The GAA Rounders Championship reaches the business end this weekend, with ten All-Ireland semi-finals across Galway and Monaghan and places in the Intermediate and Senior finals up for grabs.

Saturday sees all six Intermediate semi-finals played in Galway, before attention switches to the Monaghan GAA Centre of Excellence in Cloghan on Sunday for the four Senior Men’s and Women’s semi-finals.

The Senior games bring an additional challenge, with all Senior semi-finals and finals played over seven innings.

There are obvious favourites across the weekend, but there are also several games that look far closer than the league tables might suggest.

Here is the SportsNewsIreland match-by-match preview and predictions.

Intermediate Women

Galway City Rapparees v Inniskeen Grattans – 12pm

Galway City Rapparees come into the first semi-final as favourites after topping their group, but they will be without Laura Salvatore and Cat Carty, two significant absentees from their women’s side.

Even allowing for those losses, Galway should still have enough.

The season statistics strongly favour Rapparees. They have scored 96 runs compared with Inniskeen’s 69, but the bigger difference is defensively: Galway have conceded just 17 runs across four games, compared with Inniskeen’s 49.

Katie Jessop gives Galway a strong option pitching, while Clodagh Naughton, Hazel Kilduff and Eimear Cuddy bring serious speed around the bases. If Inniskeen struggle to make outs on base, Galway have exactly the type of runners capable of punishing them.

Inniskeen’s major weapon is Julianne Smith. Her fast pitching regularly produces foul outs and Galway will have to be disciplined at the bat. Back catcher Catherine Deery, along with Siobhán Cunningham and Carol McKeown, gives Inniskeen plenty of quality in the field.

Galway are weakened, but their overall batting, fielding and base-running should still see them through.

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Galway City Rapparees by around 15 runs.

Castletown Liam Mellows v Elphin – 2pm

This is probably the hardest Intermediate semi-final of the weekend to call.

There is also history between them. Saturday is a rematch of last year’s Junior semi-final at the same venue and on the same pitch, when Elphin came out on top.

Castletown have been the stronger batting side this year, scoring 86 runs compared with Elphin’s 63, while there is very little between them defensively.

Mandy Callanan has been consistently strong pitching for Castletown, Sarah Kavanagh is a major presence at Second Base and Edel Coade Morris has been excellent at Short Stop.

Elphin recovered brilliantly from a difficult start to their first Intermediate season, winning their remaining games after a heavy opening defeat to Galway. Áine McDermott, Ciara Butler and Georgina McDermott provide a reliable defensive spine, while twins Katie and Kirsten Cronin can do real damage with the bat and running the bases.

There really isn’t much between them. I just have a feeling Castletown reverse last year’s result.

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Castletown Liam Mellows – narrowly.

Intermediate Mixed

Emo v Erne Eagles – 12pm

This could be a cracker.

It is a repeat of the 2025 Intermediate Mixed All-Ireland Final, which Erne Eagles won by just a single run.

Statistically, Emo have the advantage this time. They have scored 71 runs from 14 innings compared with Eagles’ 57 from 17, while Emo have also conceded fewer runs.

Emo already have a strong combination of youth and experience, with Liam Horgan and Dan White around home base and the likes of JP Tynan, Barry Ryan, Claire Suda, Catherine O’Keeffe and Gillian Keenan throughout the team.

Then there is the Aaron Keane factor.

The former Heath player recently transferred to Emo and could make a significant difference if selected. His addition gives Emo even more quality in a game that already looks extremely tight.

Eagles, however, have something that is difficult to quantify: knockout experience.

Karl Dolan is consistently strong pitching, Gerard Clerkin is a huge presence at Short Stop and Owen Roe O’Reilly is capable of producing catches that can completely change an innings.

If Eagles arrive fully loaded, I think this becomes a toss-up. Emo’s numbers are better, and Aaron Keane potentially makes them stronger again, but Eagles know exactly how to win these games.

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Erne Eagles narrowly. Extra innings would not surprise me.

Galway City Rapparees v Dublin Metropolitans – 4pm

The hosts enter this one with a perfect record, having topped their group with four wins from four, while Dublin Metropolitans qualified with two wins and two defeats.

Galway’s biggest strength is their depth.

Their Mixed team can draw on players from the club’s Senior Men’s and Intermediate Women’s panels, giving them plenty of options. Vishal Pathare, Cathal Creaven, Pakie Killilea, Rory McGarvey, Clodagh Naughton and Tomás Kenny are among the players capable of influencing the game.

Dublin are dangerous, particularly through players such as Beau and Asa Carley, and one interesting selection question surrounds Jack Cheyne.

If Dublin Metropolitans have Cheyne back and available to pitch, it significantly increases their chances. Having a quality pitcher capable of controlling home base can change the entire complexion of a knockout game, and his presence would give Galway a much tougher test.

If Dublin are without him, however, I still expect Galway to have too much strength across the field and come through with a fairly comfortable victory.

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Galway City Rapparees by around 12–15 if Jack Cheyne pitches for Dublin; potentially 20 or more if he doesn’t.

Intermediate Men

Kilmore v St Clare’s – 2pm

There is already a useful form line between these teams.

They met in July and Kilmore won 21–14, with pitcher Aidan Carr playing a huge role. Seven of Kilmore’s 15 outs involved Carr, whose pace and accuracy caused St Clare’s problems throughout the game.

James Jamieson was also excellent behind the batter, while Kevin White and Oisín Boland give Kilmore further quality in the field.

St Clare’s certainly have enough to make this competitive. PJ Kelly took six catches for outs in that previous meeting, while Darragh Johnston, Bryan Dolan and Jason Cawley are all capable of influencing the game.

Across the season Kilmore have scored more runs despite batting fewer innings, and they have already shown they can beat this opposition.

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Kilmore by 8–10 runs.

Emo v St Senan’s – 4pm

The league positions make Emo look like the obvious choice. Their previous meeting says otherwise.

When these teams met in July, it finished 14–14.

St Senan’s have also beaten both St Clare’s and Kilmore this season, so they have already proved they can compete with the strongest teams at this level.

Where Emo have the clear advantage is defensively. They have conceded fewer runs, while their young pitcher/catcher combination of Liam Horgan and Dan White has been excellent.

JP Tynan and Barry Ryan add experience to the Emo field, while St Senan’s will look to John Paul Mulvihill and Niall Sheehy around home base and John Hanlon, Ian Sheehy and Kevin Doody elsewhere.

Their draw earlier in the season tells you this isn’t going to be straightforward, but Emo’s defensive strength should eventually make the difference.

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Emo by 7–8 runs.

Senior Women

Breaffy v Erne Eagles – 1pm

Here comes the shock prediction of the weekend.

Everything on paper says Breaffy.

The four-in-a-row All-Ireland champions went unbeaten through the league and are chasing an extraordinary fifth consecutive title. They have conceded just 31 runs all season, compared with Erne Eagles’ 78.

Michelle Hopkins and Katie Groonell give Breaffy huge experience around home base, but there really aren’t many weak points anywhere in this side.

They know how to win Senior knockout games better than anyone.

So why Eagles?

Because they have enough batting and fielding quality to make this chaotic if they can stay with Breaffy early. Eagles are no strangers to the latter stages of the Championship themselves, and Lisa Flood gives them a powerful presence in the outfield.

Over seven innings, Breaffy are capable of punishing any poor spell brutally. Eagles need to avoid giving them one huge innings and turn the game into a battle.

Breaffy are deserved favourites. I’m going against virtually every statistic anyway.

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Erne Eagles to end Breaffy’s four-year reign in an absolutely crazy game.

Carrickmacross Emmets v Limekiln – 1pm

Carrickmacross deserve huge credit for reaching the Senior semi-finals in their first season after promotion.

They recovered from losing their opening game to Breaffy to record a string of important wins and establish themselves as genuine Senior contenders.

But Limekiln have already beaten them this season.

Serena Costelloe was central to that victory, while the additions of Erica Meslin, Merilin Neiland and Colette McCaul have added considerable Senior experience to Limekiln.

Carrick will know far more about what they’re facing this time and should make it competitive, but seven innings against an experienced Limekiln team is a big challenge.

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Limekiln by around 7 runs.

Senior Men

Erne Eagles v Galway City Rapparees – 3pm

Whatever happens on Sunday, this is a significant moment for Galway City Rapparees.

In their first season playing Senior Rounders, the Galway club have reached their first-ever Senior Men’s All-Ireland semi-final.

Unfortunately for them, their reward is Erne Eagles.

Eagles topped the Senior table and have conceded only 28 runs all season. Having narrowly lost last year’s All-Ireland final to Carrickmacross, they look like a side with unfinished business.

This is where seven innings becomes important.

Galway have shown they can compete at Senior level and have enough athleticism and batting ability to cause Eagles problems. But doing it for seven innings against one of the most experienced teams in the country is an entirely different challenge.

For Rapparees, the key is staying within touching distance. If Eagles are allowed one huge innings early, chasing the game against their fielding is going to be extremely difficult.

Galway have already exceeded plenty of expectations by getting this far in year one at Senior and why not think they can get eagles to extra innings

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Extra innings

Carrickmacross Emmets v Breaffy – 3pm

This could be the game of the Senior Men’s semi-finals.

Carrickmacross are the defending All-Ireland champions and have years of experience in exactly this environment. Breaffy are another side packed with Senior experience and capable of beating anyone when they get going.

This is the type of game where seven innings should suit both teams. There is time to recover from a poor opening, but equally, one big innings from either side could completely change the contest.

Carrick have shown repeatedly that they know how to manage big Championship games, and that counts for plenty at this stage of the season.

Breaffy will push them, but I fancy the defending champions to create separation in the latter innings.

SportsNewsIreland prediction:
Carrickmacross Emmets by 8–10 runs.

Ten semi-finals, six Intermediate finalists to be decided on Saturday and four Senior finalists on Sunday.

There are safer predictions on the card, but the one I’m putting my neck on the line for is in the Senior Women’s Championship.

Erne Eagles to beat Breaffy and end the champions’ drive for five in a row.

If that one comes in, don’t say you weren’t warned.

The Lindsay Park training operation, managed by Ben, Will, and J D Hayes, is looking forward to the forthcoming spring racing season for their promising galloper, Evaporate.

Although still officially in winter, the Caulfield race meeting scheduled for Saturday has a definite spring feel, particularly the Group 2 P B Lawrence Stakes, a 1400-metre contest.

This weight-for-age race has drawn a competitive field, with nine of the thirteen horses accepted for the race resuming from a spell.

Evaporate is one of these runners and enters Saturday’s race having completed two solid jump-outs in preparation.

In his first jump-out on July 17 at Werribee, Evaporate finished second to Zou Sensation. Two weeks later, on August 3 at Flemington, he defeated Caviar Heights over 800 metres.

“The second one was on the course proper, and he went well,” J D Hayes shared.

“He seems to have come back bigger and better which is pretty exciting for the spring as he has a pretty good CV to now, and hopefully he can improve on it.

“He’s been oh so close to a Group 1, so he doesn’t have to improve too far, we hope.”

Evaporate has an impressive record, including a second placing in last year’s Toorak Handicap, a third in the Golden Eagle (now a Group 1), a third in the CF Orr Stakes, and a narrow second in the All-Star Mile.

Hayes mentioned that a Group 1 victory is the only significant achievement missing from Evaporate’s career, which has seen him win six races and place nine times from 23 starts, earning almost $3.2 million in prize money.

With the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, scheduled two weeks after Saturday’s race, appearing to be a very strong contest, Hayes indicated that the So You Think Stakes (1500m) at Sandown on September 5 might be a more suitable target.

“We’ll get through Saturday first and then work it from there,” Hayes commented.

“The Memsie looks like a pretty hot edition, so he could go to Sandown the week after, but the Toorak Handicap (at Caulfield in October) does look appetising.

“He went oh so close last year and hopefully he can go one better this year if we decide to go that way.”

Acclaimed jockey Blake Shinn, who has ridden multiple winners in his first two meetings back from injury, will be aboard Evaporate on Saturday. Jamie Melham is booked to ride stablemate Coeur Volante.

Melham is also returning from a break, having not ridden in Victoria since ‘Finals Day’ at Flemington in July. She recently gained experience riding for the Rest of the World Team in the Shergar Cup at Ascot.

Coeur Volante was successful twice over 1400m at Caulfield in June and July before finishing fourth in her last start behind Sass Appeal over 1400m at Flemington on August 1.

Considering the upcoming P B Lawrence Stakes, explore the latest online bookmakers for your betting needs.

In a way, Johansson had one of the most unenviable jobs upon his appointment. Filling the very large boots left by Askou.

Despite only spending one season in the Scottish Premiership, the Dane attracted so many admirers – far beyond Lanarkshire – through his approach, attitude and style of football.

It’s remarkable how seamlessly Johansson has picked up where he left off. Even more so considering key performers Elijah Just, Elliot Watt, Callum Slattery and Calum Ward also moved on.

Few people had a better view of the now-Toulouse boss’ brilliance than Halliday – who spent his last playing year under Askou’s eye – and he says “a lot of the fundamentals are very similar” under Johansson.

Halliday, who apparently jumped out his seat at Said’s second goal against the Finns, added on BBC Sportsound: “I love what Motherwell stand for, how progressive they are, trying to do it a completely different way that’s proven, surely to everyone, that it can work.

“Squad development, the youth academy, playing a brilliant brand of football and the fact they lost a fantastic coach and manager last year to go out and recruit similar, I love it.”

Invested like many others, the former midfielder does maintain that a signing or two – particularly a goalscoring forward – would be the final piece of the captivating puzzle.

“In wider Scottish football, I hope people sit up and take note of what they’re doing,” Halliday added.

“I really hope they sign one or two more players at the top end of the pitch, because if they do that, I think they could be every bit as good as last year.”

The Community Shield is set for a rare change of scenery this year, with Arsenal and Manchester City meeting at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Sunday, August 16.

The fixture is traditionally staged at Wembley Stadium, but a scheduling clash in London has forced the season-opening contest away from the capital. The Weeknd’s After Hours til Dawn tour is scheduled at Wembley on the same day, meaning the stadium will not be available for the Community Shield.

The move marks the first time since 2006 that the Principality Stadium will host the traditional curtain-raiser to the English football season.

Why is the Community Shield being played in Cardiff?

The Community Shield has generally been played at Wembley since the stadium reopened in 2007. However, Wembley being unavailable because of another major event has once again forced the fixture to move.

The Principality Stadium, formerly known as the Millennium Stadium, has a strong connection with English domestic football. It hosted the Community Shield, FA Cup final and EFL Cup final between 2001 and 2007, when the original Wembley was demolished and rebuilt.

The new Wembley staged its first FA Cup final in 2007, gradually becoming the permanent home of the country’s major domestic fixtures.

Principality Stadium gets Community Shield again

This will be the first Community Shield at the Cardiff venue in two decades.

The stadium last hosted the fixture in 2006, when Liverpool defeated Chelsea 2-1. It had previously been a regular venue for the Community Shield during the Wembley reconstruction period.

The return also adds another chapter to the Principality Stadium’s long association with English football despite being located outside England.

Community Shield has moved away from London before

This is not the first time in recent years that the Community Shield has been forced away from Wembley.

In 2012, Villa Park hosted Manchester City against Chelsea because Wembley was being used for football during the London Olympics.

A long history of Community Shield venues

The Community Shield, previously known as the Charity Shield, has been played at a wide range of venues throughout its history.

Wembley — in both its original and current forms — and the Principality Stadium have been among the most prominent hosts. Other grounds to stage the fixture include Stamford Bridge, Highbury, White Hart Lane, Old Trafford, Maine Road, The Den, Molineux and Filbert Street.

The latest move therefore continues a long-standing tradition of the Community Shield travelling beyond its usual home when circumstances require it.

Arsenal vs Manchester City set for Cardiff showdown

The change of venue adds an unusual setting to an already intriguing contest between Arsenal and Manchester City.

The Community Shield traditionally pits the previous Premier League champions against the FA Cup winners, although the exact qualification can depend on the previous season’s results.

With the match taking place at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff will get to host two of English football’s biggest clubs as they prepare for the new campaign.

For Arsenal and Manchester City, the game will also provide an early opportunity to assess their squads and competitive readiness before the Premier League season gets fully underway.

Robert Bolick (right) and the Road Warriors held off Rey Nambatac and the Tropang 5G despite losing import DeQuan Jones in the game due to an injury. —PBA IMAGES

NLEX will soldier on without DeQuan Jones and a replacement import, at least for now, as it aims to go into the PBA Governors’ Cup break on a winning note on Friday against Converge.

The Road Warriors take on the FiberXers at 5:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where they will aim to snatch a win despite not having a reinforcement following Jones’ gruesome leg injury on Tuesday.

Jones underwent successful surgery after getting hurt against TNT at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, a major blow for a team that has been on a roll since new coach Jimmy Alapag took over.

But even without Jones for the remainder of the game, the Road Warriors were able to get a 118-111 overtime victory behind Robert Bolick’s game-tying four in regulation and a career-high 26 points from rookie L-Jay Gonzales.

After the doubleheader, the league takes a long break until the first week of October due to Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the Fiba World Cup Qualifiers and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, giving NLEX more time to search for Jones’ successor.

“At least we have only one more game left before the break, and we have time to find someone suitable,” Bolick said.

Whoever that replacement is will be crucial for NLEX’s ambition to build on its early success and progress further come playoff time. The franchise has not reached the semifinals since its two Last-4 appearances under coach Yeng Guiao in the 2018 Philippine Cup and 2021-2022 Governors’ Cup.

Jones was one of the reasons behind the Road Warriors’ surge to the top of Group A, with his ability to score both inside and out and his valuable contributions on the defensive end, serving as a catalyst for the team’s run.

Bolick and the Road Warriors were also enamored with Jones’ good-natured personality, something they hope the replacement import can provide.

“Hopefully we can find someone like him (Jones). He’s like Cady (Lalanne, the Road Warriors’ import last conference),” Bolick said. Lalanne led NLEX to the top seed, but the team was eliminated by TNT despite owning a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

“DeQuan is the same type of import, so it’s up to Coach Jimmy and management to find someone like him,” he added.

Converge, on the other hand, looks to score an upset and boost its confidence going into the respite after it snapped a four-game skid on Tuesday by routing Terrafirma, 120-103. The FiberXers are currently tied for third with TNT at 4-4.

NLEX can afford to gamble on playing all-Filipino right now as they lead Group A with a 7-1 record. A loss to Converge would only leave the team tied for the lead with San Miguel Beer, still well inside the four teams that will qualify for the playoffs.

The Road Warriors and the Beermen are three wins up on the next teams below them.

Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra and Meralco renew their rivalry at 7:30 p.m. to conclude this stretch of the group stage, with the crowd favorites playing for the first time in 12 days.

The Gin Kings were supposed to play the Blackwater Bossing last Sunday, but the game was postponed due to poor weather conditions brought about by the southwest monsoon coupled with roof leaks that prompted repairs at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Meralco, meanwhile, has decided to bring back Jordon Varnado as import in a bid to improve its 2-5 record, dead last in Group B. Varnado takes the place of Antonio Hester, who played six games for the Bolts.

Lately, there has been a steady stream of former Vikings going to work for the Atlanta Falcons.

Kirk Cousins was the most prominent from recent history but the well-paid quarterback wasn’t alone. In fact, the current head coach in Atlanta, Kevin Stefanski, got his start as a low-level Vikings employee before becoming an impressive offensive coordinator. The Falcons’ skipper welcomed a former Vikings draft pick to town.

Vikings Draft Pick Lands in ATL

As he often does, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson offered the news: “#Falcons sign Nick Muse, Trey Sermon, waived Le’Meke Brockington, Malik Verdon.”

In Muse, the Falcons are getting a tight end in the middle of his prime. He boasts pretty decent size (6’5″ & 252 pounds) and a quirky personality. His NFL career began by getting scooped up at No. 227 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s now among the ten draft picks from that crew of talent to no longer be in town.

Journey around the Minnesota area. While doing so, try to find Vikings fans with concerns about the recent draft efforts. Do you anticipate much difficulty? Bringing ten young lads to town and then not seeing a single one sign a second contract is a poor outcome.

In Atlanta, Nick Muse will be looking to compete from within the group of tight ends listed below:

• Kyle Pitts Sr.
• Austin Hooper
• Joshua Simon
• Jack Veiling
• Charlie Woerner
• Nick Muse

NFL teams pretty normally carry a trio of tight ends. Often, there are four kept around, especially with fullback being out of fashion in the NFL (not so in Minnesota). Muse has zero chance of overcoming Pitts, but he could plausibly snuggle into the TE3 or TE4 job.

His career has featured being involved sixteen games. The stats are modest: a single catch for 22 yards. Muse’s tally shows 19 snaps on offense and 184 snaps on special teams.

So far, Muse has worked for the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, New York Jets, Detroit Lions, and now the Atlanta Falcons. He can most commonly be found on the practice squad.

In a weird twist of fate, Nick Muse won the Super Bowl while working for the Eagles.

Other former Vikings to be working for the Falcons include corner Mike Hughes and guard Kyle Hinton. Maybe unsurprisingly, Cousins is still on Atlanta’s books, showing up in $22.5 million in dead money. That’s the third-largest cap charge on Atlanta’s books for the upcoming season, per Over the Cap. Muse is listed as carrying a modest $1,145,000 cap charge.

Nick Muse is 27.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Javelin ace Neeraj Chopra and badminton great Pullela Gopichand on Thursday launched the Indian School of Coaching Excellence, an initiative aimed at strengthening India’s coaching landscape and sports ecosystem.

ISCE will focus on developing world-class coaches through multidisciplinary coach-development programmes. The programmes will integrate areas such as physical literacy, sports science, sports education, technology, and career development, equipping coaches with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the evolving demands of high-performance sport.

“It (ISCE) will serve as a collaborative knowledge-sharing platform, working closely with government bodies, SAI, sports federations, associations, high-performance centres, academic institutions, and the private sector to advance coaching excellence across India,” said a release.

Chopra, who recently won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, said coaches play an integral role in every athlete’s journey and stressed the need for a robust ecosystem to develop and nurture quality coaches in the country.

“I firmly believe that every athlete’s journey is shaped by the guidance and nurturing of his/her coach, not only as a sportsperson but also as an individual. Hence, in order to create the next generation of sports heroes in India, it is extremely important that our coaches have access to world-class education, mentorship, and the latest knowledge in sports science and athlete development. 

“Through the Indian School of Coaching Excellence, the Neeraj Chopra Foundation hopes to create an environment where coaches continue to learn, evolve, and inspire generations of athletes to realise their full potential,” said Chopra.

Gopichand, a Dronacharya awardee and recipient of the International Olympic Committee citation for coaching excellence, said ISCE will bring global expertise to help Indian coaches improve their skills.

“The future of Indian sport will be defined by the ecosystem we build. Coaches are at the heart of that ecosystem. ISCE is our effort to create a platform that combines global best practices with Indian experience, enabling coaches to continuously upskill, collaborate, and lead with confidence.

“We believe this initiative can play a meaningful role in shaping the next chapter of Indian sport,” said Gopichand, who has coached the likes of Olympic medallists Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, and former men’s world No.1 Kidambi Srikanth, among others.

“ISCE’s vision is to build a robust coaching ecosystem, which is essential to fuel and sustain India’s long-term success on the world stage. As the country embarks on its journey towards becoming a global sporting superpower, our success shall be defined not only by the champions we produce, but by the ecosystem we create,” the release said.

“The driving force behind ISCE is the belief that every great athlete deserves a great coach, and every great coach deserves access to world-class knowledge, mentorship, and opportunity,” it added.