“On the surface,” writes Gerry Thornley, “all seems hunky dory” with Irish rugby. The men’s team are ranked third in the world, the women’s side fifth, and Leinster are one win away from becoming the first side to reach four successive Champions Cup finals. But? “Scratch underneath and the gap between Leinster and the other three provinces has never been bigger, nor more alarming”, he says. In investing more heavily on Ireland’s international teams the IRFU “have taken their eye off the provinces ... the chickens are already coming home to roost”.
Not that Diarmuid Mangan will be too concerned about Leinster continuing to pull away from the pack, the former Ireland under-20 star enjoying a stellar year with the province. Gerry talks to the 22-year-old about the rapid strides he’s been making, including a call-up to the senior Irish squad.
Owen Doyle, meanwhile, reflects on “the chaotic cock-up” in Munster’s URC defeat to the Bulls, when referee Andrea Piardi incorrectly reduced them to 14 men for 13 minutes, his mood not lightened by how the lineout was officiated either. “The contest at the scrum has long since disappeared over the horizon, the lineout should not be allowed to follow it.”
In Gaelic games, Denis Walsh concludes that there is no such thing as a safe lead in hurling any more, as Cork can attest to after Clare’s comeback at the weekend. “Violent scoreboard swings have become a constant hazard for every team. This is how hurling rolls now: wild.”
And in his column, Conor McManus looks back at Donegal and Down’s Ulster championship wins over Monaghan and Fermanagh, respectively, reckoning that defending champions Donegal are in rude health: “two from two, unscathed and still on course for the provincial final.”
In soccer, Gavin Cummiskey was at Tallaght Stadium to see Bohemians complete a gobsmacking comeback against their best buddies Shamrock Rovers, scoring three times in the last 20 minutes having been 2-0 down. How did the Bohs faithful greet teenager Rhys Brennan’s 96th-minute winner? Rather ecstatically.
In his Different Strokes column, Philip Reid takes us through the Irish playing schedule for the week, Leona Maguire in action at the Chevron Championship in Texas, the first major of the year, and Rory McIlroy back on the horse at the two-man Zurich Classic of New Orleans where he and Shane Lowry will be defending their title.
And in horse racing, Brian O’Connor reports on a roaring Welsh dragon at Fairyhouse on Monday, Haiti Couleurs becoming the first cross-channel trained winner of the Irish Grand National in 11 years.
TV Watch: There’s continuing coverage of snooker’s world championships on BBC1, BBC Four and TNT Sports through the day and evening. At 8pm, Manchester City play Aston Villa in the Premier League (Sky Sports) and Barcelona are at home to Mallorca in La Liga (Premier Sports 1).
