Two All-Ireland Semi-Finals in Hurling, two Quarter-Finals in Camogie, and the Semi-Final of the U20 Rugby World Championship were the biggest events of Irish interest but we also had stars performing at the highest level in Golf at the Women’s US Open, in Swimming at the European Championship, in Racing at the Coral-Eclipse and in the Paralympics Athletics World Championships.

 

Galway started on fire but were pegged back by a Limerick side hitting their stride as they continue their hunt for four-in-a-row.

 

There was brilliant goalkeeping on show in the second semi-final between Clare and Kilkenny but ultimately it the free-taking haul of TJ Reid that gave the Leinster Champions the edge.

 

Ireland is into the Final of the World U20 Championship after beating hosts South Africa with two wonderful cross-field kicks by Sam Prendergast setting up James Nicholson

 

Cork and Kilkenny fought out last year’s Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Camogie Final.  On Sunday they met in the Quarter Final and produced a humdinger of a game with one point in it at the end.

 

21 years old and only qualifying for the Women’s US Open at the last minute, she then lost her golf clubs in transit to Pebble Beach, had to replace a broken driver when they turned up, was joint second after day one and joint fifth at the half way point and utterly captured the hearts of the biggest ever NBC audience for the tournament.

 

Irish Swimming is on a high at the moment with the European U23 Championship coming to Dublin in a few wekks time, and there is a strong pipeline of talent coming through the junior ranks as well.

 

After his 100th European Classic win with Auguste Rodin in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby last weekend, Aidan O’Brien was back in the richest winners enclosure of this weekend with Paddington taking the Coral Eclipse at Sandown.

 

And finally, the Para Athletics World Championships are under way in Paris with a strong Irish team looking to perform well at the highest level