Ireland finished what has turned out to bea thoroughly miserable international break with a 1-0 defeat to Wales at the Aviva Stadium last night. Ryan Giggs's youthful side - missing their two star players in Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey - won 1-0 in Dublin thanks to a 58th minute free-kick from Harry Wilson. Martin O'Neill's men rallied afterwards, but ultimately never looked like turning things around. Emmet Malone writes: "The crowd got behind the home side as they chased an equaliser and there were moments when there was at least a recognisable echo of the famous old roar but it did no good; Ireland simply did not have the wherewithal up front to save themselves." Elsewhere, world champions France came from behind to beat Germany 2-1 at the Stade de France, Antoine Griezmann scoring both goals.
In his column this morning Gordon D'Arcy looks ahead to Leinster's trip to play the mighty Toulouse next weekend - a clash between two sides with four stars stitched onto their jerseys - and remembers the province's famous win at the Stadium Municipal in 2006. He writes: "On Sunday they return to this wonderful city, the aristocratic home of French rugby. What a test for these young champions. Now, the team has suffered recent defeats in Montpellier and Toulon but visiting Toulouse is an altogether new experience. Think of a footballer entering Camp Nou, or hurling at Semple Stadium. It's special."
Elsewhere, TG4's the Underdogs is reaching its crescendo, with the programme's panel of inter-county hopefuls set to take on the Dubs in Parnell Park on Friday night. The Irish Times' very own Eamon Donoghue will line out in midfield against Jim Gavin's charges, and this morning he has profiled the 29 players who are preparing for one of the most difficult challenges in football.
And John Gosden's double-Arc heroine Enable is to travel to America for the Breeders Cup Turf on November 3rd. But the continent's best three-year-old has her work cut out, as Brian O'Connor writes: "No winner of Europe's greatest all-aged race has ever managed to complete the double in America and Abdullah's great 1980s star Dancing Brave is perhaps the most notable failure."
