Ireland's performance in the Aviva last night feels like one of the more impressive 0-0 draws in recent memory. If not impressive, then definitely upbeat as Ireland not only frustrated a Portugal side that came packed with top flight talent (even though they rested plenty of big names for fear of earning suspensions for their crucial Serbia encounter), but also came away frustrated themselves at not having secured a late winner against 10 men. As Gavin Cummiskey points out in his report from the Aviva Stadium, last night was the first time since 2015 (when Germany were felled by Shane Long) that Ireland have rattled a giant of world football. Such excitement was clear to see among the 50,000 or so at the game, with Ken Early this morning outlining how the Irish performance left the home faithful wanting more - a reaction that has also been rare in recent years. This team is definitely trending upwards. As Shane Duffy put it after the match: "If you don't think we're going in the right direction you are writing the wrong stuff."
A blockbuster weekend of rugby kicks off tonight in the RDS as the Irish women take on the USA (kick-off 7.15pm). A tense week of build-up has seen director of women's rugby Anthony Eddy take centre stage for his comments that appeared to lay the blame for the recent World Cup disappointment at the feet of the players. The pushback from within the camp has been significant. Captain Ciara Griffin addressed the media yesterday, and while she did acknowledge that Eddy apologised if his comments caused any offense, she insists that her focus remains on the USA and not on external issues. As for the men, less than 24 hours later they have the clash of their calendar year when the All Blacks rock up to the Aviva Stadium. Both Andy Farrell and James Ryan have been previewing the most hotly-anticipated match of this team's season, with Farrell exuding his usual sense of excitement: "What a time to be alive, like, to be an Irish rugby player and have the opportunity to play in front of a full house against the best team in the world. This is where you want to be." In his column today, Johnny Watterson calls for the resentment felt by some at the elitist nature of rugby not to overshadow the magnitude of the occasion that is an All Blacks game.
Leona Maguire looks set to make a strong push to finish her season on a high after firing a stunning 62 to take a two shot lead into day two at the Pelican Championship in Florida. As Philip Reid reports, "Maguire conveys all the attributes of a silent assassin on a mission with her eyes hidden behind wraparound sunglasses and a little fist pump to herself on the 18th green the only visible display of emotion."
A second Ballyhale Shamrocks player in less than a week has announced his intercounty retirement, as former Kilkenny All-Ireland winning captain Joey Holden called it a day. After securing the Kilkenny county crown last Sunday, the 31-year-old added another title to his CV that includes two All-Irelands, an All Star, five provincial championships and two national leagues. After Oisín Mullin's move to the Geelong Cats in the AFL was confirmed, Paul Earley, the first Australian convert from the GAA, outlined his positive outlook on Mullin's prospects down under. Earley, who moved to Melbourne from Roscommon in 1984 when the league was known as the VFL, explained that the 21-year-old Young Footballer of the Year has "most of the attributes that are needed to be a successful Aussie rules player."
