Gaelic Football, hurling and darts all feature in Wednesday’s edition of the morning report.
Gaelic Football
Carlow’s 2023 season begins tonight as they welcome Meath to Netwatch Cullen Park for the opening round of the O’Byrne Cup.
Manager Niall Carew has named a strong side, with Mikey Bambrick, Jordan Morrissey, Colm Hulton and captain Daragh Foley all in the starting line-up.
Speaking ahead of the game, Foley told Scoreline that the side are hopeful of promoting from Division 4 of the Allianz National Football League this year.
Throw in at Netwatch Cullen Park is 8 o’clock.
Hurling
The Carlow team to take on Kildare in their Kehoe Cup opener is expected to be named later today.
Tom Mullally’s side begin their season tomorrow night when they travel to Hawkfield to take on Kildare.
Throw-in is 8 o’clock there.
Former Tipperary player Eoin Kelly believes there’s no question of loyalty when it comes to being involved in the management set-up of another county.
Kelly is part of Davy Fitzgerald’s Waterford backroom team for 2023 and says that “the game has moved on” from merely hiring people from within the county and that “you need to have a CV” if you’re to be part of an intercounty management team.
Soccer
Leaders Arsenal were left frustrated in their attempts to put daylight between themselves and Manchester City at the top.
They had a late penalty claim dismissed in a goalless draw with Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal are eight points clear at the summit.
Manchester United have a five-point cushion in fourth, with Marcus Rashford scoring for the third consecutive game, in a 3-0 win at home to Bournemouth.
Irish teenager Evan Ferguson scored for the second consecutive game as Brighton piled more pressure on Everton manager Frank Lampard with a 4-1 win at Goodison Park.
Aleksandar Mitrovic scored his eleventh goal of the season as Fulham won 1-0 at Leicester to pull level on points with sixth placed Liverpool.
There are four more games tonight.
Southampton and Nottingham Forest can climb out of the relegation zone with a victory when they meet at St Mary’s stadium at 7.45pm.
At the same time, Leeds welcome West Ham to Elland Road in a tie that also has huge significance at the bottom of the table.
Aston Villa host Wolves at 8pm in a midlands derby, while there’s a London derby at Selhurst Park as Crystal Palace face Tottenham.
DARTS
It was third time lucky for England’s Michael Smith last night on the Alexandra Palace stage.
Having finished as runner-up twice before, he beat Michael van Gerwen 7-4 to be crowned PDC World Darts Champion.
Smith even produced a nine-dart finish during an incredible leg where his opponent so nearly secured a 9-dart leg of his own, with van Gerwen’s attempt at double 12 narrowly missing before Smith wrapped up the leg in incredible fashion.
