THE Irish recession has made it very difficult for GAA players to commit to the International Rules series, according to former Kerry footballer Tadhg Kennelly.

AUSTRALIA coach Rodney Eade has claimed that Gaelic football has stood still in the past century and hopes the tactical developments made in the AFL in recent years will give his side a distinct advantage over Ireland in the International Rules series.

THE glamour clash with Setanta Ó hAilpín may not have materialised but Tadhg Kennelly still made the most of his trip to Melbourne as Sydney solidified their play-off position with a comfortable victory over Carlton.

THE AFL has confirmed that Mick Malthouse will remain as manager of the Australian International Rules side that tours Ireland in October, despite being disciplined for a “highly offensive” exchange of words with an opposition player.

Irish sailors Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne have failed to progress to the medal race in the Star class competition at the Olympics.

It was an exciting day in Qingdao where Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne produced another top ten result in the Star class to place 8th in their first race of the day.

The two races scheduled today for the Irish team of Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne in the star class have been rescheduled for tomorrow.

IT IS now up to Cork’s Peter O’Leary and Stephen Milne to rescue Ireland’s chances of a memorable result from this Olympic regatta, but the Star class pair have some work on their hands in a white hot fleet after sailing to two 13th places, their worst scores so far, yesterday.

Dublin sailor Ciara Peelo has been eliminated from the Laser Radial class at the Beijing Olympics today.

AFTER a demanding day on the waters of Qingdao’s Fushan Bay yesterday in the most wind they had sailed in since they dropped their mast disastrously during the Star Worlds, Peter O’Leary and Stephen Milne lie in 11th place overall in the Star class.

It was another long day on the water for the remaining Irish sailors with just one race completed in both the Star and Laser Radial classes.

Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne finished 12th in Race 2 and 7th in Race 3 in the Star class today to lie in 9th place overall in the 10-race opening series in Beijing today.

Ireland’s Olympic sailing team of Ger Owens and Phillip Lawton have finished 15th in Race 8 in the 470 class today.

Tim Goodbody took 15th in Race 8 in the Finn class to place 21st overall in the 2008 Olympics sailing regatta today.

Irish cyclist David O'Loughlin has failed to qualify for the next stage of the men's individual pursuit.

WHILE Britain’s dominant Olympic sailors marched to lead two of the three classes which have started racing on Fushan Bay off Qingdao, Ireland’s Finn sailor Tim Goodbody lies in 18th place overall after four races.

THE Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) have set up a special tribunal to hear appeals resulting from the nomination of Star Class sailors Peter O'Leary and Stephen Milne by the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) for the Beijing Games.

THE Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) is not prepared to consider the selection of Star class sailors Peter O’Leary and Stephen Milne for this year’s Games pending the outcome of an appeal against their nomination lodged by Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks.

Awesome Australia set their stall out for Sunday's International Rules opener against Ireland with an 81 point drubbing of Dublin at Parnell Park tonight.

The Australian Football League has announced the Australian squad for next month's international rules tour of Ireland.