From Olympic medalists to heroics on the home sporting front, and a poignant evening in Dalymount Park it’s been another memorable year for Irish sport
Ireland's Kellie Harrington celebrates with coach Zaur Antia after winning a gold medal in the 60kg final at the Paris Olympics. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/InphoIt was the wee hours of the morning at Roland Garros, the venue for the French Open tennis tournament. The stadium squatted between the trees and greenery of the Bois de Boulogne on the fringe of Paris. A warm night, fans had not yet left after the finals of the.
But then the crowd seemed disturbed. It was low at first and in the distance. The sound was coming in through the open window and at first was difficult to make out. It then became louder and louder. Harrington was walking towards us and the fans could see her. It was initially “Kellie . . . Kellie . . . Kellie . . . before becoming thunderous. “KELLIE . . . KELLIE . . . KELLIE . . .” Minutes later the door threw open and double Olympic champion Harrington strode in.
Level at half-time, full time and after the first half of extra time, the match ended with an unregistered foul, as Cork missed a final equaliser. Patrick Horgan again passed TJ Reid in their duel for all-time championship top scorer. Both teams had suffered crushing disappointment on the same World Cup quarter-final weekend in their previous outings, when Ireland’s heartbreak in seeing a 17-match winning run end in a 28-24 loss to New Zealand was followed a day later by France losing 29-28 to South Africa. It was the weekend when the World Cup died a little.
Crowley had several errors but put them behind him to come good in the second half. Calvin Nash, Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher added to first-half tries by Jamison Gibson-Park and Tadhg Beirne as Ireland pulled clear in the last quarter to seal an emphatic 38-17 win. As a nation, we traditionally tend not to trouble the podium in sprint disciplines – though hopefully that could be about to change in the years ahead. Because last June four Irish sprinters – Chris O’Donnell, Adeleke, Thomas Barr, Sharlene Mawdsley – outran the rest of Europe.
As Mawdsley set off on the anchor leg the positions were: Belgium first, Ireland second, Italy third, Netherlands fourth. It fell to the leagues at home to produce the good news stories, and they turned up trumps. Ciarán Kilduff led Athlone Town to the title in only their fourth season at senior level, an absorbing three-way battle with Shelbourne and Galway United ending on the penultimate weekend.
He played no small part in a season that produced some impressive numbers for the game at home, not least attendances across all men’s and women’s competitions topping the one million mark for the first time. And that the audience for RTÉ's coverage of that Hollywood finish to the title race peaked at over 400,000 was some indication of how it captured the imagination.
But after a confusing opening hour, the competition took shape as a three-way race between China, Japan and the United States. The incredible feats of athleticism of these tiny, perfectly formed men began to seem even more incredible as we grasped the competitive pressure they were under, and the tiny margins between success and failure in this sport.
Afterwards, Su tearfully apologised to his team and to China for costing them gold. As a debate raged on Chinese social media over how the Chinese team had come to be represented by such a loser, Su insisted that he welcomed the criticism as it would aid his personal growth. “The price of your growth is simply too high,” the internet answered.Cork's Tommy O Connell celebrates after the game after the defeat of Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Úi Chaoimph.
It was all decided by a Patrick Horgan penalty four minutes into injury time, the build-up to which was the most exquisite tension. He’d end the year the top scorer in the history of the hurling championship, but he never hit a more important score in his life. “Glory Days” on the tannoy, thousands of teenagers on the pitch afterwards . . . and a summer that stretched out for Cork. They’d beat Limerick again and end up with nothing. That’s hurling, I suppose. Don’t miss your ticket in 2025.
And yet for that afternoon in the Hyde, they were everything their people could ask them to be. They faced Dublin toe-to-toe, they were canny against the wind and scored freely with it. Adian O’Shea was outstanding, O’Donoghue was whipsmart and deadly, Donnchadh McHugh and David McBrien comfortably quelled the influence of Brian Fenton and Con O’Callaghan.
That Townend was still odds-on to emerge on top with some firms underscored the power of the Mullins squad he could call on. That the new champion is now again on the injury sidelines having broken his leg for a sixth time underlines how fortunes can fluctuate in the toughest game of all. But he is always now Jack Kennedy – champion jockey.Rory McIlroy is devastated after finishing the final round of the 124th US Open at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Photograph: Sean M.
Instead, McIlroy hastily made his way to his courtesy Lexus parked in a space with a sign which stated: US Open Champion Rory McIlroy 2011. There would be no one adding 2024 for the 2025 visit to Oakmont. McIlroy’s car swung carefully but swiftly out of the parking lot and it wasn’t long before his private jet was departing the nearby Moore County Airfield and taking him away from further heartache.
Seeing the war and atrocities on television is one thing, hearing young footballers talk about daily life in the West Bank leaves an indelible mark.
Kellie-Harrington Football-Championship Hurling-Championship Rhasidat-Adeleke Sharlene-Mawdsley Thomas-Barr Clare-Gaa Cork-Gaa Tony-Kelly Jack-Mccaffrey Rory-Mcilroy
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