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Mary Hannigan: Stephen Kenny under pressure with a result needed in Greece tonight

Andy Farrell to reinstall the winning gene; Joe Canning worried by Galway’s route to the final

Stephen Kenny's Ireland team take on Greece in tonight's European Championship qualifier in Athens. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Mary Hannigan's face
Mary Hannigan
Fri Jun 16 2023 - 09:41

Through his three years as Republic of Ireland manager, Stephen Kenny has been no stranger to pressure, but ahead of tonight’s European Championship qualifier in Athens it’s ramping up a touch more.

Gavin Cummiskey and Ken Early preview the critical game against Greece, Ken suggesting that if this team is as exciting as the manager says it is, but he still can’t get results, “then the FAI will think it’s time to start looking for someone who can”.

Less than three months out from the Rugby World Cup, Andy Farrell’s position is, safe to say, considerably more secure, his squad reporting for duty on Monday to start their build-up to the tournament. His primary initial task, writes Johnny Watterson, will be to banish Leinster’s ghosts after the bitter disappointment of the conclusion to their season and to “reinstall the winning gene”.

Galway and Clare have to locate that winning gene too after last weekend’s one-point defeats to Kilkenny and Limerick, respectively. Joe Canning takes heart from the way Galway fought back in their game, having been eight points down, but is less encouraged by their likely route to the final: probably Tipperary next and, if they get past them, Limerick in the semi-finals.

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With Rhasidat Adeleke’s star rising ever higher after a brilliant season for the University of Texas, Sonia O’Sullivan looks at the temptation facing the likes of the Dubliner to turn professional, the danger being that such athletes “don’t see beyond the immediate earning potential” when deciding what’s best for their future.

Joanne O’Riordan isn’t quite sure yet if her six-year-old niece, fresh from her 50m fifth place finish in the local Perpetual Cup, has the potential to be another Adeleke, but, she writes, “truthfully, nobody cares ... the fact that she’s learning, playing and staying healthy is what matters”.

Like Adeleke, though, boxer Daina Moorehouse has dreams of not just making it to the Olympics next year, but coming home with a medal in her luggage too. Johnny talks to the 21-year-old from Bray, also the hometown of the woman who inspired her to take up the sport. You know who.

In golf, Philip Reid reports on the first round of the US Open where Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele both posted a 62, a record low round for the tournament. And in horse racing, Brian O’Connor addresses the need to “restore much needed credibility to the interference rules”, their current interpretation encouraging a riding culture that fosters a dangerous “winner-takes-all climate”.

Telly watch: The Ashes get under way this morning at Edgbaston, Sky Sports Cricket bringing coverage of day one of the first test (from 9.30am). And this evening, the Republic of Ireland take on Greece in Athens in their European Championship qualifier (RTÉ 2 & Premier Sports 1, kick-off 7.45).

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