Stats mean nothing to powerful openside flanker when there are hits to be made

Giovanni Trapattoni has expressed serious reservations about throwing both Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger back into the fray in Stockholm next month even if both players are fit for the crunch game against Sweden.

New Limerick manager Stuart Taylor doesn’t believe the club will be at a disadvantage as a result of the protracted nature of the search to find a successor to Pat Scully.

ULSTER’S latest signing arrived at Belfast airport yesterday with a confident pep in his step.

KILKENNY are celebrating one of their highest All Star tallies ever under Brian Cody after picking up eight of the GAA-GPA awards sponsored by Opel.

SHAY GIVEN has criticised UEFA’s seeding system for the play-offs despite the fact that the Republic of Ireland have been confirmed as one of the top four sides for today’s eight-team draw.

JUST in case New Zealand were lacking a bit of inspiration ahead of their World Cup semi-final meeting with Australia, Quade Cooper provided it.

HE was fresh from steering Tipperary to a rare All-Ireland football triumph but in the midst of the euphoric celebrations in Croke Park yesterday, David Power was already thinking of the future.

Waterford face one of the most potent attacks in the modern game in tomorrow’s Munster hurling final. Déise selector Pádraig Fanning answers three key questions

IT’S an astonishing statement to make but Kevin Nolan delivers it so nonchalantly that it almost loses its colour.

MICHAEL DUIGNAN’S name isn’t mentioned once by Ciarán McManus during the course of this interview.

GALWAY recorded their first championship win over Cork in 1975 but then made something of a habit of it with victories in 1979, 1985, 2002 and 2009.

IF Cork sharpshooter Patrick Horgan is to be believed, the Offaly hurlers’ off-field problems isn’t getting much airplay in one corner of the country.

TONY KELLY played a captain’s part at soggy Semple Stadium last night as holders Clare advanced to a Munster MHC final meeting with Limerick or Waterford on July 10.

RACE LEADER Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post/Sean Kelly) thanked Irish team-mate Sam Bennett for helping him hang on to the yellow jersey by the slender margin of 32 seconds as the sixth stage of the An Post Rás ended in Tramore yesterday after an action-packed 104-mile trip from Blarney.

FEW counties have warmed to the underdogs status more than Fermanagh but their captain Barry Owens doesn’t find it as comforting right now.

Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt admitted that Brian O’Driscoll’s knee injury was a concern heading into Heineken Cup final week as assessed a battered dressing room following the 18-3 Magners League semi-final victory over Ulster last night.

MUNSTER return to Thomond Park tonight seeking redemption for their European exit of six days ago, according to full-back Felix Jones.

JEAN DE VILLIERS is interested in returning to Munster after this year’s World Cup.

RUBY WALSH’S autobiography has been lining bookshelves for some months now but days like yesterday should ensure that the collaboration between jockey and writer will add chapters in the years to come.

TOMÁS O’LEARY has been ruled out of Ireland’s Six Nations showdown with England on Saturday after sustaining an eye injury in a freak training accident yesterday.

IF things had turned out differently, Alex Corbisiero might have been rivalling Cian Healy for a place in Ireland’s front row rather than opposing him in an England jersey this weekend.

KEITH EARLS is relishing the opportunity to play in what he believes is an exciting back three against Italy this afternoon, as Ireland bid to take their plans for expansive rugby to the next level.

ITALY coach Nick Mallett believes the country’s rugby federation and its two Magners League franchises need to work together to help the national team improve.

JOHNE MURPHY has settled very comfortably into Munster’s way of doing things.

THE pain of defeat, particularly to old foes, can stay with a player for a long time and Munster’s Denis Hurley is no exception.

ALL known logic was almost defied as the Ireland Schools came within eight minutes of trumping all-powerful England in an adrenaline-fuelled FIRA U18 European Championship qualifier at Donnybrook yesterday.

ON the injury front, no news is normally good news.