will be confirmed closer to the game.

Harlequins won the Gallagher Premiership last season with a 40-38 win against defending champions Exeter.

Their squad features a number of current and former internationals, including Lions player Marcus Smith.

Seeded in tier one for the Heineken Champions Cup 2021-22, they drew Cardiff Blues and Castres in their pool games.

Leinster won the Guinness PRO14 title after a 16-6 win against Munster at the RDS in March.

They were also seeded a tier one team and drew Bath Rugby and Montpellier for the European campaign ahead.

Leinster Rugby will kick-off their United Rugby Championship campaign on the weekend of 24/25/26 September. They are already into the first full week of pre-season training at their UCD base. The squad is missing their Ireland U20s, Ireland senior, and British & Irish Lions contingent.

Olympic Swimming: Haughey Wins Silver For Hong Kong

Hong Konger Siobhan Bernadette Haughey became the first person from Hong Kong to win a medal in Olympic swimming when she earned silver for the Women’s 200m Freestyle event.

Haughey, the grandniece of former Irish Taoiseach Charles Haughey, broke the Asian 200m Freestyle record with a time of 1:53.92.

Haughey’s mother is from Hong Kong and her father is Irish and the swimmer was born in and has grown up in the former British colony.

The swimmer’s previous best time was 1:54.89, which she had set in April of this year.

The 23-year-old was already the first swimmer from Hong Kong to reach an Olympic final and solidified her mane in Olympics history with her performance.

The two-time Olympian dominated proceedings for much of the race, leading the way up until the final 50m when Australian Ariarne Titmus edged her out to take gold in the event.

The silver medal makes the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Hong Kong’s most successful Olympics ever.

Fencer Edgar Cheung Ka-Long had previously won gold for the Olympic team on Tuesday – Hong Kong’s first gold since Atlanta 1996.

“My achievement, coupled with Cheung Ka-Long in fencing, can inspire other Hong Kong athletes who are here in Tokyo, and ‘add oil’ to them,” she said after her race.

The phrase is a motivational one that means to keep drawing strength.

She has shown massive improvement since her Olympic debut in Rio where she made the semis of the event and swam a time of 1:57.56.

Haughey had stated before she made her Olympic debut in 2016 that she had been approached to represent Ireland but “chose to represent Hong Kong because I was born there, raised there, and feel connected and proud to represent Hong Kong”.

Haughey raced in the Women’s 100m Freestyle Heats later on in the same day, coming second overall across all heats, behind only new Olympic record holder Emma McKeon by half a second.

Football – Monaghan v Tyrone – Starting News, Live Scores, Betting; TV Coverage

Ulster Senior Football Championship Final – Monaghan v Tyrone – Croke Park – 4. 00 pm – RTE

Monaghan will go head to head with Tyrone at Croke Park in Dublin this coming Saturday at 4.00 pm in the Ulster Senior Football Championship Final live on RTÉ.

It was announced that the game would be moved from the Athletic Grounds in Armagh to Croke Park.

The moving of the match will be the first time since 2006 that the Ulster championship will be played at Croke Park.

Now, the Ulster Senior Football Championship Final (Monaghan v Tyrone) is set for the capital, with the winner facing Munster champions Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Both Monaghan and Tyrone are close in terms of Ulster titles won, with Monaghan winning a grand total of 16 titles to Tyrone’s 15.

The last time Monaghan lifted the Anglo-Celt Cup was back in 2015, since then, they have not reached an Ulster final.

While Tyrone’s last title was back in 2017.

2010 was the last time Monaghan and Tyrone faced off in the pinnacle of Ulster football.

Tyrone came out on top that day, winning comfortably 1-14 to 0-07 in St Tiernach’s Park in Clones.

Monaghan Retrospective

Looking into the match, Monaghan has looked hot and cold throughout the league and championship.

Avoiding relegation after defeating Galway in the relegation play-off.

In the quarter-final, they overcame a rugged Fermanagh side by 1-21 to 0-14 and then having a contender for the game of the championship against Armagh in the semi-final.

Coming out on top with a 4-17 to 2-21 victory.

Monaghan is often seen as the dark horse for the championship every season, and every year they tend to fall apart.

Can they live up to their title of dark horse remains to be seen?

Conor McManus can only do so much and on the verge of turning 35 this year, Séamus McEnaney will hope his squad can perform without their star player, when and if he walks away from the panel.

Tyrone Retrospective

Tyrone were abysmal in the Allianz League, with their loss to Kerry a standout for how far behind Tyrone are compared to the elite teams.

Since then, they have knocked out current reigning Ulster champions Cavan in the quarter-final and then putting in a magnificent performance in the semi-final against favourites Donegal, pipping their rivals 0-23 to 1-14.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Without Conor McManus causing problems in the full-forward line, manager Seamus McEnaney will need to find a solution for his side’s lack of variety going forward.

Bar and injury, McManus seems set to play on, at the age of 34, he is in the twilight of his career, but if he can stay fit and get the proper service, he can make Monaghan serious contenders in Ulster and beyond.

Defeating Donegal was a shock to the system for many pundits and fans alike, showing they can play the best on any given day.

Star player and captain Mattie Donnelly is their most important player since Seán Cavanagh’s retirement in 2017.

Without Donnelly, not much emphasis will be put on this Tyrone side as major contenders.

Other key players for Tyrone is the returning Conor McShane and Conor McKenna, who both have much to prove going forward.

Conclusion

Predicting any game in the Ulster championship is difficult, Donegal and Cavan were the favourites coming into the season, and both went out with a whimper.

Just prior to the start of the championship season, Tyrone was struggling to find form, with many predicting them to bow out in embarrassing fashion, since then they have impressed many with their performances.

It will be a close game to call but based on the level of opponents faced and how they have improved ever so slightly since their league form, Tyrone will be crowned Ulster champions come Monday.

Prediction: Tyrone by 2 points

Starting Teams – TBC 

Monaghan

 

Tyrone

 

 

Betting

Monaghan: 13/8

Tyrone: 8/13

Draw: 8/1

Olympic Cycling: Nicholas Roche 28th In Time Trial

Team Ireland cyclist Nicholas Roche finished 28th in the Olympic Time Trial on Wednesday morning at the Fuji International Speedway.

Roche was amongst the early starters tasked with laying down a marker for the field of 35 riders to measure themselves against.

He completed the tough and gruelling 44.2-kilometre men’s Olympic Time Trial in a time of 1:01:23.

Roche had played a key role in supporting Dan Martin in the 234-kilometre Road Race on Saturday, in which Martin finished in 16th position.

Eddie Dunbar was also part of Team Ireland’s Men’s Olympic Road Race team.

A quick recovery was required as the Time Trial course featured a total elevation gain of 846 meters in hot and humid conditions.

“That was one tough day,” Roche said at the finish line.

“Definitely left it all on the road but obviously against a lot of the top of the world specialists I’m a lot slower than most of them, but I gave it 100%.

“I thank the staff and Cycling Ireland and the Olympic team for their commitment behind me for these Games, and I hope I gave everything I could. It’s been an amazing experience to get my fourth Games, I’m extremely proud.”

Roche previously competed at the 2008 Games in Beijing, the 2012 Games in London and the 2016 Games in Rio.

However, this was the 37-year-old’s first appearance at an Olympic time trial.

This Olympics instalment of the gruelling race against the clock was won by Primož Roglič of Slovenia in a blistering time of 55:04:19, with Roglič averaging 48.3kph.

Roglič did much of the damage on the final lap extending his advantage as the terrain took its toll on the heavier riders.

Tom Dumoulin of the Netherlands returned from a brief hiatus from bike racing to claim the silver medal in a time of 56:05.58.

Australia’s Rohan Dennis finished in 56:08.09 to win bronze less than half a second ahead of Stefan Kueng.

Galway Star Joe Canning Announces Retirement

Galway hurler Joe Canning announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on Wednesday morning.

The 32-year-old retires as the All-Ireland Championship’s top scorer after breaking Henry Shefflin’s record in the loss against Waterford at the weekend.

Canning broke the record of 27-484 (565) and sits on 27-485 (566) as he steps away from Galway GAA following a 0-9 performance.

The Portumna man helped Galway to three Leinster Championships throughout his career, as well as one All-Ireland title in 2017.

The inter-county veteran also leaves the top level having garnered five All-Stars over the course of his thirteen-year career with his county.

Injuries have hampered the forward in recent years and, after three surgeries in five years, Canning feels he can no longer go on for Galway.

The Galway star told media of his decision to retire this morning at a Bord Gais Energy media event.

“It’s injuries and stuff like that,” Canning said at the event.

“I had a couple of fairly serious ones over the year and even this year alone I tore a hamstring after the Waterford league game and didn’t realise I had it for a few weeks.

“Just a little nick, I’d a partial tear in my thumb as well. My finger, my heel, yeah there are four or five injuries alone this year, niggly ones, so yeah it wasn’t getting any easier for me.

“I just feel the time is right. I don’t want to stay around too long either.

“I think that is a bad way as well, just being there for the sake of it.

“As I said to the lads after the game, Saturday wasn’t the day I was planning to tell them.

“That’s just it, life moves on.”

“I thought it [retirement] might be later on in the year,” he said.

“You were kind of hoping in August time, August 22, All-Ireland that’s your kind of dream isn’t it, but that’s life. As I said, life moves on, that’s just the way it is.

“I am content with it. It wasn’t a thing just because we lost, that’s it. As I said to the boys I wanted to say it then because we will never be in that group again.”

The Portumna star departs the stage as one of the best-ever players to play the game and will be remembered on the level of the likes of Henry Shefflin.

Olympic Badminton: Nguyen narrowly beaten in final set

Team Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen took to the courts to face world number ten, Chinese Taipei’s Tzu-Wei Wang at the Musashino Forest Plaza

In Nguyen’s last match he beat Sri Lanka’s Niluka Karunaratne to straight sets but todays opponent would be much harder.

At 10:40, Ireland’s big badminton match started. Wang’s quality was noticeable with each swing, proving he is a major candidate for a medal at the Games.

Nguyen did not just come to match to take part and made the Chinese Taipei man earn every score.

The first set started with Nguyen getting a few scores intermittently in between Wang’s great plays. Many scores came after long, fast rallies.

The Irishman made a late flurry but it wasn’t enough to beat Wang’s great attack and net play. The first set ended 21-12 to Wang.

The 21-year-old from Dublin started the stronger in the second set, gaining a 10-4 lead. Wang’s energy dipped leading to unforced errors.

He did fight back to narrow the gap with the Irish player until they were together at 15. The two continued to trade rallies and scores until Nguyen pulled off some brilliant plays to win the set 21-18.

The final set would decide everything. Wang’s confidence had been shaken by the last set and the world number ten came out stronger.

Nguyen needed to keep the scores close as his opponent started to tire and the scores were level at four apiece.

The Irish player rightly been compared to a cat as he jumped across the court. He enjoyed his game, smiling even when he lost a score.

Wang upped his game after the halfway mark, scoring some hard smashes to gain a four point lead on Nguyen.

With a lead of 15-12, Wang sustained a slight neck injury but decided to continue. After his check-up, he found new life and pulled further away.

It just wasn’t to be for Nguyen as Wang won the third set 21-12, winning the game. With only one person qualifying from each group, sadly this is the end of Ireland’s journey in badminton in Tokyo.

Nhat Nguyen was Ireland’s sole representative for badminton in the Olympics, ranked at 54th in the world.

There is most definitely a bright future for him in the sport and he will be looking to improve on this again in Paris in three years time

 

Football – Dublin v Kildare – Starting News, Live Scores, Betting; TV Coverage

Leinster Senior Football Championship Final – Dublin v Kildare – Croke Park – 4. 00 pm – RTE

Dublin will go head to head with Kildare at Croke Park in Dublin this coming Sunday at 4.00 pm in the Leinster Senior Football Championship Final live on RTÉ.

The Dubs are coming into this match on a streak of 10 consecutive Leinster title wins starting all the way back in 2011, defeating Wexford by a mere goal.

Since then they have dispatched many of their Leinster counterparts sparingly, Meath (5 times), Laois (1 time), Westmeath (2 times), Wexford (1 time), and Kildare (1 time).

In those ten finals since 2011, Dublin has averaged a winning margin of 23 points, with their largest being a 30 point victory in last years route against Meath.

Outscoring their opponents by 109 in Leinster finals in the past decade with a scoreline of 20-166 (226) to 4-105 (117)

Almost unbeatable in Leinster, any fixture involving Dublin is a foregone conclusion on who the victor will be,

This year, however, Dessie Farrell’s side are playing unusually below the Dublin standard. Winning their Allianz League (shared with Kerry).

Looking tame in the quarter-final victory over Wexford, only winning by 0-08 points and looking shaky against Meath in the semi-final winning by 6 points.

It has been the closest year in over a decade where Dublin look somewhat beatable in the provincials.

We have seen this before however when the Dubs don’t perform on any given day, they still find a way to get over the line, that is why they are the greatest footballing side to ever grace the pitch and by some margin.

Kildare are a team on the rise, the appointment of Jack O’Connor was a massive coup for the Lilywhites, having an outstanding career with Kerry, O’Connor gives them a much-needed respect factor,

Only suffering one defeat to a vibrant Clare side during their league campaign, they gained promotion to Division 1 along with Mayo.

Although in their quarter-final and semi-final outings, they got over the line in tough games.

Beating Offaly by 5 points before overcoming a young Westmeath side by 2 points.

They have not reached an All-Ireland Final since 2017, losing to the Dubs 2-23 to 1-17.

If they do defeat the Dubs this weekend, it will be their first Leinster title since 2000, where they took Dublin to a replay, winning by 3 points.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Many of Dublin’s influential players have left the panel this season, Cian O’Sullivan, Eric Lowndes, Paul Mannion, Paddy Andrews and possibly Stephen Cluxton, which has led to a mass exodus of their panel.

The Lilywhites will be without three of their most experienced players through injury.

Midfielder Paul Cribbin will be out for the foreseeable season with two fractured bones in his leg after a fall against Meath in the league.

Fellow midfielder Kevin Feely and defender Eoin Doyle were both forced off during their win against Westmeath in the Leinster semi-final.

Conclusion

As much as I would love Kildare to do the unthinkable and dethrone the Dubs, it won’t happen.

Now, saying that, if Dublin plays as they have been since their league campaign, Kildare could open them up and cause an upset.

Being without three of the key players will not do Kildare any favours, but if they are fit enough to play, their chances of lifting their first Leinster title since 2000 will look increasingly likely.

Come Sunday evening, I believe Dublin will have too much firepower and experience to capture their 11th consecutive Leinster title.

Prediction: Dublin by 8  points

Starting Teams – TBC 

Dublin

 

Kildare

Image

 

Betting

Dublin: 1/20

Kildare: 10/1

Draw: 25/1

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