Ireland U17 manager Colin O’Brien is optimistic that the Cork public will be keen to see the stars of the future at the upcoming European Championship qualifying games at Turners Cross.

Mark English spoke out against a lack of transparency from athletics’ world governing body (IAAF) yesterday after the 26-year-old was denied a place at this year’s World Championships in Doha.

Sam Bennett will make his debut in the Vuelta a Espana today when the three-week race rolls down the start ramp in the seaside city of Torrevieja, south of Alicante.

The number of cigarettes sold in Ireland has dropped by nearly a quarter over the past five years, according to a report.

Paddy McNair’s first international goal saw Northern Ireland snatch a 1-0 win over Belarus and make it four wins out of four in Euro 2020 qualifying.

World champions France easily beat Iceland to register their second victory in two Euro 2020 qualifying matches.

Josh Cullen is a London-born midfielder and West Ham United employee and he has just been called up to the senior Ireland senior set-up for the first time as a late addition to Mick McCarthy’s squad.

Isabel Conway spots the travel trends for the year ahead.

At the end of an atrocious year for the Irish football team, results will be off the agenda for a couple of hours at least when Dublin hosts the Euro 2020 draw tomorrow.

The Republic of Ireland will face a rerun of their World Cup qualifying campaign in the inaugural UEFA Nations League.

A High Court judge warned the owner of the oldest inhabited castle in Ireland she was using something akin to “mental reservation”, identified by the commission into the Dublin Archdioceses, in her evidence against the ESB.

If you want to surprise someone this Valentine’s Day in the most extravagant way possible, Ciara McDonnell has done the homework for you — from a quick trip to Paris to a few nights in Las Vegas.

SUMMER SERIES 

Wish you could get away from it all for Christmas? Ciara McDonnell brings you the best deals abroad so you can plan for next year.

Cork City’s U19 boss Stephen Bermingham believes his side’s Uefa Youth League success will inspire more young players to remain in the country and play League of Ireland football.

Dan Martin has played down talk of being one of the main general classification contenders for this year’s Tour de France, despite sitting third overall, just 19 seconds behind race leader Chris Froome.

Ireland were made to work hard but eventually saw off San Marino 79-55 to finish top of Pool A in the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in Chisinau.

Ireland’s Women’s captain Orla O’Reilly has been ruled out of this week’s FIBA European Championships for Small Countries with a broken wrist.

Ireland’s men’s team will make an official return to European basketball next year, it was confirmed yesterday.

Fabio Aru claimed his first Grand Tour win yesterday when he was crowned winner of the Vuelta A Espana after an enthralling three-week battle with Dutchman Tom Dumoulin.

Nicolas Roche was the toast of the Vuelta a Espana yesterday when he won the 18th stage of the race in a two-up sprint against home favourite Haimar Zubeldia (Trek Factory Racing).

Gareth Bale’s late header has put Wales within tantalising reach of qualifying for Euro 2016.

Nicolas Roche’s hopes of bettering his best performance in a Grand Tour are over for another year after he lost over 14 minutes on a hellishly hard day in Andorra.

Nicolas Roche is bracing himself for one of the hardest stages of a Grand Tour in his professional career today when the 11th stage of the Vuelta A Espana sees the riders tackle over 5,000 metres of climbing en route to a summit finish in Andorra.

Nicolas Roche had a day he’s unlikely to forget on stage 10 of the Vuelta a Espana yesterday when he came down in a crash and was forced into a frantic chase to preserve fourth overall on the general classification.

Nicolas Roche starts the 15th Grand Tour of his career today when he lines up as part of a formidable-looking Team Sky squad for the opening stage of the Vuelta a Espana in the southern port town of Puerto Banus.

THE director of Cork’s Underground Film Festival, Darren O’Mahony, says that while film-makers are delighted that there are three film festivals in Cork — not including the French Film Festival and the Fastnet Short Film Festival in Schull — it’s a lot of competition for limited funding sources.

West Ham had their recent poor disciplinary record laid bare again on Thursday as both defender James Collins and manager Slaven Bilic were sent off in a 2-2 draw with Astra Giurgiu.

Even though the vexed matter of qualification for the Euro finals in France next year is a much more pressing concern, Ireland will today learn their qualifying destiny for the World Cup in Russia in 2018 when the preliminary draw takes place in St Petersburg, kicking off at 4pm Irish time.

West Ham were left red-faced on Thursday night as their Europa League victory over FC Lusitans was over-shadowed by claims of a lack of respect from new Hammers boss Slaven Bilic.

Ireland is underachieving in sport tourism despite having the capacity to be a major global player, the Shannon Group European Sport Tourism Summit in Limerick has been told.

Banco de Madrid has stopped operations and is seeking protection from creditors after the US accused its parent, Banca Privada d’Andorra, of money laundering.

The entire board of Spain’s Banco de Madrid has resigned after its Andorran owner was accused by the US of money laundering for clients from China, Russia and Venezuela.

Gareth Bale feels team unity could propel Wales all the way to the European Championship finals in France.

What could possibly go wrong...

Danny Welbeck would not be an Arsenal player now if manager Arsene Wenger had been in London on transfer deadline day, the Frenchman has said.

UEFA has started disciplinary proceedings against the Football Association of Wales for the pitch invasion following Gareth Bale’s late winner against Andorra

New Italy coach Antonio Conte says he will lay down the law, vowing to "show no mercy" as he looks to build a successful team.

Martin O’Neill admitted it was ironic that his Republic of Ireland side will have to slug it out with Scotland for Euro 2016 qualification.

Martin O'Neill's Republic of Ireland team will face some strong sides as they aim to qualify for the Euro 2016 Championship.

The Republic of Ireland are expected to figure among the second seeds for the Euro 2016 qualifying draw in Nice on February 23 next year.