That was a strange old day at Anfield, Liverpool fans giving a rather heated welcome to the club “found guilty of the biggest systematic cheating scandal in English football history”. After winning 3-0, Manchester City’s players and fans celebrated “like the crew of a pirate ship, brazenly revelling in their plunder,” writes Ken Early. ”The days of living a lie are over. Finally City can openly be who they really are.”
Paul O’Hehir rounds up the weekend for the Irish abroad, Dara O’Shea completing a rather eventful spell in his life - captaining Ireland against Israel and then celebrating the birth of his daughter - with an injury time winner for Ipswich against Fulham.
In Gaelic games, there was no fairytale finish for Moycarkey-Borris in Tipperary, Denis Walsh witnessing their first appearance in the county hurling final in 42 years end in defeat by Thurles Sarsfields.
But in Clare, Inagh-Kilnamona secured their first ever hurling title when they got the better of “their nearest and dearest neighbours” Kilmaley, Eoin Brennan in attendance for what proved to be a “cracker”. And Paul Fitzpatrick rounds up the football weekend, among the standout results Clonduff ending a 26-year wait for a Down senior title.
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Ahead of Sunday’s Cork county hurling final between St Finbarr’s and Glen Rovers, Denis dusts down a photo from 1978 featuring a legend from each of the clubs and two of the greatest of them all, Jimmy Barry-Murphy and Christy Ring. It is, he says, a powerful reminder of Cork hurling’s lost empire.
In rugby, it was another mixed weekend for the Irish provinces in the URC, all of whom, writes Gerry Thornley in his round-up, looking “decidedly undercooked compared to their French and English opponents”.
Gerry was in the RDS for Leicester’s snazzy/clunky 29-5 win over Cardiff, Leo Cullen just relieved to see his team “up and running” in the competition, while John O’Sullivan saw “a game of two halves” between Ulster and Munster, the former fighting back for a draw after trailing 26-5 at the break. After, there were, need it be said, mixed emotions from the coaches, Richie Murphy and Clayton McMillan. And on Friday, poor discipline against Glasgow proved costly for Connacht.
In motorsport, Hannah Kate Costello reports on more than 10,000 people taking to the streets of Cork city to see local boy Conor Shanahan close in on the Formula Drift title, the two-time champion now just a fortnight away from securing another crown.
And in racing, while Aidan O’Brien has plenty left to do in 2026, “the man who has won and done practically everything else in racing has a fresh Triple Crown project waiting for him in 2027”. Brian O’Connor looks at Darkness Falls’ chances of achieving the feat.
TV Watch: There are highlights from the GAA club weekend at 7.30 this evening on TG4, and at 8pm Shamrock Rovers will attempt to stretch their lead over Bohemians, three points behind in the table, when they meet in Tallaght. At the same time, Coventry City host Newcastle in the Premier League (Sky Sports).
