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Mary Hannigan: Limerick’s hurling dominance continues as seven players earn All Stars

Brian Fenton and Dublin hitting the gym on holiday; what the GAA can learn from FAI Cup final; Shelbourne’s Noelle Murray on her 10th FAI Cup final

Limerick’s Diarmaid Byrnes and Kyle Hayes celebrate after the All-Ireland win over Kilkenny. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Mary Hannigan's face
Mary Hannigan
Thu Nov 16 2023 - 12:49

Remember back in April when Limerick’s hurlers were beaten by Clare in the Munster round-robin and there was half a notion that their all-conquering reign might be coming to an end? So much for that. Seven of their players have just been named 2023 All Stars in recognition of their contribution to their county’s fourth All-Ireland in a row. Seán Moran talks us through the selection.

Dublin footballer Brian Fenton is no stranger himself to winning these gongs, five of them already in his collection – and it could yet be six after he was nominated again this year. After Friday’s ceremony he and his team-mates head for the Caribbean, reward for their All-Ireland triumph in July. Before you get too envious, Fenton tells Ian O’Riordan that the “lads are mad for the gym, mad for runs when we’re over there ... we know there is a slog coming in January”. A busman’s holiday, then.

Ciarán Murphy, meanwhile, is reflecting on his attendance at last Sunday’s FAI Cup final, the atmosphere “gloriously chaotic”. He concedes that it’s hard to replicate that level of noise during hurling games, but “you’d have time to sing all 27 verses of Four Roads To Glenamaddy during most Galway football games, without fear of interruption”.

Shelbourne’s Noelle Murray is hoping for plenty of noise at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday when she will play in her 10th FAI Cup final, while Festy Ebosele is aiming for his third senior cap when Ireland take on the Dutch in Amsterdam on Saturday, the 21-year-old from Enniscorthy currently making a name for himself with Udinese in Italy’s Serie A.

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In rugby, Johnny Watterson talks to Josh van der Flier who returns to action for Leinster at the weekend, while Gerry Thornley caught up with John Ryan who has returned to Munster after his spell with the Chiefs in New Zealand.

In golf, Philip Reid writes about Rory McIlroy’s decision to resign from his role as a member of the PGA Tour’s policy board, and he also previews the DP Tour World Championship where defending champion Jon Rahm is aiming for his fourth victory in the tournament.

And Dave Hannigan brings us the grim tale of former NFL star Michael Oher’s legal battle with the couple he claims tricked him in to believing he was adopted by them, subsequently “exploiting his name, image, and story for financial benefit”. That story was told in the film The Blind Side, based on the book of the same name. It grossed $309 million at the box office – out of which Oher was paid $138,000.

TV Watch: The second of the cricket World Cup semi-finals got under way this morning, South Africa and Australia squaring up (Sky Sports Cricket), and also up and running is the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, where Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry and Tom McKibbin are in the field. Later on Sky Sports Golf, there’s coverage of the Tour Championship in Florida (from 8.0pm), Leona Maguire the sole Irish representative.