Keith Earls will make his first Munster appearance of the season in tomorrow's Champions Cup opener against the Ospreys.

It was certainly a game of two halves in Mallow last night. St Michael’s doing all the work in the opening 30 minutes of this Cork PIFC semi-final, leading at the interval by five points.

Five-try Connacht picked up their second bonus-point victory in a week as Andy Friend’s side overwhelmed Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Andy Friend has knocked down a few barriers since arriving in Galway 15 months ago, and this evening (kick-off 7.35pm) hopes to win in Wales for the first time since he took charge of Connacht.

Dromtariffe produced a powerful finish to see off Ballydesmond this entertaining Cork IFC quarter-final replay at Boherbue yesterday.

Ballydesmond clung on for another bite of the cherry thanks to a 68th-minute levelling point from Donncha O’Connor in a dramatic Co. IFC quarter final with Duhallow neighbours Dromtariffe at Boherbue yesterday.

Rory Best’s ankle injury has cleared up in time to allow him to have the send-off he hoped for, and the Ireland captain suspects he’ll be an emotional wreck when he says goodbye at the Kingspan Stadium tonight

Three goals in as many second half minutes earned Kanturk victory at the expense of Castletownbere in an error-strewn Cork PIFC first round replay at Ballingeary yesterday.

A raucous Sportsground welcomed Connacht’s progression into the play-off stages of the PRO14 as their team turned in a bonus point performance in their most important game of the season so far.

Cork IFC: Dromtariffe 3-9 Millstreet 1-10

Michael Bradley spent most of his seven years at the Sportsground not just wondering if he would be in a job at the end of the season, but rather whether the Connacht team he was coaching would still be in existence.

Connacht got the result, but not the performance they required in this fraught win over Michael Bradley’s Zebre.

Jack Carty returned to the Sportsground after his Irish debut in the Six Nations to guide them to a priceless victory in their quest for a knockout place and Champions Cup rugby next season.

Connacht host Benetton Rugby at the Sportsground this evening hoping for a victory to keep their PRO14 play-off ambitions on track.

Jack Carty crowned a glorious week as he celebrating his call-up to the Irish squad by scoring the match-winning try three minutes from time to send Connacht into the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup.

Connacht have given themselves a good chance of reaching the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup for the 11th time after securing a bonus point win at Stade Aime Giral.

Jack Murphy was the toast of Dromtarriffe on Saturday night as his 61st-minute point secured victory for the Duhallow men in the Cork JAFC final at Páirc Uí Rinn.

It’s a measure of how much things have changed at Connacht since they won the PRO12 title in Murrayfield two years ago that 10 of the 23 players involved that day are no longer at the Sportsground.

Connacht 26 Glasgow Warriors 27

Connacht’s decline after winning the PRO 12 title in 2016 started immediately in the first game of the defence of the crown when they fell to a record 41-5 loss to Glasgow Warriors at the Sportsground.

Connacht 47 Leinster 10: On a day when Connacht bade farewell to their talisman from Portumna, along comes another farmer’s son from a few miles away on the other side of the River Shannon to lay down a marker and offer hope for the future with hooker Shane Delahunt producing a remarkable display on a day of celebration in Galway.

Connacht make their final away trip of a disappointing season when they face another searching evening in Glasgow against a Warriors side aiming to wrap up a home quarter-final in the PRO14.

Cheetahs 26 Connacht 25: Two weeks ago, as Connacht headed off on a tour to Treviso in Italy and the Highveld in South Africa, they would probably have settled for a return of five points against two sides who have been chalking up the results in their own backyards.

Connacht will hope to put PRO14 victories back-to-back for only the second time this season when they battle the heat and demands of the Highveld against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein this evening (5.35pm Irish time).

New Ireland women’s head coach Adam Griggs believes a daunting test in France tonight will be the making of his team.

Kanturk (Cork) 3-13 Middletown Na Fianna (Armagh) 0-12: Kanturk cruised into the All Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Final today with a comprehensive dismissal of Ulster Champions Middletown Na Fianna of Armagh.

Connacht 50 Oyonnax 14: The road to Bilbao has now become clear for Connacht.

Rugby star Sophie Spence wants female Irish players to “receive an equal level of respect and treatment” as their male counterparts.

Connacht 55 Brive 10: Connacht coach Kieran Keane is relishing facing into three consecutive inter-pro derbies with a squad high on confidence after their latest European masterclass.

The IRFU Women’s Interprovincial Championship goes down to the wire this afternoon when Munster host champions Leinster in a top of the table clash at Thomond Park (2.30pm).

Their PRO14 form is dodgy to say the least, but Connacht’s pedigree in the European Challenge Cup is obvious and on Saturday night they took a big step not only towards securing a quarter-final spot, but ensuring that they will enjoy home advantage in the last eight.

Zebre 24 Connacht 10: Michael Bradley knows all about building from the bottom in professional rugby — his seven years at the Sportsground took Connacht through the most difficult period in their history — and he is happy with the progress he is making in his first few months with Zebre. 

Connacht coach Kieran Keane says a resurgent Zebre will pose a huge threat in Parma this afternoon as his side aim to bounce back to winning ways before refocusing next week to the European Challenge Cup campaign.

Guinness PRO14: Connacht 23 - Cheetahs 15: Tiernan O’Halloran has no qualms about being left out of the Irish squad for the autumn internationals, but the 26-year-old will be keeping a bag packed over the next few weeks in case there is a call from Joe Schmidt.

Having already won the county Premier IHC title, Kanturk completed a double in holding on to edge out Mitchelstown in the IFC decider at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Connacht 15 Worcester Warriors 8: You suspect the more Kieran Keane settles into life in Galway the more he appreciates exactly what his predecessor Pat Lam achieved, not just with limited resources but the manner in which he got them to play in the difficult climatic conditions.

CONNACHT 32 - SOUTHERN KINGS 10: Connacht coach Kieran Keane was the first to admit that facing newcomers the Southern Kings so early in the season was a welcome gift but he feels the bonus point win secured on Saturday night will propel his new side.

Glasgow are not the first team to come to Galway and deal better with the wind and rain than the home team, but new coach Kieran Keane was anxious not to blame the weather for losing their opening game of the season to the same opposition for the second year in a row.