A storming first-half helped UCC secure a home quarter-final in the Fitzgibbon Cup, following their seven-point victory over NUIG at the 4G pitch in Páirc Uí Chaoimh yesterday afternoon. Unbeaten after three games, they topped Group A.

NUIG manager Jeff Lynskey was thrilled as the Galway college sent holders UL crashing out of the Fitzgibbon Cup to create a Group A decider against UCC.

UCD were indebted to a brace of late frees from Ronan Hayes as they recued a share of the spoils with NUIG after their entertaining Fitzgibbon Cup Group A encounter at David Billings Park.

Ruth Negga and Colin Farrell lead the way in the Irish nominations for the Golden Globes tonight.

Tipperary 7-12 Galway 2-12

Galway 4-13 Tipperary 1-16: Jeffrey Lynskey was told last December when he interviewed for the position of county minor manager that he would be taking charge of one of the worst Galway teams in recent decades.

Galway 1-14 Limerick 0-13: Galway boss Jeffrey Lynskey is relishing the prospect of locking horns with Kilkenny in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor hurling semi-final on August 16.

When it comes to stories to tell the grandkids some day, you’re not going to trump Conor Niland.

St Kieran’s College (Kilkenny) 0-19 Presentation Athenry (Galway )0-17

Tralee Imperials (Kerry) 49 Oblate Dynamos (Dublin) 58

It’s been quite the week for contrived crises over national identity.

A year ago, on a hot Tuesday afternoon in Flushing Meadows, Queens, two tennis players were embarking on dramatically divergent paths after the best summer of their careers.

Ireland’s number one tennis player, Conor Niland, has today announced his retirement from the professional game with immediate effect due to a persistent hip injury.

2011 saw Conor Niland on the crest of a wave with qualification for Wimbledon and the US Open, however, the reality of daily life on the professional tennis tour can be far from glamorous. Ewan MacKenna reports.

A GARDA sergeant has claimed he has been left blind due to a failure to promptly diagnose a serious infection of the eye linked to wearing contact lenses.

CONOR NILAND’S US Open dream ended in misery last night after he was forced out of the tournament by food poisoning, conceding his first round clash with world number one Novak Djokovic.

Top seed Novak Djokovic barely had to break sweat to make it through the second round of the US Open as Irishman Conor Niland retired through illness while trailing 6-0 5-1 at the Arthur Ashe stadium.

CONOR NILAND says he can’t wait to take to the court for his dream showdown against Novak Djokovic in the first round of the US Open.

CONOR NILAND and Louk Sorenson, Ireland’s top two-ranked tennis stars, last night qualified for the main draw of the US Open after victories in the third qualifying round at Flushing Meadows in New York.

Top Irish player Conor Niland has qualified for the US Open.

Connor Niland made a strong start to his bid to qualify for the main draw of back-to-back grand slams at the US Open today.

IRELAND’S Davis Cup team staged a dramatic escape from relegation to Group Three of the Europe-Africa Zone at David Lloyd Riverview last night.

THE home fans came along to see Wimbledon hero Conor Niland in Davis Cup action and weren’t disappointed.

CONOR NILAND is to devote his focus to Ireland’s Davis Cup clash with Tunisia in Dublin next month in following his Wimbledon heartbreak.

WITH little enough to keep us going at all these days, weeks like the one Rory McIlroy and Conor Niland gave us mean all the more. But even in better times, the life-affirming rallies known as Irish sporting bandwagons have been good to us.

Ireland’s Conor Niland crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round after blowing a 4-1 lead in the deciding set against France’s Adrian Mannarino.

CONOR NILAND is trying to block all thoughts of Roger Federer from his mind as he prepares for his Grand Slam debut on Wimbledon’s grass today.

IRISH ace Conor Niland is set to face a dream clash against Roger Federer if he survives his Wimbledon debut tomorrow.

Irish tennis star Conor Niland has the glittering prize of a potential Wimbledon match-up with Roger Federer if the Irish number one overcomes the tough challenge of France’s Adrian Mannarino in the first round of the Championships which commences tomorrow.

Ireland’s Conor Niland was tonight celebrating reaching the main draw of Wimbledon after a straight-sets win in his final qualifying-round match.

Ireland will have a player in the Men’s Singles Championships at Wimbledon for the first time since 1984 after national number one Conor Niland finally came through the qualifying tournament this afternoon at Roehampton in London.

Conor Niland endured another frustrating day in London today when his quest for Wimbledon qualification was thwarted by heavy rain at Roehampton.

Ireland's No.1 ranked tennis player Conor Niland's fighting spirit was again in evidence in London yesterday when he fought back against the odds to keep his 2011 Wimbledon dream alive.

Irish number 1 Conor Niland came back from the brink of defeat this afternoon in the first round of the Wimbledon qualifying tournament at Roehampton, London.

EOIN REDDAN is proof positive that rugby players can look beyond their own sport, even in a week when all concentration is on Ireland’s bid to continue their challenge for a Triple Crown victory.

THE experience of American veteran Kevin Kim proved the deciding factor as Conor Niland disappointingly crashed out in the first round of qualifying for the Australian Open yesterday.

SLIGO GAA is to plough ahead with plans to build a €3.2 million centre of excellence but may now develop it in stages due to the economic downturn.

IRELAND Davis Cup supremo Sean Sorensen insisted that Conor Niland lacked nothing in determination during his crushing shock singles defeat by Laurynas Grigelis.

IRISH tennis sensation Conor Niland is targeting a spot in the top 100 in the world by the end of 2010.

IRELAND’S Conor Niland yesterday extended his stunning run in the ATP Challenger Israel Open by nailing down a place in the final of the $100,000 outdoor hardcourt event, at Ramat Hasharon.

Ireland will have a player in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time since 1985 after national number one Louk Sorensen qualified for the Australian Open overnight in Melbourne.

IRELAND’S Conor Niland and Louk Sorensen have advanced to the final round of the Australian Open qualifying.