It was a weekend of emphatic statements, long-awaited returns and places booked on some of sport’s biggest stages.
From eight goals for the Republic of Ireland Women in Astana to Waterford and Derry City earning their way to the Aviva Stadium, Mona McSharry continuing an extraordinary run of international consistency, and Leinster Rugby coming home, these are our Sport for Business Winners of the Weekend.
This week’s Champions of the Weekend feature is brought to you by Lidl Ireland, our partner supporting women’s Sport in Ireland.
Republic of Ireland Women
Eight goals away from home in a World Cup play-off is about as emphatic as it gets.
The Republic of Ireland Women returned from Kazakhstan with an 8-0 first-leg advantage and, barring one of the most extraordinary reversals international football has ever seen, a place in the next round of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Kyla Carusa scored twice, with Claire O’Riordan Mustaki, Erin Murphy, Abbie Larkin, Jess Ziu Finn, Simone Hopcroft and Jessie Stapleton also on the scoresheet.
Waterford FC
Waterford produced one of the weekend’s biggest results, beating Bohemians 2-0 at Dalymount Park to reach their first FAI Cup Final in 22 years.
Goals from Noah Mawene and Tommy Lonergan turned a night when Bohs started strongly and sent Waterford supporters towards an Aviva Stadium date few would have predicted earlier in the season.
Cup football can change a club’s mood and momentum almost instantly. For Waterford, a national final brings visibility, supporter engagement and commercial opportunity alongside the sporting prize.
Derry City
Derry City will join them after Michael Duffy struck twice in a 2-0 semi-final win away to Galway United.
It will be Derry’s third FAI Cup Final appearance in five years, an impressive level of consistency, and another large travelling support from the northwest can now be expected at the Aviva.
Mark Connolly’s impact since taking charge is another good story. What might have become a season drifting towards disappointment now could end with major silverware.
Mona McSharry
At this point, Mona McSharry’s extraordinary consistency risks becoming almost normal.
It shouldn’t.
McSharry won gold in the 100m breaststroke, silver in the 50m, and bronze in the 200m at the Tashkent leg of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.
Remarkably, that gives her a complete set of medals at each of the opening two World Cup legs, having achieved the same feat in a different order in Baku.
That is elite sporting consistency and another reminder of the value Ireland has in swimmers who can compete for podium places whenever they step onto an international starting block.
Leinster Rugby – and the Laya Arena
Sometimes the venue is almost as significant a winner as the team.
After more than two years away for redevelopment, Leinster returned to their traditional Dublin home and marked the Laya Arena’s opening competitive night with a 29-5 bonus-point win over Cardiff.
A crowd of 20,035 provided the backdrop as the €52 million redevelopment moved from construction project to functioning sporting venue.
That makes Leinster, the RDS, and naming partner Laya Healthcare winners all weekend.
Thurles Sarsfields
A nine-year wait ended emphatically at FBD Semple Stadium.
Thurles Sarsfields defeated Moycarkey-Borris 1-19 to 1-11 to reclaim the Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship and extend their record haul to 37 county titles.
Eoin Purcell’s goal after just 11 seconds set the tone, and Sarsfields never really relinquished control.
The crowd of 9,398 was another reminder of the pulling power of the club championships at this time of year and of the significance that county finals retain within local sporting communities.
Inagh-Kilnamona
Clare had an even longer wait.
Inagh-Kilnamona defeated Kilmaley 2-18 to 1-14 to win the Clare Senior Hurling Championship for the first time as a combined club.
Kilnamona last won the title in its own right in 1908.
That makes this exactly the sort of victory the club game thrives on: generations of players, coaches, volunteers and families finally seeing their colours carried to the top.
Both communities will celebrate for considerably longer than one weekend.
Waterford and Derry supporters can now look forward to the Aviva Stadium. Ireland’s Women’s National Team will bring an eight-goal advantage back to Cork. More than 20,000 people returned to their redeveloped home with Leinster. Almost 9,400 attended a county hurling final in Thurles.
At a time when much of the conversation around sport understandably focuses on broadcast reach, digital engagement and commercial return, this weekend reminded us that the live occasion remains at the heart of the enterprise.
Give supporters something that matters, and they will still turn up.
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