The Lions’ summer’s business gets under way this evening with a warm-up against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium. As Gerry Thornley tells us, they’ll be without 15 of the squad due to club commitments and injuries for a non-capped international that is “primarily a moneymaking venture”, one that, ultimately, will be “a footnote in history”. Still, all concerned will be up for it, not least Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi who is not unfamiliar with the city of Dublin.
Andy Farrell, says John O’Sullivan, has proved once more that he’s not “risk averse” by opting for “an unlikely midfield combination” of Sione Tuipulotu and Bundee Aki, Tuipulotu more used to playing as an inside centre. Opportunity knocks, then, for the Scotland international in the absence of Garry Ringrose and Huw Jones.
It’s a huge weekend in Gaelic games with two hurling quarter-finals and four preliminary football quarter-finals in the schedule. Lose and your summer is done and dusted. After their hiding in the Leinster final, Joe Canning is hoping to see a vastly improved performance from Galway at the Gaelic Grounds when they come up against a Tipperary side “with their tails up”.
Galway’s footballers have it all to do too when they meet a Down side whose “confidence has been soaring”, Ian O’Riordan talking to Galway’s Shane Walsh ahead of Sunday’s meeting in Newry.
Meanwhile, those who might assume that this hooter business is the first timekeeping innovation in the history of Gaelic football ... Seán Moran has news for you: the Bogue Clock – the giant stopwatch that made its debut all the way back in 1938.
In horse racing, Brian O’Connor reports on Trawlerman setting a track record on his way to winning Royal Ascot’s Gold Cup on Thursday, and he previews today’s action, Colin Keane choosing “to stick with his old ally Babouche over Juddmonte’s other big hope, Jonquil” in the Commonwealth Cup.
In golf, Philip Reid reports on a good day at the office for Rory McIlroy at the Travelers Championship, his opening round of 64 putting him in contention, while Leona Maguire made a solid start to the PGA Championship in Texas with a level-par 72. No one topped Max Kennedy’s exploits, though – he shot a course record 60 in France on the Hotelplanner Tour.
Sadly, no one in the sports department was available to go sailing with Robert Dickson and Seán Waddilove in Dún Laoghaire and have themselves dangled over the ocean at a 45-degree angle giving you “the same sensation as when you lean too far back in your chair and your life flashes before your eyes”. Except Muireann Duffy. Before you read about her adventure, have your tummy tablets at the ready.
TV Watch: There’s further coverage from Royal Ascot on Virgin Media One and UTV (from 1.30), and Sky Sports Golf will be hopping between the women’s PGA Championship in Texas and the lads’ Travelers Championship in Connecticut (from 1.0). At 8.0 you get to choose between the Lions v Argentina (TG4 and Sky Sports Action), athletics’ Paris Diamond League (Virgin Media Three and BBC Three) and Shamrock Rovers v Cork City (Virgin Media Two).
