Sport

The Morning Sports Briefing

Éamonn Fitzmaurice extends his Kerry tenure, Portugal suffer Euro 2016 hangover, Novak Djokovic into last four and the Lions coach announcement

Éamonn Fitzmaurice will manage the Kerry senior footballers until 2018. Photograph: Inpho
Éamonn Fitzmaurice will manage the Kerry senior footballers until 2018. Photograph: Inpho
Wed Sept 07 2016 - 08:37

GAA

Éamonn Fitzmaurice was last night ratified for a further two years as Kerry boss - meaning if he stays on until 2018 he could have the longest continuous term as Kerry boss since Páidí Ó Sé.

The move makes perfect sense for all sides writes Ian O'Riordan - That Fitzmaurice was ratified for another two-year term is based less on sentiment and more on logic: it's not so much a reappointment as it is a succession strategy, with him likely to serve another two years at least, before Jack O'Connor comes back into the fray.

Darragh Ó Sé's column this morning is looking ahead to Sunday week's All-Ireland football final - where he says Mayo know emotion won't bring home Sam Maguire.

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“Everything you do on All-Ireland final day, you do for the cause. Don’t deviate from the cause. I’m not saying you go into your shell – far from it. Don’t hold back in any way but use your energy properly. Don’t try and save the world. It’s not a day for suddenly deciding to be Batman.”

Rugby

Warren Gatland is expected to be unveiled as the British and Irish Lions coach again in Edinburgh this afternoon - The former All Blacks hooker will thus emulate Ian McGeechan as the only man to coach the Lions on back-to-back tours, having guided the Lions to a 2-1 series win in Australia in 2013.

As Gerry Thornley explains, “once Joe Schmidt followed Eddie Jones in ruling himself out of consideration for the role of Lions’ head coach for this assignment last May, Gatland really was the stand-out contender.”

Tennis

Novak Djokovic’s strange US Open took another bizarre turn as he advanced to the semi-finals on Tuesday when Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired at the start of the third set, trailing 6-3 6-2.

It has been an unusual tournament for Djokovic who has played only two full matches. He was gifted a walkover in the second round and a retirement after six games in the third before Tsonga.

Soccer

Portugal suffered a Euro 2016 hangover in Switzerland last night - beaten in their World Cup qualifier 2-0, handing them a first competitive defeat in two years under coach Fernando Santos. They were minus their injured captain Cristiano Ronaldo of course.

Meanwhile France were held by Belarus for a scoreless draw, Roberto Martinez secured his first win as Belgium boss, and the Netherlands and Sweden ended 1-1.