Companies exploring for oil and gas off the Irish coast say policies and regulations are needed to encourage a repeat the success of the Kinsale and the Corrib fields and prevent the Irish economy becoming reliant on energy imports via Britain.

Extra-time, a shock result, and a penalty shoot-out brought drama to the Ulster U20 Football Championship as four ties went to the wire.

More heavy rain is forecast for tomorrow along with Saturday and Sunday.

Paddy Tally didn't want to mention the elephant in the room but after winning a game that could have massive consequences for Down's summer, he could let his guard down.

Scott Brown’s dramatic added-time strike gave Celtic a 2-1 win over Hamilton at Parkhead and put daylight between the Hoops and Rangers at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Ryan Christie’s first-half brace helped Celtic to an accomplished 4-1 Ladbrokes Premiership win over Ross County at the Global Energy stadium.

A man who made a hoax 999 call to say there had been a shooting at a pub in order to divert Gardaí who were trying to remove him from his ex-partner's home has been jailed for 15 months.

A Jerome Johnston goal proved crucial as Kilcoo overcame the stubborn resistance of Magherafelt in today's Ulster Club SFC quarter-final at Páirc Esler.

The Green Machine were already celebrating their ticket as their Canadian hosts seemingly had run out of time in their bid to reel in a two-goal deficit.

The average household is spending €112 on home energy costs every month.

Odsonne Edouard’s free-kick gave Celtic a two-goal cushion to take to Sweden in their Europa League play-off against AIK.

James Forrest’s 114th-minute strike edged Celtic past Dunfermline after the Fifers threatened to end the champions’ stranglehold on domestic silverware.

Celtic crashed out of the Champions League after twice letting a lead slip in a 4-3 home defeat by CFR Cluj.

Ryan Christie struck a long-range hat-trick as Celtic began their latest Ladbrokes Premiership title defence with a 7-0 demolition of St Johnstone.

Leigh Griffiths marked his return to the starting line-up with a brilliant free-kick as Celtic took command of their second Champions League qualifier with a 5-0 first-leg win over Nomme Kalju.

Gardaí suspect that a major haul of cannabis herb – 98kgs in weight – confiscated in west Dublin was about to be driven across the border.

Cory Quinn (3), Paul Devlin and Barry O’Hagan all landed points late in the half to send Down into round 2 and leave the home support relieved at the final whistle.

Simon Lewis The Munster exit door kept revolving yesterday as exciting young fly-half Bill Johnston left for Ulster in search of more game time and Heineken Cup-winning legend Doug Howlett decided to return to his native New Zealand.

The 22-year-old playmaker played seven times for Munster this season, including four starts, and kicked 29 points.

Mikey Johnston helped Celtic draw down the curtain on an eighth successive Ladbrokes Premiership title-winning season with a double in a 2-1 win over Hearts at Parkhead.

There is a strong feminist sensibility in Laurence McKeown’s debut collection of poems, written during (and after) his incarceration in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh where he almost died, having been on hunger strike for 70 days.

Munster boss Johann van Graan has backed Tyler Bleyendaal to step up to the challenge of facing Saracens in Europe in 11 days if his downbeat assessment of Joey Carbery’s fitness proves correct.

Mandy Johnston, a former government press secretary and adviser to the taoiseach, has been appointed chief executive of the representative organisation for the Irish oil and gas exploration sector.

The province began training for the trip to Murrayfield on Monday, with their full squad reunited at their High Performance Centre in Limerick for the first time following Ireland’s Six Nations campaign

Johann van Graan’s glass remained half-full as he argued Munster are still very much in Guinness PRO14 title contention despite defeat to the Scarlets in Llanelli.

Munster head coach Johann van Graan reserved special praise for his young players and the experience of scrum-half Alby Mathewson after his team survived a big scare in Newport.

A Ryan Jack goal on the half hour mark saw Steven Gerrard's Rangers beat arch-rivals Celtic at Ibrox.

Mikey Johnston stepped up to the plate at Parkhead with a brace in Celtic's 3-0 Ladbrokes Premiership dismantling of bottom side Dundee.

Before Darren Clarke tapped in his final putt to win the 2011 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, he paused for a quiet moment, smiled at the realisation that his 20-year quest was finally complete, and said a few words to himself.

Munster coach Johann van Graan praised stand-in captain Tyler Bleyendaal and his men for carving out a bonus point win at Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein yesterday.

Celtic 1 Rosenborg 0

Cavan 1-14 Down 0-15

Cavan led throughout, as they delivered a strong performance, coasting to a 14-point qualifier win over Wicklow at Aughrim.

Celtic 2 Republic of Ireland XI 2: This was always going to be a day when the Brown name dominated Celtic Park yet a midfielder with a similarly sounding surname put his stamp on the occasion too.

Munster’s love affair with the B&I Cup came to an end yesterday when they bowed out to arch-rivals Leinster at the quarter-final stage of a competition that will cease to exist after this season.

Leinster A 17 Munster A 6: Munster A were stripped of their B&I Cup title by Irish rivals Leinster A at Energia Park, Donnybrook today in a tight match that was in doubt for much of the 80 minutes.

Meath boss Andy McEntee expressed a mixture of delight and relief after his team boosted their prospects of avoiding the drop to division three following this polished display against fellow strugglers Down at Pairc Tailteann yesterday.

Roscommon 0-15 - Cavan 0-13: Kevin McStay hailed his side’s never-say-die attitude as a late rally, inspired by Ciaráin Murtagh, yielded a precious win against previously unbeaten Cavan.

A travelling roadshow will be making its way around the country in a bid to encourage more female entrepreneurs.

A 37-year-old man arrested by detectives investigating the murder of Raymond Johnston has been released unconditionally.

Detectives investigating the murder of a man in front of his partner and an 11-year-old child have made an arrest under the Terrorism Act.

A cleaner who dislocated her ankle when she fell on stairs as she went to the toilet in her local pub has lost her claim for damages in the High Court.

Munster A duly qualified for the quarter-finals of the B&I Cup with a comprehensive victory over Ospreys at Musgrave Park last night and jumped to the top of Pool 1 as they await the outcome of today’s clash between Bedford Blues and Nottingham.

Patrick Harrington, the 14-year-old son of three-time major winner Pádraig Harrington, says he doesn’t get asked about his famous father too much, but when he does, the first question usually is an inquiry about his handicap.

Tournament host Sergio Garcia claimed a share of the lead after the first round of his belated title defence in the Andalucia Valderrama Masters.

Tournament host Sergio Garcia claimed a share of the lead after the first round of his belated title defence in the Andalucia Valderrama Masters.

A survey of homeless people accessing services at Cork Simon has found almost 80% had experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences, such as physicial or sexual abuse or substance misuse in the family.