Qualification for the Champions Cup knockout stages for a record 17th time last week may have sent head coach Johann van Graan off for a week’s holiday in fine fettle.

Irish Examiner staff writers and columnists on how they’d excel in their chosen sports at the Olympics - under certain favourable terms and conditions of course...

Premier League-winning footballer Danny Simpson will miss part of his team's historic title-winning celebrations and end of season bash after a judge ordered he must serve a curfew immediately for throttling his ex-girlfriend.

The biennial event that updates Irish farmers on silage and grass machinery

Tipperary minor manager Liam Cahill believes underage hurling in the county requires greater support from the County Board.

The cost of entering the residential electricity market last year contributed to pre-tax profits at Energia decreasing by 38.5% to €26.78m.

Six days after he became a dual All-Ireland senior-winning coach/trainer, Cian O’Neill will return to Croke Park this evening to take on the persona of a supporter.

Eight years ago, Lar Corbett was wondering whether his best days were past him. His hamstrings were dodgy, his appearances in the blue and gold fleeting.

Energia has entered the residential electricity and gas market saying it guarantees consumers the cheapest deals on the market.

Several hundred jobs are to be created across Ireland as a number of companies made investment announcements.

A JURY at an inquest has called for the installation of street lighting at an accident blackspot following the death of a father-of-four whose car was struck from behind by another vehicle.

THE surprise inclusion of a men’s 4 x 400m relay team alongside medal hopefuls, David Gillick and Derval O’Rourke, on the Irish team for the world indoor championships in Doha (March 12, 13, 14) is aimed at the future and, in particular, this year’s European outdoor championships in Barcelona, according to team manager Patsy McGonagle.

DERVAL O’ROURKE goes to the World Indoor Championships in Doha next month looking for a repeat of Moscow four years ago when she turned in a succession of storming performances en route to the 60m hurdles title.

David Campbell claimed an historic double at the Woodie's DIY National Senior Track & Field Championships in Santry by becoming the first man to win both the 800m and 1500m titles since Eamonn Coghlan achieved the feat in 1981.

DERVAL O’ROURKE finished last of the seven competitors in her Golden League 100m hurdles race at the Bislett Games in Oslo last night, in a time of 13.19 secs.

PAUL HESSION, after a sensational indoor season, opened his outdoor campaign with a national record when winning the 100m in 10.28 seconds at the EAA Permit Meeting in Kalamata, Greece on Saturday.

MAX JONES, Ireland’s new Director of Athletics and the man entrusted with the task of breathing new life into the sport, will soon travel around the country to meet the coaches and volunteers.

ALISTAIR CRAGG admitted yesterday that he is still haunted by his experience in the final of the 5,000m at the European outdoor championships in Gothenburg last year.

GARY RYAN has been appointed Director of Coaching with Athletics Ireland, but the resignation of High Performance Director, Elaine Fitzgerald, has shocked the sport and left AAI with a huge void.

Two-time Olympian Gary Ryan has been appointed Athletics Ireland’s new director of coaching.

JOANNE CUDDIHY probably won’t win a medal at the European championships in Gothenburg — a cruel draw may have decided that last night when she drew Lane 1 for tonight’s final — but she won a special place in the hearts of Irish athletics fans with a courageous performance in the semi-finals of the women’s 400m.

ATHLETICS Ireland could turn their back on Jim Kilty and move outside the country to fill the position of Director of Coaching which has become vacant following the resignation of Stephen Maguire.

JOANNE CUDDIHY qualified for this evening’s women’s 400m semi-finals at the European championships in Gothenburg yesterday when she ran her second fastest time ever at 51.41 secs for second place behind gold medal favourite Olga Zaytseva of Russia, who ran 50.89 secs, in her first round heat.

Energia, an energy supplier and part of the ISEQ-listed Viridian group, has signed a new nationwide power-supply agreement with Travelsavers Ireland.

Liam Reale and Joanne Cuddihy have another chance to shine today at the European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg.

LAST year David Campbell made what might have seemed a disastrous financial decision — particularly for someone with a Masters Degree in Finance — when he sold up all his possessions and went to South Africa to pursue a career in athletics.

Derval O'Rourke, Alistair Cragg and David Gillick are top of the pile in the 29-strong team chosen to represent Ireland at next month's European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg.

LABAN ROTICH failed by a fraction in his bid to become the first athlete to break four minutes for the mile in Kerry at last night’s Lee Strand international meeting on Castleisland’s resplendent track when he outsprinted fellow Kenyan, Paul Korir, to win in 4:00.63.

Energia, has signed a new gas supply contract with the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) worth €4.2m annually.

TWO of the fastest men on earth return to The Mardyke on Saturday for the BUPA Cork City Sports with confirmation yesterday that two of America’s top sprinters, Bernard Williams and Tyree Washington, are set to line up for the 100m and 200m, respectively.

Electricity provider Energia has been awarded a major contract to supply power to 101 Government offices.

LIMERICK man Liam Reale added his name to the growing list of qualifiers for the European championships when he finished second in the elite men’s 1,500m race at last weekend’s Boston High Performance meeting.

CHAMPION sprinter Gary Ryan has been entrusted with directing the development of Irish athletics for the next three years.

International athlete Gary Ryan and respected coach Stephen Maguire have been appointed to high-ranking positions within the Athletics Association of Ireland.

KERRY sprinter Jer O’Donoghue got the new year off to a stylish start at the Nenagh Arena yesterday when he retained his Munster AAI 60m title in 6.93 secs.

Simon Lewis

JAMES NOLAN (1,500m) and Paul Hession (200m) were declared fit to compete at the world championships in Helsinki following Saturday’s Dublin International Meet at Morton Stadium.

WITH so many stars absent through injury the Woodies DIY National Senior Track and Field Championships at Morton Stadium over the weekend may not have left things straight forward for the selectors who will name the team for the world championships later today but they provided fans with plenty of entertainment.

National cross country champion Jolene Byrne came from third on the final bend to take the 1500 metres title at the Woodies DIY Irish Track and Field championships. But she almost surrendered the gold in the final strides at Morton Stadium, Santry.

Kilkenny City Harrier Eileen O'Keeffe threw a new national record of 68.14 metres to claim hammer gold at the Woodies DIY Irish Track and Field Championships in Santry today.

SONIA O’SULLIVAN misses the Woodies DIY National senior track and field championships at Morton Stadium at the weekend.

BERNARD WILLIAMS may be the Olympic silver medallist at 200m but the track’s greatest entertainer is only on standby for that event at the BUPA Cork City Sports International Track and Field Meeting this afternoon and that demonstrates the amount of talent that will be on show at The Mardyke (2pm).