Jim Bolger and Aidan O’Brien will doubtless have plenty more higher profile clashes to come but the two top trainers battled it out for the opening Bank Of Scotland (Ireland) EBF Maiden at the Curragh.

Bank of Scotland (Ireland) today announced pre-tax profits for the first six months of the year of €118m.

Gordon D'Arcy has been named the Bank of Scotland (Ireland) Leinster Professional Player of the Year at an awards lunch in the Conrad Hotel Dublin.

The Bank of Scotland (Ireland) Leinster Player of the Month Stephen Keogh returns to the Leinster team to face the Newport Gwent Dragons in the Magners League at Rodney Parade on Friday.

Coach Michael Cheika has been able to select Ireland A players Rob Kearney, Kieran Lewis, Ronan McCormack, Trevor Hogan, Jonathan Sexton and Bank of Scotland (Ireland) Player of the Month Bernard Jackman in his side to play Edinburgh in the Magners League in Donnybrook on Friday, kick-off at 7.30pm.

A FORMER Government adviser has challenged claims by an Irish woman, caught up in an IRA money laundering investigation following the Northern Bank raid, that he still owes her money over a controversial business trip to Bulgaria a month after the robbery.

The rapid expansion of Bank of Scotland (Ireland) onto the high street, with 46 branches over the next 14 months, will shake up the sector, it was claimed today.

It is perhaps appropriate that Victor Costello should leave rugby the way he came into it - as a winner.

Bank of Scotland (Ireland) announced a 36% jump in pre-tax profits to €157m for the year to December 31, 2003.