You could cut the tension with a knife. Everyone was on edge wondering how would the fun-loving, stone-mad GAA fan handle the windswept conditions in Portrush.

A Roscommon player amused himself on Friday by sending me a friendly message to enjoy myself at the Connacht Senior ‘B’ final!

Dean Rock and Cillian O’Connor will both have similar feelings this morning.

It’s somewhat ironic that at a time when rugby is enjoying an unprecedented level of popularity in this country, with the national team ranked in the top two sides in the world, the game itself faces massive challenges.

Latrobe, the outsider, nosed himself in front with two furlongs remaining in Saturday’s Irish Derby classic at The Curragh. He beat the unrelenting Rostropovich by half a length in the premier Flat race.

It was, without doubt, one of the poorest games of football between these two great rivals in living memory. 

Not since 1998 and 1999 has there been this much fanfare about Connacht championship games, writes John Divilly

Dublin, by the skin of their teeth, dragged themselves over the line and ensured their place in history as one of the all-time great GAA teams.

After watching Kerry slowly grind out an all too familiar workmanlike quarter-final victory over Galway in the opening game, there was a sense around Croke Park going into the afternoon’s second game that Mayo would do likewise.

What’s it like to play in a Galway-Mayo championship match? I can only speak from a Galway point of view and more specifically my experiences of playing against the auld enemy. It’s the only game of the year you just can’t afford to lose, writes John Divilly.

Mayo manager, Stephen Rochford, has been the object of scathing criticism this week.

After much speculation, Leinster Rugby yesterday confirmed that Jonathan Sexton passed his Head Injury Assessment (HIA) following his early withdrawal against Wasps at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Leinster coach Leo Cullen yesterday admitted the forced retirement of Kevin McLaughlin “was tough news to try to process.” The 31-year-old flanker was forced to quit the game last week due to medical concerns about his increasing susceptibility to concussion.

Jamie Heaslip believes the decision of Leinster captain Kevin McLaughlin to retire is evidence of how seriously rugby is taking the effects of concussion and looking after affected players.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Leinster Rugby and the IRFU today announced that back row Kevin McLaughlin is to retire from rugby on medical grounds.

Some years ago, Páidí Ó Sé told the GAA world that ‘a grain of rice can tip the scales’. He must have heard it from a Chinese Emperor on a visit to Ceann Trá!

Despite being short 17 players following World Cup squad announcements, Leo Cullen is able to call on plenty of experience for his opening Guinness Pro12 encounter as head coach of Leinster against Edinburgh in Meggetland tonight (7.35pm).

Assistant coach Brian Walsh will be looking for new signing Francis Saili to bring an extra dimension to Munster’s play in tonight’s final pre-season friendly against London Irish at Musgrave Park (7pm).

When Ulster coach Neil Doak named 33 players in his matchday panel for tonight’s friendly with Leinster (7.30pm), he said he was throwing down a challenge in his squad.

The last four. France. Sunshine, hard pitches and high stakes.

Over the past two seasons, Leinster prop Jack McGrath had made a rapid progression on both club and international stages.

When it comes to dishing out plaudits, prop forwards are rarely if ever at the top of the pecking order.

Munster-Leinster, with the greatest of respect to Ulster and Connacht, remains the blue chip of Irish interprovincials, but it didn’t appear that way yesterday on the training paddocks in Limerick and Dublin.

Leinster 21 Connacht 11

Pro12 title holders Leinster have made seven changes to their starting line-up as they aim to begin the traditional Christmas interprovincial period with victory over Connacht at the RDS tonight.

Matt O’Connor has made seven changes to his starting 15 for Friday night’s PRO12 clash against Connacht in the RDS.

GUINNESS PRO12:

Matt O'Connor has made six changes in total from the Leinster team that started against Treviso last weekend ahead of the visit of the Ospreys to the RDS tomorrow (Kick Off: 5.15pm).

Jordi Murphy and Dave Kearney make their first starts of the season in Leinster’s Guinness Pro12 clash away to Benetton Treviso at Stadio Monigo tomorrow (2.30pm).

Matt O’Connor has named his side to face Benetton Treviso in the PRO12 on Sunday and Dave Kearney is back in the starting 15 for the first time since May.

Former Rugby League star, Ben Te’o, makes his Leinster debut in tonight’s Guinness Pro12 clash with Edinburgh (RDS, 7.35pm), as the champions aim to secure back-to-back league victories for the first time this season.

Matt O’Connor has made eight changes to the side that

Read More:

Jamie Heaslip returns as captain as Leinster take on Scarlets in the RDS tomorrow in an afternoon game.

Isaac Boss will represent Leinster for the one hundreth time against Glasgow tomorrow - having already made 108 appearances for Ulster, making him the first Irish player to clock in a century for two provinces.

Victory yesterday was made all the sweeter for James Horan in silencing the Cork management after their remarks about Cillian O’Connor and Kevin McLoughlin.

Mayo manager James Horan offered no handshake to Cork manager Brian Cuthbert following his side’s one point win over the Rebels at Croke Park.

Mayo 1-19 Cork 2-15

Mayo manager James Horan believes Cork are the most dangerous side his team could have asked to meet in this weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-final.

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

The Leinster team to face Treviso in the RaboDirect PRO12 tomorrow afternoon (KO: 5pm) has been named.

Isaac Boss has been brought into the Leinster team to face the Ospreys tomorrow evening (KO: 7.05pm).

Jimmy Gopperth, come on down.

THE STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

When news filtered into the press room 30 minutes before kick-off that Peter O’Mahony was a Munster absentee, the odds on a visitors’ success dropped a fathom.