We examine five of the main talking points from day three of the Cheltenham Festival.

If you want an engagement ring to rival those of Natalie Portman’s and Reese Witherspoon’s, there’s one about to go under the hammer in Ireland.

Owner Graham Wylie is looking forward to seeing Nichols Canyon step back up in trip in next month’s Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle.

Solar Impulse bounced back to form when springing a 28-1 surprise in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup at Cheltenham.

Although plenty of punters who got their fingers burnt on Blazer in last weekend’s Betfair Hurdle, at Newbury, it is far too soon to write off the beaten favourite.

The programme for the Cheltenham Festival is such, the first two days are those which will seal the fate of almost every punter, dictating whether or not it will be a profitable week.

Newcastle-based businessman Graham Wylie, and his wife Andrea, are living the dream and surely grateful for the day they decided to have horses in training with Willie Mullins.

They’ve been like ships passing in the night this year, but Colin Walshe hopes he and Drew Wylie can soon resume their formidable partnership in Monaghan’s fullback line.

GAA director general Páraic Duffy has allayed fears the Páirc Uí Chaoimh redevelopment project could be in difficulty.

A woman said to have helped two murderers escape from a maximum-security prison by giving them hacksaw blades, chisels, and other tools has made another court appearance as a manhunt in New York state continues.

The two killers who cut their way out of a maximum-security US prison apparently used tools stored there by contractors before returning them to their toolboxes after each night’s work, a prosecutor said.

Residents in rural New York, unaccustomed to locking their doors, day or night, were on edge as the manhunt for two killers who cut themselves free from a maximum-security prison with power tools stretched into a ninth day yesterday.

A worker at a maximum security prison in New York state has been charged with helping two killers escape.

Cavan chairman Gerry Brady has revealed their senior football management will speak to players about avoiding verbals ahead of Sunday’s Ulster quarter-final derby with Monaghan.

DUBLIN 0-17 MONAGHAN 0-16: It took a while, but the Allianz Football League semi-finals finally flickered to life with less than 15 minutes to play in the second contest, thanks to Monaghan’s late and unexpected surge for a place in the decider.

The gulf in class between the top flight and the rest of the divisions has perhaps never been as wide as this year. So who exactly have been a class apart in the league of its own?

Allianz FL Division 1 

Monaghan 1-11 Kerry 0-10

Willie Mullins admits Nichols Canyon puts him in mind of stable star Hurricane Fly as he bids to give the trainer a fourth Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle win in the last 10 years at Cheltenham today.

Mayo claimed a fully merited second win of the current Allianz Football League Division 1 campaign against 13 men Monaghan at Elverys McHale Park this afternoon.

The Ulster Council have been defended for their handling of the recent sectarian abuse case — but the punishment as per rule was inadequate, says GAA president Liam O’Neill.

Monaghan 2-16 Kildare 2-14 (aet)

By Peter O’Dwyer

Monaghan 1-12 Tyrone 0-14

Monaghan 0-13 Galway 0-12

Willie Mullins bagged a four-timer at Fairyhouse on Saturday and in the process threw punters a potential curveball as he suggested On His Own could have improved enough to swerve the Crabbie’s Grand National and go to Punchestown after landing the At The Races Bobbyjo Chase.

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh will be reunited when Tidal Bay tackles the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Boom goes the cloak of invincibility! Or was it more like a whimper?

Monaghan 1-10 Cavan 0-12

Waterford veteran Tony Browne is hopeful of playing his first county hurling of the year in Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC qualifier clash with Westmeath in Cusack Park (5pm).

Antrim 0-06 Monaghan 0-11

Monaghan 2-16 Meath 3-08

Monaghan 2-16 Meath 3-8

Navan on Tuesday and Punchestown on Wednesday provided valuable lessons for any punters who thought they had this game cracked.

Leading John Smith’s Grand National contender Tidal Bay has suffered a “tiny stress fracture” and will not run at Aintree on April 6.

An Armagh couple are under police investigation after the regulator found significant financial abuse of six vulnerable adults in care.

Down 0-13 Monaghan 1-12

Owner Graham Wylie has confirmed John Smith’s Grand National gamble On His Own is set for an imminent return to action.

Owner Graham Wylie insists Tidal Bay will not run in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup in March if “the ground is good or faster”.

A child star of one of RTÉ’s earliest and most popular TV shows has been traced after rare footage was found after half a century.