Wicklow 1-15 Longford 0-16

Wicklow 1-15 Longford 0-16, Aughrim

Mark McCrea has been released early from his two-year contract with Connacht, moving to Jersey RFC for the remainder of the season and next year.

Wicklow 1-11 Dublin 0-10

Glasgow Warriors 27 Connacht 17

Glasgow Warriors 27 Connacht 17

The head of the Northern Ireland Prison Service (Nips) is leaving after just more than a year in the role to take charge of Scotland's jails.

Following Connacht's narrow defeat away to Gloucester in the Heineken Cup last weekend, Head Coach Eric Elwood has chosen not to tinker with the side too much for the trip to Thomond Park to face Munster in the RaboDirect PRO12 on St. Stephen’s Day (7.45pm), making just one enforced change.

Connacht Rugby have announced a 27-man squad ahead of this Saturday's inter-Provincial clash with Ulster.

A FIRST-HALF penalty try, supplemented by 14 points from the right boot of Scott Deasy, steered the Munster ‘A’ team to a workmanlike 19-3 victory over their Connacht counterparts at the Sportsground last night.

After a mounting injury list during the week sparked suggestions of calling up U20 players to the Connacht team to face Leinster in the RDS this Saturday (5pm) Eric Elwood will be relieved he’s only had to make three changes to his starting team.

EDINBURGH took the spoils last night to claim their first win of the RaboDirect Pro 12 season at Connacht’s expense who had to settle for an away bonus point.

Connacht 13 Scarlets 11

Bret Wilkinson, who suffered a grade 3 hamstring tear in pre-season training, has been named in Eric Elwood’s extended 26-man squad to face the Scarlets on Saturday afternoo

A DUP politician who had his car burned out said the attack could have easily endangered his family.

Connacht Rugby have today announced the signings of Ulster duo Niall O’Connor and Mark McCrea along with the re-signing of former Connacht favourite George Naoupu from Japan for next season.

Dissident republicans in the North may have secured a cache of military grenades, it was feared today.

IF bravery wins games, then this was surely a shining example of such. Munster centre Ivan Dineen’s persistence was rewarded in some style, as the young debutant’s injury-time try clinched Munster’s Magners League victory over Ulster at Ravenhill last night.

Ulster’s unbeaten record in the Magners League came to an end at rain-soaked Murrayfield as David Blair’s drop goal put the seal on Edinburgh’s win.

Jail chiefs braced themselves today for a major report of a £30m (€367m) UK government investigation into the 1997 murder inside the Maze Prison of loyalist Billy Wright, one of the North's most feared assassins.

A car bomb exploded near to the headquarters of MI5 in the North today within minutes of policing and justice powers being transferred from London to Belfast.

The leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) brushed off accusations of performing a U-turn today after announcing he would run in the UK's General Election.

Some Orange Order members have formed a group to oppose any possible Papal visit to the North.

Two former members of the British Army's Ulster Defence Regiment have been warned about a threat to their lives from the Real IRA, according to a local DUP Assembly member.

Northern Ireland MP William McCrea has been warned of a death threat from the Real IRA, it was revealed today.

Police hunting the killers of a 60-year-old financial adviser were today examining a partially burnt-out car abandoned a few miles from his home.

Ulster coach Matt Williams has included Niall O'Connor and Mark McCrea in an extended 24-man squad for Friday's Magners League match against Ospreys at Ravenhill.

A new all-encompassing education authority is being used as a trojan horse to exert more government control over schools, an Assembly member warned today.

EDINBURGH inflicted another dose of Murrayfield misery on Matt Williams as they kick-started their quest for the Magners League crown last night.

Captain Rory Best, Mark McCrea and David Pollock have broken back into the Ulster side to face Edinburgh in the Magner's League at Murrayfield this Friday (KO 7.45pm.)

Munster 11 Ulster 37

ULSTER smoothly moved into the Magners League mid-table after a seven-try blitz against Connacht at Ravenhill last night.

Ulster 53 Connacht 13

A senior Ulster Unionist was tonight replaced as chief whip amid claims from the DUP he was sacked after clashing with his party’s would-be partners – the UK's Conservative Party.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will not be blackmailed into accepting the swift transfer of policing powers to Stormont, it warned today.

ULSTER fell to their first home defeat under coach Matt Williams in an entertaining eight-try clash at Ravenhill on Saturday.

A third of grammar schools could close if changes to the education system go ahead in the North, it was claimed today.

Ulster Bank today launched a substantially discounted mortgage borrowing for those who install solar power.

The North's Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said today he would have killed every single British soldier in Derry in the aftermath of Bloody Sunday if he had been able to.

Mark McCrea has signed a new contract that will keep him with Ulster until June 2009.

The actions of dissident republicans must not be allowed to block the transfer of policing and justice powers from Westminster to Stormont, Northern Ireland Assembly members were told today.

MUNSTER coach Declan Kidney has named a 27-strong squad ahead of Friday night’s Magners League game against Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade, (6.10pm).

Sinn Féin representatives will today quiz the North's police commanders in public for the first time.

The Court of Criminal Appeal has today rejected an appeal brought by Co Donegal man against his conviction for the murder of his estranged wife, whose remains he then burnt at the back of the family home.