Europe 11.5

USA 4.5

(After Saturday’s Fourballs)

EUROPE HAVE EXTENDED their lead after Saturday’s evening fourballs matches at the 45th Ryder Cup.

Following this morning’s Fourballs, Europe led USA by five at Bethpage Black, and they extended their advantage in the fourth session in New York.

More to follow.

SPORTS MINISTER PATRICK O’Donovan has said he was “disappointed that it took my intervention” for the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to attend a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Wednesday.

The Association had withdrawn from a planned appearance before the committee last week, where they were invited to discuss their safeguarding procedures following revelations made in a joint investigation by RTÉ and the Sunday Independent, citing legal advice as a Garda investigation is ongoing.

However, officials later informed the committee that a five-person delegation would attend. 

Speaking to reporters in New York, O’Donovan said it took his intervention to prompt the football association’s u-turn. 

“That shouldn’t happen,” he said. “I hope that other sporting organisations, or any other organisation that I have responsibility for… would look on and say, if you’re in receipt of large sums of money, I expect you to be accountable to the taxpayer.

“Non-engagement is not an option, and I’ve been very firm on that.”

In the bruising appearance before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport on Wednesday, chairperson Alan Kelly described the FAI’s display as “farcical”, “unprecedented”, and “one of the strangest committee meetings I was ever at”.

Kelly also said the FAI’s behaviour prior to attending the meeting was “disrespectful to the people of Ireland” after they initially deferred their invitation.

O’Donovan said he did not see all of the committee appearance, but that his officials attended. 

He added: “I don’t want to be getting involved in committees of the Oireachtas again as Minister. It’s not the Minister’s role to be telling somebody that you have to go into a committee, and I hope that’s the last time I have to do that.”

He also said that reform of the organisation must be accelerated. 

Last year, the Government signed off a new Memorandum of Understanding with the FAI, agreeing to fund the association to the tune of €6m a year until the end of 2027.

As part of the deal, the FAI is required to continue to make reforms to its internal governance structures as well as reviewing and reforming its grassroots leagues at amateur and underage level.

O’Donovan said part of the memorandum of understanding involves “the trickling down effect of governance to the affiliates”. 

“There’s no doubt about it that there are problems,” he said.

“It is heavily resourced at the moment by the taxpayer. We have to get to a trajectory where that doesn’t continue, because we can’t, quite frankly, have the FAI as an appendage of the government. That can’t continue.”

He says the organisation “has to be salvageable” because there has to be a national association for the development of football in Ireland.

“There’s obviously a journey, and some people might not be as enthusiastic about the journey of reform as others, but we have to see that accelerated and be brought to a conclusion.”

Written by Jane Moore and Christina Finn and posted on TheJournal.ie

IRISH KICKER JUDE McAtamney will start for the New York Giants in their NFL meeting with the San Diego Chargers on Sunday (6pm).

The Giants today placed veteran starter Graham Gano on injured reserved, with McAtamney upgraded from the practice squad to the active roster.

The G-Men this week signed another veteran, Younghoe Koo, who had been expected to slot in directly for Gano. However, head coach Brian Daboll and his special teams coaches have instead placed their faith in Derry native McAtmaney, who has just begun his second year with the Giants.

Gano’s placement on injured reserve means that the Scottish-American kicker will miss at least the next four games. McAtamney will be expected to deputise for that entire period provided he performs adequately, with Koo backing him up from the Giants’ practice squad.

McAtmaney, who impressed during the Giants’ recent preseason, made his full NFL debut against the Washington Commanders on 3 November 2024, kicking an extra point and a 31-yard field goal — his only two attempts — while Gano was out injured.

The former Derry U20 Gaelic footballer took up an interest in American football during the Covid-19 pandemic. In July 2021, he took a scholarship offer to play for Chowan University in North Carolina, an NCAA Division II program. He later transferred to Division I college Rutgers, where he spent two seasons.

After impressing at his pro day last winter, McAtamney earned a workout in front of Giants scouts where he made all 10 of his attempted kicks. He signed with the Giants under the International Player Pathway designation.

The Swatragh native has spent the majority of his time in New York on the Giants’ practice squad but will earn his second career start at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, where the 0-3 Giants will host the 3-0 Chargers.