Rap songs, didgeridoos, samba groups, and Eastern European instruments are turning the Leaving Certificate music into an Ireland’s Got Talent showcase.

The fall-out from Lance Armstrong’s expected doping confession is already being considered as the world awaits the broadcast of the disgraced cyclist’s interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Disgraced US cyclist Lance Armstrong last night apologised to the staff at his Livestrong foundation before heading to an interview in a Texan hotel with Oprah Winfrey.

St Declan’s made it a memorable year for Waterford schools hurling with victory in the Munster SCHC decider in Tipperary on Saturday.

Spanish boss Vicente Del Bosque was his typical modest self after his side had steamrolled Italy 4-0 to win Euro 2012 in Kiev last night.

THE first numbers were last night finally called at the 1,000-seater Cork bingo hall raided by gardaí on Tuesday evening just 30 minutes before it was due to open.

WORLD referees boss Paddy O’Brien is confident there’ll be no video howlers at the Rugby World Cup after firing off a memo instructing match officials to stay within IRB guidelines when calling on the man upstairs for a ruling.

LIMERICK referee George Clancy will take charge of the opening game of this year’s Rugby World Cup.

MANCHESTER UNITED captain Rio Ferdinand believes their Champions League quarter-final with Chelsea is in the balance despite the Red Devils’ 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge last night.

The world of traditional music is opening up to hundreds of Cork children who are getting in tune with flutes, banjos and concertinas.

DERRY CITY went top in Terryland Park last night as Galway United set a league record for consecutive defeats, last night’s loss being the 19th league game on the trot in which they have tasted defeat.

CORK boss Denis Walsh insisted it was “embarrassing” that people had completely written off his team’s chances before yesterday’s game.

CRÍOST RÍ manager Aidan Moynihan was elated at the final whistle of yesterday’s Corn Uí Mhuirí decider after overseeing his charges claim the school’s 16th title in the competition.

THE Competition Authority last year received 31 allegations of organisations trying to forge illegal cartels, according to the authority’s annual report. A cartel is an illegal agreement between two or more competitors not to compete with each other.

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger and midfielder Samir Nasri are likely to face bans after being charged by UEFA for comments made to referee Massimo Busacca at the end of Tuesday’s Champions League defeat to Barcelona — and there could be more charges for the club’s media comments after the game.

MARTIN JOHNSON tackled the reality of top-flight rugby after his England side made hard work of defeating Samoa at Twickenh am on Saturday.

GRAFT-BUSTING “Massage Parlour King” Chuwit Kamolvisit must be the only candidate in Thailand’s election who wants to be in opposition — and prefers being labelled a pimp rather than a politician.

ROY KEANE has lost patience with his Ipswich team and has vowed that some of the players involved in the 2-0 defeat at West Brom on Saturday will never play for him again.

A TRAIN ploughed into a group of youngsters taking a shortcut to a Spanish beach party, killing at least 12 of them.

FORMER intercounty referee Willie Barrett abandoned a club hurling match in Tipperary on Saturday after he was struck twice by a ‘supporter’ wielding a hurley.