#SportsRound-Up 🏀🏐🎾⛳

Football ⚽ - Luke Byrne calls time on stellar career

Shels captain Luke Byrne has officially announced his retirement from Football. The Howth native has been forced to bring an early end to his career at the age of 30 due to ongoing knee issues.

Luke Byrne said: “This is the day I’ve dreaded for a long time. After much thought, consideration and talking to those closest to me, I’ve made the decision to retire from playing football.”

Damien Duff, Head Coach, Shelbourne FC said: “This is the day I’ve dreaded for a long time also. You are a class act, the best of the best. Luke, thank you. You owe me nothing and I owe you everything.”

#Boxing🥊 - Katie Taylor ready to redeem her loss to Chantel Cameron

Here's the deal: Katie Taylor is looking to redeem her loss to Cameron in May when the two get in the ring again at the 3Arena in Dublin. Katie did an open workout in Liffey Valley this week.

Katie said in her final press conference yesterday: “I hate all the talk. I hate all these press conferences...there’s nothing to say, I’m just ready to fight”

#NFL 🏈 - Wins for Packers, Cowboys and 49ers on Thanksgiving!

Packers 29-22 Lions

Packers extend Lions' Thanksgiving Day misery as Jordan Love (Packers QB) excels. Love was 22-for-32 (throws) for 268 yards yards and three touchdowns without an interception, adding 39 rushing yards.

Rushing Yards: A statistic in football that records the total number of yards gained by a single player as the result of a rushing play (or plays), in which the player carries the football (as opposed to receiving a pass).

Cowboys 45-10 Commanders

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw four more touchdown passes and completed passes to 10 different players in the Cowboys 35-point win, where they scored 26 4th quarter points. And to cap it off, DaRon Bland set an NFL record with his fifth pick-six of the season and second in five days, returning a Sam Howell pass 63 yards.

Pick 6: A pick 6 occurs when an interception is made by a defensive player and subsequently returned for a touchdown.

49ers 31-13 Seahawks

The San Francisco 49ers jumped out to an early lead over the Seattle Seahawks and never looked back on Thanksgiving night at Lumen Field. It was another stellar outing by running back Christian McCaffrey, who had two rushing touchdowns on the night.

Rushing Touchdown: Any player scoring a touchdown after receiving the ball is considered to have recorded a rushing touchdown.

Friday

• 10am: Joburg Open Golf – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 1pm: Darts Players Championship – ITV4

• 1.30pm: Andalucia Costa del Sol Open Golf – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 3pm: Davis Cup Tennis semi-final – Tennis Channel.

• 7.30pm: FC Koln v Bayern Munich, Bundesliga – Sky Sports Mix.

• 7.30pm: NBA: Orlando Magic v Boston Celtics – TNT Sports 4.

• 7.35pm: Cardiff v DHL Stormers, United Rugby Championship – TG4 and Premier Sports 2.

• 7.45pm: Northampton v Harlequins, Premiership Rugby – TNT Sports 1.

• 8pm: Rotherham United v Leeds United, Championship – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 8pm: Paris Saint-Germain v Monaco, Ligue 1 – TNT Sports 2.

• 8pm: NFL: New York Jets v Miami Dolphins – Sky Sports NFL.

• 00.30am: NBA: New York Knicks v Miami Heat – TNT Sports 2.

Saturday

• 10am: Joburg Open Golf – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 11am: Davis Cup Tennis semi-final – Tennis Channel.

• 11.50am: MotoGP Grand Prix of Valencia qualifying – TNT Sports 2.

• 12.30pm: Manchester City v Liverpool, Premier League – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 12.55pm: Lions v Zebre, United Rugby Championship – Premier Sports 2.

• 1pm: Racing from Haydock – ITV1.

• 1pm: Darts Players Championship – ITV4…later at 7pm on ITV3.

• 1pm: Snooker UK Championship – BBC One and Eurosport 1

• 1.10pm: Racing from Punchestown Winter Festival – RTÉ 1.

• 1.30pm: Leinster senior hurling club semi-final, Kilcormac-Killoughey v O’Loughlin Gaels – TG4.

• 2pm: Formula 1, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying – Sky Sports F1.

• 2.30pm: Andalucia Costa del Sol Open Golf – Sky Sports Golf.

• 2.30pm: Gloucester v Leicester Tigers, Premiership Rugby – TNT Sports 1.

• 3pm: Bulls v Connacht, United Rugby Championship – RTÉ 2 and Premier Sports 2.

• 3pm: Saracens v Bristol Bears, Premiership Rugby – TNT Sports Extra.

• 3pm: Newcastle v Chelsea, Premier League – Premier Sports 1.

• 3.15pm: AFLW (deferred coverage), Brisbane Lions v Geelong Cats – TG4.

• 5pm: Atalanta v Napoli, Serie A – TNT Sports 2.

• 5.30pm: Brentford v Arsenal, Premier League – TNT Sports 1.

• 5.30pm: Ulster senior football club semi-final, Naomh Conaill v Glen – RTÉ 2.

• 5.30pm: West Brom v Ipswich Town, Championship – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 6.30pm: Leinster v Munster, United Rugby Championship – TG4 and Premier Sports 1.

• 7pm: Boxing live, Katie Taylor v Chantelle Cameron – DAZN YouTube.

• 7.45pm: AC Milan v Fiorentina, Serie A – TNT Sports 2.

• 10pm: NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder v Philadelphia 76ers – TNT Sports 1.

Sunday

• 9am: Joburg Open Golf – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 10.45am: AFLW (deferred coverage), Kangaroos v Adelaide Crows – TG4.

• 12pm: Aberdeen v Rangers, Scottish Premiership – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 1pm: Snooker UK Championship – BBC Two and Eurosport 1…later at 7pm.

• 1pm: Ulster senior football club semi-final, Scotstown v Trillick – TG4.

• 1pm: Formula 1, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sky Sports F1.

• 1pm: Darts Players Championship – ITV4…later at 7pm.

• 1.10pm: Racing from Punchestown Winter Festival – RTÉ 1.

• 1.30pm: India v Australia, Cricket Twenty20 International – TNT Sports 4.

• 2pm: Tottenham v Aston Villa, Premier League – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 2pm: Andalucia Costa del Sol Open Golf – Sky Sports Golf.

• 2pm: MotoGP Grand Prix – TNT Sports 2.

• 3pm: Davis Cup Tennis final – Tennis Channel.

• 3pm: Newcastle v Exeter, Premiership Rugby – TNT Sports 1.

• 3pm: Ospreys v Scarlets, United Rugby Championship – Premier Sports 1.

• 4.30pm: Everton v Man United, Premier League – Sky Sports Main Event.

• 5.30pm: Cadiz v Real Madrid, La Liga – Premier Sports 1.

• 6pm: NFL: Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars – Sky Sports NFL.

• 6.45pm: Man City v Tottenham, FA Women’s Super League – Sky Sports Premier League.

• 7.45pm: Juventus v Inter Milan, Serie A – TNT Sports 1.

• 8.30pm: NBA: Milwaukee Bucks v Portland Trail Blazers – TNT Sports 3.

#GAA & Rugby 🏐 - Vikki Wall's Olympic Dream: From Gaelic Football to Sevens Rugby in Under a Year

In brief: Vikki Wall, a former Gaelic footballer, has embarked on a bold journey to become an Olympic athlete in sevens rugby, joining the Irish team with the ambition of reaching the podium at the next Olympic Games in Paris.

Key Points:

• Sporting Transition: Wall, previously recognised as the women’s footballer of the year in Gaelic football, has shifted her focus to sevens rugby, joining the already qualified Irish team aiming for a medal in Paris.

• Exceptional Adaptation: Renowned for her athleticism and coordination in Gaelic football, Wall now faces the challenge of mastering rugby’s nuances in a remarkably short time frame.

• Inspirational Role Models: Precedents set by other athletes, like Lucy Mulhall and Cora Staunton, who successfully transitioned to rugby, provide a blueprint for Wall’s ambitious endeavour.

Impactful Journey:

Wall's journey from Gaelic football through Aussie Rules to sevens rugby is a unique story of adaptation and determination. Her transformation is being closely watched, with the potential for a documentary to capture this significant sporting switch.

Key Milestones:

• Rapid Development: Joining the sevens setup in August, Wall has a tight schedule leading up to the first match of the Paris Olympics on July 28th. Her progress in upcoming events like the World Series in Dubai will be critical.

• Influential Teammates: Wall can draw inspiration and advice from teammates like Lucy Mulhall and Hannah Tyrell, who have successfully made similar transitions.

• Challenges Ahead: The transition to a high-level sport like rugby in such a short period is a daunting task, highlighting Wall’s exceptional athletic abilities and mental fortitude.

Looking Forward:

As Wall continues on her ambitious path, the focus will be on her ability to adapt to the high demands of rugby. This transition, while challenging, is a testament to her ambition and the possibility of achieving extraordinary feats in sports.

Read the full story here