To his team-mates, Ian McKinley is an inspiration, but as the Irishman turned Italian prepares to face his old friends at Soldier Field, this Saturday’s Test is not about him but the Azzurri doing themselves proud against Six Nations rivals.

UDG Healthcare is expected to pursue more acquisition opportunities on top of spending an aggregate $82.4m (€71m) on two US companies.

CRH’s market value has increased by €1bn on the back of it announcing an ambitious four-year growth plan which could see the building materials giant spend around €7bn on acquisitions.

Ryanair shares jumped more than 5% despite the airline warning that earnings in its financial year could fall by at least 7%.

The prospect of an increased tax on UK online gaming revenues represents a bigger threat to Paddy Power-Betfair than the enforcement of maximum restrictions on in-shop gaming machine betting, analysts have warned.

Kerry hurler Pádraig Boyle is hoping the favourite’s tag will weigh heavily on Carlow’s shoulders when they meet in the opening round of the Joe McDonagh Cup at Dr Cullen Park on Sunday.

Neal Peden’s Antrim almost landed the first major knock-out blow of the season, but the All-Ireland and league champions Galway finally found their form in the closing minutes to take the points at Pearse Stadium.

By Eamon Quinn

Shares in FBD jumped over 11% on rising hopes of a resumption of dividend payments, in time.

CRH is still tipped to win out in its plans to acquire US cement giant Ash Grove but will likely have to pay more than the $3.5bn (€2.98bn) it had planned for it to fend off an 11th-hour from a US rival.

Benetton Treviso 14 - Ulster 21: Andrew Trimble scored two first-half tries as Ulster held on to beat Benetton Treviso 21-14 at the Stadio Monigo for their second straight Guinness PRO14 win.

Munster 34 Benetton Rugby 3: New league, new season, same old Italians.

The Government, through its advisors, has already received more than enough orders from investors to proceed with the sale of 25% of its near total shareholding in AIB.

Irish investors have been warned off from increasing their bets on overvalued Irish and global shares because the risks posed by President Donald Trump cutting US corporation taxes and by Brexit-driven choppy currency markets for Ireland’s economy are just too great.

Munster have gone to the top of the Pro 12 after a comfortable 46-3 home win over Benetton Treviso in this afternoon's clash.

Shares in Permanent TSB rose more than 3% on hopes that the mortgage lender has turned a new chapter by focusing on growing new mortgage lending here after selling off a major UK loan book.

Two of Ireland’s largest food companies — Kerry Group and Glanbia — have seen an analyst upgrade on the back of strong quarterly updates showing they are weathering currency headwinds.

Diversified fuels to computer group DCC plans to buy the English-based distributor of computer servers, Hammer, for £38.3m (€42.3m) in cash, in a move it hopes will allow it to tap the growing demand for cloud-based storage.

The visit of Treviso to the RDS this Friday may not make for the most alluring of starts to the new Guinness PRO12 campaign but the presence of Ian McKinley in the Italians’ ranks will at least provide a candidate for feelgood story of the season.

Shares in AIB — which is all but fully owned by the State — could be sold in the next six to 12 months, despite some of the worst banking market conditions since the financial crash.

Shares in Ryanair rose 5.5% as the airline’s pledge to win more passengers and to hit its earnings target reassured investors who have been spooked by the extraordinary turbulence facing the industry.

Stock markets investors should avoid Europe-wide shares for the time being, Merion Capital has warned, though a very small handful of Irish companies, including Fyffes and Irish Residential Properties REIT, may offer some shelter from further storms ahead.

Building materials giant CRH is expected to see lower-than-anticipated earnings growth in 2017 in light of potential ongoing market volatility and economic uncertainty.

Meath 4-21 Antrim 5-17: Victorious Meath manager Martin Ennis finished up Saturday evening’s post-match media briefing with a wry smile. “I hope to God none of ye lot are ringing me tomorrow!”

The debate over whether the UK will exit the EU has switched dramatically to the potential gains for some Irish shareholders and most Irish exporters should the so-called ‘Bremain’ side win the looming UK vote on EU membership on June 23.

Shares in Permanent TSB, which is majority-owned by the Government, slumped over 10% yesterday adding to huge losses for the mortgage lender in the last four trading sessions, as politicians stepped up pressure for Irish lenders to cut their variable home loan rates.

Bank of Ireland yesterday said it has set its sights on resuming paying dividends early next year — its first payout since the banking crash, as top directors faced searching questions at its agm over a wilting share price and directors’ shareholdings.

Kerry Group shares fell yesterday as the company held its annual general meeting in Tralee, Co Kerry, and reported “good business momentum” despite tough market conditions.

Investors in the Irish stock market should favour Irish firms that have less exposure to the UK — until the outcome of the British referendum on membership of the EU is known, Merrion Capital has said in a major report.

Willie Mullins has admitted the Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse tomorrow is "coming a bit quick" for Outlander as he aims to bounce back from his fall at last week's Cheltenham Festival.

With the kids off school for the Easter break, we took the opportunity to take a few days away to unwind after Cheltenham. 

AIB says it’s in good enough shape for the first slice of the bank to be sold off later this year, and hopes that turbulent market conditions will have settled by then.

Bank of Ireland reaffirmed it had set its sights on paying a dividend in 2017 for the first time since the crash, helping its shares claw back some of the large losses of recent weeks.

Leading RSA Chase contender More Of That is to sidestep the Betfred TV Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown on Saturday with regular rider Barry Geraghty on duty in Ireland.