Devin Toner’s World Cup ambitions remain intact with the news that the Leinster second row faces just a 4-6 week recovery period from the knee injury suffered against Munster in last week’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final.

Simon Lewis The Munster exit door kept revolving yesterday as exciting young fly-half Bill Johnston left for Ulster in search of more game time and Heineken Cup-winning legend Doug Howlett decided to return to his native New Zealand.

Brendan O'Brien It’s eight years since Leinster faced an ‘away’ league final.

Ireland U20s coach Noel McNamara insists his full focus is on the upcoming Junior World Cup despite suggestions that he could be a possible candidate for a role with Munster under Johann van Graan.

Conor Purcell leads the Irish charge on home turf at Co Sligo as the Flogas Irish Amateur Open gets underway at Rosses Point tomorrow.

Want to stay stylish while you train? Annmarie O’Connor has the lowdown with just two weeks to the Cork City Marathon

Limerick hurling boss John Kiely is focused on this weekend’s clash with Cork but he also acknowledges his side face a different challenge this year as All Ireland

Friday sees the first of Ireland’s competitive show jumping team fixtures this year as manager Rodrigo Pessoa brings a strong squad to La Baule for the French Nations Cup.

The racing world was rocked yesterday after Michael O’Leary announced he will phase out his National Hunt team over the next five years.

There will be a strange dynamic surrounding Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final between Leinster and Munster at the RDS. It’s been a difficult ten days for both Irish provinces but for different reasons.

Defeats make doubters of us all.

On the de facto opening Championship weekend, Greg Kennedy provided a whopper.

Not for Jordan Larmour the comforting blankets of self-pity or self-denial.

The FAI’s director of competitions Fran Gavin has said that staff have been “rattled” and the association “rocked” by the crisis in Abbotstown.

David and Conor Harte are set to return to the scene of their first international caps following their inclusion in the Irish men’s squad for the FIH Series finals in Le Touquet, France.

“There is massive opportunity in this disappointment and hopefully we can see the bright side of it.”

Joe Brolly has called for a restructuring of the All-Ireland Football Championship involving "at least three tiers".

Never mind the pointless abomination that was United versus Cardiff. The final whistle has just gone at Brighton versus City, and I find myself yelping a cheer for the triumphant Blues.

Peter Jackson picks his XV for the Heineken Champions Cup Team of the Tournament.

It would be lazy to dismiss Leinster as just another PRO14 casualty of the Saracens juggernaut.