Gannon's strike blasts Drogs into Europe

Drogheda United 2 Sligo Rovers 1 Brian Gannon's sensational 89th-minute strike for 10-man Drogheda United clinched a place in next season's Europa League at a rocking Hunky Dorys Park.

Stylish City ease to win

Cork City 3 Dundalk 0 Cork City kept their chances of a fifth-placed finish and a place in next season's Setanta Cup alive as they cruised to victory over a poor Dundalk side at Turner's Cross last night.

Bohs blitz 10-man Bray

Bray Wanderers 1 Bohemians 4 Bohemians kept alive their slim hopes of a place in next season's Setanta Cup with a deserved victory over 10-man Bray Wanderers in last night's one-sided clash at the Carlisle Grounds.

Hoops hero Twigg bows out on high

Shamrock Rovers 2 UCD 1 As he's done throughout his time at the club, Gary Twigg delivered for Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght last night.

Rabobank pull of out of pro cycling

Less than a week after the USADA released detailed evidence of doping practices inside the US Postal Services team during Lance Armstring's reign of seven Tour de France titles, Dutch bank Rabobank announced they would be ending their sponsorship of professional cycling from December 31.

Six Irish still in hunt for gold

Beijing Olympians Ken Egan, John Joe Joyce, Ross Hickey, David Oliver Joyce and Conrad Cummings recorded quarter-finals wins at the Elite Tammer tournament yesterday.

Waterford 'desperate' for promotion boost

Waterford United boss Paul O'Brien says the club are desperate to get out of the increasingly marginalised First Division as they prepare for tonight's promotion/relegation play-off first leg against Longford Town at Flancare Park (7.30pm).

Doubles joy for US pair

Americans Luis Moreno and Andy Nett are the new world open doubles handball champions after they saw off Paul Brady and Michael Finnegan of Cavan in last night's final.

Jackson points way

Glasgow Warriors 8 Ulster 19 Ulster took another important step to replicating their Heineken Cup success of last season by making it two from two in Pool 4 after adding to their victory over Castres with a hard fought result against Glasgow Warriors last night.

Plucky Power still in with a shot

Seamus Power birdied the penultimate hole to keep his PGA Tour dream alive by a whisker at the first stage of the Q-School in North Carolina.

Inside draw can swing it for Billy

The 2012 Connolly's Red Mills Irish Laurels comes to a climax at Curraheen Park tonight and the Graham Holland-trained Knockglass Billy can land the prestigious trophy for owner Martin Murphy, of Ladysbridge.

A week of living dangerously

FAI chief executive John Delaney had earlier met with Giovanni Trapattoni yesterday before conducting this interview in his office in Abbotstown.

Frankel: the full story of the world's greatest racehorse

As Frankel faces his final race, Brian Viner talks to his trainer, Sir Henry Cecil, and others who know the world's greatest racehorse best.

Critic can rock

Rock Critic might make his listed race breakthrough in the corkracecourse.ie Navigation Stakes in Cork today.

Punters find Spirituality

Teenager Luke Dempsey has quickly emerged as the apprentice find of the season and rode his third winner in the last ten days when the gambled-on Spirituality got up close home to foil favourite Captain Joy in the Crowne Plaza Race & Stay Package Handicap in Dundalk last night.

Dodging Bullets can gun down rivals

The racing at Cheltenham this afternoon is very competitive, but I'm more than hopeful that Dodging Bullets (3.05) can follow in the hoofprints of Far West, who landed the nap in style last weekend.

Howlett confident Munster can show true colours at Thomond Park

Doug Howlett is confident Munster can bounce back from their opening day defeat to Racing Metro and qualify for the knockout phase of the Heineken Cup.

Keatley ready to kick up a storm

Ian Keatley is under no illusions of the task ahead in his first Heineken Cup start at out-half in Thomond Park tomorrow afternoon.

Edinburgh ready to open up, says coach Bradley

As a man of Munster but also head coach of Edinburgh, Michael Bradley is drawing encouragement from both teams ahead of tomorrow's crucial Heineken Cup clash at Thomond Park.

Onwards and upwards

It's often said that a week is a long time in football, and I can honestly say the last week or so has been as hectic as any I've experienced as a player.

Podium: Have the FAI made the right decision

Yes, says Darren Norris

A matter of life and death

Brian Kerr was treated like a home-coming hero on our trip to the Faroe Islands this week, the former manager of the country's national team an instantly recognisable and transparently popular figure with the locals from the moment our plane touched down at the homely little international airport which, set amidst a wild and stunningly beautiful landscape, makes the visitor feel like he's landed in the heart of Connemara.

Ireland doing better than they should

When his back was against the wall scrambling for reasons to insist he was the right man for the job, Giovanni Trapattoni, pointed towards the convoluted rankings table.

Di Matteo silent on Terry captaincy

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo yesterday admitted John Terry had tarnished the image of the club but refused to confirm whether he remains captain.

Wilshere in Gunners' ranks for Canaries clash

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Jack Wilshere will have no psychological barriers to overcome when he finally throws himself back into action.

Rodgers searching for home comfort

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits he expects his side to "fly" once they have overcome the hurdle of securing their first home win of the season.

Mancini disputes Keane's 'cocky' Hart claim

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has defended goalkeeper Joe Hart from Roy Keane's claims that he is "too cocky".

Stoke's brawn holds no fears for Ferguson

Alex Ferguson is preparing to roll the welcome mat out for Stoke's "jolly green giants", insisting they hold no fears for Manchester United.

Leinster have the experience to get the job done

It's just less than three years since Leinster last pitched up at Parc Y Scarlets on Heineken Cup duty, and how they would love a repeat today of a performance that coughed up all five points.

Scarlets running out of rope

Guy Easterby knows his little brother pretty well.

Cashel bidding to stun Con in cup semi-final

Surprise package Cashel RFC bid to take another big scalp in their amazing Munster Senior Cup run when they face Cork Con in today's semi-final at Temple Hill (2.30pm).

Costello expecting tough test from Aberavon

Munster A coach Ian Costello has the luxury of being able to name what is arguably his strongest team for today's British and Irish Cup clash with Aberavon in Tralee (1pm).

Duffy hails 'special' breed

Within minutes of this season's Heineken Cup draw, Harlequins' director of rugby Conor O'Shea was on the phone to his Connacht counterpart and former Irish team-mate Eric Elwood claiming this third successive meeting in Europe had a touch of inevitability about it.

Grin and Bere it

It takes two hours to drive from Páirc Uí Rinn to Castletownbere.

Brennan: Our time to strike

The left peg remains cultured. Pádraig Brennan may be pushing 34 but 15 years' service to defence forces has helped to keep him in decent nick.

Keeping GAA abreast of medical advances

Mouthguards, medical kits and injury databases.

West awake with town and country rivalry

There's a perception abroad that the powerbase of Limerick football is towards the west.

Backing for Friday lights

GPA chiefs have backed proposals to play championship games on a Friday night but admit "there are a number of issues to be resolved".

Clifford on Irish duty

Armagh's Ciaran Clifford is ready to make the step to international duty this afternoon as he makes his first appearance for Ireland in the Hurling-Shinty international at Bught Park, Inverness.

Browne says strong team ethic the key to Rockies' final run

Despite winning 32 Cork senior hurling titles, Blackrock have only won four county U21 championships.

Ranger Hayes on a mission

Long before John Hayes became known throughout the county as a classy forward, tales of his trickery on the field as a nipper with Carbery Rangers were almost legendary in West Cork.

It's simply a question of faith

Exclude me, if you will, from the ranks of the 'media toerags' whose foul agendas were purportedly dashed in Abbotstown on Wednesday night.

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