“ALL or nothing” – that’s how Toulon and England star Jonny Wilkinson is viewing Saturday’s showdown at Thomond Park with Munster after helping his side to a Heineken Cup opening round win against the Ospreys.

THE group that represents former patients of surgeon Michael Shine has expressed fury at the Government’s refusal to publish the result of an investigation into allegations that he abused male patients in his care at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda.

WELL, at least no-one can say it was dull.

THE state-of-the-art stadium is up and running, the world-class manager in situ but behind the fashionable facade remains an Irish side that, like its predecessors, leans heaviest on character and commitment.

FORMER world champions Italy are the latest team to realise you cannot take Northern Ireland lightly.

THIS new Heineken Cup campaign may be starting in October but there is a feeling of spring in the air where Munster are concerned – a sense of renewal, rebirth and resolution.

FINANCIAL Regulator Matthew Elderfield has warned of the need for caution on how we treat bond holders in the banks.

IT WAS billed as the game of the round between two former champions, but this Harty Cup first-round clash at Cahir yesterday never got off the ground, as Thurles CBS eased their way to victory.

ALAN KEANE saved Sligo Rovers blushes with a goal from the penalty spot a minute from time at the Showgrounds last night after substitute Eoin Doyle was brought down in the box.

SEAMUS COLEMAN had one of those ‘pinch me’ moments just hours after joining up with the Republic of Ireland senior squad for the first time on Monday.

GALWAY skipper Michael Meehan has been ruled out of Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier against Wexford and could face several weeks on the sideline.

IT WASN’T quite Total Football but 32 years after losing to Argentina in Buenos Aires and 36 after losing to West Germany in Munich, the Dutch are back in the World Cup final and ready to shake off the shadows of Krol, Cruyff and Neeskens.

KERRY GAA chiefs are adopting a ‘wait and see’ policy before commenting on television coverage of incidents involving defender Tomás O Sé in Sunday’s Munster SFC final as the An Ghaeltacht defender looks set to be the second high-profile Kingdom player to be slapped with a retrospective suspension this summer by the CCCC.

THE victim’s of the state fishery board’s single worst tragedy are to be remembered this weekend.

IT’S first versus second at the top of the Airtricity League tonight (kick-off 8pm) as Saint Patrick’s Athletic visit Shamrock Rovers for another six-pointer Dublin derby.

BACK in 2003, I took the Limerick team I then managed to Killarney for a Munster final replay, the last time the two teams met in Munster championship football at the venue.

IT seemed another comfortable day at the office for his charges, but as usual, Brian Cody wasn’t having any of that old talk.

A SLIGO collapse or a Galway revival? Those are the two theories competing to explain the remarkable turnaround in Pearse Stadium last Sunday afternoon, when a 1-8 to 0-2 interval advantage for Sligo morphed into a 1-10 apiece draw at the final whistle.

IN Joe Bergin’s mind the reason for the paucity of quality in Galway’s first-half performance against Sligo last Sunday is clear.

WITH Derry City already safely installed in the Airtricity League Premier Division, the issue now is who will join them in the top-flight – and who will drop down to make way.