Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig 1-11 Scoil Aodháin 1-10

WITH Ciarán Ó Lionáird committed to competing and David McCarthy set to return from Providence, the task of putting together a medal winning under-23 team for the European cross-country championships should be completed on Sunday at the Woodies DIY national inter-county cross-country championships at Gransha Park, Derry.

DAVID McCARTHY (Le Cheile) posted his qualifying standard for the European Championships when he won the 800m in 1:48.18 at the Irish Milers’ Club races held in conjunction with the schools championships in Tullamore on Saturday.

DICK HOOPER, Ireland’s Marathon Man, will be at his old stomping ground, St Anne’s Park in Raheny, tomorrow to present the prizes for the Dublin City Council/BHAA road races when the programme will be comprised of a men’s four-mile race and women’s two mile race.

DERVAL O’ROURKE is out of next weekend’s World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar with a hamstring injury.

ALAN O’BRIEN (Crusaders) was relatively unknown when he won the IMC 800m at Cork City Sports last year.

DESPITE claims the centre of Dingle could become a “ghost town”, An Bord Pleanála has given the green light for a multi-million-euro development at the eastern side of the tourist haven.

Hibernian 0 Motherwell 2

SIX men were charged yesterday in connection with the alleged theft of a container of 1,280 plasma televisions.

LAST year’s winner Craig Murphy did not compete but Douglas CS kept the senior boys’ individual title thanks to an impressive performance from Richard Quirke at the South Munster Schools cross-country championships hosted by Midleton CBS yesterday.

Hibernian 1 Rangers 2

Goalkeeper Wayne Henderson and winger Alan O’Brien have withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Slovakia and Czech Republic.

Cork 0-16 Louth 0-14

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce was hoping to secure his third summer signing today after Czech defender David Rozehnal arrived on Tyneside.

Newcastle winger Alan O’Brien has agreed personal terms for a move to Hibernian.

Republic Of Ireland 1 Bolivia 1

The Republic of Ireland Under-21s will field a largely experimental side in this week’s Madeira invitational tournament after losing a host of the original squad members.

Duagh 0-12 Park/Ratheniska 0-9

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley will hand new signing Calum Davenport a debut as his side go in search of three Premiership points at Newcastle today.

Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder has ruled out making a move for Real Madrid star David Beckham.

Sebastian Larsson earned 10-man Birmingham an FA Cup third round replay with a late equaliser against Glenn Roeder’s injury-ravaged Newcastle at St Andrews.

“THERE’S only one San Marino,” the mini-Tartan Army gleefully mocked the locals in Dalymount Park last night. Certainly, there wasn’t too much to sing about in this scoreless ‘B’ international, and Irish fans will be hoping for a much livelier affair at Lansdowne Road tonight.

The Republic of Ireland team to play Scotland in tonight’s B international at Dalymount Park was named after training in Malahide today.

ANTHONY STOKES is set to start on the bench for the Republic of Ireland ‘B’ team to play Scotland in Dalymount Park next Tuesday.

Shay Given has been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for next week’s Euro 2008 qualifying clash against San Marino in Dublin.

YOU might not know him but you’ll probably remember how he torched the Lansdowne Road turf with his turn of pace two months ago in the otherwise forgettable 4-0 defeat to Holland.

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has told Wolves they should forget about trying to sign midfielder Alan O’Brien on loan.

Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton has recalled Charlton midfielder Andy Reid and handed a senior call-up to West Brom defender Paul McShane.

FROM the Gottlieb Daimler Stadion to the glamour of the Northern League and Benfield Bay Plastics — it’s hardly the usual itinerary for an international player after a European Championship qualifier.

IT MIGHT be a bit premature to suggest that Shay Given’s back is up against the wall, but with just nine days to go to Ireland’s European Championship game against Germany in Stuttgart, Ireland’s number one admits he is struggling with the back injury which has ruled him out of Newcastle United’s UEFA Cup game against FK Ventspils tonight.

Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Damien Duff, Robbie Keane and Stephen Ireland have all been recalled to the Republic of Ireland squad for the Euro 2008 qualifier against Germany after missing the friendly against Holland through injury.

HE may have been threatened at gunpoint in Portmarnock earlier this week but last night’s defeat to Holland at Lansdowne Road was arguably as scary an experience for Steve Staunton.

Republic of Ireland 0 Holland 4

Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton named his strongest possible line-up for the Lansdowne Road friendly against Holland.

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd and manager Glenn Roeder headed for Dublin today as they stepped up the search for a new striker.

Republic of Ireland boss Steve Staunton has described the last few days of his fledgling managerial career as “a good test“.

Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton is to visit Bobby Robson tomorrow to assess whether he will be fit to take up his duties against Holland next week.

Stephen Carr’s 10-month international exile is over after the Newcastle defender was named in a 24-man Republic of Ireland squad to face Holland in a friendly at Lansdowne Road next Wednesday.

Newcastle 1 Lillestrom 1

Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland has withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad for this week’s Madeira Tournament.

BIRMINGHAM defender Alex Bruce has opted to make himself available for the Republic rather than Northern Ireland.

Newcastle 0 Blackburn 1

Republic of Ireland Under-21 boss Don Givens faces an evening of experimentation in Portugal tomorrow after being forced into a raft of changes.