It has been a great weekend for Irish sports teams with both the Rugby league and union getting victories and the Football team getting a 0-0 draw against Denmark
It was the rugby union team that got the weekend off to the perfect start with a record victory over South Africa, Joe Schmidt side a 38-3 victory. Andrew Conway crossed to score a try to give the Irish to a 14-0 half-time lead then Rhys Ruddock, Rob Herring and Jacob Stockdale scored late in the game for teh record victory and lots of happy punters who used bonus code 2018 to back Ireland to win by 30+ at 33/1
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt: ”I was really worried before the game, just because of that last game South Africa had played, and the quality of their players and coaches.
“It is incredibly satisfying to go out, watch the players bring the energy and accuracy, most of the time, that they did.
“I grew up watching South Africa teams pretty dominant when they were at their peak. I don’t actually think this Springbok team is very far away from that. It’s satisfying, it’s a relief.”
IRELAND: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster), Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster), Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht), Jacob Stockdale (Ballynahinch/Ulster); Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (capt), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster), CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster)
Then we moved to the football team where MartinO’Neills brave side kept their world cup hopes alive with a very brave 0-0 draw away to Denmark. O’Neill’s side had just 28% of possession in Copenhagen but were well-organised and disciplined as they frustrated the home side.
Denmark had chances but a combination of their poor finishing and impressive saves from Darren Randolph ensured O’Neill’s side will start the second leg on level terms.
“It was a tough evening and the players did splendidly,” said O’Neill. “We’ve come out the other side and it’s all to play for. We’ll have to win a game and we might have to score a couple because Denmark are capable of scoring.
“They had one really great chance. Overall we restricted them. An away goal would have been great but we didn’t carve out that many chances. We need to be more creative [in Dublin]. We’re still in the tie.”
IRELAND: Randolph; Christie, Clark, Duffy, Ward; Arter, Hendrick, O’Dowda, Brady, McClean; Murphy.
Then the only loss for the weekend was the Irish compromise rules side who were hit with a vomiting bug during the week suffered a 63-53 defeat against Australia, but Joe Kernan’s Ireland team are still in with a chance of retaining the Cormac McAnallen Cup with the second leg next weekend.
Ireland: Niall Morgan (Tyrone), Chris Barrett (Mayo), Killian Clarke (Cavan), Eoin Cadogan (Cork), Peter Crowley (Kerry), Pearce Hanley (Mayo/Gold Coast), Brendan Harrison (Mayo), Kevin Feely (Kildare), Karl O’Connell (Monaghan), Paul Murphy (Kerry), Aidan O’Shea (Mayo), Zach Tuohy (Laois/Geelong) Gary Brennan (Clare), Niall Grimley (Armagh), Sean Powter (Cork), Niall Sludden (Tyrone), Conor Sweeney (Tipperary), Shane Walsh (Galway), Conor McManus (Monaghan), Michael Murphy (Donegal).
Ireland finished their Rugby League World Cup in style as they crushed Wales at the Perth Rectangular Stadium.
Papua New Guinea’s 64-0 win over USA earlier on Sunday, along with their 14-6 win over the Irish, meant the Kumuls had already topped Group C to claim a quarter-final spot ahead of Ireland.
Api Pewhairangi, Oliver Roberts twice, Joe Philbin, Liam Finn and Liam Kay all crossed for Ireland.
Ben Morris’ try just after half-time gave Wales some consolation.
Ireland: Scott Grix; Shannon McDonnell, Ed Chamberlain, Api Pewhairangi, Liam Kay; Joe Keyes, Liam Finn (capt); Anthony Mullaly, Michael McIllorum, Kyle Amor, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Will Hope, Brad Singleton. Bench:Oliver Roberts, George King, Joe Philbin, Matty Hadden.