They turned out in tens of thousands, some painted in red, white and blue, waving flags and chanting ‘I Believe!’ in city parks, stadiums and sports bars from coast to coast on Tuesday, to watch the USA national soccer team play Belgium in the knockout round of the World Cup.

Wexford footballer Adrian Flynn has apologised for his outburst against referee Anthony Nolan on social media.

Clare hurling boss Davy Fitzgerald has banned Clare Champion journalist Peter O’Connell from attending any future press briefing involving the All-Ireland winning manager.

A heartbroken mother was brought to church in a wheelchair to say a final farewell to her only child who died in a road crash.

Aghada 1-11 St Vincent’s 1-8

Cork chairman Bob Ryan claimed the extra stewarding provided at Sunday’s Munster football final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh was unnecessarily excessive.

It’s hard not to get nostalgic as a Cork person in a week such as this, but it doesn’t necessarily mean getting all romantic either.

Devotees of the traditional championship structure probably woke today with a thumping headache.

The Clare County Board executive refused to respond yesterday to reports that manager Davy Fitzgerald, Clare Champion journalist Peter O’Connell and Davy’s father, board secretary Pat Fitzgerald, were involved in an altercation in the tunnel following Saturday’s pulsating draw with Wexford in the All-Ireland hurling qualifiers.

LEINSTER SHC FINAL:

Just three years after taking up the whistle, Irish referee Helen O’Reilly has made it onto the biggest stage — the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

In sport and in life, everybody wants to be like Eddy Merckx – the outrageously gifted Belgian cyclist whose natural talent and extra-terrestrial strength allowed him to brush aside his rivals with contemptuous ease.

Clare 1-28 Cork 1-13

Mayo chairman Paddy McNicholas has hit out at the comments of the Cork management labelling the westerners as "good at tactical fouling" and "extremely streetwise".

New Zealand 14 Ireland 17

Referees are above and beyond any pre-match attempts by managers or selectors to influence them, according to Feargal McGill, the GAA’s director of games administration and player welfare.

RORY McILROY may be the hottest golfer in the world right now but he is refusing to buy into the hype that he is a sure thing to win this week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Dublin 2-14 Cork 1-13

By day’s end, football delivered the first pair of All-Ireland semi-finalists most believed would fetch up at headquarters in three weeks’ time.

Europe correspondent, Ann Cahill, delivers her weekly briefing on Euro affairs from the European Parliament.