On a recent trip to New Zealand former Cork player Conor McCarthy got up close with some of the country’s best rugby players and coaches. So how does the GAA compare...?

A few years ago, I was captivated by all I could find about the Lance Armstrong controversy.

Nick Hornby said it best in Fever Pitch when he suggested that the natural state of the football fan is one of bitter disappointment, no matter what the score. Sitting in the Estadio Riazor last Sunday evening as more than 33,000 Deportivo La Coruña supporters shuffled out glumly onto the sun-speckled streets on the back of a 2-0 win over Levante spoke painfully for that.

Sunderland midfielder Seb Larsson hopes the Wearside club can move on to better things next season after the club secured their Premier League survival on Wednesday night.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has predicted that the Carlow- Kilkenny byelection will be decided on transfers.

The composure of Cork goalkeeper Martina O’Brien is a rare gift.

The news that Jack Grealish is to be a character’s name in the next outing by thriller writer and Aston Villa fan Lee Child added an appropriately dramatic twist to the week’s spiciest narrative.

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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard hopes he can keep his emotions in check when he bids farewell to Anfield tomorrow night. (Sat)

Spent five days in Donegal last week. Ahead of covering their clash with Tyrone in Ballybofey, it was an opportune time to take in the so-called Forgotten County although it’s Donegal’s understanding of what a kilometre is that’s just as much in need of refreshing.

On the face of it, Fianna Fáil and Renua Ireland have little in common.

UCC 0 Dundalk 5: EA Sports Cup champions Dundalk strolled into the semi-finals of this season’s competition as they dismantled the Munster Senior League’s UCC with the minimum of fuss at The Mardyke last night.

Theo Walcott insists Arsenal will have “no excuse” if they do not mount a serious title challenge next year.

Lionel Messi’s goal was enough for Barcelona to beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 and clinch the La Liga title for the Catalan club.

Ballyhea 1-19 Blackrock 0-11: A great day for Ballyhea yesterday in Fermoy, as the men in black and white enjoyed a comprehensive win over Blackrock in this first round Cork county senior hurling championship game.

Donegal 1-13 Tyrone 1-10: It wasn’t fitting that Donegal won nor was it that Tyrone lost. But there was no denying the appropriateness of Michael Murphy scoring the last three points of the game after enduring a dog of an afternoon.

Carbery Rangers 1-7 Clyda Rovers 0-8: An opportunist 45th minute goal by Declan Hayes proved the decisive score in this sterile and disappointing Cork SFC second round tie at Coachford yesterday.

All 20 of the most borrowed books were titles aimed at children with the Harry Potter series still proving hugely popular.

Another afternoon of liquid wristwork and fluid movement from Tipperary yesterday put Waterford to the sword with commendable economy.

After a bevy of provincial underage success, classy Cavan showed signs they might be coming of age at senior level as they cruised into the semi-finals of the Ulster SFC semi-final after a dour derby duel at Kingspan Breffni.