It was just last Thursday that Ben Healy became the seventh Irish rider to win a stage in the Tour de France. That was mighty, but yesterday he only went and added himself to an even shorter roll of honour - he is now just the fourth Irish man to don the race’s yellow jersey. Ian O’Riordan reports on a momentous day for Healy whose “sensational breakaway ride” in stage 10 lifted him to the top of general classification.
Rory McIlroy wouldn’t say no to a momentous day at Portrush come Sunday when he’ll hope to be in contention for the Open. If he gets to hit the winning putt on the 18th, Sky Sports’ Spidercam will record it all, providing an “immersive experience unlike any seen before in a live TV production for golf”. Philip Reid explains all.
Gerry Thornley brings you the latest from the build-up to the Lions’ first test against Australia on Saturday, Mack Hansen Andy Farrell’s latest injury concern. The addition of Jamie Osborne and Thomas Clarkson to the squad brings to a remarkable 18 the number of Irish players now on Lions duty - expect an “anti-Irish blame game” if it all goes horribly wrong.
Gerry also profiles “the wonderfully skilful and athletic” Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, the 21-year-old who “carries the hopes of the Wallabies on his broad shoulders” having switched from rugby league just over a year ago.
READ MORE
Has Owen Doyle been happy with the officiating on the Lions tour so far? Hell no. His chief gripes continue to be intrusive TMOs and “the lineout remaining on the slippery slope towards extinction as a contest for possession”. He’s beginning to think that match officials’ jobs should be “handed to AI”. Don’t tempt them, Owen, don’t tempt them.
In Gaelic games, Conor McManus reflects on the weekend’s football semi-finals, while Malachy Clerkin looks forward to the final. Will it be a clash of styles, between a group of Kerry players who are the “keepers of the kicking flame” and a Donegal crew that “would handpass their granny’s coffin into the grave if they thought they could get it past the priest”? He thinks not.
Gordon Manning hears from Donegal’s Ryan McHugh who’s now hoping to become the third member of his family, after his father Martin and brother Mark, to have an All Ireland winner’s medal to his name.
And in the build-up to Sunday’s hurling final, Gordon looks at how Tipperary and their manager Liam Cahill have proved their doubters wrong this season, few in the county imagining that “they’d be scrambling for All-Ireland final tickets come July”.
It’s as well that the Irish Oaks was shifted to a Saturday some years back, otherwise it would be competing for attention with the hurling final and the concluding round at Portrush on Sunday. Brian O’Connor previews the race, “the feature event of Europe’s weekend action”.
TV Watch: It’s a weirdly quiet day on the live-sport-on-telly front, so you’ll have to make do with Sky Sports’ lengthy coverage of practice at Portrush ahead of the 153rd Open (2pm). It’s a rest day at the Tour de France, but if you want to catch up on the first week of the race, TG4 brings you the highlights (9.15).
