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Mary Hannigan: Feeling of what if hanging in the air after World Cup debut defeat

Joe Canning on Limerick’s claim to being the greatest team ever; Rory McIlory pulls off a feat of escapology

Ireland's first ever Women's World Cup match ended in a 1-0 defeat to Australia. Photograph: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Mary Hannigan's face
Mary Hannigan
Fri Jul 21 2023 - 09:46

Twenty-four hours on from Ireland’s World Cup debut and there’s still a, what-might-have-been, feeling hanging in the air, Gavin Cummiskey reflecting on a “night of collective excellence” undone by the concession of that penalty.

“Respect earned on the world stage, but null points,” he writes, “on to Perth and the Canadians.” Having to get something from a game against the reigning Olympic champions will be a formidable task, but Vera Pauw is confident her charges can produce the goods. “We are Irish, the DNA of the team is to battle,” she said, “we do not fear anyone.”

Louise Lawless heard from a relieved Australian camp after the game, but one that has been shaken by the injury to their talisman Sam Kerr, while Malachy Clerkin looks back on Ireland’s gritty performance and the lapse in concentration from Marissa Sheva that proved oh so costly.

In hurling, Joe Canning reckons that if Limerick can beat Kilkenny in Sunday’s All Ireland final, it will strengthen their claim to the title of “the greatest team of all-time”. Among those assisting their cause will be the mighty Tom Morrissey – Seán Moran talks to Maurice O’Brien about his former Under-21 All-Ireland-winning captain.

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Gordon Manning, meanwhile, spoke with former GAA president Nickey Brennan who, he tells us, is a “gamekeeper turned poacher” – Brennan is now a roving reporter with Community Radio Kilkenny City, happily switching “from influencing policy as president of the association to filing a match report for Danesfort against Dunnamaggin in Ballyragget”.

Over in Liverpool, Philip Reid saw Rory McIlroy pull off a feat of escapology at the end of his first round at The Open, a 10-foot putt on the 18th seeing him finish up with a 71. Of the rest of the Irish, only Séamus Power could match that score, Pádraig Harrington’s 74 leaving him “downbeat and firmly of the belief that he was already too far adrift”

And in horse racing, Brian O’Connor writes about the imminent legislation on gambling advertising. “Racing has to twig that being so manifestly in bed commercially with gambling firms is increasingly coming at a reputational cost,” he says.

Telly watch: It’s day two at The Open (Sky Sports Golf, 6.30am-9.30) and day three of the fourth Ashes test at Old Trafford (Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am), so there’ll be no need to leave your telly all day. And at 8.30 this evening, RTÉ2 has highlights from the Women’s World Cup.

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