A weekend to suit all sports fans

SPORTS fans soaked up a blistering atmosphere and some rare rays of sunshine as the bank holiday sporting bonanza got under way at a thronged Croke Park yesterday.

More than 70,000 spectators saw All-Ireland champions Galway prepare to hand over the silverware after being knocked out of the senior football championship quarter-finals by old rivals Kerry in a feisty 2-17 to 1-12 encounter.

As if the cloudless sky wasn't enough, the crowd had already been warmed up by the thrilling 2-9 to 0-15 injury time tie between Armagh and Sligo who will now replay the quarter-final on August 17.