From a farewell for the ages at Croke Park to extraordinary drama at Lahinch, a world title in Alabama, penalty shoot-out nerve in Inchicore and emerging cycling talent in Kilkenny, these are our six Winners of the Weekend.
1. Katie Taylor – The Perfect Goodbye
There could only really be one place to start.
Katie Taylor ended one of the great careers in Irish sporting history exactly where she wanted to finish it – victorious in Croke Park.
Taylor defeated the previously unbeaten Flora Pili by unanimous decision, with scorecards of 100-90, 100-90 and 98-91, becoming undisputed super-lightweight champion for a third time before more than 80,000 people. She then placed her gloves in the centre of the ring and confirmed that this was the end.
There have been bigger Irish victories in terms of what was at stake, perhaps, but very few sporting occasions have carried this weight of history, affection and celebration.
A career that helped change women’s boxing ended with an entire stadium — and much of the country — saying thank you.
Winner of the Weekend? Winner of a generation.
2. Stuart Grehan – Setting the Tone at Lahinch
The winning putt belonged to Josh Hill, but Stuart Grehan was at the heart of Great Britain & Ireland’s extraordinary Walker Cup victory at Lahinch.
The Offaly golfer took 2½ points from his four matches and, most impressively, beat world number one amateur Preston Stout in both singles encounters.
On Saturday he recovered from three down early and two down with three remaining to win on the 18th. On Sunday, with GB&I facing a three-point deficit after losing all four morning foursomes, Grehan again led from the front, beating Stout 2&1.
GB&I eventually won 13½-12½, their first Walker Cup success since 2015 and their first on Irish soil.
Grehan didn’t hole the final putt, but he provided much of the belief that made it possible.
3. Irish Cycling at Rás na mBan – A Generation Coming Through
The overall Rás na mBan title went to Denmark’s Olympia Norrid Mortensen by a single second, but the performance of the Irish riders across the five days made this a significant weekend for home cycling.
Aliyah Rafferty, still only 18, finished fourth overall and won the Best Irish Rider classification. Aoife O’Brien won Stage Two and the overall points classification, with Emma Jeffers second in the final Kilkenny criterium.
Seventeen-year-old Emer Heverin finished third in Sunday’s time trial, only 0.88 seconds away from the stage victory, while Ireland won the overall team classification by more than two and a half minutes.
The 20th edition of the race again showed why Rás na mBan matters: international competition on Irish roads combined with a genuine pathway for emerging Irish talent.
4. Bohemians – Nerves of Steel at Richmond Park
Cup football is supposed to be dramatic. Bohemians and St Patrick’s Athletic took that instruction literally.
After a 1-1 draw following extra time at Richmond Park, the Club Orange FAI Cup quarter-final went all the way to an 18-kick penalty shoot-out.
Patrick Hickey converted to put Bohs 8-7 ahead before Romal Palmer’s final effort went over the bar, sending the Gypsies into the semi-finals.
Their reward is a home semi-final against Waterford at Dalymount Park.
For Bohs, beaten by Pat’s in the 2021 and 2023 finals and without an FAI Cup since 2008, there was plenty of history wrapped into the tension.
5. Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly – World Champions Again
Irish cycling success was not confined to Kilkenny.
At the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Huntsville, Alabama, Katie-George Dunlevy and pilot Linda Kelly retained their Women’s B individual time trial world title.
Their winning time of 36:55.48 delivered a remarkable fourth consecutive World Championship time-trial crown.
Better again from an Irish perspective, Sinéad Greenan and Alice Sharpe took silver on their World Championship debut, completing an Irish one-two on the podium.
Dunlevy has made winning on the biggest stage appear almost routine. It isn’t.
Another rainbow jersey belongs among the very best Irish performances of this or any weekend.
6. David Clifford – Sixteen Points and Still the Match-Winner
A Kerry Intermediate Football Championship semi-final might seem a long way from Croke Park or a World Championship podium, but sometimes a performance simply demands inclusion.
David Clifford scored 0-16 for Fossa against Beaufort.
And not merely 16 points. He kicked five in extra-time and landed the winning score as Fossa edged an extraordinary contest 2-25 to 2-24 to reach the county final. Brother Paudie added another five points, meaning the Clifford brothers accounted for 21 between them.
It was another reminder that the great players do not leave their standards behind when they return to their clubs.
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