Each weekend, we select performances from Irish sports worthy of highlighting. This weekend, we are highlighting action in Horse racing, Gaelic Football, Squash, Athletics, Football and Hockey.

This week’s Champions of the Weekend is brought to us by Lidl, one of Sport for Business’s key partners and supporters of our Women in Sport coverage.

 

Punchestown Festival

Apart from the quality of the racing and the fact that the sun shone brightly, Punchestown was a success on all levels over the week and into the weekend. Friday saw the biggest ever crowd at the Kildare venue, with 42,138 in attendance. The overall number for the week was 136,651, 15 per cent up on 2024.

 

Galway Football

Galway last won four consecutive Connacht Football Championships in 1966, shortly after Arkle won his third Cheltenham Gold Cup and just before England won the Football World Cup.  On Sunday they rewrote their own history coming out on tiop against a spirited Mayo comeback in the second half to take the title and head into the All-Ireland series with real momentum.

 

Squash Ireland

The Ireland Women’s team of Hannah Craig, Hannah McGuggan, Aimee McConnell, and Lydia McQuillan claimed the bronze medal at the European Team Championships Division 2 in Wrocław, Poland.

 

Aaron Greene

The 35-year-old Shamrock Rovers player scored the 100th goal of his League of Ireland Career, helping his side beat Sligo Rovers and move level on points at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division.

 

Railway Union

A week after losing out in the Energia AIL Rugby Final, Railway Union switched codes and celebrated a hockey victory in the EY Champions Trophy.  No dual players across these two codes but a remarkable achievement for a club with many strings to its bow.

 

Andrew Coscoran

The Irish distance runner was competing in the new Grand Slam athletics tour in Miami and ended up at the weekend with a win in the 3,000 metre race on Friday, followed by a third spot in the 5,000 metre race and a runner-up position in the overall distance standings.  That means a $50,000 payday, and potential invites to the two remaining stops on the tour.

 

 

Further Reading for Sport for Business members:

Check out Sport for Business coverage of Sponsorship

 

SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

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.

WHAT’S UP NEXT?

More GAA Provincial Finals next weekend and plenty more

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