Suddenly the Carrickshock supporters took to singing.

Arthur Gaskin won his fifth Irish Senior squash title last weekend. The 32-year-old from Co Carlow has lived and trained in America since 2013, and moved to Orlando, Florida, before Christmas. 

HOW coincidental my exasperation on these pages at the fading art of kicking should be followed last Saturday by the wayward clearance that may define this season’s Six Nations championship, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Arsene Wenger was first officially introduced as Arsenal manager at a Highbury press conference on September 22, 1996.

Few rugby players can simply be identified by their first names. Gareth, Sonny Bill, Zinzan, Jonny, and Jonah are some of the few whose deeds and skills have given them that particular status. And Joost.

The scrutiny in Munich was meant to be on under-performing Mesut Ozil but whatever the German could do, Bayern’s Thiago Alcantara could do far, far better as Arsenal were outclassed in Europe yet again - leaving Arsene Wenger as the man feeling the heat of the spotlight instead of his star midfielder.

League of Ireland fans might justifiably be relishing the sight of Daryl Horgan hitting the ground running at Preston but Martin O’Neill is probably even more gratified by the resurgent impact one of the older wingers in town is having at Deepdale.

Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United will end up “in trouble” if they continue to fight on all fronts.

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

The modern Champions League format has little space for romance or novelty — as seen by this week’s fixture list as Arsenal and Bayern Munich, and Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, met again for the upteenth time in recent years.

Antonio Conte has hailed the ‘fantasy’ Cesc Fabregas has brought to Chelsea’s pursuit of the Premier League title.

Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare is looking forward to the “massive challenge” of facing Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Ireland insist Andy Farrell is too “professional” to let preparing a team to nullify his son Owen cloud his coaching for today’s RBS 6 Nations clash with England.

The sight of the battleship England hoving into view, all guns blazing and with plenty of ammunition still left to unleash, might remind Irish supporters of when the All Blacks landed in Chicago last November.

Spurs scout and former Cork City player Brian Carey dreams of unearthing the next Jamie Vardy, a player he admired at non-league level for his blistering pace, writes Liam Mackey.

The fascinating aspect of England’s long unbeaten run is the mental fortitude they can now call on at critical moments, writes Ronan O’Gara.