Róisín Upton celebrates the Irish women's hockey team's qualification for Tokyo 2020 (left); an Irish and Swiss fan embrace before a Euro 2020 qualifier (top right) and Andy Farrell orders his charges (bottom right). INPHO
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Open thread: What are you most looking forward to in the 2020 sporting year?
There will be an Olympics, there might be a Euros, and loads more on either side of the summer.
IRISH SPORT HAS been on quite the run over the last couple of years, but 2020 could conceivably top the lot.
There will be an Olympics — we know that much. We don’t yet know who will represent Ireland in Tokyo across the myriad of sports, but the form of Irish rowers, a promising 2019 for the boxers, and the emergence of genuine international-class talent in various other pursuits would suggest — tentatively, for now — that it could transpire to be a special summer for sport on this island.
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Add to those summer festivities the fact that there may yet be Irish involvement at the Euros, including a couple of home games for Mick McCarthy’s men should they navigate a difficult-looking, two-game playoff run — and the year looks to be the most tantalising since, well, 2016, anyway. Even if they don’t get there, autumn will see Stephen Kenny rise to the helm — a new dawn for the national setup and, in the eyes of many Irish football fans, hope on the horizon regardless of the sport currently entrenched in off-field disgrace.
At home, can anyone challenge Dundalk? Shamrock Rovers will hope their FAI Cup victory this year can springboard them towards league success, while Bohs will seek to build upon their impressive 2019 resurgence.
There is also the beginning of a new era in Irish rugby, where Andy Farrell will seek to point his ship back on course having taken the wheel from Joe Schmidt ahead of the Six Nations, which rolls around again in February. The Irish provinces, too, will look to have their say both in the Pro14 and in Europe.
And after some of the greatest horseplay of all time last April, can Tiger Roll do the unthinkable and become the first-ever horse to achieve a Grand National three-peat on his return to Aintree in just over four months’ time?
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Open thread: What are you most looking forward to in the 2020 sporting year?
IRISH SPORT HAS been on quite the run over the last couple of years, but 2020 could conceivably top the lot.
There will be an Olympics — we know that much. We don’t yet know who will represent Ireland in Tokyo across the myriad of sports, but the form of Irish rowers, a promising 2019 for the boxers, and the emergence of genuine international-class talent in various other pursuits would suggest — tentatively, for now — that it could transpire to be a special summer for sport on this island.
Add to those summer festivities the fact that there may yet be Irish involvement at the Euros, including a couple of home games for Mick McCarthy’s men should they navigate a difficult-looking, two-game playoff run — and the year looks to be the most tantalising since, well, 2016, anyway. Even if they don’t get there, autumn will see Stephen Kenny rise to the helm — a new dawn for the national setup and, in the eyes of many Irish football fans, hope on the horizon regardless of the sport currently entrenched in off-field disgrace.
At home, can anyone challenge Dundalk? Shamrock Rovers will hope their FAI Cup victory this year can springboard them towards league success, while Bohs will seek to build upon their impressive 2019 resurgence.
There is also the beginning of a new era in Irish rugby, where Andy Farrell will seek to point his ship back on course having taken the wheel from Joe Schmidt ahead of the Six Nations, which rolls around again in February. The Irish provinces, too, will look to have their say both in the Pro14 and in Europe.
And after some of the greatest horseplay of all time last April, can Tiger Roll do the unthinkable and become the first-ever horse to achieve a Grand National three-peat on his return to Aintree in just over four months’ time?
What are you most looking forward to in 2020?
Let us know in the comments section below.
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