As we inch ever closer to Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Portugal in Lisbon, there’s a chance that the less hopeful among you are gathering up the cushions to cower behind come kick-off. Put it this way: Portugal are close enough to 100 places higher than Armenia in the Fifa rankings, and you know what happened in Yerevan. That defeat was, said Ireland’s assistant manager John O’Shea, “a shock to the system”, but he still believes that this squad can produce so much better.
Among the players hoping to do just that is Finn Azaz, Gordon Manning hearing from the Southampton midfielder who featured in 70 minutes of the calamitous Armenia game. “We all know that we’ve let people down, let ourselves down,” he said. “We know it wasn’t good enough and we’re feeling we can really make a statement and put it right.”
Leinster need to turn things around too, if not from such a low starting point, having lost their first two URC games. John O’Sullivan has a natter with Rónan Kelleher ahead of their meeting with the Sharks on Saturday, the hooker refreshed after a five-week break following his spell on Lions’ duty down under.
Gordon Manning, meanwhile, brings news that Marc Ó Sé has become the latest member of his clan to take charge of a Kerry team, the five-time All-Ireland winner appointed as his county’s minor manager, while his big brother Tomás will remain in charge of the under-20 team.
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Ciarán Murphy uses his column to marvel at the achievements of dual clubs, 11 of the ones in action last weekend still in contention for a hurling-football double this season.
In athletics, Ian O’Riordan has news on the organisers of the Dublin Marathon scrapping their priority entry system, a move aimed at increasing women’s participation and the number of first-time runners.
And in racing, Brian O’Connor looks ahead to the winter jumps season, which Horse Racing Ireland officially launched on Wednesday. “Those suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, look away now,” he says. Helping kick it off was none other than the “seemingly ageless” Willie Mullins, the man who has “redefined the parameters of jump racing success”.
TV Watch: There are three Irish players in the field for golf’s Spanish Open, Conor Purcell, Tom McKibbin and a fella you might have heard of: Shane Lowry (Sky Sports Golf, from 1pm). Later, Scotland host Greece in their World Cup qualifying game at Hampden Park (BBC 2, 7.45) and England play their best buddies Wales in a friendly at Wembley (Virgin Media Two and UTV, 7.45).
