Tyrone beaten again as Mayo edge Castlebar battle
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BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
McCloskey comfortable being Ireland's elder statesman
When Stuart McCloskey last represented Ireland in Georgia, 10 years ago, his world looked a lot different. Fresh off winning Ulster's young player of the year award at the end of his first full season in senior rugby, he travelled with the Emerging Ireland squad for the now-defunct Tbilisi Cup in just 22, McCloskey admits he was "pretty naive" back then. Now, with nearly a decade of Test experience and over 200 Ulster caps under his belt, he has a "few more grey hairs" and knows "what I'm about these days". This much is true. Even within the controlled environment of a press conference, McCloskey is able to show that he is comfortable in his own Bealham's British and Irish Lions call-up means he is the elder statesmen of interim head coach Paul O'Connell's Ireland squad. He jokes that Bealham "absolutely did me in" and admits O'Connell "gets a dig in most days about how old I am", but he seems happy being the only squad member to have celebrated his 30th birthday. He also likes to tell Ulster team-mates Jacob Stockdale and Nick Timoney he will outlast them."I'm happy to be the calm head," says McCloskey, who will turn 33 in August."I feel like that's normally what I am in these teams no matter who's playing around me, but there's plenty of guys there like Craig [Casey] and Sam [Prendergast] who've run the backline very well over the last few weeks in here. "Sam's come in in the Six Nations and done very well so I'll just play off them, give them the space and hopefully they run in a few tries for us. During the last Lions tour in 2021, McCloskey furthered his case for a spot in the Ireland starting line-up with tries in wins over Japan and the United States. Through no fault of his own, it hasn't quite panned out that way, but considering the constant presence of Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose, 19 caps represents a solid return to this point for a player who was not offered a place in Ulster's academy after leaving Bangor Grammar."I don't think I'm doing a lot wrong," he says. "I think when I've played I've went well, it's just there's four very good centres in the lads, two of them are away [Aki and Ringrose] and you could argue Robbie would've been away as well if he wasn't injured, so I don't think I'm too far off it. "What can I do better? Keep improving on a few things, probably a bit more physicality in defence, I think I've got most things in attack. "[I'll try to] add a few more strings to my bow, whether that's breakdown or poach threat, but overall I don't think there's a lot in it. A few decisions go my way, I'm sitting here with a few more caps." McCloskey, whose last Ireland start came against Italy in February 2024, is expected to partner Jamie Osborne in the midfield in Saturday's Test against Georgia. Osborne, 23, is known as one of Ireland's most versatile players. He can play at either inside or outside centre and started at full-back and right wing against Wales and France in this year's Six Nations. "Jamie's been great. He's the kind of guy that slips into any position fairly well," said McCloskey. "You can play him anywhere over the backline and he'll do a great job. We've had a good combination going there the last couple of days. "He's physical, he's got all the skills and everything you'd want in a rugby player. I'm sure he'll go on and get a lot more caps under his belt over the next 10 years."As for himself, McCloskey wants to use the Georgia and Portugal games to stake his claim ahead of a glamorous autumn programme that includes Ireland's rematch against the All Blacks in Chicago and a home Test against double world champions South means impressing O'Connell, who he played against in the old Pro12 days."Ulster sent down the biggest B team of all time because it was a dead rubber at the end of the season and Munster had their best team out," McCloskey recalls of Ulster's 19-17 win at Thomond Park in May 2014. "I remember it very well. Michael Heaney scored a try, they were trying to get to second and we were fourth, couldn't go up or down, it was back in the Pro12 days and we got the win, I think it was my fourth cap."Perhaps he mentions it to O'Connell when the towering Irish icon brings us McCloskey's age?"No, but I like to think he knows it. I'm trying to get picked this week!"
Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Why Armagh will not fall from grace and be in the 2026 All Ireland mix
Back in 2019, Derry was playing its football in Division Four, and they were seemingly on the road to nowhere as the once-great footballing county continued to underperform and uninspire. In March 2024, they climbed the Hogan Steps to lift the Division One title, and had two Ulster titles from the two previous seasons jingling in their back pockets.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Yorkshire climb off bottom of Division One after 10-wicket victory over Essex
Yorkshire moved off the foot of Division One of the Rothesay County Championship after a 10-wicket win over Essex. Jonny Bairstow's side skittled their visitors for 131 in their second innings. Essex resumed on 33 for three on the final day but were unable to set any sort of target, with Jack White taking four for 37 as Yorkshire eased to the 41 runs needed. That left the hosts chasing 41 in the fourth innings to seal victory, which they did for the loss of no wickets. Elsewhere in Division One, the run-fest in the opening days of the matches meant that the four other fixtures ended in a draw. Centuries for Emilio Gay and Alex Lees ensured Durham survived against Surrey, who had amassed a mammoth 820 in their first innings. The visitors were made to follow on early on day four, but Gay and Lees ensured they finished 262 for no wicket in their second innings. Nottinghamshire were unable to force victory against Somerset, who finished 238 for four in their second innings, while Hampshire batted the day out against Hampshire. It was also a stalemate between Sussex and Warwickshire, who were 260 for four when the bails were removed. In Division Two, Lancashire secured their first win of the season with a thumping 261-run win at Derbyshire. The hosts resumed day four on 139 for three chasing an ambitious 513 to win, but lost steady wickets throughout the day. Captain Wayne Madsen finished 95 not out as wickets fell around him, with George Balderson claiming four for 54 and Tom Bailey three for 39. Gloucestershire survived against Glamorgan, finishing on 255 for seven. Kent clung on to earn a draw against Northamptonshire, who declared on 722 for six in their first innings, after edging past the 157 needed for their opponents to bat again before shaking hands shortly after when on 160 for eight.
