Queens University Belfast and Trinity College Dublin will contest this afternoon’s Ryan Cup decider after both teams came through extremely tight semi-final affairs.

Institutes of technology could face industrial action by academic staff if they fail to consult them or try to change their conditions in any mergers to form technological universities (TUs), a union has warned.

The Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has paved the way for some Institutes of Technology to become universities.

The number of third-level institutions in Ireland will be reduced from 39 to 25 under major education reforms rubber-stamped by Government.

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland has become the latest union to recommend its members reject the new Croke Park deal.

Cork Institute of Technology and IT Tralee are moving ahead with plans to apply for technological university (TU) status.

The number of third-level colleges could be more than halved to fewer than 20 under plans to be submitted to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn in March.

The State has had to write off losses worth tens of million of euro as a result of the collapse or postponement of a number of public-private partnerships (PPP).

Ireland fan James Nolan is believed to have drowned as a result of a tragic accident, with no evidence of an assault being involved.

Two close friends of the 21-year-old Irish soccer fan missing in Poland since last Sunday morning have made an emotional appeal for help in locating their friend.

UCC and Cork IT will face off in an all-Cork centenary Fitzgibbon Cup final at the Mardyke tomorrow afternoon (throw-in 3pm) after semi-final wins over Limerick sides UL and LIT respectively.

The draws for the 2012 Higher Education GAA Championships, including the prestigious Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups, were made this afternoon in Croke Park.

IRELAND U-20 face a first real test of their Grand Slam credentials when they travel to face their French counterparts at Stade de la Chevaliere in Mazame tonight (RTÉ Two, 7.30pm).

SEAN TREACY, son of Olympic silver medallist John, is included in the Irish Colleges squad for tomorrow night’s tie with their French equivalents at Stade Gilbert Santiago in Barbezieux (7pm, Irish).

ULSTER Bank chiefs were left red-faced yesterday after it emerged the bank had unwittingly promoted an event in which students were offered free entry to a strip show to be held in a bar in Tallaght.

HISTORY will be made on Friday night when Garda and PSNI students are included in the Irish Colleges squad to face their English counterparts at Derry RFC (7.30pm).

LEICESTER’s Johne Murphy has the unusual experience of sitting in the away dressing room at Welford Road tonight.

UCD and Westmeath kicked off the Walsh Cup senior hurling competition, which began in earnest today. The students did enough to claim a 2-15 to 0-14 win at Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Irish Colleges 47 Welsh Colleges 0

CHAMPIONS IT Sligo face a difficult opening defence of their Datapac Sigerson Cup title with a second-round game away to Dundalk IT this afternoon (2pm).

CHAMPIONS Limerick IT have been drawn against Galway IT in the first round of the Datapac Fitzgibbon Cup.