The news that Jack Grealish is to be a character’s name in the next outing by thriller writer and Aston Villa fan Lee Child added an appropriately dramatic twist to the week’s spiciest narrative.

Sometime in the future, when professional sport has been closed down altogether, people will probably look back at the time America’s finest legal minds produced a rebuttal website on behalf of the New England Patriots that contained these sentences:

Manager Arsene Wenger expects to add to Arsenal’s “core” this summer, but believes if Francis Coquelin had cost £40m (€55.6m) in January rather than coming back from loan at Charlton, there would be little criticism of the squad’s depth.

Luke Donald returns to the scene of his greatest triumphs this week with a lot more at stake than when he was ruling the roost four years ago.

Call it addiction or obsession but the desire of a professional golfer to remain on tour even when there are a million reasons not to be there goes beyond all logic.

The head of Ireland’s Rugby World Cup bid team believes they have already secured over 40% of the votes available in the race to secure the 2023 tournament.

James Cronin and Stephen Archer will get their opportunity to show national coach Joe Schmidt that they can be relied upon for the World Cup after both Munster props were selected for the Emerging Ireland squad.

Chris Smalling is refusing to celebrate Manchester United’s return to the Champions League.

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths and Dundee ‘keeper Scott Bain have been called up to the Scotland squad for their Euro 2016 qualifier against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on June 13.

Gary Neville is excited by the prospect of watching Memphis Depay play for Manchester United, but admits the winger still has much to learn if he is to become a star.

Success in a county like Longford

Danny O’Reilly is reluctantly happy to put up with his sex symbol status once The Coronas continue their upward trajectory writes Ed Power

Support for the Irish women’s team took a giant leap towards a semi-professional basis with the announcement that Park Developments will roll out a four-year support package which will see up to 23 players initially benefit from bursaries.

Leinster are keen to make one thing abundantly clear: Jonathan Sexton was not dropped for their Guinness PRO14 semi-final against Munster at the RDS last Saturday.

The 22-year-old playmaker played seven times for Munster this season, including four starts, and kicked 29 points.

Americans Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson were playing a practice round at the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor Resort when Mickelson proposed a dream scenario: “Can you imagine what a phenomenal Ryder Cup venue Bethpage Black would be?” he said.

More needs to be done to make sport more inclusive for minorities, the economically disadvantaged, and people with disabilities, according to the chief executive of the organisation that represents Ireland’s sporting governing bodies.

Johann van Graan admits Munster will find it difficult to build momentum for next season while having to bed in possibly three new coaches.

It’s not often we get a provincial derby between Leinster and Munster these days with both teams fully locked and loaded. Therefore days such as Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final are occasions to be savoured.

Conor Purcell missed out on his country’s blue-riband amateur title as the Flogas Irish Amateur Open went to England’s James Newton — but Ireland’s highest-ranked player hopes his runner-up finish at Co Sligo impressed the watching Walker Cup selectors.