CAMOGIE
The win was worth the wait – so says Carlow senior camogie player and Player of the Match in this past weekend’s VERY Camogie League Division 3A final, Rachel Breen.
It’s been a few years since Carlow claimed silverware in the league or championship but finished out their League campaign with a one-point win over last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists Armagh on Easter Saturday.
Speaking on our Camán Caint podcast last night, Breen suggested the win at the weekend makes up for so many missed moments over recent years.
FOOTBALL
A water-logged pitch in Gowran meant last night’s JJ Kavanagh & Sons junior football championship quarter-final between Galmoy and Young Irelands couldn’t go ahead.
A new date will be confirmed later this week.
For Carlow fans, the draw for this year’s Tailteann Cup looks set to take on Monday, May 1st with the team expected to enter the competition on the weekend of May 13/14th.
Football fans will have to wait until the semi-finals of the Leinster senior championship have passed before the draw is made, Carlow set to take part thanks to their defeat to Wicklow over the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Carlow is now ranked 30th out of 32 county teams at the senior level, ahead of only Waterford and London.
It’s a round-robin format this year with Carlow guaranteed a minimum of one home game, one away game and one game at a neutral venue.
This year’s final has been confirmed for the weekend of July 15/16.
HURLING
In Kilkenny, the draws for the St. Canice’s Credit Union, Michael Lyng Motors and JJ Kavanagh & Sons senior, intermediate and junior hurling league championships have been made.
The draws for the @StCanicesCU Senior, @michaellyngmtrs Intermediate and the @JJKavanaghBuses Junior hurling league/championships took place at the April County Board Meeting in UPMC Nowlan Park this evening. pic.twitter.com/LB9cqeUDwS
— Kilkenny GAA (@KilkennyCLG) April 11, 2023
You’ll be able to check the full fixtures on Scoreline.ie this morning but we can tell you that among the opening round fixtures for the league are some tasty ties including Dicksboro hosting Clara while O’Loughlin Gaels take on Tullaroan.
Dates, throw-in times are yet to be confirmed.
In other news, Carlow and Kilkenny have both been represented on the latest GAA.ie Hurling Team of the Week. Ballyhale duo Richie Reid and Adrian Mullen were singled out as Kilkenny’s top performers in Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League Final defeat to Limerick.
Who has earned inclusion on the https://t.co/gvXdqgOuf0 Hurling Team of the Week? #GAA
— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 11, 2023
Carlow meanwhile are represented by James Doyle in midfield while Paddy Boland takes the centre foward role alongside Limerick’s Aaron Gillane and Offaly’s Eoghan Cahill.
Speaking to KCLR, Carlow’s record point-scorer Marty Kavanagh heaped praise on his goal-hungry clubmate ahead of their visit to Kerry in round two of the Joe McDonagh Cup this weekend.
Three-time All-Ireland hurling final referee Fergal Horgan has retired from inter-county refereeing with immediate effect.
The Tipperary official, who oversaw the 2017, 2020 and 2021 All-Ireland deciders, announced the news on Tipperary Mid-West Radio last night.
During the interview, Horgan, who last officiated a game at the national level in February, described the current appointments process as ‘a farce.’
RUGBY
The Leinster provincial junior side are continuing their preparations for this year’s Interprovincial Series as they take on the Defence Forces this evening from 7.45pm.
The Defence Forces too are in training for the Military Rugby World Cup taking place in France in August so there’s a promise of a big night of rugby in Tullow tonight.
Tullow’s Katie Corrigan was part of the Ireland Under 18 women’s rugby side in action at this year’s Six Nations Festival yesterday.
Ireland played two games, beating Scotland 31-5 before losing to hosts england 14-0. With two wins and two defeats this week, they’ll face Wales in their final game at a quarter past two this Saturday.
SOCCER
Manchester City took a huge step towards the semi-finals of the Champions League last night.
RODRI'S FIRST-EVER #UCL GOAL 🤯
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 11, 2023
Unreal strike from the Man City midfielder 🚀 pic.twitter.com/u7F8p3uQna
They beat Bayern Munich 3-nil in the first leg of their quarter-final. Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland all scored for Pep Guardiola’s side. Elsewhere, Inter Milan beat Benfica 2-0 in Lisbon thanks to goals from Nicolo Barella and Romelu Lukaku. The return legs will take place next Wednesday.
Tonight holders Real Madrid host Chelsea in the first leg of their last eight tie.
The game will also see Real manager Carlo Ancelotti reunited with Frank Lampard, who he managed while he was with Chelsea between 2009 and 2011. That game kicks-off in the Spanish capital at 8-o’clock while at the same time there’s an all Italian affair as AC Milan host Napoli.
HORSE RACING
There’s a seven race card at Gowran Park today where the first goes to post at 10-past-4.
🚨 🚨🚨 with a status yellow wind and rain warning in place a precautionary inspection has been called for 7:30am Wednesday morning. Track is currently Heavy – Soft in places and presently raining but fit to race. Thank you 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/CiCBayT4Bm
— Gowran Park (@GowranPark1) April 11, 2023
SPORTS STAR AWARD
Congratulations again to Freebooters and their Girls Whites Under 12 squad who were named winners yesterday of the David Buggy Motors Kilkenny Sport Star Award for March.
