HORSE RACING
The winners, the heroes and the champions return to the home of Irish jump racing for the grand finale of the season as the 2023 Punchestown Festival gets underway today running through Saturday.
The next few days will see over 110,000 race fans head to Kildare with 40 races in all pencilled in and over 3.3 million Euro in prize money on offer.
The first of eight races is off at 3.40 pm., with two Grade Ones on the card.
The Willie Mullins-trained ‘Facile Vega’ is among the contenders in the Champion Novice Hurdle And ‘Energumene’ is favorite for the Champion Chase.
See also: “I’m hoping Willie’s horse might not be as good on good ground” Shark Hanlon on Hewick’s potential Gold Cup run
HURLING
Kilkenny’s Electric Ireland Leinster minor hurling championship semi-final appearance has been confirmed to take place this coming bank holiday Monday.
Well done lads. Semifinal next weekend. Details tbc pic.twitter.com/By1DhF59aP
— Kilkenny GAA (@KilkennyCLG) April 23, 2023
Niall Bergin’s side enjoyed a 2-15 to 0-14 win over a fancied Offaly on Saturday to seal their place in the penultimate round.
They’ll be joined in the semi-finals by Dubvlin who had a 1-20 to 0-17 win over Laois in O’Moore Park last night. Times and venues should be confirmed later.
Elsewhere the Leinster under 20 football final takes place tonight.
Dublin faces reigning champions Kildare, with a throw-in at Carlow’s Netwatch Cullen Park at half seven.
HOCKEY
The Irish ice hockey team are bound for Slovakia this weekend to compete in the IIHF Development Cup.
The black and amber will be flying through with four members of Kilkenny Storm participating with the club sending Damian Rochie, Alec Young, Zac Cummins and ‘Storm head coach Paul Cummins.
Ireland’s opening match of the tournament is against Argentina on Tuesday next with Colombia, Liechtenstein and Portugal all invovled.
SAILING
Carlow’s Finn Lynch is back on the water for Ireland this week as part of French Olympic Sailing Week.
He was the only Irish sailor involved yesterday in the ILCA 7 event at Hyerés on the Cote d’Azur but made a steady start to the week’s event to finish 12th and inside the qualifying mark for the day.
By his own admission last night, Lynch said conditions were “very, very hard but hopefully better performance by me in the next few days”.
SOCCER
The meeting of Leicester and Leeds is the big game in the Premier League tonight.
Both sides are in relegation danger and meet at Elland Road at 8pm. Tonight’s first game is at Molineux , where Wolves host Crystal Palace from half seven.
There’s a 7.45 start at Villa Park for Aston Villa’s meeting with Fulham.