Andy Farrell welcomes his cub back into the Lions fold

It’s semi-final time in the hurling championship: Cork v Dublin on Saturday and Kilkenny v Tipperary on Sunday. Despite much of the chat being about Cork’s form this year, Joe Canning reckons Kilkenny are slipping under the radar. “When I look at this team I don’t see a weakness,” he writes. On top of that, “the experience they have of this stage of the championship is greater than any of the other teams still standing,” a factor he believes can give them an edge.

Billy Ryan will certainly hope so, the Kilkenny forward sick and tired of going close with his county, but not close enough. Seán Moran hears from him.

In rugby, Gerry Thornley is in Sydney ahead of the Lions’ game against NSW Waratahs tomorrow, a certain Owen Farrell due to land today after being called up to replace the injured Elliot Daly.

His father Andy “may have raised eyebrows by not including his son in the original squad, but he’s arguably raised even more by calling him up now,” Gerry writes. He heard from Farrell Snr on his decision to bring Jnr in for his fourth Lions Tour.

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Jonathan Drennan brings the ‘View from Down Under’. The Waratahs, he fears, won’t provide much of a test, “there is a sad and strong possibility that the Lions will put more than 60 points past them”.

John O’Sullivan, meanwhile, is over in Tbilisi where Ireland play Georgia tomorrow. The game, along with Saturday week’s meeting with Portugal, “represents a land of opportunity” for the squad, “the chance to build, enhance or reinforce reputations”, a view shared by interim head coach Paul O’Connell.

Thursday brought the tragic news of the death of Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother André in a car crash in Spain, Barney Ronay reflecting on what is, above all “the most terrible human tragedy, an event that will alter the lives of family and friends forever”.

Gavin Cummiskey has the latest transfer speculation on the Irish front, including Brighton’s apparent willingness to let Evan Ferguson go – not cheaply, though, they’re looking for a fee around the €33-million mark – and he looks at the FAI’s efforts to secure the services of the gifted young Sligo Rovers forward Owen Elding for Ireland.

In golf, Philip Reid reports on the first round of the Irish Open at Carton House where just four of the 16 Irish players in the field posted sub-par scores, Emma Fleming the pick of the bunch with an impressive 69 that leaves her tied for ninth. Leona Maguire has work to do, she’s tied for 43rd.

And in her column, Sonia O’Sullivan looks at the growing popularity of high-altitude training for athletes preparing for major championships. She gave herself a reminder of the “truly natural performance-enhancing aid” when she visited Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees last week.

TV Watch: It’s day five at Wimbledon (BBC 1 and BBC 2 from 11am), fourth seed Jack Draper’s defeat on Thursday the latest in a string of upsets. Sky Sports Golf has the second round of the women’s Irish Open from 5pm and at the same time, Denmark and Sweden kick off at Euro 2025 (RTÉ 2 and UTV). At 8pm, Germany, one of the pre-tournament favourites, play Poland (RTÉ 2 and UTV). World Cup holders Spain opened their campaign in style on Thursday with a 5-0 win over a grieving Portugal side.