GAA
The second piece of silverware for the Carlow club hurling season was handed out last night with St. Mullins claiming this year’s Bolger Shield.
They made home advantage count too to take a 1-17 to 1-06 win over Mount Leinster Rangers.
Mount Leinster Rangers had beaten St. Mullins in the same fixture this time last year and may make up for missing out on the Bolger Cup title to Bagenalstown Gaels last week.
Portlaoise is the venue for this evening’s Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football final.
It’s a repeat of last year’s decider, with defending champions Dublin once again up against Kildare.
Throw-in is at 7.30.
Meanwhile, the Irish Examiner reports today that the Cork County Board will not have to pay half a million in a loan payment to Croke Park this year in relation to the debt on Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Last year Cork owed 21 million in debt to the Bank of Ireland on the stadium, which has staged no concerts this year.
Pairc Ui Chaoimh will also not hold the Munster senior hurling final on Sunday week.
Following a request by Clare, the Munster Council, and Limerick have agreed to play the game at the Gaelic Grounds.
Camogie
This Saturday’s All-Ireland intermediate camogie championship round 2 meeting between Kilkenny and Cork is being billed as a potential table-topper, with the winner a step closer to an automatic spot in this year’s All-Ireland semi-finals.
The sides met twice last month in the Very Camogie League Division 2B final, Cork edging Kilkenny in the replay and with just three fixtures to play in the group stage, this Saturday’s meeting could decide who finishes top of the group.
Speaking to our Camán Caint podcast this week, Kilkenny manager Seamus Kelly knows a win leaves his side in a favourable position having beaten Dublin last weekend.
Soccer
Kilkenny & District League have published their list of end-of-season award winners.
Among the winners for Player of the Year are Bridge United’s Aidan Hynes who takes the Premier Division Award; Evergreen’s Stevie Thompson in The KCLR Scoreline.ie Division 1; CJ Delaney of Stonyford in Divison 2 while River Rangers’ Jack Fitzpatrick takes the Division 3 player of the year award.
In the St. Canice’s Credit Union Women’s League, East End’s Eimear Mahon has been named women’s player of the year.
The local soccer season in Kilkenny is all but done with two cup competitions left to play out.
This Sunday sees Castlewarren Celtic take on Tullaroan in the Seanie O’Connor Memorial Shield Final but before that, Freebooters and Callan United meet tonight night for a place in the Mock Lawlor Premier Cup final.
Manchester United will be without Anthony Martial for Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.
The club confirmed Martial tore his hamstring in their final Premier League game of the season with Fulham.
Sevilla will attempt to win the Europa League for the fifth time in ten seasons tonight.
Standing in their way at the Puskas Arena are Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Mourinho can become the first manager to win the trophy with three different clubs. Kick-off in Budapest is at 8.
Karim Benzema could be the latest veteran striker to move to Saudi Arabia.
The Real Madrid player is reportedly considering a money-spinning offer from a club in the Gulf state. Benzema is out of contract at Real in July, and an offer of an extension remains unsigned by the 35-year-old.
Tennis
At the French Open in Paris, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz both return to the Philippe Chatrier (pr: Chat-ree-ay) Court today, hoping to avoid a similar fate to second seed Daniil Medvedev.
Third-seed Djokovic faces Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in their second-round contest.
While top seed Alacaraz goes up against Taro Daniel.
Women’s second seed Aryna Sabalenka plays world number-214 Iryna Shymanovich today.
While third seed Jessica Pegula faces Camila Giorgi.
