Three Irish clubs in European action; Anthony Cunningham steps down

Three Irish clubs are in pursuit of a place in the group stages of European competition tonight. Amid a packed fixture list, Shamrock Rovers host Shkupi of North Macedonia in the third round of qualifying for the Europa League. Also one game away from the playoff round, but in the Europa Conference League, Sligo Rovers are in Norway for their first leg against Viking FK, and St Patrick’s Athletic are away to CSKA Sofia.

Roscommon are on the lookout for a new football manager after Anthony Cunningham stepped down after four years in the role. In his column this morning, Ciarán Murphy writes that Kilkerrin-Clonberne’s loss of linchpin Shane Walsh to a Dublin club is a well-worn tale.

Phil Mickelson and 10 other players who joined the Saudi Arabia-financed LIV Tour have sued the PGA Tour claiming it is an illegal monopoly that is harming their careers by suspending them. Leona Maguire is one of 144 players striding into history on famed golfing terrain in the latest edition of the Women’s British Open today, at a club which up to five years ago banned women members until the archaic bar was removed.

Meanwhile, Joanne O’Riordan explains in her column why the future is now for women’s football: “We can have discussions about the future and all that later, but what matters is the now. Go to the games now, boo, jeer, whistle and cheer ...”