Following a brutal battle with the elements racing around South Kerry for yesterday’s third stage of the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, Mullingar man Damian Shaw of the Aquablue team regained the leader’s yellow jersey with an awesome show of strength.

RICHARD DUNNE, Kevin Kilbane and James McCarthy are the latest players to be ruled out of Ireland’s friendlies next week against Paraguay and Algeria.

DARRON GIBSON was the most high-profile casualty as a decimated version of Ireland’s developmental squad gathered for the first day of their training camp in Malahide yesterday.

HOLLY KNIGHT will be a new face on the Irish U23 women’s team for the European cross-country championships in Brussels on December 14.

A PLACE in the final next spring against either England or Italy is at stake when the Republic of Ireland U23 team take on Belgium in the International Challenge Trophy at Dalymount Park on Tuesday, October 21 (kick off 7.30pm).

HAVING worked together during the week to guide the Irish U23 side to a 1-0 win over their northern counterparts, Pat Fenlon and Alan Mathews will occupy opposing dugouts tomorrow evening as Bohemians host Cork City in the eircom League Premier Division at Dalymount Park (kick-off 7pm, Setanta Ireland).