Ireland’s sporting feast happily goes on and on

EVERY Irish sports fan will be focused on Auckland early next Saturday as the Lions face a crunch test decider against the All Blacks. Powered by Conor Murray and our other Irish heroes, the touring Lions lifted their game for a badly needed win. The Lions’ heroics came early on Saturday morning, setting the tone for a delightful weekend of sporting action. There was a range of good qualifier matches in hurling and football, with the Derry footballers taking Mayo to extra time, and a valiant Limerick hurling side challenging victorious Kilkenny right to the end.

Racing fans at the Curragh were treated to a pulsating finish in the Irish Derby, with Capri winning by a neck from a clatter of fine horses.

But yesterday our GAA competitions headed towards the business end of things with the Munster football final in Killarney and the Leinster hurling final in Croke Park.

Killarney looked resplendent as the fans poured into Fitzgerald Stadium. Alas, the game did not fire as a contest and Kerry won well.

However, yesterday belonged to Wexford and Galway contesting a unique Leinster hurling final, with the purple and gold of Wexford visible everywhere across the streets of Dublin as an unusual but very welcome sight.

After a closely fought first half, Galway pulled away for a convincing win that served notice on rivals. But all credit to Wexford’s players, and especially their fans, for making this occasion a very special sporting day.