Each weekend, we highlight some of the performances that light up the Irish sporting landscape.
This weekend, we highlight action from Gaelic Football, Cricket, Cycling, Swimming, Horse Racing and the League of Ireland at the World Cup Finals.
This week’s Champions of the Weekend is brought to you by Dublin City Council, one of Sport for Business’s key partners and supporters of our recognition of the work undertaken by Local authorities and Local Sports Partnerships across Ireland.
Gaelic Football
A weekend of superb and dramatic matches headed by Louth winning through to their first All-Ireland Semi-Final since 1957, against Mayo, and Dublin and Kerry overcoming Galway and Tyrone to set up an epic Semi-Final on the other side of the draw.
Irish Cricket
Irish cricket enjoyed a landmark weekend, with historic wins for both national teams. Ireland Men beat India for the first time in any format, winning the opening T20I at Stormont before going on to complete a 2-0 series victory. Less than 24 hours later, Ireland Women recorded their first-ever ICC Women’s T20 World Cup win, beating West Indies by six wickets in Bristol. Together, the results marked one of the great weekends in Irish cricket history.
Seth Dunwoody and Lara Gillespie
Seth Dunwoody claimed the Elite Men’s National Road Race title in Cong, Co. Mayo, outsprinting defending champion Rory Townsend and Finn Crockett after a demanding 171km race shaped by wind and climbing. Lara Gillespie added the Elite Women’s Road Race crown to her time trial win, while Emer Heverin took another Junior Women’s title with a 40km solo break. In the Junior Men’s race, 16-year-old Freddie Winkley sprinted to his first national title after 111km of racing.
Fiona Murtagh and Izzy Clements
Ireland finished the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne with two medals, led by Fiona Murtagh’s silver in the Women’s Single Sculls and Izzy Clements’ bronze in the Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls. Zoe Hyde and Mags Cremen were fourth in a high-quality Women’s Double Sculls A Final, while Katie O’Brien made a significant return in PR1 racing. Every Irish crew reached finals, underlining the squad’s growing depth and competitiveness against world-class opposition.
Benvenuto Cellini
Benvenuto Cellini delivered Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby glory at the Curragh on Sunday, giving Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore another Classic success as Ballydoyle filled the first three places through Christmas Day and Pierre Bonnard.
Pico Lopes and Joseph Anang
League of Ireland interest in the World Cup knockout stages is assured after Pico Lopes helped Cape Verde and Joseph Anang helped Ghana secure qualification from their groups. Lopes, a key figure for Cape Verde, has been part of one of the tournament’s great stories, while Ghana, with Anang in the squad, have also advanced to the last 32.
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