Today, the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup folds its tents and moves up the M1 from the UCD campus on Dublin’s southside to Belfast.

Italy 22 Ireland 21: Munster’s Calvin Nash ran in a couple of tries, but Ireland’s hopes of reaching successive World Rugby U20 Championship finals took a nosedive as Italy pipped them at the death in Georgia.

Stats have been tarred as the ruination of many a sport, an infestation of numbers that detracts from natural ability and curbs freedom of thought, but Iain Henderson was never likely to be the type to feel swamped by facts and figures.

The semi-final pairings for the Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup were confirmed last night after the final set of group fixtures.

Scientists have moved a step closer to being able to predict the likelihood that very early tumours will develop into full-blown breast cancer, according to new research.

UL 0-12 Queen’s University 1-8

Today

Queen’s 0-8 Sligo IT 1-9 (after extra-time)

Dermot Molloy has left the Donegal panel and will concentrate on his club football as tries to "find the spark again".

Every year provides an opportunity to reach a new height. Once you go past your prime, that’s it. You can never scale those summits again, writes Paddy Heaney.

Ulster Council chiefs aim to complete the Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup on schedule despite the postponement of four group stage fixtures last night.

Title: Irene

In sport and in life, everybody wants to be like Eddy Merckx – the outrageously gifted Belgian cyclist whose natural talent and extra-terrestrial strength allowed him to brush aside his rivals with contemptuous ease.

Billy Morgan pointed to UCC’s rousing second-half opening as the crucial period in delivering the university’s 21st Sigerson Cup success.

University of Limerick finally ended Waterford Institute of Technology’s long reign as Ashbourne Cup champions, having a point to spare after a hard-fought final at Queen’s University.

Queen’s University 0-08 Galway Mayo IT 2-06

Northern poet, Paul Muldoon, tells Richard Fitzpatrick about the power of words

NUI Maynooth 2-19 IT Blanchardstown 1-5

Queen’s University 0-13 University of Limerick 0-11

Queen’s manager Anthony McGrath has accused the Ulster Council of failing to protect the interests of the university teams.

Paul Grimley has confirmed Armagh will allow their third-level players play with their respective universities in next month’s Dr McKenna Cup.

SOME independent weather forecasters who depend on observations of wildlife, nature and even the moon — including New Zealander Ken Ring — have again come to prominence and been credited with predicting the recent fine spell.

THERE might be gold in your house. Researchers say mobile phones are a source of gold, with the average household having 22gms of the precious metal in old mobiles.

Queens University, Belfast made history on Saturday when winning their first Intervarsities O’Connor Cup at Waterford IT with victory over DCU (4-10 to 1-9).

Brian McIver has come out in favour of the colleges in the row which has engulfed the Power NI McKenna Cup.

Queen’s University Belfast and University of Ulster Jordanstown have called on the Ulster Council to enforce the rules of the McKenna Cup and give the universities their county players.

Lisnagarvey staged the greatest comeback in EuroHockey League history to help them overcome long odds and advance to the last 16.

Queen's University in Belfast is to establish a campus in China, in partnership with the China Medical University in Shenyang.

Second-half drop goals from half-backs Luke McGrath and Paddy Jackson against Wales set the Ireland U20s on a Grand Slam journey back in February but the duo are not underestimating the final road block.

DOWN’S form in Ulster has been impressive and last night they sealed a place in the Dr McKenna Cup semi-finals where they take on Derry.

JIM McGUINNESS feels because colleges have priority over county players in the Dr McKenna Cup, Donegal will be at a disadvantage when the National Football League starts next month.

MUSEUM chiefs have rejected a suggestion by experts in law and medical ethics that the skeleton of an 18th century man known as the “Irish Giant” should be removed from display and buried at sea.

Holders Celtic will face Peterhead in the William Hill Scottish Cup fourth round in January following today’s draw at Hampden.

CORK Church of Ireland came up short in their attempts to honour tragic former player/coach Andrew Chambers with an Irish Senior Cup win, going down 4-2 at home to Lisnagarvey.

TOMORROW marks the last time the red carpet will be rolled out for President Mary McAleese on All-Ireland final day.

A €3 MILLION food safety research project offers a tremendous opportunity for the all-Ireland agri-food sector to establish itself as a proponent of safe, nutritionally beneficial and ethical foods with a strong local branding and a hallmark of quality, said the North’s Minister for Employment and Learning, Danny Kennedy.

SCIENTISTS at Queen’s University Belfast have shown that they can deliver a gene directly into breast cancer cells causing them to self-destruct, using an innovative, miniscule gene transport system.

MIKE RUDDOCK’S Ireland U20s will take the field in Inverness tonight (7.30pm) with relative confidence, despite the recent home defeat by high-flying France.

THE semi-final picture should become clearer in the Irish Hockey League as a number of interprovincial rivalries are reprised this weekend.