Attention is turning to the All-Ireland hurling final this weekend but, such was the magnitude of Mayo's win over Dublin on Saturday, there is still plenty to take from it. This morning Darragh Ó Sé writes in his column that he was shocked at Dublin's inability to close out against their old foes and he says a lack of discipline eventually undid the six-in-a-row champions. "The Dubs always played on the edge but they nearly always knew how to stay on the right side of it. But when they weren't able to do the right thing and make the right decisions towards the end of normal time, you could see them losing patience with themselves as much as anything," he writes. Meanwhile, in his column, Seán Moran writes that an ailing Dublin team showed a complete lack of resolve after half-time. "No other team has previously had to bounce back after such a fall from grace simply because no team has soared as high," he writes.
Moving to hurling and the All-Ireland final draws closer with anticipation mounting in Cork and Limerick. This morning, Aonghus Ó Maicín looks at the influence of Ballinhassig on Cork hurling over the years and, in particular, on the goalkeepers. Brothers Patrick and Ger Collins will make up the slots on the pitch and on the bench for Cork on Sunday and they continue a long tradition of county shot-stoppers coming from the club. Meanwhile, it will the clash of the O'Gradys among the coaches as the two Donal O'Gradys go head-to-head less than a decade after the older managed the younger at Limerick. This evening, Cork under-20s face Galway in the All-Ireland final and Seán Moran writes that the Rebels' scoring threat could tip the balance of the final in their favour.
Moving on and Ireland's gold medal boxing hero Kellie Harrington says she is still trying to take in all that has happened in the last few weeks and hasn't given much thought to what the future holds. For the Dubliner it's been an emotional few weeks as she catches up on all of the celebrations and well-wishes back home. "That's worth its weight in gold itself, and that hit me, when I had my first proper night's sleep, and I'm sitting outside. Mandy [her partner] said it to me, 'what's wrong with you?' And I was trying to explain it to her, and I couldn't get it out because I was bawling my eyes out, and I couldn't breathe," she said yesterday.
Next week focus turns to the Paralympics and this morning John O'Sullivan tells the extraordinary story of Philip Eaglesham, the Irish sharpshooter and Dungannon-born former Royal Marine commando who, in 2014, attempted to take his own life after contracting Q-Fever in Afghanistan and being confined to a wheelchair. Now he will represent Ireland for the second time at the Paralympic Games.
Finally to soccer and Harry Kane is expected to make his Tottenham return in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night as rumours continue to swirl about whether he will move to Manchester City.
