Manchester United lost their third match of the new season last night, crashing out of the League Cup in a penalty shootout against Championship side Derby. Juan Mata's early goal looked to have eased the pressure on manager Jose Mourinho, before a sublime free-kick from Liverpool loanee Harry Wilson levelled matters. Derby then took a shock lead before a late header by Marouane Fellaini forced penalties. Phil Jones missed United's eighth penalty in the shootout. Earlier in the day the United Legends had rolled back the years and beaten a combined Celtic and Ireland team in a tribute match to the late Liam Miller.
Keith Duggan writes this morning that there are GAA people out there who will want nothing to do with JP McManus's €100,000 gift to every county board: "As a resident in Switzerland, McManus has not been registered for income or capital gains tax with the Irish Revenue since 1995." Meanwhile Eamon Donoghue's Underdogs diary continues, and in tomorrow night's fourth episode the team head for Clongowes Wood College and take on Leinster club champions Moorefield.
Tiger Woods says he is hoping to bring his winning momentum from last weekend's Tour Championship to the USA team for the Ryder Cup which begins on Friday. Woods however has only once – in seven appearances – savoured a winning feeling in the Ryder Cup: "Not having won as a player since 1999 is something, hopefully, that will change this week." As for the speed of the greens in Paris – they were close to 14 on the stimp when the USA won in a birdie fest at Hazeltine two years ago – they are, in truth, slow at 10, but also about as fast as can be risked on this course. "Anything faster, should the wind whip up, would lead to oscillating golf balls", explains Philip Reid who is in the French capital.
The most recent English rugby premiership study bears out the belief that plastic pitches are more dangerous and cause more injuries than grass. So Johnny Watterson asks, why are they becoming more common?
The Cheltenham festival winning trainer Pat Kelly has expressed disappointment with the outcome of a Referrals Committee hearing which saw him fined €1,000 after a point to point winner returned a positive test for cobalt. He trained Warendorf to win a point to point at Belclare last March, and the horse is the 13th winner, either on the track or in point to points, to be disqualified in Ireland this year following a testing positive for a prohibited substance.
