Trust between the players and the coaching staff has paved the way for success in New Zealand for the Irish rugby team, according to Gordon D’Arcy in today’s Subscriber Only piece. Speaking about his own experience, D’Arcy writes: “I have been superbly coached, poorly coached and everything in between and I believe the coaches that have been extremely successful take time to understand and appreciate the diverse personalities and qualities of the people with whom they are working.”
Ireland have received a boost for the crucial final Test against the All Blacks as Peter O’Mahony has been passed fit for third Test after passing HIA Three. O’Mahony was excellent in the second Test and Sam Cane has played off an incident with O’Mahony during the game as “good rugby banter”. The Irish flanker rather impolitely informed the All Blacks captain he was not an especially good version of Richie McCaw, his predecessor as New Zealand’s 7 and skipper. Ireland were victorious against the Maori All Blacks yesterday morning and Keith Earls was delighted with the new captaincy experience saying “it’s the best bunch of lads I’ve ever been involved with”.
Darragh O’Sé is full of praise for Galway’s performance against Derry at the weekend and says Pádraic Joyce got it tactically spot on by never allowing Derry to play the game on their own terms. O’Sé writes: “Joyce is a clever guy but he’s an impatient guy. Always was. He would have known that it wouldn’t be straightforward but his attitude would always have been, ‘Well sure let’s make it straightforward. Let’s go and do the things we need to do and it will get us there.’” In women’s football, Meath have turned from hunters to hunted as they continue quest for two-in-a-row as it is the first time in 20 years neither Dublin nor Cork will contest All-Ireland final.
In his column today, Seán Moran writes that Limerick’s new generation face the historical test of Kilkenny in a final. It is both a test and an opportunity. He writes: “Limerick’s new place in the world demands that they face the abyss and not blink.” Limerick manager John Kiely has spoken about doubts in his ability, saying: “There were nights when I was pacing the yard out the back, wondering, ‘am I the right man for this job?”
There was some movement on the transfer market among the Irish players as Nathan Collins has completed his move to Premier League Wolves from relegated Burnley for an undisclosed fee. The move is believed to make him the most expensive Irish transfer ever. In other transfer news relating to Burnley, Republic of Ireland midfielder Josh Cullen has joined them from manager Vincent Kompany’s former club Anderlecht. Meanwhile. Shamrock Rovers set up European tie with Bulgarian champions Ludogorets as they progressed from the first round of Champions League qualifying, beating Maltese side Hibernians 3-0 on aggregate.
The Open begins tomorrow morning and we have written a guide of everything you need to know from tee times to TV details, from weather forecast to players to watch. Two of the main players to watch at St Andrews this week will be Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, and Philip Reid writes the two are in step on and off the golf course, playing practice golf together at Ballybunion and the Old Course, while agreeing with the establishment in the face of LIV Golf threat. One of the main holes at St Andrews this week will be the famous Road Hole, the 17th, and Reid writes it has claimed many victims and caused many sleepless nights.
