Southampton 2 Newcastle 0

Waterford hurling selector Nicky Cashin has stepped down for “personal reasons”, with Déise legend Ken McGrath widely tipped to join manager Michael Ryan’s backroom team as a replacement.

Striker Nikica Jelavic helped to book Everton an FA Cup semi-final date at Wembley with arch-rivals Liverpool as Sunderland’s dreams turned to dust last night.

It was a case of job done for Jack O’Connor yesterday in Thurles with victory over Tipperary and a spot in the Munster semi-final in Cork secured.

An extra-time tally of five points proved just enough for Charleville to claim a 0-20 to 0-19 victory over Éire Óg in this enthralling Cork IHC at Mallow.

As the rain began to soak the grounds of the University of Limerick yesterday afternoon, an 82-year-old professor was running around the college grounds on his 43rd marathon.

Pat Smullen will ride Born To Sea in Saturday’s Abu Dhabi Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh, with the colt sporting a first-time hood.

WE always blame childhood.

LIVERPOOL defender Jose Enrique insists there will be no excuses from the players as they prepare for a quick turnaround for a Carling Cup quarter-final at Chelsea.

NEWCASTLE boss Alan Pardew hailed the men asked to plug the gap left by Andy Carroll after seeing Demba Ba plunder a hat-trick against Blackburn on Saturday.

AUSTRALIA captain James Horwill says his side can improve after opening their World Cup campaign with a 32-6 win over Italy at North Harbour Stadium.

GREEN or red, the colour doesn’t matter. Colm Cooper just loves the sight of those Mayo jerseys.

IT WAS a bad weekend for the 2010 county finalists as both O’Loughlin Gaels and Carrickshock suffered defeat in the fourth round of the Kilkenny senior hurling league.

LIGHTS. Camera. Action.

Derrytresk will be without seven players for Sunday’s All-Ireland Club JFC final following a mammoth disciplinary hearing at Croke Park.

YOU gave it a pet name. It knows more about you than your mother does. Sometimes you even sleep with it. In fact, you’re so attached to it that being separated for only a few minutes could send you into a panic.

HE’S been there too long to take anything for granted.

A SIT-IN over pay by staff at the Dublin nursing home shut down in the wake of serious abuse allegations this month ended last night after the employers agreed to pay them their full entitlements.

CLARE secured their first brace of league points when they crushed Kilkenny in Saturday’s Allianz NFL Division Four tie at Miltown Malbay.