Gold medal hopeful Kelly Sotherton lies fifth in the heptathlon in Beijing after two events.

Defending champion Darren Crowe crashed out of the weather-delayed South of Ireland championship at Lahinch.

Five Irish internationals have made an early exit from the West of Ireland championship at Rosses Point.

Walker Cup hopeful Jonathan Caldwell staked a strong claim for selection in yesterday's Irish Amatuer Close Championship at Cork, where he shot a five under par 67 to lead the field after day one.

Rory McIlroy's bid for a third successive Radisson-SAS West of Ireland Championship ended in a dramatic quarter-final defeat at Rosses Point.

Former Shamrock Rovers striker Stephen Grant fired a sensational course record 64 in the first round of the Radisson SAS sponsored West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy is still on course for the Radisson SAS West of Ireland title at Rosses Point after producing a stellar performance to beat Scrabo’s Ryan Boal with a birdie at the 20th in the first round.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy will face Scrabo's Ryan Boal in the first round of matchplay combat at 10.07 today.

A powerful explosion wrecked an office of an American security house in Kabul today, killing up to six people, officials said.

Two Turkish engineers and an Afghan have been kidnapped outside Kabul, an official said today, bringing to five the number of workers who have been taken hostage in Afghanistan in the past three days.