You have to go back to the dim and distant past of 2003 for the last time an All-Star football team didn’t feature a player from either Dublin or Kerry, the 2024 edition dominated, naturally enough, by All Ireland champions Armagh. Gordon Manning brings us the full line-up which, as well as including six Armagh men, has representatives from four other counties, Galway, Donegal, Tyrone and Louth.
Ciarán Murphy, meanwhile, is saluting a bit of a changing of the guard in the club championships, only three of last year’s eight provincial champions, in football and hurling, retaining their titles this time around. “And unless you’re from one of those five disappointed clubs, that’s a breath of fresh air,” he writes. “No one likes to see repeat winners.”
In rugby, Munster might be in “flux” after the departure of Graham Rowntree but, as Johnny Watterson notes, with the visit of an All Blacks XV to Thomond Park on Saturday, they have a chance to “pause domestic concerns and commit to a one-off shot at restoration of the glory days”.
The Republic of Ireland are on the hunt for another set of glory days themselves – if they can get past Wales in their play-off they’ll qualify for their first ever European Championships. Gavin Cummiskey talks to Julie-Ann Russell who has been outstanding since her reintroduction to the squad after a four-ish year gap. But in the absence of home-based sessions, she’ll be training with her local boys’ club in Galway ahead of the games against Wales.
Your complete guide to all the festive sporting action including TV details
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American football might not be one of the most played sports in Ireland, but it is estimated that 350,000 fans on the island follow or watch NFL games. The New York Times’ Ken Belson looks at the efforts to build on that fan base, including the possibility of an NFL game being staged here. That would be good news for some of the fans he met at an NFL watch party in Croke Park last month, including Pittsburgh Steelers devotee Shane De Lappe. How much would he like to see them play, especially in a Super Bowl? “I would sell a kidney for it.” That’s dedication.
TV Watch: There are three Irish players in the field for the Rolex Grand Final in Mallorca, Philip Reid previewing the final event of the Challenge Tour which gets under way today (Sky Sports Mix 10am-3pm, Sky Sports Golf, 2pm-4pm). Conor Purcell is fourth in the rankings going in to the tournament and is already guaranteed a full DP World Tour card for next season, with Dermot McElroy (37th) and Gary Hurley (43rd) looking to join him.
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