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Orla Prendergast takes centre stage to help Dragons roar home over Scorchers

Orla Prendergast takes centre stage to help Dragons roar home over Scorchers

The Irish international hit 13 boundaries in her 116, sharing a third wicket stand of 119 with Amy Hunter after Ava Canning had struck twice in the opening over.
Hunter hit eight fours in a stylish 62, while Arlene Kelly was also in the runs, making 41 as she and Prendergast added a further 107 for the fourth wicket.
Cara Murray chipped in with an even-time 26 in a final total of 284 for seven.
Gaby Lewis was clearly the leading threat to the Dragons' hopes, with the Ireland captain racing to 91 out of the first 120 scored before she fell to Bready all-rounder Alana Dalzell, who claimed four wickets in a fine display of swing bowling.
Sophie MacMahon hit a valiant 42, but the result was never in doubt.
Meanwhile, in the NCU Women's Premiership, Holywood beat Waringstown in the top-of-the-table clash.
The Lawn side were in early trouble with star players Amy Caulfield and Charlotte Lyons both back in the pavilion, but they were steadied by a third wicket partnership of 78 between Naomi Matthews, who made an unbeaten 40, and Samantha Bond (28). Tamsin Hope took three wickets, and a final total of 103 for five looked below par.
That indeed proved to be the case as Lara Maritz hit six fours in a top score of 46, sharing an opening stand of 65 with Eva Cupitt (20), while Madison Landsman (22 not out) was also in the runs in an eight-wicket win.
CSNI are in third place after a 50-run (DLS) win over Lisburn. Skipper Jemma Gillan was once again in the runs, hitting six boundaries in her 43-ball 55.
She and Sarah Rountree (28) put on 83 for the second wicket that saw the Stormont side post 148 for three.
Lisburn's reply never really got going despite 24 for Amelia Hughes. They were struggling on 47 for six in the 13th over when rain brought a premature end to proceedings.
CSNI's bowling unit did well with two wickets apiece for Vanessa Minford, Eva Wilson and Emily Carville.
The bowlers were also on top at North Down where Evey Keenan claimed five wickets for just eight runs as Muckamore were bowled out for 60.
Kiara Fisher (31) and Gracie Keenan (26) shared an unbroken second wicket stand of 62 to seal a comprehensive nine-wicket win.
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Twenty five years at The Open shows that time really does fly
Twenty five years at The Open shows that time really does fly

The Herald Scotland

time2 hours ago

  • The Herald Scotland

Twenty five years at The Open shows that time really does fly

This week, then, is my actual silver jubilee so one presumes that the good folk at the R&A have commissioned a limited-edition range of commemorative tea towels, porcelain thimbles and decorative hinged trinket boxes to mark the occasion. I'll have an amble over to the Royal Portrush merchandise tent to check out the shimmering wares later in the week. Part of this column was composed yesterday in the shadow of a wonderful, awe-inspiring edifice of maritime magnificence. Yes, that's right. The check-in terminal of the Stena Line ferry at Cairnryan. The Scottish golf writers went in two by two? Well, we tried to do it in an orderly fashion but, because this correspondent was running late, the embarking process descended into a nautical nonsense that featured the kind of flustered bellows and tortured grunts that Noah probably had to deal with as he tried to shepherd the last few biblical beasts up his bloomin' gangplank. We made it, though. It's going to be a busy old week here on the Antrim coast. Back in 2019, the last time The Open was staged at Portrush, the tickets for the championship days were gobbled up in the time it took you to say, 'tickets for the championship days have gone on sale.' It was the first ever sold out Open. That wasn't surprising, of course. Portrush hadn't staged the championship since 1951. It was a hugely significant moment for Northern Ireland after a troubled past. I always recall an Irish colleague observing the giddy scene six years ago and writing, 'when Darren Clarke steps to the tee at Royal Portrush at 6:35am and gets the Open under way, he will become the first Northern Irishman to fire a shot here and have it universally welcomed.' The masses lapped it up. 'It will be mayhem, but merry, Irish mayhem, which is the best kind,' said the late, great Peter Alliss, who played in The Open when it first came to this parish back in '51. He was right. Here in 2025, there will be an additional 40,000 spectators flooding through the gates with a total of 278,000 people expected over the course of the week. It will be the second highest attended Open in history after the 290,000 souls who shoehorned themselves into St Andrews in 2022. I hope there are enough of my 25th anniversary dish cloots on sale for the masses to purchase as a keepsake? The infrastructure these days is as big and as bold as you would expect from a sporting and corporate beast that constantly grows arms and legs. A hierarchy has developed in terms of Open venues as the organisers look more favourably at hosts that can easily accommodate the 200,000-plus mark. That we're back at Portrush within just six years speaks volumes for the R&A's mantra of the bigger, the better. This emphasis on how many punters they can cram in gently elbows certain esteemed courses into the margins. That's a pity for some truly magnificent venues. To be honest, I find an Open almost too big for my liking. But maybe I'm just getting on in years? Each to their own, eh? In the build-up to the eagerly anticipated 2019 showpiece, I had a sit down with a lovely gentleman called Ian Bamford, who was a young 'un back in 1951 and went on to become an Irish Amateur champion and a great, cherished doyen of Royal Portrush Golf Club. 'I still remember queuing to watch a western at the cinema that week and was in touching distance of Dai Rees and Norman Von Nida,' reflected Bamford of a couple of well-kent golfers of ye day who were killing a bit of time. I'm not sure we'll see Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler popping into the Portrush Playhouse tonight. The past is a different world. 'When Royal Portrush was founded in 1888, there were only 1600 people in the town,' noted Bamford. 'There were four pubs and four churches.' Given the volume of bodies in toon over the next few days, the queue to get a libation at the Harbour Bar will probably stretch to the Giants Causeway. I may have better luck in the church? The final major of the men's season is upon us already as the season hurtles by at a furious rate of knots. Regular readers – yes, there are some small pockets of loyal support – will know that I find the condensed nature of the global golf schedule a trifle unsatisfactory. When the Claret Jug is handed out on Sunday, it'll be nine months until the Masters. At least there's a Ryder Cup in September to fill part of this void Once the prolonged wait for Augusta is over, the majors come at us thick and fast in a crash, bang, wallop configuration that does them something of a disservice in a jam-packed scene. There's barely a moment to draw breath. Come Sunday night, the men's majors will have passed in a flash again. As my 25 years at The Open prove, time really does fly. Now, where's my celebratory tea towel?

Scotland star Huw Jones' route to the Lions that began with Cape Town school job
Scotland star Huw Jones' route to the Lions that began with Cape Town school job

Daily Mirror

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

Scotland star Huw Jones' route to the Lions that began with Cape Town school job

Huw Jones is in pole position to wear the No 13 jerset for British and Irish Lions this weekend as the Scotland star realises a dream having been overlooked by academies before a Cape Town gap year ignited his dream When Huw Jones was in his late teens he admitted that being a professional player "wasn't realistic" - more than a decade later and he's reached the pinnacle of British and Irish rugby. The Scotland centre had long been tipped to make the squad and, unlike some of his new team-mates, his path to getting to the present day was not a well trod one. Unlike the usual club into age grade representative rugby into an academy pathway Jones found himself as a school in Cape Town on a gap year. ‌ The Glasgow star is among those from the never ending production line that comes out of Millfield School in Somerset. It's rugby exports include Chris Robshaw and Mako Vunipola but Jones knew the professional career wasn't on the cards at 18. ‌ Rather than going to university he opted for a gap year in one of the world's most picturesque locations. At the south end of South Africa would prove kind to Jones. A family friend hooked him with a job in a school. He signed up to play club rugby with False Bay in 2012, two years later he was playing in the Varsity Cup. Those exploits grabbed the attention of the Western Province. Jones' upward trajectory then saw him playing for the Stormers, rubbing shoulders with Springbok icon Siya Kolisi. It's just over 10,000 kilometres from Edinburgh to Cape Town but Jones' family tree meant he could always represent Scotland and so the call came. The 31-year-old, who had passed every challenge that had come his way, quickly took to international rugby. ‌ He enjoyed a stunning strike rate in the early days. He scored twice on his home debut as the Scots were edged out by Australia. Two memorable tries in 2018 secured a historic win over England. Jones though hasn't endured a career without its dips and challenges. He failed to make the squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. His defence was questioned and during Dave Rennie's spell as Glasgow boss Jones was having to try and master the art of fullback having been pushed out of the centres. ‌ A change in the coaching box though saw Jones recapture his best form alongside Sione Tuipilotu. That partnership has blossomed and the duo are first choice for Scotland and so the 'Huwipilotu' bromance nickname was born. Jones' try-scoring habit is firmly back. He now ranks as the most prolific Scot who doesn't play on the wing or at fullback. His club exploits have made him a league champion with Glasgow and, despite Jones' wholesome reaction at being selected for the Lions, few were surprised he got the shout. ‌ He told the Lions' website: "A lot of it is down to timing and being on form at the right time, and fit at the right time. I feel really thankful to the medical team, to the coaches who have been selecting me for the last couple of seasons that I've got myself into a position to be fit and play well to put myself in that picture. 'It's the pinnacle of rugby for me. I am a rugby fan, I grew up obsessed with rugby. I've been watching the Lions for years and years, those have been my rugby heroes, my whole life. To now be named in that squad, it's such a special moment for me.' Ireland's Garry Ringrose is out of the First Test this weekend with concussion and it has left Jones as the out and out frontrunner to wear No 13 and he's already shown an appetite for tries - crossing the whitewash three times already.

What Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry really think about each other as Irish pair gear up for Open battle
What Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry really think about each other as Irish pair gear up for Open battle

Daily Record

time10 hours ago

  • Daily Record

What Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry really think about each other as Irish pair gear up for Open battle

The brilliant Irish pair are close pals on and off the golf course and they've both spoken about their relationship Buddies Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry have become best pals in recent times. The Irish pair have won individual titles as well as teaming-up for triumphs at The Ryder Cup and The Zurich Classic. ‌ Ahead of the Open at Royal Portrush, McIlroy and Lowry gave an insight into what they admire most about each other. ‌ McIlroy was first in the media room and said: 'We've always been close, but I think we've become very close over the last sort of five or six years. "I think once we both had kids, or at least once I had kids or had a daughter and I see how Shane is with his daughters, and I just think, when I say like a role model, I just think about how he is off the course, how he is able to separate his family life and his normal life from his golfing life. 'Look, I know I'm in a bit of a different position, so it may be a little bit more difficult for me, but it's definitely a place that I strive to be in, to be as comfortable getting away from it as he is in a way and enjoying the fruits of your success and sharing that with your loved ones. That's one of my New Year's resolutions was to have more fun. I think Shane is very good at having fun, and I need more of that in my life.' Lowry gave his response on McIlroy's best trait and said: 'I think his constant work ethic. We have become quite close over the last number of years and I think it's helped both of us. I think I help him, but he helps me as well. I think I certainly feel like I've learned a lot from his work ethic and how I apply myself to the game now. 'Where we live in Florida, there's a lot of players that live there and you go up to the range and there's never a day that goes by where you get there and some of the top players in the world are not there. ‌ "So you're like, well, if all these guys are here, we need to be doing it as well. I think my biggest thing, he's done everything there is to do in the game. He finished that in April. And his constant drive to get better every day is admirable.' Lowry won in 2019 as McIlroy missed the cut and the 2019 winner said: 'I reckon that first tee that morning in 2019 was the most nervous I've ever been on the first tee of a tournament. All you want to do is get the ball down the fairway and obviously Rory didn't do that. 'I remember talking to him a little bit in the lead-up to that and he did put a lot of pressure on himself, talking about it being the biggest tournament he's ever going to play and stuff like that. You live and you learn and I'm sure he's not going to do that this week. 'We've talked about it at the odd time but not that much. He doesn't want to talk about what he did on the first hole. I don't mind talking about what I did!'

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