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Momentum with McIlroy ahead of US Open; Ireland’s uplifting finish to gruelling week

The Morning Sports Briefing: Keep ahead of the game with ‘The Irish Times’ sports team

Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the 16th tee during a practice round prior to the US Open at The Country Club in Brookline. Photograph: Warren Little/Getty

David Gorman's face
David Gorman
Thu Jun 16 2022 - 06:54

It’s time for the third Major of the golf season as the US Open begins at The Country Club in Brookline today, with three Irish players in action — Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Séamus Power. McIlroy is the bookies’ favourite after his impressive victory at the Canadian Open last week and Philip Reid writes he has the momentum and motivation to end Major drought. McIlroy is bullish about his chances in Boston. “I am playing good and that’s all I can ask for. Physically I am in good shape, mentally I am in a good place. I just have to go out there and execute the way that I know I am able to,” said McIlroy. He is out at 12.40pm Irish time with Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele.

Shane Lowry, meanwhile, is playing with two players that have joined the controversial new Saudi-backed LIV Tour — Phil Mickelson and Louis Oosthuizen — at 6.47pm. Some might construe that he has been given a short straw but he doesn’t view it that way. “I could make an excuse and say it is going to be a distraction but it is not, I am a big boy, I am well able to look after myself.” Séamus Power will play with Joohyung Kim, Min Woo Lee at 6.25pm and he is determined to keep his Major progression going at US Open after a top 10 at the US PGA at Southern Hills.

In today’s Subscriber Only piece, Gavin Cummiskey looks over the week that was for Ireland’s soccer team as they enjoyed an uplifting finish but a false start leaves lasting damage. “The past fortnight will only be remembered for three happenings — collapse in sticky Yerevan, Obafemi’s wonder strike against Scotland and a phenomenal individual effort by Collins”, he writes as there were “two defeats, a thrilling win, the bravest of draws and plenty of air miles”. Regular first-choice goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu was missing from the games through injury, but he has secured a new Premier League move as Southampton agree €14m deal with Man City for the 20-year-old. Meanwhile, Suzanne Wrack has a feature on when the FA stuck its knives into women’s football — Dick, Kerr Ladies and the 51 year ban. English governing body banned women’s football on December 5th, 1921, which did considerable damage to the game.

In GAA, Ciarán Murphy writes the lure of “the day out” is still strong for GAA supporters as ticket sales for the All-Ireland football and hurling quarter-finals show that FOMO plays its part. “The idea of being there for a sell-out is also a major attraction, in and of itself,” Murphy writes. He writes we shouldn’t be surprised, because “€40 for Thurles this Saturday, and €40 for Croker on both days next weekend, constitutes the best value ticket of the GAA season”. In hurling, Clare will quickly switch focus again to Wexford showdown at Semple Stadium.

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For Clare midfielder Cathal Malone all and any such talk of another hurling classic certainly doesn’t lessen the blow of that defeat; if anything the players are mostly oblivious to it anyway. Elsewhere, Dublin goalkeeper Ciara Trant has enjoyed a taste of professional life at Portugal camp. The Dublin ladies had a few quid in the bank, saved up throughout the pandemic era when various trips and functions were cancelled, so opted to use it on a warm-weather camp in Portugal to set them up for the beginning of the All-Ireland series.