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Mary Hannigan: Dublin’s veterans play like they were chasing their first All-Ireland

Uncertainty over Vera Pauw’s future; vindication for women’s sport in Ireland; Galway Races get under way

Dublin’s Stephen Cluxton celebrates after winning the All-Ireland again. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Mary Hannigan's face
Mary Hannigan
Mon Jul 31 2023 - 09:34

Good morning,

Brian Fenton’s reaction at full-time gave a fair indication of just how much this one meant to Dublin, despite the county having just won their ninth All-Ireland in 12 years. “He made a run and jump, legs flying, arms flailing, nothing in sync, his whole body roaring,” writes Denis Walsh. “As if nothing like this had happened before.”

Captain James McCarthy, who, like Stephen Cluxton and Mick Fitzsimons, had just collected his ninth winner’s medal, but for him too, this one was special. “I have no doubt in saying that,” Malachy Clerkin heard him declare, “it was the most special All-Ireland I’ve ever won.”

“They played as if they were chasing their first,” writes Malachy. “You want to know how badly McCarthy wanted it? Here’s a man who went so far as using his wedding last December as a recruiting weekend.”

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Seán Moran takes us through the five key moments that turned the final Dublin’s way, while Gordon Manning reflects on how Michael Fitzsimons, in what could turn out to be his final inter-county game, “didn’t allow the greatest footballer of them all to bend Dublin to his will”. That footballer being David Clifford, of course. “On this day, of all days, his genius decided to take some time off.”

And Denis looks at the changing face of All-Ireland final weekends, not helped by Dublin becoming “the price-gouging capital of the world”. “If you can find a hotel room in Dublin now the going rate for a night is one of your kidneys, plus VAT.”

Meanwhile, Gavin Cummiskey is in Brisbane reporting on the build-up to Ireland’s final World Cup tie, against Nigeria at 11.0 this morning. The uncertainty over manager Vera Pauw’s future hangs heavy over the game, her players reluctant thus far to publicly call for her contract to be renewed. “I haven’t thought that much forward,” said Louise Quinn, “I’m wondering what I’m having for lunch later.”

For Louise Lawless, though, the chief take from the tournament is that “this team and the support behind them has felt like a rebuke to everyone who has ever belittled women’s sport”. Although not perfect, she writes, this World Cup “has felt like a balm to that burn”.

Elsewhere in your sports pages, we have news of Pádraig Harrington’s agonising play-off defeat at the British Senior Open, while Ian O’Riordan reports from the National Athletics Championships where two Sarahs, Lavin and Healy, proved to be the headline acts. And Brian O’Connor previews the Galway Festival which gets under way today in Ballybrit. Bring your waterproofs.

Telly watch: It’s Ireland’s last hurrah at the World Cup this morning when they play Nigeria in their final group game (RTÉ2, kick-off 11.0) – only pride, alas, is at stake. It’s also the final day of the Ashes with Australia needing 249 runs to win the fifth test, England needing 10 wickets to tie the series (Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am). And RTÉ2 has coverage of the Galway Race this afternoon from 5.0.