Nurtured in him by his parents, religion has always been part of the right-back’s life.

Rather than feeling bullish about another Dublin cake-walk next month, Denmark manager Åge Hareide is convinced Mick McCarthy will have Ireland better prepared than his predecessor Martin O’Neill.

It became a recurrent theme, on John Delaney visits to 2,000 clubs during his 14 years as FAI chief executive, to conclude by reciting the salutary advice of his mother Joan about always bringing something for his hosts.

2014 and 2016 winners Clontarf proved too strong for defending All-Ireland League champions Lansdowne as they deservedly clinched their place in next Sunday's Division 1A final after a hard-fought 23-15 victory at a windy Castle Avenue.

Cronin has been dropped from the 37-man squad just a week after his first Six Nations start in 68 international appearances.

Johne Murphy is best known on these shores as a Munster rugby player who also had a very successful stint with Leicester in England, having learned the game at Newbridge College, Naas, and Lansdowne.

The return of the Contemporary Craft and Design Fair (Dec 5-9) to the RDS offers the opportunity to procure some edible extras for the stocking at the Christmas Food Emporium with over 100 small speciality food producers displaying their wares.

Richard Harris’s former home could make an outstanding family residence, writes Trish Dromey

Q: So, what’s going on with this UEFA Nations League. Ireland normally play a qualifier or friendly in early September?

This Garinish at Glengarriff Co Cork, is one of four to share the name in the country.

Ireland, ever-present in the tournament since it started in Wales in 2008, will face a baptism of fire this evening when they open their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign against France at Stade Aime Giral.

Lansdowne’s place at the summit of club rugby has continued into awards season.

Ask Philip Orr about his Leinster days and he recalls the confusion.

Mike Ruddock believes a head-to-head between two Corkmen will be pivotal in settling the battle of Lansdowne and Cork Constitution in the Ulster Bank League season finale at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday (3pm).

Cork Constitution’s form in the capital has not been great this season - four losses in six trips - but a repeat of last April’s 19-16 semi-final win at Lansdowne would do nicely when they visit Terenure College this afternoon.

Cork Constitution 12 Lansdowne 32: Cork Constitution relinquished their Bateman Cup title in tame fashion at Temple Hill on Saturday when Lansdowne produced a stunning second-half display of poise and power to take the spoils for the first time in the modern era.

The jetty is a bit shaky and the timbers are rotted in places, but the wooden structure is sound enough to permit visitors to Illaunslea, Kenmare Bay, Co Kerry.

There was a high level of excellence and scoring power on show at Lansdowne yesterday, but Christian Brothers College, Cork also had to work hard to see off the challenge of Ardscoil Rís in the opening round of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup.

Despite a demographic bulge in housing demand, and demand and supply imbalance, house sales dipped in 2017, says Tommy Barker.

Ye Gods, it can’t be true but somehow it is. When Ireland take on Denmark in the World Cup play-off next month, it really will be 25 years (and a couple of weeks) since I was last in the Parken Stadium watching the two nations go head to head, writes Liam Mackey.

Lansdowne 24 Cork Constitution 10: Scott Deasy came back to scupper his former club on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch yesterday as Lansdowne earned a 24-10 win over Ulster Bank League champions Cork Constitution.

Johne Murphy has quickly established his credentials as a coach just two years after signing off on a memorable career that saw him play over 200 top class games for Leicester, Munster, Emerging Ireland and the Wolfhounds.

There’s no better man to lift the gloom in a room than Jon Walters.

Seven years on from their last visit, Manchester United return to Dublin tonight and the decline in form of the former Premier League kingpins hasn’t diminished their support in Ireland.

Here's your morning news bulletin.

The incoming Taoiseach has welcomed plans to ballot public workers on a proposed new pay deal.

Ahead of Ireland’s opening game in the World Rugby U20 Championship against Italy tomorrow at the AIA Arena in Kutaisi, Jack Kelly revealed that being released from his original role of team captain has taken some pressure off his shoulders.

True Grit, tenacity, determination, new players winning through, stalwart players not giving up the ghost and bloody hard work won Munster through a ‘Season like No Other’.

The union representing low-paid civil servants has rejected the Government’s efficiencies “wishlist” outlined in the ongoing pay talks and warns there can be no further productivity deals.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Public sector unions demanding €1.4bn in pay restoration “must be realistic” or risk jeopardising the public finances, Government sources have warned.

It’s a decade since soccer made its Croke Park debut when Ireland faced Wales but the occasion didn’t have the same impact as rugby’s appearances at GAA HQ.

England may be chasing immortality, but David Wallace believes Ireland will be the hungrier team when the pair meet on Saturday.

Cork Constitution 16 Old Belvedere 10: Cork Constitution had to come from behind to secure victory against a brave Old Belvedere outfit in this tightly contested Ulster Bank League Division 1A tussle at Temple Hill on Saturday.

Talks that have led to the deferral of an all-out Bus Éireann strike have given passengers some relief but there is no certainty the dispute can be quickly resolved.

The association which represents ordinary ranks in the Defence Forces has taken a case to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in an attempt to end ‘yellow pack’ pay for privates who enlisted after 2013.

PBC 16, Crescent CC 3: Pres overcame treacherous conditions and a courageous Crescent College Comprehensive to book a Munster Schools Senior Cup semi-final place at wind-swept Lansdowne yesterday.

In one of the biggest shocks for many a year in the competition, an injury-time penalty put holders Christian Brothers College to the sword at Musgrave Park yesterday.

Michael Noonan’s 2017 budget is already on course to break EU rules even before any breaches in the Lansdowne Road public pay agreement are accounted for, the country’s fiscal watchdog has said.

Our public sector unions, despite their repeated claims that their members are more educationally qualified than their private sector comparators, still haven’t grasped that they do not generate the wealth that this country needs to sustain its economy, writes Paul Mills.