Barcelona defender Eric Abidal is recovering well after undergoing a liver transplant on Tuesday, club president Sandro Rosell has said.

Borussia Dortmund moved a step closer to a successful defence of their Bundesliga title thanks to a win over their nearest rivals, Bayern Munich, last night.

They may be meeting for the first time this season but there is plenty of familiarity between Cork and Kerry ahead of tonight’s provincial showdown in Austin Stack Park.

Falling in love with the game. Falling out of love with the game. And now, after years of thinking his chance had passed him by, the opportunity to represent his country at the European Championship finals. West Brom and Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews tells his story

Douglas, Cork €267,500

THE other day, Cheryl Cole had a lovely dream.

When Fernando Torres’ goal hit the net, I literally held my head in my hands in stunned and silent disbelief before going absolutely mental, joyous screaming and punching the air with utter abandonment.

AT the end of a beautiful West Cork peninsula, a simple plaque marks the site of a former industrial school that housed inmates known locally as ‘blue legs.’

The team selection against Arsenal demonstrated once and for all (had confirmation been necessary) where the priority for this season lies. Eight changes from the team that faced Barcelona had me fearing the worst but we managed to nullify the threat of Van Persie and without him on song, Arsenal have very little else to offer — the one-man team label looks more than accurate.

The provincial spotlight is set to remain firmly focused on Leinster and Ulster this week as Munster are at least a week away from announcing who will fill the hot seat on Tony McGahan’s departure at the end of the season.

Kilkenny progressed with their customary assurance yesterday at Semple Stadium but received an adequately stern examination from Clare to earn their right to a spot in the final.

After Borussia Dortmund won the league title last season, their coach Jurgen Klopp was determined that nobody should get carried away.

Baby Sergio O’Connor, a twin with an award-winning smile, will travel to Boston with his parents on Monday for a life-changing operation.

When he died 100 years ago today, the Irish writer had not received due recognition for creating our favourite vampire, says Robert Hume

Antolin Alcaraz headed a late winner as Wigan condemned Blackburn to relegation and ensured their own Premier League survival last night.

Joey Barton is facing the threat of a 10-match ban — or even longer — after the Football Association charged him with two acts of violent conduct following his sending off in QPR’s defeat by Manchester City.

Bonfires lined the roads and hundreds of cheering supporters turned out to greet the victory cavalcade of a rural drama group which has won first prize in a prestigious national competition.

After denying Cork five Bord Gáis Energy Division 1 titles in-a-row, the Monaghan focus immediately switched to summer football.

For the second successive year O’Donovan Rossa surmounted a West Cork challenge in the opening round of the SFC when they defeated Dohenys in Clonakilty on Saturday night.

Two injury-time goals, the second from Sergio Aguero after 93 minutes, brought City a 3-2 victory over QPR, in the most astonishing circumstances at the Etihad Stadium last night.