The Irish women’s 4x400m relay team got a timely boost on the eve of the European championships when they dominated the women’s 400m in Nivelles, Belgium, at the weekend.

Irish record holders Deirdre Ryan and Derval O’Rourke will not compete in the European Track and Field Championships in Helsinki at the end of the month.

IRELAND coach Philip Doyle has named a 31 strong squad for the RBS Women’s 6 Nations Championship.

JOANNE CUDDIHY was in distinguished company at the world championships in Daegu yesterday when she false-started in her semi-final of the women’s 400m less than an hour before reigning Olympic and world champion, Usain Bolt, made a similar exit from the men’s 100m final.

GOLF seems to be simple for Simon Thornton as he has put together back-to-back rounds of 66 to take the halfway lead in the 101st PGA Irish Region Championship, at Seapoint.

UCD won the blue riband senior eight race at the Irish Rowing Championships at Inniscarra on Saturday and denied NUIG/Gráinne Mhaol a third consecutive title.

The High Court is to send a letter asking its counterpart in the North for recognition of the court protection granted to Aer Arann last week.

THE stars turned up and performed and the others all exceeded what was expected of them as Ireland not only retained First League status but reinforced their position in the table at the European Team Championships in Budapest over the weekend.

Operations are resuming at airports around Ireland after the Irish Aviation Authority closed Irish airspace for six hours this morning after the volcanic ash cloud drifted over the country again.

The IAA has cleared Irish airports to open for full operations from 1pm today, it has been announced.

JASON SMYTH yesterday became the first Irish Paralympic athlete to qualify for a major able-bodied championship.

Portstewart's Paul Cutler gave his Walker Cup hopes a boost when he captured the East of Ireland Amateur Championship at Baltray.

Portstewart's Paul Cutler and Portmarnock’s James Fox fired three-under-par 69s to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at fast-running Baltray.

THE Malév summer timetable features three new cities and additional services on established routes.

Lucan's Richard O'Donovan recorded a fine opening round of 70 to lead after day one of the Irish Boys Amateur Close Championship at Portumna Golf Club.

LOCATED on the Atlantic seaboard in the extreme north-west, Donegal Airport is the country’s most remote regional airport with the smallest catchment area of any in the state.

Aer Arann has launched a new City of Derry to Dublin route, to operate seven days a week, twice a day.

ETIHAD Airways has given the Irish long haul market another boost by deciding to increase its service from Dublin to Abu Dhabi to a daily operation, just months after introducing Dublin to its route network.

Following their 23-0 victory over Italy in their last outing, the Ireland U-19 coaching staff has today announced the team to play France in their second and final international of the season.

England’s Jonathan Hurst has set his sights on the West of Ireland Amateur Open title after a level-par 71 gave him the first round lead at wind-blown Rosses Point today.

THIS weekend 48 AIB League teams will kick-off the new club season but issues away from the pitch continue to overshadow events on it.

Flights to and from the City of Derry Airport have been suspended because of safety fears.

Leading qualifier Tara Delaney cruised into the last 16 of the Lancôme Irish Ladies Close Championship with a 3 and 1 win over Charlotte Crowe at Lahinch today.

Galway's Sinead O’Sullivan hit a brilliant level-par 74 today to lead the Lancôme Irish Ladies’ Close Championship after the first qualifying round at windswept Lahinch.

Former Shamrock Rovers striker Stephen Grant fired a sensational course record 64 in the first round of the Radisson SAS sponsored West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point.

Terenure College 23 Dungannon 12

Despite the heavy rain, three players, Quentin Carew (Edenderry), Iarlaith Keane (Malahide) and Steffan O’Hara (Co. Sligo) share the lead on one over par 72 following the first round of the inaugural Irish Boys Under 15 Open 36 holes at Balbriggan Golf Club.

Today's scores from the Nissan Irish Boys Amateur Close Championship.

Leinster look to defend their Ladies Interprovincial title when the three-day tournament starts at Headfort Golf Club, Kells, Co Meath, on August 2-4.

DAVID GILLICK will go to the European championships in Gothenburg in two weeks’ time oozing confidence after his performance at the Woodies DIY national track and field championships in Morton Stadium yesterday.

Warrenpoint senior international and former professional Jim Carvill was put out of the North of Ireland Championship in the second round by Ballymena scratch handicapper Alex McCoy at Royal Portrush today.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy is still on course for the Radisson SAS West of Ireland title at Rosses Point after producing a stellar performance to beat Scrabo’s Ryan Boal with a birdie at the 20th in the first round.

Teen idol Rory McIlroy cruised into the matchplay stages of the Radisson SAS West of Ireland Amateur Open championship at Rosses Point.

England's David Horsey fired a four under par 67 on his 21st birthday to grab the first-round lead in strokeplay qualifying for the Radisson SAS West of Ireland Championship.

A BLUNDERING pilot was last night facing the sack after landing his passenger jet in a military airfield by mistake.

A pilot was questioned today after he landed his passenger jet in a military airbase by mistake.

DIVISION ONE:

Another three air routes from Belfast open today with two more tomorrow.

EIGHT sportspeople have been named in the Athletics Ireland’s World Class Panel, a key component of the Association’s new Performance Plan.

The Irish Amateur Close Championship at Westport Golf Club

The number of passengers using Northern Ireland’s airports has more than doubled since 1990, it emerged today.

The team's for this weekend's AIL games have been announced.

There are two new caps on the team selected to represent Ireland in the men’s Home Internationals from 8th-10th September at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.

The first and second round of matchplay took place in the Magners North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Royal Portrush.