They called it the ‘Irish Football Stakeholder Forum’ but really last Friday’s gathering at the Mansion House was a cry for help.

Former UEFA president Lennart Johansson has died at the age of 89.

UK retail sales plunged in May, reinforcing a gloomy picture for the industry that’s seen a number of high-profile businesses run into trouble.

Ireland striker Stephanie Roche believes the unprecedented coverage of this summer’s Women’s World Cup will precede a lasting cultural shift in the perception of women’s sport.

Johnny Sexton has rejected suggestions that Ireland have peaked a year too early.

There are only two more rounds to go in the Fortnite World Cup qualifying round, with entry to the $30m July finals up for grabs.

A few hundred metres from Nick Nurse’s city centre apartment in downtown Toronto stands Fort York, one of Canada’s most significant historical landmarks, the symbol of the still nascent country’s war of 1812 with the US.

After years of turmoil for Fifa, Gianni Infantino is this week getting a fresh four-year presidential term to lead world football in relative calm.

Graham Rowntree has been named as Munster's new forwards coach.

Matt Doherty had cricket on the brain yesterday. It’s never far from his thoughts, as it happens.

If there can be such a thing as an upside for Mick McCarthy in seeing four players succumb to friendly fire on the training pitch — Shane Long having now followed Alan Browne, Mark Travers and Luca Connell out of the squad since preparations for the Euro 2020 qualifiers against Denmark and Gibraltar began on the Algarve — it’s that none would have been likely to start in Copenhagen on Friday night.

The sacking of rugby star Israel Folau for expressing his religious beliefs could end up in the Supreme Court and could have wide-ranging implications, writes TP O’Mahony.

A “lesson in efficiency”, is how Hugo Lloris described Liverpool’s win over Tottenham in Madrid, and while the Frenchman cannot be sure if he will play in another Champions League final, he maintains Spurs are learning all the time.

Meh. As European Cup triumphs go, I’ve seen better… OK, I’ll stop being an unbearable gobshite. For now.

Torreira plays his 50th match for Arsenal tonight.

Ireland grabs its share of international attention this week with Tattersalls International Horse Trials getting underway in Co. Meath today and Mullingar hosting its two-star international show jumping meeting over the Bank Holiday weekend.

So that’s Friday nearly wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

The long road starts here as the race to make Ireland’s World Cup squad for Japan this September ramped up, after Joe Schmidt named a 44-player training squad.

One of Dublin’s most iconic landmarks has been painted in the rainbow colours to celebrate the hosting of amateur rugby’s Union Cup at Dublin City University on June 8-9.

And before we know it, another season comes to a sudden and dramatic end.