Galway football coach Paddy Tally to set to be named Down manager next week.

This year’s Men’s Open Singles field at the World Handball Championships is so strong that it will be a case of kill or be killed, believes Team Ireland captain Martin Mulkerrins.

Cork Harlequins found national glory out of reach for the second season running as Loreto’s corner efficiency saw the Dubliners come from behind to land the EY Champions Trophy.

Last week was an extraordinary one for Irish sport. The rugby Grand Slam and Rory McIlroy winning in America followed a Cheltenham Festival where the Irish dominated the English in race after race, writes Paul Rouse.

‘Everybody knew Gaybo the length and breadth of the country and beyond’ - Gabriel Howard, a legendary figure in Irish cycling, passed away earlier this month following a farm accident, writes Paul Fitzpatrick

It’s not the job of the Ireland team to sell this Rugby World Cup but Tom Tierney’s side are doing more than anyone to make the wider public, both here and abroad, sit up and take notice of events at Belfield.

Midwife-led care which allows normal labours to take their own course are as safe, and cheaper, than consultant-led care, writes Victoria White.

Paul Fitzpatrick remembers former Westmeath and Castlepollard hurler, Donal Devine who passed away in February.

Paul Fitzpatrick remembers Ryan McBride, Derry City FC footballer and captain and an iconic figure among the Brandywell supporters.

Michael ‘Ducksie’ Walsh was a champion to his fingertips, writes Paul Fitzpatrick

Fifteen private solicitors’ practices received fees in excess of €200,000 last year for carrying out work on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

TARA FLYNN is an actress, comedian, and the author of You’re Grand. She is married to Carl Austin, a writer on Fair City.

TWO BABIES born late last year in Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe have died. Seven families in all have had their babies referred for “brain cooling” because of suspected “apoxia” — lack of oxygen to the brain — during their births at the hospital.

A full day has been set aside to hear the case against racehorse trainer Philip Fenton, who is alleged to have had possession of unlicensed animal medicines, including anabolic steroids, in his yard.

Private solicitors working for the Director of Public Prosecutions were paid almost €6.5m last year.

The case against racehorse trainer Philip Fenton over the alleged possession of banned animal medicines has been put back again until May.

OXYTOCIN. Women’s love drug. The drug associated with her sexual pleasure, with bringing on her labour and bringing down her breast milk.

So often in the last hectic couple of months, first in their run to a first Clare title in 11 years, then again in their win over Midleton in the Munster semi-final last week, Sixmilebridge have got their tactics spot on.

AIB MUNSTER CLUB SHC SEMI-FINAL:

Wolfe Tones na Sionna made it two wins out of two when they defeated St Breckan’s at Corofin in the Clare SFC yesterday.

A GOAL by Colm O’Driscoll two minutes into injury time gave Cork a dramatic victory over Down in a tumultuous Cadbury All-Ireland U-21 football final at Portlaoise yesterday.

A six-year-old permanently brain damaged boy is to receive €4.5 million plus legal costs in settlement of his marathon legal action against the National Maternity Hospital alleging negligence in the management of his birth. The hospital also faces a total legal bill of an estimated €4m.

A six-year-old, permanently brain-damaged boy is to receive €4.5m plus legal costs in settlement of his marathon legal action against the National Maternity Hospital alleging negligence in the management of his birth.

ROBERT HEFFERNAN could get close to a medal if everything goes well at the European Race-Walking Cup in Leamington Spa tomorrow.

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD boy who is seriously mentally and physically disabled due to alleged negligence during his birth at the National Maternity Hospital has begun an action for damages in the High Court.

A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-filled car into a two-vehicle convoy carrying foreigners south of the Afghan capital today, a police official said.

Pakistan’s army spokesman today said the military used intelligence provided by US-led coalition forces in an air raid that left 80 people dead, while thousands of pro-Taliban tribesmen threatened to send suicide bombers to attack Pakistan forces and execute people found spying for the Americans.

Clashes and bombings left up to 34 Taliban fighters and one policeman dead in five separate incidents in central and southern Afghanistan, officials said today.

A massive anti-insurgent operation in southern Afghanistan has “seriously disrupted” the Taliban network operating in the region, the US military said today.

Coalition forces killed 45 insurgents at two camps in southern Afghanistan as they pressed forward with a major anti-Taliban offensive, military officials said today.

An 11,000-strong assault is to be launched on militants in the southern mountains of Afghanistan, the biggest offensive since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

Air strikes on a cave complex near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan tonight killed four Taliban militants and destroyed a truck loaded with rockets, the US military said.

Helicopters fired missiles into Pakistani territory today, wounding three people, and Pakistan opened an investigation into whether US choppers were involved, military officials said.

Steven Spielberg paid tribute to US troops in his new sci-fi epic War of the Worlds by inviting a whole battalion to appear in the film.

SHELL-SHOCKED is the only way to describe Harlequins women’s hockey side at the end of their All-Ireland Club Championship qualifier on Saturday.

Cork-born driver, Donie O’Sullivan and his Kerry co-driver, Paul Nagle (Ford Focus WRC) finished the best of the Irish trio in Rally Catalunya, the penultimate round of the World Rally Championship that was won by Ford ace, Markko Martin.

TWO Ennis businessmen have acquired the Fitzpatrick Bunratty Hotel for an estimated €12 million plus and plan to invest a further €10m to add 39 holiday homes to the complex.

Mount Sion 0-12

Sixmilebridge 2-13 Blackrock 1-15

FITZY, Fitzy!”, the cry going up in the triumphant Sixmilebridge dressing-room, after yesterday’s heart-stopping injury-time win over Blackrock.

Ireland was closed for business this afternoon as the nation watched its football team keep their World Cup dreams alive with a dramatic draw against Germany.

Joseph McGonigle was the star Irish performer in the Winter Cup karting races at Garda in Italy over the weekend.