Munster Rugby players and officials returned to Ireland last night in deep shock following the sudden death of head coach Anthony Foley. He was 42.

Sales of Manchester United replica shirts and Ronaldo Real Madrid tops helped the Irish arm of Adidas last year to increase its pre-tax profits by 35% to €839,000.

Billy Holland’s recent elevation to the captaincy of the Munster rugby team ticks another box for the famous Cork rugby family.

The idea of Munster having a permanent base in Cork, put forward in Michael Moynihan's Irish Examiner column, sparked a bit of debate with the BallTalk team.

He’s got silks and tekkers. His locker holds all the tricks. Standing 6’2", he’s the owner of your classic good-feet-for-a-big-man.

Retired Irish athlete Derval O’Rourke has been given the role of player development manager, working with the Munster rugby team.

Joe Schmidt has denied that the leaked management report will have an adverse effect on the Munster rugby team as they prepare for Friday’s Pro12 opener against Edinburgh.

A thousand jobs are expected to be created over the next five years under a new development plan at the University of Limerick.

Sport often affords a morale boost in difficult times.

The sales of Munster rugby team tops and Ronaldo Real Madrid jerseys contributed to an uplift in Adidas Ireland’s business last year.

Winning at the Olympics does away with the need for any profundities when signing the visitors’ book.

He’s living in Limerick these days, in Castleconnell, the heartland of Ahane hurling, he’s married to a Limerick woman, he’s still earning his corn in a different sport, but Marcus Horan’s heart is still in Clare and still in hurling.

There was drama on and off the water during the second day of competitive sailing at Cork Week yesterday, with as much excitement on land as offshore.

REGULAR readers will know of my general distaste for hybrid cars.

In view of their heroics at the weekend, it would be fair to say that never has an Irish team given so much enjoyment to so many, as the Munster rugby team has for well over a decade.

A PARTIAL recovery in the retail market last year resulted in operating profits at the Irish arm of sportswear giant Adidas increasing by 20% to €1.2 million.

A CELEBRATION in Limerick for the Munster rugby team was last night led into a time of sad reflection by team captain Paul O’Connell.

ROY KEANE will join Ruby Walsh, Sean Kelly, the Munster rugby team and other Irish athletes and celebrities in Cork on June 19 to see off riders in the Munster Rugby Cycle in aid of Paul Darbyshire and Motor Neurone Disease Ireland.

STEPHEN FERRIS has expressed his, and the dismay of many, how New Zealand continually escape punishment for their cynical play at the breakdown.

A JOURNEY which began on a halting site edges towards sporting glory at the University of Limerick Arena tonight.

IT was hugs and kisses all round yesterday for Ireland’s first Atlantic solo rower when he touched down on home soil after an epic 2,500 nautical mile journey through stormy seas.

A 15-year-boy who suffered "catastrophic injuries" at birth has been awarded €1.6m as part settlement of his High Court medical negligence action against a Cork Hospital and a Consultant Obstetrician.

BLARNEY trainer John Linehan will be breaking new ground when he challenges for the Williamhill.com English Derby with his Curraheen Park qualifier Droopys Sastre.

FORMER county senior hurling team manager Tom Ryan has launched a fierce attack on Limerick’s county board following last week’s vote which retained the services of boss Justin McCarthy.

THE Magners League victory over Ulster wasn’t the only reason for celebration in the Munster dressing-room at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

Three days to go to the world’s greatest greyhound race and, with the exception of Faypoint Man, there are no negative vibes emanating concerning the other finalists in Saturday’s Paddypower.com Irish Derby final at Shelbourne Park.

THERE are four Kerry- owned speedsters involved in the quarter-finals of the Paddypower.com Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park tomorrow night and there will be plenty of support with the Kingdom’s fans in town for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Meath.

The cream of Irish singing talent, as well as Munster rugby, features on a new CD aimed at raising funds for a young rugby player.

IRELAND is going to stand up and fight the current recession, entrepreneur Denis O’Brien told 900 business people in a rousing speech at the Cork Chamber Annual Dinner last night.

A NEW study carried out at the University of Limerick says the science on which claims that we are facing an obesity epidemic are based is highly questionable.

IF you want proof of how much Ireland has progressed as a country over the last 20 years you’ll find it in the achievements of the Celtic Tiger’s generation of sports stars.

AFTER his recent verbal spat with Irish rugby captain Brian O’Driscoll, television pundit George Hook will lead another battle cry in Limerick next month.

All-Ireland Camogie champions Wexford took the National title at the Canon Hayes Sports Awards, which took place in the Aherlow House Hotel, Tipperary on Saturday night.

IT is 10 years, more or less to the day, since Declan Kidney was first appointed coach of the Munster rugby team. He only got the job because the initial appointee, Welshman John Bevan, accepted it and then turned it down on seeing the turmoil that professionalism and the advent of the European Cup was creating in Irish rugby.

MUNSTER Rugby last night launched its own dedicated clothing range outside of regular team and supporter wear.

AN BORD Pleanála has cleared the way for a major revamp of Cork’s Musgrave Park stadium.

I WOULD like to take issue with David Corkery’s comments during a recent rugby discussion on RTE 2.

DECLAN KIDNEY was presented with the Philips Manager of the Year award yesterday, capping an unforgettable year for Munster rugby.

THE COST of running the Munster rugby team and all its ancillary activities has now reached €6.6 million per year, chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald revealed yesterday.

CUP glory for Manchester United and Munster and all-Ireland success for Waterford hurlers, are among the predictions of the 2007 edition of one of Ireland’s longest-running publications.

THE momentous achievement of the Munster rugby team last Saturday serves as a classic example of perseverance and self-belief conquering what should have been insurmountable odds.