Irish companies are “way behind the game” in terms of tapping into the enormous Asian market, partly due to a traditional mindset that’s holding back expansion.

Andy Lee believes if he holds onto his belt, that a fight with middleweight kingpin Gennady Golovkin is inevitable.

Jorge Sebastian Heiland made a mockery of the bookies’ odds which ranked Matthew Macklin as a 1/20 favourite ahead of their WBC world middleweight title eliminator on Saturday night, but, in hindsight, Father Time was the most difficult opponent for the home fighter.

While Matthew Macklin is the star attraction of this weekend’s fight card at the 3 Arena, more evidence was offered at the final pre-fight press conference to suggest that the bitter showdown between Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan and Anthony Fitzgerald will steal the show as their war of words spilled over into a physical altercation, followed by a kiss yesterday.

Irish middleweight Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan believes a new approach to training and preparation has him stronger and sharper ahead of his grudge match with Dublin’s Anthony Fitzgerald.

It’s very nearly five years since Poonsawat Kratingdaenggm floored Bernard Dunne and thousands of onlookers at the O2, but Matthew Macklin has promised that he is the man to finally bring big-time boxing back to this country.

Sergio Martinez is eager to shrug off his injury nightmare and re-establish his dominance of the world middleweight division when he returns from a 14-month absence to face Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 7.

The look on Andy Lee’s face when the referee called a halt to his bout with Ferenc Hafner, after just 1 minute and 19 seconds of round two, said it all about the man’s current level of ambition.

Andy Lee might have only found out about tonight’s fight on Tuesday, but the Limerick middleweight believes it could be a career-altering evening in his quest to become world champion.

IT’S not that long ago since the rare passive house _ a “green’’ building making maximum use of energy efficiencies _ would grab headlines in Ireland and be highlighted in a freaky kind of style as the way of the future.

The professional boxing season has thrown up several dramatic fights and one master class from ‘Pretty Boy’ Floyd Mayweather in recent weeks.

Ciaran Kilduff proved Shamrock Rovers’ supersub with a dramatic stoppage time winner as they beat Coleraine 2-0 at the Showgrounds for a 2-1 aggregate victory to set up a cracking Setanta Sports Cup quarter-final tie with Linfield.

Tomorrow night in Belfast I will step back into the ring and start a new phase of my career. I’m facing Anthony Fitzgerald from Dublin.

Fr Rocks 1-08 Charlestown 1-07

Ricky Hatton will be granted a new boxing licence providing he successfully completes all parts of a medical, the British Boxing Board of Control confirmed today.

Ricky Hatton is expected to target a world title rematch with former foe Paulie Malignaggi when he announces his decision to return to the ring at a press conference in Manchester on Friday.

Ireland needs to devote diplomatic and business development resources to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta or risk being excluding from one of the world’s fastest- growing economies, warns one of the country’s leading promoters of Irish-Asian business links.

Looking to emerging Asian markets for new business must be a top priority for Irish companies, two separate conferences communicated as their central message yesterday.

Kildare County Board president Seamus Aldridge has criticised the handling of Seanie Johnston’s stalled transfer to the county.

THE Republic of Ireland’s hopes of retaining the U18 Centenary Shield ended last night at the Oval as cross-border rivals Northern Ireland took another step towards the title.

A Dublin drug addict who crouched down pretending to be a child in his ex-partner’s porch so she would open the door to him will be sentenced later for assaulting her with a kitchen knife.

THE recent history of Tyrone-Kerry clashes in Croke Park have swung in the direction of the northerners, and Cookstown maintained that with a hard fought win over Spa in yesterday’s All-Ireland Club IFC final.

Tyrone 0-26 St Mary’s 0-10

A thirty three year-old Limerick man has been sentenced to life in prison at the Central Criminal Court for the murder of his partners ex-boyfriend on August 10 2004.

Tyrone 0-12 Kerry 0-10

A 32-year-old man charged with the murder of a man in Drogheda was today remanded in custody.

A man has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of 38-year-old Martin Murray in Drogheda this week.

A 32-year-old man was charged today with the murder of a man in Drogheda, Co Louth, yesterday morning.

A 31-year-old man remains in garda custody in Co Louth this morning in connection with the murder of another man in Drogheda yesterday.

THE tall young man surveyed the sweep of city streets before him as he stood on O’Connell Bridge considering his next step in the footprints of Leopold Bloom.

St Patrick’s, Navan 1-11, St Patrick’s, Dungannon 1-10

The Kemmy Business School (KBS) at the University of Limerick has announced its first business advisory board.

WINNING the provincial title is the main objective for most team coaches, anything from there on is regarded as a bonus.

Eircom League First Division side Dundalk have announced the appointment of Trevor Anderson as their new manager following the resignation of Martin Murray a fortnight ago.

By Jim O’Sullivan AGAINST different opposition, Kilcormac/Killoughey might at least have been competitive over a longer period in yesterday’s Offaly county hurling final in St Brendan’s Park.

GOALKEEPER David Connolly is certain to be the busiest player on the pitch at Tolka Park tonight when

Dublin club Shamrock Rovers will be without key midfielders Marc Kenny and Derek Tracey for tonight's UEFA Cup qualifier against top Swedish side Djurgardens.

LAST season’s FAI Cup winners Dundalk take a step into the unknown tonight when they travel to face Croatian side FC Varteks in the UEFA Cup qualifying round first leg — which kicks-off at 7pm Irish time Irish time.

Shamrock Rovers will be without key midfielders Marc Kenny and Derek Tracey for Thursday night's UEFA Cup qualifier against top Swedish side Djurgardens.

GARY HAYLOCK will be a huge loss for Dundalk as they open their defence of the FAI Carlsberg Cup against Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park tonight (7.45).

MARTIN MURRAY, who led Dundalk to the FAI Carlsberg Cup title last season, welcomed their second round draw against Shamrock Rovers last night with the comment: "It is just like the cup final against Bohs, we are again the outsiders. That's how we like it."

The FAI Cup final takes place today at Tolka Park with Dundalk taking on Bohemians.

An investigation is under way today after an engine on a Ryanair passenger plane caught fire shortly after landing.