It was a weekend of sporting disappointment for Ireland with Martin O’Neill’s men coming unstuck against Belgium and having to repair broke confidence before Wednesday’s deciding clash with Italy and Joe Schmidt’s team finding South Africa too strong in the closing stages.
The U20 team can hopefully set things back on a winning path when they face Argentina this evening and the sporting spectacular rolls on throughout the week but if it has half the drama that unfolded in the US last night and early this morning we are in for a thrilling ride.
It started with Shane Lowry sacrificing a four shot lead into the final round of a major for only the second time in history and the first since Payne Stewart in 1998. The manner of the defeat to Dustin Johnson though created anger and frustration.
Johnson was a deserving winner after numerous close brushes both on and off the golf course but a bizarre refereeing intervention where officials advised him on the 12th tee that an incident on the 5th green might result in a penalty after review following the conclusion of the round meant that the dramatic closing holes had an enormous, and unnecessary shadow over them.
Leading golfers not involved vented their anger at the officials and the confusion they caused on social media through the night and while the eventual shot penalised was immaterial to the scoring it certainly created enough confusion in the minds of Johnson and Lowry to have had a likely massive mental impact on the players.
As the final putt dropped at Oakmount the first baskets were being sunk in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
To those who have been following this was the ultimate showdown between the Golden State Warriors and Steph Curry versus the Cleveland Cavaliers led by Lebron James.
The Cavs had not won a title in 52 years. They were looking to come from 3-1 down in the series, a feat never achieved before in the history of the NBA.
Sure what’s history in the face of sporting excellence.
The Cavs ran out winner by 93-89 and tore up the record books in the same way that the rules officials at the US Open had torn up golf’s playbook on common sense and fair play.
It was some Sunday night…
