Coach Billy Walsh last night admitted he could “not be happier” as the seven-man Irish boxing team touched down in Trabzon, Turkey yesterday ahead of the European Olympic qualifier which begins on Saturday.

Synchronised will complete his John Smith’s Grand National preparations with a pipeopener today ahead of the Aintree spectacular on Saturday.

Munster Rugby is likely to post its first financial loss in six years this season — but the bottom line won’t be made worse by Sunday’s shock Heineken Cup quarter-final loss at Thomond Park, says chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald.

Rio Ferdinand is approaching his 10th anniversary as a Manchester United player more hungry than ever to collect some silverware.

Irish eyes remain firmly focused on continuing preparations for the upcoming UEFA European Championships, with FAI chief executive, John Delaney, due to visit the squad’s pre-tournament training base of Montecatini in Italy tomorrow.

Former Republic of Ireland manager Eoin Hand has urged Giovanni Trapattoni to take Sunderland star James McClean to this summer’s European Championships.

Ulster chiefs predict they will have more than 35,000 fans at the Aviva Stadium for their Heineken Cup semi-final against Edinburgh later this month.

Ulster’s Ruan Pienaar is in contention to join an elite group of players who have won both the Heineken Cup and the Rugby World Cup.

Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland are set to face China in a friendly international after the European Championships.

The summer after his departure from Manchester United, Roy Keane gave a riveting two-hour talk to the Cork hurlers who were then bidding for a third All-Ireland in a row.

Falling in love with the game. Falling out of love with the game. And now, after years of thinking his chance had passed him by, the opportunity to represent his country at the European Championship finals. West Brom and Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews tells his story

Mark Rohan’s story is so engaging it could keep the spools of a recorder turning for hours but, this being Ireland, the conversation eventually wound its way around to the more humdrum topic of the weather on Thursday.

Liverpool are to allow unprecedented behind-the-scenes dressing-room access to American broadcaster FOX Soccer for a six-part documentary.

Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini has warned his team that beating Manchester United on Monday night might not be enough to guarantee them the title.

Paul McGinley displayed his dogged fighting qualities in posting a one under par 71 on the first day of the Ballantine’s Championship in Seoul.

The multi-talented Quevega produced a dazzling display to slam Voler La Vedette in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes.com Series World Hurdle at Punchestown last evening.

Henry Cecil’s incredible colt Frankel stepped up his recovery from injury with a piece of work in Newmarket yesterday morning.

The provincial spotlight is set to remain firmly focused on Leinster and Ulster this week as Munster are at least a week away from announcing who will fill the hot seat on Tony McGahan’s departure at the end of the season.

TAKE Paddy With You. Just tuck him inside your mobile phone, or onto your iPad. But most of all, take him in your head, where he can pop out every now and again, tap you on the shoulder, and whisper that it’s time for a flutter.

Michael Hoey last night confirmed his departure from the Horizon Sports agency.