The heartache continues. This is six semi-final defeats in European competition since Paul O’Connell lifted the Heineken Cup in Cardiff ten years ago, writes Donal Lenihan.

The announcement of Arsene Wenger’s imminent departure from Arsenal may have come as a surprise/shock/relief/inevitability – dilute according to taste – but I don’t mind saying that it came as a personal hammer blow to me, writes Liam Mackey.

Over the last while, I’ve been listening to Alan O’Mara’s excellent podcast ‘Real Talks’.

As has been their habit since the innocent summer of 2011, the Mayo football team hasn’t been short of takers lining up to bury and praise them in recent days.

The sounds of the Indian stringed sarod and strains of the uilleann pipes and harp can be heard together in Co Cork next Sunday in an innovative international collaboration.

France 0 Denmark 0

Nigeria 1 Argentina 2

Cavan 1-14 Down 0-15

THE problem for the Cork footballers and those burdened with making the repayments on Páirc Uí Chaoimh was not the sight of thousands streaming out before the end of Saturday’s lopsided Munster final. It was the percentage of them who won’t be back.

Donegal 2-18 Fermanagh 0-12

Waterford 0-9 Monaghan 5-21

“Wouldn’t it be great if it was like this all the time?”

Why is it always about him?

The Anyone-But-England brigade will be up bright and early tomorrow, whistling a merry tune and flexing the brims of their Panama hats.

On this occasion the picture was worth a thousand words. The Waterford footballers, legs dangling over the quayside in Dungarvan, are chatting away together and the image captures that sense of fulfilment which comes after a championship win.

‘WHAT are you giving up for Lent?’ Surely this is one of the top five questions asked in Ireland during the first week of Lent and rarely spoken about in the weeks after as one by one we succumb to temptation.

Jonny May has revealed that the recent bite to training has forced the intervention of coaches, as England look to relaunch their NatWest 6 Nations title defence.

Lionel Messi confirmed his status as LaLiga’s most influential player as his superb free kick saw Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 yesterday to open up an eight-point gap at the top of the table.

When Arsenal lost 3-0 at home to the best team in England, four days after losing in the Carabao Cup final, there were some onlookers who described it as rock bottom. Now that statement is looking both over-ambitious and lacking in foresight.