Casandra Alexander shoots course record to secure Czech Open

Casandra Alexander claimed her maiden Ladies European Tour (LET) with victory at the Czech Ladies Open, where Lauren Walsh finished best of the Irish, eight shots adrift of the South African.
Walsh carded her highest round of the tournament with a level-par 72 to finish on nine-under par.
Sara Byrne was a further shot adrift after a 68 that included five birdies and a bogey to move up the standings, with Olivia Mehaffey finishing on three-under after a final round 73.
It was however Alexander's day, shooting a course record 62 at Royal Beroun that included chipping in for an eagle at the last to finish on 19-under par and two clear of Luna Sobron Galmes and England's Esme Hamilton
On a chaotic final day in the Czech Republic, Alexander, six back before the start of play, went bogey-free carding six birdies and two magnificent eagles.
"It's very special," Alexander said. "It was a great round today and I'm very happy. I think you can see what it means. It's been years of hard work. The last two weeks have been a bit of a struggle so it's nice to know my patience paid off."

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Sunday World

23 minutes ago

• Sunday World

Damien Duff quits as Shelbourne boss and sends shockwaves through League of Ireland

duff bombshell | The Ireland legend decided he could offer no more to the side who claimed the Premier Division title last season. Duff could not be convinced to rethink his decision to leave the club. Photo: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile The statement released by the reigning League of Ireland Premier Division champions on Sunday confirmed the former Ireland and Chelsea star who led Shels to the title last season has decided he could offer no more to the team after a 1-0 defeat against Derry City on Friday night. 'Shelbourne FC regretfully wishes to announce the departure of Damien Duff as first team manager,' read the club statement. 'Damien informed the club this morning that, after much thought, he has made the decision to resign. He shared the news with the players earlier today. 'While all at Shelbourne FC are deeply saddened by Damien's decision, we fully respect that he feels this is the right choice for him at this time. Duff could not be convinced to rethink his decision to leave the club. Photo: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd 'During his four extraordinary years at Tolka Park, Damien transformed Shelbourne Football Club both on and off the pitch. 'Appointed in November 2021, he took over a newly promoted side and rebuilt it from the ground up. Duff guided Shels to a seventh-place finish and a first FAI Cup Final appearance since 2011 in that debut season. The following year, in 2023, a fourth-place finish brought the Reds back to European competition for the first time in 18 years. 'In 2024, Duff led the Reds to one of the greatest triumphs in the club's 130-year history, clinching the League of Ireland Premier Division title, our first since 2006. On the final day we went to Derry, where a 1-0 win at the Brandywell secured the title in dramatic fashion, marking Shels return to the summit of Irish football. 'The club wishes Damien and his family every happiness and success in the future. His impact on Shelbourne FC was transformational. He will always be one of our own, and we are eternally grateful for the indelible mark he has left on our club. 'Joey O'Brien and the coaching staff will take charge for tomorrow's trip to the RSC to face Waterford and will prepare the team for Friday's away fixture against Galway United.' Duff's decision to step down was a shock, despite his scathing criticism of team following the defeat against Derry. 'I prepared for the game like I was a professional footballer,' said Duff on Friday night. 'My wife probably cursed me at times. Three-hour siesta, ate really well, focused my mind. I would like to really, really know how many of my players prepared like me or as well as me, which is damning. 'There was a severe lack of energy, real flatness, severe lack of quality and you are going to get nowhere. I don't accept that that's our third game in a week. Never have, never will until the day I die. If you are an amazing pro you bounce into the night. Even if you are a bit tired, a bit flat, drag yourself along, give yourself a talking to. 'That's where you have to be an amazing pro, an elite pro, a pro that belongs in the Champions League which are strange words for me to say at the minute. 'Did I smell it on Thursday? Of course! It (training) was awful. It all comes from within, your energy, your motivation, how good a professional you are. 'I don't mind saying it again, because it is absolutely true. It's my energy that has driven the players for four years. I've offered them the dressing room for them to lead this show, this steam train. They've never really done it. Again, tonight, it's me shouting and screaming. Joe (O'Brien – assistant) shouting and screaming. We had a real energy because we were highly motivated men, prepared well and I didn't feel that spark, that energy off the players. 'You're all probably saying 'here he goes again'. I'm trying to drag the team, trying to wake them up, but they never woke up. 'For three years, we've been an incredibly motivated team. If you had a bad night it was a given that you get a reaction. As I told the lads upstairs, I don't know (if there will be one in Waterford on Monday). You never know with us anymore, which is damning. It's damning on me because I'm the manager. 'To become champions again, you have to be hungrier than last year, you have to work harder than last year, and again if you ask that question to our guys, I'm not sure how many would say yes, I smelled these type of issues in pre season. 'I thought I would come back and the dressing room would drive itself, because there's big characters, there's champions in there. It didn't. It's not driven by the players. It's driven by me. And like I said to Darren (Cleary – press officer), you can grab every player down here now and ask the same question: 'Is it Duffer that drives everything?' 'It is, and it gets tiring, but most importantly, it gets frustrating. Yeah, I'm there to help and coach and pick the best teams. I don't think it's the manager that should drive a dressing room that still is.'

Sunday World

39 minutes ago

• Sunday World

Ellen Keane reaches new heights in quest to put accessible fashion on the map

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Her face lights up as she recalls the launch of Penneys' magnetic front-closing bras — part of the brand's new adaptive range which features over 40 affordable, stylish wardrobe staples, thoughtfully adapted to meet a variety of needs. 'It's so clever and so simple. It just means teenagers don't have to worry about that now — and adults don't have to worry either. Which is huge.' Ellen with dance partner Stephen Vincent on DWTS It's a full-circle moment for the 30-year-old Dubliner, who was born with dysmelia, a condition where her left arm did not fully develop below the elbow. 'It can get quite emotional and overwhelming when you see moments like this,' she says. 'Because I never thought I'd see this happen. Which is quite sad. But finally people are now actually starting to recognise that people with disabilities deserve more.' She grins. 'It's kind of like a proud parent moment for me — the fact that you can say 'Thanks hun, Penneys,' while wearing the adaptive wear range.' Wearing denim jeans with side splits for accessibility and a white t-shirt with popper fastenings and tube access openings, Ellen is fresh faced and impossibly put together. Knowing her story strikes a chord — especially with younger girls with disabilities, the sports star is determined to impact real change now. Adaptive Drawstring Joggers, €18; Adaptive zipped sweatshirt €22 Penneys News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd 'I would've been sent pictures of little girls with one arm who were posing by the side of the Penneys posters, and it was so sweet. But it shouldn't be — it should just be so normal that it isn't a big deal.' That change in attitude can't come soon enough. Penneys recently launched the findings of its Pulse of the Nation Index, conducted by Amárach Research. The report revealed that 40 per cent of the Irish public believe disabled people are treated unfairly, highlighting a significant knowledge gap in how society understands the challenges disabled people face daily. For Ellen, this lack of awareness underscores why visibility and representation matter. Still, the role model status can weigh heavily. 'It's so tiring,' she admits with a sigh. 'And it's probably even more tiring when it's other people with disabilities reaching out to you, desperate for advice. Because you want to help them, but all I know is my disability.' Ellen in action at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris It's one of the reasons she wrote her biography, Perfectly Imperfect. But her advocacy isn't just about practical solutions — it's about honesty, humour, and showing up as she is. 'I love being someone that young people can look up to — but I'm also, at the same time, quite shy about it. And then I can get quite angry. Why is it always me? Why can't anyone else do it?' Thankfully, she sees the next generation demanding more. 'Irish kids are so open to diversity. They recognise what's right or wrong and are more willing to learn and ask for more.' Even during her competitive years, she saw a shift in perception. 'When I started swimming, no one really cared about my achievements. But the longer I stayed in the sport and the more it grew, able-bodied kids were just seeing me as Ellen, the swimmer. Not Ellen, the Paralympic swimmer.' That desire to be seen beyond her disability was also why she said yes to Dancing with the Stars. 'I am not just Ellen, the one-armed girl,' she says with a smile. 'That's why I did Dancing with the Stars. I wanted to show people I was just Ellen.' The star who took on 'Death Road' whilst filming Uncharted with Ray Goggins now wants to open up conversations that often go unspoken — especially around sexuality, relationships and attraction. 'Disabled people have sex. Oh my God. Who would've thought?' she says, grinning. 'And that's the thing about the lingerie range with Penneys — the lingerie is really sexy.' That desire for openness extended to dating too. 'I tried online for a little bit,' says the social media personality, who is now happily loved up with her boyfriend of two years, Max Doyle. 'But there was the weird sick fantasy thing as well — 'Oh my God, you're so inspirational.' And you're like... I'm on a dating app to meet someone, not to inspire you.' She sighs. 'It's the fear of rejection. It's the fear of being judged for something you can't change.' 'When you have a disability, it's almost like you have to come out of the disabled closet. You have to own it. You have to be proud of it. You have to love yourself more than you care about the opinion of other people. That's a lot to ask.' While diversity is increasingly celebrated, she notes that disability often still lags behind. 'People are so quick to celebrate Pride — which is amazing — but we don't see the same for disabled people. We don't see disabled love on screens. And even if there is a disabled character, they're either the villain or in the background.' The Clontarf native retired from competitive swimming last year, and admits she's still adjusting to life outside the pool. 'It's so funny,' she says. 'When I came home from travelling, my February was so quiet. It was kind of the first time I really noticed — oh, I'm retired now.' 'There were moments where you have to grieve a part of you. Because it is who you are. It's what you've done every day. But I knew I needed to retire. I knew my identity was more than swimming.' Ellen winning the gold medal in Tokyo at the 2020 Paralympic Games She pauses. 'I did struggle with how to make decisions, because I've had people making decisions for me my whole life.' That structure had been in place since childhood. 'I joined the senior team when I was 11. I got drug tested for the first time at 10. I lived with not questioning what I put into my body for 20 years.' After retirement, that discipline disappeared overnight. 'I struggled a lot with finding purpose in my day. I didn't have anywhere to be. I didn't have anything to do.' Food, once strictly fuel, became confusing. 'My whole life, I was eating to fuel my sport. I wasn't doing sport anymore, so I just didn't eat. I didn't know how to.' That's when she leaned on the psychological supports offered through Sport Ireland. 'My clinical psych was saying that as much as she wants to help me, she can't. The only thing she could tell me was: eat three meals a day, try to exercise, and do something I enjoy every day.' 'Because she's like, 'if I tell you what to do, then I'm just being one of those people telling you what to do.'' 'It was an adjustment phase — thankfully I've come out the other side.' Now, post-30, she's finding her own rhythm. 'I went to Disneyland with my boyfriend. I didn't want a big party. Especially when you're an athlete involved in sport, you get so much support all the time that sometimes you're like... I just want it to be quiet.' These days, it's the mic — not the pool — where Ellen feels most at ease. Hoping for a career in sports broadcasting, Ellen explains: 'I'm so comfortable in front of the camera and the mic. It's a weird thing — in radio studios, there's silence, but it's quite similar to being in water. So I always just feel really comfortable in those studios.' And when it's live? Even better. 'Pre-records are the worst. It gives you room to make a mistake. I like live. Red light's on. I'm ready to go.'

The 42

an hour ago

• The 42

'We need to be better' - The Lions land in Australia eager to get rolling

THE LIONS HAVE landed in Australia and are determined to get properly up and running after Saturday's sloppy defeat to Argentina. Andy Farrell's men arrived in Perth today after a stopover in Doha Airport and will begin to acclimatise ahead of Saturday's second warm-up match against the Western Force. The tourists were met by fans at Perth Airport, signing autographs and posing for selfies as they got an early taste of the reception they will get Down Under. Speaking upon arrival, Farrell said that it's still unclear whether Irish duo Jamison Gibson-Park [glute] and Hugo Keenan [calf] will recover from injury to face the Force this weekend, but Scotland centre Huw Jones will be available. The Lions were beaten 28-24 by an impressive Argentina side in Dublin before their departure and Farrell was frustrated by their repeated forced passes and offloads, as well as a poor lineout showing and a lack of energy at key moments. His players were singing off the same hymn sheet post-match at the Aviva Stadium, with flanker Tom Curry still fuming with the performance when he spoke to the media. Out-half Fin Smith, normally a talkative interviewee, was uncharacteristically short in his answers as his disappointment shone through. No one in Lions camp was willing to make excuses for the disappointing elements of the display. Advertisement Jamison Gibson-Park with Lions fans. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO 'We just need to be better,' said Curry, who was also a Lions tourist in 2021. 'There should never be a reason. We just need to step up. 'It's an opportunity gone. Look at that set piece at the end [when the Lions botched a lineout in Argentina's 22] – there is a moment gone. 'We let the ball go and that is a moment gone. As an individual, that is OK but as a collective you let big moments like that go and that is what you get.' Curry said it's essential that the Lions quickly find a more clinical edge. 'The exciting thing is we have got people in position, people are running, people are there, but f**k we can't score points if we are dropping it and giving it away that easily,' said the English back row. Curry put his hand up for the errors he made in the second half, a knock-on and a couple of forced passes, and stressed that the Lions don't have a lot of time to get these things right. Mack Hansen before the Lions flew out from Dublin. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO They have five more warm-up games before the first Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane on 19 July. Curry doesn't think there is time to sugar-coat the performance against Argentina. 'We have to be honest, we can't take it too personally,' he said. 'This is the thing with this sport and this tour – it comes and goes so quickly. You've got to make the most of it, every meeting and every session. 'Before you know it, we'll be playing in Australia so we can't let moments pass us by. We've got to fully take it on the chin, have tough conversations, but also do as we say. We can't just keep saying it and not doing it.' Lions boss Andy Farrell. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO Smith followed his English team-mate into the media room at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday and he certainly wasn't trying to dress things up. 'Gutted, pretty deflated,' said Smith. 'Probably not how I saw my first Lions cap going. I'm sure once I take the emotion out of it, the sun will come up tomorrow and we'll review it. Hopefully we can take stuff out of it but yeah, incredibly disappointing.' 'I'm sure it's not the first time the Lions have not played particularly well in their first outing. The main thing is how quickly we can respond and how quickly we can stop feeling sorry for ourselves. We need to get back on the training pitch and get better as quickly as possible.' Farrell will expect his players to have moved past the frustration and deflation of Saturday night by now as they settle into their base in Perth. Related Reads 'It's honestly unbelievable' - Aki blown away by Lions support in Dublin Laughs, tears and frustration as Farrell settles into unique demands of Lions job They will be formally welcomed to Australia on Monday at Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth before getting back into training and naming their team to face the Force on Thursday. In reality, it will be a completely different team for Saturday's clash with the Force, but the Lions need to park the Argentina defeat and channel their frustration in the right way. Four days after the Force game, they will face the Reds in Brisbane, so things are about to move up a gear on the road in Australia. 'Faz has already said that – no moping about, no sulking,' said Smith. 'We need to get back on the horse straight away and have conversations that are going to make us better. That's definitely the aim.'