Losing to Munster at the weekend was tough enough for Leinster to take, but, writes Gordon D’Arcy, “it was the manner of the defeat that will sting most”. As Leo Cullen conceded after, “Munster wanted it more”. For Gordon, that brought back memories of being “on the wrong end of that same intensity”, Munster’s hunger shining through. “For Leinster, it’s a reminder that talent alone doesn’t win matches. How you pitch up mentally matters.”
Munster centre Tom Farrell brought no little intensity to the game himself, and his form has earned him a call-up to the Irish squad following a number of injury withdrawals. If capped in the autumn internationals, he’ll become the oldest back to make his debut for Ireland in the professional era. A fine wine.
In Gaelic games, one of hurling’s greats announced his retirement from the inter-county game on Tuesday, Declan Hannon calling time on his Limerick career. Gordon Manning reminds us of just how much he achieved during his 15 years playing for his county, during which he captained them to five All-Ireland titles.
Gordon also has news on a Gaelic Players Association survey of its members, among the more “eye-catching” figures the 75 per cent who believe intercounty managers should be compensated. An old solution to that issue has been floated: the “nuclear option” of prohibiting managers from working outside their own counties. Seán Moran gives his thoughts on the matter.
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In football, Ireland’s women continue their build-up to the first leg of their Nations League play-off against Belgium at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, head coach Carla Ward mightily relieved to have a fit-again Denise O’Sullivan in her squad. Also back after a much longer absence from the game is Jess Ziu, who suffered two anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the space of three years.
In athletics, Ian O’Riordan has word on sprinter Benji Richardson switching his allegiance from South Africa to Ireland, the country of his birth. The 21-year-old could be eligible to represent Ireland in time for the 2027 World Athletics Championships, depending on how the governing bodies rule on his case.
And finally, oh that someone would suggest that any of us is “no longer mentally fit” to manage our business affairs. That’s what his former company suggested about Jack Nicklaus. What has the 85-year-old just been awarded in his defamation case against them? Just the $50m.
TV Watch: There are a heap more Champions League games on the box today, the pick of them all kicking off at 8.0 – Real Madrid v Juventus (Virgin Media Two), Eintracht Frankfurt v Liverpool (RTÉ2, TNT Sports 1 and Premier Sports 1), Chelsea v Ajax (TNT Sports 2) and Monaco v Tottenham (TNT Sports 3). And at 10.30 tonight, TNT Sports 2 has live coverage from the UCI Track World Championships in Chile, Lara Gillespie, a bronze medallist last time around, leading a six-strong Irish team.
