Cricket stars from around the world joined relatives and friends to celebrate the life of Phillip Hughes amid the grief and sorrow still evident from his death.

The cricket world is in shock today following the death of Phillip Hughes, at the age of 25.

Australian batsman Phillip Hughes has died from the injuries sustained when he was hit by a ball in a domestic game earlier this week.

Australia batsman Phil Hughes remained in an induced coma and critical condition last night after being felled by a ‘bouncer’ at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday.

“It’s very… American, isn’t it?” Baseball is a cornerstone of Americana that has helped me get past that attitude.

Minister Jimmy Deenihan will travel to Sydney, Australia to lead the ceremonies for the 2013 International Commemoration of the Great Irish Famine.

Graeme Swann believes the Old Trafford pitch will not offer too many surprises for the remainder of the third Investec Test.

The Ashes doesn’t just ask that you set one five-day or two-week stint aside, it demands you ring-fence just under seven weeks of your life.

Ireland were denied a historic win, as former Limavady professional Kamran Akmal blasted Pakistan to a two-wicket victory in the second RSA one-day international at Clontarf yesterday.

THE green and gold malaise that was the story of the Championship weekend wasn’t merely limited to the borders of the Kingdom.

WHILE Championship football can be the most unforgiving of sporting arenas — just ask Joe Kernan this morning — Australian Rules isn’t too far behind its northern hemisphere cousin.

AUSSIE RULES club Collingwood are continuing with plans to face the Dublin footballers in a Compromise Rules clash later this year despite the renaissance of the International Rules Series.

Nathan Bracken’s five-wicket haul inspired Australia to a comfortable 128-run victory over an out-of-sorts Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

It would once have seemed an unlikely friendship, given their prowess in different sports and their counties' neighbourly rivalry, but Cork's Setanta Ó hAilpín and Kerryman Tadhg Kennelly are now professional footballers and firm friends.

UNDERFIRE coach Duncan Fletcher has admitted he made selection blunders in choosing the England team for the disastrous Ashes series against Australia.

Setanta Ó Hailpín made his second senior appearance for AFL Premiership club Carlton at the Telstra Dome today, but he failed to make an impression in the Blues' 100-68 defeat to Hawthorn.

IRELAND’S Tadhg Kennelly has been ruled out of Sydney Swan’s AFL opener against Brisbane Lions.

STEVE WAUGH has insisted there was no sadness in his heart as he stepped onto the Sydney Cricket Ground for the final Test of his career.

England’s players have remained united in their support for their employers over the past few weeks – but individual minds have wavered on the morality of playing in Zimbabwe.

Myles Hodgson