There wasn’t as much as a smidgen of joy for Ireland’s teams in the Conference League on Thursday, Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne’s hopes of reaching the knockout phase of the competition ended by Iceland’s Breidablik and Crystal Palace, respectively. For Evan Ferguson and Robbie Keane it was, though, a profitable evening, Ferguson scoring twice for Roma against Celtic and Keane’s Ferencvaros getting the better of the other half of Glasgow, Rangers. Highly jubilant was the gaffer after the game too. “Winning is in my blood. I love winning, it gives me energy,” he said.
Less jubilant will be anyone hoping to attend World Cup matches next summer. David Gorman brings news on the ticket-price front – and it’s not pretty. If Ireland make it through the qualifying playoffs and book their slot in the tournament, the cheapest tickets for their three group games will be €119, €153 and €225. It’s the people’s game, dontcha know.
In rugby, John O’Sullivan has team news from the Leinster camp ahead of this evening’s trip away to Leicester, the headline selection being that of Harry Byrne at outhalf, one of seven changes Leo Cullen has made from the side that beat Harlequins.
Munster host an injury-ravaged Gloucester at Páirc Uí Chaoimh tomorrow, Gerry Thornley talking to Alex Nankivell, who is intent on making up for that less than impressive performance against Bath.
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In Gaelic games, Gordon Manning hears from Kilkerrin-Clonberne’s Nicola Ward in the build-up to tomorrow’s All-Ireland club football final against Antrim’s St Ergnat’s, the Galway side aiming for their fifth triumph in a row.
In golf, Philip talks to Lauren Walsh just days after she secured her LPGA Tour card for next season, while Sonia O’Sullivan is hoping for an Irish medal or two at Sunday’s European Cross Country Championships in Portugal.
Johnny Watterson, meanwhile, has a notion that George Orwell was right when he suggested that “serious sport has nothing to do with fair play”, the use of subterfuge to get an edge becoming increasingly common in modern sport.
And in racing, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board will finally pass judgment on Monday on an incident in a race in Wexford in June that left viewers and punters “flabbergasted”. Brian O’Connor recounts the tale of jockey Philip Byrnes being unseated by Redwood Queen at the last when it looked like he had the race sewn up.
TV Watch: Darts’ world championships are under way over at the Ally Pally (Sky Sports, 12.30pm-4.30pm, 7pm-11pm), Luke Littler opening the defence of his crown with a win last night, and this evening at 8pm, Leinster are away to Leicester in rugby’s Champions Cup (Premier Sports 1).
