BRITVIC has reported a 15.3% year-on-year fall in third-quarter revenues for its Irish operations, to £36.5 million (approximately €41.4m).

WE’VE been in Bordeaux for a couple of days celebrating Jean Pierre Moullé’s significant birthday.

The Killarney Racing Festival began yesterday in beautiful summer weather.

MICK McCARTHY has refused to rule out managing the Republic of Ireland again — but he’s in no rush to give up the Premier League for international football.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON believes Rory McIlroy should feel no extra pressure as the 22-year-old US Open champion heads into this week’s British Open as red-hot favourite.

IRELAND’S senior men gave coach Paul Revington plenty more to chew on as they came away from Lille with the Champions Challenge II title in the bag following a 4-2 final defeat of France.

MICK McCARTHY is happy to offer an insight into the work that goes on behind the scenes as Wolves begin pre-season training but first a golf story that will ultimately make sense.

CHELSEA face an anxious wait for an update on the fitness of Michael Essien after the Ghana midfielder sustained a knee injury.

GRAEME McDOWELL now refers to Rory McIlroy as “The Man” — but his own talent was there for all to see again at Castle Stuart near Inverness yesterday.

IN years to come it will be the stuff of death bed confessions. Yes Father, those are Celtic Crosses on the mantelpiece but, God forgive me, it’s time I got it off my chest; we used tactics.

PETER LAWRIE leads the Irish charge at the Scottish Open after day one at Castle Stuart near Inverness.

IRELAND’s glamorous Rugby World Cup warm-up against England at the Aviva Stadium next month will not be broadcast live on RTÉ or any terrestrial network, it has emerged.

TOMÁS O’LEARY was Ireland’s first-choice scrum-half when he succumbed to injury during the Six Nations. Now he finds himself one of five number nines trying to catch Declan Kidney’s eye before the World Cup in New Zealand.

ANTE-POST favourite Delegator will face 16 rivals in pursuit of victory in the Darley July Cup at Newmarket tomorrow.

RUAIRÍ FINNEGAN (Letterkenny AC) has qualified for Sunday’s 1500m final at the World Youth Track and Field Championships in Lille.

FORMER All-Ireland winning hurler and All Star Michael Cleary will set out today to cycle a go-kart the length of Co Tipperary to raise funds to ease the suffering of sick children.

CHEZ PANISSE is a legendary restaurant and café in Berkeley, California.

IRELAND skipper Brian O’Driscoll has lifted the lid on some of the painful and bizarre work that Declan Kidney’s squad are undertaking ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

FOUR years ago, the Irish rugby team failed to make it past the group stages of the Rugby World Cup for the first time after telling everyone and anyone that they had what it took to win the tournament.

MEGAN KIELY (Ferrybank AC) qualified for the semi-finals of the women’s 400m hurdles when she finished fifth in her first-round heat at the World Youth Championships in Lille yesterday.