Each weekend, we select performances from Irish sports worthy of highlighting. This weekend, we are highlighting Horse Racing, Rugby, Sailing, Hurling, Ice Hockey and Golfing performances.
This week’s Champions of the Weekend is brought to us by AIB, one of Sport for Business’ key partners and supporters of our coverage of the Gaelic Games.
Patrick Mullins
The Aintree Grand National is one of the year’s great sporting events, laden with memories and high emotion. Every ounce of that was on show on Saturday when Patrick Mullins rode the winner of the great race on Nick Rockett, trained by his Dad Willie and owned by Stewart Andrew, whose wife went to school with Mullins and asked that he train the horse but sadly died last December. Mum Jackie was there to complete the family celebration, with Willie reduced to speechless emotion after the race. Magical stuff.
Munster Rugby
An exuberant travelling army of fans will be back in France next weekend after Munster overturned the odds in the Quarter Final of the Investec Champions Cup on Saturday evening. 25-24 was the final scoreline in a cracker of a match against former Munster hero Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle. Next weekend, they will face Joey Carbery, who is pulling the strings for Bordeaux. It has taken a while to get going, but the Champions Cup has hit its stride now it is win or go home.
Cork Hurling
It has been one of the longest spells without a national trophy for Cork hurling, but yesterday, at a packed and magnificent-looking Páirc Uí Chaoimh, they defeated Tipperary with a blistering first-half display.
Finn Lynch
Olympic Sailor Finn Lynch won bronze in the ILCA7 class at the prestigious Princess Sofie Regatta in Mallorca on Saturday.
Belfast Giants
The Stena Line Belfast Giants won the Elite League championship, claiming a 3-4 overtime win against the Nottingham Panthers.
Lauren Walsh
A tie for fourth at the Johannesburg Open meant a good weekend for Lauren Walsh, one of the next generation of young female golfers competing at the highest levels of the LET and the LPGA Tour.
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Being at your best on the biggest stages is the essence of elite sport, and we will always be watching out for and celebrating Irish sporting achievements of this kind.
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