Katie Taylor has revealed she would have quit boxing if she not had the opportunity for a Croke Park swansong .The 39-year-old Bray-born boxer will end her decorated career at the Dublin venue on Sept. 5 knowing victory over Flora Pili will see her crowned undisputed world champion for the third time. Taylor has not fought since completing a trilogy clean sweep over Amanda Serrano at New York’s MSG in July 2025 and was prepared to walk away from boxing. But Croke Park which has not hosted boxing since Muhammad Ali’s victory over Al “Blue” Lewis in 1972 became available and Taylor now aims to add a fitting finale to her ring legacy.
Taylor said: ‘‘I had spoken to my family about going to Croke Park, but never thought it was going to happen until a few months ago. After my last fight I was thinking, what else is there to chase after really. What can get bigger than Madison Square Garden? I had basically retired after the last fight. But I kept training, because in the back of my mind I was thinking about Croke Park Then my manager, Brian Peters rang me up and said Croke Park is actually going to happen. This is the stuff of dreams.’’
All 82,300 tickets for her final fight were sold within minutes following a massive pre-sale demand.
HARRINGTON
IN RYDER CUP
Pádraig Harrington has been named a vice-captain of Europe’s team for the 2027 Ryder Cup. Harrington joins Edoardo and Francesco Molinari in Luke Donald’s team for the tournament, which will be played at Adare Manor in County Limerick next month. Three-time major winner Harrington was part of the Europe team the last time the Ryder Cup was played in Ireland in 2006. Harrington said: “It’s something I didn’t expect. I honestly didn’t think I would ever wear the European Ryder Cup logo again. So I’m very happy to be part of it.’’
SCHMIDT GETS
ULSTER ROLE
Ulster Rugby has confirmed that Joe Schmidt will join the province in consultancy capacity, taking up a newly created role as coach development advisor. Schmidt recently departed as head coach of the Wallabies after two years. In a statement, Ulster said that Schmidt will "support the ongoing development of coaches across the province, helping to strengthen a clear and connected coaching pathway spanning the Academy, age-grade programmes, schools and clubs, as well as professional game. Through several visits to the province over the next 12 months as well as remote interactions, Schmidt will work closely with coaching staff at all levels, providing mentorship, guidance and strategic support to strengthen coaching capability throughout the Ulster Rugby pathway and help drive long-term growth across the game.’’ Ulster head coach Richie Murphy, an assistant to Schmidt during his time with Ireland, welcomed the appointment, saying ‘‘I have worked with Joe on a number of occasions throughout my coaching career and know first-hand the value he brings to an organisation.’’ Schmidt, who was born in Kawakawa, New Zealand, will be 61 next month.
O’CONNOR STAYS
WITH KINGDOM
Good news for Kerry supporters is that Jack O’Connor is staying on as manager for at least one more year. Most people were thrilled with Mayo winning, but in Kerry I suppose they are disappointed that they didn’t get that 40th title. O’Connor is not happy with the amount of games the players are playing at club level and reckons that’s why the squad had so many injuries this year.
O’Connor said: ‘‘I will have very little control over the next couple of months because the players will now go back to the clubs and they will play whatever amount of championships, three, I think, for most of them. You just hope that they don’t play through injury, and they don’t come back to us chronically injured in November and expect us to fix them. Several of the Kerry players including the Clifford brothers will be playing junior or intermediate football for their clubs and then senior football for divisional sides. O’Connor added: ‘‘I have been saying for a long time that we can’t keep this going in Kerry, we just can’t. You saw in the All-Ireland and earlier in the campaign the pace, the athleticism, the fitness, the energy, the hunger that’s required now at this level. If you're playing virtually all year round and not getting a proper off-season and a proper pre-season, it comes back to bite you. That’s my gut instinct. There is no guarantee I am right, but that’s my instinct. Gavin White missed the entire league campaign after suffering an ankle injury in the 2025 East Kerry Championship, which required surgery. Shane Ryan didn't play a minute of league or championship this year having suffered a serious quad muscle injury in a McGrath Cup game in January. Tom O'Sullivan’s start in the All-Ireland final was his first competitive minutes since limping out of the Munster semi-final three months earlier with a calf injury. Joe O’Connor and Seán O’Shea missed significant game-time after suffering foot injuries in the team’s training camp in Portugal in early April. Paul Geaney, Paudie Clifford and Brian Ó Beaglaoich have had their injury issues through the spring and summer. Then Tony Brosnan and Diarmuid O’Connor picked up hamstring injuries that ruled them out of the All-Ireland final.’’ That’s not sour grapes and O’Connor making excuses for Kerry’s loss to Mayo, but more a criticism of the championship structure in Kerry.
HERITY JOINS
SHEFFLIN’S CATS
New Kilkenny hurling manager Henry Shefflin has announced his backroom team which includes his former team-mate David Herity. The former Kilkenny goalkeeper had previously assisted Shefflin during his second spell as Ballyhale Shamrocks boss before being part of Liam Cahill’s coaching set-up in Tipperary for the past two seasons. The Dunnamaggin man also managed Kildare for five years and the Dublin camogie team before that. Another former All-Ireland winner, PJ Delaney, is also on board along with David Mulachy and Darragh Mulcahy. The proposed management team will be brought before delegates for ratification at the August meeting of Kilkenny county board.# Full backroom team is: David Herity (Dunnamaggin) Head Coach /Selector; PJ Delaney (Johnstown) Coach/Selector; David Mulcahy (James Stephens) Selector and Darragh Mulcahy, Head of Strength & Conditioning
Meanwhile in Waterford Stephen Molumphy has been confirmed as the county’s new senior hurling manager on a three-year term. The 42-year-old from Ballyduff Upper succeeds Peter Queally in the role following the latter’s decision to step down in June after two years in charge of the Déise men Molumphy was Waterford captain when they last won the Munster championship in 2010. Later he worked with Davy Fitzgerald when Wexford captured the Leinster title in 2019 and the following year he joined Liam Cahill’s backroom team in Waterford before stepping away in mid-season due to his Defence Forces work commitments. He also managed the Kerry hurlers for three years.
