You are only minutes into a chat with Mayo midfielder Dayna Finn when you find yourself gripped by her tactical appreciation of how so many goals are created by this current Dublin senior football team.

Just two days after breaking her own Irish Grand Prix record score to help Ireland qualify a dressage team for the next Olympic games, Judy Reynolds smashed her Irish Grand Prix Special record to advance to the Freestyle final at the European Championships in Rotterdam yesterday evening.

An Irish record Grand Prix score of 76.351% by Judy Reynolds and Vancouver K hauled Ireland across the line to secure a first-ever Olympic team place in dressage at the European Championships in Rotterdam yesterday.

The Brexit withdrawal agreement signed in 2017 by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and then UK prime minister Theresa May is in jeopardy now that May has been succeeded by Boris Johnson, writes Daniel McConnell

The start of any European Commission brings with it a sense of hope, a sense of new beginnings and new possibilities and a feeling curiosity in the face of the unknown personalities taking up the lead roles for the 27 countries of Europe.

Gareth Grundie has taken on the role of Irish women’s interim head coach in recent weeks as the Olympic qualifier preparations kick up a gear.

Britain will be blocked from taking part in the upcoming EU elections, one of Europe's most influential politicians has suggested.

Stephen Findlater Hockey Ireland chief executive Jerome Pels admits they face an onerous task in their efforts to retain world-class coaching talent.

"Can we start with a geography lesson and a sovereignty lesson as well, please?," said the former Ireland international.

The securing of a one-year extension to his contract as Ireland’s show jumping team manager was welcomed last week by Rodrigo Pessoa, whose priority in his coming term is to get his charges to Tokyo 2020.

A flawless cross-country performance on Saturday has the Irish eventing team holding the silver-medal position going into today's show jumping decider at the world championships in Tryon, North Carolina.

Ireland are confident they can build on their breakthrough bronze medal performance in the World Amateur Team Championship two years ago and make the podium again in the Espirito Santo Trophy at Carton House this week.

The five-time national champion finished 13 seconds outside the medals.

Irish duo Robin Dawson and Conor Purcell were both victorious in the singles yesterday afternoon to help Great Britain and Ireland open up a 7-5 lead over the Continent of Europe in the St Andrews Trophy.

Ireland's Paula Grant and Olivia Mehaffey have been named in the Great Britain and Ireland team which will attempt to retain the Curtis Cup.

European Council president Donald Tusk has said 14 member nations have expelled Russian diplomatic staff over the poisoning of an ex-spy in the UK.

There were some positive moves for Irish riders in the latest Longines rankings issued by the world governing body, the FEI, yesterday.

Gavin Moynihan and Ruaidhri McGee will need to put on their putting boots if they are to secure European Tour cards in the final round of the grueling European Tour Qualifying School marathon in Spain.

Stephen Martin has stepped down as the CEO of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) to pursue other career interests, it has been announced.

Golf is full of dreamers but even before he turned pro, Paul Dunne showed signs of a different mindset.

Irish EU commissioner, Phil Hogan, has launched a scathing attack on Boris Johnson, claiming the British foreign secretary is “completely out of the loop” on the Brexit negotiations.

England’s Ashley Chesters held the clubhouse lead after day two of the weather-hit Porsche European Open in Hamburg.

Paul McBride’s hopes of Amateur Championship glory were dashed yesterday with defeat by two holes at the hands of Englishman Harry Ellis in their quarter-final on the Kent coast.

There is never, not now or ever before, any justification for what took place in Manchester.

The securing of maximum points is the target of manager Rodrigo Pessoa as Ireland’s show jumping team begin their competitive season in the five-star Nations Cup at La Baule, France this Friday.

Conor O’Rourke, Naas, put a stuttering start to the season behind him by scorching to a stunning five under par 66 to grab a two-stroke lead after the first qualifying round of the Radisson Blu sponsored West of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Co Sligo.

Jack Hume led the fightback for Great Britain & Ireland who trail 8-4 at the midway stage of their St Andrew’s Trophy clash with the Continent of Europe in Kent.

The European Commission has no plans in place to accommodate Ireland’s special relationship with Britain in the wake of Brexit.

The world awoke to the news that Great Britain voted to leave the European Union and the ramifications are as yet unclear.

“Voting for Brexit would be a bit like letting the animals out of the zoo. You know you shouldn’t do it, but it would be fun to see what happens. Imagine seeing a lion in Aldi”.

Olivia Mehaffey surrendered the Helen Holm Trophy with England’s Olivia Winning snatching Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship victory from her grasp at Troon.

Further recognition of Ireland’s ascension to world hockey’s top table came yesterday when Craig Fulton was named as the International Hockey Federation’s coach of the year.