Mayo’s footballers live to fight another day. “Just a week after conspiring to find another inventive way of making life hard for themselves,” as Gordon Manning puts it, they booked themselves a spot in Monday morning’s quarter-final draw by beating Galway in Salthill by a point.
And who did they get in the draw? Inevitably, the Dubs. Fiachra Gallagher brings you all the pairings, which should ensure four decidedly tasty contests.
A pair of Canavans sent Tyrone on their way to a stress-free victory over Donegal, while a last-gasp winner from substitute Kevin O’Donovan ensured Cork left Roscommon hearts in smithereens. And Monaghan, who Malachy Clerkin saw beat Kildare in Tullamore, “are mastering the art of making teams wonder what the hell just happened”.
Nicky English, meanwhile, looks back at the weekend’s hurling action, at a loss to understand how Galway only beat Tipperary by two points, while reckoning Clare will be far readier for Kilkenny than they were last year after their hammering of Dublin.
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Seán Moran was at the Gaelic Grounds to see Galway set up their third All-Ireland semi-final with Limerick in four years, while Denis Walsh saw Clare cruise towards that meeting Kilkenny.
In his Tipping Point column, Denis doesn’t rule out the chances of any of the hurling semi-finalists going all the way, but ... “in the animal kingdom, Kilkenny would be regarded as ambush predators: happy to be unnoticed.”
In golf, Philip Reid brings news of an excellent weekend for Pádraig Harrington, five birdies and an eagle in his closing seven holes seeing him successfully defend his title at the not-so-snappily-titled Dicks Sporting Goods Open in New York. No joy for Leona Maguire, though, at the PGA Championship in New Jersey, the Cavan woman’s challenge fizzling out in the final round, but Stephanie Meadow had a fine finish to the tournament, taking a share of third place.
Down in South Africa, Ireland opened their Under-20 World Cup campaign with a 34-34 draw against England, having led by 10 points in the final quarter. It was, writes John O’Sullivan, a performance that “vacillated between brilliant and slipshod”. A bit like the entire sporting weekend.
Telly watch: England’s women need 152 runs, with five wickets remaining, to beat Australia at Trent Bridge today in the one-off Ashes test between the sides (Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am). And later in the day, Ireland’s women take on the West Indies in a one day international in St Lucia (BT Sport 1 from 2.45).
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