Mayo 2-11 Monaghan 1-12: In the absence of Aidan O’Shea, Lee Keegan, and Cillian O’Connor for the final few minutes in Clones, Mayo supporters might have reasoned they were all out of inspiration.

AIB All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final - Ruairi Og, Cushendall (Antrim) 3-12 Sarsfields (Galway) 1-6: Earlier this year, when Neil McManus and his girlfriend sat down to book their flights to Asia for the beginning of a six-month round the world trip, they picked May as their travel date.

Nearly Nama’d relished the heavy ground to land his second decent pot of the season at Fairyhouse in the Underwriting Exchange Dan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase yesterday.

Officials at Chepstow are optimistic Saturday’s Coral Welsh Grand National will go ahead after being given the green light to move the feature event to a slot earlier in the afternoon.

Conor McManus will delay an inevitable operation on a troublesome hip because of the impact it could have on his football.

Monaghan 0-11

Joseph O’Brien insisted his weight “isn’t too bad” as he returned to the winner’s enclosure on the Flat for the first time this season.

Tony McCoy will ride Cantlow for his boss JP McManus in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

Joseph O’Brien has every intention of returning to action on the Flat this season after electing to miss the opening day of the Irish season at the Curragh tomorrow to ride over hurdles at Limerick.

Carlingford Lough, joint-top weight for the Crabbie’s Grand National, has been ruled out of the Aintree centrepiece on April 11.

Trainer Harry Fry admits there is “every possibility” Rock On Ruby will require a new rider in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 12.

Although her stable star has lost to old foe Hurricane Fly three times this season, Jessica Harrington maintains that it is the Closutton legend’s stablemate, Faugheen that represents the biggest threat to Jezki retaining his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham next month.

Limerck and Waterford draw; Wins for Offaly and Wexford

Adrian Maguire is undecided as to whether to let Two Rockers make his Irish Rules debut in Sunday’s Ladbrokes Ireland Boyne Hurdle at Navan.

Leopardstown yesterday is easy to describe. There’s never been an afternoon like it at the track, writes Pat Keane.

Cheltenham ante-post plunge horse Alvisio Ville puts his reputation on the line in Sunday’s Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Point-To-Point

Willie Mullins is confident Hurricane Fly still has what it takes to make his mark at the top level ahead of his return in the StanJames.com Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown tomorrow.

Mark Walsh has been lined up to ride Jezki in Sunday’s StanJames.com Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown in the event Barry Geraghty is unavailable.

Trainer Tony Martin and owner JP McManus are set to break new ground in France today as Clonard Street goes for Group One glory in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud.

Ol’ Man River, as low as 12-1 for the 2015 Derby, makes his eagerly awaited second appearance in the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow.

Exciting young chaser Defy Logic is back in training with Paul Nolan after recovering from a broken blood vessel at owner JP McManus’ stud in County Limerick.

Willie Mullins’ Indevan easily reversed previous Kilbeggan form with Bally Longford in the Benchmark Hospitality Novice Chase at rain-swept Killarney last night.

Stephen Nolan would love to run Prince Rudi in the Irish National next spring after his stable stalwart landed the feature race on the sixth day of the Galway Festival on Saturday.

Ante-post favourite Thomas Edison heads owner JP McManus’ assault on the Guinness Galway Hurdle at the Ballybrit track on Thursday.

Monaghan 1-18 Armagh 1-13

Your Busy, now an 11-year-old, showed he is far from a back number when taking the featured McSweeney Arms Hotel Killarney National Handicap Chase at the Kerry track last night.

John Higgins labelled himself nothing more than “a journeyman” after a second successive first-round exit at the Dafabet World Championship.

Barry Geraghty won his first Irish Grand National when driving the Jonjo O’Neill-trained and J P McManus-owned Shutthefrontdoor to a hard fought success over Golden Wonder and Saoirse Dun at Fairyhouse yesterday.

He was held aloft as the poster boy for those advocating the introduction of the black card after being infamously hauled down by Sean Cavanagh in last summer’s All-Ireland quarter-final, but Monaghan’s Conor McManus remains unconvinced about its merits.

Connections of Jezki are keen to let the dust settle after his Champion Hurdle triumph before deciding on plans for the remainder of the season.

Charities and voluntary groups in the Mid-West last night hailed a new €40m fund which is being set up by Limerick sportsman and philanthropist, JP McManus to help their work.

Nicky Henderson has pinpointed Silviniaco Conti and Last Instalment as dangers to Bobs Worth when his star bids to retain his Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup crown next month.

Charles Byrnes has ruled out bringing Solwhit back in the spring and is looking forward to next season with his champion staying hurdler.

Ben Dalton proved himself to be a real super sub when guiding Sword Fish to an easy success in the featured Paddy Power Cork Grand National Handicap Chase yesterday.

Twelve months on from Rebel Fitz’s Guinness Galway Hurdle victory, Mick Winters shoots for glory once again with Missunited at the Ballybrit track.

Cork City 0 Celtic XI 2

Supporters of ante-post favourite Mr Mole have been advised to hold their bets on Paul Nicholls’ charge in the Paddy Power Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday.

Ulster 3-12 Leinster 0-17

One of the main reasons Ireland will travel to the Cheltenham Festival in March with a powerful team is the buying power of five major owners.