THREE of the world’s top cricketers were facing possible jail terms last night after being convicted of match-fixing.

NAIVE, suicidal, kamikaze. Some of the phrases used to describe our football against Arsenal.

THAT was a good week, interesting for lots of reasons.

PAUL O’CONNELL insists Munster’s World Cup contingent are buzzing again after returning to the province and ready to meet the challenge of Leinster this weekend and the Heineken Cup campaign beyond.

THE European Tour and sponsors, the Andalucian Tourist Board, must have been furious the Andalucian Masters was bypassed by many marquee names in favour of the Shanghai Masters.

SHANE HORGAN has challenged his Leinster team-mates to make history by becoming only the second side to retain the Heineken Cup — and believes Ireland’s World Cup heartache could help them do so.

AS the World Cup slowly but surely recedes into the backs of peoples’ minds, they now have the mouth-watering prospect of the renewal of the Leinster-Munster rivalry at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night.

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS has admitted Chelsea have endured “a disastrous week” but insists he is still on course to produce a side capable of winning the Barclays Premier League.

BACK when he was still coaching both Kerry and Dr Crokes, Pat O’Shea recommended a book on Michael Jordan to his Kerry players.

THE powers of rugby’s Television Match Official (TMO) will be extended to the entire field in selected northern and southern hemisphere games in 2012 and, if successful, it may become permanent.

THE worst kept secret from the Rugby World Cup has emerged after French number eight Imanol Harinordoquy admitted the players largely overlooked “lost” coach Marc Lievremont to reach the final.

GEORDAN MURPHY admits he is likely to retire from international rugby before next year’s Six Nations.

GOLF’s two million dollar man, Rory McIlroy, believes his new management team will help inspire him to more victories.

THE excited Valderrama crowd cheered Sergio Garcia home to a hugely significant victory for himself and Spain yesterday but the sparse but vocal Irish in the gallery also had plenty to shout about after a superb final day performance by Shane Lowry at the Andalucia Masters.

IRELAND winger Andrew Trimble hopes to vent his frustrations this afternoon when he lines-out against the Scarlets in Llanelli.

I SUPPOSE people were probably a little surprised I returned to action in Britain yesterday, taking one ride at Wetherby.

THERE was plenty of forward thinking from Giovanni Trapattoni yesterday as his press conference to announce his European Championship play-off squad was dominated by the injury concerns ahead of next month’s games against Estonia.

WITH Government expenditure under intense scrutiny, it comes as no surprise that the Army Equitation School has again featured on the radar.

IRELAND’S challenge failed to ignite in the first round of the Andalucian Masters at Valderrama yesterday as Scotland’s Richie Ramsey jumped into a two-stroke lead with a sparkling six under par 66 in spite of finishing with bogeys at the 17th and 18th.

ARSENE WENGER yesterday issued an impassioned rallying call at Arsenal’s AGM — urging everyone at the club to stay united behind the team.