Sports Review of 2024 [Pt. 1]

We Irish love sport and our sporting heroes. Every year we welcome new national stars, but every four years we have a chance to watch some of our heroes on the international stage.

The 2024 edition of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris was the 22nd time that Ireland competed in the Olympics and last year we had our best ever haul, of 4 gold and 3 bronze  medals. For a nation of our size, that’s a good reward. Last summer in what was a golden fortnight rowers Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy, swimmer Daniel Wiffen, Rhys McClenaghan on the pummel horse and boxer Kellie Harrington all won gold medals. There was also bronze for Philip Doyle, Daire Lynch and Mona McSharry and that overall haul saw Ireland move up 45 places in the Olympics chart from 64th in 2000 to 19th after Paris. Ireland’s position in the medals table makes us one of three countries, along with New Zealand and Norway, in the top 20 ranking countries to have a population of fewer than six million people. 

With the Olympic Games being held in Paris, the French Rugby team were forced to play their homes games in the Six Nations at various provincial venues. And it was in Marseille that Ireland opened the defence of the Six Nations championship in February. After the disappointment of the 2023 Rugby World Cup where we lost to the All Blacks at the quarter-final stage, the Irish team bounced back with an impressive 38-17 win in Marseille, only our 4th win on French soil over the past 40 years.

Joe McCarthy announced himself to Test rugby. The 22-year-old was Player of the Match on his Six Nations debut as he brought a new level of physicality to the Irish pack, while Johnny Sexton’s replacement Jack Crowley kicked six out of seven off the tee in what was a brilliant overall performance. There were further wins at home to Italy, Wales and Scotland and the only hiccup was at Twickenham, where a last minute drop goal saw England secure one-point win. In the end we had 5 points to spare over France in second place. 

Head coach Andy Farrell was very happy with new boy Crowley; the coach handed the captaincy to that great Cork leader Peter O’Mahony and there were also some excellent performances from full back Hugh Keenan and forwards Dan Sheehan, Jack Conan and Caelan Doris along the way. We also won in South Africa for only the second time in our history and while the Autumn internationals started with a defeat to the All-Blacks, Farrell finished off the year with wins over Fiji, Argentina and Australia, before taking a break himself to manage the British and Irish Lions. 

Joe McCarthy is tackled by France’s Cyril Baille and Paul Gabrillagues of France during Ireland’s winning game in Marseilles. [Inpho/Bryan Keane]

No such success in soccer where former Iceland manager Heimi Hallgrimsson was eventually confirmed as Stephen Kenny’s replacement. Heimir didn’t have much time to prepare for the visit of England, managed by former Irish player Lee Carsley, in September and it ended in a 2-0 win for the visitors. We lost the return leg at Wembley 5-0, but in between two wins over Finland has guaranteed us a play-off against Bulgaria in March to maintain our Group B status in the Nations League. Northern Ireland were much more impressive, winning their section in Group C to guarantee promotion to Group B next time round. 

The Women from North and South didn’t fare much better. The Republic looked to have a great opportunity of qualify for the Euro 2025 finals having drawing 1-1 with Wales in Cardiff. But Wales made no mistake in the second leg at the Aviva, winning 2-1. The North’ slim chances were gone after losing  4-0 at home to Norway and they were duly beaten 3-0 in Oslo.

At domestic level attendances at League of Ireland games continue to grow since Covid and most Friday nights saw full house signs at what are now compact venues due to health and safety concerns at the mainly antiquated stadiums. The exception is Tallaght Stadium, which is owned by South Dublin County Council, where tenants Shamrock Rovers can almost fill the 10,000 capacity if the opposition is attractive. Rovers failed to make it five championships in-a-row, but for the first time in history The Hoops are still in the Conference League group stage, having also banked a decent amount of UEFA prize money along the way.

Former Irish international Damien Duff said that leading Shelbourne to win the LOI Premier Division meant more to him than his 100 Irish caps and the two EPL medals he won with Chelsea. And it was great season for Drogheda United, who maintained their Premier Division status in a play-off against Bray and beat Derry City to win the FAI Cup for the first time since 2005. 

In England the ebullient Jurgen Klopp quit as Liverpool manager, but the club seem to have secured an able replacement in Arne Slot. Meanwhile Manchester United’s woes go on. United extended manager Erik ten Hag’s contract by a year for beating neighbours City in the FA Cup and then sacked him a few months later, brought in a new Sporting Director from Newcastle United and duly sacked him also. And new shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe relieved former manager Sir Alex Ferguson of his sizeable stipend. City won the EPL for the fourth season in-a-row and Real Madrid won the European Cup for the 14th time, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley.

For Part 2 click here.