A unique opportunity for Irish rugby; Cian Lynch’s timely return for Limerick

Kerry’s monumental win over Dublin showed us Gaelic football in all its glory, writes Kevin McStay in today’s subscriber only piece. He is in triumphal mood about the state of the game after last weekend, writing “Kerry v Dublin gripped the nation. And an eternal truth emerges this morning − confirming yet again what we already know − when Gaelic football is played even half right, it is a marvellous game to watch.” Meanwhile in hurling, Cian Lynch’s timely return from injury is the perfect final fillip for Limerick in the build-up to the final against Kilkenny for the Liam MacCarthy Cup. The Hurler of the Year made an appearance from the bench against Galway in the semi-final, 10 weeks after he had been forced off the pitch with a serious hamstring injury. “After a week, I was mad for road but you have to be patient and get it right. Testing it going into a match — that’s when you really know how it’ll fare out and thank God I got through it,” he said.

Concerns about the Hawk-Eye score detection system quickly passed from the weekend’s football semi-finals to the imminent hurling final. GAA officials were privately optimistic that the system would be up and running for Sunday’s hurling final between Limerick and Kilkenny. Elsewhere, Kilkenny linchpin Paddy Deegan is emblematic of county’s success, writes Ian O’Riordan. Kilkenny haven’t won a minor All-Ireland since 2014, and before this year, hadn’t won an under-20 (formerly under-21) since 2008. Deegan stands established in the heart of the Kilkenny defence, only his underage experience was far from all-glittering, which matters little now.

Ireland play the Maori All Blacks this morning with Andy Farrell focused on unearthing “four or five jewels”, and in that way the tourist’s second meeting with the Maori All Blacks in Wellington is probably even more relevant than any of the three Tests, writes Gerry Thornley. Ireland will look to avenge the 32-17 defeat from the first clash with the Maoris in Hamilton, follow the action with Irish Times Sport with kickoff at 8.05am.

Thornley writes that a wonderful shot at history for Ireland may never come their way again. Irish squads are now better managed, better coached, are stronger mentally, are more professional and have more strength in depth that previous years where end-of-season tours often ended with humiliating defeats. Now Ireland have a chance to go where England couldn’t and beat the All Blacks in a series. Owen Doyle writes that magnificent Ireland’s margin of victory should have been greater at the weekend, as New Zealand were very fortunate not to have another player sent off and Ireland were denied a blatant penalty try.

Young Irish soccer players are in demand and after Bazunu’s move to Southampton, Nathan Collins is the latest player to attract attention from the Premier League. The defender is set to remain in the Premier League and break Robbie Keane’s record transfer fee for an Irish player with the Leixlip native’s £20.5 million (€24.2 million) move from relegated Burnley to Wolverhampton Wanderers is at an “advanced” stage, according to the Daily Telegraph. Shamrock Rovers play Hibernians tonight and trepidation about entering Malta’s boiling interior in high summer were cooled by news from the Shamrock Rovers camp that Jack Byrne and Graham Burke are primed to play after six-week injury lay. In Women’s Euros 2022, Beth Mead scored a hat-trick as England demolished Norway to seal quarter-final spot, while Austria leave Northern Ireland playing for pride as goals from Katharina Schiechtl and Katharina Naschenweng secured a win against Kenny Shiels’s side at St Mary’s.

In golf, the build-up to the Open continues and Collin Morikawa is hoping the defence of his Open title can sharpen his game at St Andrews. Where once he was a serial closer of tournaments, winning three times last year and twice in 2020, the two-time big champion has failed to find consistency or a way to win so far this season. In Philip Reid’s Different Strokes column, he writes there was no Claret in Jack’s Jug as Nicklaus went tee total with trophy celebrations. “I have never put anything in the Claret Jug. I know it’s the Claret Jug [for wine], but I always thought it was disrespectful to be drinking out of it,” Nicklaus said.