What’s on, what time, where to watch – your guide to the weekend’s sport

The Lions tour gets underway, Real Madrid look to make it number 12 and much more

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo takes a selfie with a journalist in the mixed zone ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final. Photo: Getty Images
Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo takes a selfie with a journalist in the mixed zone ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final. Photo: Getty Images

What’s on?

The Lions kick off their tour of New Zealand, there’s championship football and hurling, the Epsom derby, Ireland take on Uruguay, there’s League of Ireland action and, of course, the Champions League final.

The main events

1. NZ Provincial Barbarians v Lions (Sky Sports 2, Saturday 8.35am)

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2. Epsom Derby (ITV1, Saturday 4.30pm)

3. Champions League final: Juventus v Real Madrid (BT Sport 2, RTE2, Saturday 7.45pm)

The daily highlights (you can find our full daily TV guide here)

Friday

Racing: Friday sees the opening day of the Derby Festival, and there are two Group Ones on the card for Ladiess Day at Epsom (1.30-5.30, ITV, TV3). Aidan O'Brien heads to Surrey with an enviable team and his Highland Reel is favourite for the Coronation Cup (3.10), with Rhododendron odds-on to score in the Oaks (4.30).

Football: There is a full programme of League of Ireland Premier Division fixtures on Friday night, including the clash between Dundalk and runaway leaders Cork City at Oriel Park (7.25, RTE 2).

Golf: The second round of the Nordea Masters gets underway in Sweden where Paul Dunne has work to do to make the cut (Sky Sports 4, 10am and 2pm). On the PGA Tour Shane Lowry and Pádraig Harrington both got off to steady starts at the Memorial Tournament where world number one Dustin Johnson had a horror show on the opening day (Sky Sports 4, 7.30pm).

Tennis: Garbine Muguruza, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal are all in action on day three of the French Open at Roland Garros (Eurosport, 9.30am).

Saturday

Rugby: Here we go. For once the build-up hasn't been quite as protracted as the players would have liked, but on Saturday morning the British and Irish Lions play the first fixture of their daunting tour of New Zealand. Warren Gatland has picked a strong XV for the opening game against New Zealand Barbarians in Whangarei, with Johnny Sexton among the Irish contingent starting in a red jersey. As well as watching live on the telly (8.35am SS2), you can follow all of the action through the Irish Times liveblog.

Tennis: There's round of 32 action in France where Andy Murray v Juan Martin del Potro is the pick of the action (Eurosport, 9.30am).

Golf: After the field has been cut in half it's moving day in Sweden at the Nordea Masters. Home favourites Henrik Stenson and Alex Noren will both be desperate for a win on home soil (Sky Sports 4, midday). Later in the evening there's third round action in Ohio where all of the big names – bar an injured Rory McIlroy – are out to play (Sky Sports 4, 4.30pm).

Racing: All eyes will be fixed firmly upon Epsom on Saturday, as a particularly difficult Derby puzzle will finally be solved (ITV, 1.30pm). Aidan O'Brien has six declarations for the Classic, with Cliffs Of Moher a joint 4-1 favourite alongside John Gosden's Cracksman (4.30).

GAA: The 2017 provincial championships are now in full swing and Saturday night sees the defending All-Ireland football champions Dublin begin the defence of their Leinster crown against Carlow in Portlaoise (Sky Sports 5, 7pm).

Football: Juventus look to end 21-years of European hurt on Saturday night, with Real Madrid standing between the Old Lady of Turin and a third European Cup at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (RTE 2, BT Sport 2, 6pm).

Sunday

Tennis: The clay court grand slam at Roland Garros moves into last 16 territory for both the women and the men (Eurosport, 9.30am).

Rugby: There's plenty of Under-20 World Championship action to keep you occupied on Sunday morning with Ireland in desperate need of a win after their opening loss to Italy. Peter Malone's side take on Scotland (eirsport 2, 10am).

Golf: Who will be crowned king of Scandinavia? Golfing king, that is. Final round action from Sweden gets underway at midday on Sky Sports 4. Later that evening you can see who will be crowned king of Jack's place when the Memorial comes to its conclusion at Muirfield Village (Sky Sports 4, 5pm).

Cycling: Prepare to see kids riding around on their bikes for a few weeks before they're ditched for tennis rackets when Wimbledon starts in a few weeks. That's right, Sunday sees the beginning of this year's Tour de France, starting in Critérium du Dauphiné (Eurosport 2, 12.35pm).

GAA: There is further Leinster football action on Sunday with Meath taking onLouth in Parnell Park (3pm) and Kildare facing Laois in Tullamore (3pm). In Ulster Down take on Armagh in Newry (RTE 2, 2pm). Meanwhile in the Munster hurling championship Limerick take on Clare in a big clash in Semple Stadium (RTE 2, 4pm) You can catch up on all the action on The Sunday Game (RTE 2, 9pm).

Football: Martin O'Neill's Ireland take on Uruguay at the Aviva Stadium in their second fixture of the international window, as preparations for their key World Cup qualifier against Austria gather pace (Eir Sport 1, 6pm).