Good things are coming in twos to Alan O’Connor this week.

Billy Burns’ second season at Ulster could hardly be going much better and he hopes it will lead to silverware and maybe even an Ireland call-up further down the line.

Ulster know what to expect from Harlequins in general and their front-five talisman Joe Marler in particular when the Champions Cup resumes this weekend.

As he prepares to lead Ulster out at home for the first time since taking over as captain, Iain Henderson has a vision of what he wants.

Ulster squeezed out a vital 17-16 victory at Bath in their opening match in Pool Three of the European Champions Cup.

Head Coaches Johann van Graan and Dan McFarland has named his side for Satuday's Guinness PRO14 Interpro derby this Saturday at Thomand Park.

Those newcomers are among five changes by Johann van Graan to the side which lost their last Pro14 game 40-16 to the Cheetahs.

The 22-year-old Tipperary-native, who scored 29 points in 12 Munster appearances, replaces Billy Burns.

What kind of country do people want, and how do they want politicians to deliver it? The questions arise in light of some of the clown-acting this week in local authority chambers.

David Cawley and Kris Twardek scored a hat-trick apiece as Sligo Rovers racked up the most emphatic FAI Cup win of the night.

A statue of Cork boxer Jack Doyle is to be erected in Cobh after councillors voted to approve the proposal at their meeting yesterday.

Kiskeam moved into second place in the Rochestown Park Hotel Division 1 FL as they enjoyed an impressive win away to Nemo Rangers.

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has revealed he was “gutted” when he lost out on the Connacht job to Pat Lam in 2013.

Both Leinster and Ulster have named their teams ahead of their clash tomorrow at the Kingspan stadium.

Dan McFarland has made three changes as Ulster bid to get back to winning ways away to Edinburgh.

Champions St Finbarr’s opened their Cork SFC defence with an emphatic victory over Clyda Rovers at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday with new manager Paul O’Keeffe, following in the winning footsteps of former boss Ray Keane, well happy with his players for a job well done.

Ulster have announced their starting XV to take on Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium.

John Cooney can’t have imagined the roundabout route he’d travel to get back within touching distance of Europe’s highest reaches when he came on as a replacement for Leinster against Ulster with six minutes to go in the 2012 Heineken Cup final.

Rhys Ruddock will captain the Leinster Rugby team taking on Ulster tomorrow, while Johnny Sexton has been ruled out following an injury.

Ulster have been given a boost ahead of their PRO14 encounter against Ospreys with the return of Iain Henderson from injury.

Ireland skipper Rory Best returns to the fray this afternoon hopeful of leading Ulster nearer the Heineken Cup quarter-final stages, something the province hasn’t achieved for five years.

Ulster’s defence coach Jared Payne wants his side to take a leaf out of Munster’s book to get one of over Leinster on Saturday evening in Dublin.

“They hurt us when we were down there in Thomond Park, and there were a few young fellas playing who didn’t get the best experience of representing their province.”

Ulster go into their Pool 4, Heineken Cup battle against Racing 92 this evening without talisman scrum-half, John Cooney, who has a shoulder injury. Dave Shanahan steps in at the spectacular La Defense Arena, in the western suburbs of Paris. Kieran Treadwell is coming in at lock for Alan O’Connor, while tight-head, Marty Moore, gets his first competitive Ulster start, since his move from Wasps in the summer.

Skipper Rory Best hailed Ulster’s second-half display as they dug in for a vital 24-10 win over Leicester Tigers to kick-start their Heineken Champions Cup campaign.

Adding to the growing feelgood factor around Galway football, All-Ireland champions Corofin dominate the inaugural team of the club football championship.

Iain Henderson says Ulster players have to “fix” the problems of “being a bit lazy and not working hard enough” if they are to beat La Rochelle in Belfast this afternoon in the Champions Cup.

The bullish chap that he is, Seán Powter has no hesitation in proclaiming that promotion from Division 2 is the short-term goal for Cork footballers this year.

A plea for patience is almost a trademark expression from an incoming coach but Ronan McCarthy’s call to Cork supporters differs. Level-headedness is his New Year wish.

Iain Henderson’s agent may be in the midst of his contract negotiations with the IRFU but the Ulster forward wasn’t exactly fluttering his eyes at any English or French suitors yesterday when asked for an update.

It would have been a “travesty” had Alan O’Connor finished his Cork football career without an All-Ireland medal, according to former manager Conor Counihan.

New Cork football manager Ronan McCarthy has confirmed that long-serving midfielder Alan O’Connor has retired from intercounty football.

Ireland’s summer debutant John Cooney will start his third successive game when Ulster tackle a star-studded Scarlets outfit on an emotional night at Ravenhilll (kick-off, 7.35pm).

At eighteen, Phillip Lahm was a highly regarded prospect at Bayern Munich.

For Alan O’Connor, the fire burns as strong as it ever did.

Today’s Munster semi-final marks the 25th game of Peadar Healy’s spell as Cork manager. Here is a chequered reign in numbers, as tallied by Eoghan Cormican

Embattled Cork have far more to lose than their opponents in tomorrow’s Munster semi-final, according to Peter Lambert.

Aidan Walsh and Eoin Cadogan are not expected to feature for the Cork footballers in Saturday’s Munster semi-final against Tipperary.

Wherever else the Cork footballers may fall down this summer, fitness won’t be an issue.