Bernie O’Connor believes Dublin under Ger Cunningham are more aligned with the Newtownshandrum style than Cork and could reap more benefits as a consequence.

Ireland eventing coach Nick Turner is hopeful the good times will continue this weekend as he leads his charges in the Eventing Nations Cup final in Boekelo, the Netherlands.

Irish soccer fans have been warned they face travel price mark-ups and a minimum €2,500 bill if they want to follow the nation’s away-day bid for Euro 2016 qualification.

Baxter Healthcare is to shed 110 jobs in Castlebar, Co Mayo.

Gardai have launched an investigation after two elderly brothers were found beaten to death in Co Mayo.

It is the festive display to beat all others — Claire O’Sullivan goes behind the scenes at Brown Thomas Cork to see the Christmas window in the making.

THERE will be worried frowns in the McLaren and Ferrari teams ahead of tomorrow’s Singapore Grand Prix after Red Bull Racing’s Sebastian Vettel crushed them in practice.

Premier League side Tottenham have been given a kind draw in the play-offs for the Champions League.

Derval O'Rourke has won her 100 metres hurdles heat at the European Championships in Barcelona this morning.

MANCHESTER UNITED could find themselves facing Cristiano Ronaldo and his fellow Real Madrid galacticos when the draw for the Champions League group stage takes place in Monaco today.

Lewis Hamilton blew away the field and his critics in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Portstewart's Paul Cutler will face Johann López Lázaro of France in the quarter-finals of the Spanish Amateur Championship in Girona tomorrow.

CLINTON MORRISON admitted last night that his omission from the Republic of Ireland squad has left him bitter.

Fernando Alonso clinched the 17th pole of his career, edging out McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton in a controversial qualifying session for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

There is one change to the starting Ireland U20 team to play the England U20s in Dubarry Park, Athlone on Friday night from the side that beat France 19-16 in their last game.

World champion Fernando Alonso will start the Chinese Grand Prix from pole position after setting the fastest time in qualifying today.

Chelsea will remain among the second seeds for the Champions League next season despite the almost-certain exclusion of Juventus and AC Milan from the competition.

Michael Schumacher bolstered his world championship ambitions with a dominant victory in the French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours today.

Carlow’s Tara Delaney sets out to capture an unprecedented third consecutive title at the Irish Open Strokeplay Championship in Rosses Point this weekend.

Third seed and last year's runner-up Lleyton Hewitt will begin his quest for the Australian Open title with a first round match against Czech Robin Vik.

MIDDLESBROUGH will face last season’s UEFA Cup semi-finalists AZ Alkmaar in Group D of this season’s competition.

The teams taking part in the group stages of the UEFA Cup have been grouped as follows:

World champion Michael Schumacher claimed his first pole position of the season today with a blistering qualifying lap in oppressive heat at the Hungaroring.

LIVERPOOL will be praying for a total solution to their Champions League headache when the draw is made for the first two qualifying rounds of the competition today.

LIVERPOOL and Manchester United may have to beat Spanish or Italian opposition to qualify for the lucrative group stages of the Champions League.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are guaranteed to avoid the most powerful sides in Europe should they all reach the group stage of the Champions League.

Germany's Nick Heidfield is in pole position for Williams at the European Grand Prix in Nurburgring after today's qualifying.

Fernando Alonso won the Bahrain Grand Prix in style today to take control of the world championship and leave Michael Schumacher with a mountain to climb.

Fernando Alonso saw off a determined attack from a resurgent Michael Schumacher to take his second pole position of the season in qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso put Michael Schumacher and his new Ferrari in the shade by setting the fastest time in first qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Rangers utility man Zurab Khizanishvili has signed a two-year contract extension to keep him at Ibrox until 2008.

Rubens Barrichello took pole position for tomorrow’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza with Formula One’s fastest-ever qualifying lap.

Kevin Babington celebrated his 36th birthday in style at the Markopoulo centre, as he guided his mount Carling King to an individual fourth and qualified Ireland as ninth of 10 nations for tonight’s Show Jumping team final.

Michael Schumacher scorched to pole position today in front of his home fans at Hockenheim to put Ferrari within touching distance of the world championship.

Michael Schumacher has won the British Grand Prix from Kimi Raikkonen with Rubens Barrichello third.

Frenchman Jean-Patrick Nazon produced a superb sprint finish to claim the third stage of the Tour de France today.

Ireland's Robert Daly came third in the men's 400 metres at the Bupa Ireland Cork City Sports today.

Takuma Sato stole Michael Schumacher’s thunder in pre-qualifying for the European Grand Prix today by setting a lap record at the Nurburgring.

Michael Schumacher maintained his perfect qualifying record this season as he scorched to pole position for tomorrow's inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix.

MANCHESTER UNITED and Arsenal will be among the top seeds in next season’s Champions League.

LIVERPOOL will not be among the top seeds in today’s Champions League despite having qualified automatically for Europe’s top club competition.

Liverpool will not be among the top seeds in tomorrow’s Champions League draw despite having qualified automatically for Europe’s top club competition.

Today’s order of play at Wimbledon