UCC are set a develop a new centre of excellence for sport in the third-level institution on a 100 acre site on the western outskirts of Cork city.

IRISH provinces will be chasing a financial jackpot this weekend as they look to secure a Heineken Cup quarter-final home draw, with local economies benefiting by up to €10.5 million, according to figures released by the tournament organisers.

JAMIE HEASLIP can deny it all he wants; the upcoming Six Nations is all about revenge.

IRELAND coach Declan Kidney will put his head back above the parapet tomorrow for the first time since the World Cup and reveal his squad for this year’s RBS 6 Nations with plenty of options at his disposal to challenge his established players.

BUSINESSMAN Sean Quinn has been declared bankrupt in the High Court after he decided not to contest an application made by the former Anglo Irish Bank.

HE has turned 40, fallen to 89th in the world rankings and lost his most benevolent sponsor.

WE ALL knew Giovanni Trapattoni wouldn’t want to look at any new players before Euro 2012, but it was still a little disappointing to hear him confirm it on Friday.

ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger was left frustrated on two counts after criticising referee Michael Oliver for awarding a penalty to Swansea, which he described as “complete imagination”, and lambasting his team’s slapdash defending.

ANY lingering hopes that Arsenal could still win the title are probably over following defeat at Swansea but next Sunday there is an opportunity to wind back the years and pretend differently.

WITH each passing week, any association Liverpool have been keen to promote with Billy Beane’s Oakland A’s, which inspired the book ‘Moneyball’, only seem more ridiculous.

AFTER winning promotion to the Premier League with the Clarets in 2009 and taking the captaincy at the club this season, surely a senior Republic of Ireland cap is the next thing on Chris McCann’s wish list.

WHAT comes after the last-chance saloon?

WITH the battle for individual places at the Olympics intensifying, Billy Twomey achieved an important fourth place in the lucrative grand prix at Basel, Switzerland, yesterday.

CHINA Rock has been given a clean bill of health following his fine comeback run at Punchestown on Saturday.

SOME things haven’tchanged at the basketball.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS are determined to complete their European revenge mission against Munster on Saturday after ending the Scarlets Heineken Cup hopes.

Sandy Park in Exeter may seem an odd place to begin the countdown to Ireland’s 2012 RBS 6 Nations campaign but it is there the final pieces of Declan Kidney’s initial championship squad will fall into place as the Wolfhounds take on England Saxons this evening (5pm).

Wales prop Rhys Thomas has undergone surgery after being treated for a heart condition suffered in training with the Scarlets.

Ireland forwards coach Gert Smal last night spoke of his decision to continue his role in Declan Kidney’s management set-up rather than pursue the head coaching role of his native South Africa.

Stephen Ferris takes questions with a look of calm, if not outright satisfaction.