British and Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell included 15 Irish players in his squad for their trip to Australia later this month, but since Leinster’s defeat to Northampton in the European Cup a few weeks back, attendances have been poor at rugby games in Ireland. Overall, I feel supporters have become much more selective in which games they are willing to pay to see, in all sports. But the Lions game against Argentina at the Aviva on Saturday next has been sold out for a long time. Argentina are now coached by Felipe Contepomi, alias Dr. Phil, alias who played at out-half for Leinster from 2003 through 2009 and he should get a good welcome in Dublin 4.
Caelan Doris would have also made that Lions squad and might even have been confirmed as captain, but for injury, while Connacht’s Finlay Bealham has since been called up to replace Scotland’s Zander Fagerson and he joined the squad at their warm-weather training camp in Quinta do Lago in Portugal last week. So now there are now 16 Irish players in Farrell’s 38-man squad. The winners on Saturday will be presented with the 1888 Cup, which was first presented after the Lions game against Japan in Edinburgh ahead of the 2021 tour of South Africa, where the Lions won 28-10. The Lions will then head to Australia for their 10-match tour starting against Western Force in Perth on June 28 and culminating in a three-Test series against the Wallabies.
CASEMENT IS STILL
£100 SHORT: BURNS
The UK government has allocated £50 million for the reconstruction of Casement Park in west Belfast. The money was included in the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’s spending review, which outlines the British government’s spending plans over the coming years. It’s expected that the 34,500 capacity stadium will cost almost £270 million to construct. The GAA has welcomed the investment, however a shortfall of approximately £100 million remains. The stadium, the home of Antrim GAA, has been derelict for over a decade. The Irish Government has pledged around £43m (€51m), the Stormont Executive £62.5m (€74.2m) and the GAA £15m (€17.8m). GAA president Jarlath Burns has welcomed the announcement but warned that more may be needed to finally see ground broken on the project.
Burns said: ‘‘We're now back into the position of spectator because the British government have said what they're giving. The Irish Government have said what they s giving. The Northern Ireland Executive now have to meet, and it’s really between the two government parties to decide how they are going to make up the deficit that still exists between Casement Park not being built and Casement Park being built. Time literally is money here.’’
PENALTIES ‘NOT
BEST WAY’: PREZ
Following the controversial penalty shoot-out that decided the winners of the Munster hurling final a few weeks back, there have been calls for many GAA supporters to change the fixtures master plan to allow time for replays in provincial finals. GAA president Jarlath Burns supports the idea, but says it’s unlikely to happen under his watch. Last week Burns said that Croke Park’s 2026 concert schedule, which is planned well in advance, would make it impossible to extend the inter-county season next year. Burns admits that we could see the finals moved to August in 2027, saying, ‘‘I am around the country all the time in clubs and counties every day of the week and the thing that I get most debates on are the timing of the All-Ireland finals.’’
Burns, who has seen his native Armagh losing out in shootouts on a few occasions since they were introduced in 2022, added: ‘‘I don’t agree that penalties are the best way to end any final. Coming from Armagh, that’s definitely my position. There is a school of thought that we might move the finals back to the first and third Sundays in August but that cannot happen until 2027.’’
MORE RESPECT COMES
WITH NEW RULES
There is no doubt that Gaelic football has been more attractive since the rules devised by Jim Gavin and his Committee were introduced earlier this year. We have seen much more open football and significantly more sporting games. Critics might say that Gaelic football has become a non-contact sport, but there is no doubt that the footballers now have more respect for the rules, referees, linesmen and umpires. The players know that if they or an official disputes any decision the referee has the power to give the opposing team a free from 20 meters. And teams have been known to move the free outside the 40-meter arch which means a two-pointer from a successful free-kick. That’s what Armagh’s penalty was when manager Kieran McGeeney was reported to the referee for kicking a flag on the sideline when he didn’t agree with some decision given by referee David Gough during their Ulster semi-final against Tyrone. Compare that behavior to the constant in-your-face complaints that Waterford referee Thomas Walsh and his linesmen had to take during the recent Munster hurling final between Cork and Limerick. Respective managers Pat Ryan and John Kiely disputed nearly every decision made by the referee and his linesmen. So it looks like the time has come for hurling to copy the new behavior rules of Gaelic football.
Tempers flare at half time in the recent Munster final between the backroom staff from both teams, including Cork manager Pat Ryan and Limerick’s manager John Kiely. [Inpho/James Crombie]
CONFIDENT FANS
BOOK RAIL TIX
The supporters of the Cork and Limerick hurling teams are confident that we will see a repeat of the Munster final in the All-Ireland hurling final on July 20. I read last week that Irish Rail had confirmed that tickets for trains to Dublin from Kent Station in Cork and Colbert Station in Limerick are already sold out for that Sunday morning. There is still a lot of hurling to be played before the All-Ireland final. Newly crowned Munster champions Cork will play Galway, Tipperary or Laois in their All-Ireland semi-final, while Limerick will have to see off Dublin or Kildare in an All-Ireland quarter-final and then meet Leinster champions Kilkenny in the semi-final to get to the final But I reckon the Cork and Limerick supporters are very confident that their counties will meet again on July 20.
TWICKERS START
FOR IRISH WOMEN
The Irish Women’s Rugby team will kick off their 2026 Six Nations campaign against England at Twickenham on April 11 and then we are home to Italy on April 18. Next is a trip France where the kick-off will be at 8.10 p.m. on Saturday night on April 25. The Irish Women finish their campaign with two home games, against Wales on May 9 and Scotland on May 17. The venues for Ireland’s home games, and their away game against France, are yet to be confirmed. In 2025, Ireland were a distant third place to winners England and runners-up France, edging out Scotland and Italy with more bonus points and better score stats generally, with Wales bottom of the table.
BULFIN EXITS
WESTMEATH
The Westmeath hurlers are looking for a new manager after Saoirse Bulfin confirmed last week that he was stepping down after just one season in charge. Bulfin, who also manages the hurlers from the Charleville club in North Cork, had previously worked with Davy Fitzgerald in Clare and in Wexford. The former Limerick minor hurler also managed Meath hurlers on his own. Meanwhile there is speculation that Fitzgerald, who is currently serving an eight-week ban for comments he made about inter-country referees, will not return to Antrim for another season.
MCMAHON TAKES
CHARGE IN NAAS
Former Dublin footballer Philly McMahon was last week appointed as manager of the Naas senior footballers. It represents a first foray into management for the 37-year-old from Ballymun Kickham, having been linked with various inter-county jobs over the past couple of years. McMahon has previously worked as a strength and conditioning coach with Shamrock Rovers and as a performance coach with Bohemians; he also writes a weekly column on GAA for the Irish Independent. Naas have been without a manager following the resignation of Joe Murphy, who left the club to replace Shane Curran as manager of his native Carlow back in March.
