Arsenal 3 Manchester United 0: Pundits who said Arsenal are in crisis and Manchester United have the best defence in England should be feeling fairly foolish today. Arsene Wenger’s side ran Louis van Gaal’s men ragged with three early goals in a wholly one-sided match and replaced them in second place in the embryonic Premier League table.

Australia was on the drift for the Investec Derby with Paddy Power yesterday but the favourite’s jockey, Joseph O’Brien, remains excited about his prospects.

Cavan boss Terry Hyland fears emotive phrases like ‘choke tackling’ will force referees to dish out more cards.

Like any rugby player, Stephen Archer just wants to play games. So after a personally disappointing Ireland camp, the Munster prop is delighted to be back in his province and eager to prove detractors wrong.

What is it about the overhead kick that still has the ability to turn football fans of all persuasions into a blithering wreck and lose all sight of common sense?

After Sunday’s deflating defeat, Irish fans might see a victory over Euro 2012 favourites Spain in tomorrow’s Group C clash as unlikely, but La Roja midfielder Sergio Busquets said yesterday that he and his team-mates were prepared for a difficult game.

IN most walks of life, being a native English speaker is a great advantage.

It could take more than a week to learn who will govern Australia after a cliffhanger election – the closest in nearly 50 years – and the winner may have to woo the support of a handful of independent lawmakers in order to assume power.

Cork coach Conor Counihan has admitted the side he names tonight for Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final may not be the 15 that lines up in Croke Park against Pat Gilroy’s Dublin.

GETTING up at 3.50am to present the early Newstalk radio show means my body clock doesn’t understand bank holiday weekends.

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern demanded a rematch today after a blatant handball put France into the football World Cup finals.

THIS looks the easiest of the 10 Cork County Council electoral areas to predict, especially as it’s only a three-seater – and the three outgoing councillors are firm favourites to be returned.

Euro 2008 is kicking off this afternoon, with co-hosts Switzerland up against the Czech Republic at 5pm.

THERE's no easy way to tell a player he's not playing in an All-Ireland semi-final. "It's the least palatable part of the job," Kerry coach Jack O'Connor said yesterday.

TELEVISION chiefs have announced their delight at regaining “iconic” EastEnders tough guy Ross Kemp as they try to recapture millions of lost viewers.

President George Bush is signing into law the largest overhaul of US intelligence gathering in 50 years, hoping to improve the spy network that failed to prevent the September 11 attacks.

Pundits who have predicted the SDLP’s decline in the North's Assembly election will have to revise their opinion, its leader Mark Durkan insisted today.

AMIDST all the recent and highly justified hoopla about All-Ireland finals and Ryder Cups, world titles won in rowing and showjumping, one continuing heroic Irish performance is lost.