David Gorman was given one heck of a task by the sports department’s overlords on Monday – he had to write about Manchester United’s off-days under Erik ten Hag. Fearing he wouldn’t be home in time for Christmas dinner, in 2025, he settled for just five of the worst. It’s not often we here at Morning Briefing HQ advise readers to skip over a colleague’s work, but if you’re of the United persuasion we strongly recommend you giving David’s piece a swerve. It starts with that 0-7 hiccup against Liverpool last year. Say no more.
Ten Hag’s time at United, writes Barney Ronay, “felt at times like a throwback to the dog days of the Soviet Union, when the secretary of the central committee always seemed to be either dead or dying”. The secretary is no more, so “on now, to the next glorious two-year plan”. And by all accounts, the United powers-that-be believe Sporting Lisbon’s Rúben Amorim is the man to bring back the glory days. David is already working on his ‘Where it all went wrong’ for him piece.
It went quite nicely for the Republic of Ireland in Tbilisi last Friday where they saw off Georgia with a 6-0 win. Manager Eileen Gleeson is asking her players to be “ruthless” in tonight’s second leg in Tallaght ahead of a (likely) final play-off against Wales or Slovakia to decide who heads to Switzerland next summer for Euro 2025.
In rugby, Gerry Thornley talks to Caelan Doris about how he’s coming to terms with being both Leinster and Ireland captain, and he also gives his report card on how the provinces fared in the opening six games of the URC. And Owen Doyle is worried about the 20-minute red card trial in the upcoming international series, reckoning “straight red cards will now require nothing short of truly heinous foul play”.
Your complete guide to all the festive sporting action including TV details
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In Gaelic games, Seán Moran hears from a highly-elated Jonjo Farrell in the aftermath of Thomastown winning their first Kilkenny hurling title in 78 years, while over in Clare Feakle are celebrating their triumph over Sixmilebridge, one that saw them bridge a 36-year-gap since their last title.
The Dublin Marathon organisers, meanwhile, are satisfied with the uptake of entries for last Sunday’s race, Ian O’Riordan reporting that just over 18,000 of the 22,500 who intended running it actually turned up.
In his Different Strokes column, Philip Reid looks ahead to Conor Purcell’s appearance in the final event of the Challenge Tour, his form on the decidedly impressive side. Which can usually be said of Aidan O’Brien’s horses, Brian O’Connor previewing his trip to the Breeders’ Cup at the weekend where he is closing in on becoming the meeting’s most successful trainer.
TV Watch: RTÉ 2 has live coverage of the Republic of Ireland’s second leg against Georgia in their Euro 2025 play-off (kick-off 7.30) – and if you have access to BBC Wales, you’ll be able to keep an eye on Wales v Slovakia (kick-off 7.15), the winners of which will take on Ireland in the final qualifying phase ... unless Georgia create the mother, father, auntie and uncle of all upsets in Tallaght.
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