Amy Foster has equalled the Irish indoor 60m record to qualify for March’s World Indoor Athletics Championships in Birmingham, writes Will Downing.

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.

Dublin 2-17 Kildare 2-10: All-Ireland champions Dublin shrugged off a sluggish first half to make a winning start to their Division 1 campaign in Croke Park this evening.

FAI CEO John Delaney has confirmed that Martin O’Neill’s new contract with the FAI will be signed early next week.

Both Charleville and Douglas GAA clubs have been thrown out of the Cork Premier U21 Hurling championship and face up to €2,500 in fines each as a result of the behaviour of mentors and players in a fourth-round tie last Saturday week.

Liverpool great Kenny Dalglish thought he was being sacked for a second time when he was called into manager Jurgen Klopp’s office for a conference call with owner John Henry – only to discover he was being immortalised at Anfield.

While Darren Randolph was earning plaudits for his role in helping Middlesbrough keep a clean sheet against Preston – including one fine save to deny ex-Cork City man Sean Maguire – his Ireland understudy Keiren Westwood was having a much less happy time of it in the Championship on Saturday.

Official confirmation that Kevin O’Connor has become Simon Grayson’s last signing as Preston North End manager now gives way to speculation about who the Cork City player – as well as his teammate Sean Maguire and fellow League of Ireland exports Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle – will be playing under at Deepdale next season.

Marjorie Brennan meets Ellie Kisyombe from pop up cafe, Our Table, as she embarks on a three-month internship with Darina Allen – and begins a new column in Weekend.

Kerry will meet Limerick in the McGrath Cup final after the Kingdom comfortably overcame Cork this afternoon.

The talents of two of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl and Steven Spielberg – have united to bring Roald Dahl’s beloved classic “The BFG” to life. 

Hugo Palmer hopes to get two more runs into Darley Irish Oaks winner Covert Love – ground permitting.

The Kremlin has released pictures of Russian president Vladimir Putin working out at the gym with prime minister Dmitrty Medvedev – images apparently aimed at shoring up Putin’s rugged, masculine image as his popularity dips.

With Gibraltar v Ireland on September 4 regarded by many – if not Martin O’Neill – as a foregone conclusion, there will almost be as much interest from Irish supporters in the Georgia v Scotland and Germany v Poland games which also take place in European Championship Group D on the same day.

The Burgess A1 Puppy Stake was the feature on Saturday night’s programme at Curraheen, and victory went to the sponsors, JJ Fennelly and Sheila Spillane, Killeagh, with 5-2 chance Burgess Tadhg (Ace Hi Rumble – Dower Twilight).

Nicky Henderson has yet to decide on plans for Sprinter Sacre – nearly two weeks after he was pulled up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

He was becoming one of the world’s forgotten golfers — compared to others like David Duval, Lee Jansen, Ian Baker Finch and Sandy Lyle – all Major champions who had vanished from the golfing scene.

It’s been one hell of a fortnight for crowd favourite Ed Sheeran – first he performs with Beyonce, then he celebrated his 24th birthday, and now he has delighted the Irish masses by announcing a huge gig in Croke Park this summer.

It is sad to think that Dr. Ali Selim’s attempt to stifle free speech - through threat of legal action against any Irish publication that reprints Charlie Hebdo’s front page depiction of the Prophet Muhammad – can currently be supported by our nation’s laws. 

And so it seems we have to talk about Roy – again.

THE film director John Waters – Baltimore’s beloved Pope of Trash, with his pencil thin moustache and fine eye for comedic sleaze – is a massive bibliophile.

THERE may be a growing sense at Eastlands that the end is nigh for manager Roberto Mancini – at least, it felt that way when the Italian was jeered by the majority of the stadium as he took off Carlos Tevez late in this latest drab stalemate – but all evidence points to the contrary.

The Long Road Home

IRELAND and Liverpool legend John Aldridge believes Robbie Keane must leave Spurs – and says the striker shouldn’t be afraid of dropping down a division to get regular football.

WE have an awful lot of talk every day from the broadcasting stars in RTÉ – Marian Finucane, Pat Kenny, Ryan Tubrity and Joe Duffy – on how we might get the country out of the mess it is in.

ROSSCARBERY – the place where Cork people go to retire. Or to holiday, or to visit for a bracing Sunday walk.

THE National Assets Management Agency, in the first court application of its type, has secured multi-million euro summary judgment orders against three businessmen – Patrick Shovlin and hoteliers Patrick and Anthony Fitzpatrick – over unpaid loans to their companies by Bank of Ireland.

ROBBIE WILLIAMS has revealed he blew his chances with pop siren Kylie Minogue – after he drunkenly laughed at her naked.

PATRICK KIELTY is better known for his work on TV – and for once dating Amanda Byram – but he can also boast an impressive knowledge of the GAA scene despite being domiciled in London.

SO the Catholic community in Ireland has a new champion to save them from the evils of the Roman Church – Ian Paisley.

LIAM SHEEDY has named an unchanged side for this Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling final against Killkenny – and yet one that differs considerably to the corresponding fixture 12 months ago.

BOXING fans have the chance to bid for a rare piece of sporting memorabilia signed by Muhammad Ali – and support GOAL’s work with flood victims in Pakistan.

VANESSA PERRONCEL has given her first TV interview following her alleged affair with ex-England captain John Terry – saying she’d like to get back with former boyfriend Wayne Bridge.

IT is difficult to understand how, in September 2008, less than three days after the country’s two top finance watchdogs – the Central Bank chief John Hurley and financial regulator Patrick Neary – told Government that Ireland’s banks were not facing a debt or cash-flow crisis that a €440 billion deposit guarantee was deemed unavoidable.

‘MY GRANNY doesn’t like you,” the student at the book-signing blurted out.

LADY Gaga is a repulsive image that all people of goodwill should strive to avoid.

A TRIO of guitar greats – Jimmy Page, Duane Eddy and Richard Thompson – scooped honours for their contribution at the Mojo Honours in London.

REAL MADRID president Florentino Perez has no desire to sign “the second best player in the world” – which in his opinion is Barcelona’s Lionel Messi – or Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney this summer.

IN a routine act of Gallic indifference, the French – having mopped up Newmarket’s 2000 Guineas with Makfi – have turned their backs on Epsom in favour of keeping their equine blue bloods at home for Sunday’s equivalent colts’ classic at Chantilly.