Minority sports crave that moment that propels them into the national sporting consciousness. Think Katie Taylor at London 2012 and the O’Donovans in Rio 2016. Hockey Ireland’s Phil Oakley swears that after Irish ’s exploits at the Cricket World Cup in 2007, he saw lads using hurleys to play cricket in Mayfield on Cork’s northside.

The Irish Rugby Football Union has announced that Declan Kidney has been confirmed as the new head coach of the Ireland rugby team.

The world rankings will be used for the first time when qualifying for Europe’s next Ryder Cup team starts in September.

He’s back in favour with Les Bleus, but the mercurial No 10 of the unpredictable temperament continues to be the poster boy for France’s fragility, says Gavin Mortimer

On Thursday, soccer’s 21st World Cup opens when, in a chillingly symbolic way, two dictatorships, Russia and Saudi Arabia, meet in the Moscow curtainraiser.

THE morning after the nightmare before, England’s 2018 World Cup bid team woke up to the reality that they had been duped.

NEW ZEALAND will host the 2011 Rugby World Cup after beating Japan and South Africa in an International Rugby Board secret ballot in Dublin.

Rhys Priestland has lost his fitness battle for Wales’ World Cup semi-final clash against France at Eden Park on Saturday.

Lucas Bazan Pontoni rifled through his pockets for the 45-cent lunch fee as he stood in line at a downtown soup kitchen. When he came up short, an acquaintance sprang for the government-subsidised meal.

Long-serving Kyle McCallan has been angered by suggestions Ireland’s World Cup success is down to imported players.

Despite incurring a number of late injuries, Irish coach Jon Skurr, insists his side is ready for this weekend’s Women’s Sevens World Cup in Moscow.

NELSON MANDELA attended the opening of last night’s World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands, thrilling fans and capping South Africa’s pride in staging a successful tournament.

Tiger Woods has joined the list of top golfers to criticise the decision to stage all the World Golf Championship events in America.

In the UK, the game was the most-watched TV programme of the year so far on all British channels.

Members of the Irish Rugby team have returned home after their World Cup exit to New Zealand at the quarter-final stage on Saturday.

The 2018 World Cup hosts Russia have had the perfect start to their tournament.

OUTGOING captain Fabio Cannavaro insists changes are needed in Italian football or the team could face a lengthy wait before regaining the World Cup.