Lionel Messi’s goal was enough for Barcelona to beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 and clinch the La Liga title for the Catalan club.

Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday saw the Catalan side take a huge step towards claiming the La Liga title with a seventh consecutive clean sheet another cause of celebration.

Whatever Dominic Ryan’s personal fortunes regarding a place in Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations squad, the Leinster and Irish Wolfhounds back-rower was clear there would be plenty to work on ahead of Saturday’s championship opener in Italy.

Louis van Gaal has been telling Manchester United’s players to think of beating Stoke while they are in bed.

The Liam Burke-trained newcomer Nambour lit up yesterday’s well attended but bitterly cold Kanturk-Duhallow point-to-point meeting at Dromahane by destroying the opposition in the second division of the four-year-old geldings’ maiden.

Shamrock Rovers 0 Dundalk 1

Manchester City bounced back from their mauling against Chelsea to book a place in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has today insisted that England striker Michael Owen is happy on Tyneside.

Aberdeen 0 Celtic 1

Alan Kerins banged in four goals as Galway got their All-Ireland SHC qualifier campaign off to a thrilling start in Portlaoise.

Australia coach Guus Hiddink described his team as ’lion-hearts’ after they twice came from a goal down to draw 2-2 with Croatia and qualify for the second round of the World Cup.

Nepalese police opened fire today as thousands of protesters marched toward the capital Kathmandu in defiance of a government-imposed curfew, killing at least three people and wounding dozens more.

Sevilla set up a date with Middlesbrough in Eindhoven next month in the final of the UEFA Cup after beating Schalke 1-0 in extra time at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.

Birmingham 0 Newcastle 0

Middlesbrough 1 Newcastle 0

Ajax 0 Manchester United 1

Transexual housemate Sam was evicted from the Big Brother house tonight making way for a new golden housemate.

Over 40,000 women took to the sun-laden streets of Dublin today some in search of glory and others for a hard-earned buck for their favourite charity.

Stunned goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar admits Manchester United have let Chelsea back into the race for the Barclays Premiership title.

John Wells insists England’s rookie pack “know what is coming” when they stand toe to toe with a juggernaut South Africa eight in Bloemfontein tomorrow.