Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton is expected to avoid a suspension today when he attends a Football Association hearing into his shorts-dropping antics.

Joey Barton has admitted a charge of improper conduct for dropping his shorts in front of Everton supporters.

Wycombe striker Jermaine Easter admitted he had expected Charlton to put up more of a fight after knocking the Barclays Premiership side out of the Carling Cup last night.

Charlton’s season went from bad to worse tonight as the Barclays Premiership strugglers crashed out of the Carling Cup against Wycombe, who booked a deserved place in the semi-finals.

Newcastle 2 Watford 1

Offaly 2-12 Laois 0-08

Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock will have to watch the Blades’ first two matches back in the Barclays Premiership from the stands after being hit with a touchline ban.

Waterford 2-23 Galway 2-13

Mohamed Bin Hammam has claimed the cash given to members of the Caribbean Football Union during his campaign for the FIFA presidency was simply payment to cover their expenses as he launched a stinging attack on the governing body for his life ban.

Limerick 1-18 Wexford 1-17

Australia coach Robbie Deans believes his side’s improved scrummaging will stand them in good stead ahead of Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup-Tri Nations match with New Zealand at Eden Park.

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is to undergo a scan tomorrow which could determine whether he misses England's friendly with Holland next week.

Struggling with a hamstring strain, Michael Murphy had little impact on last night's All-Ireland SFC quarter-final until he sparked Donegal's extra-time comeback.

Michael Phelps claimed his second individual gold medal at the World Championships as he retained his 100 metres butterfly crown in Shanghai.

Donegal 1-11 Derry 0-8

Darren Clarke, as proud as anyone about what is already a golden era for Irish golf, has the chance this weekend to add another chapter to the remarkable story.

Amateur Tom Lewis and joint overnight leader Thomas Bjorn lost their magic today and threw the 140th Open Championship at Sandwich wide open.

Darren Clarke, happy again and engaged to be married, continued the remarkable Irish golfing story of recent years with a second successive 68 in The Open at Sandwich today.

Vorskla Poltava 0 Sligo Rovers 0

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has today published a new Bill aimed at giving the Central Bank a range of new powers and revising existing ones.