Echo Sport in Review: July 2023

KILNAMANAGH’S Katie McCabe became the first woman in history to captain the Ireland senior team in a major tournament as they suffered a 1-0 reversal against co-hosts Australia at their 2023 FIFA World Cup opener in Sydney.

Templeogue native Ellen Walshe became the first Irish swimmer to secure an Olympic qualification time for Paris 2024 after clocking 2:10.92 in the 200m Individual Medley at the World Aquatics Championships in Japan.

Ballyboden St Enda’s forward, Colm Basquel, and Thomas Davis defender, Cian Murphy, helped Dublin to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title following a two-point win over Kerry.

Dublin ladies secured their spot in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final after they dismantled Donegal 3-12 to 0-6.

St Mary’s Boxing Club’s Kellie Harrington struck gold at the European Games, beating Serbia’s Natalia Shadrina for top spot on the podium.

Also, in action at the European Games, Tallaght Martial Arts kickboxers, Nicole Bannon and Jodie Browne both scooped bronze after making it as far as the semi-finals of the Women’s Light Contact 60kg and 70kg Point Fighting divisions respectively.

Ellen Walshe became the first Irish swimmer to secure qualification for the Paris Olympics

Monika Ilieva of SDTKD took gold in the -41kg Women’s Cadet division at the British Open European Ranking event in Manchester.

Tallaght Athletic Club’s Sean Aigboboh stormed to victory in the Under 20 100m at the National Under 20 & Under 23 Championships in Tullamore.

The club, later that month, saw their Men’s 4 x 100m Relay team top the podium at the National Track and Field Championships in Morton Stadium.

Ballyboden St Enda’s Senior Hurling team raised the Division One title while the club’s Division Two side emerged victorious from their promotion play-off.

St Anne’s secured the Junior Two League title, while Thomas Davis captured the Adult Hurling Division 10 South crown and St Kevin’s/Kilian’s junior footballers claimed the Division Eight league title.

Thomas Davis were crowned Go Ahead Dublin Junior G Ladies Football champions, while Round Tower Clondalkin landed the Junior E Ladies Football Championship title.

Lucan Sarsfields Under 16 footballers captured the Division One League title following their 4-9 to 3-8 victory over Ballyboden St Enda’s.

Dublin GAA County Board announced, in July, the appointment of Finbar O’Mahony from St Patrick’s Palmerstown as Dublin GAA CEO/ Rúnaí.

Shamrock Rovers Under 17 WNL Team secured the Super Cup NI Vase Trophy in Newtownabbey.

Old Bawn native, Cora McNaughton and Sean Cronin took ninth place in the Under 17 division of the International 420 Junior Europeans in Gydnia, Poland.

Shamrock Rovers crashed out of the UEFA Champions League after they were beaten 3-1 by Breidablik over two legs of the first qualifying round.

Jodie Browne of Tallaght Martial Arts was declared The Echo Sports Star for the Month for June while Metropolitan Cup winners, Lucan United were named Team of the Month.

Tallaght Martial Arts’ Jodie Browne won bronze at the European Games

In July, it was announced that Rhasidat Adeleke would represent Nike as she made the move into professional athletics, with the Tallaght sprinter deciding to forgo the remainder of her time in the collegiate ranks.

Alina Duran and Margaret Hayden made it a superb one-two for Tallaght Athletic Club in the hammer-throw at the All-Ireland Games in Morton Stadium.

Tallaght Swim Team’s Elaine Zhang, Erin Fogarty, Fiona Weng and Holly Cassidy combined for gold in the Girls Age 13-14 4 x 100m Medley Relay at the Irish National Age Group Championships in the University of Limerick.

Weng also took two individual titles in both the 100m and 200m butterfly while Zhang carded silver in the Age 14 100m butterfly, Jason Siyuan Jia, silver in the Age 14 100m butterfly and Lucas Nian, bronze in the Age 13 1500m freestyle.

Donore Harriers’ Jack Raftery finished seventh in the 400m Final at the European Under 23 Championships, while Abdel Laadjel took fourth place in the 10,000m.

Another of Donore’s top athletes, Emily Bolton, topped the podium three times at the National Juvenile Track and Field Championships in Tullamore, winning the Under 16 800m, 1500m and 3000m titles.

Shauna Bannon suffered her first professional loss when she faced Bruna Brasil in her UFC debut at the O2 Arena in London.

Shauna Bannon lost out to Bruna Brasil in her UFC debut in London

Ian Coughlan, of the Newcastle School of Karate, won gold at the WUKF World Karate Championships in Dundee.

TU Dublin Tallaght campus students Caoimhe McKeon, Leah Auld and David Walsh, along with recent graduate Kate Frost, helped TUD badminton team to bronze at the European University Games in Hungary.

To read The Echo’s full Sport in Review 2023 pick up our first edition of 2024 on Thursday, January 4, or subscribe.