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Mary Hannigan: Denis Leamy is focusing on the process ahead of Munster’s URC showdown

GAA commit to prohibiting competitive elements in under-12 football, hurling and camogie; and Hannah Tyrrell is determined to win an All-Ireland before retirement

Munster defence coach Denis Leamy: "This is a big game, a huge game, but we will approach it in the same fashion as we approached Leinster and Glasgow and going back right through the season." Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

Mary Hannigan's face
Mary Hannigan
Thu May 25 2023 - 10:25

There are, no doubt, quite a few Gaelic games supporters out there, worn out from watching their counties being hammered this year, who suspect they’ve adopted a policy which prohibits them from introducing any “competitive element” to their games.

For now, though, that rule just applies to under-12 football, hurling and camogie, the GAA doubling down on their policy week, which also forbids the publishing of scores and the presenting of trophies at that level and below.

Ian O’Riordan talks to Alan Milton, GAA director of communications, about what he claims is “one of the most successful things we’ve ever done in the promotion of our games”, but one that isn’t universally supported.

Hannah Tyrrell most certainly intends introducing a competitive element into Dublin’s efforts to beat reigning All-Ireland champions Meath in Sunday’s Leinster football final, the 32-year-old former rugby international hell-bent on adding a senior All-Ireland title to her roll of honour before she hangs up her boots.

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In rugby, John O’Sullivan tells us that Munster defence coach Denis Leamy “is trying to provide a verbal handbrake on what is threatening to become a runaway caboose of expectation” ahead of his province’s URC final against the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday evening.

Among those who will attempt to put the brakes on Munster’s ambitions will be Stormers flanker Deon Fourie, the 36-year-old who is ageing like fine wine, only making his debut for South Africa last summer.

Munster, of course, are in the final thanks to Jack “Dropkick” Crowley’s late late exploits against Leinster, but it’s Dr John “Dropkick” Murphy who is the subject of Dave Hannigan’s America At Large column, in which he brings word of a new book about the remarkable Boston-born wrestler and qualified osteopath.

Murphy paid his way through medical school by “delivering two-footed shots to opponents’ faces before landing in an upright position”. Let’s just say, he introduced a competitive element to his wrestling.

Telly watch: Eddie Dunbar and Ben Healy are still flying at the Giro d’Italia – see how they go in stage 18 today on Eurosport (11.0-5.0). In football, Manchester United need one more point to ensure Champions League football next season – they play Chelsea tonight in their penultimate Premier League fixture (Sky Sports, kick-off 8.0).