This is the Scoreline Morning Report.
Hurling
Kilkenny manager Derek Lyng was in defiant mood when he spoke to KCLR at last night’s homecoming.
Limerick proved too strong for his side in Sunday’s All-Ireland final as the Cats fell to a second consecutive defeat in the showpiece event to the four-in-a-row winners.
Despite the disappointing end to 2023, Lyng believes that it was a good season for the Leinster champions and that they will bounce back.
While the man in charge thinks there could be a bright future ahead for Kilkenny, his fellow Emeralds clubman Aidan Fogarty feels there may be retirements ahead of 2024.
Speaking as part of KCLR’s analysis team on Sunday, the eight-time All-Ireland winner said that there could be up to five players who decide to bring the curtain down on their intercounty careers.
There are some games of note tonight on the club side of things in Kilkenny.
At 7.30pm, Thomastown are at home to Young Irelands in the Division 1 final of the Michael Lyng Motors Senior Intermediate Hurling League.
At the same time, Dunnamaggin play host to Mullinavat in the Division 2 final.
There was one game last night in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons Carlow Intermediate Hurling Championship.
Bagenalstown Gaels were 1-13 to 1-12 winners over Carlow Town Hurling Club.
St Mullins were eight-point winners over Naomh Eoin and Ballinkillen got the better of Kildavin Clonegal in the Junior Championship.
SOCCER
It’s just after finishing up in the second game of the day at the Women’s World Cup.
Co-hosts New Zealand have lost to the Philippines in their Group A meeting in Wellington.
It finshed 1-0 there.
There’s a 9am start for the other game in the group between Norway and Switzerland.
Earlier, Colombia got off to a winning start in Group H with a 2-nil victory over Korea Republic.
Ireland are preparing for tomorrow’s crucial encounter with Canada.
Vera Pauw’s side narrowly lost to Australia in their opener, while Olympic champions Canada were held to a scoreless draw against Nigeria.
Defeat for Ireland will see them eliminated from the competiton with one more group game to go.
Wilfried Zaha has completed a move to Turkish side Galatasaray on a three-year contract.
The Ivory Coast forward was a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace this summer.
He’d reportedly turned down an offer of 200-thousand pounds a week to stay at Selhurst Park.
Zaha has received a signing on fee of 2.3-million euro and will get an annual salary of over 4 million at Galatasaray.
CRICKET
Ireland will be hoping for better weather as they look to finally get their women’s one-day international cricket series against Australia underway in Dublin.
Sunday’s fixture was abandoned due to constant rain in Clontarf.
Australia go into the contest on the back of retaining the Women’s Ashes, despite drawing the multi-format series with England 8-all.
For these stories and more, see our sports website, Scoreline.ie.
